OT: Oubre Going Pro

[stick]

Big part of this can be attributed to hype, as cliche as that sounds. The name of the program plays a big role sometimes, ie look at how Drummond and Embiid fared after very similar seasons at UConn and KU respectively. Had almost identical numbers in one season, similar rankings in HS (id even say Drummond was more hyped coming in), yet Drummond plummeted to #9 while Embiid (even WITH a known serious injury during draft workouts) had lots of people saying to take him over Wiggins! Same product, different packaging, and theirs is shinier.

Numbers aren't everything. There were some decent moments for Drummond but he was very inconsistent and he just didn't look very fluid out there. Embiid on the other hand had great footwork and a great feel for the game as well as great movement. Embiid was much better as a collegiate athlete. That being said, at the moment with Embiid and his injuries I'm taking AD over Embiid if I'm an NBA franchise.

 

[pnow15]

The NBA ball is not a better product. It could be. It could be great but greed and television money are killing it.
First thing the NBA needs to do is raise the starting age to 20 years old. The road is a tough place for a young guy. And it hurts a players development sitting on the bench. Nobody should be sitting on a bench on the basis of potential, only merit. The DLeague is the place for potential. Or college.
Second thing is the amount of games. There are just way too many games and way too many games where players go through the motions playing four games in five nights. Cut the schedules to 60 games. Then you will start seeing college ball intensity on the court for every game.
Players will be fresh for every game and every game will have real meaning. Poor starts will have real meaning. Guys on the bench will need to be NBA ready. Fans won't be talking on their cell phones bored.
Only teams with five hundred records or better make the regular playoffs.
If one division doesn't have enough 500 hundred teams, take them from other division. Move the lower seeds into the other division.
If you don't have enough teams, then take best record teams and hold a one game play in.
Only the best get to play post season.
All playoff series are best of seven.
After very season, teams can protect ten players and then there is a dispersal draft.

 

[mauconnfan]

I saw this kid a few times in high school. Thought he would be a stud. This year, he was anything but.

"anything but" isn't quite the description of his freshman year. He was closer to a stud than not. There's a lot there and it was evident more often than not. He should have stayed a full year and gotten in 30 minutes a game next year but they their a whole new group of athletes now.