2014 NBA Draft Thread

[Thomas-Panda-Saxby]

Jabari is a PF? I legit never knew that, I thought he was a SF

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Depending on who you talk to some say he could play SF. In my opinion he's clearly a very skilled power forward though.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

So you agree that those three are better prospects than Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, John Wall and so on?

And what exactly am I in denial about? Do you disagree that it is a good but not great class? Don't just say I'm in denial, provide an actual reason.

Think you're taking the article out of context. He's talking about biggest prospects as in "when they were drafted". Wiggins and Embiid both would go #1 in almost any draft class recently.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I read the article, I get the point behind it. Like I said, he's just doing what he does, trying to further hype up the class.

It's the exact same thing he's going to do next draft, and the draft after that, and so on. Don't buy into it.

Though I don't know what's worse, this particular article or having all three in the first tier in that other article.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

He didn't do this last year. I get you're trying to play off the anti-ESPN thing and even I don't like ESPN, but he's not wrong here. Whether they turn out to be as good is another thing, and you're using that hindsight to cloud your argument. Wiggins and Jabari were both labeled "the best prospect since LeBron" for a reason (at the time Wiggins was a class behind Jabari). Embiid has drawn comparisons to top 5 centers in NBA History. Whether you think they're worth that hype is another thing, but they're elite prospects who would all go #1 most years.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

He didn't do this last year. I get you're trying to play off the anti-ESPN thing and even I don't like ESPN, but he's not wrong here. Whether they turn out to be as good is another thing, and you're using that hindsight to cloud your argument. Wiggins and Jabari were both labeled "the best prospect since LeBron" for a reason (at the time Wiggins was a class behind Jabari). Embiid has drawn comparisons to top 5 centers in NBA History. Whether you think they're worth that hype is another thing, but they're elite prospects who would all go #1 most years.

I'm going to leave Embiid out of it because he's so hard to judge with the injury, but here is how I look at it. If you look back at past drafts, starting from last season:

2013: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Bennett, Oladipo, MCW, Noel, etc? Yes.
2012: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Davis? No.
2011: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Kyrie? Yes.
2010: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Wall? No.
2009: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Griffin? No.
2008: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Rose, Beasley? No.
2007: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Oden, Durant? No.
2006: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Bargnani? Yes.
2005: Do Wiggins and Parker go #1 over Bogut? Yes.

What do you disagree with? Majority of it shouldn't even be arguable. Not sure that's most drafts. But that isn't even what I'm arguing. What I am arguing is Chad Ford labeling all three of them as #1 tier prospects. Can you say, with 100% certainty, that Wiggins, Parker, and Embiid are surefire/without a doubt All-Stars and franchise players in the NBA? Can you say they're LeBron, KD, Blake Griffin, etc?

I have zero problem if you say they could get there, but there is absolutely no way anyone can say those guys are sure things. No way anyone can say those guys are franchise changers and perennial All-Stars. Just not reasonable expectations if you've watched the guys play. If we could magically travel back in time and discuss this prior to the college season, then yes you have an argument, but now? No way.

And Embiid can draw comparions to a top 5 center all he wants, he can reach his ceiling and he will not be there. But I talked about that the other day. And the guy Embiid draws comparisons to has been argued as a top 5-10 NBA player of all time. Can you say Embiid's ceiling is that high?

 

[CameronCrazy06]

I mean not going back and considering team needs, I think Wiggins goes #1 over all those except AD and GO. Like I said, you're using hindsight to cloud your argument.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Jabari is the favorite to go #1 now btw

 

[The Young One]

Bennett already being replaced.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

I'm not using hindsight. If you need proof just look at how I labeled the 05 draft with Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

I mean these are all my own personal opinions, but go back and look at how sites like nbadraft.net, draftexpress, and any other draft service rates guys like Wall, Rose, Griffin, etc and how Wiggins and Parker stack up against those guys. I feel like you're underestimating how highly thought of those guys were. Or maybe you're just overrating Wiggins because of past hype. Either or.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

And I assume you accidentally left out KD with AD and Oden?

 

[CameronCrazy06]

No I think Wiggins is more highly regarded as a prospect than KD was

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Yeah you're really overreacting to Wiggins.

I doubt the majority of people would consider Wiggins a better prospect than Durant.

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Please show me where Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, John Wall, etc were called the "best prospect since LeBron"

 

[jonathanlambert33]

That would imply that Wiggins is?

How often have you actually watched Wiggins? Wiggins probably hasn't been referred as that in months.

Are we talking college prospect Wiggins or NBA prospect Wiggins? Did I wake up in the past?

 

[CameronCrazy06]

First of all, nobody said he actually was the next LeBron. That's the point of this whole thing though? We're talking who would have gotten drafted over who. None of those prospects got the hype Wiggins is getting, not even close.
 
And I promise I've seen Wiggins play more than you. And FWIW I think he's overrated. If you need a witness to that, I trolled TYO about him every time I watched Kansas play this year. But we're talking about as a prospect/

 

[CameronCrazy06]

You're letting your own opinion on the prospect get in the way here. It's not about your own opinion. That article where Chad Ford ranks the prospects 1-25 isn't about his opinion. Jesus

 

[jonathanlambert33]

First of all, nobody said he actually was the next LeBron. That's the point of this whole thing though? We're talking who would have gotten drafted over who. None of those prospects got the hype Wiggins is getting, not even close.
 
And I promise I've seen Wiggins play more than you. And FWIW I think he's overrated. If you need a witness to that, I trolled TYO about him every time I watched Kansas play this year. But we're talking about as a prospect/

I'm not getting into a dick measuring contest with you.

 

[jonathanlambert33]

Jabari is the favorite to go #1 now btw

Think that's the direction they'll go, but they should go Wiggins.

They're reportedly trying to trade down between 3-5 though.

 

[The Young One]

Wiggins & Giannis would be awesome.