First pick in the NBA draft still cloudy
We’re one month into the season, but experts are no closer to predicting who will go first in the NBA draft. In fact, the only thing that’s certain is that this may be one of the worst NBA drafts in recent history. So bad that many GMs would consider trading the top pick due to the college basketball’s lack of a true “franchise changer.” CBS polled 35 NBA “types” about who they would pick first. Here are the results:
Cody Zeller (Indiana): 31 percent
Nerlens Noel (Kentucky): 23 percent
Alex Len (Maryland): 11 percent
Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA): 11 percent
Alex Poythress (Kentucky): 9 percent
Rudy Gobert (France): 6 percent
Tony Mitchell (North Texas): 3 percent
Archie Goodwin (Kentucky): 3 percent
Anthony Bennett (UNLV) – 3 percent
Jeff Goodman on Noel:
Then there’s Noel, UK’s latest big man. He’s not Davis by any means because, well, he can’t really score yet. Currently, he’s a one-way player who can gets his points via dunks and through his athleticism, but he doesn’t have a legitimate go-to move. I love his shot-blocking ability and NBA guys do as well, but his lithe frame could have difficulty withstanding the rigors of the men and an 82-game season in the NBA. And no one’s quite sure whether he’s 6-foot-9 or 6-foot-11 because of his flattop.
Clearly Goodman hasn’t seen the picture above.
27 Comments for First pick in the NBA draft still cloudy
I think rather than focusing on NBA draft picks right now we should be talking about whether this team is capable of winning the SEC this year.
This time last year, I could at least picture Davis in the NBA. Noel, unless he adds 25 lbs. and half a dozen post moves by year end, not so much. He would be crushed by NBA frontcourts.
Looking at your list above, its kind of sad what the NBA Draft has come to. Only a couple of those guys even have a year of NCAA experience. Noel, Muhammad, Poythress, Goodwin, Bennett… I mean really, can a meaningful prediction of their draft position and further, their NBA success, really be made based on about 3 meaningful games into the season so far??? Its ridiculous.
I still say that Poythress is better than Muhammad and will get picked ahead of him when it all shakes out.
This is such a better summary of the article than Corey. My eyes don’t cross looking at this one.
Who really cares, for real?
The NBA draft is the last thing anybody should be discussing right now
They are discussing it because we have players involved in the article. The players and coaches aren’t discussing it, and that should be all that matters.
As of today (12/6) Nerlens is the only player on this team that should even be considered in the Top 10.
If I was an NBA Executive…I’d love to take Zeller, but Nerlens has so much more potential in the long run.
it’s good to see that many of you hate the nba talk as much as i do. we’re 5-3 with losses to two unranked teams, and there’s a post on the nba draft? who will be no. 1? who gives a sh*t.
the nba talk needs to stop on this website. stick to recruiting, the team, opponents, etc. i still believe we will be very good by the end of the year if we solidify the point guard position. that remains to be seen. but, to talk about these guys leaving after this year is a joke. they aren’t ready…ask teague and lamb.
That’s right, we shouldn’t be talking about the draft right now! We should be talking about how bad we are right now! smh
Keep crankin’em out Coach Cal! I say having so many NBA players is a great problem to have. Coach Cal will get them right very soon.
As of right now, all the UK players should have 0% next to their names. None of them are ready for the pros.
The team that picks Zeller will be as disappointed as every other team that has selected a white American player in the last 20 years. First Take talks about this all the time. Canadian or European white players have done well, but excluding possibly Kevin Love, who’s done very well, white players from the US are not worth top draft picks. It never works out. Best case is a roleplayer starter like Reddick, second best case is a bench player like Hansbrough.
Also, all you people knocking talking about the NBA are still ignoring that the NBA drafts on talent; Noel, Poythress, and Goodwin will all be drafted; and this is the crux of Cal’s recruiting. He gets kids to the NBA quickly, and that’s why we keep getting amazing recruits.
Noel is a legit 6-10 in shoes without the fro. He is taller than Kyle who measured in at 6-9.25 two years ago at the Nike Hoops Summit. He may not go first but will be top 5 with Goodwin top 10 and Poythress top 20.
Definitely gone: Noel and Poythress.
Probably gone: Goodwin and Cauley-Stein.
Graduation: Mays
#15, agreed.
Who honestly believes that Cody Zeller will end up being a better pro than Nerlns, Poythress or Goodwin? He’s topped out. Out three guys have an unlimited ceiling. They’re just raw.
Exactly. Who cares about the NBA? They need to focus on learning to play as a team and compete in the league. That’s what’s wrong? Thinking about the NBA when none if them are even close to ready.
12) stupid!
19-not really. is zeller better than hansbrough? maybe, but not by much if he is.
ryan anderson, david lee, chandler parsons or kevin love.
that’s his ceiling
why do people keep dogging Noel’s offense? He looks pretty good to me for a guy who should still be in high school. They way people are talking you’d think the guy couldn’t chew gum and walk at the same time. Noel is a little raw, but for a freshman player i think he looks fine. How many true centers in the NCAA are taking (and hitting) 12 footers all game? None.
LOL If Cody Zeller gets picked first in the draft I’ll shave my head then glue the hair to my face and walk around like the wolf-man. NBA Scouts aren’t as stupid as College analysts/reporters. Guy has zero upside, he is what he is. Plus the NBA games are not held in Assembly Hall.
Zeller is only a top 10 pick because this will be the worst NBA draft in 50 years. Kyle Wiltjer is killing himself with this slow start. If he can’t go pro this year, forget about it next year.
20) so explain to me how 3 teams full of these “slow boys” just spanked the crap out of these “great athletes” you are so fond of? So if they put on a lakers jersey tomorrow instead of a duke jersey they will suddenly lose all their skills? Athletes play street ball, smart athletes win championships!
Cal doesn’t get kids to the NBA quickly, he recruits kids that are going to the NBA already. These kids are already on the draft list before the season starts, tell me how that is something Cal did?
“he doesn’t have a legitimate go-to move.” What was Davis’s go-to move at this point last season?
Good point 26. NN has a better post game than AD did at the same time last year. The difference is AD was a more skilled player.