2026 NBA draft thread

[Chicagojk]

Yes, Philon has been excellent.   Last year he was in a support role and has taking the reins this year.  I know they are not remotely close to the same player but he sort of moves similar to SGA.  

There are several good freshman pg though.   A little down is Acuff from arkansas and Burries from Arizona.  Burries looked like he had a game against Philon last night.   Both of these freshman are physical, athletic guards.

[F Gump]

Yes, Philon has been excellent.   Last year he was in a support role and has taking the reins this year.  I know they are not remotely close to the same player but he sort of moves similar to SGA.  

There are several good freshman pg though.   A little down is Acuff from arkansas and Burries from Arizona.  Burries looked like he had a game against Philon last night.   Both of these freshman are physical, athletic guards.

I found out that game was on ESPN, so I was able to catch some of it. While Philon's stats were good, for me he failed the eye test. My big concern is that while he has all the tools, he didn't appear to me to have the focus and energy that I would expect from a top draft pick. It looked like he lights up when he has the ball, then is a non-player the rest of the time. Too many turnovers. Maybe it was just that game (or what I saw of it), as an exception, but based on that, I would definitely hesitate to spend a top-10 pick on him.

I wasn't looking for Burries, but I heard his name a lot and he was doing some good stuff.

[Chicagojk]

I found out that game was on ESPN, so I was able to catch some of it. While Philon's stats were good, for me he failed the eye test. My big concern is that while he has all the tools, he didn't appear to me to have the focus and energy that I would expect from a top draft pick. It looked like he lights up when he has the ball, then is a non-player the rest of the time. Too many turnovers. Maybe it was just that game (or what I saw of it), as an exception, but based on that, I would definitely hesitate to spend a top-10 pick on him.

I wasn't looking for Burries, but I heard his name a lot and he was doing some good stuff.

I read more about Burries who was a top recruit.  He started the year slow but has been playing better.  One of the knocks about him is he is an old freshman.  Already 20 and will be 21 by the start of next season.

[Dirknows]

Lot of CBB last night. Ament from Tennessee does not look super impressive, he plays very upright. Was bummed Mikel Brown sat out that game. Braylon Mullins from UConn looks like he could be very good. Has a good looking shot, plays pretty good defense too from the 2 guard spot. Seemed like business as usual for the top guys in Boozer, Dybantsa and Wilson from their stat lines didn’t see them play. Petersen sat for KU again.

[SleepingHero]

I'm looking at guys in the 10-16 range because we can't be sure the Mavs will pick in the top 10. And there are some intriguing players who right now are outside the typical top 10 at this point.

Unfortunately, the problem with falling in love with any of these guys after the top 3-4 is that the better they play, the more likely it is that the Mavs might not end up picking high enough to get them. So I don't want to get too interested in any of them.

However ....

My favorite outside the top 10 is a PG named Philon from Alabama. His lack of a reliable shot last season (he's a soph) as well as the fact he's not a freshman is probably what has kept him lower ranked. Right now he's at 16. (I just noticed they are playing the #1 team right now, not sure if it's on TV.) I think his shot has been better this year (he's a soph) so he may land much higher by the time we get to May. But sometimes guards fall a bit. So far he's my cutoff - hoping the Mavs get "Philon or better" when all is said and done.

I remember Philon from last years draft cycle. He elected to return to college to work on his game and this year has basically doubled his production across the board. Surprisingly he is right around the same draft pick range that he was last year, if anything a bit lower. Is that a testament to this draft class, or to Philon's cap as a prospect?

Of the guys not in the top 10, I only really have two thus far: Neoklis Avdalas- a 6'9 wirey point forward that resembles Luka to a terrifying accuracy at times and Hannes Steinbach- 6'10 PF from Wurzburg, Germany a place that we are intimately familiar with producing good prospects. 

I suppose old habits die hard.

[Chicagojk]

Lot of CBB last night. Ament from Tennessee does not look super impressive, he plays very upright. Was bummed Mikel Brown sat out that game. Braylon Mullins from UConn looks like he could be very good. Has a good looking shot, plays pretty good defense too from the 2 guard spot. Seemed like business as usual for the top guys in Boozer, Dybantsa and Wilson from their stat lines didn’t see them play. Petersen sat for KU again.

I am only speaking from snap judgements but I agree about Ament.   Man does he look like the Hawks former #1 pick.  I think it is going to be very important for him to go to a good organization and one who isn't going to expect a finished product early.   If he goes to the wrong organization, I could see it ending badly.    

I think Wilson is also interesting.  He has some wowzer plays every game.    Although, I think he is far from finished.   

I have not seen enough of Peterson, but I really like the snippets of AJ that I have seen.  He and Coop would be a supercharged Tatum and Brown combo.

[Chicagojk]

First game for Kentucky big man. Will be 18 to around draft day after being a freshman at 17.

Not much of a shooter but is a defensive dynamo. If he can recover from injury he may be a high lottery pick

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSf-v4xEWRq/?img_index=1&igsh=OXF4YjdpNDZxczJz