Announcement

Collapse

The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

A quick note to new members: Your posts will not immediately show up when you make them. An administrator has to approve at least your first post before the forum software will later upgrade your account to the status of a fully-registered member. This usually happens within a couple of hours or so after your post(s) is/are approved, so you may need to be a little patient at first.

Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
See more
See less

2011 NBA Draft

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 2
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous 1 2 template Next
  • #16
    Re: 2011 NBA Draft

    http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-coll...od_ncb_xxx_xxx


    My top 30 college prospects for 2011
    July, 7, 2010
    JUL 7
    1:14
    PM ET
    EmailPrintComments
    57
    By Doug Gottlieb
    Players get hurt. Players improve. Players just aren't as good as advertised. A lot can happen in a year. But if I were an NBA player personnel director looking ahead to the best college prospects for the 2011 draft, the following list would be my starting point …
    1. Enes Kanter, Kentucky: A tough big man who seems to rise to the challenge of elite competition, Kanter should not be a Turkish ball of hype like Deniz Kilicli was last year for West Virginia. Whether he plays is up to the NCAA (two Pac-10 assistants told me they felt he would have major amateurism issues because of his club experience in Turkey), but playing or sitting will have little effect on his draft status. He's legit.

    2. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina: A uniquely skilled and intelligent prospect who has a bit of Kobe to his game. One question remains: Does he have the killer instinct to be great? With no baggage, a wide array of skills and an unfazed demeanor, Barnes could move up or down based on how he plays late in games in March.

    3. John Henson, North Carolina: He will be the textbook example of the benefits of at least two years in college. Henson looked totally lost much of last season until the light started to come on late. He is at least 6-foot-9 and very long, and if he can find a position (probably best as a face-up 4 in college), he should explode this season.

    4. Perry Jones, Baylor: Long and thin and really skilled, Jones is a KG type -- a face-up 4 man who would rather handle and shoot than score down low. He must continue to work on his body size, but his skill level is very advanced, especially as big as he measures out.

    [+] Enlarge
    Jason O. Watson/US Presswire
    Klay Thompson averaged 20 points a game last season, but will he able to turn around the Cougars?
    5. Klay Thompson, Washington State: Next year's Evan Turner with a jump shot. Thompson shoots it way better than Turner and handles it just as well. Although he is far less well known to many college hoop fans (despite being the son of former No. 1 pick Mychal Thompson), scouts only need to see "Turner-like" toughness and wins to totally buy in. Thompson was punked by physical teams (e.g., Kansas State) last season, but, like Turner, he makes everyone else better and can play two or three positions.

    6. Kyrie Irving, Duke: A slashing, scoring, dime-dropping chip off the Jay Williams block, Irving will give the Blue Devils their first athletically elite point guard in a long while. Those Duke fans who wonder what could've been had Shaun Livingston not skipped college to go pro finally have their man.

    7. Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State: Thick? Yes. Prone to shoots 3s like Tiny Gallon? Sure. But talent to be an NBA All-Star? I think so. Sidney has paid his penance and likely improved by going against Jarvis Varnado in practice last season. If he will buy into dominating down low and keeping his weight right, he should have a big year.

    8. Brandon Knight, Kentucky: Might be a bit too much of a tweener for scouts to love, but with Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall as predecessors and a dominant pull-up game to boot, scouts should dismiss his lack of true point guard skills and focus on his out-and-out scoring ability.

    9. Kyle Singler, Duke: Singler is a ferocious competitor and tremendous shooter all over the floor. With another year on the wing under his belt, he should be the most refined prospect in the 2011 draft.

    10. Marcus Morris, Kansas: A double-double machine who can also shoot it, Morris is among the most underrated players coming back to school. He'll have a big season for the Jayhawks.

    11. Josh Selby, Kansas: An undersized 2 who will play some point, Selby is a another hybrid guard who must show he can run a team. But he is a very talented scorer who can and will guard, as well.

    12. Kenneth Faried, Morehead State: An old-school starting NBA power forward type, Faried has averaged 13 rebounds each of the past two seasons. He is active, can score, can board, and can defend and block shots.

    13. Terrence Jones, Kentucky: There was a reason Washington fans were so crushed to lose Jones to John Calipari and UK. He is a 6-8 man among boys who loves to handle the ball like a point forward. Jones is a dynamic personality who might be even more successful at the NBA level with his vast array of overall skills.

    14. C.J. Leslie, NC State: Leslie remained in his hometown of Raleigh and is ready to get Sidney Lowe a contract extension. The incoming freshman has some of the skills of Barnes, though he's not as good a passer.

    15. Elias Harris, Gonzaga: Had zero interest in going pro this year, but scouts love him. Harris will need better point guard play as Demetri Goodson's man was in his lap all of last season.

    16. Trey Thompkins, Georgia: A legit 6-9 or 6-10, 250 pounds, Thompson is a prototype 4 for the NBA level. He has to take better shots and handle the ball better, but his upside is sizable.

    17. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: A wide body who is skilled like an NBA vet. Although he should have a very good year in Columbus, his NBA value will come down to how big he really is (my guess is 6-7), how long his arms are, how much lift he has, and his ability to face up and hit a 15-footer. Look for Sullinger to be really productive, but a bit of an acquired taste at the top of the draft.

    18. Kris Joseph, Syracuse: Big and a very good driver, Joseph must develop into a better shooter. But as a 2-3 mix, Joseph is a dynamic rebounder who can handle and score.

    [+] Enlarge
    AP Photo/Al Behrman
    High-flying Chris Wright led Dayton in scoring, rebounding and blocks last season.
    19. Chris Wright, Dayton: An explosive athlete who continues to try to play on the wing, Wright is of the Damion James, Desmond Mason and Sam Young variety of college 4s who have to play on the perimeter to play in the league. Wright plays very hard at both ends and is a nasty rebounder and dunker.

    20. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina: The tallest Tar Heel and one of the fastest, Zeller needs to stay healthy and improve his game on offense. But his speed, length and hands give him great upside.

    21. Charles Jenkins, Hofstra: A bit undersized for an NBA 2, but bigger than Brandon Knight and Kenny Boynton at about 6-2 or 6-3. Jenkins is built like a truck, is tremendous off the bounce and loves contact in the lane. He needs to continue to improve his deep jump shot, but he should be the Dominique Jones of the 2011 draft.

    22. Travis Leslie, Georgia: The new human highlight film, Leslie is coming to your town to put you on a poster. He is also a decent ball handler and shooter who can get his own shot. He just has to make more of them.

    23. Mason Plumlee, Duke: A big, strong physical specimen who can really get off the floor, Plumlee and brother Miles give the Devils the athleticism they sorely need inside. Losing Brian Zoubek hurts, but Mason's continued improvement will make up for it.

    24. Robbie Hummel, Purdue: Although he is coming off an ACL injury and although the Big Ten has been essentially ignored in recent drafts, Hummel is still a good bet to be a solid pro. He can handle and pass, and although his release is funky, it is quick and usually works.

    25. Ravern Johnson, Mississippi State: Built like a pogo stick and jumps like one, too, Johnson is a freak athlete who can score from the wing. It was wise of him to come back to school, however. Another year of seasoning will do him well.

    26. Derrick Williams, Arizona: The one truly bright spot in Sean Miller's first year, Williams is a skilled 6-7/6-8 face-up 4 who is a rare combination of talent and toughness.

    27. Kenny Boynton, Florida: Struggled with his jumper all season until the last couple of weeks, Boynton is an undersized 2 who could go either way on a draft board. When he gets it rolling, you might think he is a Ben Gordon type, but he was far too slight and inconsistent last season for us to say for sure what he is.

    28. Jimmer Fredette, BYU: With Michael Loyd Jr. gone, expect Fredette to play more at the point in an effort to show his NBA viability. Before you think "undrafted Scottie Reynolds," remember that he is bigger and stronger and frankly, far more explosive a scorer.

    29. Tristan Thompson, Texas: Two years ago, he was one hell of a prospect out of his native Canada. After some reported attitude problems and stops at two basketball powerhouses, Thompson has slipped some and might have added too much bulk. On the other hand, he is smart, quiet, and a winner with the ability to play inside and out in a Lamar Odom sort of way. If he can wrest the ball from Jordan Hamilton every now and again, Thompson should thrive in Austin.

    30. Cameron Clark, Oklahoma: Silky smooth wing who has a nice midrange game. As an incoming freshman, the Texan will have a huge load to carry for the revamped Sooners. But based on his talent and makeup, Clark can do it.

    Sleeper

    Dante Taylor, Pittsburgh: Taylor is coming off a weak freshman showing after being the first McDonald's All-American to sign with Pitt in nearly 20 years. But he has the body and is in a program that consistently produces big men who improve by leaps and bounds. He should've been better last season, but Taylor should dominate a very young, yet talented group of Big East big men this season.

    Doug Gottlieb is an ESPN.com contributor and hosts "The Doug Gottlieb Show," which airs weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Radio and ESPNradio.com. You can e-mail him at douggottlieb@espnradio.com.
    Last edited by Really?; 07-15-2010, 01:48 PM. Reason: added link
    Why so SERIOUS

    Comment

    • #17
      Re: 2011 NBA Draft

      Originally posted by Mourning View Post
      Maybe even more reason to just sign one or two veteran PG's to the minimum or close to it, instead of trading for one this summer.
      Or not sign anyone
      Why so SERIOUS

      Comment

      • #18
        Re: 2011 NBA Draft

        Originally posted by Unclebuck View Post
        Really, we are already talking about the 2011 draft. God help me
        You don't have to talk about it, I personally love talking about drafts whether it is discussing players potential or what team they would fit with. I love young talent and think for most organizations it is the only way they will get better... aka Pacers
        Why so SERIOUS

        Comment

        • #19
          Re: 2011 NBA Draft

          Originally posted by Really? View Post
          http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-coll...od_ncb_xxx_xxx


          My top 30 college prospects for 2011
          July, 7, 2010
          JUL 7
          1:14
          PM ET
          EmailPrintComments
          57
          By Doug Gottlieb
          Players get hurt. Players improve. Players just aren't as good as advertised. A lot can happen in a year. But if I were an NBA player personnel director looking ahead to the best college prospects for the 2011 draft, the following list would be my starting point …
          1. Enes Kanter, Kentucky: A tough big man who seems to rise to the challenge of elite competition, Kanter should not be a Turkish ball of hype like Deniz Kilicli was last year for West Virginia. Whether he plays is up to the NCAA (two Pac-10 assistants told me they felt he would have major amateurism issues because of his club experience in Turkey), but playing or sitting will have little effect on his draft status. He's legit.

          2. Harrison Barnes, North Carolina: A uniquely skilled and intelligent prospect who has a bit of Kobe to his game. One question remains: Does he have the killer instinct to be great? With no baggage, a wide array of skills and an unfazed demeanor, Barnes could move up or down based on how he plays late in games in March.

          3. John Henson, North Carolina: He will be the textbook example of the benefits of at least two years in college. Henson looked totally lost much of last season until the light started to come on late. He is at least 6-foot-9 and very long, and if he can find a position (probably best as a face-up 4 in college), he should explode this season.

          4. Perry Jones, Baylor: Long and thin and really skilled, Jones is a KG type -- a face-up 4 man who would rather handle and shoot than score down low. He must continue to work on his body size, but his skill level is very advanced, especially as big as he measures out.

          [+] Enlarge
          Jason O. Watson/US Presswire
          Klay Thompson averaged 20 points a game last season, but will he able to turn around the Cougars?
          5. Klay Thompson, Washington State: Next year's Evan Turner with a jump shot. Thompson shoots it way better than Turner and handles it just as well. Although he is far less well known to many college hoop fans (despite being the son of former No. 1 pick Mychal Thompson), scouts only need to see "Turner-like" toughness and wins to totally buy in. Thompson was punked by physical teams (e.g., Kansas State) last season, but, like Turner, he makes everyone else better and can play two or three positions.

          6. Kyrie Irving, Duke: A slashing, scoring, dime-dropping chip off the Jay Williams block, Irving will give the Blue Devils their first athletically elite point guard in a long while. Those Duke fans who wonder what could've been had Shaun Livingston not skipped college to go pro finally have their man.

          7. Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State: Thick? Yes. Prone to shoots 3s like Tiny Gallon? Sure. But talent to be an NBA All-Star? I think so. Sidney has paid his penance and likely improved by going against Jarvis Varnado in practice last season. If he will buy into dominating down low and keeping his weight right, he should have a big year.

          8. Brandon Knight, Kentucky: Might be a bit too much of a tweener for scouts to love, but with Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall as predecessors and a dominant pull-up game to boot, scouts should dismiss his lack of true point guard skills and focus on his out-and-out scoring ability.

          9. Kyle Singler, Duke: Singler is a ferocious competitor and tremendous shooter all over the floor. With another year on the wing under his belt, he should be the most refined prospect in the 2011 draft.

          10. Marcus Morris, Kansas: A double-double machine who can also shoot it, Morris is among the most underrated players coming back to school. He'll have a big season for the Jayhawks.

          11. Josh Selby, Kansas: An undersized 2 who will play some point, Selby is a another hybrid guard who must show he can run a team. But he is a very talented scorer who can and will guard, as well.

          12. Kenneth Faried, Morehead State: An old-school starting NBA power forward type, Faried has averaged 13 rebounds each of the past two seasons. He is active, can score, can board, and can defend and block shots.

          13. Terrence Jones, Kentucky: There was a reason Washington fans were so crushed to lose Jones to John Calipari and UK. He is a 6-8 man among boys who loves to handle the ball like a point forward. Jones is a dynamic personality who might be even more successful at the NBA level with his vast array of overall skills.

          14. C.J. Leslie, NC State: Leslie remained in his hometown of Raleigh and is ready to get Sidney Lowe a contract extension. The incoming freshman has some of the skills of Barnes, though he's not as good a passer.

          15. Elias Harris, Gonzaga: Had zero interest in going pro this year, but scouts love him. Harris will need better point guard play as Demetri Goodson's man was in his lap all of last season.

          16. Trey Thompkins, Georgia: A legit 6-9 or 6-10, 250 pounds, Thompson is a prototype 4 for the NBA level. He has to take better shots and handle the ball better, but his upside is sizable.

          17. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: A wide body who is skilled like an NBA vet. Although he should have a very good year in Columbus, his NBA value will come down to how big he really is (my guess is 6-7), how long his arms are, how much lift he has, and his ability to face up and hit a 15-footer. Look for Sullinger to be really productive, but a bit of an acquired taste at the top of the draft.

          18. Kris Joseph, Syracuse: Big and a very good driver, Joseph must develop into a better shooter. But as a 2-3 mix, Joseph is a dynamic rebounder who can handle and score.

          [+] Enlarge
          AP Photo/Al Behrman
          High-flying Chris Wright led Dayton in scoring, rebounding and blocks last season.
          19. Chris Wright, Dayton: An explosive athlete who continues to try to play on the wing, Wright is of the Damion James, Desmond Mason and Sam Young variety of college 4s who have to play on the perimeter to play in the league. Wright plays very hard at both ends and is a nasty rebounder and dunker.

          20. Tyler Zeller, North Carolina: The tallest Tar Heel and one of the fastest, Zeller needs to stay healthy and improve his game on offense. But his speed, length and hands give him great upside.

          21. Charles Jenkins, Hofstra: A bit undersized for an NBA 2, but bigger than Brandon Knight and Kenny Boynton at about 6-2 or 6-3. Jenkins is built like a truck, is tremendous off the bounce and loves contact in the lane. He needs to continue to improve his deep jump shot, but he should be the Dominique Jones of the 2011 draft.

          22. Travis Leslie, Georgia: The new human highlight film, Leslie is coming to your town to put you on a poster. He is also a decent ball handler and shooter who can get his own shot. He just has to make more of them.

          23. Mason Plumlee, Duke: A big, strong physical specimen who can really get off the floor, Plumlee and brother Miles give the Devils the athleticism they sorely need inside. Losing Brian Zoubek hurts, but Mason's continued improvement will make up for it.

          24. Robbie Hummel, Purdue: Although he is coming off an ACL injury and although the Big Ten has been essentially ignored in recent drafts, Hummel is still a good bet to be a solid pro. He can handle and pass, and although his release is funky, it is quick and usually works.

          25. Ravern Johnson, Mississippi State: Built like a pogo stick and jumps like one, too, Johnson is a freak athlete who can score from the wing. It was wise of him to come back to school, however. Another year of seasoning will do him well.

          26. Derrick Williams, Arizona: The one truly bright spot in Sean Miller's first year, Williams is a skilled 6-7/6-8 face-up 4 who is a rare combination of talent and toughness.

          27. Kenny Boynton, Florida: Struggled with his jumper all season until the last couple of weeks, Boynton is an undersized 2 who could go either way on a draft board. When he gets it rolling, you might think he is a Ben Gordon type, but he was far too slight and inconsistent last season for us to say for sure what he is.

          28. Jimmer Fredette, BYU: With Michael Loyd Jr. gone, expect Fredette to play more at the point in an effort to show his NBA viability. Before you think "undrafted Scottie Reynolds," remember that he is bigger and stronger and frankly, far more explosive a scorer.

          29. Tristan Thompson, Texas: Two years ago, he was one hell of a prospect out of his native Canada. After some reported attitude problems and stops at two basketball powerhouses, Thompson has slipped some and might have added too much bulk. On the other hand, he is smart, quiet, and a winner with the ability to play inside and out in a Lamar Odom sort of way. If he can wrest the ball from Jordan Hamilton every now and again, Thompson should thrive in Austin.

          30. Cameron Clark, Oklahoma: Silky smooth wing who has a nice midrange game. As an incoming freshman, the Texan will have a huge load to carry for the revamped Sooners. But based on his talent and makeup, Clark can do it.

          Sleeper

          Dante Taylor, Pittsburgh: Taylor is coming off a weak freshman showing after being the first McDonald's All-American to sign with Pitt in nearly 20 years. But he has the body and is in a program that consistently produces big men who improve by leaps and bounds. He should've been better last season, but Taylor should dominate a very young, yet talented group of Big East big men this season.

          Doug Gottlieb is an ESPN.com contributor and hosts "The Doug Gottlieb Show," which airs weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m. ET on ESPN Radio and ESPNradio.com. You can e-mail him at douggottlieb@espnradio.com.
          I'm betting by the middle of next season Maurice Creek will be near the top of that list.

          Comment

          • #20
            Re: 2011 NBA Draft

            Originally posted by Eleazar View Post
            I'm betting by the middle of next season Maurice Creek will be near the top of that list.
            I hope your pipedream comes true because that means my Hoosiers got a chance to show some improvement this year! Plus, we will have the yearly "will Bird draft the in state kid?" discussion about Creek & Hummel. And the IU/Purdue rivalry will return!!!

            Comment

            • #21
              Re: 2011 NBA Draft

              IndyHoosier-

              Re Creek, I think that's better spelled 'PIPEDREAM'. And I say
              that as a diehard IU hoops fan.

              Comment

              • #22
                Re: 2011 NBA Draft

                I've had a man crush on Perry Jones for a while. MON-STER.

                Comment

                • #23
                  Re: 2011 NBA Draft

                  Originally posted by KingGeorge24 View Post
                  Harrison Barnes seems to be the top prospect.

                  View the 2011 Mock Draft here

                  Click on the players profiles to read scouts opinions of them.
                  I always felt Vesely was a more interesting prospect that Motiejunas and the way he played at the end of the season, especially at the EL F4, strengthened that feeling. Weird to still seem him placed below Motiejunas and even Kanter.

                  Comment

                  Previous 1 2 template Next
                  Working...
                  X