2025 NBA Draft Thread

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The things he's able to do at 18 is super impressive, plus he doesnt shy away from the moment.

Despite being a chuck, i'd still take him at #2.

Since 2000, history shows the #2 pick is usually not an all star caliber player though :lol:
 
The only player I care about is Garland . If he stays healthy he is really good , Vandy fell apart the moment he went down
 
How many Duke players declaring this year?

I know we are losing PJ, Keldon and Reid for sure. Hagans very possible and Herro I hope comes back. Richards is an athletic seven footer so I’ll never rule out him not coming back.
 
At this point I can't see how the Knicks can't not win the lottery, it's either that or trade the pick
 
More Jalen Rose or Larry Hughes to me. He's got much better scoring instincts though.

Butler if everything goes right.
 
KELDON JOHNSON, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-6, 230 pounds. 6-8 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 49.0 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 74.3 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 19.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 19.8 PER, 60.1 TS%, 56.3 eFG%, 9.4 AST%, 15.3 DEFREB%, 12.1 TO%, 0.3 BLK%, 1.5 STL%

First Coach
“That jumper surprised me, man. I was hoping he’d come out and be immature, be loose with the ball, be all over the place, and not knowing what he was doing on defense. He was the exact opposite.

“As talented as Kentucky is, a lot of people around the country would say they aren’t the most disciplined team, they’re able to cover their blemishes by being more athletic than everyone. I don’t think that’s the case. Keldon did a really good job of being one of those guys. He’s shot the ball much better this year. He uses his body well to make space. He can drive it, get to his spot, and make shots over the top of you. He’s really athletic and can get to the rim. He’s able to do that even more now because he’s making 3s.

“If he can become a guy that really buys in and values defending, he is definitely a pro. He’s someone who will excel at that level if he prioritizes defense. Honestly, I didn’t know defense was something he’d subscribe to so early. I thought he’d coast along on his offense and not lock in defensively. He played hard, though. Cal has got those guys’ attention. He’s trying really hard. And as long as he tries, he’s physically gifted enough to really guard the ball.”

Second Coach
“He’s good. Really good. Better than I thought. He’s gone through a bit of a cold spell shooting from 3, but he makes shots where he’ll be able to rise over hapless defenders and hit them.

“Best in the open court, best in transition, getting downhill, getting to his right hand. But he’s competitive. More competitive than I thought. More locked in than I thought. He saw things coming like quick screening actions we usually get teams to fall asleep on. He anticipated them and was ready for it. He had a competitive spirit about him. He wanted to win, and it wasn’t just a high-school, braggadocios kind of thing. He really wanted to win.

“As a high school player, I didn’t think the 3 was an element of his game. I thought it was all getting to the rim or getting to a midrange pull-up. But I think he’s going to be able to make them consistently. I like Keldon. He’s going to be a player.”

Third Coach
“Obviously a high-level player. Obviously, he’s great in transition. Their guards do a great job of kicking the ball up the floor to him. Very right-handed driver. We tried to make him go left as much as possible. I’ve followed up since we played them and he’s shooting it well throughout the season, too. We respected him from out there.”

Fourth Coach
“He’s really good. He’s a slashing, active wing. Really good at reading screens. If he gets a jump shot that is totally consistent, he could be pretty good in the league. I didn’t see an issue with his defense. I walked away thinking he was going to be a for-sure first-round NBA pick.

PJ WASHINGTON, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-8, 230 pounds. 7-3 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 52.7 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 74.3 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 20.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 26.8 PER, 60.0 TS%, 57.4 eFG%, 13.2 AST%, 21.2 DEFREB%, 12.5 TO%, 4.4 BLK%, 1.7 STL%

First Coach
“I really like him. We were worried about PJ coming into our game. He played a responsible game. We tried to take him out of our game, but even when we did that we felt he played a really smart game.

“I know he’s undersized, at 6-7 or whatever he is. Where does that find itself in the NBA? I do think he will be a good shooter. He can play with his back to the basket. He can drive it some from the elbows and baseline. I worry about him defensively, but I think he’s tough and competitive. He plays with a good character. He doesn’t play like a goof. He knows what he’s supposed to do. He competes hard. It’s hard over there sometimes because every night it seems like it’s someone on their team’s ‘night.’ It’s Tyler’s night, then it’s Keldon’s night, then it’s PJ’s night. I think he struggled with that at times up until recently. But I think he’s someone who can help you off the bench.

“He doesn’t feel (like an elite athlete) on the floor. I know that when we were playing him, it felt like he was a college athlete more than a pro athlete. We did a good job of keeping bodies in front of him, and he loses a lot of athleticism when you have someone between him and the rim. He does have a quick first step, though, he can drive it better than you think. And I do think he’ll become an even better shooter. But he doesn’t use his athleticism to impact the game much on defense, or on offense, really.”

Second Coach
“I think he’s a monster. He’s without a doubt an NBA power forward. Mixes it up. When he gets the ball, it’s one of those things where you know he’s coming back over his left shoulder to shoot a right-handed hook, but it’s another thing for your guys to try and stop it. He goes into one dribble, takes like a mini jump stop, and then he’s so powerful that it’s hard to stop.

“He really fights for position whereas a lot of guys will just take the ball wherever the defense makes them. He’ll try to catch it deep to the basket and overpower you. Even if you send your guards in there to dig off of him, he’s tremendous.”

Third Coach
“He shot the ball better than I thought he would. We felt like he could make shots, but we were more concerned about him on the block going over his left shoulder with his right hand and then him bullying us on the glass. Then, oh yeah, he can make shots now too.

“If he’s going to stretch the floor, he’s a 4 who knows how to play, can make a jumper. He plays hard, he plays smart. He can do some things with his back to the basket. He moves pretty well. He’s gotten in better shape since he’s been there. He’s a pro, without a doubt.”

Fourth Coach
“We thought he would settle for jump shots and his motor was inconsistent. We wanted him to pick-and-pop. Watching him since then, he’s playing better and being more aggressive. I saw him as a late-first, early-second since then.”

TYLER HERRO, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-5, 195 pounds. 6-6 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 13.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 44.8 FG%, 35.2 3P%, 92.4 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 18.5 PER, 57.1 TS%, 52.5 eFG%, 14.3 AST%, 14.1 DEFREB%, 12.5 TO%, 1.3 BLK%, 1.9 STL%

First Coach
“I watched him a bunch as a high school kid. I like him. His confidence has kind of come and gone a little bit with the consistency of his shot. I think he’ll be a good shooter if he’s not already. He works defensively more than people think. I think people think ‘white guy, he can’t move his feet.’ I think he can actually move his feet a little bit. He’s got enough of a nastiness about him that he just doesn’t want to get beat. That allows him to be a little bit quicker and engaged than he normally would be. He’s 6-4, so that’s kind of a tough deal because he’s strictly a 2. Obviously, it’s hard to guard 2s at the next level as a 6-4 white guy.

“He’s a good, not great shooter. He’s got a good feel as a passer. I don’t look at him as someone who can be a secondary handler. I look at him more the way Kentucky uses him, where he’s constantly flying off screens. He’s got a good ability to curl screens and get in the lane, where he has pretty good touch. Good passer out of there.

“I don’t know, I think he kinda needs to unpack his bags and be there a while. I would think junior year All-American, but maybe next year. He missed a lot of shots short early because he was pulling the string on them to get it out of his hand fast, and he was leaving them on the front rim. He’s got moxie. He’s got a competitiveness about him. He’s not as athletic as people say, like they’ll throw out Rex Chapman or Bobby Sura. He’s not that. But he’s a good player, and he’s a worker.

“If things come too fast, that’s going to be bad. He needs to be humbled a bit. The best thing that happened to him was going through that spell where he wasn’t playing that well because he was able to kind of relax. He’s got a personality that won’t necessarily jive well with immediate success. So for the betterment of his life, the longer that he can stay there and just evolve as a human, I think he’ll be a better NBA player as a result of it.”

Second Coach
“Tyler is good. He’s a good player. He had some drives where we did a good job staying in front, but once he got under the free throw line, he made it impossible to guard him. He did a good job of using his size and shooting over the top. He set us up well to get downhill, or to get us on his hip. You have to worry about him on the catch, too, because of the threat of making the 3. But then next thing you know, he’s by you because he’s crafty enough. He can create some space if you get over the top, as well.

“He also works on D. We thought we could pick on him a little bit, but he used his IQ to play angles and compensate for his lack of quickness. That’ll always be something at the next level he needs to be on top of. He needs to be stronger and play angles. But he’s good. He’s really good offensively and tries on defense. He’s an NBA guy for sure if he gets quicker.”

Third Coach
“I think he’s got a chance. Probably in two years. He didn’t shoot it great against us, but every time he shot the ball I thought, ‘Oh ****, that’s going in.’ He’s got a great release, great rotation on the ball. Solid defender, can put it on the ground a little bit. Not one of those guys where you just jam up on him and he’s limited. He can put it on the ground, he’s good at moving and coming off of down screens and taking one dribble into a pull-up. He’s obviously a big-time player.”

Fourth Coach
“I’m higher on him than everyone else on our staff because I think he can shoot it. I can see a Klay Thompson comparison that people make. His handle on one or two dribbles isn’t quite as tight as you’d like to see right now. He can get a little loose. But I’d say that I get that comparison. He’s a really good player.”

ASHTON HAGANS, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-3, 190 pounds. 6-6 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 7.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 46.3 FG%, 22.6 3P%, 73.8 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 11.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 15.4 PER, 53.6 TS%, 48.7 eFG%, 27.6 AST%, 7.2 DEFREB%, 25.6 TO%, 0.6 BLK%, 4.2 STL%

First Coach
“I’m not as high on him as everyone else. Maybe I should be. The North Carolina game, everyone lost their minds. North Carolina threw him the ball like six times. He had eight steals. Literally, they were throwing him the ball. One time, he took it, and Coby White didn’t see him coming from behind and he flipped it from behind and got a steal. To me, that’s not being a great defender, that’s being quick and Coby White screwing up. He played well, but it was more a product of Coby White playing terribly.

“I don’t know. He’s obviously really quick and a terrific athlete. He’s fast and he gets downhill. He’s obviously a total non-shooter. I don’t know. Rajon Rondo is what people will say? He can pressure the ball. They put him in spread pick-and-roll and he didn’t really make any reads that were correct. He didn’t hit open guys, he just kinda tried to put his head down and make a play going to the rim. I just don’t know how that works. If he came back as a sophomore and came back as a better shooter and knew how to work in ball screens and could build up that rep of being a tenacious on-ball defender.

“He has no idea what he’s doing. He’s a big, athletic guard who wants to play fast and wants to fly up the floor and get into the lane and see if he can make something happen. He runs you over and jumps up in the air and leaves his feet to pass every time. He’s just hooping. Kentucky’s a good spot for that.

“But I think he’s a guy with a lot of promise. He’s got good size, he’s got great quickness and athleticism. I think he can eventually hang his hat on being a tough on-ball defender. But if you’re a point guard that doesn’t have great feel for the game and can’t shoot, why is there such a need to have you be a part of my team?”

Second Coach
“If you could hockey sub, he’d be an NBA point guard. He’s going to hurt you on offense because he doesn’t shoot it. But he’s a leader. He’s a leader in every sense of the word. He’s a vocal leader, he plays hard, he guards the hell out of the ball, he chases cutters, he does a phenomenal job in pick-and-roll offensively. He finds guys, hits rollers, feeds the post, finds his shooters. When someone else has it, though, you can really build in, camp out, and help off of him constantly.

“I’m sure he’ll spend all summer working on that shot. I think he should come back, if I was him. He has good size, he’s strong, he’s a leader. He’s a kid down the road that guys will respect because of how much he sacrifices and how much he gives. More than anything, he wants to see his teammates do well and he wants to win. But I think he’s easy to guard right now because you can go under his ball screen at like 17 feet and you don’t have to close out to him on the 3-point line. You don’t prep for him as much on offense. He more than compensates for that on how he guards the ball.”

Third Coach
“He’s got some Rondo in him. Good with the ball, good at finding guys. Obviously, a very good defender.

“But at some point, you’ve gotta be able to make a jump shot. If he could have even keep teams honest defensively, they’d win games by 20. But our thing was to make him bang 3s. We didn’t play one-on-one against bigs in the post. Their formation is typically 3-out, 2-in. It’s kind of hard to double from that formation. So our plan was to go off of his guy. In order for him to be able to play at the next level, you’ve gotta be able to shoot the ball. Right now, he doesn’t even keep defenses honest.”

Fourth Coach
“I knew him from recruiting Atlanta. I thought he was really good coming out of high school. But my one area for him would be the outside jump shot. We didn’t even play within five feet of him.”

https://theathletic.com/827125/2019...kentucky-prospects-improve-as-season-goes-on/
 
R.J. BARRETT, DUKE
Relevant Measurements: 6-7, 205 pounds. 6-10 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 22.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 44.8 FG%, 33.5 3P%, 68.2 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 26.8 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 24.2 PER, 53.3 TS%, 50.4 eFG%, 21.6 AST%, 17.5 DEFREB%, 11.6 TO%, 32.3 USG%, 1.1 BLK%, 1.5 STL%

First Coach
“He’s very, very talented. He can really score the ball at will. I’m not sure he passes as well as Zion, but I don’t think he also looks to pass as well as Zion either. But he’s so big and athletic. He has such good ball skills. When he’s coming in transition, he’s one of the best. Bringing the ball and getting to the rim, he’s going to get there. He has a great euro-step. That’s why they’re one of the fastest teams in terms of transition and possessions. It has everything to do with R.J. Barrett.

“I will give Duke credit for this: what they run, they run a dribble weave and flip. I don’t know if it’s intentional with their design or what, but they start R.J. on the right side of the floor, they dribble at him, and sometimes they come together, some times they don’t, and all he needs is for that defender to be a little bit out of position, and he’ll sweep. He’ll get to his left hand, he’ll get downhill, and you know it’s coming. The way they design their offense, the way they flip it over to him on the right side, it’s really hard. Watch them now, it’s really hard to keep him from getting downhill.

“The more I think on it, the more I do think that’s by design. I will give them credit for that. They’ve done a great job of always keeping him on the right side of the floor, and getting him to his left hand. Sometimes they flip it, sometimes they pass it and just run straight down in front of him, and as a defender you get confused. Is this guy supposed to be switching or helping? They do a great job. All he needs is just a little slither. If you get out of position just a little bit, he’ll get there. I’ll give him credit, too. Where him and Zion are a little different: R.J. you have have to be up on him, because he shoots it. And when you’re up, you get out of position.”

Second Coach
“I like him. I like his alpha mentality. And I think he’ll become really good. But the thing that scares me about the NBA IS that alpha mentality. I’ll be very interested to see how that fits in with the team that drafts him.”

Third Coach
“I think he’s developed about as much as anyone else has in the last 18 months. I still think his best position is he’s going to be a tall point. But he’s a guy you can put out there and be a playmaker. He’ll absorb some contact and be a finisher. His finishing is not going to be a question.

“I don’t know that he’ll shoot it at a high level. His mechanics aren’t great and I think he shoots a hard ball. But he’ll make enough to keep you honest. At that level with the floor being spaced, when he makes his 3s, it (will be) off the catch. But overall, I think he plays better off the bounce. Even if he’s driving, it’s a set shot. He gets it off because of his height. And at that level, people will match his height with their length. The thing in the NBA is, when the ball comes back to you, you have to be able to make a spot-up shot. He’s better off the catch, but I question if he makes (pull-ups) off the bounce.”

“I think you wouldn’t go wrong taking him No. 2. That kid works. That kid really works. He has a desire to be the best. The knock with Duke players used to be that the longer they stay, the less chance of them being able to translate into a good player because their bodies take a beating. That won’t be the case with him, he’s coming in there fresh.

“I’ve seen him from the time he’s young. He can come across as aloof. But the kid is really competitive from what I saw. He’s been trained to be an NBA guy, so he comes across as aloof like them with his teammates sometimes.”

Fourth Coach
“Most teams in the NBA play side defense, which keeps actions to the sides of the floor. He’ll have to adjust to that. You can’t let him get to the middle. Once he gets there, that’s where he’s at his best because of his length, his IQ and his ability to pass the ball. But he will have to learn going left or to his right and getting back to the middle.

“With him, it’ll depend on where he goes early on. If he’ll have the ability to play. Sometimes, guys go to teams where they aren’t playing and they don’t develop basketball-wise, confidence-wise, etc. He’ll need to go to a place where he has the ability to play right away, play through mistakes, and develop from a basketball standpoint, and have one or two veterans around him. They’ll play him differently. They’ll get into him, and he’ll have to adjust. He needs to be on a veteran team. Some teams where you have some veteran leadership, he’ll succeed. If you throw him on some of these teams with all rookies and they just throw him out there, I think he’ll struggle a little bit until he figures things out.”

Fifth Coach
“Scorer’s mentality. He had no interest in guarding. He had an interest in gambling and going for steals. He’s very left-hand dominant. In my scout, I thought Reddish had a higher ceiling.”

Sixth Coach
“Talented. He’s quick, he’s long. And he’s got the unique ability to get everybody and finish. He finishes against bodies, he finishes around bodies. He’s a little bit light, but once he gets a little bit more physicality maturity he’ll be fine. The shooting, he’s riding a high right now. He’s pretty damn good. He’s slippery. I thought he would play better against us. He was good, but I expected a bit more. But obviously, he’s uniquely talented. Where do you play him at the next level would be my question? Do you play him at the 2? Do you give him the ball as a big point and tell him to make plays?

“I’ll tell you one thing he does do. They won’t call it because it’s college and because it’s Duke, but he offensive fouls every possession when he dribbles with his left hand. If you go back and watch, watch his right hand. He raps the **** out of every defender with his right, and he never gets called. It pisses me off. He’s slippery. He’s good. He’s not a De’Aaron Fox burner, but he’s shifty and has great straight-line speed.”

CAM REDDISH, DUKE
Relevant Measurements: 6-8, 220 pounds. 7-1 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 13.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 35.6 FG%, 34.0 3P%, 78.7 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 19.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 2.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 25.5 PER, 50.5 TS%, 46.6 eFG%, 12.4 AST%, 10.5 DEFREB%, 15.9 TO%, 26.2 USG%, 1.4 BLK%, 3.8 STL%

First Coach
“In my scout, I wrote that I thought Reddish had a higher ceiling than all of Duke’s guys. That might be crazy, but his skill level is off the charts. He doesn’t have the killer mentality of a Zion or Barrett. I just think he’s so highly skilled. He can pass, dribble, shoot. He can score from all three levels. He might not have great percentages, but you can just tell this dude is an elite level shooter. It’ll take maybe two years to develop his body with his overall strength. But I think he has a high, high ceiling for the next level.”

“I think he’s going to be a really good pro based off of that body development. He’s going to fill out, and he’ll be stronger. He’ll always have that skill. Maybe he can’t be a superstar necessarily, but I see him being in the league a long time due to his skill set.”

Second Coach
“I think they’ve helped change his mindset a bit. Cam, as talented as he was in high school, when he got around other really good players he would defer a lot. On that team, he’s not the 1 or 2 option, but in every situation he’s 2A or 2B. He’s playing with more confidence. The question for him is whether he’s tough enough. Is he tough enough to compete in the league with the top 3-men? That’s what he’ll be. In terms of his skill, ability to make shots, he shoots at the NBA line, not the college line. We know he has NBA range. It’s a matter of: Is he tough enough to be guarded by NBA 3s, and tough enough to guard them?

“The loose handle has surprised me a little bit because I thought he handled it a little bit better. But in high school, with his talent level, and being kind of like a point forward, you don’t see it until now. Now, with defenses, there’s a scouting report every game. Guys will crawl up in him. But this is helping him in the long run by being guarded this way now, because I think he’s a worker. To me, it looks like it the way his game has improved. I don’t think you can be in their program and not be a worker. (Coach K would) sit you on the bench.

“I don’t think he’s a high-level finisher because it goes back to how tough is he? Is he willing to take the hits? Even in college every now and then, when you’re super athletic and you’re tough, you’re going to get some charges called on you because you’re going through guys. I’m not saying he’s soft, I just don’t know if he has a tough guys’ mentality. He’s not going to go through your chin.”

Third Coach
“I think he’s the guy that gets screwed in this deal. He has no space to do anything. And when he does do stuff, he seems to maybe do a little too much. But you can’t question his catch-and-shoot ability. It’s phenomenal. I think he can make a huge impact in the NBA. I’m a big Reddish guy. I really am. It’s not easy for him, because he’s not getting much outside of the kick-out catch and shoot stuff.

“I don’t know his ability to playmake. I don’t know his abilities to make plays for others. But that Louisville comeback, I know he shot an awful percentage, but he’s the guy who spearheaded that comeback. He just seems to me like a guy that can make an impact if his game keeps coming better. I’m a big fan.

“A little quiet for me on the court. Maybe doesn’t show enough passion. But again, I think he understands that he’s the third, sometimes the fourth guy. And he’s okay with that. I’d like him to be a little bit more forthright, a little bit more passionate, a little bit more aggressive when he can be. But I just don’t know what he can be there. Those other dudes are so good that he’s a catch-and-shoot guy. Now, if he was playing with a different team, or one those guys even, what does he look like? I don’t know, but I think he looks very different.

“I didn’t see him much in high school, so I don’t know if he did more of that in high school or not. But his ability to catch and shoot, and shoot off of angles and off of screens, it is top-notch. I think he’s a pretty good prospect. If you told me in four years that Cam Reddish is a better player than De’Andre Hunter, that wouldn’t shock me at all. Maybe even two years. I don’t know if he knows what he wants to be yet. I don’t know if he knows how good he can be yet.”

Fourth Coach
“He struggled in our game. We knew that if we could stay in front of him and be solid, he wasn’t great off the bounce. But he’s big. He’s huge. Obviously, he can really shoot the ball with space. The most impressive thing was just his size on the floor. His body was good. I was like, holy cow, his body looks good.

“The thing with him is, the way they play doesn’t benefit him. It benefits the other two guys, but not him. He doesn’t (get to) play off the bounce one-on-one as much as those guys. He gets somewhere, and just kinda spot-up shoots. I think he’d be able to do more at the next level. If you put him in some ball-screens, he could be a problem. But they don’t do that, they run that weave action.”

Fifth Coach
“I like his upside in the NBA more than Barrett. Because he doesn’t have the toughness of R.J. and Zion, he’s definitely getting overshadowed. And rightfully so. Those guys play harder, they’re more ready.

“But he doesn’t get to play with the ball in his hands, which is what he’s really good at. In the NBA, he has kind of a Tracy McGrady type talent base. He can handle the ball, he can shoot off the bounce. But he’s just cool. And that’s the scary thing. If he doesn’t get that fire or sense of urgency, he’ll end up being just a regular player. But if he gets it, he’ll be an NBA All-Star.”

Sixth Coach
“He’s got the look of a great NBA player. I’m not sure he’s got enough of the mentality to bring it every day, but he is talented. My goodness, he’s got the tools for sure.”

Seventh Coach
“I think he’s as good as it comes. His IQ of the game is good. His ability to get shots. He’s fairly tough. He’s got a chance to be really good. A lot of this stuff depends on where he goes. He needs to develop and adjust. I think all three guys probably have the ability to defend.”

TRE JONES, DUKE
Relevant Measurements: 6-2, 185 pounds. 6-4 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 8.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 44.3 FG%, 27.1 3P%, 66.7 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 11.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 16.9 PER, 49.7 TS%, 47.8 eFG%, 25.2 AST%, 7.7 DEFREB%, 11.8 TO%, 14.2 USG%, 0.4 BLK%, 3.3 STL%

First Coach
“I love Tre Jones. When you have a brother who is a big-time point guard, you understand the position. When he’s coming in with all these other talented players, he’s not fighting it. He’s making sure those other guys get the ball and he’s running the show. I love him.

“I think the problem is that he doesn’t know when his shots are coming. He’s a better shooter than his percentages now. And that doesn’t bother him, either. It’s kind of like the Andre Miller thing with him. He has that kind of cerebral game where if you draw something up on the board, he probably just needs to take one look at it and he’ll know what everyone on the floor is supposed to do and where they’re supposed to be, depending on how the defense guards you.”

Second Coach
“Listen, I’m a big fan, I think he helps you win a lot of college basketball games. But until he gets a lot of the offensive stuff corrected, I just don’t see it. He’s a winner. Intangibles out of the ***. He is a ridiculous on-ball defender. But at the end of the day, it’s an offensive game, especially in the NBA. If you can’t make shots, that **** gets smaller and smaller and smaller. And when that happens, the guys you’re playing with start getting pissed.

“Now, in college, he’s got everything you want. Next level pro? As long as he irons out some of the offensive disabilities he has, sure. I get he has a bad shoulder, but the jump shot wasn’t there before. His pull-up game is so-so. His vision is okay. He’d have to be ridiculous with the vision. And his downhill speed is okay, it’s not great. But that being said, if he was there four years, he’d probably be the all-time winningest player in Duke history. I just question his offensive game. Can you picture it if he could make shots? I mean, they’re a landslide pick to get to the Final Four as it is. If he made shots at a high clip, you couldn’t beat them. They’d be impossible.”

Third Coach
“Unbelievable defender. He’s the difference maker for them. He missed some games, and they’ve been good, but the pressure he puts on your point guard throughout a game is unbelievable. The way he runs the team, he’s able to run the team with so much poise and composure after doing all of that on defense. He’ll pressure you for 40 minutes, then he’ll have like nine assists and no turnovers. He’ll only score something like 10 points, but that’s all he needs to do.

“It has to be the right team that needs the right guy, because he’s a throwback point guard to me. He’s what you try to get your guys to buy in to. He knows his role, he’s really good at it. But he affects the game on the defensive end, and can run their stuff on the other end. And when it slows down for Zion and R.J., then he steps up and makes the big shots. They’re kind of locked in on the others, he can step in.

“He’s not an egotistical guy, he’s not trying to compete with those guys for stats and numbers and all that. He’s the ultimate team guy. Offensively, when they needed to settle down and communicate stuff like that, he gets them into what they need to be in.”

Fourth Coach
“He took us out of everything defensively. There’s not another Tre. I think he has made himself a lot of money. He’s a throwback guy. Defense is always important. There aren’t guys who want to sit down and really guard the ball like Tre. He’s a unique kind of guy. He can really guard the ball without touching guys, within the rules. ****, he shocked me. The mindset, it was like he smelled blood against us. He just went after the ball. Guys just don’t defend like him anymore.

“You can sit on Tre’s right hand, make these other guys make plays, switch and trap. But the other guys make plays when you do that.”

Fifth Coach
“Jones is 100 percent the key to that team. He kicked our ***. He dominated our game and I don’t even think he can make a jump shot. His defensive ability on the ball, his ability to lead an offense. If he had a perimeter jump shot, I think the sky is the limit for him. We haven’t played a better point of attack defender this year.”

Sixth Coach
“I’m not so sure about him. The offense is a real concern. Doesn’t shoot it. Didn’t feel like he was a difference maker.”

https://theathletic.com/822553/2019...ukes-core-players-other-than-zion-williamson/
 
nickmaz96 said:
KELDON JOHNSON, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-6, 230 pounds. 6-8 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 49.0 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 74.3 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 19.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 19.8 PER, 60.1 TS%, 56.3 eFG%, 9.4 AST%, 15.3 DEFREB%, 12.1 TO%, 0.3 BLK%, 1.5 STL%

First Coach
“That jumper surprised me, man. I was hoping he’d come out and be immature, be loose with the ball, be all over the place, and not knowing what he was doing on defense. He was the exact opposite.

“As talented as Kentucky is, a lot of people around the country would say they aren’t the most disciplined team, they’re able to cover their blemishes by being more athletic than everyone. I don’t think that’s the case. Keldon did a really good job of being one of those guys. He’s shot the ball much better this year. He uses his body well to make space. He can drive it, get to his spot, and make shots over the top of you. He’s really athletic and can get to the rim. He’s able to do that even more now because he’s making 3s.

“If he can become a guy that really buys in and values defending, he is definitely a pro. He’s someone who will excel at that level if he prioritizes defense. Honestly, I didn’t know defense was something he’d subscribe to so early. I thought he’d coast along on his offense and not lock in defensively. He played hard, though. Cal has got those guys’ attention. He’s trying really hard. And as long as he tries, he’s physically gifted enough to really guard the ball.”

Second Coach
“He’s good. Really good. Better than I thought. He’s gone through a bit of a cold spell shooting from 3, but he makes shots where he’ll be able to rise over hapless defenders and hit them.

“Best in the open court, best in transition, getting downhill, getting to his right hand. But he’s competitive. More competitive than I thought. More locked in than I thought. He saw things coming like quick screening actions we usually get teams to fall asleep on. He anticipated them and was ready for it. He had a competitive spirit about him. He wanted to win, and it wasn’t just a high-school, braggadocios kind of thing. He really wanted to win.

“As a high school player, I didn’t think the 3 was an element of his game. I thought it was all getting to the rim or getting to a midrange pull-up. But I think he’s going to be able to make them consistently. I like Keldon. He’s going to be a player.”

Third Coach
“Obviously a high-level player. Obviously, he’s great in transition. Their guards do a great job of kicking the ball up the floor to him. Very right-handed driver. We tried to make him go left as much as possible. I’ve followed up since we played them and he’s shooting it well throughout the season, too. We respected him from out there.”

Fourth Coach
“He’s really good. He’s a slashing, active wing. Really good at reading screens. If he gets a jump shot that is totally consistent, he could be pretty good in the league. I didn’t see an issue with his defense. I walked away thinking he was going to be a for-sure first-round NBA pick.

PJ WASHINGTON, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-8, 230 pounds. 7-3 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 52.7 FG%, 43.9 3P%, 74.3 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 20.8 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 26.8 PER, 60.0 TS%, 57.4 eFG%, 13.2 AST%, 21.2 DEFREB%, 12.5 TO%, 4.4 BLK%, 1.7 STL%

First Coach
“I really like him. We were worried about PJ coming into our game. He played a responsible game. We tried to take him out of our game, but even when we did that we felt he played a really smart game.

“I know he’s undersized, at 6-7 or whatever he is. Where does that find itself in the NBA? I do think he will be a good shooter. He can play with his back to the basket. He can drive it some from the elbows and baseline. I worry about him defensively, but I think he’s tough and competitive. He plays with a good character. He doesn’t play like a goof. He knows what he’s supposed to do. He competes hard. It’s hard over there sometimes because every night it seems like it’s someone on their team’s ‘night.’ It’s Tyler’s night, then it’s Keldon’s night, then it’s PJ’s night. I think he struggled with that at times up until recently. But I think he’s someone who can help you off the bench.

“He doesn’t feel (like an elite athlete) on the floor. I know that when we were playing him, it felt like he was a college athlete more than a pro athlete. We did a good job of keeping bodies in front of him, and he loses a lot of athleticism when you have someone between him and the rim. He does have a quick first step, though, he can drive it better than you think. And I do think he’ll become an even better shooter. But he doesn’t use his athleticism to impact the game much on defense, or on offense, really.”

Second Coach
“I think he’s a monster. He’s without a doubt an NBA power forward. Mixes it up. When he gets the ball, it’s one of those things where you know he’s coming back over his left shoulder to shoot a right-handed hook, but it’s another thing for your guys to try and stop it. He goes into one dribble, takes like a mini jump stop, and then he’s so powerful that it’s hard to stop.

“He really fights for position whereas a lot of guys will just take the ball wherever the defense makes them. He’ll try to catch it deep to the basket and overpower you. Even if you send your guards in there to dig off of him, he’s tremendous.”

Third Coach
“He shot the ball better than I thought he would. We felt like he could make shots, but we were more concerned about him on the block going over his left shoulder with his right hand and then him bullying us on the glass. Then, oh yeah, he can make shots now too.

“If he’s going to stretch the floor, he’s a 4 who knows how to play, can make a jumper. He plays hard, he plays smart. He can do some things with his back to the basket. He moves pretty well. He’s gotten in better shape since he’s been there. He’s a pro, without a doubt.”

Fourth Coach
“We thought he would settle for jump shots and his motor was inconsistent. We wanted him to pick-and-pop. Watching him since then, he’s playing better and being more aggressive. I saw him as a late-first, early-second since then.”

TYLER HERRO, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-5, 195 pounds. 6-6 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 13.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 44.8 FG%, 35.2 3P%, 92.4 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 17.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 18.5 PER, 57.1 TS%, 52.5 eFG%, 14.3 AST%, 14.1 DEFREB%, 12.5 TO%, 1.3 BLK%, 1.9 STL%

First Coach
“I watched him a bunch as a high school kid. I like him. His confidence has kind of come and gone a little bit with the consistency of his shot. I think he’ll be a good shooter if he’s not already. He works defensively more than people think. I think people think ‘white guy, he can’t move his feet.’ I think he can actually move his feet a little bit. He’s got enough of a nastiness about him that he just doesn’t want to get beat. That allows him to be a little bit quicker and engaged than he normally would be. He’s 6-4, so that’s kind of a tough deal because he’s strictly a 2. Obviously, it’s hard to guard 2s at the next level as a 6-4 white guy.

“He’s a good, not great shooter. He’s got a good feel as a passer. I don’t look at him as someone who can be a secondary handler. I look at him more the way Kentucky uses him, where he’s constantly flying off screens. He’s got a good ability to curl screens and get in the lane, where he has pretty good touch. Good passer out of there.

“I don’t know, I think he kinda needs to unpack his bags and be there a while. I would think junior year All-American, but maybe next year. He missed a lot of shots short early because he was pulling the string on them to get it out of his hand fast, and he was leaving them on the front rim. He’s got moxie. He’s got a competitiveness about him. He’s not as athletic as people say, like they’ll throw out Rex Chapman or Bobby Sura. He’s not that. But he’s a good player, and he’s a worker.

“If things come too fast, that’s going to be bad. He needs to be humbled a bit. The best thing that happened to him was going through that spell where he wasn’t playing that well because he was able to kind of relax. He’s got a personality that won’t necessarily jive well with immediate success. So for the betterment of his life, the longer that he can stay there and just evolve as a human, I think he’ll be a better NBA player as a result of it.”

Second Coach
“Tyler is good. He’s a good player. He had some drives where we did a good job staying in front, but once he got under the free throw line, he made it impossible to guard him. He did a good job of using his size and shooting over the top. He set us up well to get downhill, or to get us on his hip. You have to worry about him on the catch, too, because of the threat of making the 3. But then next thing you know, he’s by you because he’s crafty enough. He can create some space if you get over the top, as well.

“He also works on D. We thought we could pick on him a little bit, but he used his IQ to play angles and compensate for his lack of quickness. That’ll always be something at the next level he needs to be on top of. He needs to be stronger and play angles. But he’s good. He’s really good offensively and tries on defense. He’s an NBA guy for sure if he gets quicker.”

Third Coach
“I think he’s got a chance. Probably in two years. He didn’t shoot it great against us, but every time he shot the ball I thought, ‘Oh ****, that’s going in.’ He’s got a great release, great rotation on the ball. Solid defender, can put it on the ground a little bit. Not one of those guys where you just jam up on him and he’s limited. He can put it on the ground, he’s good at moving and coming off of down screens and taking one dribble into a pull-up. He’s obviously a big-time player.”

Fourth Coach
“I’m higher on him than everyone else on our staff because I think he can shoot it. I can see a Klay Thompson comparison that people make. His handle on one or two dribbles isn’t quite as tight as you’d like to see right now. He can get a little loose. But I’d say that I get that comparison. He’s a really good player.”

ASHTON HAGANS, KENTUCKY
Relevant Measurements: 6-3, 190 pounds. 6-6 wingspan

Relevant Per-Game Stats: 7.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 46.3 FG%, 22.6 3P%, 73.8 FT%

Relevant Per-40 Stats: 11.0 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Advanced Numbers: 15.4 PER, 53.6 TS%, 48.7 eFG%, 27.6 AST%, 7.2 DEFREB%, 25.6 TO%, 0.6 BLK%, 4.2 STL%

First Coach
“I’m not as high on him as everyone else. Maybe I should be. The North Carolina game, everyone lost their minds. North Carolina threw him the ball like six times. He had eight steals. Literally, they were throwing him the ball. One time, he took it, and Coby White didn’t see him coming from behind and he flipped it from behind and got a steal. To me, that’s not being a great defender, that’s being quick and Coby White screwing up. He played well, but it was more a product of Coby White playing terribly.

“I don’t know. He’s obviously really quick and a terrific athlete. He’s fast and he gets downhill. He’s obviously a total non-shooter. I don’t know. Rajon Rondo is what people will say? He can pressure the ball. They put him in spread pick-and-roll and he didn’t really make any reads that were correct. He didn’t hit open guys, he just kinda tried to put his head down and make a play going to the rim. I just don’t know how that works. If he came back as a sophomore and came back as a better shooter and knew how to work in ball screens and could build up that rep of being a tenacious on-ball defender.

“He has no idea what he’s doing. He’s a big, athletic guard who wants to play fast and wants to fly up the floor and get into the lane and see if he can make something happen. He runs you over and jumps up in the air and leaves his feet to pass every time. He’s just hooping. Kentucky’s a good spot for that.

“But I think he’s a guy with a lot of promise. He’s got good size, he’s got great quickness and athleticism. I think he can eventually hang his hat on being a tough on-ball defender. But if you’re a point guard that doesn’t have great feel for the game and can’t shoot, why is there such a need to have you be a part of my team?”

Second Coach
“If you could hockey sub, he’d be an NBA point guard. He’s going to hurt you on offense because he doesn’t shoot it. But he’s a leader. He’s a leader in every sense of the word. He’s a vocal leader, he plays hard, he guards the hell out of the ball, he chases cutters, he does a phenomenal job in pick-and-roll offensively. He finds guys, hits rollers, feeds the post, finds his shooters. When someone else has it, though, you can really build in, camp out, and help off of him constantly.

“I’m sure he’ll spend all summer working on that shot. I think he should come back, if I was him. He has good size, he’s strong, he’s a leader. He’s a kid down the road that guys will respect because of how much he sacrifices and how much he gives. More than anything, he wants to see his teammates do well and he wants to win. But I think he’s easy to guard right now because you can go under his ball screen at like 17 feet and you don’t have to close out to him on the 3-point line. You don’t prep for him as much on offense. He more than compensates for that on how he guards the ball.”

Third Coach
“He’s got some Rondo in him. Good with the ball, good at finding guys. Obviously, a very good defender.

“But at some point, you’ve gotta be able to make a jump shot. If he could have even keep teams honest defensively, they’d win games by 20. But our thing was to make him bang 3s. We didn’t play one-on-one against bigs in the post. Their formation is typically 3-out, 2-in. It’s kind of hard to double from that formation. So our plan was to go off of his guy. In order for him to be able to play at the next level, you’ve gotta be able to shoot the ball. Right now, he doesn’t even keep defenses honest.”

Fourth Coach
“I knew him from recruiting Atlanta. I thought he was really good coming out of high school. But my one area for him would be the outside jump shot. We didn’t even play within five feet of him.”

https://theathletic.com/827125/2019...kentucky-prospects-improve-as-season-goes-on/
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting this. Feel like this was written weeks ago.
 
Still like Reddish over RJ for ceilings. Could definitely see Cam just never putting it all together either though.
 
I’ve said from the jump when they all committed, Cam was the guy I liked the most at the next level.
 
Cam is the hardest worker out of all of them, this system doesn’t really benefit him at all, excited for him at the next level. An 18 year old not bringing it every single possession is very teachable.
 
Effort and consistency is the hardest thing to teach imo. It’s not even an effort thing with him. He just plays like **** against **** teams. Defers to the competition a lot. As a 3rd option he should be feasting, but more often than not he’s just building brick houses.
 
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