Here are a couple of the better-known mock drafts: DraftExpress NBADraft.NET With those in mind, who do you think will be second-round steals this year? I like Willy Hernangomez, Sasha Vezenkov and Timothe Luwawu, but I think they'll go in the bottom of the first because (a) that's a good way to avoid giving a guaranteed contract to a possible scrub, and (b) if the international player is good, it's actually cheaper to get them with a first rounder than a second - Kostas Papanikoloau got $5M for his rookie season because he was a second-rounder. So here are my picks for second rounders/undrafteds who will actually play some time in the NBA (which makes them a steal, as most second rounders and practically all undrafteds don't). Alan Williams, UCSB - super rebounder, could stand to lose some weight, but very smart Josh Richardson, Tennessee - SF with PG skills, but possibly too slender/not super athletic enough Mam Jaiteh, France - good size but not deemed athletic enough Nikola (like seemingly everybody from the Balkans) Milutinov, Serbia - a skinny seven-footer with good D Cedi Osman, Turkey - The Turkish Brent Barry! Branden Dawson, MSU - severely offensively challenged, and a bit undersized for the 4 (so not listed AT ALL in either mock) but intense as hell, and MSU PFs are always undervalued. Defensive ace.
Cliff Alexander (6'8 PF/C, Kansas) Dakari Johnson (7'0" C, Kentucky) Vince Hunter (6'7" F, UTEP) Christian Wood (6'10" F, UNLV)
JP Tokoto. His shot was looking better and he's a great athlete with defensive potential. Every year it seems there's a 3 and D guy that's a second round steal. Last year it was KJ Mcdaniels (not much 3 but makes up for it with great athleticism and defense).
Hernangomez is a first-rounder. Potential steals: Danilo Fuzaro. Cedi Osman. Jonathan Holmes. Marc Garcia.
Why these guys though? I feel like everyone loves an international guy as their sleeper because of the mystery haha.. like because you don't know much it's like "we'll maybe they're hella good"
Osman has been a star in his age group - won MVP of an international (European, I think) U20 tourney. Fuzaro - I dunno. I can't help but think that his agent paid NBADraft.net to plug him coming up to the draft. He's played on Argentinian Brazilian (edit: that's as bad as calling a Scot English) youth teams but never as the star, and he's playing in South America, a hard place to get drafted out of.
gotcha. I don't know much about these 2nd round intl players but it always seems like some people overvalue what they do overseas thinking their skillsets will translate more than it actually does
Yes, I know, but (a) we often acquire them (as with Crabbe), and (b) what else are we going to talk about?
