Paul Pierce career averages in college - 48% shooting, 36% from three. 6.3 rebounds and 16.4 pts per game.
Doug McDermott career averages in college - 55% shooting, 46% from three. 7.5 rebounds and 21.7 pts per game.
Of course, that is NOT to suggest that Dougie Buckets is anywhere close to The Truth. But he'll truly have to be one of worst defensive players the NBA has ever seen to not be worth a mid-to-late first round lottery pick.
Mike
College numbers aren't an easy thing:
53% shooting, 38% from three, 12.7 rebounds and 26.2 points per game.
Can you guess who that was?
Someone who didn't play in a conference as good as the Missouri Valley Conference or the new Big East and didn't have those career averages after 4 years in college?
I'm not trying to argue for Ainge taking McDermott at 4 or 5. But the idea that he wouldn't be a good pick at 17 in a draft where Joel Embiid, a 20 year old who has one season of college ball at 23 minutes, 11 points and 8 boards a game to his credit, is almost a lock to go top 3 even with questions about his back seems kind of dumb.
Mike
Since you're already pointing out that college schedule and length of play largely invalidate using "normal"statistics as any kind of reliable measuring stick between players, eras, and conferences at the college level, I guess I don't have to. TP for that.
There's also the fact that, if you're really a talented basketball player, you don't play four years in college. Which you didn't bring up, but that's ok, it's a pretty well known fact.
That player was 235 lbs, 6'9", and played for the Big 12 in 2008. Didn't play for four years, because, again, the good prospects don't stay in the NCAA that long - they go pro.
TP to anyone who gets it.