First guy we draft who seems to be above average defender. "Rayan Rupert is a really interesting wing prospect from great basketball bloodlines who is far from a finished product but flashes big upside and projects well to the next level. His season in the NBL was interrupted by a wrist injury but he’s already showed enough ability and flashes of upside to warrant a mid first round selection. Rupert is a prototypical 3&D wing with great length and a lot of versatility. He slides his feet well and has great lateral movement and overall agility. Has quick hands and gets a lot of deflections and steals. While he’s not yet a consistent enough 3pt shooter he does show a lot of promise and will likely become a very cable floor spacer at the next level. His ball handling and play-making ability are a bit underrated and I think he has a lot of untapped potential initiating offense."
"A French prospect, Rupert has the ability to play guard or wing. He stands at 6-foot-7 with a 7-3 wingspan, which is tremendous length. He’s also one of the younger prospects in this upcoming class, as he won’t turn 19 until right before the 2023 NBA Draft. Like many young players, Rupert’s shot is a work in progress. He’s a solid free throw shooter which is a good sign, but his shot doesn’t fall at an efficient rate from beyond the arc. His jumper is smooth and has a high release point, but the ball dips a bit too much and it takes Rupert to long to get the shot off. He’s improved as a rhythm shooter, but overall the shot selection can be poor at times for Rupert. As a driver, the French prospect is crafty and has the ability to finish well with both hands. With that in mind, he does struggle with contact and physicality in the paint. An emphasis for him moving forward will be to gain weight and get stronger. He doesn’t have a ton of elite dribble moves or the quickest first step, but still finds ways to get to the rim. One area of improvement we’ve seen from Rupert over the past two years is actually in the pick-and-roll. He’s certainly not a major creator of offense, but has gotten much better as the handler in those situations. Again, Rupert isn’t known for being a great facilitator but has shown flashes and generates decent assist numbers. Rupert does move well without the ball, which does help generate solid looks. One thing we think he can improve is rebounding efficiency. Given his size and length, Rupert should be pulling down more boards."
I guess the Murray pick is the one I don't understand. Scoot and Rupert are young, big upside guys. Murray more NBA ready but not much upside. are we still trying to straddle the fence?
Well this draft did not solve any of our needs. Grade C on player talent and a D for dumb for front office. Dallas made moves why can’t we.
