2017 NBA Draft Thread

[UrinalCake]

I remember after the pro day we had in the fall of 2016, the one where Tatum sprained his ankle, some NBA scout tweeted that Tatum could one day lead the NBA in scoring. I thought that was pretty preposterous at the time. I thought he’d be a good pro, maybe a borderline All-Star in the best case scenario, but that he didn’t have elite athleticism and relied too heavily on difficult, low-percentage jump shots. I obviously severely underestimated him, as he is one of the top young stars in the game right now and the notion of him capturing a scoring title is reasonable (though not likely).

[JayZee]

I remember after the pro day we had in the fall of 2016, the one where Tatum sprained his ankle, some NBA scout tweeted that Tatum could one day lead the NBA in scoring. I thought that was pretty preposterous at the time. I thought he’d be a good pro, maybe a borderline All-Star in the best case scenario, but that he didn’t have elite athleticism and relied too heavily on difficult, low-percentage jump shots. I obviously severely underestimated him, as he is one of the top young stars in the game right now and the notion of him capturing a scoring title is reasonable (though not likely).

I think K said something like that. Maybe it was more Tatum will lead his team in scoring rather than the entire NBA. But leading a good NBA team in scoring is nothing to sneeze at, for sure...

How many Duke players have ever led their respective NBA teams in scoring? Grant? Kyrie?

How many current Duke players will probably lead their teams in scoring? Kyrie may never again if he sticks with KD. Tatum? Zion? RJ? Longshot for Cam (assuming he or Trae gets traded - no way he scores more than Trae)

[flyingdutchdevil]

I remember after the pro day we had in the fall of 2016, the one where Tatum sprained his ankle, some NBA scout tweeted that Tatum could one day lead the NBA in scoring. I thought that was pretty preposterous at the time. I thought he’d be a good pro, maybe a borderline All-Star in the best case scenario, but that he didn’t have elite athleticism and relied too heavily on difficult, low-percentage jump shots. I obviously severely underestimated him, as he is one of the top young stars in the game right now and the notion of him capturing a scoring title is reasonable (though not likely).

I always thought Tatum's athleticism was/is really good. Okay, he's not Westbrook nor Zion, but he's got a really nice combination of speed, ups, and agility.

What makes Tatum really, really, really unique, though, is his really good length (6'11" wingspan) and ability to move his feet on defense. That last point - ability to move his feet on defense - is also called trying on defense. Watch Redick- always moves his feet despite being really slow for an NBA player. And the result is an okay defender (who does get targeted in the playoffs). If you have some athleticism and you move your feet, you can be elite defensively. And that's what Tatum is right now.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I think K said something like that. Maybe it was more Tatum will lead his team in scoring rather than the entire NBA. But leading a good NBA team in scoring is nothing to sneeze at, for sure...

How many Duke players have ever led their respective NBA teams in scoring? Grant? Kyrie?

How many current Duke players will probably lead their teams in scoring? Kyrie may never again if he sticks with KD. Tatum? Zion? RJ? Longshot for Cam (assuming he or Trae gets traded - no way he scores more than Trae)

Deng did it once ('13-'14) but got traded to the Cavs that year.

Laettner did it in '93-'94.

Jahlil his rookie season in '15-'16 (I'm stocked by this one).

Grant a bunch of times.

Kyrie obviously a bunch of times.

[sagegrouse]

Deng did it once ('13-'14) but got traded to the Cavs that year.

Laettner did it in '93-'94.

Jahlil his rookie season in '15-'16 (I'm stocked by this one).

Grant a bunch of times.

Kyrie obviously a bunch of times.

Jeff Mullins with the SF Warriors, four straight years, 1968-69 through 1971-72.

[Truth&Justise]

Deng did it once ('13-'14) but got traded to the Cavs that year.

Laettner did it in '93-'94.

Jahlil his rookie season in '15-'16 (I'm stocked by this one).

Grant a bunch of times.

Kyrie obviously a bunch of times.

A Duke player led the Clippers in scoring for seven straight seasons--four by Elton Brand (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007) and three by Corey Maggette (2004, 2005, 2008).

[flyingdutchdevil]

A Duke player led the Clippers in scoring for seven straight seasons--four by Elton Brand (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007) and three by Corey Maggette (2004, 2005, 2008).

Brand and Maguette! How could I forgot!

Wow- really poor research by me.

[sagegrouse]

A Duke player led the Clippers in scoring for seven straight seasons--four by Elton Brand (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007) and three by Corey Maggette (2004, 2005, 2008).

Brand and Maguette! How could I forgot!

Wow- really poor research by me.

Why am I posting in a thread about the 2017 NBA draft?

[flyingdutchdevil]

Why am I posting in a thread about the 2017 NBA draft?

Because it’s better than posting about loses to garbage ACC teams?

[AZLA]

I'm a Duke fan and I love Tatum too, but come on, this is hyperbole. Comparing anyone to Durant is nuts, especially Tatum. I see very few similarities between these two. I think Tatum is going to be a solid NBA players. I don't see him being a mega superstar and one of the greatest players to ever play. But I do hope I'm wrong.

Quote Originally Posted by AZLA View Post

I’m a homer, but honestly, I feel like Tatum is quite undervalued at less than a #3 pick for his upside. The “experts” are all over the place with no real consensus to the Top 5 picks, but I’m a little surprised as to how he has (relatively speaking) flown under the radar recently, especially for a league that values height with shooting. Granted, Tatum is mostly featured in highlights driving and dunking in the lane. Case in point on the recent ESPN Sports Science special re: NBA Draft, producers, in campy fashion, covered him in chainmail armor to test his ability to dunk as a metaphor for people hanging on him. It proved nothing really or was an applicable game scenario unless an opponent was flagrantly fouling by literally draping him. Again, it was a just-for-fun episode, but I think that it speaks to how Tatum is being visualized and evaluated by the press, when in fact I see him being a potential All-Star caliber small forward in the image of Kevin Durant. He’s got the handle and versatility of say Grant Hill, but if he consistently finds his range, and can shoot well, he'll have lots of scoring opportunities in the wide-open and lax-defense NBA. So he’s going to have to work on his outside shooting to even come close, but that’s obtainable, because he's got good mechanics and showed flashes of consistency. Tatum’s body of work that foreshadows his potential was really apparent during the epic, ACC tournament run (he had the most field goals over Kennard) and into the NCAA Tourney. His shooting release point is so high, and so quick, that he’s hard to defend (even by the best defender outside). I hope he doesn’t drop down and get picked by the Suns – because they’re just “terr’ble” (as Charles would say) – when he would fit in nicely with a contending team in Boston if they trade their pick. Again, this might be a homer’s perspective, but I see Tatum as being a pick that a lot of teams wished they didn’t pass on him (picks 1 thru 4). If he goes lower than 5, yikes. Perhaps GMs are just keeping it chill so they can grab him?

Anyhow, compared to Durant in college, Tatum has a strong shot percentage but would need to up his outside shot:

Durant
College Year GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Texas 2006–07 35 35 35.9 .473 .404 .816 11.1 1.3 1.9 1.9 25.8

Tatum
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2016–17 Duke 29 27 33.3 .452 .342 .849 7.3 2.1 1.3 1.1 16.8

Hope he goes early.

[dukelifer]

Quote Originally Posted by AZLA View Post

Players don’t get better. They are what they are out of high school. How many examples do you need. The next thing you will tell me is that Gary Trent Jr is going to be a starter in the league.

[Indoor66]

Players don’t get better. They are what they are out of high school. How many examples do you need. The next thing you will tell me is that Gary Trent Jr is going to be a starter in the league.

Also their HS ranking sets their place in the pecking order forever.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Also their HS ranking sets their place in the pecking order forever.

I mean, it goes on your permanent record, so...

[AGDukesky]

I don’t care what you guys say, I’m still drafting Markelle Fultz

[JasonEvans]

I don’t care what you guys say, I’m still drafting Markelle Fultz

Danny Ainge should have "Markelle Fultz for Jayson Tatum and a #1 pick" etched on his tombstone. That was one of the worst draft fleecings you will ever see at the professional level.

[AGDukesky]

Danny Ainge should have "Markelle Fultz for Jayson Tatum and a #1 pick" etched on his tombstone. That was one of the worst draft fleecings you will ever see at the professional level.

So true! I was discussing Tatum with my Celtics friend during the series and he could not praise Ainge more for that deal.

[CDu]

So true! I was discussing Tatum with my Celtics friend during the series and he could not praise Ainge more for that deal.

Ainge made two unbelievably great trades in his career: the deal of the aging Pierce and Garnett to Brooklyn for a slew of picks, and the trade down to get Tatum instead of Fultz (though to be fair, I'm not sure anyone could have foreseen the shoulder injury and ACL tear which have sabotaged Fultz's career). His downfall was that he was never able to parlay all that extra draft capital into more. The one time he DID trade away a draft pick (along with Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder for Irving), it didn't exactly pan out for them (Cleveland beat them in the playoffs and that pick became a solid talent in Collin Sexton; Irving left after the following year). And he held on to the other picks too long such that they devalued.

But man those two trades were spectacular.