2017-2018 Draft Prospects watch.

[Mainstreet]

Any thoughts on Donte Divencenzo? The kid is mature, incredibly efficient, and an excellent defender. Can he play pg in the nba?

I've only seen Divencenzo play in one game but what I saw made me interested.

Of course it up to the scouts who see him regularly.

Here is a link to his college stats.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3934673/donte-divincenzo

 

[Cheesebeef]

I've only seen Divencenzo play in one game but what I saw made me interested.

Of course it up to the scouts who see him regularly.

Here is a link to his college stats.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/3934673/donte-divincenzo

I watched him a couple times this season and throughout the tourney because of my friends is a huge Nova fan and I came away super impressed more and more each game.

I'm not sure he plays the point though, but if he's a legit 6'5, I can see him playing SG easy, with playmaking abilities.

If he declares for the draft, I could see him going top 15. Kid's can shoot, dish and has springs in his shoes.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I watched him a couple times this season and throughout the tourney because of my friends is a huge Nova fan and I came away super impressed more and more each game.

I'm not sure he plays the point though, but if he's a legit 6'5, I can see him playing SG easy, with playmaking abilities.

If he declares for the draft, I could see him going top 15. Kid's can shoot, dish and has springs in his shoes.

Yep. We are not used to seeing that kind of athlete in that, er, shade.

 

[Mainstreet]

I watched him a couple times this season and throughout the tourney because of my friends is a huge Nova fan and I came away super impressed more and more each game.

I'm not sure he plays the point though, but if he's a legit 6'5, I can see him playing SG easy, with playmaking abilities.

If he declares for the draft, I could see him going top 15. Kid's can shoot, dish and has springs in his shoes.

I agree. He has the type of talent where I can see him running a team minimally as a secondary ball handler.

I was watching the NCAA Championship game to see Brunson and Bridges but Donte certainly stood out.

 

[DWKB]

What do you all make of KUs Svi Mykhailiuk?

He's 6'8", shot 44% from 3PT this year, can drive the ball in the half court, runs in transition well, and is younger that Josh Jackson as a SR.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

What do you all make of KUs Svi Mykhailiuk?

He's 6'8", shot 44% from 3PT this year, can drive the ball in the half court, runs in transition well, and is younger that Josh Jackson as a SR.

I like him. Good candidate for the first pick in the second round.

 

[overseascardfan]

I like him. Good candidate for the first pick in the second round.

I don’t think PHX keeps any second round picks this year unless they are draft and stash guys. I see them packaging all of them to move up for a second Top 5 pick. PHX doesn’t need 3 more rookies.

 

[Hoop Head]

What do you all make of KUs Svi Mykhailiuk?

He's 6'8", shot 44% from 3PT this year, can drive the ball in the half court, runs in transition well, and is younger that Josh Jackson as a SR.

I like him. Good candidate for the first pick in the second round.

If not our first 2nd rounder but if we get Milwaukee's 2nd rounder this he may be a good fit there. That pick conveys if it falls between #47-60. Not sure how 2nd round picks are determined though. I know it's based on record but is it the same record that the 1st round is determined with, with the teams missing the playoffs getting #1-14 or if it goes by all over standings, so if a non-playoff team out West has a better record than the #8 seed in the East, do they pick before or after them in the 2nd round?

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I don’t think PHX keeps any second round picks this year unless they are draft and stash guys. I see them packaging all of them to move up for a second Top 5 pick. PHX doesn’t need 3 more rookies.

I don't see us being able to get back into the top 5, but definitely packaging the picks to move up makes sense. If a good fit is there at 31/32 though, I don't think adding a rookie there is the worst idea. In addition to Svi, there should be some quality back-up point guards. Also, this might be the draft to steal a good big man at that spot since there is so much depth there.

Maybe the Bucks pick doesn't convey, or maybe the Suns trade the two mid-firsts for a veteran. In these instances, that pick at the beginning of the second round could be a nice addition.

 

[Mainstreet]

Bender is another supporter for drafting Doncic.

“He was born to be a star,” Dragan Bender told azcentral sports Thursday.

“He’s amazing,” Bender said. “He’s able to shoot it, pass it, rebound the ball. I can remember games last summer where he almost got a triple-double playing with older guys. He’s going to have some rookie struggles like every player but once he gets through that he’s going to be a great player in this league for a long time."

“Just being able to be 19 years old and have that kind of body and that kind of mentality … he’s one of the best players in EuroLeague right now," Bender said. "I think that experience is something that will definitely translate here.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...a-draft-dragan-benders-luka-doncic/491679002/

 

[Mainstreet]

Add Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk to my list.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Just draft the whole Nova team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Bender is another supporter for drafting Doncic.







https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...a-draft-dragan-benders-luka-doncic/491679002/

Sure he says nice things about him. I find it interesting that he says there will be a rookie wall. He doesn't call him the #1 pick or anything.

 

[GatorAZ]

Just draft the whole Nova team.

They could pull an 07’ Florida.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sure he says nice things about him. I find it interesting that he says there will be a rookie wall. He doesn't call him the #1 pick or anything.

I found his remarks interesting about Doncic. Dragic' remarks were more definitive.

 

[pokerface]

Sure he says nice things about him. I find it interesting that he says there will be a rookie wall. He doesn't call him the #1 pick or anything.

I'll be honest. I'm almost wishing the suns are in a situation where they have to take him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'll be honest. I'm almost wishing the suns are in a situation where they have to take him.

When I think about drafting white basketball players and especially white basketball players that haven't been scouted to death in college ball, I always think of the old carpenter saying "measure twice, cut once". Except we might need to measure half a dozen times.

If we want Doncic we need to break him down in every possible way and that includes pitting him against some real NBA players. We need accurate measurements of his abilities, not just the guesses we've lived with in the past.

 

[pokerface]

When I think about drafting white basketball players and especially white basketball players that haven't been scouted to death in college ball, I always think of the old carpenter saying "measure twice, cut once". Except we might need to measure half a dozen times.

If we want Doncic we need to break him down in every possible way and that includes pitting him against some real NBA players. We need accurate measurements of his abilities, not just the guesses we've lived with in the past.

You should read up on him more. He's played against NBA players in tournaments. He's more tested than the "one and done" NCAA players. More polished...more tested. He's the best player in Europe right now.

 

[Phrazbit]

I agree with Pokerface. In terms of "tested vs competition", Doncic has everyone in this draft bested by a wide margin. The only argument I can see against him as a 2-5 pick is athleticism... and even on that note, I don't think he is lacking, but he does not have dunk competition potential.

It's hard to compare what Doncic has done in Europe vs college kids here... but the best comparison I can make is; that it's like some kid joined Duke at the age of 16 and was the best player in the ACC for 3 years.

There is no player... ever... with Doncic's resume. I'd still take Ayton over him, but I'm pretty sure I'd take Doncic over Bagley because I think Doncic's ceiling is significantly higher.

 

[pokerface]

I agree with Pokerface. In terms of "tested vs competition", Doncic has everyone in this draft bested by a wide margin. The only argument I can see against him as a 2-5 pick is athleticism... and even on that note, I don't think he is lacking, but he does not have dunk competition potential.

It's hard to compare what Doncic has done in Europe vs college kids here... but the best comparison I can make is; that it's like some kid joined Duke at the age of 16 and was the best player in the ACC for 3 years.

There is no player... ever... with Doncic's resume. I'd still take Ayton over him, but I'm pretty sure I'd take Doncic over Bagley because I think Doncic's ceiling is significantly higher.

I agree with your post Phrazbit but I want to add something that hasn't been discussed at all by anyone. Flat out I'm going to say I think Doncic is a winner and has the "IT" factor. He was raised practically with a basketball in his hands from day one...a prodigy almost like Tiger or LeBron. In the euro league at an early age and winning a championship early. He's already shown clutchness. Everyone that knows him or watches him regularly just gushes over his overall talent, smarts and game. They even refer to him as a winner...over and over.

 

[Russ Smith]

What do you all make of KUs Svi Mykhailiuk?

He's 6'8", shot 44% from 3PT this year, can drive the ball in the half court, runs in transition well, and is younger that Josh Jackson as a SR.

My concern with him is I don't think his release is quick enough. he's improved every year, he's well coached, he's going to get picked on his outside shot, but I think his release needs to get quicker to excel in the NBA.

He's an intriguing kid though because he's played several years of high level college ball and he's still so young.

 

[Errntknght]

I need to see a more recent game for Doncic. I've watched two complete games of him playing with Goran on their national team. In neither game did he do that much - Dragic contributed considerably more to winning than Doncic. Yes, he made some good plays - some on defense even, but he certainly didn't stand out. He was never the PG though he was the playmaker some of the time. He had very little luck penetrating - his best offensive plays were passes to rollers off the pick and roll. Still he wasn't a killer doing that... I'd say about 1 out of 3-4 tries he made something happen. He rebounded very well in one of the games - if my eyes were drawn to him it was mostly when he went high for a rebound in traffic.

In the first game he scored less than 10 points and in both games I thought he took some ill-advised shots.

I believe what others report, to some degree, so he's better than what I've seen but it's hard to get very enthusiastic about drafting him. I'd probably draft him at three just to go along with the crowd - fear of failure, you know - but I wouldn't be excited about it. My impulse would be to pick Bamba.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I agree with Pokerface. In terms of "tested vs competition", Doncic has everyone in this draft bested by a wide margin. The only argument I can see against him as a 2-5 pick is athleticism... and even on that note, I don't think he is lacking, but he does not have dunk competition potential.

It's hard to compare what Doncic has done in Europe vs college kids here... but the best comparison I can make is; that it's like some kid joined Duke at the age of 16 and was the best player in the ACC for 3 years.

Okay... wait a second. I'm super confused. Are you saying that Doncic has been the best player in Europe for the last three years? It seems like you are making the Duke comparison, but I don't want to put words in your mouth.

But if that is the case, am I looking at the wrong stats because in Doncic's first two years he averaged:

2015-16: 4.5 ppg/2.7 rebounds/2 assts

and in...

2016-17: 7.8 ppg/4.4/3.7 assts

https://www.basketball-reference.com/euro/players/luka-doncic-1.html

Now, he took a major leap this year, no doubt, but are you really telling me he was the best player in Europe with those stats above?

 

[hcsilla]

It's hard to compare what Doncic has done in Europe vs college kids here... but the best comparison I can make is; that it's like some kid joined Duke at the age of 16 and was the best player in the ACC for 3 years.

Guys, Euroleague is a much stronger competition than ACC or any other conference in NCAA.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Here is some scouting breakdown videos of Doncic's play during Eurobasket last year. This channel also has some stuff on Trae Young as well. Guessing there will be more prospects as the draft gets closer.

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