• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

2020 NBA Draft

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Anyone who's into scouting film want to investigate why Okoro was such a poor defensive rebounder last year? I've penciled him in as an effective defender in the paint, but can't get over the fact that he was last on his team in defensive rebound rate. Is that somehow just a result of their defensive scheme? Is he just not very quick off his feet in those situations? Is his bad at boxing out? Is it his short standing reach?
 
Keep an eye on Rokas Jokubaitis, who may have been prematurely written off due to his below-average athleticism. He's been a key player in Zalgiris's 4-0 start this season, and as I've mentioned in the past, it's extraordinarily rare for a teenager to play a significant role for a top Euroleague team. He's become the clear best Euro stash guy in the draft basically overnight, and I wouldn't be too surprised at this point if he gets drafted in the first round.
 
Last edited:
As of the 18th of October my top 5 preferences are:
1. Ball
2. Wiseman
3. Avdija
4. Okoro
5. Okongwu


Things may look very different on the 19th of October though
 
As of the 18th of October my top 5 preferences are:
1. Ball
2. Wiseman
3. Avdija
4. Okoro
5. Okongwu


Things may look very different on the 19th of October though

rofl
 

rofl? Why?
Not saying I agree either, but in this draft with no clear #1, and with all the covid restrictions and reduced competition...how can you be so certain?

In most drafts, but particularly this year, I don't think anyone can predict which players will be studs or duds.
 
Keep an eye on Rokas Jokubaitis, who may have been prematurely written off due to his below-average athleticism. He's been a key player in Zalgiris's 4-0 start this season, and as I've mentioned in the past, it's extraordinarily rare for a teenager to play a significant role for a top Euroleague team. He's become the clear best Euro stash guy in the draft basically overnight, and I wouldn't be too surprised at this point if he gets drafted in the first round.

Sweet shooting Delly?
 
Sweet shooting Delly?

Don't think he has that kind of toughness...if I had to pick a sweet shooting Delly in this draft, it'd be Bane for sure.

Jokubaitis I'd say is (optimistically) pretty similar to Herro, with slightly better passing and slightly worse shooting. Rightfully or not, I think that similarity will get him a lot of attention if he keeps up his current level of play over the next month.
 
Don't think he has that kind of toughness...if I had to pick a sweet shooting Delly in this draft, it'd be Bane for sure.

Jokubaitis I'd say is (optimistically) pretty similar to Herro, with slightly better passing and slightly worse shooting. Rightfully or not, I think that similarity will get him a lot of attention if he keeps up his current level of play over the next month.

Oh only slightly better passing than Herro? I thought he was a point guard mostly.

You surprised me with the Bane comparison, didn't know he had that much playmaking. Do you think he will be able to run an offense the way Delly does?
 
Oh only slightly better passing than Herro? I thought he was a point guard mostly.

You surprised me with the Bane comparison, didn't know he had that much playmaking. Do you think he will be able to run an offense the way Delly does?

Herro definitely has some PG ability even if the heat didn’t always use him that way. Without getting too down in the weeds I just think they’re highly skilled but not very athletic guards, but by being 6’5” instead of like 6’1” they have a fighting chance on defense and don’t get swallowed up in the paint.

As for Bane, I admit he’s not a true PG like Delly, but he’s definitely a high-iq natural leader type (and he did lead TCU in assists).
 
Finished the last of my writeups, on the less-highly-regarded PGs and small combo guards. A lot of solid options, but no one really stood out to me as an obvious "super sleeper" here.

Link to previous:


Payton Pritchard

Perimeter offense: 8/10

Elite outside shooter, very nearly leading the Pac-12 in volume and accuracy this year. Deep range off the dribble. Hedging because he was *slightly* less impressive his first 3 years, but only a little.

Interior offense: 3/10

Has some ability thanks to his craftiness, but below-average athleticism really limits him. Not particularly quick or explosive.

Team offense: 7/10

Less of a reputation as a passer, but has always been extremely efficient in this area, and actually led the conference in assists this year. Not a savant, but the clear engine of an extremely efficient offense.

Perimeter defense: 3/10

Solid effort, but poor physical tools in terms of length and lateral quickness. NBA guards will love their chances attacking him off the dribble.

Interior defense: 2/10

Tough and competitive, a decent rebounder for his position, but lack of size and vertical athleticism is a huge impediment.

Team defense: 5/10

Generally good effort level and leadership. Good anticipation. Will have to work even harder to keep up in the NBA, but he has the right attitude for it.

Overall: 28/60

Ashton Hagans

Perimeter offense: 3/10

A reluctant shooter, and for good reason as he connected at just 26%. Solid free throw shooting suggests he has some potential to at least make wide-open 3's with practice.

Interior offense: 2/10

Good enough athlete to get downhill, but struggled to finish at the rim. Just doesn't have great scoring touch overall. Drew fouls at a decent rate, but was a surprisingly poor offensive rebounder.

Team offense: 7/10

Not an outlier here, but did a more than respectable job running a Kentucky offense full of raw but talented players. Has his work cut out for him as he doesn't have a ton of scoring gravity himself, but makes it work.

Perimeter defense: 9/10

His calling card. Ideal frame to defend the guard positions, plays with great intensity, and sticks to his man like glue. Creates plenty of steals.

Interior defense: 2/10

Competitive here too, but as on offense, athleticism doesn't manifest in the paint as often as you'd hope. Just an okay rebounder, and not a shot blocker at all.

Team defense: 5/10

A solid team defender, but doesn't shine like he does in 1-on-1 situations, and not a steady leader like he is on offense. Covers ground well and shows excellent effort, but can ball watch or gamble too much when he should be focused on sticking to shooters.

Overall: 28/60

Rokas Jokubaitis

Perimeter offense: 7/10

Small sample sizes make it hard to be confident, but picture looks pretty good here. Quick getting his feet set and a simple, consistent release. Some potential to shoot off the dribble, but playing for an elite Zalgiris team he hasn't had the license to take many lower-percentage shots.

Interior offense: 2/10

Not a bad finisher, but below-average physical tools really limit what he can do. Decent quickness, and shows good craftiness/change of pace, but lacks strength and not a great vertical athlete. Shies away from contact and takes tough shots.

Team offense: 9/10

Extremely savvy point guard. Zalgiris is the only perfect Euroleague team this season at 4-0 and he's leading the team in assists, which is very impressive for a 19-year-old. Can be too daring at times, but also can keep a cool head and make the simple, correct play when that's what the situation calls for.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

One of the slower guards in terms of lateral quickness, which puts him in a tough spot. Solid fundamentals, as you'd expect from a player on an elite professional team, and shows really nice anticipation moving his feet in some cases, but vulnerable nonetheless against quicker, more athletic players.

Interior defense: 1/10

Playing against pros probably makes him look more comically underdeveloped physically than he actually is, but still, seriously lacks strength and athleticism. He's a legit 6'4"-6'5" but doesn't play like it at the moment.

Team defense: 5/10

Again, great anticipation moving his feet and knowing where he needs to be, definitely not a guy who takes plays off, but poor quickness and athleticism limit what he can do.

Overall: 28/60

Markus Howard

Perimeter offense: 10/10

The clear best shooter in the draft, and arguably a top-5 shooter in NCAA history. An absolute flamethrower when he gets it going, and he usually gets it going.

Interior offense: 7/10

Extremely dangerous inside despite lack of size. Quicker than even the best defenders, can get his shot off in small spaces, and seeks out contact to draw loads of fouls.

Team offense: 4/10

Some passing ability, but he's a scorer through and through. Can hit the open man if he sees him, but rarely bothers to survey the floor.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Can be decent when keyed in. Small, but a genuinely good athlete who can stay in front of any ballhandler, and can occasionally poke the ball away.

Interior defense: 0/10

Given his extreme lack of size, he would need excellent toughness and fundamentals to be at all useful here, and he has neither of those things.

Team defense: 2/10

Fairly useless. Not horrible IQ, but likes to rest on defense, especially off-ball, and makes a lot of mistakes as a result.

Overall: 27/60

Grant Riller

Perimeter offense: 6/10

A very good shooter, but not elite, and development has kind of plateaued. Just accurate enough off the dribble that defenders have to respect him, which sets up his dribble drive game.

Interior offense: 6/10

Tempering expectations just a bit due to low level of competition, but he's pretty exceptional for a guard here. Elite handle, great touch, and even some ability to finish strong at times.

Team offense: 5/10

Plays to score, but decent vision and willingness to make the pass when defenses collapse, which is good because he collapses the defense a lot. Not a natural point guard though.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Light feet, active hands, and good physical tools overall though a bit undersized. Will need to bring his A-game more often against NBA ballhandlers, but should be able to hold his own.

Interior defense: 2/10

Not a shotblocker due to lack of size, but does play with toughness, making an active effort to hold position and rebounding well for a guard.

Team defense: 3/10

Decent IQ, but effort isn't always there, which is an issue because he'll have even more ground to cover in the NBA. Does have nice instincts going for steals given the opportunity.

Overall: 27/60

Saben Lee

Perimeter offense: 5/10

An adequate shooter who likes the pull-up 3 but isn't quite accurate enough with it to have big-time scoring gravity behind the arc. Size hurts him, as he doesn't have a naturally quick/high release from deep.

Interior offense: 6/10

Lacks elite strength and quickness, but nonetheless one of the very best finishers among guards. Can score in a variety of ways inside the arc, and uses that unpredictability to keep defenders off-balance and draw tons of fouls. Pretty good pop, can hang in the air and score.

Team offense: 6/10

A bit tricky to assess here. Had a rough time in conference play, but was much better earlier in the season when he had Nesmith to work with. Doesn't have special passing vision, but he's a genuine team-first player who tries to get his teammates involved.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Not terrible, but too often seems a bit flat-footed, which he can't afford as a smaller guard. Pretty quick hands, just a touch slow moving his feet.

Interior defense: 1/10

A decent athlete, but lacks size to be effective in the paint. Poor rebounder.

Team defense: 5/10

High-IQ team defender who actually had a pretty good year in terms of steals, but frustratingly seems just a bit slow reacting and moving his feet at times. Not sure if this is an effort thing that could be improved, or if he just lacks stop-and-go quickness on defense.

Overall: 27/60

Abdoulaye N’Doye

Perimeter offense: 3/10

Percentage last year was good, but this is misleading as it came on a very small sample size. Overall, a very shaky shooter for an older PG, hesitates even when open.

Interior offense: 3/10

Excellent physical tools, but skills are quite raw for an older prospect. Best exemplified by plays in which he blows past his man on the perimeter only to pull up and settle for a floater. Decent touch on the floater, but more importantly he needs to be more confident in his handle so he can get all the way to the rim. Doesn't play with an edge.

Team offense: 7/10

In contrast to his scoring game, his point guard play is actually quite polished. A willing and capable passer who can see over the defense at 6'7", and while he's not as adventurous with his passing as some guys, he has very low turnover numbers to show for his more conservative style of play.

Perimeter defense: 6/10

Very good on the perimeter with a huge 7'2" wingspan and solid lateral quickness. Not perfect, as smaller, quicker guards can burn him and his movement patterns look awkward at times.

Interior defense: 3/10

Decent, but not nearly as effective as he should be at his size. Lacks strength and just gets pushed all over the place down low.

Team defense: 5/10

A pretty mixed bag, as he does show great anticipation at times and his length and quickness can cause all sorts of trouble in passing lanes. At other times, he looks disengaged or can ball-watch and lose track of his man.

Overall: 27/60

Yam Madar

Perimeter offense: 4/10

Nothing terribly wrong with his form as born out by his solid free throw percentage, but just doesn't have great touch from 3 for some reason. Shot just 27% on a pretty modest attempt rate.

Interior offense: 2/10

Inside-the-arc numbers are respectable across the board, but I really worry about him here physically. Doesn't seem to have the quick first step that smaller PGs need to reliably attack off the dribble, and not particularly strong or explosive either.

Team offense: 7/10

Has oscillated between the two guard positions, but appears to be a good enough facilitator to run the point if the rest of his game pans out (notably, posted 8 assists and 0 turnovers in the 2020-21 season opener). Not a game-changing passer, but gets the job done.

Perimeter defense: 6/10

Fundamentals could use a bit of work, but he really brings the energy guarding ballhandlers. Gets right up into them and makes them work for everything. Quick feet, though he can get a bit too jumpy.

Interior defense: 2/10

Good energy here too, and not afraid to take contact, but very vertically challenged.

Team defense: 5/10

High motor and solid all-around quickness are assets here, but not immune from missing rotations, and gambles didn't seem to pay off at a very high rate. I cut him a little slack because, as I've mentioned for other guys, imperfect defensive fundamentals stand out more in a professional setting.

Overall: 26/60

Tyrell Terry

Perimeter offense: 9/10

Excellent off-ball shooter, with percentages right around the elite 40/90 mark. Not a gunner off the dribble like some guards, but solid potential in that area too.

Interior offense: 2/10

Quick, but not unusually quick with the ball. Lack of strength and vertical athleticism makes it tough for him to finish, though he appears to have decent touch.

Team offense: 6/10

A decent passer who may be able to run the offense in a pinch, but it's not really his forte. Has the instinct to keep his head up and read the court, but questionable handle makes it difficult for him to do so. Makes better passes in a floor spacer role where the defense isn't keyed in on him.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Solid quickness to guard the perimeter, but lack of strength a serious issue at just 160 pounds. Potential to be adequate here if he adds some muscle but NBA players will run all over him at the moment.

Interior defense: 1/10

Competes on the glass, but overall completely overmatched physically.

Team defense: 4/10

Solid effort level, but here too fundamentals are a work in progress. Active in the passing lanes, but really shouldn't gamble a lot of the time because his physical tools give him so little margin for error.

Overall: 26/60

Sam Merrill

Perimeter offense: 9/10

An elite shooter who can really do it all, shooting lights-out in a more off-ball role earlier in his college career, and showing excellent shooting ability off the bounce the last couple years. Capped off his career with a beautiful, deep game winner in the MWC championship game.

Interior offense: 2/10

Solid frame for a guard, and has nice touch from all parts of the floor, but lack of athleticism is a big question mark here, and he doesn't really play with a lot of physicality. Uses his craftiness to draw fouls, but most NBA defenders will be too good for that. Much more comfortable on the perimeter.

Team offense: 7/10

Not a high volume passer, but low assist numbers are somewhat deceptive as he was the key cog in a Utah State offense that had *very* good ball movement. I don't expect him to be a full-time PG or take over games with his passing in the NBA, but he clearly has an impact with his leadership and playmaking.

Perimeter defense: 3/10

Overall physical tools aren't terrible, with decent length and a frame that can absorb some contact, but lacks quickness, and doesn't play with the urgency/motor that he needs to in order to counteract his lack of natural athleticism.

Interior defense: 2/10

Some ability to hold ground in the paint, though lack of vertical athleticism limits what he can do. Poor rebounding numbers, but not a huge red flag as he played on an elite rebounding team.

Team defense: 3/10

Not a guy who makes many mistakes, but just going through the motions too often. Will need to bring his A-game more consistently to hang in the NBA.

Overall: 26/60

Cassius Winston

Perimeter offense: 9/10

An excellent all-around shooter, shot a sparkling 43% from deep this year, matching his career average. Tantalizing ability to make tough, off-balance 3's, but he's a natural point guard who would rather get 10 assists than jack up 10 threes in a game.

Interior offense: 1/10

Decent touch inside, but seriously lacks physicality and athleticism, and gets swallowed up in the paint. Much more comfortable operating from the perimeter.

Team offense: 8/10

A seasoned floor general who amassed a staggering 890 career assists, 10th all-time among major-conference players. Not always a flashy passer, but great in the pick&roll and never misses an opportunity to punish defensive lapses.

Perimeter defense: 3/10

Has light feet and decent length, but totally lacks toughness. Will really need to improve here to stay on the court at the next level.

Interior defense: 0/10

Among the worst. Offers absolutely no resistance in the paint.

Team defense: 5/10

IQ, fundamentals, and quick hands help him, but limited by his lack of all-around athleticism and functional strength in particular.

Overall: 26/60

Myles Powell

Perimeter offense: 7/10

Extremely high volume 3-point shooter, but accuracy dipped worryingly to just 31% as a senior. Earned a reputation as a tough shot maker, and has that ability, but will have to rein it in substantially to be efficient at the next level.

Interior offense: 3/10

Gritty and talented scorer inside the arc too, but middling athleticism forced him to settle for a lot of tough looks. Will have to work even harder to create offense in the NBA.

Team offense: 4/10

A good leader on the court, but very much a scoring guard who can be guilty of overdribbling and putting up tough shots instead of finding his teammates.

Perimeter defense: 5/10

Not quite elite physical tools, but pretty good with solid athleticism and long arms. When engaged, nice anticipation to stay in front of ballhandlers and poke the ball away, but effort comes and goes.

Interior defense: 2/10

Decent athleticism and competitiveness, but not outstanding. Limited of course by his size.

Team defense: 4/10

A pretty mixed bag, as there are flashes of him using his length and anticipation to make plays, but also some bad moments where his energy level or focus is not up to par.

Overall: 25/60

Immanuel Quickley

Perimeter offense: 9/10

Development really took off in this area, as he shot a red-hot 48% from deep in conference play. 92% shooting from the line on a large sample size is a great sign that he's the real deal. Primarily an off-ball player, potential to improve as an off-the-dribble shooter.

Interior offense: 3/10

A mixed bag here, as his 41% shooting inside the arc was very poor, but it's also not easy to attack the paint when you're the only 3-point threat on the court. Did draw a good number of fouls, to his credit, but needs to add strength.

Team offense: 5/10

Theoretically a combo guard, but looked far more comfortable in an off-guard scoring role this season. Has basic passing ability, but not a strength, and at his age, unlikely to develop much in this area.

Perimeter defense: 4/10

Nothing glaringly wrong with him, as he's a solid athlete with a long wingspan, but too often appeared to be a weak link in Kentucky's defense. Energy isn't always there, and gets thrown off balance too easily.

Interior defense: 2/10

A decent rebounder for his position, but here too you sense that he doesn't get 100% out of his physical tools. Needs to bring more toughness.

Team defense: 3/10

Effort and instincts both lacking. Last on the team in steal+block rate, which is inexcusable. Classic example of a player who makes a 3 and then gives one up on the other end.

Overall: 25/60
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top