ESPN: NBA draft stock watch (1/18)

[Harry0569]

PLAYER POS TEAM AGE HEIGHT WINGSPAN
25. Shake Milton PG/SG SMU 21.3 6-6 7-0
32. Jarrey Foster SG SMU 21.1 6-6 N/A

[Harry0569]

Was listening to Sam Vecenie's pod last week and he and Cole Zwicker both believe that Jarrey could/should be a first rounder. His game really aligns with the way the nba game is moving (positional flexibility, driving and shooting 3s). Credit must go to JF, Jank and his developmental staff.

[PonyTime]

I really don't follow the NBA much - but if Semi was a second rounder, how can shake really be expecting first round?

Semi slipped a round from his projections. Shouldn't we expect same from Shake? Sadly, Shakes Stock has to have dropped with Jarrey's injury as it impacts his game as well. Now the offense is so heavy on perimeter shooting and evens out the scoring. And the inability to foul due to lack of depth has changed the defense (man to zone as well).

If Shake is an end of second, or perhaps even third rounder - does he declare?

Any chance of him coming back?

(I don't have ESPN insider - so not sure what the latest projections are from the draft watch)

[mustangxc]

Shake is a better pro prospect than Semi was. Nic Moore was probably a better college player than Shake but will probably never play in the NBA. The pro and college game look for different things. Make Semi taller and he would play a more prominent role in the NBA. It's the same with Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn. I would rather have Trey back over Courtland at SMU but if I'm drafting for the pros then it's Courtland all day.

[sadderbudweiser]

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall around Jarrey and his advisors these days.

my guess is...."TAKE THE MONEY JARREY.....take it now if it's offered."

[Pony_Law]

Shake is a better pro prospect than Semi was. Nic Moore was probably a better college player than Shake but will probably never play in the NBA. The pro and college game look for different things. Make Semi taller and he would play a more prominent role in the NBA. It's the same with Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn. I would rather have Trey back over Courtland at SMU but if I'm drafting for the pros then it's Courtland all day.

This. So many people look at how a kid plays in college/stats and think that is what determines if they are an NBA prospect or not. In reality the college game is so different than the NBA that how you play in college takes a back seat to your athleticism and size. Seriously, just look at small things like how fast NBA teams get up and down the court. For instance Tristan Thompson and Miles Turner didn't dominate the college game (both averaged under 14 ppg) but both were lottery picks because they were both NBA sized big men that showed enough athleticism that made NBA scouts think they could play solid defense in the NBA.

Semi dropped because he was older and at 6'8 (in his sneakers) he was too small to be a legitimate NBA post prospect, In College Semi showed he could shoot and that he could handle the basketball. The question for NBA teams then became, is Semi athletic enough to guard NBA level athleticism in space on the perimeter. There was no way for an NBA team to know that for sure so Semi was rightly seen as a draft risk. That said he got into the Celtic's camp and demonstrated that he absolutely could do that and now he is a solid role player for one of the best teams in the NBA.

People think Nic Moore is better than Shake because Nic was a scrappy player who was a floor leader and who was clutch (though he missed 2 good game winning looks against UCLA that everyone seems to forget). Those are the type of attributes that impress and endear fans but don't mean squat to an NBA scout. Nic is simply to small to play in the NBA. Remember what Tulane did to McMurry, or what that Cal guard did to Nic in the NIT? What do you think NBA guards would do to Nic?

Now what does Shake have? he get's to the hoop pretty much against anyone (though his finishing could be better), her plays above the rim, he is a great passer (look at those other lob attempts by other players and you should appreciate how accurate shake is), he is a great shooter (he has a higher career 3pt FG% than Nic Moore), He is quick on defense, and he's 6'6 with a good wingspan. NBA scouts can look at him and say I know for sure he is athletic enough to guard NBA guards and he can definitely pass and shoot and we won't ask him to go win us games. That makes him a solid use of a roster spot at least. Hence he is seen as a non-lottery first round pick.

[PonyTime]

Shake is a better pro prospect than Semi was. Nic Moore was probably a better college player than Shake but will probably never play in the NBA. The pro and college game look for different things. Make Semi taller and he would play a more prominent role in the NBA. It's the same with Courtland Sutton and Trey Quinn. I would rather have Trey back over Courtland at SMU but if I'm drafting for the pros then it's Courtland all day.

This. So many people look at how a kid plays in college/stats and think that is what determines if they are an NBA prospect or not. In reality the college game is so different than the NBA that how you play in college takes a back seat to your athleticism and size. Seriously, just look at small things like how fast NBA teams get up and down the court. For instance Tristan Thompson and Miles Turner didn't dominate the college game (both averaged under 14 ppg) but both were lottery picks because they were both NBA sized big men that showed enough athleticism that made NBA scouts think they could play solid defense in the NBA.

Semi dropped because he was older and at 6'8 (in his sneakers) he was too small to be a legitimate NBA post prospect, In College Semi showed he could shoot and that he could handle the basketball. The question for NBA teams then became, is Semi athletic enough to guard NBA level athleticism in space on the perimeter. There was no way for an NBA team to know that for sure so Semi was rightly seen as a draft risk. That said he got into the Celtic's camp and demonstrated that he absolutely could do that and now he is a solid role player for one of the best teams in the NBA.

People think Nic Moore is better than Shake because Nic was a scrappy player who was a floor leader and who was clutch (though he missed 2 good game winning looks against UCLA that everyone seems to forget). Those are the type of attributes that impress and endear fans but don't mean squat to an NBA scout. Nic is simply to small to play in the NBA. Remember what Tulane did to McMurry, or what that Cal guard did to Nic in the NIT? What do you think NBA guards would do to Nic?

Now what does Shake have? he get's to the hoop pretty much against anyone (though his finishing could be better), her plays above the rim, he is a great passer (look at those other lob attempts by other players and you should appreciate how accurate shake is), he is a great shooter (he has a higher career 3pt FG% than Nic Moore), He is quick on defense, and he's 6'6 with a good wingspan. NBA scouts can look at him and say I know for sure he is athletic enough to guard NBA guards and he can definitely pass and shoot and we won't ask him to go win us games. That makes him a solid use of a roster spot at least. Hence he is seen as a non-lottery first round pick.

Sounds a lot like 6'6 Quinton Ross to me - and Ross had a solid NBA career. Ross won conference player of the Year in a competitive WAC. Of course Ross was undrafted, which takes me back to my questioning of first round pick.

Perhaps if Ross had a surrounding cast of Larry Brown recruited players, his draft stock would have been higher?

[ponyboy]

If Jarrey really ever was a first-rounder, I think unfortunately the knee might push him further down the draft board now.

[Pony_Law]

Sounds a lot like 6'6 Quinton Ross to me - and Ross had a solid NBA career. Ross won conference player of the Year in a competitive WAC. Of course Ross was undrafted, which takes me back to my questioning of first round pick.

Perhaps if Ross had a surrounding cast of Larry Brown recruited players, his draft stock would have been higher?

Quinton Ross was a SG/Small forward not a PG prospect. He also was a demonstrably worse shooter than Shake is. Finally he played in a worse league. All of that explains why Shake is rated higher to me.

[RI Stang]

Shake just doesn't get the credit he deserves around here for whatever reason, boggles my mind but whatever. He's going to come out early and be a first round pick - likely mid-20s but we'll see. You can't compare him to Semi or any other forward or big, it's not relevant. Shake is a combo guard with length and a great shooting stroke - exactly what today's NBA is looking for.

I know one comment from above that I can say with 100% certainty will not play out - Shake will NOT be a third round pick in the NBA draft...

[ponyboy]

I think he doesn't get the credit he deserves around here because he's not an extroverted Nic Moore type. Shake's more like a chill Miles Davis track or Tim Duncan's little brother.

[skyscraper]

Shake gets hate because he doesn't take over games like some of our previous players the last few years.
Fair or not, I can see him getting blamed if the season tanks, because as the WSU game showed -- he's capable of dragging this team to the tournament.

[RI Stang]

Fair or not, I can see him getting blamed if the season tanks

That would be a complete embarrassment. I fear it will take a step back for this program next year, when he is in the NBA, for people to realize how much he has carried us. The fact that we are even on the bubble, despite all of the flaws and warts, is because we have Shake.

If some have some strong desire to place "blame" Shake should be last in line...

[Bishrag]

Fair or not, I can see him getting blamed if the season tanks

That would be a complete embarrassment. I fear it will take a step back for this program next year, when he is in the NBA, for people to realize how much he has carried us. The fact that we are even on the bubble, despite all of the flaws and warts, is because we have Shake.

If some have some strong desire to place "blame" Shake should be last in line...

It's hard to believe people want to blame him, but then again most of those people can't fathom why a guy who is 6'6 with a 7'0 wingspan, avg. 19ppg, 4.5 ast, 2-1 ast./to ratio, shooting 44% from 3 is projected as a 1st round pick. Can you imagine in the NBA if he gets on a team as an off the ball shooter?

[Stallion]

...and we really don't know how much his game has been affected by that dislocated finger/hand injury--NBA Scout got to calculate that factor too. Hoping for a big Oklahoma Homecoming for Chargois and Shake