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The OFFICIAL don't draft Joel Embiid thread

GVC said:
Olajuwon averaged 8 and 6 as a freshman, playing 18 minutes per game...
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He also stayed 2 more years in college, and worked on improving his game before moving to the NBA.

After redshirting his freshman year in 1980–81 because he could not yet get clearance from the NCAA to play,[6] Olajuwon played sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 1981–82, and the Cougars were eliminated in the Final Four by the eventual NCAA champion, North Carolina Tar Heels. Olajuwon sought advice from the coaching staff about how to increase his playing time, and they advised him to work out with local Houston resident and multiple NBA MVP winner, Moses Malone. Malone, who was then a center on the NBA's Houston Rockets, played games every off season with several NBA players at the Fonde Recreation Center. Olajuwon joined the workouts and went head to head with Malone in several games throughout the summer. Olajuwon credited this experience with rapidly improving his game: "The way Moses helped me is by being out there playing and allowing me to go against that level of competition. He was the best center in the NBA at the time, so I was trying to improve my game against the best."[6]
Olajuwon returned from that summer a different player. He and his teammates (including Clyde Drexler) formed what was dubbed "Phi Slama Jama", the first slam-dunking "fraternity", so named because of its above-the-rim prowess. In his sophomore and junior years he helped the Cougars advance to consecutive NCAA championship games, where they lost to North Carolina State on a last second tip-in in 1983 and a Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown team in 1984.[12] Olajuwon won the 1983 NCAA Tournament Player of the Year award,[13] even though he played for the losing team in the final game. He is, to date, the last player from a losing side to be granted this honor. Drexler departed for the NBA in 1983, leaving Olajuwon the lone star on the team.
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I don't know why some of these "raw" prospects don't learn from the path taken by many of the greats of the game.
 
I would take Embiid #1 and I wouldn't think twice about it.

Embiid
Parker
Wiggins

Those are your top three right there.
 
LogGrad98 said:
I don't know why some of these "raw" prospects don't learn from the path taken by many of the greats of the game.
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Like Lebron, Kobe, K-Love, Derrick Rose, Melo, Anthony Davis, Garnett, Irving, Durant

He can improve just as fast, if not faster, by going to the NBA. It's all about the mindset. If he's not mature enough to make basketball his job, then he shouldn't go. If he is, then it's a no-brainer imho. If he won't get frustrated by being initially overwhelmed by the superior talent in the NBA, then it's a no-brainer. It varies for each individual. But yes, there are lots of people who probably would have benefitted from a couple more years in school to get their heads on straight. Also, to keep them from getting their confidence shot by getting dominated early on in their career.
 
Just wanted to compile some stats, but here are Embiids numbers in games that he's received over 25 minutes (there were 9 of them).

13 PPG
8.3 RPB
1.4 APG
3.5 BPG
1.1 SPG
3.3 TO
3.4 Fouls

All while shooting 70% from the field and 68.9% from the line, in about 28 MPG.

Those are very impressive numbers, especially when you consider he only shot the ball about 7 times per game. If you aren't impressed by that, then I don't know what to tell ya, but Embiid is the truth. You can see him improve leaps and bounds each game. He's quite impressive.
 
Hantlers said:
Just wanted to compile some stats, but here are Embiids numbers in games that he's received over 25 minutes (there were 9 of them).

13 PPG
8.3 RPB
1.4 APG
3.5 BPG
1.1 SPG
3.3 TO
3.4 Fouls

All while shooting 70% from the field and 68.9% from the line, in about 28 MPG.

Those are very impressive numbers, especially when you consider he only shot the ball about 7 times per game. If you aren't impressed by that, then I don't know what to tell ya, but Embiid is the truth. You can see him improve leaps and bounds each game. He's quite impressive.
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good point, repped.

Though I still feel his rebounding should be closer to having a double double.
 
LogGrad98 said:
He also stayed 2 more years in college, and worked on improving his game before moving to the NBA.



I don't know why some of these "raw" prospects don't learn from the path taken by many of the greats of the game.
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There is a thread somewhere that talks about all the guys who stayed in school and lost lots o money because of it
 
Beantown said:
Give me a break. Don't try and throw race into this. Its a fact, we have seen plenty of big men from African nations come and go. They rarely ever stick in the league. They have only played basketball for a few years, they are raw and then they never develop.

Look at Thabeet, he didn't start playing basketball until he was 15. He had REALLY impressive college numbers and then in the NBA he couldn't do anything. His skinny frame was unable to compete in the NBA.

How many skinny NBA centers in the league are dominating right now? Doesn't matter if they are black, white, blue or red. A really thin framed NBA center will never succeed in the league. Unless they have elite length.

The only guy that goes against this is Joakim Noah. But he is from NY and has played basketball his entire life and he still struggles against bigger centers.
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Have you watch the kid play? Things to like about him. He might look skinny but I have never seen him getting pushed around. His upper body looks strong plus this is something he can improve on. Besides the NBA is different today, you need a center who can run not some guy like Mark Eaton. You say he doesn't do anything elite and you use his stats as evidence. You do realize that he is on a team that has a lot of talent so his stats are not going to be as high. There are plenty of guys in college (i.e Jimmer) who have great college stats but are nothing more than a complimentary player once they enter the NBA.

I would argue that his shot-blocking is at a elite level regardless of what the stats say. As he learns the game he will be even be better at it. For a guy who has only played the game a few years his basketball IQ is high. He knows how to pass out of a double team better than Favors and Kanter. His shooting form isn't bad and I think he can develop a nice 15 ft if he works at it. His quickness and athleticism is certainly at a elite level for a center. He is going to run pass centers in the NBA. Thabeet had horrible footwork while Embiid already has elite footwork. Thabeet has a horrible BB IQ and bad handles too.

If I were drafting I certainly would consider taking him number one. I think he is going to be an all-star one day if he works on his game. From everything I have read the kid works hard and is humble.

Maybe the Jazz shouldn't draft Wiggins, he is skinny too.
 
Embiid probably has the highest upside of any of the top players in the draft. He can do just about everything and he's got great instincts defensively, so I don't see the downside. To me, he looks like the best 2-way center prospect since Greg Oden at Ohio State (before his injuries, obviously).
 
To me, Randle looks risky because he depends on his combination of power and speed for the PF position that looks pretty elite in college, but might be fairly average in the pros, kind of a TRob syndrome.
 
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