KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread



  • Perhaps the least surprising announcement in regards to a players future, Ochai Agbaji officially declared for the draft today.



  • https://kuathletics.com/ochai-agbaji-absolutely-no-regrets/

    The whole thread, made me cry. What a thoughtful guy. šŸ’™ā¤ļøšŸ™



  • @Crimsonorblue22 Might be the best farewell I have seen. I like the challenge to the next group of Jayhawks to take it to the next level!



  • From the ku athletics article linked above: ā€œAll the great things Iā€™ve achieved this season are all well and good, but Iā€™m going into a grown manā€™s league. No matter where Iā€™m drafted, Iā€™m going to have to fight my way in. Thatā€™s why itā€™s so useful to me that Iā€™ve always had a chip on my shoulder, and I donā€™t see it going away any time soon. I still feel like Iā€™m undervalued ā€” just like I was coming out of high school, just like I was entering my senior year at KU. That motivates me. Iā€™m not done working yet, and I think I still have a whole other level my game can reach.ā€

    @drgnslayr You may have been on to something with that whole chip thing.



  • Mindset of a future NBA champion imo



  • @mayjay thatā€™s a wonderful upbringing



  • @approxinfinity said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    It feels like we are just scratching the surface of how lucrative NILs can be. Having an advertising presence can help build a brand that someone who is social media savvy (like Jalen maybe) might capitalize on after college whether or not he goes league

    If I win the Powerball tonight, there WILL be a Jethro NIL.



  • Would Caleb Love have returned to school without NIL in place?



  • @approxinfinity yes 100%



  • To expound upon this, this is largely the same stuff that has been in place. Itā€™s boosters paying kids, but now itā€™s legal in a still roundabout, but more public way. Love is a guy that would have been lucky to be drafted in the 2nd round (my personal guess is undrafted). Iā€™m sure he got some feedback without putting his name in, and itā€™s more lucrative for him to stay at UNC than grind in the gleague or Europe. Just look at the strong history programs like UNC, Duke, UK and to a lesser extent KU have with maintaining fringe draft talents. In the past if this system had been in place you would have seen more guys that ultimately stayed ā€œdeclare and testā€ first. Everything is just much more public now, for better or worse.



  • @Jethro said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @approxinfinity said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    It feels like we are just scratching the surface of how lucrative NILs can be. Having an advertising presence can help build a brand that someone who is social media savvy (like Jalen maybe) might capitalize on after college whether or not he goes league

    If I win the Powerball tonight, there WILL be a Jethro NIL.

    Please do it on the football side lol



  • @Kcmatt7 yeah hoops is relatively cheap. Anything beyond sustaining excellence for hoops should go to football.



  • @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @Kcmatt7 yeah hoops is relatively cheap. Anything beyond sustaining excellence for hoops should go to football.

    For the love of all that is holy just get enough to land a few local kids over KSU. Has to happen. LL might need to be more selective with targets, but theyā€™ve got to find a way.



  • @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @Kcmatt7 yeah hoops is relatively cheap. Anything beyond sustaining excellence for hoops should go to football.

    For the love of all that is holy just get enough to land a few local kids over KSU. Has to happen. LL might need to be more selective with targets, but theyā€™ve got to find a way.

    KSUā€™s package is not that impressive, which in turn says something not great about ours lol.



  • @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @Kcmatt7 yeah hoops is relatively cheap. Anything beyond sustaining excellence for hoops should go to football.

    For the love of all that is holy just get enough to land a few local kids over KSU. Has to happen. LL might need to be more selective with targets, but theyā€™ve got to find a way.

    Weā€™re in good shape for a couple (Calvin Clements, Tre Richardson, Sam Same). The bigger names will take some time and success on the field to really get a foothold. Not for lack of trying. Coaches are all over the state recruiting this week. Fuchs is working hard on Otting, and Zebrowski is still working Avery Johnson. Have to up to the end.



  • @FarmerJayhawk Better than NEATDEALā€™s approach at least. Plus Lance not being senile (Les) surely helps.

    Hopefully we see more than 2 wins this year.



  • Saw this off the latest mock draft off ESPN. - - Abaji - - going 1st round- - 14th pick to Cleveland - - & Christan - - going 1st round 28th pick to Golden State

    If this comes true tell me when is the last time KU has had 2 guys taken in the 1st round of the NBA draft ? - - Have we EVER had two players taken in the 1st round ? - Serious question - -I honestly donā€™t know



  • @jayballer67 2014 Wiggins and Embiid



  • Surely the NIL rules change the equation somewhat though @BShark . Doesnt transparency and consistency in the NIL market allow for more clear comparison to pay at the pro level, causing an increase in pay for some to make it equitable, and more clarity in the decision making process? Is there anyone you would say at this point that stayed when they would have not stayed before? Tschiebwe maybe?



  • @approxinfinity Remember when UNC returned their roster after 08?



  • @BShark šŸ™‚ sure, sean may got onto the bus to success. There has to be quite a few ppl, maybe not bluebloods.



  • Iā€™m a pretty firm believer that NIL is just putting a public face on this stuff. Not sure on Oscar, he genuinely seems to love it at UK and isnā€™t draftable.



  • @approxinfinity whoops sean may was 05, was thinking about another roster



  • @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    Iā€™m a pretty firm believer that NIL is just putting a public face on this stuff. Not sure on Oscar, he genuinely seems to love it at UK and isnā€™t draftable.

    Also I think what it also does it change the narrative that this stuff is illegal when its not. For generations we were led to believe that kids getting paid was OMG illegal. Itā€™s happened for so long but now its in the open and kids can finally capitalize. Of course that doesnā€™t come with its share of growing pains or control that should perhaps be in place.



  • Not an NBA Draft decision, but former Texas Tech forward Marcus Santos-Silva signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns to try and make their team as a TE.



  • @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @approxinfinity Remember when UNC returned their roster after 08?

    I rememberā€¦ and unless they get hit with bad luck next year (like injuries), I expect them to be a FF team again and be favored to win it because their chip factor will be off the charts!

    Still doesnā€™t guarantee them anything. Look at the Zags.

    I like Hubert Davisā€¦ but Iā€™m still not sold on him being ready for the trophy. He did have his guys in the championship game this year. Time will tell.



  • Iā€™m not totally buying in on the ESPN concept of our starting lineup next year. But even looking at it their wayā€¦ if CB decides to come back, imagine this with CB:

    Projected starting lineup:

    Dajuan Harris Jr., (5.4 PPG)

    Gradey Dick (No. 14 in ESPN 100)

    M.J. Rice (No. 30 in ESPN 100)

    Jalen Wilson (11.0 PPG)

    Ernest Udeh (No. 23 in ESPN 100)

    Then look at the developing talent we have on the bench already. Think about KJ and Zach fighting for minutes in the post.

    What if we added McCullar to this mix? Heā€™s that utility guard Self always likes who can give minutes anywhere from the 2 to 4. He would add a great amount of toughness and physicality to our team.



  • KJ reminds me of Pierre Russell when he played at KU (yes, Iā€™m that old). I donā€™t see KJ at the 5, but as a strong rebounding and inside scoring 4. But Self hasnā€™t gone that way in the past, has he?



  • @drgnslayr I have mocked this already but Zach is starting. I also see at most one of the FR wings starting. Bill would never start 3 FR.



  • Pass so hard on McCullar. Super mega pass.

    Dude cannot shoot. He doesnā€™t finish well at the rim. He is probably more of a below the rim player than Jalen and thatā€™s saying something. There have been at least 10 portal players I would rather have than Kevin McCullar.



  • @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    Pass so hard on McCullar. Super mega pass.

    Dude cannot shoot. He doesnā€™t finish well at the rim. He is probably more of a below the rim player than Jalen and thatā€™s saying something. There have been at least 10 portal players I would rather have than Kevin McCullar.

    Council over him ALL DAY. Council is IMPROVING and a better athlete.



  • @BShark My thing with him is that do we really want to see him play over Dick or Rice? What is he bringing to the table that would be worth 25 mpg lost from development of two dudes who have a fantastic shot at playing in the league?

    If we are going to watch a guy play over our 5* freshman, please let it be someone with similar upside.



  • @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    Pass so hard on McCullar. Super mega pass.

    Dude cannot shoot. He doesnā€™t finish well at the rim. He is probably more of a below the rim player than Jalen and thatā€™s saying something. There have been at least 10 portal players I would rather have than Kevin McCullar.

    I was hoping we wouldnā€™t have to see that name come up again. -Iā€™m like you with a very hard NOOOOOO ! there is nothing about him that Iā€™m interested in just does not impress me, never has - -never will



  • I love Dick, but I think he needs a good year to develop into an effective D1 player. He needs muscle.

    I would take McCullar all day long. Not for his offense. But heā€™s a defensive stopper for everything but a 5. Those guys donā€™t grow on trees. I remember this exact same argument said about Marcus. Exact.



  • What did we win with Marcus on the roster though?

    ETA: I think Marcus is a MUCH better defender/athlete too.



  • @BShark

    I donā€™t think that is a fair comment. 2020 was a definite NC team. Plus, one guy doesnā€™t make a NC. I would gobble up another Marcus all day long. Both of these guys are great defenders, but have slightly different assets.

    Who do we have now as a stopper?

    My statement holds true. I remember singularly defending Marcus through much of his KU career.



  • @drgnslayr said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @BShark

    I donā€™t think that is a fair comment. 2020 was a definite NC team. Plus, one guy doesnā€™t make a NC. I would gobble up another Marcus all day long. Both of these guys are great defenders, but have slightly different assets.

    Who do we have now as a stopper?

    My statement holds true. I remember singularly defending Marcus through much of his KU career.

    for one Juan not to shabby



  • @jayballer67

    Juan is good against a PGā€¦ someone not too physical.

    How is Juan against an athletic 3 or 4?



  • @BShark

    I like Council, too. But I have to admit I fall in love with players easily because I always see potential.

    Councilā€™s trey shooting fell off last year to around 30%. Heā€™s very athletic but I still see McCullar as a more stable player. He takes care of the ball well and I like his passing. He has good court awareness, too. McCullar is a MUCH BETTER defender! I just think his fundamentals are better than most guys coming through the portal, including Council. I think both of these guys will shoot a higher trey % at KU because we will be able to run better offense. TT didnā€™t even have a PG and WSUā€™s offense was pure chaos with almost no structure.

    Council has some great highlight playsā€¦ but I would trade the glitter for a rock solid defender any day of the weekā€¦ especially for next yearā€™s team.



  • @BShark said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    What did we win with Marcus on the roster though?

    ETA: I think Marcus is a MUCH better defender/athlete too.

    We got to a Final Four and likely wouldā€™ve won a natty. Pretty good career



  • If Iā€™m Self right nowā€¦ Iā€™m looking for defense for next year because we are going to be lacking. McCullar would shore up a lot of defensive holes.



  • @FarmerJayhawk Yeah the FF with him in his proper role of super sub utility wing man. Clearly we were robbed in 2020, so my comment is a bit unfair.

    McCullar is at the bottom of my list, of everyone KU has been linked with. Bill would get the best out of Council, who is already showing signs of being a great defender.

    I just canā€™t see adding McCullar to have both FR come off the bench.

    I think this is mostly moot anyway, if we just slot Mosley into CBā€™s spot thatā€™s PROBABLY a wrap. Though I think it would work out better for both sides if we added another big guard and Joe found another MVC school. This assumes we strike out on Hunter, who is my top preference after Mosley.

    But then youā€™d be looking atā€¦

    Juan

    Transfer

    Mosley

    Wilson

    Zach

    With Bob, Gradey, MJ, bench big of your choosing as the rotation. I could see Bill tinkering a lot early on as we have a lot of 5s and all offer different things.



  • @Gorilla72 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    KJ reminds me of Pierre Russell when he played at KU (yes, Iā€™m that old). I donā€™t see KJ at the 5, but as a strong rebounding and inside scoring 4. But Self hasnā€™t gone that way in the past, has he?

    Darnell Jackson??



  • @BShark I know itā€™s a pipedream, but Iā€™m hoping to have Hunter fill the 2 spot. I know he is also a smaller guard, but he was a great defender last year and was a huge part of ISU making it as far in the tourney as they did. Bill has shown he loves having two primary ball handlers on the floor at the same time, but Iā€™m not sure how Hunter feels about sharing PG duties with Juan. From what little Iā€™ve heard, Tyrese wasnā€™t sold on the idea of playing with Juan, but I donā€™t really know.

    If that doesnā€™t work out, then maybe Malachi Smith? Terrific rebounder and a go to bucket getter. I havenā€™t seen him announce any kind of list of interested parties, but Iā€™d be very surprised if we havenā€™t reached out already. This of course would mean someone has to be shown the door unfortunately, but Mosley + Hunter/Smith would be at the top of my wishlist.



  • @PharmacyHawk said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @BShark I know itā€™s a pipedream, but Iā€™m hoping to have Hunter fill the 2 spot. I know he is also a smaller guard, but he was a great defender last year and was a huge part of ISU making it as far in the tourney as they did. Bill has shown he loves having two primary ball handlers on the floor at the same time, but Iā€™m not sure how Hunter feels about sharing PG duties with Juan. From what little Iā€™ve heard, Tyrese wasnā€™t sold on the idea of playing with Juan, but I donā€™t really know.

    If that doesnā€™t work out, then maybe Malachi Smith? Terrific rebounder and a go to bucket getter. I havenā€™t seen him announce any kind of list of interested parties, but Iā€™d be very surprised if we havenā€™t reached out already. This of course would mean someone has to be shown the door unfortunately, but Mosley + Hunter/Smith would be at the top of my wishlist.

    Agree! I havenā€™t seen that we have reached out to Smith, but he is a great player.



  • My wishlist in order is Mosley, Hunter, Council, McCullar in terms of who we are known to have reached out to and are in solid standing with.

    From what has been shared recently it really seems like we will only have one spot to fill. I wonā€™t go into details since itā€™s in premium but Bossi was very clear on 247 premium about it.



  • @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    Pass so hard on McCullar. Super mega pass.

    Dude cannot shoot. He doesnā€™t finish well at the rim. He is probably more of a below the rim player than Jalen and thatā€™s saying something. There have been at least 10 portal players I would rather have than Kevin McCullar.

    Heā€™s really slow and methodical. We need some quickness.



  • Mercy seen in a draft off CBS that had Ochai going # 7 to the Kings. Mercy , now come on be honest who in Earth would of ever thought Ochai would EVER have a chance to be drafted that high when he 1st stepped foot on Campus?- I figured he would be solid/good but projected at # 7 ? - Jumpin Gee Hossie Fats Maynard.

    Also saw they had Christan as the # 25th pick going to the Spurs - - Awesome



  • @Jethro said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    @Kcmatt7 said in KU/Big 12 NBA draft decisions thread:

    Pass so hard on McCullar. Super mega pass.

    Dude cannot shoot. He doesnā€™t finish well at the rim. He is probably more of a below the rim player than Jalen and thatā€™s saying something. There have been at least 10 portal players I would rather have than Kevin McCullar.

    Heā€™s really slow and methodical. We need some quickness.

    Mosley isnā€™t exactly quick but whewwwww he is a bucket.



  • @BShark the pic of him without his shirt, doesnā€™t exactly look like heā€™s been lifting šŸ‹šŸ¾ā€ā™‚ļø. Looks pretty soft. Needs to leave his shirt on. šŸ˜‚ he was my choice til I saw that. I think Iā€™ll let coach pick.


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