Draft Prospect: C- Prince Ibeh (great measurements)

[Eddie20]

Normally, if a guy is that unproductive in college, it's hard to see him developing into even a third-stringer in the pros.

I disagree with the Jordan comparison. DJ was more athletic, and was one-and-done. This guy did almost nothing despite four years of opportunity.

Jordan graduated at 20 (1 year older than Ibeh is now) and averaged 7.9 ppg and and 6.0 rpg in 20.1 mpg, which is pretty similar to Ibeh's numbers. I'm not sure if Jordan was more athletic. Based on the measurement, Ibeh has a standing vert of 6 1/2 inches higher.

Maybe he's a complete bust, but as a projected 2nd rd pick, of which we have plenty, why not take a gamble? If he ends of being a Mahimni or Festus type player then that would be considered a great pick for the draft slot.

Jordan played one year, Ibeh played four. That's 135 games worth of proof that he's a scrub.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/prince-ibeh-1.html

He's a college scrub, no doubt. However, I'm not advocating taking him in the 1st round. So what's the risk in taking him in the second round with all our picks? Surely his potential upside based on his physical prowess is higher than other potential draftees in the same range.

It's a wasted draft pick. There's risk is that, because you're losing the chance, no matter how slim, of drafting a contributor.

I'm a big believer in track record. In the history of the NBA, has there ever been a guy who sucked in four years of college who became an even marginal contributor?

Miles Plumlee didn't start at Duke, averaged 4.8 ppg and 4.8 rpg in his college career, was a 1st rd pick (based largely on the combine), and has been a marginal contributor.

Yeah, but even Plumlee averaged 7 points / 7 rebounds / 1 block / 61% as a senior, where he started roughly half his games at an elite school.

Plumlee was also 23 his senior season, while Ibeh is 21. Plumlee also didn't have his wingspan (7-1) or reach (8-9.5).

Ibeh vs Plumlee (senior year)

PPG- 4.1 to 6.6
RPG 5.0 to 7.1
BPG 2.0 to 0.9
FG% 57.1 to 61.0
MPG 18.2 to 20.5

The numbers are on par, but your mention about schools is a good point. How would Ibeh have progressed under 4 years of Coach K, as opposed to playing under the fired Barnes and the talented but inexperienced Smart?

[hwangjini_1]

Normally, if a guy is that unproductive in college, it's hard to see him developing into even a third-stringer in the pros.

I disagree with the Jordan comparison. DJ was more athletic, and was one-and-done. This guy did almost nothing despite four years of opportunity.

Jordan graduated at 20 (1 year older than Ibeh is now) and averaged 7.9 ppg and and 6.0 rpg in 20.1 mpg, which is pretty similar to Ibeh's numbers. I'm not sure if Jordan was more athletic. Based on the measurement, Ibeh has a standing vert of 6 1/2 inches higher.

Maybe he's a complete bust, but as a projected 2nd rd pick, of which we have plenty, why not take a gamble? If he ends of being a Mahimni or Festus type player then that would be considered a great pick for the draft slot.

Jordan played one year, Ibeh played four. That's 135 games worth of proof that he's a scrub.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/prince-ibeh-1.html

perhaps, but some players take years to develop. i am not saying ibeh will develop, only that it may be premature to make firm predictions. he did improve in his last year, so there is that.

heck, ainge has 2nd rounders oozing out of him. if he used one on this guy i wouldnt mind one way or the other. i trust ainge's evaluations on 2nd rounders. he has a good track record there in the draft.

I trust Ainge, too.  I think Danny has generally leaned toward productive college players. But, whoever he picks in the late second, I'm not going to stress.

good point on ainge's history with 2nd rounders. he tends to take a productive college player who shows some skill, but has lots of warts or questions. powe, davis, et al. maybe ainge sees something in ibeh. and if he doesnt, my nights will still be filled with reEdited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.l sleep. 

[loco_91]

This is the type of guy that's always worth a round-2 flyer. Huge athletic big men just seem to pan out way better than expected sometimes.

[Eddie20]

Strengths and weaknesses breakdown from DExpress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzO9JU02m9c

Excellent video. The physical tools are definitely there. How would he look after a couple of season of grooming? One where his role is made simple, defend, rebound, and rim run off screens offensively. How would he continue to mature physically considering he's already gained over 40 lbs since he started college? He brings athleticism and length at that size that you simply cant teach, which makes for a low risk/high reward candidate for a second round prospect.

[vjcsmoke]

Pass.  I would rather take a chance on a draft and stash Euro with higher upside.
We have too many 2nd round picks,  I hope we can either trade some into the future, or use some of them to move up in the 1st round.

[The Rondo Show]

I'm a UT student and die-hard fan.

I've seen every single Texas game (and attended almost every home game) since 2013. I'm a pro at critiquing Prince Ibeh  .

Strengths:

- Ibeh boasts elite defensive skills. His ability to switch on pick and rolls and cover guards is rare. He's single-handedly kept Texas in games with his pick and roll defense.

- Ibeh is also one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. Terrific vertical, long arms and excellent timing. While Cam Ridley and Myles Turner helped the cause, Texas has been a fantastic shot blocking team since Ibeh arrived in Austin. He still deserves a ton of the credit.

- Ibeh is one of the best players I've ever seen in terms of recovering. If he gets beat, there's a good chance he'll meet the ball-handler back at the rim for a block.

- Ibeh is an explosive athlete. He's a great target for lobs and put backs. Massive dunker. Excellent running the floor in transition

- Ibeh is a terrific screener and a hard roller. He collapses defenses while running to the rim. Great for a spread pick and roll.

- Ibeh's teammates and coach Shaka Smart rave about his intelligence. They say he's the smartest person they've played with.

Weaknesses:

- Ibeh has no semblance of a one-on-one offensive game. You're not going to throw the ball into him on the post and expect something to happen. He should only get drop offs and lobs in the half court.

- Ibeh is a nightmare when it comes to selling out on shot fakes. He improved a bit as a senior, but he's spent a lot of time on the bench after biting and committing fouls. This is a serious weakness.

- While a terrific finisher in space, Ibeh struggles to finish against contact. Very poor touch, and it hasn't improved much over his four years.

- Ibeh is a nightmare FT shooter. He usually doesn't come close.

- Ibeh will leave you scratching your head sometimes with his decision making and lack of focus on the defensive boards. The latter really needs improvement. 


Overall: Ibeh is very far from Fab Melo. Melo thrived as a shot-blocker in a zone-heavy Jim Boeheim defense. Melo didn't have the physical tools, in terms of quick feet and vertical lift. Ibeh is an elite pick and roll defender and rim protector. Melo would never have succeeded in Texas' man-to-man defensive scheme.

He needs to improve his tendency to bite on fakes, but I have no doubt he's a rotation player if he learns to stay on his feet. He's never going to score a ton of points, but he's an excellent finisher in space and on lobs.

My comparison: Ed Davis-style bench big.

Should we use a mid-second round pick on him? Yes.

[Csfan1984]

I would rather take a shot on Onuako from Louisville

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Chinanu-Onuaku-7254/

Younger more productive and from what I saw of him he actually seems to have an ok feel for the game. Has had some really nice passes in the paint this past season.

+1
Would also consider Brimah

[Roy H.]

I'm a UT student and die-hard fan.

I've seen every single Texas game (and attended almost every home game) since 2013. I'm a pro at critiquing Prince Ibeh  .

Strengths:

- Ibeh boasts elite defensive skills. His ability to switch on pick and rolls and cover guards is rare. He's single-handedly kept Texas in games with his pick and roll defense.

- Ibeh is also one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. Terrific vertical, long arms and excellent timing. While Cam Ridley and Myles Turner helped the cause, Texas has been a fantastic shot blocking team since Ibeh arrived in Austin. He still deserves a ton of the credit.

- Ibeh is one of the best players I've ever seen in terms of recovering. If he gets beat, there's a good chance he'll meet the ball-handler back at the rim for a block.

- Ibeh is an explosive athlete. He's a great target for lobs and put backs. Massive dunker. Excellent running the floor in transition

- Ibeh is a terrific screener and a hard roller. He collapses defenses while running to the rim. Great for a spread pick and roll.

- Ibeh's teammates and coach Shaka Smart rave about his intelligence. They say he's the smartest person they've played with.

Weaknesses:

- Ibeh has no semblance of a one-on-one offensive game. You're not going to throw the ball into him on the post and expect something to happen. He should only get drop offs and lobs in the half court.

- Ibeh is a nightmare when it comes to selling out on shot fakes. He improved a bit as a senior, but he's spent a lot of time on the bench after biting and committing fouls. This is a serious weakness.

- While a terrific finisher in space, Ibeh struggles to finish against contact. Very poor touch, and it hasn't improved much over his four years.

- Ibeh is a nightmare FT shooter. He usually doesn't come close.

- Ibeh will leave you scratching your head sometimes with his decision making and lack of focus on the defensive boards. The latter really needs improvement. 


Overall: Ibeh is very far from Fab Melo. Melo thrived as a shot-blocker in a zone-heavy Jim Boeheim defense. Melo didn't have the physical tools, in terms of quick feet and vertical lift. Ibeh is an elite pick and roll defender and rim protector. Melo would never have succeeded in Texas' man-to-man defensive scheme.

He needs to improve his tendency to bite on fakes, but I have no doubt he's a rotation player if he learns to stay on his feet. He's never going to score a ton of points, but he's an excellent finisher in space and on lobs.

My comparison: Ed Davis-style bench big.

Should we use a mid-second round pick on him? Yes.

I'm willing to make a friendly bet that this guy doesn't play 40 career NBA games.

[The Rondo Show]

Comparison: Fab Melo ??

As I just pointed out above, he's way more suited for the NBA than Fab Melo. Ibeh's proved time and time again that he can play man-to-man defense and switch on pick and rolls. He's one of the best college pick and roll defenders I've ever seen. Any NBA team can use that.

Offensively, Ibeh is way more agile and athletic. He's a much better roller off screens and a way better finisher on lobs and drop offs.

Nobody should ever think about throwing him an entry pass on the post, however. He's a nightmare if he holds it for too long.

[The Rondo Show]

I'm a UT student and die-hard fan.

I've seen every single Texas game (and attended almost every home game) since 2013. I'm a pro at critiquing Prince Ibeh  .

Strengths:

- Ibeh boasts elite defensive skills. His ability to switch on pick and rolls and cover guards is rare. He's single-handedly kept Texas in games with his pick and roll defense.

- Ibeh is also one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. Terrific vertical, long arms and excellent timing. While Cam Ridley and Myles Turner helped the cause, Texas has been a fantastic shot blocking team since Ibeh arrived in Austin. He still deserves a ton of the credit.

- Ibeh is one of the best players I've ever seen in terms of recovering. If he gets beat, there's a good chance he'll meet the ball-handler back at the rim for a block.

- Ibeh is an explosive athlete. He's a great target for lobs and put backs. Massive dunker. Excellent running the floor in transition

- Ibeh is a terrific screener and a hard roller. He collapses defenses while running to the rim. Great for a spread pick and roll.

- Ibeh's teammates and coach Shaka Smart rave about his intelligence. They say he's the smartest person they've played with.

Weaknesses:

- Ibeh has no semblance of a one-on-one offensive game. You're not going to throw the ball into him on the post and expect something to happen. He should only get drop offs and lobs in the half court.

- Ibeh is a nightmare when it comes to selling out on shot fakes. He improved a bit as a senior, but he's spent a lot of time on the bench after biting and committing fouls. This is a serious weakness.

- While a terrific finisher in space, Ibeh struggles to finish against contact. Very poor touch, and it hasn't improved much over his four years.

- Ibeh is a nightmare FT shooter. He usually doesn't come close.

- Ibeh will leave you scratching your head sometimes with his decision making and lack of focus on the defensive boards. The latter really needs improvement. 


Overall: Ibeh is very far from Fab Melo. Melo thrived as a shot-blocker in a zone-heavy Jim Boeheim defense. Melo didn't have the physical tools, in terms of quick feet and vertical lift. Ibeh is an elite pick and roll defender and rim protector. Melo would never have succeeded in Texas' man-to-man defensive scheme.

He needs to improve his tendency to bite on fakes, but I have no doubt he's a rotation player if he learns to stay on his feet. He's never going to score a ton of points, but he's an excellent finisher in space and on lobs.

My comparison: Ed Davis-style bench big.

Should we use a mid-second round pick on him? Yes.

I'm willing to make a friendly bet that this guy doesn't play 40 career NBA games.

How many second round prospects do? At the end of the day his pick and roll defense and physical tools make him worth a flier, especially when we have way too many picks for our own good. Worst case he's playing in Turkey or Australia like Colton Iverson and Marcus Thornton.

I'm not saying he's stepping in right now and becoming Ed Davis, but he if he improves his rebounding and shot-fake defense he can reach that level.

I get that he didn't do much statistically outside of blocked shots, but you're very far off in your assessment that he did nothing in college. Outside of Isaiah Taylor, he was Texas' best player in a 20-win season.

[Roy H.]

I'm a UT student and die-hard fan.

I've seen every single Texas game (and attended almost every home game) since 2013. I'm a pro at critiquing Prince Ibeh  .

Strengths:

- Ibeh boasts elite defensive skills. His ability to switch on pick and rolls and cover guards is rare. He's single-handedly kept Texas in games with his pick and roll defense.

- Ibeh is also one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. Terrific vertical, long arms and excellent timing. While Cam Ridley and Myles Turner helped the cause, Texas has been a fantastic shot blocking team since Ibeh arrived in Austin. He still deserves a ton of the credit.

- Ibeh is one of the best players I've ever seen in terms of recovering. If he gets beat, there's a good chance he'll meet the ball-handler back at the rim for a block.

- Ibeh is an explosive athlete. He's a great target for lobs and put backs. Massive dunker. Excellent running the floor in transition

- Ibeh is a terrific screener and a hard roller. He collapses defenses while running to the rim. Great for a spread pick and roll.

- Ibeh's teammates and coach Shaka Smart rave about his intelligence. They say he's the smartest person they've played with.

Weaknesses:

- Ibeh has no semblance of a one-on-one offensive game. You're not going to throw the ball into him on the post and expect something to happen. He should only get drop offs and lobs in the half court.

- Ibeh is a nightmare when it comes to selling out on shot fakes. He improved a bit as a senior, but he's spent a lot of time on the bench after biting and committing fouls. This is a serious weakness.

- While a terrific finisher in space, Ibeh struggles to finish against contact. Very poor touch, and it hasn't improved much over his four years.

- Ibeh is a nightmare FT shooter. He usually doesn't come close.

- Ibeh will leave you scratching your head sometimes with his decision making and lack of focus on the defensive boards. The latter really needs improvement. 


Overall: Ibeh is very far from Fab Melo. Melo thrived as a shot-blocker in a zone-heavy Jim Boeheim defense. Melo didn't have the physical tools, in terms of quick feet and vertical lift. Ibeh is an elite pick and roll defender and rim protector. Melo would never have succeeded in Texas' man-to-man defensive scheme.

He needs to improve his tendency to bite on fakes, but I have no doubt he's a rotation player if he learns to stay on his feet. He's never going to score a ton of points, but he's an excellent finisher in space and on lobs.

My comparison: Ed Davis-style bench big.

Should we use a mid-second round pick on him? Yes.

I'm willing to make a friendly bet that this guy doesn't play 40 career NBA games.

How many second round prospects do? At the end of the day his pick and roll defense and physical tools make him worth a flier, especially when we have way too many picks for our own good. Worst case he's playing in Turkey like Colton Iverson.

I'm not saying he's stepping in right now and becoming Ed Davis, but he if he improves his rebounding and shot-fake defense he can reach that level.

I get that he didn't do much statistically outside of blocked shots, but you're very far off in your assessment that he did nothing in college. Outside of Isaiah Taylor, he was Texas' best player in a 20-win season.

Respectfully, because I generally value your analysis, a large, intelligent, mobile big man who has "elite defensive skills", is one of the best shot blockers in the country, and "one of the best college pick-and-roll defenders" you've seen should be a first rounder, and should easily surpass 40 career games.

At the very least, that's a rich man's Perk, right?

[The Rondo Show]

I'm a UT student and die-hard fan.

I've seen every single Texas game (and attended almost every home game) since 2013. I'm a pro at critiquing Prince Ibeh  .

Strengths:

- Ibeh boasts elite defensive skills. His ability to switch on pick and rolls and cover guards is rare. He's single-handedly kept Texas in games with his pick and roll defense.

- Ibeh is also one of the top shot-blockers in college basketball. Terrific vertical, long arms and excellent timing. While Cam Ridley and Myles Turner helped the cause, Texas has been a fantastic shot blocking team since Ibeh arrived in Austin. He still deserves a ton of the credit.

- Ibeh is one of the best players I've ever seen in terms of recovering. If he gets beat, there's a good chance he'll meet the ball-handler back at the rim for a block.

- Ibeh is an explosive athlete. He's a great target for lobs and put backs. Massive dunker. Excellent running the floor in transition

- Ibeh is a terrific screener and a hard roller. He collapses defenses while running to the rim. Great for a spread pick and roll.

- Ibeh's teammates and coach Shaka Smart rave about his intelligence. They say he's the smartest person they've played with.

Weaknesses:

- Ibeh has no semblance of a one-on-one offensive game. You're not going to throw the ball into him on the post and expect something to happen. He should only get drop offs and lobs in the half court.

- Ibeh is a nightmare when it comes to selling out on shot fakes. He improved a bit as a senior, but he's spent a lot of time on the bench after biting and committing fouls. This is a serious weakness.

- While a terrific finisher in space, Ibeh struggles to finish against contact. Very poor touch, and it hasn't improved much over his four years.

- Ibeh is a nightmare FT shooter. He usually doesn't come close.

- Ibeh will leave you scratching your head sometimes with his decision making and lack of focus on the defensive boards. The latter really needs improvement. 


Overall: Ibeh is very far from Fab Melo. Melo thrived as a shot-blocker in a zone-heavy Jim Boeheim defense. Melo didn't have the physical tools, in terms of quick feet and vertical lift. Ibeh is an elite pick and roll defender and rim protector. Melo would never have succeeded in Texas' man-to-man defensive scheme.

He needs to improve his tendency to bite on fakes, but I have no doubt he's a rotation player if he learns to stay on his feet. He's never going to score a ton of points, but he's an excellent finisher in space and on lobs.

My comparison: Ed Davis-style bench big.

Should we use a mid-second round pick on him? Yes.

I'm willing to make a friendly bet that this guy doesn't play 40 career NBA games.

How many second round prospects do? At the end of the day his pick and roll defense and physical tools make him worth a flier, especially when we have way too many picks for our own good. Worst case he's playing in Turkey like Colton Iverson.

I'm not saying he's stepping in right now and becoming Ed Davis, but he if he improves his rebounding and shot-fake defense he can reach that level.

I get that he didn't do much statistically outside of blocked shots, but you're very far off in your assessment that he did nothing in college. Outside of Isaiah Taylor, he was Texas' best player in a 20-win season.

Respectfully, because I generally value your analysis, a large, intelligent, mobile big man who has "elite defensive skills", is one of the best shot blockers in the country, and "one of the best college pick-and-roll defenders" you've seen should be a first rounder, and should easily surpass 40 career games.

At the very least, that's a rich man's Perk, right?

Nope. He's not a first round prospect. I'd be pretty mad if we took him ahead of No. 40 in the second round.

He has elite defensive tools, but his weaknesses are pretty glaring, and he's still pretty raw. I like him so much because of the way he switches on guards and protects the rim. Those skills are rare enough for me to take a shot on him in the middle-to-late second round.

That doesn't mean I'm okay with his issues though....His offensive game outside of catching lobs and dump offs is pretty horrific. He's not a great rebounder. He's also 22.
 
That said, if he played at the defensive level he did as a senior, but as a 19-year old, he'd be in the first-round discussion.   

[Tr1boy]

Monster size for a center at 6'11 + 7'5.5 wingspan. 260 pounds.  But moves very well and can really leap.  Explosive dunks.   Good shot blocker/rebounder (instincts is there, though numbers show otherwise)

the bad.  Well you knew it was coming.   Mediocre IQ,  no go to moves on the offensive end.  Poor overall stats for the last 4 years with some superb individual games.  Averaged approx 5 ppg, 5 rpb, 2bpg but in 25 plus mins (though lets not forget Deandre Jordan performed poorly in year 1 of college before we left for the NBA)

Enigma?   With his physical tools, mediocre IQ or not, he should be able to easily grab 10 plus rebounds a game and 10 points just by tip ins/dunks.   

Take a chance using one of our 2nds?


Strengths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lAPjkjrAVs

Weakness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jX3NPJRmwA

[A Future of Stevens]

I think he won't quite hit the deandre jordan level, but he should be alot closer to that than to fab. Fab never showed any understanding of how to play the game of basketball (I live near syracuse.) I saw a quote that boeheim would actually have to tell him where he should stand (like stand here, jump and slap ball.)

Fab melo makes this guy look like igoudala in terms of bball iq. He seems to atleast understand how to position himself when others cut in, to give eany access for the quick dump pass. That's something deandre excels at.

[danglertx]

I'm just going to throw this out there, shoot it down if you want to.  We draft Taurean Prince, Prince Ibeh, and bring in Tashaun Prince for veteren leadership.  With Prince passing away why not?  With all these Princes one will surely take down the King. 

OK, all you trolls poke holes in this great plan.