2025 NBA Draft Thread

[Vincent Van Goat]

Like how well can Jayson Tatum and Brown dribble?
Can Jabari get as good as them? seems like he probably can.

I'm not a fan of Jabari but from a risk management perspective he's probably the #1 pick.

Risk management = Chet being #1 imo

He's got the defense (will be able to slide at both big positions eventually), smarts and seemingly outside shooting touch (though FT% was not where you want to see it to be fair)

Jayson Tatum by the age of 22 became basically a top 10 scorer and was again this year... can't really be top 10 scorer unless you have ungodly physical attributes or insane skill (i.e. shooting, dribbling, shot creation, sauce etc.)

idk if it's easy to say Smith can "probably get as good at dribbling as Tatum"... but there's also other stuff there that Smith would need to be advanced in to become that type of player

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Risk management = Chet being #1 imo

He's got the defense (will be able to slide at both big positions eventually), smarts and seemingly outside shooting touch (though FT% was not where you want to see it to be fair)

Jayson Tatum by the age of 22 became basically a top 10 scorer and was again this year... can't really be top 10 scorer unless you have ungodly physical attributes or insane skill (i.e. shooting, dribbling, shot creation, sauce etc.)

idk if it's easy to say Smith can "probably get as good at dribbling as Tatum"... but there's also other stuff there that Smith would need to be advanced in to become that type of playe

yah but if Chet can't play 5 which is real possibility given his physical profile is a real possibility
then that puts a pretty hard ceiling on his value.

personally i probably like Chet the best, but Jabari just plays a more valuable position.

Jayson Tatum entire game is built around being tall and being able to shoot 3's off the dribble
he's pretty mediocre to bad at everything else.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

yah but if Chet can't play 5 which is real possibility given his physical profile is a real possibility
then that puts a pretty hard ceiling on his value.

personally i probably like Chet the best, but Jabari just plays a more valuable position.

Jayson Tatum entire game is built around being tall and being able to shoot 3's off the dribble
he's pretty mediocre to bad at everything else.

Between you and addict4sneakers takes on Tatum

First I had to read "what makes Luka better than Tatum?" now I gotta read that Tatum is mediocre to bad at everything except 3's off the dribble. Damb

Well, Tatum shot 72% at the rim, 40% from 3-10 feet and 39% from 16-3PT. If Jabari can accomplish this by 23, I would be amazed

Those numbers aren't mediocre or bad... but yes being tall does help him it goes hand in hand with playing basketball

 

[N41D]

Jayson Tatum entire game is built around being tall and being able to shoot 3's off the dribble
he's pretty mediocre to bad at everything else.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Between you and addict4sneakers takes on Tatum

First I had to read "what makes Luka better than Tatum?" now I gotta read that Tatum is mediocre to bad at everything except 3's off the dribble. Damb

Well, Tatum shot 72% at the rim, 40% from 3-10 feet and 39% from 16-3PT

That's not mediocre or bad... but yes being tall does help him it goes hand in hand with playing basketball

well obviously Jayson tatum handle isn't mediocre compared to like semi ojelei
I meant mediocre for number 1 option offensive player.

he had a 58% true shooting this season. his career TS is 57% league average is 57%

Jayson Tatum is a top 10 player. without having a really great handle or being a super efficient high volume scorer.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

well obviously Jayson tatum handle isn't mediocre compared to like semi ojelei
I meant mediocre for number 1 option offensive player.

he had a 58% true shooting this season. his career TS is 57% league average is 57%

Jayson Tatum is a top 10 player. without having a really great handle or being a super efficient high volume scorer.

He can get to the and finish at the rim...

This is one of Jabari's greatest weaknesses

Ironically you would have been better served at characterizing Jabari as being dependent on being tall and making 3's cuz he can't do much of anything else or at least not yet

He's got some tape of hitting tough contested shots but that's about it. His athleticism isn't overpowering and he's stiff

But yes, I really like him as a potential superstar role player and maybe a 2nd ish option if a lot breaks right

 

[HOU$TON]

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Developing sauce seems difficult especially if you aren't wired that way... and especially especially if you're trying to develop sauce as the primary or one of the primary playmakers

But to be a contributor on a really good Playoff team I don't even think he needs to develop it to some high level

 

[osh kosh bosh]

He can get to the and finish at the rim...

This is one of Jabari's greatest weaknesses

Ironically you would have been better served at characterizing Jabari as being dependent on being tall and making 3's cuz he can't do much of anything else or at least not yet

He's got some tape of hitting tough contested shots but that's about it. His athleticism isn't overpowering and he's stiff

But yes, I really like him as a potential superstar role player and maybe a 2nd ish option if a lot breaks right

1. Im not saying Jabari is Jayson tatum right now, im saying that's a possible ceiling for him.

2. he gets to the rim because of the threat of him shooting from 3 off the pick and roll.
pick and roll ball handler is his most efficient play type other than spot ups.

he's shooting .77 ppp in isolation in the playoffs, .91 in the regular season.
if he's great at getting to the rim as you say, his isolation numbers wouldn't be bad to mediocre.


again im not a Jabari fan, but if he can shoot 40% from 3, on spot ups and as a pick and roll ball handler. he's got a decent shot of being a Jayson Tatum type of player.

 

[pmatic]

Might be 6'10 Klay weaponizing his shooting threat and length to pour in points.

 

[B Sox]

Tatum has very polished footwork. Doesn’t seem like that is something Jabari can say, yet.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

With certain guys like Dray and Klay and there's a few others... it's so difficult imo to really compare prospects to them because they're so unique. Don't get me wrong I used to do too but yeah, that being the outcome just seems unlikely

Rashard Lewis still seems like a fair outcome imo, maybe he can make more AS games than him

 

[osh kosh bosh]

Tatum has very polished footwork. Doesn’t seem like that is something Jabari can say, yet.

yah of course.
The most likely outcomes is Jabari Smith won't be as good as Jayson Tatum.

all im saying is being tall wing and being able to shoot 3's off the dribble can take you a long way.
you don't need to be an incredible ball handler.

 

[B Sox]

Harrison Barnes seems pretty realistic for him.

 

[pmatic]

Orlando Rashard was primarily a spot up shooter. Seattle Rashard had the post game to go with the shooting.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

It'll be really interesting to monitor Jabari's 2P% over the years

H. Barnes and R. Lewis for most of their 20's hovered around 50%

Hell I also want to see how real/elite his 3P shooting is tbh

 

[B Sox]

Assuming his 3pt shooting is pretty real, he’s a really
safe pick I feel like. I think there’s a pretty solid chance he won’t wind up best player in the draft, but he’ll at last be a bonafide starter that can help you play winning basketball.

Can probably be a decent defender. Good rebounder. Doesn’t need to dominate the ball if you have other high usage guys.

I don’t think learning how to score off the dribble is something you’re all of the sudden going to get significantly better at once being in the league though.

Don’t really think there’s any bust potential with the top 4 guys. Just varying levels of success. So that’s a bit of a silver lining I guess.

 

[osh kosh bosh]

I always tend to have a bias against like players who aren't like natural basketball players.

Jabari is def that to me

Imo this is a weak draft and I he is def below the caliber of the average guy who goes number 1.

And I think there is a very high chance that the best player in the draft isn't him.

I just think he's the highest floor pick. And if he could get better at ball handling it would unlock the rest of his game.

I wouldn't bet on it tho.

My personal taste I like Chet the best.

 

[pmatic]

 

[Mister Meaner]

Who’s H-tynes pg?

 

[HOU$TON]

Who’s H-tynes pg?

KPJ

 

[Mister Meaner]

KPJ

Coulda sworn son was a wing. Ok

 

[Mister Meaner]

Even so, they’d actually be pretty scary with a line of Ivey-Green-KPJ.

I wonder how much it’d cost someone in the 4th spot to swap places with them.

 

[VARNELL HILL]

Even so, they’d actually be pretty scary with a line of Ivey-Green-KPJ.

The record they’d set for turnovers would be pretty scary

 

[Arthur Shelby]