2011 Draft Rumors & Discussion

[WJF]

Ok cool choose one bro, you already know who I got and anyone who wants to join can choose their player for the draft. At the end the year whoever has the player that wins rookie of the year or has the player with the best season everyone else has to rock that players avatar for x amount of time.

You game to see who is scout of the year!

I will pick my horse and ride him.....give me a bit to narrow it down to one.

[ceez]

Want Lamb so bad

[mcHAPPY]

Another reason why I'm high on Valanciunas:

CaseMan in Toronto:
I know that half the league is looking for one but why is it so hard for the Raptors to find a true center? I don't mean just now... I mean ever. Please find me a big body out there that can rebound, bother shots, and has two feet that work.

Steve Kyler:
How many quality True centers are their in the NBA right now?... Dwight Howard, Andrew Bynum and...

The next tier of guys have as many questions as answers... Center, especially good ones a rare thats why they get paid so much... its like left handed pitchers in baseball... they go fast in drafts... they are coveted in free agency and the failure rate is very very high.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/chat.asp?c...#ixzz1Ilxkw1UD

[raptorsking]

does anybody know the top players who worked out for us in 2003 ? just asking cause i remember bosh saying he didn't want to be here in his rookie year it would weird if he worked out for us regardless.

[raptorsking]

Another reason why I'm high on Valanciunas:

right now for me it's irving or bust haha.... but i can't wait till the workouts thats going to really assess where things are....

[mcHAPPY]

right now for me it's irving or bust haha.... but i can't wait till the workouts thats going to really assess where things are....

Irving would be great. However, IMO, Valanciunas offers everything a rebuilding team would need eventually in a C and while he develops they can be awful again next year to draft Kabongo or another top PG or Barnes or another top SF.

I know I am beating a deadhorse with Valanciunas but if you look at the C's currently on the 2012 mock board from DraftExpress:
7) Patric Young 19 years old; 6'9"; 220 lbs.
10) Tyler Zeller 21 years old; 6'11"; 220 lbs.
15) Lucas Nogueira 18 years old; 6'11"; 225 lbs.
16) Joshua Smith 18 years old; 6'9"; 280 lbs
20) Mouphtaou Yarou 20 years old; 6'9"; 230 lbs.
23) Festus Ezeli 21 years old; 6'11"; 255 lbs.
30) Alex Oriakhi 20 years old; 6'9"; 225 lbs.

and from NBADraft.net:
16) Lucas Nogueira
24) Rudy Gobert 6'10" 225
27) Tyler Zeller

there does not appear to be much coming out in the next 2 years for C's.

Considering Valanciunas is 6'11" and already 240lbs, is 18 years old, and is playing against grown men (consider Zeller who is 3 years older playing in Euroleague) I think he should be given very strong consideration. Check out his profile and video at DraftExpress, here is a good chunk of one:

All Valanciunas has done since is continue to improve steadily every time we've seen him. There he was in the U-18 European Championships in Metz in the summer of 2009, going up against arch-rival Enes Kanter in a pair of epic matchups that frequently get mentioned by NBA scouts as pivotal moments in their evaluations. 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, on 72% FG and 79% FT were the final tallies in France.

And there he was again in the Under-18s the following summer, helping Lithuania win the European Championship and hoisting the tournament MVP trophy after averaging 19.4 points (70% FG, 78% FT), 13.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

In between, Valanciunas has continued to progress from year to year on the club level, starting in hometown Utena in the Lithuanian third division, then moving to Perlas Vilnius in the second division and later to Lietuvos Rytas in the first division.

This year, he is competing in the highest level of European basketball in the Euroleague as well, and ranks as one of the top players in the competition on a per-40 minute basis in points (21.8), rebounds (13.6), blocks (1.8), field goal percentage (74.4%), free throw percentage (87.5%), and fouls (9.1). That's quite an accomplishment for a skinny 18-year-old.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...#ixzz1ImS0Lyri
http://www.draftexpress.com

[RaptorsFan4Life]

Kyrie Irving to Enter NBA Draft

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke freshman guard Kyrie Irving will enter the 2011 NBA Draft with plans to hire an agent, head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced Wednesday. The 2011 NBA Draft will be held on June 23 in New York City and Irving is expected to be among the top picks in the draft.

“Our whole program is overjoyed with having Kyrie here for one year and that he has the chance now to pursue a dream of being a high draft pick and a great player in the NBA,” said Krzyzewski. “We are totally supportive of Kyrie, his family and his decision. We look forward to continuing to work with him during the upcoming months leading to his entry into the NBA and afterwards while he is an NBA player. He is a great young man, a terrific student, and a truly amazing representative for our program and for Duke. We love him and are very happy for him and his family.”

Irving, a 6-2 guard from West Orange, N.J., played in just 11 games this season, sitting out 26 contests with a toe injury on his right foot. He averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting .529 (55-of-104) from the field, .462 (18-of-39) from behind the three-point line and .901 (64-of-71) from the free throw line. Irving started the first eight games of the year, averaging 17.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game during that time frame. He returned to action in the NCAA Tournament and averaged 17.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game in Duke’s three outings.

“I want to thank the entire staff at Duke, especially the coaches,” said Irving. “It was a great experience playing for Coach K. He taught me a lot about the game. Even when I was hurt, I learned a lot. Also a special thanks goes to the medical staff for getting me back on the court for the NCAA Tournament and my teammates for sticking with me throughout the entire year. Duke offered me an experience I could never have imagined.”

He scored a game-high 31 points to go with six rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals against No. 6 Michigan State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. It was just the fourth time in school history a freshman scored 30 or more in a game. He was selected the CBE Classic MVP after averaging 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals in the four games. He had 17 points, five rebounds, six assists and two steals in the finals against No. 4 Kansas State. Irving also dished out nine assists against both Princeton and Colgate. In the NCAA Tournament, he scored team highs of 14 points against Hampton and 28 points against Arizona in the Sweet 16.

“This was a special year for me. I love everything about Duke and I’m going to miss it,” added Irving. ”Duke has a special place in my heart. Even though I’m leaving this year, Duke will always be in my mind and my heart. I’m going to miss putting on that No. 1 jersey.”

http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.d...CLID=205131514

[Joey]

http://www.goduke.com//ViewArticle.d...CLID=205131514

Nice find. Well at least theres ONE good player in the draft ... hahah

[mcHAPPY]

Kyrie is in, what about Harrison?

But You Know Who Hasn't Hired An Agent?

North Carolina's Tyler Zeller and John Henson will return next season, but Harrison Barnes is still "reviewing information," while determining if he will enter the NBA Draft, according to an Associated Press report. UNC released a statement that said two thirds of its starting frontcourt have returned and quoted coach Roy Williams as saying that Barnes "is not as far along" in deciding his future.

That means the Tar Heels should be an early favorite for the top ranking in the country when next season begins. Even if Barnes does go to the NBA, Bob McAdoo's nephew James is supposedly the next great Roy Williams recruit at Chapel Hill.



Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?...#ixzz1ImsQY1BQ

[mcHAPPY]

Valannnnn-Ciunnnnnnn-naaaaaaaaas!

Corey Pollnow in Manchester, Connecticut:
Who should the Cavs go after this off season to fill the void at Center. They desperate need a solid Center and Hickson doesn't have the height to go against the best. Gasol, Randolph or MAYBE Oden?
Larry Coon:
Like I said with Golden State, not a lot of options. Memphis won't let Gasol go, Oden may never be a productive player, and guys like Randolph aren't true centers. There just aren't a lot of options.

Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/chat.asp?c...#ixzz1ImyBPWG6

[Mack North]

But You Know Who Hasn't Hired An Agent?

North Carolina's Tyler Zeller and John Henson will return next season, but Harrison Barnes is still "reviewing information," while determining if he will enter the NBA Draft, according to an Associated Press report. UNC released a statement that said two thirds of its starting frontcourt have returned and quoted coach Roy Williams as saying that Barnes "is not as far along" in deciding his future.

That means the Tar Heels should be an early favorite for the top ranking in the country when next season begins. Even if Barnes does go to the NBA, Bob McAdoo's nephew James is supposedly the next great Roy Williams recruit at Chapel Hill.



Read more NBA news and insight: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?...#ixzz1ImsQY1BQ

I really hope Barnes enters the draft and slips to us somehow... I'd be happy as a pig in shit, if we selected him of course! Take your time HB, think of what the future could hold for you if you played beside an ex-Tar Heel and DeMar DeRozan for years to come! Exciting isn't it?

[ceez]

Ha, I had a feeling this would happen. I hope he does, so if we get the 2nd pick and if we don't land Irving, Barnes is a nice consolation prize.

[JoePanini]

I've been watching more and more reels of Valanciunas, Vesely and Motiejunas. Valanciunas is definitely a guy we should take if we don't end up with first overall pick. Vesely is also very interesting, because he is athletic and has a very nice shooting stroke. And he'd be in the perfect situation in Toronto, where he'd be starting SF. Oh, and he's 6'11. Motiejunas is the least attractive of the European players who are declaring for the 2011 NBA Draft. He is too similar to Bargnani, so no.

[mcHAPPY]

I'd be happy with a top three pick as anyone of Irving, Valanciunas, or Barnes (if he declares of course) would be good in my opinion.

[JoePanini]

I'd be happy with a top three pick as anyone of Irving, Valanciunas, or Barnes (if he declares of course) would be good in my opinion.

Actually, this draft was considered to be weak. But honestly, it's a lot better than the 06 draft. I have a feeling, teams like the Suns will win big in this draft.