 |
| At 6'9" Duke freshman small forward Brandon Ingram has the body and skillset to make an immediate impact at the college level. That being said, can a good season for the Blue Devils propel him into a top 3 pick? (Source: http://www.donbleek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/brandon-ingram1-476x600.png) |
Jason: Alright guys, lets start this off the right way...which prospect is number one on your big board?
Paul: Jason, I think its really tough to go against Ben Simmons in the 2016 class. He has really separated himself from the pack this year. The one thing that will really help him stand out is the amount of playing time he will get at LSU. He will fill an immediate need for the Tigers, and will be their go-to-guy this season. It will be interesting to see how he fairs within a weaker conference in the SEC, but with bigtime matchups against Kentucky.
Josh: I agree with Paul in the fact that Ben Simmons is the best-looking prospect at the moment. However, I think there is plenty of time and room for a couple of players to rise up the rankings. This class sort of reminds me of the Wiggins-Parker-Embiid class, because both are great classes but have pretty consensus top players (Wiggins and Simmons). I would look at Brandon Ingram (Duke) and Dragen Bender (Croatia) as two guys who could fault into that top 3 discussion. Ingram has a very unique frame and playing in Duke's system will give him the exposure he desires. Bender, a soft-shooting power forward, could benefit from his continued strong play but also the emergence of Kristaps Porzingis with the Knicks.
Jason: I like that you mentioned Kristaps Porzingis. He has a ton of upside, but people were really questioning the pick. He looks great so far in the first two weeks of the season, and will only progress more over the duration of the season. Maybe this could lead to more weight for international prospects going forward after a couple of down years for that class of prospects. Now, if you could both identify one sleeper in the draft who would it be?
Josh: Troy Williams...and I think i can speak for both Paul and myself on this one. We have mentioned it before on a couple of shows, but Troy really has an opportunity to jump up draft boards. He will be Indiana's go-to weapon after Yogi. We like him making a smiliar sophomore to junior to that Victor Oladipo enjoyed (and ultimately propelled him to 2nd overall). If he can come back with a better jumpshot, the sky is the limit for his potential. His athleticism, defensive ability and rebounding all translate to the next level.
Paul: Yeah Josh I like that pick, and I also think James Blackmon Jr. will continue to emerge and possibly enter that first round to fringe lottery discussion this year. But it would take a fantastic year for him to go pro after his sophomore season. Outside of these two, I am high on Diamond Stone (Maryland). He's going to get starting minutes on a top 3 team in the country that has a great point guard in Melo Trimble and superior experience with Rasheed Sulaimon and Jake Layman. He has some of the best raw rebounding skills I've seen in college basketball. Reminds me a lot of the rebounding skills of Andre Drummond, Tristan Thompson, and Lavoy Allen. Its weird that all three of those guys are in the Central Division.
Jason: As you both know I completely agree about Troy Williams and I am a big fan of Diamond Stone's game as well. Hopefully he will be able to sustain solid scoring numbering throughout the year. I also would like to point out AJ Hammonds from Purdue who has potential to sneak into the first round. He's got a massive frame but has been hindered in the past by a subpar work ethic and off the court distractions. Look for Matt Painter to get him under control as the Boilermakers attempt to win the Big Ten. Purdue-Indiana this year is setting itself up to be one of the best games within the rivalry in the past 10 years. It should be a great season to watch for Big Ten fans with IU, Purdue, Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Michigan all probable top 25 teams.
