It's too early to talk draft but some positive observations

[Csfan1984]

My current NBA comps

+1. Okafor=Bigger Sully
+2.Johnson=2013 J. Butler
-3. Towns=Taj Gibson
-4. Mudiay=Bledsoe
=5. WCS= 32 year-old JO
+6.Turner=Larry Sanders
+7. Porzingis=young AK47
-8. Winslow=Waiters
+9. D.Johnson=Monroe
+10. Russell=College Reggie Jackson

The + is feel they are climbing.  - they are slipping.

Well that should be depressing for anyone banking on building through the draft

They are young. This is their game based on the limited "next level" games I have watched. With the exception of Mudiay who I only saw high school and camp vids. Seen all the others in at least 4 games. They can all get better and should get better but this is where they are again IMO.

[kozlodoev]

Porzingis is a top 3 pick, LOL if you think he will last until the 7th pick.  He is a young KG, 7 foot, wiry, great hops, very aggressive, and sweet shooting touch with high release, impossible to block.

Yeah, he's a veritable second coming of Darko Milicic.

[Kane3387]

There's a lot of talent at the top of this draft. It's not deep however. It's very top heavy.  Almost all of these guys mentioned will be better pros then college players by a long shot.

[Csfan1984]

Porzingis is a top 3 pick, LOL if you think he will last until the 7th pick.  He is a young KG, 7 foot, wiry, great hops, very aggressive, and sweet shooting touch with high release, impossible to block.

I like Porzingis and it is Epic hearing his name called after a basket lol. Based on how he is being used it is super hard to know how he will be in the NBA. He plays the 5, 4, and a little 3. In the NBA he is likely to be asked to play PF yet he doesn't have the strength to right now. Definitely a player who has high upside but likely low first 3 year impact. So hard to rank him into top 5.

[CFAN38]

Good news for potential lottery teams Kelly Oubre has finally started to be unleashed by bill self.

Coming into this season he was billed as raw but a great offensive player, he has spent much of the early season on the bench. However the last 3 games.

12/20 Lafayette 25min 23pt 10rb 9-15 FG 4-7 3pt

12/22 Temple     23min   9pt   7rb 4-8FG   0-1 3pt

12/30 Kent ST    31min  20pt   7rb 8-12FG 4-7 3pt

Kansas' next game should be a good one to watch Sunday Jan 4th 4:30 VS UNLV

UNLV has two NBA level athletes for big men in the 6'11 soph Wood and 6'10 fresh Okonoboh. Both are averaging better then 3 blks per game. Wood will be a first round pick when he comes out and is currently projected #22 this year by draft express. They also have a 6'5 freshman SG Rashad Vaughn who is leading them in scoring and projected by draft express to go #26 in this draft.

[ederson]

Porzingis is a top 3 pick, LOL if you think he will last until the 7th pick.  He is a young KG, 7 foot, wiry, great hops, very aggressive, and sweet shooting touch with high release, impossible to block.

Yeah, he's a veritable second coming of Darko Milicic.

Well Porzingis at least plays in ACB against real players while Darko appeared as legend in the makings playing in the adriatic league. That of course doesn`t make picking him as a safe choice but so far he has shown he can play....

[KeepRondo]

Can someone who has access to ESPN inside post Chad Ford's latest big board?

I'd like to see how his matches up to the other draft sites.

[Yenohb]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

[csfansince60s]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

Nice find...great sequence starting just before 50 second mark....initial block then a Russell-esque block keeping the ball in play to start fast break.

[CFAN38]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

I second the great find,

I cant believe I missed this kid. He will be interesting to watch with two games vs Utah and one VS UCLA. He Just looking at him he physically reminds me of Andrew Bynum. I will be interested to see how he plays against NBA length and athleticism. Also will be interesting to see how well he moves in a pick and role situation defensively.

At first look he seems to be right in the same tier as D Johnson and Poeltl and statistically he is the top out of the 3. He is currently averaging an impressive.

          21min 11pt 8rb 4.5blk 2PF

To compare

Okafor 29min 18pt 9rb 1.5blk 2PF

WCS 24min 10pt 7rb 1.7blk 1.8PF

Turner 21min 12pt 7rb 2.7blk 2.5PF

Poeltl 24min 10pt 9rb 2.4blk 2.6PF

Johnson 18min 8pt 6rb 1.2blk 1.8PF

[krumeto]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

I second the great find,

I cant believe I missed this kid. He will be interesting to watch with two games vs Utah and one VS UCLA. He Just looking at him he physically reminds me of Andrew Bynum. I will be interested to see how he plays against NBA length and athleticism. Also will be interesting to see how well he moves in a pick and role situation defensively.

At first look he seems to be right in the same tier as D Johnson and Poeltl and statistically he is the top out of the 3. He is currently averaging an impressive.

          21min 11pt 8rb 4.5blk 2PF

To compare

Okafor 29min 18pt 9rb 1.5blk 2PF

WCS 24min 10pt 7rb 1.7blk 1.8PF

Turner 21min 12pt 7rb 2.7blk 2.5PF

Poeltl 24min 10pt 9rb 2.4blk 2.6PF

Johnson 18min 8pt 6rb 1.2blk 1.8PF

Good find Yenohb! Never heard of him. It looks like he, Dakari or Kaminsky will be there for the Clippers pick. Not sure Poeltl will declare.

[CFAN38]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

I second the great find,

I cant believe I missed this kid. He will be interesting to watch with two games vs Utah and one VS UCLA. He Just looking at him he physically reminds me of Andrew Bynum. I will be interested to see how he plays against NBA length and athleticism. Also will be interesting to see how well he moves in a pick and role situation defensively.

At first look he seems to be right in the same tier as D Johnson and Poeltl and statistically he is the top out of the 3. He is currently averaging an impressive.

          21min 11pt 8rb 4.5blk 2PF

To compare

Okafor 29min 18pt 9rb 1.5blk 2PF

WCS 24min 10pt 7rb 1.7blk 1.8PF

Turner 21min 12pt 7rb 2.7blk 2.5PF

Poeltl 24min 10pt 9rb 2.4blk 2.6PF

Johnson 18min 8pt 6rb 1.2blk 1.8PF

Tonight at 10 on ESPN U

Washington VS Stanford

Its a chance to see Upshaw vs Nastic (6'11 245lb senior big who averages 14pt 6rb per)

[CFAN38]

Along with Wash vs Stanford some other games to check out today

Kansas vs UNLV @ 4:30 on CBS

With Oubre getting court time this is an interesting matchup. UNLV features a 1st rd pick caliber freshman SG in Vaughn, a 1st round caliber long athletic 4 in Woods and a 6'10 young rim protector in Okonboh. The latter of the two will also show how Alexander handles nba level length.

UCLA vs Utah @ 4:00 on Pac 12

This game will show Poeltl vs NBA length in Looney

[Sixth Man]

Another big man prospect climbing the rankings..

Robert Upshaw
H: 7' 0"
W: 264 lbs
Wingspan: 7'4"
Bday: 01/05/1994
(20 Years Old)

Averages 4.5 blocks per game in just 20 min of playing time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zfKVm24VQ

I second the great find,

I cant believe I missed this kid. He will be interesting to watch with two games vs Utah and one VS UCLA. He Just looking at him he physically reminds me of Andrew Bynum. I will be interested to see how he plays against NBA length and athleticism. Also will be interesting to see how well he moves in a pick and role situation defensively.

At first look he seems to be right in the same tier as D Johnson and Poeltl and statistically he is the top out of the 3. He is currently averaging an impressive.

          21min 11pt 8rb 4.5blk 2PF

To compare

Okafor 29min 18pt 9rb 1.5blk 2PF

WCS 24min 10pt 7rb 1.7blk 1.8PF

Turner 21min 12pt 7rb 2.7blk 2.5PF

Poeltl 24min 10pt 9rb 2.4blk 2.6PF

Johnson 18min 8pt 6rb 1.2blk 1.8PF

I'll third it.  There's a lot to like in this video.  Nice, high release on the left-hand hook, moves efficiently (not much wasted motion), can go straight up or reach out with his long arms to block shots without risking fouls and seems to keep his feet moving well on defense.  With coaching, I think he might make for a nice pick-and-roll defender some day.  Love to get him or Dakari with the Clips pick. 

How about WCS and one of Dakari/Kaminsky/Upshaw?  I'm feeling hungry for centers these days.

[jonaslopes]

How about WCS and one of Dakari/Kaminsky/Upshaw?  I'm feeling hungry for centers these days.
[/quote]

No chance, IMO. Ainge and Stevens may draft one center and one scorer. I don't know the order of the picks, it depends of our position. If they can't pick Okafor, Towns (both very unlikely) and WCS (much possible), I see them drafting someone like Hezonja or Winslow and using the second pick to grab Dakari or Kaminsky.