Wiggins Not All That - Overrated?

[guava_wrench]

Stern's mini-me Silver won't let us get the #1 pick, so our best case scenario might be 4th or 5th pick.

[guava_wrench]

His vertical is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9wIOtPFh20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx8YxMaVYiM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Caiacsxz4uE

Please watch this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rfs4G8qfEI

Guys and scouts always go nuts on the vertical.  Ever heard of Gerald Green?  Harold Miner?

But when it was time to make a decision, Gerald green plummeted in the draft.

[guava_wrench]

I don't put a ton of stock into this at all.

He has been claimed to be the next lebron and kevin durant for an entire year. Now he's been HIGHLY visoble and scrutinized in some preseason practices.

I just disnt expect him from day one to already look loke an nba all star. I mean was that nba scout really watching kevin durant in the first few preseason practices and comparing him to lebron james?

Lets at least wait until half way through the season like with Austin Rivers or something. Little early to declare this guy lebron james or a complete bust at this stage

True. People might be looking for the wrong things. Perhaps he is trying to learn the system right now.

[guava_wrench]

Some of these guys drafted today would have never been drafted in the 80's.   They draft on potential today and less on production.   I have seen a 13 PPG scorer drafted in the top 20 today.   Never would have happened back in the day.

What are you talking about?

Ray Tolbert was drafted #18 in 1981. The most he ever averaged a season in college was 12.2 ppg.

Am I misunderstanding you or are you just making things up?

[crimson_stallion]

So not only will we suck this year, but the top draft pick isn't that good? Wind out of my sails...

I wouldn't worry too much. Not only am I not buying it, but Dick Vitale went as far as to say that this is the best freshman class he's seen in the last 35 years. This draft is absolutely loaded and I can't think of a better time to "suck".

Pretty sure there's never a good time to suck. Also, there's a very good chance you could suck and then not even draft a very good player the following year. Then what?

Not sure about that. Do you think SA regrets being horrible the year Robinson went down and they landed Duncan? That's a perfect example of being bad at the right time. This draft is so loaded that our rebuilding process could be much quicker than drafting highly in other years. Is it a perfect system? No, obviously not. However, it allows us the opportunity to land a transcendent player to lead us into the next era. I think it's a much better approach then trying to clear cap space and praying to make a big free agent signing. Detroit tried that and got Charlie V and Gordon. Chicago were the lucky ones who landed Boozer.

How about the Pistons when they Landed Milicic?

All the Pro-tanling crew keep bringing up picks like LeBron, Durant and Duncan.  Picks like this come along once or twice in a decade and are the exception rather than the rule. 

Even if the #1 pick DOES end up a future franchise player, being the worst team in the league doesn't mean you'll get him, or that you'll keep him (just ask Cleveland how it went with LeBron).

[jordb2k5]

So not only will we suck this year, but the top draft pick isn't that good? Wind out of my sails...

I wouldn't worry too much. Not only am I not buying it, but Dick Vitale went as far as to say that this is the best freshman class he's seen in the last 35 years. This draft is absolutely loaded and I can't think of a better time to "suck".

Pretty sure there's never a good time to suck. Also, there's a very good chance you could suck and then not even draft a very good player the following year. Then what?

Not sure about that. Do you think SA regrets being horrible the year Robinson went down and they landed Duncan? That's a perfect example of being bad at the right time. This draft is so loaded that our rebuilding process could be much quicker than drafting highly in other years. Is it a perfect system? No, obviously not. However, it allows us the opportunity to land a transcendent player to lead us into the next era. I think it's a much better approach then trying to clear cap space and praying to make a big free agent signing. Detroit tried that and got Charlie V and Gordon. Chicago were the lucky ones who landed Boozer.

How about the Pistons when they Landed Milicic?

All the Pro-tanling crew keep bringing up picks like LeBron, Durant and Duncan.  Picks like this come along once or twice in a decade and are the exception rather than the rule. 

Even if the #1 pick DOES end up a future franchise player, being the worst team in the league doesn't mean you'll get him, or that you'll keep him (just ask Cleveland how it went with LeBron).

lol the Milicic pick didn't come from Detroit, it was a pick from Memphis I think. 

[Railsplitter]

May be all this draft is overrated...but we will know that only in 2-3 years

[Eddie20]

So not only will we suck this year, but the top draft pick isn't that good? Wind out of my sails...

I wouldn't worry too much. Not only am I not buying it, but Dick Vitale went as far as to say that this is the best freshman class he's seen in the last 35 years. This draft is absolutely loaded and I can't think of a better time to "suck".

Pretty sure there's never a good time to suck. Also, there's a very good chance you could suck and then not even draft a very good player the following year. Then what?

Not sure about that. Do you think SA regrets being horrible the year Robinson went down and they landed Duncan? That's a perfect example of being bad at the right time. This draft is so loaded that our rebuilding process could be much quicker than drafting highly in other years. Is it a perfect system? No, obviously not. However, it allows us the opportunity to land a transcendent player to lead us into the next era. I think it's a much better approach then trying to clear cap space and praying to make a big free agent signing. Detroit tried that and got Charlie V and Gordon. Chicago were the lucky ones who landed Boozer.

How about the Pistons when they Landed Milicic?

All the Pro-tanling crew keep bringing up picks like LeBron, Durant and Duncan.  Picks like this come along once or twice in a decade and are the exception rather than the rule. 

Even if the #1 pick DOES end up a future franchise player, being the worst team in the league doesn't mean you'll get him, or that you'll keep him (just ask Cleveland how it went with LeBron).

It's ironic you bring up the 03 draft since this draft is often compared to that one in terms of sheer talent. Yes, Darko was a bust. However, you forgot to mention that the top 5 picks in the draft also included LeBron, Melo, Wade, and Bosh. So 80% of the top 5 picks were either superstars or in Bosh's case a perennial all-star. That's a pretty good percentage and if this draft equals that I would take those odds everyday.

Do you think Cleveland regrets drafting LeBron? That's kind of what you're implying. I don't think they have any regrets regardless of how it turned out.

All the Pro-tanking crew keep bringing up picks like LeBron, Durant and Duncan.  Picks like this come along once or twice in a decade and are the exception rather than the rule. 

You're kind of echoing my point of being bad at the right time.

[BASS_THUMPER]

ez to say who got game when boys are ballin with other boys
most dem boys that step into a mans game fall off..
NBA a whole other world

what happened too?

lol!

*sippin*

[nickagneta]

This article is confirming what Danny was saying in a recent interview, He stated there wasn't a sure fire franchise changing guy in this draft ala Kareem or Duncan. My assumption is he meant like Lebron or MJ or Bird or Magic as well.

Now that these children are getting into college practices and scrimmages and NBA execs and decision makers are getting to see them in person against something other than little kids, I think we will be hearing more and more stuff tempering the expectations of this draft class.

Just think, if Danny Ainge isn't one of the anonymous names in this article discussing Wiggins, then that's three or possibly more NBA execs that don't think Wiggins is "The Man" that so many on this site have convinced themselves that he is.

[RJ87]

I've said since day one the best player 8n this draft is Jabari Parker. Embid has incredible potential. I think Wiggins is good but the pressure and his poor shot will build against him.

Danny wants Jabari badly (in my opinion) and he'll give up pretty much everyone to get him. He's got the most complete game of all these guys and will only get slimmer and stronger and more athletic. His shot is beautiful and he can become a better version of Carmelo that plays defense and has the craftiness of Paul Pierce.

Agree here. I think Jabari Parker is the guy to watch. Hes talented but he's also got his head on straight. Hes the guy I'd like the to get.

It's very early in the game but I'm very intruiged by Parker, and possibly Exum, and to a lesser degree Selden.

Yes, I'm very high on Exum as well. I'm intrigued to see if he makes the switch to shooting guard full time - he's got legit SG size and athleticism - or if he continues to develop his game as a big PG.

[Celtics4ever]

But when it was time to make a decision, Gerald green plummeted in the draft.

I guess they saw what a knucklehead he was and his obvious lack of skills.  18th was low but not too low.  Athletic ability makes scouts swoon.   DA picks guys who can play over athletes.   The athlete he picked JJJ could not play.

I like the fact that people are all over the board on this draft.   It means more will want to deal.  Some like this guy and others that guy and our pick will have more value if we trade.

[Kane3387]

Harrison Barnes was highly touted as well and wiggins might be a lot like him when it comes to meeting expectations and comparisons. Then again he might not.

I still believe this draft will be the best since 2003 and getting a high pick is a smarter move then fighting for an 8th seed.

[Galeto]

But when it was time to make a decision, Gerald green plummeted in the draft.

I guess they saw what a knucklehead he was and his obvious lack of skills.  18th was low but not too low.  Athletic ability makes scouts swoon.   DA picks guys who can play over athletes.   The athlete he picked JJJ could not play.

I like the fact that people are all over the board on this draft.   It means more will want to deal.  Some like this guy and others that guy and our pick will have more value if we trade.

If only Ainge wasn't so seemingly enamored with athletes. To be fair to him, all the guys he's picked were very good productive players in college, even JJJ who also had a lot of skill. But the list of guys who were ultimately more athletes than players goes beyond JJJ to include Banks, Gerald and Giddens. Skills-wise, he's also picked two of the worst ballhandlers in the league in Avery and Tony Allen.

[BballTim]

But when it was time to make a decision, Gerald green plummeted in the draft.

I guess they saw what a knucklehead he was and his obvious lack of skills.  18th was low but not too low.  Athletic ability makes scouts swoon.   DA picks guys who can play over athletes.   The athlete he picked JJJ could not play.

I like the fact that people are all over the board on this draft.   It means more will want to deal.  Some like this guy and others that guy and our pick will have more value if we trade.

If only Ainge wasn't so seemingly enamored with athletes. To be fair to him, all the guys he's picked were very good productive players in college, even JJJ who also had a lot of skill. But the list of guys who were ultimately more athletes than players goes beyond JJJ to include Banks, Gerald and Giddens. Skills-wise, he's also picked two of the worst ballhandlers in the league in Avery and Tony Allen.

  I'd guess that there are plenty of shooting guards that would look like they were among the worst ballhandlers in the league if you made them into point guards.