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2023 NBA Draft Megathread

I agree that they are certainly athletic specimens, maybe generational, and could be very, very good. I'm just not certain how good at basketball they are and will become. Nobody is. And yeah, limiting their exposure to competition is a red flag. There is a tremendous risk in spending the #3 pick on Amen. I'd probably do it, as long as I get a long private workout against other players. If that isn't available, I don't know. . .there are so many good players that could be had at that spot that we could be sure about. We can't really blow this draft. . .
Have you seen their passing or their handles? At this point there really is only one question on both of them and it's shooting. IDK how much you are going to learn from them playing 1 v 1 against other draftees as they would likely smoke most players in this draft 1 v 1. The bigger thing for these top tier guys is the interview process and what you think of their ability to improve.

They also went out and played in The Basketball Tournament, which has many high level basketball players. They did an overseas tour (not really sure how good those teams where considered). They've been out there playing basketball in front of cameras like @Handlogten's Heros said. OTE basically just seems like a Prep School where they have the teams play NBA style basketball, but I dont think the talent level is that bad individually, just a bunch of young guys trying to play up and down style.
 
I mean if we are going to play decades old exceptions, I can give you Exum. I'd just want to have an extended workout with NBA players (which we did not get with Exum, I believe.) I'm just really interested to see if those are available if Amen is slotted by the media at #3.
Not the same at all... but even so... there will be exceptions to every rule. The non-college route is fairly new, but isn't like these guys showed out in an international basketball tournament then went and hid from the world as Exum did. Shaedon Sharpe looks to have some serious promise and didn't play a minute last year. It isn't ideal but these guys aren't hiding.
 
Amen/Ausuar do stuff athletically that is some of the craziest stuff you will see from any 19 year old. Both of them are highly talented ball handlers and passers who compete on defense and have elite guard size.

Maybe they will have a huge learning curve, but their upside is just massive and I dont think they will ever be viewed as frauds. Maybe the shooting never comes around and forever have a really bad flaw, but it wont be like damn they cant play at all kind of thing.
 
I wish their team wasn't so awful... would be easier to see if he could pass or not. That shot selection makes me itch... but it might be more necessity or because he is given too much leash. He's intriguing but I'm not taking him over Amen, Miller, Whitmore, Black and prolly not Nick Smith (though I'm not a big fan). I can see someone going top 10 and I would feel way more comfortable with him in the late lotto or mid first. Interviews and off court research would be big in my evaluation.
I actually see it as a benefit that he is on a bad team because it gives him the opportunity to work on all different things. A lot of the times when you are on a good time you get pinched into a certain role and never get the opportunity to show other aspects of your game. By the end of this year we will have tape on him doing virtually everything and from there we can project how he may develop in the future.
 
I think it's almost 100% proven if you are a top prospect college is an awful choice from a draft position perspective. The college game has a higher chance of hurting your stock than it does helping if your stock is already considered in the top 5 range, especially if you are choosing your school based on how much money they are paying you.
It isn't 100% proven at all. In fact I would say it is the opposite. If Lamelo plays college ball then I think goes #1. If Jaden Hardy plays college ball I think he is a lottery pick last year.
 
Have you seen their passing or their handles? At this point there really is only one question on both of them and it's shooting. IDK how much you are going to learn from them playing 1 v 1 against other draftees as they would likely smoke most players in this draft 1 v 1. The bigger thing for these top tier guys is the interview process and what you think of their ability to improve.

They also went out and played in The Basketball Tournament, which has many high level basketball players. They did an overseas tour (not really sure how good those teams where considered). They've been out there playing basketball in front of cameras like @Handlogten's Heros said. OTE basically just seems like a Prep School where they have the teams play NBA style basketball, but I dont think the talent level is that bad individually, just a bunch of young guys trying to play up and down style.
It is so hard to really judge their passing and handles in such a trash league. It is such a bummer that they chose to pass on college.
 
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