BlakeJesus

Philadelphia 76ers - A
76ers had a fantastic draft, and the influx of new talent will surely do wonderful things for their future. Bridge is the best player they got, though he was not the highest pick. It’s hard to say how things would have unfolded had they not taken Makism Yepanchin (SG/PG) 1st overall (only reason they were not awarded an A++), but I think they may have been better off going Bunchy. That being said, Bridge may have gone 2nd overall and they would have taken Yepanchin anyways. But to think he could have had Bunchy AND Bridge (a real possibility, K4L is certainly not an easy guy to project) has to be just a tiny bit heartbreaking for Aero despite how will this draft played out for him. Yepanchin is a guy who will see some minutes I’m sure, but he’s not going to be a starter at any point for the 76ers. He’s more than likely a guy that gets packaged for something else not on par with the value of a 1st overall pick. I love Bridge’s base skillset as a 19 year old, and though he has some clear weaknesses, they shouldn’t hold him back from being a star at some point in his career.
Zoltan ended up being a great value pick at 10, and despite a lot of the great value picks in this draft, this might be the best one when we look back at this draft in 10 seasons. An 18 year old Zoltan already possesses the qualities to make for a useful starting PG in the right spots. If he gets any type of progressions he might end up being a monster in a few seasons. Already an elite three point shooter, and a guy who can give you 8 assists per game in starter minutes. Scorers who can pass like that are certainly not a dime a dozen, even though his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Ronald Donnelson is a specialist, but he should be a favorite amongst a handful of GM’s that salivate at elite defensive roleplaying wings. Should be a below average offensive player who’s only redeemable quality is an average three point stroke, but his defensive 1-9’s mixed with his class best 83 steal rating should make for a lethal combo. Bringing to the table another class best rating, his 86 TO rating has got to be one of the best in the league. He’s either going to make for a nice glue piece to play with some of these offensive studs Aero drafted, or he’s going to be a very enticing trade chip going forward.

New York Knicks – A+
Bunchy Collins at 19 years old is already a top 5 defensive big man in the KVBL. 8-6-8-7 defensive 1-9’s with an absolutely devastating 91 block rating (33 steal isn’t anything to sneeze at either for a C) is an incredibly impactful force. He’s a lackluster offensive player, but he’s a great defensive rebounder, solid passer, and should be fighting for DPOY and 1st Team All Defense spots from the get go. Kweitek at the 4 and Bunch at the 5 might be the best defensive big man combo that the KVBL has ever seen. Ideal fits with a franchise guy in Caramel Love.
With the 1st pick of the 2nd round, the Knicks nabbed an absolute gem in Quincy McCall. Should make for a great combo guard off the bench going forward, giving you solid scoring with hyper efficient three point shooting. Enough scoring to play minutes at two guard, but enough passing to play spot minutes at the point. Another guy I really like as a fit with Caramel Love. High quality draft for K4L, I feel like he absolutely nailed both of the picks he had.

Phoenix Suns – A
Terry “Spaceman” Howard was a draft favorite of a lot of GM’s (including myself), and for good reason. We can start with the bad since we already know I like this pick. He turns the ball over way too much, has no little to no passing ability, and his 1-9’s are not very well rounded. Though his faults are very real, and he’s a guy who could easily be ruined by a below average foul rate, he has all the traits you look for in an All-Star caliber big man. Above average percentages with solid usages to back them up, is already a double digit rebounder, and is also an elite shotblocker. This had to be a pretty easy decision for Zei given his need for another big man and the fact Bunchy and Bridge were already off the board.

Memphis Grizzles – A-
Denys Armstrong is a very unique player, and I’m a little worried about a less experienced GM utilizing him correctly, but I think he will find a way to make it work. His positional flexibility mixed with above average three point shooting and great offball passing will help him find minutes right out of the gates. I think Denys was the right pick here, and I’m a bit curious to see how his career plays out. Chase Bradley is a solid end of the bench prospect to nab in the 2nd round.

Oklahoma City Thunder – C+
Goulet seemed a bit flabbergasted by how the draft played out, which is never a good sign. I thought that, other than Aero taking a shot in the dark on Yepanchin at 1, the draft went as I expected it to. I guess not having your scouting changes your confidence level when choosing somebody this high. I think Everett Neidorf could be a solid role player in the right situation (definitely a theme for this draft) down the line, but I’m not fully sold on him as a player. He should be a great deep ball threat, and he’s got an above average steal rating, but I think his ceiling as a player is Tim Henson.

Washington Bullets – A-
Dantee McGahee is better than you think he is, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw his ratings. Solid all around threat in terms of his offensive ratings, he should be a really good starting PF in the league throughout his career. Not going to spend too much time here since I think this was an auto pick, but if you put a dominant shotblocker next to McGahee he could really shine.

Atlanta Hawks – (Happy with my draft, chime in with your grade for me if you want)
Looking back I guess you could argue I should have taken Zoltan, but I’m very happy with Robert Gartland at 8th overall. He isn’t necessarily a special player at this point, but he’s already good enough to start for a handful of teams as a 19 year old. The foundation he has in place is very in tune with what I like from my PG. Not a high volume scorer, but knocks down the three at a decent clip, is above average from the free throw stripe, and average from the field. Nice assist and turnover base ratings, with a solid steal rating to boot. Never going to be a stud, but should eventually take over as my starting PG. Beaux Saunders at 18 is a pick I’m very proud of. He has some real potential as a scorer, his 62 fta was the second highest of any rookie in 2028 class. Beaux looks to be efficient from everywhere on the court, is a solid defensive rebounder, and a nice offball passer. Based on his ratings he probably deserved to go higher, happy to have him in Atlanta.

London Raptors – D+
Andre Cozart at 28 looks to be the steal of the draft, and that’s the only thing saving this grade from being a total failure. Cozart is a solid all around player who, based on his description, should probably progress into a starter quality SF. Alvis Opalev is nowhere near a top 10 quality player, so considering he was the 9th pick, I think he’s probably the bust of the draft. He’s probably not going to be in the league past his rookie contract. Božidar Popovic is just a guy, probably never going to see the floor. Too many risks taken for the Raptors and 2 of his 3 picks should end up being basically worthless.

Denver Nuggets – B-
Johnson O’Brien (PF) has some serious flaws. Bad offensive 1-9’s, bad percentages from the field, horrible free throw shooter, and to say he turns it over too much would be a major understatement. Good rebounder, really great defensive 1-9’s, can run the floor with an 8 t-o, and even though he won’t convert from the line his fta is a valuable tool in spots. Mark Holton (PF/SF) is a super solid guy. Solid from the field, from the stripe, above average offensive rebounder, solid defensive rebounder, hyper efficient passer (26/69 ast/to for a big is very nice), has a little defensive playmaking ability, and very nice defensive 1-9’s. Holton will never be a superstar, but I think he’s a really nice fit with Sergei Pechenikov.

New Orleans Hornets – B
New Orleans drafted some kids that I like, but I keep their grade below the A level because I don’t exactly see a fit. Jamal Wallace at 14 is about right, and I think he’s a really solid basketball player. Not sure about his fit with the rest of that roster, but I think he’s a guy who’s going to be good enough to deserve minutes wherever he’s at. He’s never going to be a superstar, but in the right situation he could be extremely useful. I fear that situation is not New Orleans though. Peter Acres has a nice foundation, and if he continues to develop (20 years old, SF/SG) will end up being a very useful roleplayer, but if he doesn’t have some good potential he’ll forever be “just a guy”. Acres does this, he does that, but if his ceiling isn’t much than what he is now he’ll be a perpetual backup.

Seattle Supersonics – B-
Shorty Starr (15th pick) is a guy I compare to a very young Monta Ellis. We all have the hindsight of knowhing who he became, but back before we knew that he would continue to improve as a player I think a lot of people viewed him (and it may have been rightfully so) like we would Shorty Starr right now. Monta came in a little younger, but Starr is only 20. Huge volume from everywhere on the court, really nice steal rating, solid defender, lots of potential offensively. Semi Stammerson is a pretty solid center to have off of the bench. Very young (19 years old), above average usage, above average percentages, 7 p-d, and a 39 shotblock rating. He turns it over a bit too much and is basically a nonexistent offensive rebounder, but he’s certainly playable and should continue to improve as the years go by.

Los Angeles Lakers – D
I don’t really view Merle Poole (PG) as playable, and unless you have a dominant offball passer somewhere else on the court with him that’s going to be the story of his career. He shoots a fair amount on percentages that are average at best with lackluster offensive 1-9’s to back that up. Poole is a poor passer/ballhandler without the secondary positional flexibility basically, his defensive 1-9’s make him seem solid but he doesn’t bring enough to the table to be a successful KVBL player.

Brooklyn Nets – C+
Yiannis Kalambokis is a defensive roleplayer, which isn’t too bad of a pick at 20. He’s a good rebounding wing, has an above average steal rating, and nice defensive 1-9’s. Certainly brings some skills to the table, but considering he’s below average offensively in every facet it detracts from his defensive ability. He can’t shoot from anywhere, he’s a bad passer, and turns it over too much.

Las Vegas Timberwolves – B+
Vuchato gets another solid player to stash, could eventually be a nice trade chip down the line. Charlie Fineman is another defensive roleplayer, but I feel like he’s a bit closer to Ronald Donnelson than Yiannis Kalambokis in terms of talent. His defensive 1-9’s are well rounded but not dominant. However, his defensive playmaking ability is off the charts. 62/33 steal/block combo is DYNAMIC in the truest sense of the word. He won’t kill you on offense but he doesn’t offer much on that side of the ball either.

Québec Sharks – B
Louis Bouldin should end up being a solid center for a few minutes a night off the bench behind Lord. Not a shotblocker, not a passer, turns it over too much, but for the 22nd pick he’s capable. Should end up being an efficient scorer because of his 32/89 fta/ft% and his rebounding is adequate.

Vancouver Lions – B-
Given that Bill Galilehi is already the best passer on the Lions it’s hard not to say something nice about the pick, but I think that speaks more about the Lions point guard situation than it does the talent level of Bill Galilehi. He’ll be a capable backup, I like his assist/steal/turnover ratings and he’s a more than capable rebounding point guard.

Los Angeles Clippers – F
X just took a shot in the dark for a PG, but Hector won’t be in the league past his rookie contract. Hector Feredor is a truly miserable offensive player, not too much more to say.

Boston Celtics – C
I know the Celtics acquired a pick that could end up being pretty good, but the pick could just as easily be 14th and it seems like secreast never scouts so he’s always in over his head come draft time. There were certainly some quality players available at 14, some that could help him win this year as well as make his future brighter. If he can flip that Hornets pick to somebody who thinks it could be top 10 it could change his grade, but it’s impossible to project something like that. Boban Dimcevski has some ability offensively but he’s a bench player through and through.

Lexington Kings – A
Despite having two late selections, the Kings bring in two high quality scorers. Willie Worsley fell much further than he should have, at only 19 he’s already a stud offensively. Efficient from the field on high volume, gets to the line at a good rate, and 26 combined offensive 1-9’s. He can’t pass, doesn’t bring anything to the table defensively, but he has a great turnover rating. He’s an offensive specialist, but a damn good one. Kings landed another offensive specialist in Jack Kehoe with the 34th pick (one pick before me smh), his offensive ratings are fantastic for a rookie. His 41/85 fta/ft% mixed with a 50/54 fga/fg% is going to make him a threat to score buckets at a fantastically efficient rate. Kehoe is a really nice value that late in the draft.

Chicago Bulls – B
End of the first round, Larry Burge is a solid bench prospect to stash away. Will need to let his ratings and 1-9’s round out a bit, but he could be playable at some point in the near future. About all you can ask for that late.

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Smath

good read , nicely done! , don't think Knicks should have gotten A+ Bunchy was a pretty obvious selection , rest are nice though =]

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KVBL/FRSL - Miami Heat GM

Porn Player

Opalevs is a better version of Bangerter, a guy that went number 1 last year. If he progresses nicely, he could easily wind up being the best player from the draft.

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Goulet

Great write up BJ.

I wasnt flabbergasted that the top 5 went that way, just frustrated not a single guy slipped as i had a big drop off after those 5 as who i liked.

I certainly reached on neidorf but after the top 5, no one was that enticing

Mcgahee I liked a lot but I can't add another SF/PF type who can't shoot threes.

Dorf was way more of a "need" pick that prob coulda waited if I wanted to trade down.

He's def "Henson esque" but even lower usage from 2ga and can rebound.

BUT he also won't be a bust... And fills a very specific and useful role.

If Donnelson had a little more offense I woulda considered him at 6 since I love defensive 1-9 stoppers.

Good take all around but it's still tough to guage after the top 5 IMO as no one sets themselves apart IMO

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Porn Player

Yeah, I definitely agree with that.

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El Shaqtus

Concur. There are a ton of permutations of 6-28, and you could make a case for just about all of them.

1 Way Willie's development will be interesting to watch.

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Mom, thanks for everything.

RIP Coach Rick Majerus 12/1/12. You were the one that said it was OK to think big at SLU. You were right.

KVBL Lexington Kings

BlakeJesus

Bunchy was a fantastic pick, and you could argue for other options at 2 given the presence of a defensive monster in Kweitek. Not going to downgrade them for making the right pick.

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Kidd

There's no progressing your way out of a 40 2g% and 2 outside defense rating lol. The Bangerter pick would've probably been a Z+ grade or some shit, D+ is about right for Opalevs.

Cozart is decent though. Now HE could progress nicely into a valuable roleplayer.

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Kidd

Bunchy is a BEAST. I'm glad that Aero didn't pick him.

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BlakeJesus

Nobody in their right mind would take Felix first overall if that draft was redone, is that really a point you want to hang your hat on?

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AeroPlanino

Good writeup, BJ. I actually agree that Bunchy/Bachman would've made more sense right now. I don't regret the gamble though. How good or bad the Yepanchin-pick was, remains to be seen in two or three years, I think.

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Porn Player

He has an 8 O-D rating.

And of course he can progress out of his 40% 2G rating, that's a stupid statement, we've seen players jump +6% when the end of the season rolls around. He was picked because nobody at 9 would have cracked my rotation so I took a risk on the guy that has the most talent, and I would do it again if the draft was right now.

Felix went 1st overall. Opalevs is already a better player than him and has a chance to progress into something really special, I was very happy to get him at the 9th pick of a draft stuffed with role players.

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scdn

Felix at 20 took a hit of -6 2g% to be at 40 2g%. He looked pretty good after the draft.

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KVBL Owner, San Antonio Spurs

Quincy McCall/Bo Roberts
Mikel Opoku/Willie Worsley
Norberto Rosas
Harry Kingsley
Casey Schuler/Richard Osborn

RollWithEm

I appreciated this write-up. Nicely done.

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But that's just me.

Smath

Bunchy was a clear top 3 pick , everybody knew Bunchy is perfect for the knicks , therefore its an obvious pick.

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KVBL/FRSL - Miami Heat GM