Sam Vecenie Athletic Mock Draft

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Let's hype the hell out of Sanogo. IMO he was a bigger piece of our resurgence than even Bouk. Kid deserves a 10 million dollar contract and a Sports Illustrated cover just for that.

Love this comment, and from you & others, the exchange of opinions that includes room for respectful disagreement in this thread.

After the 1-2 punch of Akok & Jackson broke Boeheim, Sanogo's commitment & reclass put a hurt on Seton Hall and made up for the late loss of Cockburn to Illinois the season before. Who expected he'd show up at age 18 so ready to contribute?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

nba. and now, a word from reality.
a few seasons back, i was regularly insistent that evan was, easily, the best choice in the draft, not bcuz of some data doo doo, but becuz of his obvious winning skillz. fast forward to the now, and his team - becuz of him and this- has one of the best records in that league.
how could that sea of nba gm 'experts' not understand this and let him fall to #3 in the draft? big dummies.
my other obvious stud, mr chet, is broken now, but will return to remind folks 'remember me?'
i like adama a real lot, quality, and he will continue to learn and grow cuz, as pointed out a long while back, he is in this to get paid. if anyone can find a wrinkle to get to the bright lights, it's him. smart. very smart, but the road has real obstacles, especially since the standards for nba frontcourt are just soo high. case in point,
new reality (giannis, chet, evan, and more)


donno, if trained correctly, will be closer to the new standard. it's why he's nba whispered aboot, and yet somehow can't get time here. incredible.
hawk has improved this season, but can't dribble attack from the left side, yet. i wasn't sure if his future was at 2, shooting guard, or at 3, scoring forward. thus far, he still has a tendency to be a better boarder than a handler (3 over 2), but is being coached to mainly score, and whatever happens with the handle or the boards thing, will just be whatever happens. im not certain that his potential will be enuf this draft season. i just don't know, but i do know that the ncaa has a million other ballers that represent the same situation.
i guess that we're finally done with danny's hogwash on ajax as an nba point.
adama might go somewhere after the season (i'm gettin paid, period! luv, luv, luv, that aboot the man, cuz he continues to do things to help himself get there), and hawk has enuf nascent talent to turn a successful postseason run into sumthing more, but the jury is still out at this time.
check out victor's height thing at the end of the video.
reality.

i don't recall a season for the squad where soo many questions for team and individual success/failure judgement, are dependent solely on how we finish. amazing, actually.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

and, of course, ol Cllfford Ralph, could easily hang with the new way.
easily. in many ways, the founder of it.

i see that victor has dirk's coach on his team. if he learns the dirk knee to the groin move -----yikes!
hey danny, get donno to that guy, stat!

 

[auror]

Disagree on Sanogo. Honestly, he's not slow, and he can dribble much better than he's been allowed to show. His strength will allow him to guard bigger guys, especially in the NBA where it's just different. I think he can become a Grant Williams type, with a bit more size and a better game in the paint, and not as good on the perimeter.

Watch Grant Williams highlights from college. He's MUCH more athletic than Sanogo. Much more springy, quicker, faster. Some of that is from carrying less weight, but he's likely naturally more athletic too. His BBIQ is also off the charts, while Sanogo is nearer the bottom from starting to play so late.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

if he learns the dirk knee to the groin move -----yikes!

“Some people pay double for that kind of action, Cotton”.

I must say now that I can confidently decipher your posts, I find them mostly enjoyable.

 

[ucp990411]

nba. and now, a word from reality.
a few seasons back, i was regularly insistent that evan was, easily, the best choice in the draft, not bcuz of some data doo doo, but becuz of his obvious winning skillz. fast forward to the now, and his team - becuz of him and this- has one of the best records in that league.
how could that sea of nba gm 'experts' not understand this and let him fall to #3 in the draft? big dummies.
my other obvious stud, mr chet, is broken now, but will return to remind folks 'remember me?'
i like adama a real lot, quality, and he will continue to learn and grow cuz, as pointed out a long while back, he is in this to get paid. if anyone can find a wrinkle to get to the bright lights, it's him. smart. very smart, but the road has real obstacles, especially since the standards for nba frontcourt are just soo high. case in point,
new reality (giannis, chet, evan, and more)


donno, if trained correctly, will be closer to the new standard. it's why he's nba whispered aboot, and yet somehow can't get time here. incredible.
hawk has improved this season, but can't dribble attack from the left side, yet. i wasn't sure if his future was at 2, shooting guard, or at 3, scoring forward. thus far, he still has a tendency to be a better boarder than a handler (3 over 2), but is being coached to mainly score, and whatever happens with the handle or the boards thing, will just be whatever happens. im not certain that his potential will be enuf this draft season. i just don't know, but i do know that the ncaa has a million other ballers that represent the same situation.
i guess that we're finally done with danny's hogwash on ajax as an nba point.
adama might go somewhere after the season (i'm gettin paid, period! luv, luv, luv, that aboot the man, cuz he continues to do things to help himself get there), and hawk has enuf nascent talent to turn a successful postseason run into sumthing more, but the jury is still out at this time.
check out victor's height thing at the end of the video.
reality.

i don't recall a season for the squad where soo many questions for team and individual success/failure judgement, are dependent solely on how we finish. amazing, actually.

Disagree on Chet. 7’1” and 190 lbs playing against the men of the NBA I think is just injuries waiting to happen

 

[ClifSpliffy]

“Some people pay double for that kind of action, Cotton”.

I must say now that I can confidently decipher your posts, I find them mostly enjoyable.

I find them mostly enjoyable.

don't say that, cuz it may make stinky red down thumbs pour on you, and then i'll feel bad.

it seems that recently across the land, not everyone is as big a fan of 'free speechin' as many of us are. let the chips fall where they may, an all that.

 

[REB1094]

Awesome to see Hawkins climbing up draft boards. One of the more underrated things he’s done since last year is become much more focused. He focused on the things he was good at and became GREAT at them. He knows his limits, plays within himself, and rarely forces it offensively. And the times he does force it, he’s forced to because the offense is in a miserable stretch and needs some energy. I think lottery is aggressive, but he should end up closer to 20 than to 30.

 

[Fishy]

I would not be too excited to draft Hawkins yet - he’s very one-dimensional at times and I just straight do not think he’s ready to play in the NBA. He’ll be a G League yo-yo right now.

I hope Sanogo gets a shot, but the NBA is so follow-the-leader at times and traditional bigs are out of favor. (That will change….maybe with Edny and Clingan leading the charge?)

I disagree with someone above who said that Sanogo’s basketball IQ is at the low end - clever passer, runs the floor very well….just a little bit of a black hole at times.

 

[ucp990411]

I would not be too excited to draft Hawkins yet - he’s very one-dimensional at times and I just straight do not think he’s ready to play in the NBA. He’ll be a G League yo-yo right now.

I hope Sanogo gets a shot, but the NBA is so follow-the-leader at times and traditional bigs are out of favor. (That will change….maybe with Edny and Clingan leading the charge?)

I disagree with someone above who said that Sanogo’s basketball IQ is at the low end - clever passer, runs the floor very well….just a little bit of a black hole at times.

I agree with Fishy about Adama's basketball IQ and passing ability. He actually is a very good passer from the high post and now DH has Adama receiving the ball where he can attack the basket straight on instead of as a stationary post up player with his back to the basket.

 

[auror]

I disagree with someone above who said that Sanogo’s basketball IQ is at the low end - clever passer, runs the floor very well….just a little bit of a black hole at times.

I meant more that his IQ was on the lower end for upperclassmen NBA prospects. It's not low in general (he's not like a random run and jump big who is just 7'1" and has no idea how to play basketball). But he's still behind his age curve.

 

[BGesus4]

I would not be too excited to draft Hawkins yet - he’s very one-dimensional at times and I just straight do not think he’s ready to play in the NBA. He’ll be a G League yo-yo right now.

I hope Sanogo gets a shot, but the NBA is so follow-the-leader at times and traditional bigs are out of favor. (That will change….maybe with Edny and Clingan leading the charge?)

I disagree with someone above who said that Sanogo’s basketball IQ is at the low end - clever passer, runs the floor very well….just a little bit of a black hole at times.

Late teens to early 20s and beyond you’re almost certainly drafting a g-league yo-yo in this day and age.

He’s definitely not a sure thing but if you look who’s also in consideration where he is, 18 is not an unrealistic spot for him.

 

[navery12]

Late teens to early 20s and beyond you’re almost certainly drafting a g-league yo-yo in this day and age.

He’s definitely not a sure thing but if you look who’s also in consideration where he is, 18 is not an unrealistic spot for him.

Especially when you consider that once you get around 20 those are all playoff teams who can all use a 3 and D guy to complement their stars

 

[PAHusky]

Hawkins and Sanogo both have limitations that will probably prevent them from being a lottery pick/drafted, respectively, but I don't know if they're even fixable problems with another year in college, so they may as well get a bag.

Hawk can shoot and he can play some defense. He still can't really dribble, except in a straight line, and he can't create off the bounce for himself at all. He's either 1. a 3-D wing, where he's undersized/good but not great at D or 2. a shooting guard with poor handles. He's not going to grow physically too much with an extra college year, and if he hasn't tightened up his handles he may not be able to make huge strides there.

Sanogo either 1. develops a more consistent outside shot or 2. grows to Clingan's size. 2 isn't happening. 1 is possible but even then may not be enough.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Watch Grant Williams highlights from college. He's MUCH more athletic than Sanogo. Much more springy, quicker, faster. Some of that is from carrying less weight, but he's likely naturally more athletic too. His BBIQ is also off the charts, while Sanogo is nearer the bottom from starting to play so late.

Yes, he's a little quicker, but he's 6'7" 240 at the combine. Sanogo isn't slow, he's just never been asked to guard 4s. Combine notes "lacks athleticism and makes most of his impact in the post". As for BBIQ I don't think Sanogo is lacking in that area. He's making terrific passes now that he's playing a game facing the hoop as he would in the NBA. Their college numbers are more similar than you may think, although UConn didn't let Sanogo show some things as early.

The point I was trying to make is that flex 4-5s have a role in the NBA. Grant guards Giannis effectively because he's strong and has that terrific leverage to ward off the bumps, which Sanogo is also fantastic at on the defensive end.

Grant Williams - NBADraft.net

 

[McLovin]

Hawkins needs to finish the season like he's played the last month and I think he will work himself into the lottery, and possibly the top 10 if there is a team in "win next year" mode with a high pick (maybe a team like the Lakers?) who needs a shooter. He has some areas to improve for the NBA, but he is already a very polished shooter with a quick release. Someone who can go to the league and provide instant 3 point shooting for a contender.

 

[87Xfer]

I think Hawk in a more wide open form of ball in the NBA can really be something special

isn't that what many were saying about Bouk?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Hawkins needs to finish the season like he's played the last month and I think he will work himself into the lottery, and possibly the top 10 if there is a team in "win next year" mode with a high pick (maybe a team like the Lakers?) who needs a shooter. He has some areas to improve for the NBA, but he is already a very polished shooter with a quick release. Someone who can go to the league and provide instant 3 point shooting for a contender.

I don't think he reaches the lottery. Nor do I think he'd play much for any contending team. He's a developmental guy who projects as someone who has what it takes to become a legit rotation player.

 

[MrSec224]

isn't that what many were saying about Bouk?

Bouk was also a locked in lottery pick but in reality Hawks size is more nba ready

 

[NotADime89]

I don't think he reaches the lottery. Nor do I think he'd play much for any contending team. He's a developmental guy who projects as someone who has what it takes to become a legit rotation player.

I mean if he's currently projected at 18 and has a great tournament run he can easily move up 4 spots and become a lottery pick. Lets hope that happens!

 

[ClifSpliffy]

as far as the draft, i read recently that danny ainge has stockpiled something like 15 (fifteen!) 1st rounders in the next 5 years, or something like that. heads up to current members on that team. cheez and crackers, talk aboot job insecurity.

 

[PNolanFan]

I don't think he reaches the lottery. Nor do I think he'd play much for any contending team. He's a developmental guy who projects as someone who has what it takes to become a legit rotation player.

I do think that if we were to say get to the elite 8 and Hawkins got to play for 2 weeks on national tv with everyone watching I think he can get into the lottery. He is someone that when you watch score 20 you can talk yourself into him easy

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Hawkins is Bouk with a much better jumper, better D, and slightly worse finisher. And most importantly much better between the ears. If he continues to torch it I see no reason he isn’t a lotto pick.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I mean if he's currently projected at 18 and has a great tournament run he can easily move up 4 spots and become a lottery pick. Lets hope that happens!

I do think that if we were to say get to the elite 8 and Hawkins got to play for 2 weeks on national tv with everyone watching I think he can get into the lottery. He is someone that when you watch score 20 you can talk yourself into him easy

For sure. I'm definitely rooting for that to happen. So much will depend on what those teams may need and how he closes the season and what the combine shows.

 

[Huskyforlife]

There’s really nothing that Hawkins can improve here that he can’t do even better with NBA resources. You always leave if you’re a first round pick, every year in college decreases your odds of being drafted first round.