Well since the NBA right now is about as slow as it has been in years, I decided to take Guybrush's suggestion and start a thread for college and highschool prospects who you would like to see play for the Warriors. Or just guys that you see who you think have IT to play in the NBA. Yesterday I posted this link to Nerlens Noel:




This guy looks like he can be possibly an elite defensive C in the NBA if he can put on some more weight. Blocks with both hands, chases down his blocks and starts breaks. Is also a very good man to man defender who is supposed to be an above average passer for his position already. Not complete offensively, but he does have a nice like hook.

This other guy I'm sure some have heard of, Andre Drummond. This guys looks like a BEAST. Biggest knock I've heard is his lack of killer instinct and proneness to disappearing and being disinterested. I've heard people liken him to Lebron like athlete with Dwights body. He's also better and bigger than Dwight was at his age.






This last guy, Shabazz Muhamed, I have heard is the top SG prospect in all of HS. He has drawn comparisons to Kobe w/ his killer-instinct and cold-bloodedness. Doesn't have a right hand yet though.




If all of these guys are in the 2013 draft, we NEED to acquire assetts in that draft. If there is no 2011-2012 season and we don't lose next years pick (don't know how draft order would be determined) do we automatically give up the 2013 pick?

Anyways feel free to post articles or videos of prospects you're interested in as watching these guys might be the only basketball players we'll see for a while.

Good job Dr. Spaceman. I believe this could be quite useful. When the college basketball starts, I'll try to contribute here as well.

Oh, and I fixed your links, so they could be viewed form here as well, I think it's better. I hope you won't mind it.

Guybrush wrote:Oh, and I fixed your links, so they could be viewed form here as well, I think it's better. I hope you won't mind it.

Not at all. Never even noticed that you could embed videos directly. Will use that in the future. Thanks!

Anytime, mate.

From what I'm seeing in these links you posted Spaceman, I like both Noel and Drummond. The biggest distinction I noticed is that Drummond is quite better offensively. He's more versatile, and is a great passer as well. Good basketball IQ. Though defense is where Noel is (at least it looks like it) quite a bit better. Not just because of the blocks, but his man to man defense is good, he can read plays, and his quickness and agility lets him intercept passes and take them all the way back.

If I could choose between the two now, I think I would go with Noel.

Guybrush wrote:Anytime, mate.

From what I'm seeing in these links you posted Spaceman, I like both Noel and Drummond. The biggest distinction I noticed is that Drummond is quite better offensively. He's more versatile, and is a great passer as well. Good basketball IQ. Though defense is where Noel is (at least it looks like it) quite a bit better. Not just because of the blocks, but his man to man defense is good, he can read plays, and his quickness and agility lets him intercept passes and take them all the way back.

If I could choose between the two now, I think I would go with Noel.

It's a tough call and I think Noel is a great fit for this team. But I don't know how anyone could ever pass up someone with Drummond's potential. His size at 6'11 275 combined with all those skills and IQ you just saw make him probably the best big man prospect in the last decade. I think a great coach (something the lotto team who picks him is unlikely to have) will be crucial to maximizing his potential and consistency, but I can't think of the last time I saw a prospect like Drummond. Noel's defensive instincts and tenacity make it look like he is almost a sure thing to be an elite defensive C in the future.

If we end up having to blow up our backcourt, one of the things essential in a trade, I would say would be some draft picks for whatever draft these 2 guys enter.

I was on another board and people were discussing how the 2012 draft order would go, if there is no NBA season. Someone mentioned that the way the NHL does it based on top 5 picks and playoff appearances over the last 4 years. And as one of the teams with neither a top 5 pick or playoff appearance, we would be in prime position for a top pick. This is just some potentially good news, if things were to fall a certain way.

It is somewhat significant to this thread and more exciting news, as I've heard it could be possble for a player like Drummond who will be 19 by then, to enter the draft. If we don't like a player (or want to position ourself for a future draft due to the hype of the 2012 draft class), we could do a swap with a rebuilding team that is likely to suck.

Anyways I though that was interesting that the NHL used that way to promote parity after a lockout, and if the NBA were to adopt a similar strategy, we could actually benefit quite well.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2011-nike-global-challenge-top-prospects

Nerlens Noel

Noel certainly has a lofty reputation in the basketball community. He's considered by many as the top defender in the country, and has even been drawing some comparisons to Bill Russell. Unfortunately, he failed to show that kind of potential during the Global Challenge. Noel finished the tournament averaging a measly 5.3 points per game, and even his defense was sketchy. He bit on a lot of pump fakes, which put him out of position and set the offense up for easy scores. He missed wide-open layups and fumbled passes that would have set him up for open shots around the basket.

Julius Randle

Ranked the top overall player in his class by ESPN and it's not hard to see why. The super-skilled big man can do things that are rare in players his size. Displaying a tighter-than-expected handle with a nice crossover and good use of hesitation dribbles, he appears fully comfortable with the ball in his hands on the perimeter.

Thought that this was interesting article for this thread.

Damn, Randle's ball control is amazing for a player of his build! Another interesting big man to add to our little list so far. He's in a 2013 class.

Here's a video of him as well:

I was just looking at some prospects for the next year's draft, and I can't say that I'm thrilled with big guys that are entering the draft (at least with their size, not too many tall players). So, if we happen to have a bad year, I would love to see Harrison in Warriors' jersey. He's just kind of a player you don't miss out on, even though you have bigger needs at other positions.





Though, we all already know what he can do, but still, it's good to see his highlights, guy is a shooter, scorer, like old school players.

And here's Anthony Davis for the end, I'll stop here, I promise.



He's also a big guy, and a top prospect in next year's draft, but I wonder how much he can accomplish in the NBA, when in these games I saw here, he plays against guys that are far shorter and smaller than him.

Still, he has some nice moves, also good ball control, like he's not a PF, but SG or SF at least, and at 6-10. Big wingspan...all in all, has a lot of potential, just curious how he would look compared to some other good big guy.

Anthony Davis needs to get that unibrow under control. Looks like he could be the top pick next year if he can have a good college season. Even if he doesn't do great, I still see him getting picked high ala Derrick Favors

Dr. Spaceman wrote:Anthony Davis needs to get that unibrow under control. Looks like he could be the top pick next year if he can have a good college season. Even if he doesn't do great, I still see him getting picked high ala Derrick Favors

He reminds me of durant at 6'10 can realy handle the ball. But yeah, his Unibrow is about the same size as his wingspan.