Filipino Players in Foreign Leagues

[DAdmiral]

Like all those unpatriotic Americans, Europeans, and Africans playing abroad right?

Boomers should file a protest to NBA and NCAA for recruiting their players to play overseas. How dare they..
I didn't know the Philippines is like old soviet union. Where it's a crime to flee.the state to go overseas

[DAdmiral]

There are hundreds of players receiving calls be asked about ., this is not unusual

Mock are not accurate to who teams pick. But historically they are very accurate on identifying who is not in the radar. A player who is not in top 100 in Mocks historically has a very low probability of being selected..
Do not underestimate how connected mainstream NBA writers are . Many have work colleagues who are ex NBA players and coaches..
Mocks are truly very accurate in terms of identifying who are in the radar within a range. Accuracy of those mentioned as lottery picksbeing eventually drafted at least in 2nd round is almost 99% accurate. (Not including withdrawals)

[thatweirdguy]

Eff Quinito. This guy gets paid to write trash articles like this?

[Silent Killer]

I was part of that discussion. I rattled off weaknesses in a post similar to how Yeshkel displayed in his video. I know as well as anybody what they are. I'm just asking if there are more, because a lot of people are somehow convinced that Kai will never get his weaknesses fixed, or that half of his weaknesses are a product of his still developing body.



I'll compartmentalize my response.

1. Unless we have connections to well placed scouts in the NBA, we have zero idea on who gets drafted until a few weeks or so before it. We are months away. And mocks don't always mirror the real thing; like someone said, Anthony Bennett. Nobody expected the Cavs to take him 1st overall. My opinion about Kai not ranking high has always been to the mocks, not the actual scouts. I've been consistent in this regard.

2. The consensus about Kai's weakness not addressed is also from the mocks, or at least concluded from them. That means we still have no idea about their real gradings. Not only that, but Kai's biggest weakness from the TSF-Ignite days has been addressed, which was speed. He's not the most active player out there but Kai can keep up with NBL pros downhill. Doesn't that show that he can improve on his weaknesses? Or are we going to act like it was never the case?

3. Kai knows how to protect the rim well. We've seen that effect in all of the FIBA games under Coach Tab. I agree that natural defense is a talent that Kai doesn't have, but to imply that he's useless at the NBA level on defense when he's held his own against NBA prospects, NBL players, and Delly, is a bit much.

I already know the stance of the mocks. Nobody has to tell me (or us, in general) how they feel and what the criteria for getting into them are. I think I'm free to point out hypocrisy when I see it, like chalking up X's one game as the draft ticket while Y should go through a whole season despite doing much better. Remember when I was last active, I think this was when Kai was still about to go to the NBL, that if he averaged anywhere near Josh Giddey's numbers, he'd have a real chance going into the draft or something along those lines? I truly think this way still, but at the same time I can also accept that there are factors beyond Kai's control that stop him from being recognized in the mocks. I also think that scouts doing their homework is proof that Kai has legit interest from NBA teams, and that like you and me, there are also foreign opinions that correspond with my line of thinking, like Coach Bruton and Coach Allen.

So in essence, I think the actual scouts in the NBA rate Kai high enough (high enough to be drafted regardless of round) to be asking about him. Not just from what we see, but from training too. It's scarier to have nobody asking about you, than to be ranked low publicly but still be asked about.

speed is still kai’s issue.. you can still see kai just jogging going down the defend.. should be sprint..

little things like boxing out still an issue..

still biting on fakes..

his defense will be his ticket to nba..

part of the red flag is he left ignite for NT.. commitment..

given josh giddey average last season, he showed to the world his improvement every single week. his defense, shooting.. and he keeps on improving on those part till this day..

[Trae Yong]

Most of Kai's weaknesses can be made up given time. Nobody's asking, not even me, for Kai to get to the big board. I'm saying his talent should be enough to get there, but I'm satisfied with just getting drafted, or even a draft and stash for further development. People misunderstand, I'm not denying Kai's weaknesses, it's that prospects are drafted for potential and training plus time with the pros should theoretically shore up these weaknesses.

Being a mobile 7'2/7'3 is defense enough in itself. You cannot teach height sabi nga nila.

Why is Kai's defense an issue anyway? Because of positioning and PNR? Like in all cases, that comes with time. Even the DPOY Gobert can't always stop the PNR and 36 year old Chris Paul keeps scoring on him.

is he really "NBA" mobile? he's got poor laterals and his moves aren't as fluid as modern NBA bigs. can he do what JLA did and dribble the whole length of the floor for a 2 handed dunk?

[Trae Yong]

LOL why can't the cocksuckers and nuthuggers see the obvious that Kai doesn't pass the NBA eye test?

[jasper222]

There are hundreds of players receiving calls be asked about ., this is not unusual

Mock are not accurate to who teams pick. But historically they are very accurate on identifying who is not in the radar. A player who is not in top 100 in Mocks historically has a very low probability of being selected..
Do not underestimate how connected mainstream NBA writers are . Many have work colleagues who are ex NBA players and coaches..
Mocks are truly very accurate in terms of identifying who are in the radar within a range. Accuracy of those mentioned as lottery picksbeing eventually drafted at least in 2nd round is almost 99% accurate. (Not including withdrawals)

I'm not underestimating mocks, don't worry. Just saying that they can overlook talents. Remember the ESPN Australia pic I posted? They had Kai in the 2nd rd 2020 Draft. That's ESPN too.

Hundreds of players being asked about is also still a plus. Being in consideration beats not being in consideration at all.

speed is still kai’s issue.. you can still see kai just jogging going down the defend.. should be sprint..

little things like boxing out still an issue..

still biting on fakes..

his defense will be his ticket to nba..

part of the red flag is he left ignite for NT.. commitment..

given josh giddey average last season, he showed to the world his improvement every single week. his defense, shooting.. and he keeps on improving on those part till this day..

Speed as in keeping up, not jogging. Taller guys do use more stamina on average unless their motor is just that strong. As for leaving Ignite for NT being a red flag, there have been worse red flags being taken in the draft. Royce White was drafted while being afraid of flying, for example.

Kai has also showed the world his improvement each week. His stats are improving every game.

[CoJ]

Jasper
So why do you think scouts still don't rate Kai high?
Conspiracy. Bias . What?

Or perhaps it's the extent of the weaknesses that makes it difficult to envision it can be improved over time ? Is that not a possibility that scouts view it as such.
Note also Kai in the 2022 draft is above the average age , in 2023 it gets worst. And were not talking about a late Boomer here . In fact I reckon Kai has the benefit of the most exposure to NBA personnel.
Perhaps the assessment is not only is Kai's current level not fully developed but the consensus opinion is his upside to address those weaknesses is not realistic
have you ever thought that is a possibility?
Is it not possible that Kai's natural defense abilities is not Gobert type but more sumilar to Boban type ? Think about it.
Natural defense tendencies is a talent, and perhaps Kai does not have that natural talent. (Height alone does not make you a natural talented defender )

i dont think kai is that relevant, popular, skilled or significant to warrant attention from the basketball powers that be for them conspire against him, plus what would the basketball world gain if Kai is held back due to some conspiracy? And with the world being woke and diverse, Kai actually is in a better position, plus intl players brings to much money not only for the NBA but for FIBA as well.

[Silent Killer]

I'm not underestimating mocks, don't worry. Just saying that they can overlook talents. Remember the ESPN Australia pic I posted? They had Kai in the 2nd rd 2020 Draft. That's ESPN too.

Hundreds of players being asked about is also still a plus. Being in consideration beats not being in consideration at all.



Speed as in keeping up, not jogging. Taller guys do use more stamina on average unless their motor is just that strong. As for leaving Ignite for NT being a red flag, there have been worse red flags being taken in the draft. Royce White was drafted while being afraid of flying, for example.

Kai has also showed the world his improvement each week. His stats are improving every game.

as big cat mentioned, kai needs to improve on that part (speed). he still jogs the floor.. should be sprint..

yep kai’s stats are increasing but not his stocks.. you already know the answer why.. and scouts still ranked him low even with some improvement. maybe they’re not satisfied with what they saw kai defensively

[CoJ]

Where is loyalty to the PBA?

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2022/02/06/2158814/where-loyalty-pba

The talk is monthly salaries for Asian quota imports are in the range of $8,000 to $30,000 with the average settling at between $15,000 to $20,000. The numbers are enticing even for a Kemark Cariño receiving a salary at the lowest end. It’s difficult to turn your back on that kind of money. But life isn’t all about just money. Filipinos in the B.League are mostly in lower-tier teams, losing more than winning. They’re on their own, outside of their comfort zone, without family, without a support system, sometimes playing minimal minutes, sometimes playing more than minimal. Juan Gomez de Liaño has left Japan and it’s likely more will follow. The agent who’s targeting Class A PBA players to bring to Japan is dangling enormous figures although he wasn’t successful in luring Japeth Aguilar out of Barangay Ginebra. It’s a business for this agent but it may also be his vendetta for getting fired from the PBA. Still, playing overseas is an opportunity for those who are just in it for the money.

facepalm, using the nationalism/patriotism card/narrative, as if the PBA is the Philippines and playing for the league is not business as well

and to think I used to look up to quinito when i was a kid!, him, joe cantada and ed picson were my idols back then, well as they said never meet your heroes..

[jasper222]

as big cat mentioned, kai needs to improve on that part (speed). he still jogs the floor.. should be sprint..

yep kai’s stats are increasing but not his stocks.. you already know the answer why.. and scouts still ranked him low even with some improvement. maybe they’re not satisfied with what they saw kai defensively

Then the term used should be motor, not speed, right? We've seen him come from weakside to block shots the past few games, kept up with Delly, and that reverse alley oop. Hindi speed ang problema, it's motor, if you talk about going down the court defensively.

The answers you and I have are different, but both are correct. Plus scouts aren't necessarily pouring their info into the mocks. We don't actually know what they're thinking, regardless of if the mocks get the draftee list right 99% of the time.

[Silent Killer]

facepalm, using the nationalism/patriotism card/narrative, as if the PBA is the Philippines and playing for the league is not business as well

and to think I used to look up to quinito when i was a kid!, him, joe cantada and ed picson were my idols back then, well as they said never meet your heroes..

the “utang ng loob” card

[NOiNU]

Gonzaga’s Drew Timme figures in various mocks as a late 2nd rounder. To me, he is a poor man’s Jahlil Okafor who is playing near his ceiling. For those who are not familiar with his game and measurables, you can check him out and I’ll leave it up to you as to who do you think deserves a draft pick between him and Kai. To me, Kai offers more upside and is a better NBA prospect than him. He can be All American 1st team or even NCAA player of the year this season, but my money is on Kai having more potent tools to make it to the NBA.

[Trae Yong]

Gonzaga’s Drew Timme figures in various mocks as a late 2nd rounder. To me, he is a poor man’s Jahlil Okafor who is playing near his ceiling. For those who are not familiar with his game and measurables, you can check him out and I’ll leave it up to you as to who do you think deserves a draft pick between him and Kai. To me, Kai offers more upside and is a better NBA prospect than him. He can be All American 1st team or even NCAA player of the year this season, but my money is on Kai having more potent tools to make it to the NBA.

what potent tools does Kai have? he has no outside shot, no stamina, weak laterals ... should I go on?

[NOiNU]

what potent tools does Kai have? he has no outside shot, no stamina, weak laterals ... should I go on?

Yes you should, if that pleases you. Weak laterals that is not an automatic blow by for a 7’ 3”? Try harder. Dellavedova is not the only player he has kept up with from the perimeter going in, and some are even him coming from a closeout. No outside shot? Then CJ makes a fool of himself by stating in an interview Kai is a good shooter. We don’t know that yet, but you can dismiss it this early if it suits you. Weak stamina yes, but I don’t think Kai would be looked at by teams to be a starter and play extended minutes.