Digiskunk's Rookie Report: Revisiting the 2017-2018 PBSL Draft.
Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:03 am
Digiskunk's Rookie Report: Revisiting the 2017-2018 PBSL Draft.
Last year's draft class was quite the pool of talent, but will it live up to the hype? In this exclusive report, we'll take a look back and revisit the 2017-2018 PBSL Draft in an attempt to evaluate who walked away winners and who walked away losers. In this edition, we'll cover the first 10 picks of the draft using anecdotal evidence and bullshit that I came up with off the top of my head in an admittedly selfish attempt to earn media points. Let's go!
1. Karl-Anthony Towns (Celtics) - WINNER
This pick was, naturally, a no-brainer for the Boston Celtics, who had finished the 2016-2017 campaign with a forgettable record of 16-66. The Celtics were in dire need of a strong post player, and that's exactly what they got when they drafted Towns with the #1 overall pick. What makes this pick especially impressive is the fact that Towns was by and large the most talented player in the draft with the highest ceiling, so the Celtics somewhat had their work cut out for them. As great of a prospect he is, the only downside to selecting Towns is his size; at 6'8", 240lbs, he's hardly your typical center. He seems to lack the height necessary to flourish at the 5, so perhaps he'd be more suitable at the power forward position? If the Celtics play him at PF, they should get their full value out of him.
2. DeSean Hawkins (Jazz) - T.B.D.
The Jazz had a huge decision to make with the #2 overall pick: Who would you select to replace Paul George? There were numerous viable options, but no clear-cut answers. The Jazz seemingly had it all planned out, however, as they would select the versatile, athletic forward out of Oregon State (Hawkins) and then later choose their point guard of the future with the #5 pick. There's a looming shadow of uncertainty surrounding Hawkins, however. He's incredibly raw for a prospect and lacks the offensive tools that Paul George had upon entering the league. Only time can tell what type of player Hawkins will develop into, but one thing is certain: he's sure exciting to watch with his length and athleticism. With a little time, patience, and polish, Hawkins could develop into a really good player — but he's no Paul George, that's for damn sure.
3. Ronald Small (Trailblazers) - WINNER
Like Hawkins before him, the 18-year old point guard came into the draft an immensely raw talent who had the tools to develop into a special player. What makes Ronald Small such an intriguing prospect is his overall package, which was certainly appealing to the Trailblazers, who were desperate to acquire their point guard of the future. Although his offensive capabilities are currently lackluster at best, with time he should be able to develop an efficient jump shot and should become an effective playmaker with his passing abilities and court vision. It's uncertain how long that can take, but for now, the Trailblazers are more than happy to be patient with this exciting young athlete. The only downside is his lack of quickness for his height and his terrible 3-point shooting. But hey, things can change, right? He should be a really good point guard in a few years, making this both a safe and intelligent selection.
4. D'Angelo Russell (Celtics) - WINNER
The Celtics were once again on the clock with the 4th pick, and they wasted no time picking up where they left off. They opted to make a safe choice with the 4th pick by selecting D'Angelo Russell, a shooting guard who has a fairly high ceiling compared to some of the alternatives remaining on the board. If the Celtics were looking for an offensive juggernaut, however, they're going to have to learn to be patient with Russell, who still needs to work on his jump shot and three pointer. One of the things that may have stood out to the Celtics was Russell's versatility; even for a shooting guard of his size, he has gifted inside scoring capabilities and has the potential to become a uniquely talented post defender. Yes, you heard me right: D'Angelo Russell should, with time, become an elite defender — both in the post and on the perimeter. His ability to play multiple positions on both ends of the court deem him an asset too valuable to pass up with this pick.
5. Robert Neeley (Jazz) - WINNER
Upon deciding to rebuild, the Jazz allowed Darren Collison to ride off into the sunset of free agency. They could have selected either Ronald Small or Robert Neeley with the 2nd overall pick, but Digiskunk saw the value of Hawkins with the 2nd overall pick, and instead decided to select his point guard of the future with the 5th pick. Robert Neeley was undoubtedly one of the better, undiscovered talents of this draft who could have just as easily been drafted in the top 3. Unlike the prospects before him, Robert Neeley's athletic abilities were much more polished and PBSL-ready; he was already an established inscore scorer with great passing, quickness, and stealing abilities. His only downside is his perimeter defense, but that can be improved upon with time, unlike D'Andre Jordan's free throw shooting.
6. John Hagerman (Mavericks) - WINNER
Not to sound like a broken record, but John Hagerman was another one of the diamonds that were lost in the rough of this draft. He was projected to be selected 8th (coincidentally, also behind Robert Neeley), but the Mavericks were smart to realize the value they were getting out of him. Aside from Karl-Anthony Towns, John Hagerman is perhaps the most PBSL-ready big man in this draft. What stands out most about his game is his impeccable ability to crash the boards and grab offensive rebounds, as well as his posterior play. This was one of the best selections in the draft as far as I'm concerned — the Mavericks walked away with a steal in Hagerman, who should develop into a top-notch starting power forward sooner rather than later.
7. Kenneth Williams (Hawks) - LOSER
The Hawks usually have a great eye when it comes to evaluating talent — usually. Unfortunately for them, they really crapped the bed with Kenneth Williams, who pales in comparison to some of the other talent that was still available on the draft board. They could have made a much more sound investment by drafting a prospect such as Tristan Bosworth, Markelle Fultz, Brett Lopez, or Joseph Kight, but instead, they chose the poor man's version of John Hagerman. Upon first glance, he doesn't look too bad, but aside from his offensive rebounding and inside scoring, there isn't really much that warrants his selection at this point in the draft. He's fairly underwhelming as a talent and is more deserving of a mid-to-late 1st round selection. To make matters even worse, the Hawks actually traded away James Harden to acquire this pick in a package... Uh oh, Spaghettios!
8. Tristan Bosworth (Lakers) - T.B.D.
Although the Lakers are already set at both guard positions, they decided to draft another guard in Tristan Bosworth, who can play both the point and the shooting guard position. There is actually a lot to like about Tristan's game: he has a great jump shot, is a capable passer, and should develop into a fine defensive player. Additionally, he's quick on his feet and is teeming with energy, so he should be able to provide a lot of productive minutes off the bench, which is expected to be his role. His impact will ultimately come down to how the Lakers plan on utilizing him, however.. If given the opportunity, he should be able to make a really positive impact on the Lakers as long as he's given enough minutes to be their sixth man. He'll be able to bang in mid-rangers and spread the ball around, making his teammates better; defensively, he'll be a constant nuisance on the perimeter and will be eager to run away with a steal. Really solid pick by the Lakers.
9. Markelle Fultz (Sixers) - WINNER
Sixers GM Scott did a great job with this selection. Fultz, who was originally projected to be selected within the top 5, somehow fell as far as #9 — probably due to his raw overall talent. Scott must have seen something in Fultz that other GMs missed, because Fultz seemingly went from a green potential to a blue potential overnight. One of he things that makes Fultz such an exceptional selection at #9 is his ever-growing offensive abilities. He has the potential to develop a shot that's even more accurate and deadly than Lee Harvey Oswald's, and his defensive abilities are nothing to shrug off, neither. The only thing he seems to lack is quickness and stamina, but that can easily be improved with some conditioning training and methamphetamine. Okay, maybe a lot of methamphetamine.
10. Brett Lopez (Raptors) - LOSER
At first glance, Brett Lopez looked like a really decent offensive big man with a ceiling comparable to John Hagerman's. In fact, he was actually projected to be selected 4th overall but somehow, some way, he fell all the way down to #10. You could argue that the Raptors made a good choice by selecting him, but unfortunately for them, his potential took a dive as soon as he entered training camp. He was supposed to be their replacement for Derrick Favors, but instead they ended up drafting a player just like him — and as far as the eye can see, it doesn't really seem like Lopez is going to be developing into much more than an average bench player. He can score the ball a bit, but he isn't about to out-rebound other big men unless he gets his act together. Maybe with some training, he can reach the potential we thought he originally had.
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So there we have it! That's it for the Top 10. Back to you in the studio, TIm.
Last year's draft class was quite the pool of talent, but will it live up to the hype? In this exclusive report, we'll take a look back and revisit the 2017-2018 PBSL Draft in an attempt to evaluate who walked away winners and who walked away losers. In this edition, we'll cover the first 10 picks of the draft using anecdotal evidence and bullshit that I came up with off the top of my head in an admittedly selfish attempt to earn media points. Let's go!
1. Karl-Anthony Towns (Celtics) - WINNER
This pick was, naturally, a no-brainer for the Boston Celtics, who had finished the 2016-2017 campaign with a forgettable record of 16-66. The Celtics were in dire need of a strong post player, and that's exactly what they got when they drafted Towns with the #1 overall pick. What makes this pick especially impressive is the fact that Towns was by and large the most talented player in the draft with the highest ceiling, so the Celtics somewhat had their work cut out for them. As great of a prospect he is, the only downside to selecting Towns is his size; at 6'8", 240lbs, he's hardly your typical center. He seems to lack the height necessary to flourish at the 5, so perhaps he'd be more suitable at the power forward position? If the Celtics play him at PF, they should get their full value out of him.
2. DeSean Hawkins (Jazz) - T.B.D.
The Jazz had a huge decision to make with the #2 overall pick: Who would you select to replace Paul George? There were numerous viable options, but no clear-cut answers. The Jazz seemingly had it all planned out, however, as they would select the versatile, athletic forward out of Oregon State (Hawkins) and then later choose their point guard of the future with the #5 pick. There's a looming shadow of uncertainty surrounding Hawkins, however. He's incredibly raw for a prospect and lacks the offensive tools that Paul George had upon entering the league. Only time can tell what type of player Hawkins will develop into, but one thing is certain: he's sure exciting to watch with his length and athleticism. With a little time, patience, and polish, Hawkins could develop into a really good player — but he's no Paul George, that's for damn sure.
3. Ronald Small (Trailblazers) - WINNER
Like Hawkins before him, the 18-year old point guard came into the draft an immensely raw talent who had the tools to develop into a special player. What makes Ronald Small such an intriguing prospect is his overall package, which was certainly appealing to the Trailblazers, who were desperate to acquire their point guard of the future. Although his offensive capabilities are currently lackluster at best, with time he should be able to develop an efficient jump shot and should become an effective playmaker with his passing abilities and court vision. It's uncertain how long that can take, but for now, the Trailblazers are more than happy to be patient with this exciting young athlete. The only downside is his lack of quickness for his height and his terrible 3-point shooting. But hey, things can change, right? He should be a really good point guard in a few years, making this both a safe and intelligent selection.
4. D'Angelo Russell (Celtics) - WINNER
The Celtics were once again on the clock with the 4th pick, and they wasted no time picking up where they left off. They opted to make a safe choice with the 4th pick by selecting D'Angelo Russell, a shooting guard who has a fairly high ceiling compared to some of the alternatives remaining on the board. If the Celtics were looking for an offensive juggernaut, however, they're going to have to learn to be patient with Russell, who still needs to work on his jump shot and three pointer. One of the things that may have stood out to the Celtics was Russell's versatility; even for a shooting guard of his size, he has gifted inside scoring capabilities and has the potential to become a uniquely talented post defender. Yes, you heard me right: D'Angelo Russell should, with time, become an elite defender — both in the post and on the perimeter. His ability to play multiple positions on both ends of the court deem him an asset too valuable to pass up with this pick.
5. Robert Neeley (Jazz) - WINNER
Upon deciding to rebuild, the Jazz allowed Darren Collison to ride off into the sunset of free agency. They could have selected either Ronald Small or Robert Neeley with the 2nd overall pick, but Digiskunk saw the value of Hawkins with the 2nd overall pick, and instead decided to select his point guard of the future with the 5th pick. Robert Neeley was undoubtedly one of the better, undiscovered talents of this draft who could have just as easily been drafted in the top 3. Unlike the prospects before him, Robert Neeley's athletic abilities were much more polished and PBSL-ready; he was already an established inscore scorer with great passing, quickness, and stealing abilities. His only downside is his perimeter defense, but that can be improved upon with time, unlike D'Andre Jordan's free throw shooting.
6. John Hagerman (Mavericks) - WINNER
Not to sound like a broken record, but John Hagerman was another one of the diamonds that were lost in the rough of this draft. He was projected to be selected 8th (coincidentally, also behind Robert Neeley), but the Mavericks were smart to realize the value they were getting out of him. Aside from Karl-Anthony Towns, John Hagerman is perhaps the most PBSL-ready big man in this draft. What stands out most about his game is his impeccable ability to crash the boards and grab offensive rebounds, as well as his posterior play. This was one of the best selections in the draft as far as I'm concerned — the Mavericks walked away with a steal in Hagerman, who should develop into a top-notch starting power forward sooner rather than later.
7. Kenneth Williams (Hawks) - LOSER
The Hawks usually have a great eye when it comes to evaluating talent — usually. Unfortunately for them, they really crapped the bed with Kenneth Williams, who pales in comparison to some of the other talent that was still available on the draft board. They could have made a much more sound investment by drafting a prospect such as Tristan Bosworth, Markelle Fultz, Brett Lopez, or Joseph Kight, but instead, they chose the poor man's version of John Hagerman. Upon first glance, he doesn't look too bad, but aside from his offensive rebounding and inside scoring, there isn't really much that warrants his selection at this point in the draft. He's fairly underwhelming as a talent and is more deserving of a mid-to-late 1st round selection. To make matters even worse, the Hawks actually traded away James Harden to acquire this pick in a package... Uh oh, Spaghettios!
8. Tristan Bosworth (Lakers) - T.B.D.
Although the Lakers are already set at both guard positions, they decided to draft another guard in Tristan Bosworth, who can play both the point and the shooting guard position. There is actually a lot to like about Tristan's game: he has a great jump shot, is a capable passer, and should develop into a fine defensive player. Additionally, he's quick on his feet and is teeming with energy, so he should be able to provide a lot of productive minutes off the bench, which is expected to be his role. His impact will ultimately come down to how the Lakers plan on utilizing him, however.. If given the opportunity, he should be able to make a really positive impact on the Lakers as long as he's given enough minutes to be their sixth man. He'll be able to bang in mid-rangers and spread the ball around, making his teammates better; defensively, he'll be a constant nuisance on the perimeter and will be eager to run away with a steal. Really solid pick by the Lakers.
9. Markelle Fultz (Sixers) - WINNER
Sixers GM Scott did a great job with this selection. Fultz, who was originally projected to be selected within the top 5, somehow fell as far as #9 — probably due to his raw overall talent. Scott must have seen something in Fultz that other GMs missed, because Fultz seemingly went from a green potential to a blue potential overnight. One of he things that makes Fultz such an exceptional selection at #9 is his ever-growing offensive abilities. He has the potential to develop a shot that's even more accurate and deadly than Lee Harvey Oswald's, and his defensive abilities are nothing to shrug off, neither. The only thing he seems to lack is quickness and stamina, but that can easily be improved with some conditioning training and methamphetamine. Okay, maybe a lot of methamphetamine.
10. Brett Lopez (Raptors) - LOSER
At first glance, Brett Lopez looked like a really decent offensive big man with a ceiling comparable to John Hagerman's. In fact, he was actually projected to be selected 4th overall but somehow, some way, he fell all the way down to #10. You could argue that the Raptors made a good choice by selecting him, but unfortunately for them, his potential took a dive as soon as he entered training camp. He was supposed to be their replacement for Derrick Favors, but instead they ended up drafting a player just like him — and as far as the eye can see, it doesn't really seem like Lopez is going to be developing into much more than an average bench player. He can score the ball a bit, but he isn't about to out-rebound other big men unless he gets his act together. Maybe with some training, he can reach the potential we thought he originally had.
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So there we have it! That's it for the Top 10. Back to you in the studio, TIm.