mreinman wrote:wiggins stock freefallin'

I don't think so. But the #1 pick is definitely at risk.

BRIGGS wrote:

mreinman wrote:wiggins stock freefallin'

Remember Wiggins and Parker are freshmen--theyll get much better physically and in game--they are both top 3-5 picks. I would take Embiid first IF nothing wrong with his back. Also many really good players--you can see a few in the tourney that have not had as a high as draft stock as maybe they should.

You certainly know better than me when it comes to college player's stock and I don't watch too much college bball and from what I saw, wiggins came up tiny. I really wish these guys were forced to stay in school and learn the game better.

- either have the option of going pro or going to college for 3 years
- when i say pro i mean the DLeagues until age 20 (2 yrs out). have them learn the game, earn a living (for $30,000) while riding buses in Iowa and Arkansas (just like the minors in baseball)
- only 5 kids will be selected to go straight from HS to NBA. the teams will make a vote
- reward college graduates by giving them a higher salary if they graduate college (like in the army u get paid more and a higher ranking)

It's the type of game that may cement Russ Smith to go late in the draft, perhaps even go undrafted. Think he had 23 on 9-20 from the field overall with is good but other things will continue to give people pause -- only 1-7 from 3, 4-10 at the FT line, only 3 assists and 1 steal ----> critics are gonna say he still can't shoot the ball, he's still not a PG, can't play good defense, is too small, etc. Baloney. I don't buy any of that. I think he really showed good development and maturity this year. I think he improved in all these areas tenfold. One game isn't gonna change that for me. I'm with Briggs on this kid --- if he's there late and we can snag a deep pick for a modest amount of cash, with our questions at PG, I'd take a chance here. And if he goes undrafted, we need to be first on line to sign him up for Vegas summer ball and training camp...Hopefully Phil's got his eye on this kid.

I think Smith's got a smooth game, more than just a scorer (which is the constant with him and a plus--I've always looked at scoring points as a bonus). He's got a solid, shifty handle & is actually a very good passer with pretty good court vision -- finds open men with regularity and delivers crisp, on-the-money passes time after time. He improved his 3-pt shooting to around the 40% mark this year and contrary to what I've read, he plays good defense, ball-hawking his man full court at times. All Rick Pitino-coached guards do. That's Rick's way and it's a good one that will only serve his players well at the next level. Tell ya right now -- Russ Smith, legit PG or not, is a hell of a lot better than anything we have at the point right now.

On a smaller scale, I really like this Luke Hancock too. Here's another guy that probably goes undrafted, almost a foregone conclusion, but this kid can ball man. 6'6" SG/SF with maturity, a high IQ and an underrated game. 2 years in a row now he's shown up and played huge in real big games for Lousiville...People are gonna say he's not NBA material and that may be true but I'd like to see him get a shot somewhere. Ask yourselves -- is a guy like Landry Fields that much better than Hancock? I don't think so...I see a real nice glue guy here potentially.. Wouldn't surprise me if he latched on somewhere in the NBA. Also wouldn't surprise me if he improved his jumper even further and became a real marksman eventually. Another guy to keep in mind for SL..

mreinman wrote:wiggins stock freefallin'

wiggity wack