2019 NBA Draft

[PaulLee3]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eTjxFUmmKU&fbclid=IwAR2rrw6nPmmrUsy3Rr3JtGk15jGKefQz2AkeDrvoGYoi52gFFr-8acapUYU

Ja Morant is making some noise in College Basketball. He is now a projected top 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but some Mock Draft website puts him above RJ Barrett, and Zion Williamson.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tI2Ks1j8ZQ from being a 4th scoring option in his high school team to being a projected top 3-5 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Ja Morant Story. He had a growth spurt 5'11" to 6'3" in the off season.


Morant is averaging 24.1 ppg, 10.5 apg, 5.6 rpg.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

It's not about the numbers. Zion has a freakish athletic ability, that is hard to match and should represent an edge with his game in NBA. At 270 pounds, being as explosive is something I haven't imagine possible. He might be using bullying with his body a bit too much at the college level, for my taste, not entirely sure how that will translate against some NBA PF's there, but in any case, with some adaptations, he will get over it. Overall, a can't miss prospect if he stays healthy.

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

Ja Morant is making some noise in College Basketball. He is now a projected top 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but some Mock Draft website puts him above RJ Barrett, and Zion Williamson.

Lot of hype around Morant recently, indeed, but I really don't see which team would really take him over both R.J. and Zion

[C2Hamm]

Lot of hype around Morant recently, indeed, but I really don't see which team would really take him over both R.J. and Zion

Suns\Knicks\Magic - providede they aren't 1st pick. right now I see no reason for any team to pass on Zion. Sure, there is a chance he doesnt pan out but that can be said to every rookie.I see Zion become better a little bit later though but the upside is crazy high. he'll probably start as a PF and depending how he develops, can be an SF. though I hope he manages his weight all through out because all that jumping will take its toll on his knees if he doesnt get a reliable shooting.

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

Suns\Knicks\Magic

So let's assume Zion is selected with the first pick and one of these teams have the 2nd choice. I do agree they could need a pointguard, but would this really be the best choice for them not to select R.J. Barrett (who is still my favourite to be 1st before Zion by the way) ? R.J. could totally play with Devin Booker for the Suns and would be a perfect pick for the Knicks as well. Regarding the Magic, it's very hard to anticipate right now : if we look at their current roster, a point guard might be better than Barrett, but there is a very high possibility that they destroy the team during interseason if they don't reach the playoffs (by "destroying", i mean Vučević out, Fournier out and I'm not sure about Gordon) and then R.J. would be the best fit to rebuild from scratch in my opinion.

To be honest, I'm still not event totally convinced that Morant is the best pointguard in 2019 draft class anyway, even with Darius Garland's injury.

[C2Hamm]

So let's assume Zion is selected with the first pick and one of these teams have the 2nd choice. I do agree they could need a pointguard, but would this really be the best choice for them not to select R.J. Barrett (who is still my favourite to be 1st before Zion by the way) ? R.J. could totally play with Devin Booker for the Suns and would be a perfect pick for the Knicks as well. Regarding the Magic, it's very hard to anticipate right now : if we look at their current roster, a point guard might be better than Barrett, but there is a very high possibility that they destroy the team during interseason if they don't reach the playoffs (by "destroying", i mean Vučević out, Fournier out and I'm not sure about Gordon) and then R.J. would be the best fit to rebuild from scratch in my opinion.

To be honest, I'm still not event totally convinced that Morant is the best pointguard in 2019 draft class anyway, even with Darius Garland's injury.

fair.
i can only give my opinion and here it goes. RJ is the better player than Ja. he just doesn't fit Suns and Knicks. Magic can probably draft him and I dont see any problem with that.
Why doenst RJ fit Suns = he is a volume shooter. what that means is you limit Bookers touches. and lets get real here, Ayton needs more touches but Suns cant pass it to him for some unknown reason. I blame Coach Igor's system. so i dont think putting RJ would work because there isnt enough ball for Booker and Ayton already and you want to add another ball dominant player? JJ, Oubre, and Mikal are all showing they are capable to hold their own on defense while giving spot scoring.
Knicks - there has been rumors that Durant is consider moving to NYK after GSW. do you really want Kevin and RJ fighting for whatever mins Durant wont be using? I actually think if they can add a few more small but significant moves KD will consider NYK for real. I see Rui and Hunter as better fit outside of Morant. I dont know Mudiay's value but he should be traded and NYK get a vet PG like Collison with Frank backing him up. I think they are getting rid of Kanter for cap space as well. and that to me is more to be KD ready. So yeah, no to RJ to NYK unless they think they dont have any chance with Durant.

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

I do agree with what you said about the Suns, but is Morant really the good guy as well then ?

Regarding the Knicks, if you take into account KD being a Knick starting next season, then this changes everything and you're right of course.

[C2Hamm]

I do agree with what you said about the Suns, but is Morant really the good guy as well then ?

i do not believe any solid free agent PG will sign with, and Morant is better atleast compared to Melton and Okobo.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

Suns\Knicks\Magic - providede they aren't 1st pick. right now I see no reason for any team to pass on Zion. Sure, there is a chance he doesnt pan out but that can be said to every rookie.I see Zion become better a little bit later though but the upside is crazy high. he'll probably start as a PF and depending how he develops, can be an SF. though I hope he manages his weight all through out because all that jumping will take its toll on his knees if he doesnt get a reliable shooting.

True. A lot of questions appear about Zion's knees being able to carry all that weight. On the other hand, same was being said about Shaq 25 years ago.

[C2Hamm]

I look at zion and rj similar to emeka and dwight except diff posituon and more skilled coming to the draft. Emeka was ready already and dwight had huge upside. Yeah, emeka didnt go further due to injuries but he did well he was healthy. Dwught improved but i really cannot accept that he reached his potential. He became better but no where near the next best bigman label when he was drafted. Rj is good now. Zion is showing he has physical tools to be great, but can that be developed sooner rather than later by whoever drafts him?

Im starting to get impressed by brandon clarke by the way. Any notable euros for the up coming draft? I think we got spoiled with Luka last year.

[Joško Poljak Fan]

The highest ranked is supposedly Luka Šamanić. 6'10 agile PF, some range, some SFish handles that with some improvement could translate, good feel for the game... However even if there are some glimpses of talent there, he needs 1, 2 more years in europe at the very minimum.

Goga Bitadze will be pushed hard (as all the players from his agent are), however even if decent, I do not see him as an actual NBA player as of now. With f.e. Žižić getting as little oppurtunities, I don't think Goga is an upgrade. While with Zubac's size, it was obvious he was destined for some sort of impact in NBA, Goga is kind of jack of all trades, NBA teams like to avoid imo.

I did not follow the french guys.

One player that 2 years ago I strongly believed should make the league and leave some impact is Tadas Sekerskis (6'8 SF).

Overall, imo below average draft candidates for euro standards. With most seasons I always had some sort of underdogs which I believed should make a way better impact in the league, than their draft position suggested - as Kurucs is doing now f.e. I can't remember anyone like that this year.

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

I did not follow the french guys.

Sekou Doumbouya is still the french guy who will probably be drafted with the highest pick. He struggled a little at the beginning of the season with Limoges, be it in Eurocup or Jeep Elite, but he showed some good things and keep on improving. I was not his biggest defender last year, because of his "behaviour", but I have to say i have been "impressed" this year.
You don't see him anymore in top5 in mock drafts because his stats are low, but i think he will be the highest pick from Europe this year, just for his athtletism and the fact he is still very young (born at the end of december)

After that, you have Jaylen Hoard, even if most people will think he his American.

Then I still believe in Killian Tillie depending on March Madness.


N'Doye, Mokoka are announced at end of second round, and they should not hope for better than that, but I think Amine Noua must not be forgotten. Noua is born in 1997, so maybe not anymore the kind of prospect NBA teams are dreaming about, but he is still eligible and is performing well this year with ASVEL.

[C2Hamm]

Then I still believe in Killian Tillie depending on March Madness.

He should go back for another year. A whole year in Gonzaga, hopefully healthy, would do wonders for him for the next draft. with no Brandon and Rui, he should have more touches and more time ti develop. i dont even know his projection this coming draft. late 1st to early 2nd?

[Prancūzėlis_ZLD]

i dont even know his projection this coming draft. late 1st to early 2nd?

I think he has (temporarily?) dissapeared from any mock draft after this almost full year without playing. If Gonzaga reaches Final 4 with him performing well, then scouts might remember him. Otherwise he should probably go back for another year as you said.

[Straight forward]

So 12 international players available in 2019 NBA draft, including 2 Lithuanians. But I don't get it. Isn't Canada's prospects internationals? No prospects from Asia, Africa?

Goga Bitadze, Buducnost (Montenegro), 7-0, 1999

Yago Dos Santos, Paulistano (Brazil), 5-10, 1999

Sekou Doumbouya, Limoges (France), 6-8, 2000

Matas Jogela, Dzukija (Lithuania), 6-6, 1998

Marcos Louzada Silva, Franca (Brazil), 6-5, 1999

William McDowell-White, Baunach (Germany), 6-5, 1998

Adam Mokoka, Mega Bemax (Serbia), 6-5, 1998

Joshua Obiesie, Wurzburg (Germany), 6-6, 2000

David Okeke, Fiat Torino (Italy), 6-8, 1998

Luka Samanic, Olimpija (Slovenia), 6-10, 2000

Deividas Sirvydis, Rytas (Lithuania), 6-7, 2000

Yovel Zoosman, Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel), 6-7, 1998

https://www.eurosport.com/basketball/12-international-players-available-in-nba-draft_sto7325307/story.shtml