0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
There are a few angles to think about with this kind of statement.First, getting drafted does not guarantee anything. Players get drafted and bust or flame out all the time. Very few live up to their hype. It actually is hard to be a long-term NBA player. So in that sense, basically everyone on the Celtics has proven they have a place in the NBA, which is more than most players trying to get into the NBA from college.Second, most "average" NBA players actually had some draft buzz and were drafted somewhere in a draft. So those players have been in the place that many Kentucky players are now. Third, there are countless examples of success in college NOT translating to the NBA, so these exercises always overrate college players based on how they look against other kids.Fourth, these college players are nowhere near their prime.Fifth, look at the rookie seasons of a lot of very good players...not always that great. And that's after 1 year of growth and a full NBA training camp, so if they jumped straight from college into an NBA game, it'd look even worse than their rookie year stats!But let's go with it. Let's start with the Celtics, then we'll do the Draft Express Mock for the KU players:Starting:PG: TurnerSG: BradleySF: GreenPF: SullyC: ZellerBench:F/C: OlynykF: BassG: SmartF/C: WrightWing: Craeder G: ThorntonThen let's look at their stats this year, and their last year of college, as well as their draft position+year. So by my count, we have players who were good enough in college to be drafted at: 2, 5, 6, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 33, 34, 43. Hopping on over to the draft express mock, I see KU players at:3, 4, 24, 27, 36, 42So that's looking a bit less overpowering, since we know none of the Celtics were full "flameouts," but that is still unknown about the KU guys, especially at picks 24+. And that's just 6 players! KU relies on Booker, Lyles, Ulis and Lee as well, who are freshman or sophomores who arent even projected to be drafted this year!Then take a look at KU's players stats this year, and compare them to the C's from each of their last college year:Point is, if the current (bad) C's roster all magically were changed to be the same age and were on the same college team, it would be a ridiculous college team. Add to that natural growth, nba coaching, and the fact they've all at least stuck in the NBA and its no contest IMO. But let's keep going. KU's roster is impressive this year, no doubt. So let's just look back at the last 4 drafts for the NBA quality equivalent, and look at those players' rookie year (i.e just out of college) PPG/RPG/APG/BPG/SPG just for quick reference:2011:Kanter 4.6/4.2/.1/.3/.3Tristan THompson 8.2/6.5/.5/.5/1.0Reggie Jackson 3.1/1.2/1.6/.6/0JaJuan Johnson 3.2/1.6/.2/.1/.4Jordan Williams 4.6/3.6/.3/.5/.3Davis Bertans None2012 (and i'm not wasting time writing out scrub rookie lines now, you get the idea)Beal 13.9/3.8/2.4/.9/.5Waiters 13.7/2.4/3/1/.3Jared CunninghamArnett MoultrieOrlando JohnsonDoron Lamb2013Otto Porter 2.0/1.0/1.5Cody Zeller 6/4.3/1.1/.5/.5Tim Hardaway 10.2/1.5/.8Rudy Gobert 2.3/3.4Ray McCallumPierre Jackson2014:EmbiidGordon 5.8/3/.6Napier 5.7/2.3/1.9Bogdan BogdanovicJohn Obryant IIINick JohnsonFor fun we can keep going back:2010Favors 6.8/5.3Wes JohnsonDamion JamesJordan CrawfordTerico WhiteDesean Butler2009Harden 9.9/3.2/1.8Tyrek evans 20.1/5.3/5.8Byron mullensDemearre CarrolSam Young 7.4/2.5/.7Patrick Beverly 5.6/2.7/2.92008 (actually a good team! but as rookies? Mostly not ready at all.)Mayo 18.5/3.8/3.2Westbrook 15.3/4.9/5.3Ibaka 6.3/5.4/1.3blkDarrell Arthur 5.6/4.6Asik 2.8/3.7Sean SingletarySo that's about what you can expect from those types of picks. It's amazing how not-ready a lot of very good players are their rookie year. Sobering.Finally lets look back at actual best NCAA teams. National champs, which ones could beat an NBA team as rookies?'14 connecticutShabazz NapierDeAndre DanielsRyan BoatrightNiels GiffeyLasan KromahAmida BrimahOmar CalhounPhillip NolanTerrence Samuel'13 LouisvilleRuss SmithPeyton SivaChane BehananGorgui DiengLuke HancockWayne BlackshearMontrezl HarrellKevin WareStephan Van TreeseZach Price'12 KentuckyAnthony Davis (13.5/8.2/1 as a rookie NBA)Doron LambTerrence JonesMichael Kidd-GilchristMarquis TeagueDarius MillerKyle WiltjerSam Malone'11 UconnKemba WalkerJeremy LambAlex OriakhiShabazz NapierRoscoe SmithJamal Coombs-McDanielCharles OkwanduNiels GiffeyDonnell BeverlyTyler OlanderEnosch Wolf'10 DukeJon ScheyerKyle SinglerNolan SmithBrian ZoubekMiles PlumleeLance ThomasAndre DawkinsMason PlumleeOlek CzyzRyan Kelly'09 UNCTyler HansbroughTy LawsonWayne EllingtonDanny GreenDeon ThompsonEd DavisWilliam GravesTyler ZellerBobby FrasorLarry DrewMarcus GinyardJ.B. TannerPatrick MoodySo really, none of these great college teams had through and through success, let alone as rookies. Even great prospects take at least their rookie year to get acclimated, and that's after a full training camp, let alone stepping in against NBA guys right now. Same thing if you look at the predicted draft slots of the KU guys currently. Just not consistent enough to beat an NBA team, even a bad one, in a 7 game series.
pre-rondo trade, no way. post-rondo trade, I really doubt it. C's may not have any star players but they do have a load of legit NBA players. I could understand the comments that Philly would lose and I wouldn't rule that out but C's beat them handily.
Quote from: slamtheking on December 21, 2014, 02:10:32 PMpre-rondo trade, no way. post-rondo trade, I really doubt it. C's may not have any star players but they do have a load of legit NBA players. I could understand the comments that Philly would lose and I wouldn't rule that out but C's beat them handily.Lol at the idea that Rondo is the difference between winning or losing to a college team. Funny.
Forget about putting all the most skilled C's on the court, a lineup of Nelson, Wallace, Bass, Green and Wright and we'd be literally talking about men v. boys. Pure strength and savvy would wipe out youthful speed and exhuberance.
Im a huge UK fan but they couldn't even beat the 76'ers second team...Pro vs college isn't even close