2023 NBA Draft Megathread

[NUMBERICA]

TBH, I think the whole “unkown” European bust debate is a thing of a past. American players bust all the time too. What happened in the past is teams did not scout as well in Europe, not the same anymore. If an oversees player does or doesn’t bust it’s not because there was a lack of scouting like there was before.

What are you even scouting if the competition is completely incomparable to the NBA? That's my point.

It will be interesting to see what Bilal does on the senior team, but this league isn't exactly the ACB, NCAA, or G-League (which has issues, but is still grown adults that were mostly high level players in the NCAA), either.

 

[cowhide]

Kanter is another good one to add to the list with Millicic, tstisvilli, bargnani, vessley, herzona, exum. Thanks for the reminder.

There are plenty of top American players who have busted too. The Draft is a crapshoot and no one hits on their picks all the time look at all the players drafted before Karl Malone.

 

[KqWIN]

What are you even scouting if the competition is completely incomparable to the NBA? That's my point.

It will be interesting to see what Bilal does on the senior team, but this league isn't exactly the ACB or the NCAA, either.

I’d say the NCAA is completely incomparable to the NBA. The French senior league is MUCH better. They would completely destroy any NCAA team. By the end of the French season, he might have double the senior minutes he does now so a lot can change.

The junior French League…who the hell knows what that means. But there also likely going to be two guys ahead of him that have only dominated sus youth competition.

Some players don’t even have college games to scout, so it’s not like Bilal’s resume is that lacking.

 

[fishonjazz]

There are plenty of top American players who have busted too.

I agree. I think there is a higher percentage of the foreigners who bust doe. Also a higher percentage of homegrown players seem to not be busts. Would be interesting to see the numbers on this. General feeling to me is that a foreign player drafted in the top 10 has a higher percentage chance of being a bust doe.

Seems like they do better when drafted a litte later for some reason (giannis, jokic, ginobli, tony parker, etc)

 

[Elizah Huge]

Are any of the French wings a better prospect than Ousmane Dieng last year?

 

[NUMBERICA]

Are any of the French wings a better prospect than Ousmane Dieng last year?

Rayan Rupert rings every bell Dieng did last year. Was Dieng good? Because I pegged him as a dude whose name I would hear 10 times ever again for the rest of my life. This is the 2nd time since the draft I have come across anyone talking about him, FWIW.

I think Bilal looks like a basketball player and Cissoko is super interesting (is a Batum comp too off?). Rupert and Dieng just look like freaks that aren't skilled enough at basketball to me.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I agree. I think there is a higher percentage of the foreigners who bust doe. Also a higher percentage of homegrown players seem to not be busts. Would be interesting to see the numbers on this. General feeling to me is that a foreign player drafted in the top 10 has a higher percentage chance of being a bust doe.

Seems like they do better when drafted a litte later for some reason (giannis, jokic, ginobli, tony parker, etc)

The list goes on and on and on. Hayes sucks, Caboclo a bust, Pokusevski sucks, Bolmaro a bust, Doumbouya a bust, Bitadze sucks, Samanic sucks, Garuba sucks, Musa sucks.

Looks like the only good international players drafted in the last 5 years are Doncic, Giddey and Sengun.

 

[Elizah Huge]

Rayan Rupert rings every bell Dieng did last year. Was Dieng good? Because I pegged him as a dude whose name I would hear 10 times ever again for the rest of my life. This is the 2nd time since the draft I have come across anyone talking about him, FWIW.

I think Bilal has some real promise and Cissoko is super interesting (is a Batum comp too off?).

Dieng was not ready to contribute at all this year and I think he sucks to be honest. That’s kind of the point I’m trying to make I don’t think any of them are better prospects than him at the same point in time.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I would take Sidy over Rupert and Bilal all day.

 

[KqWIN]

Rayan Rupert rings every bell Dieng did last year. Was Dieng good? Because I pegged him as a dude whose name I would hear 10 times ever again for the rest of my life. This is the 2nd time since the draft I have come across anyone talking about him, FWIW.

Not really similar prospects. Dieng was a tall shooter/scorer who didn’t put the ball in the basket very well….but some believed he could get better.

Rupert is a defensive prospect and everyone kinda knows he will struggle on offense.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Dieng was not ready to contribute at all this year and I think he sucks to be honest. That’s kind of the point I’m trying to make I don’t think any of them are better prospects than him at the same point in time.

I definitely disagree with Cissoko, and again, I think Bilal looks like an NBA player (as in moves like one, appears to have ALL the ideal physical attributes and biomechanical movment, not just some long awkward freak). I actually think Rupert is more promising than Dieng (he's not awkward, at least), but he also looks like the annual "WOW LOOK AT HOW BIG AND FAST THIS GUY IS BUT HE JUST NEEDS TO GET GOOD AT BASKETBALL!" pick that doesn't pan out.

I also don't give a **** that he once played PG. There are millions of bad players that have played point at some level of competition. Means basically nothing and I'm tired of hearing about it. It's in the same sphere as putting on 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason.

 

[KqWIN]

The list goes on and on and on. Hayes sucks, Caboclo a bust, Pokusevski sucks, Bolmaro a bust, Doumbouya a bust, Bitadze sucks, Samanic sucks, Garuba sucks, Musa sucks.

Looks like the only good international players drafted in the last 5 years are Doncic, Giddey and Sengun.

There’s a longer list of American players that suck. There’s just a lot more American players so of course there’s going to be more that suck and more that don’t.