2024 NBA Draft Thread

[CTMagicUK]

Disclaimer: this is not a reflection of where we are as a team or me giving up on the season or anything like that I just like talking about draft prospects.

NCAA season has started so thought we could start to use this. 

Because I expected us to be better this year I haven't gotten a jump on draft prospects as early as I usually would. Learning as I go but trying not to focus in on the top guys.

Last few years we've been looking at top draft guys. Top 5, top 10 etc. Have a feeling we'll be more in that 14-20 range this coming year (or maybe we even trade the pick? Who knows?) 

Looking in that range I'm really looking at guys who fit. For me guys that fit this team (i.e. fit with Paolo and Franz) are: big guard or wing shooters, stretch bigs or mobile rim protecting bigs.

Jakobe Walter, freshman from Baylor, caught my eye yesterday: 

https://youtu.be/3VNZPAdy3ZU?si=nTaOpYONElbvyqP9

Clearly not a shot creator but he looks to have incredible touch and can shoot the 3 off of movement. Givony has him at #16 at ESPN early on. 

Another guy I like (don't have any highlights from this year yet) is Trevon Brazile, stood out to me at times watching AB film last season at Arkansas but only played a handful of games due to injury. 6'10, super athlete, mobile on defense and his 3 point jumper looks good. (He's currently at #25 on ESPN)

But there are loads of other guys I'm interested in seeing, some guys we shouldn't be in a position to draft and some we might be, playing in College, overseas and for G League Ignite. 

 

[CTMagicUK]

Should have mentioned it in my opening post but I'm super interested in watching Aday Mara at UCLA. He got off to a slow start only playing 6 minutes in the first game and comitting 3 fouls but his first game in the US and I think he was only cleared to play on Friday. Mick Cronin teams usually play tough defense so he'll need to fit in to get minutes and he's got great passing feel for a 7'3 big. 

He doesn't even really fit into one of those archetypes I described above but we live in the post Wemby world so just being big enough to contest a Wemby shot is a lot more interesting than it was 6 months ago. 

 

[Luke_FfS]

LOL, I feared the worst when I've seen that new topic!

[CTMagicUK]

Baba Miller will be an interesting one to watch for FSU tonight. Played pretty well in FIBA U19, jumper looked a lot better. And a 6'11 perimeter player is a very Magic sounding prospect.

[JJZFL]

1 hour ago, CTMagicUK said:

Baba Miller will be an interesting one to watch for FSU tonight. Played pretty well in FIBA U19, jumper looked a lot better. And a 6'11 perimeter player is a very Magic sounding prospect.

Sounds a bit sheepish 

[jmmagicfan]

5 hours ago, JJZFL said:

Sounds a bit sheepish 

That’s really bah-ah-ah-ad! Don’t mind me, I’m just trying to get your goat!

[CTMagicUK]

Kylan Boswell is a guy to keep an eye on. Had a great start to the season. He'll rise quickly if he keeps this up. 

Thankfully his name doesn't offer any obvious puns. 

[JJZFL]

20 hours ago, jmmagicfan said:

That’s really bah-ah-ah-ad! Don’t mind me, I’m just trying to get your goat!

It was terrible.  I’m actually quite ashamed of myself.  

[Babir_9]

Any crazy Europeans? 

[CTMagicUK]

1 hour ago, Babir_9 said:

Any crazy Europeans? 

Crazy how? Like crazy talented?

Nikola Topic is a probable top 10 pick (ESPN have him at 10), 6'7, 18 year old Serbian PG who's a walking paint touch in the Adriatic league against grown men. 

Alex Sarr is a French big playing in Australia who'll probably be a top 5 pick (ESPN have him at 2) He did this against G League Ignite in an exhibition: 

https://youtu.be/_SdEmvgY9is?si=aNk2YyFyloFOPVR0

Then there's a bunch of other euro guys who may or may not be lottery picks depending on how they play this year: Izan Almansa a Spanish big with G League Ignite, Aday Mara a Spanish C at UCLA, Zaccharie Risacher a French wing playing in France, Tidjane Salaun a French PF playing in France, Baba Miller who I already mentioned is at FSU is Spanish. (Number 9, 12, 5, 18 and 19 in ESPN's current rankings respectively).

This draft actually has quite a lot of international guys who could be first round. There are probably 3 or 4 more guys I didn't mention who could be first round picks depending on how they play. 

[Babir_9]

23 hours ago, CTMagicUK said:

Crazy how? Like crazy talented?

Nikola Topic is a probable top 10 pick (ESPN have him at 10), 6'7, 18 year old Serbian PG who's a walking paint touch in the Adriatic league against grown men. 

Alex Sarr is a French big playing in Australia who'll probably be a top 5 pick (ESPN have him at 2) He did this against G League Ignite in an exhibition: 

https://youtu.be/_SdEmvgY9is?si=aNk2YyFyloFOPVR0

Then there's a bunch of other euro guys who may or may not be lottery picks depending on how they play this year: Izan Almansa a Spanish big with G League Ignite, Aday Mara a Spanish C at UCLA, Zaccharie Risacher a French wing playing in France, Tidjane Salaun a French PF playing in France, Baba Miller who I already mentioned is at FSU is Spanish. (Number 9, 12, 5, 18 and 19 in ESPN's current rankings respectively).

This draft actually has quite a lot of international guys who could be first round. There are probably 3 or 4 more guys I didn't mention who could be first round picks depending on how they play. 

Thanks! 

[CTMagicUK]

Trey Alexander making a case to be my guy early on: 

https://youtu.be/LQoPFNTddfc?si=Kp1FZII118cH1yUj