The Raptors and the 2014 Draft

[OldSkoolCool]

I find myself watching the Jayhawks and thinking that Bill Self is the wrong coach for Wiggins. Self seems to forcing Wiggins (and Selden, too) into his system as opposed to trying to take advantage of his elite talent - like Duke is doing with Jabari.

Can't stand watching the KU offense. You have these supremely talented guys and they just toss the ball around the perimeter for the first 10-15 seconds of the possessions with very little player movement. Not sure if I even saw them run one single play for Wiggins in the first have of KU-OK game. And one thing that is underrated about Wiggins is his post game, which hasn't had any opportunity to develop under Self. It's almost a surprise that Wiggins can average 16+ PPG. I think Wiggins could be similar to the Drummond-UCONN situation, where it was just a bad fit between player, coach and system. Sometimes you get these hotshot NCAA coaches, who are successful because they can take mediocre talent and integrate them into a system that is greater than the sum. But sometimes that can backfire because that same system doesn't give the elite talent an opportunity to flourish. Similar thing happened with Vince Carter at UNC, and is a reason why he fell to the Raps in the draft.

There are a lot of good points, I hate watching the Kansas offense as well...they are taking the "team system" to a whole new level of nobody is willing to shoot. With the NBA open court and set plays with good point guards Wiggins could easily dominate (like he does when he chooses to in college level).

**on a side note, I don't think Parker will do well in the NBA. Right now in college he is trying his best to dominate but he just can't. This makes me scared of projecting him as an NBA star.

True. I will be very interested to see who his coach is in the NBA. He is a guy who will listen, and the right coach could make him epic and the wrong coach could lead him down the wrong path (bad habits).

This both excites me and scares me...he has the talent and physique to be great...but needs to enter the league with that right coach who will handle his passive demeanor correctly so he doesn't float.

[Nilanka]

Not really Raptors related, but this is a great read on the state of Canadian grassroots basketball.

http://grantland.com/features/carlet...ndrew-wiggins/

[blackjitsu]

This is the type of late draft pick I want.

A pass first point guard to the nth digri

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/bl...ason-brickman/

[WJF]

This is the type of late draft pick I want.

A pass first point guard to the nth digri

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/bl...ason-brickman/

I want to like this kid more, but he just does not excite me as an NBA prospect. 5'10" 165lbs, solid shooter great passer, but he is on a 9-20 team in a weak league, if he were that good he would be willing his team to more wins.

[blackjitsu]

I want to like this kid more, but he just does not excite me as an NBA prospect. 5'10" 165lbs, solid shooter great passer, but he is on a 9-20 team in a weak league, if he were that good he would be willing his team to more wins.

In his defense, this will be the first year since, I believe, his freshman year that he hasn't dragged a really mediocre team to the NCAA tournament.

[BobLoblaw]

Brickman, sounds like someone the Knicks would draft.

[Puffer]

Not really Raptors related, but this is a great read on the state of Canadian grassroots basketball.

http://grantland.com/features/carlet...ndrew-wiggins/

Absolutely a great read.

[stretch]

If the talk is of a small point guard like Brickman, I like Keifer Sykes who plays at Green Bay.

[stretch]

More Sykes:

[blackjitsu]

Less the small PG and more the pass first point guard that has me intrigued about Brickman. Lots more players under 6 feet dunking than there are pass first point guards nowadays.

[stretch]

There is NO ONE with hops like Sykes in the entire NCAA. That's a 44.5" vertical which would hard to match in the NBA.

http://ballislife.com/keifer-sykes-head-at-rim/

Sykes averages 20 ppg (47% fg%), 5 apg, and 4.4 rpg for a 24-5 team that will likely be a NCAA tournament team.

[Joey]

Not really Raptors related, but this is a great read on the state of Canadian grassroots basketball.

http://grantland.com/features/carlet...ndrew-wiggins/

There's a reason why programs like Carleton have been trying to get into the NCAA competition. They already play a few games a year against Div.1 teams I'm pretty sure. Great read, thanks for sharing.

[blackjitsu]

There is NO ONE with hops like Sykes in the entire NCAA. That's a 44.5" vertical which would hard to match in the NBA.

http://ballislife.com/keifer-sykes-head-at-rim/

Sykes averages 20 ppg (47% fg%), 5 apg, and 4.4 rpg for a 24-5 team that will likely be a NCAA tournament team.

Brickman's been to the tournament twice, and he has the 5th most assists in NCAA history. If you look at Nate he has a more muscular build, that's what helped his game translate to the NBA. Spud also was a more pass first PG than most remember...

Brickman isn't so small that this is an issue. I don't quite see what your point is to be honest. These are 2 different players with 2 different skill sets. The reason why I would look at Brickman with a late 2nd is because pass first point guards in modern basketball are rare. He's worth a look.

If your a fan of Sykes, fine. I don't see how his game translates, but I also see nothing wrong with being a fan of his game -- he's talented.

For the record, how you jump has little to do with whether you have basketball IQ. I could care less. The only thing I ask is how does a game translate to the NBA.

[ceez]

I find myself watching the Jayhawks and thinking that Bill Self is the wrong coach for Wiggins. Self seems to be forcing Wiggins (and Selden, too) into his system as opposed to trying to take advantage of his elite talent - like Duke is doing with Jabari.

Can't stand watching the KU offense. You have these supremely talented guys and they just toss the ball around the perimeter for the first 10-15 seconds of the possessions with very little player movement. Not sure if I even saw them run one single play for Wiggins in the first half of KU-OK game. And one thing that is underrated about Wiggins is his post game, which hasn't had any opportunity to develop under Self. It's almost a surprise that Wiggins can average 16+ PPG. I think Wiggins could be similar to the Drummond-UCONN situation, where it was just a bad fit between player, coach and system. Sometimes you get these hotshot NCAA coaches, who are successful because they can take mediocre talent and integrate them into a system that is greater than the sum. But sometimes that can backfire because that same system doesn't give the elite talent an opportunity to flourish. Similar thing happened with Vince Carter at UNC, and is a reason why he fell to the Raps in the draft.

Yeah

but at the same time, that's how college sports, especially basketball go. All about the system.

I knew Kansas was a mistake and so should've Wiggy

[ceez]

Like, what i'm trying to say is Andy should've called me first. Kids these days.