ESPN: NBA draft stock watch (1/18)

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
25. Shake Milton PG/SG SMU 21.3 6-6 7-0
32. Jarrey Foster SG SMU 21.1 6-6 N/A
mustangxc wrote: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.
Pony_Law wrote:mustangxc wrote: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 wrote:
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?
skyscraper wrote:Fair or not, I can see him getting blamed if the season tanks
RI Stang wrote:skyscraper wrote: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...