Minstrel

The problem is that this draft is sitting in the middle of a transition. This is the first year high schoolers aren't allowed, so we don't have elite talent coming in from high school...but since it's the first year, that elite high school talent hasn't had a chance to matriculate through college to be elite seasoned college talent.

We basically have just the players who (mostly) weren't good enough to be drafted out of high school in other years and not the players who are good enough to be drafted out of high school this year.

That severely weakens the draft.

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meru

Somebody mentioned Antonio McDyess, who also vaulted up to the #2 pick because of his showing in the NCAAs. He was never seen as anything less than a PF, at 6'9" and 220lbs. The Tide only lasted 2 games, but of course McDyess was incredible: 39 and 19, followed by 22 and 17 in a loss to Oklahoma State (who went to the final four - didn't they have Big Country at the time?).

So, I think McDyess is a fair comparison, particularly because of the startling athleticism.

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blue32

I say we steal the ping pong balls we get for next year! :P
lol

RedHot&Rolling

I hope some other team is willing to trade up in this draft and that our Blazers are listening. I just don't see the right player for our team in this years draft.

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SheedSoNasty

Paul Pierce?

Outlaw, Blake and our #1... I'd do it in a heartbeat. Boston wouldn't.

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BigDtoPDX

Im not doing backflips over Thomas either, regardless of how well he plays in the Final Four...then again, Im not doing backflips for anyone else.

ESPN insider, Chad Ford, said that GM's are saying top 3 for sure for Thomas. Ford (along with unnamned GM's) compared him to Amare Stoudamire and said that there wont be but 2-3 teams to pass on him, citing that Amare fell to #9 (or was it 8?) b/c teams thought he was too "raw" and Tyrus Thomas also carries the "raw" label.

I think comparing Thomas to Amare is dangerous, first Amare is a bit taller and a lot sturdier and his developemnt is absolutley amazing...right alongside LeBron. You cannot expect Thomas to develop like that just b/c he is "raw".

I just dont see Thomas being more than Stromile Swift (who went #2), not Amare. You have to ask yourself regarding any prospect this year, is their stock actually warranted or is it a product of good games at the end of the season, media (good pub) or a weak draft class? I think for Thomas its a combination of all 3.

vadimivich

Thomas supposedly has a 7'5" wingspan and a standing reach of about 9'2" ... which means his "head heigth" is basically pointless. Add to that a 35"+ vertical and you've got plenty of size to play PF in the NBA.

I guess the interesting thing will be how well he shoots the 15'-18' shot in the combine and drills, he's flashed it this year but doesn't take it often. If he can consistently hit that shot (something Stro never developed) then he'll be a solid player in the NBA.

Reep

Size is not just about length ( he-he). 215 lbs. is 20 lbs. lighter than Theo, about 30 pounds lighter than McDyess, and about 30-60 pounds lighter than most PFs (including Spoolie's list) in the NBA. Sure, you can speculate all you want about Thomas growing more--maybe he will. Maybe he will bulk up too--maybe. Or, maybe he will stay at 6'9" 215 and you will have a super athlete, who will get pushed off the blocks by every PF in the league.

A PF in the NBA can be 6'8" as long as he is 250+ lbs.(Brand). A PF can weigh 220 lbs. as long as he is 6'11" or taller (KG). I just haven't seen many examples of 6'9" 215 lbs. guys who make it as PFs. Marion might be the one exception, but he isn't really a PF is he?

And how many times have we heard that guys are not finished growing? How many of those have grown more? The only player that appears to have grown (while in the NBA) is KG (maybe). I know some do in college, but most are finished by then.

Minstrel

I think if Thomas pans out like McDyess, he'd easily be the most impact player from this draft. I think it's an optimistic comparison (I still lean towards Stromile Swift with a little more power), but not too unlikely.

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You'll never live like common people
You'll never do what common people do
You'll never fail like common people
You'll never watch your life slide out of view
And dance and drink and screw
Because there's nothing else to do.

Kmurph

Nice comparison Meru...I agree with it

As for him only being 6'9...well, I think his wingspan and athleticism easily compensate for an inch or two....

I don't why some of you refuse to accept that players CAN and DO explode onto the draft radar...McDyess is a perfect example of this, as is Dwayne Wade....

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Ed O

I'm glad that Thomas has emerged as a legit prospect... I think that the talk of him going #1 overall is a bit much, though, even given the lack of a clear top pick.

He looks like a great athlete and he looks like he's a hard worker... but I don't see what kind of offensive game he's going to have in the NBA, especially matched up against power forwards that are going to outweigh him dramatically.

With that being said, he's still young (only 19 in spite of being redshirted) and he doesn't seem to have bad offensive skills. Just underdeveloped.

Ed O.

Schilly

Physically he's a lot like Hakim Warrick, but Warrick lacks the explosiveness...

meru

Um, maybe now, but when McDyess went #2 in the draft he weighed 220. And he was probably a year older than Thomas.

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Ed O

Actually, I'd thought of Hakim, too, but I think that Warrick might have been (might be) just as explosive.

The difference, I think, is one that I'm often mocked for considering so consistently. And that's age. Warrick was almost 23 when he was drafted, while Thomas is three years younger.

Warrick was a similar player at 19 to what he was at 22: a jumping jack with a skinny frame and little perimeter game. Sure, he got