<font size="3" color="#0000ff">2008 Top 10 Prospects</font></p> Lets see everyone's top 10 prospects for 2008.</p> Ill give my list and go into detail tomorrow.</p> #1 <font size="1">PG OJ Mayo - 6'5, 195 -<font color="#800000">USC</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#2 FMichael Beasley - 6'8, 210 - <font color="#800080">Kansas St </font><font color="#000000">#3 PG Derrick Rose - 6'4, 180 - </font><font color="#0000ff">Memphis</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#4 SG Chase Budinger - 6'7, 190 - <font color="#000080">Arizona</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#5 C Roy Hibbert - 7'2, 272 - <font color="#333399">Georgetown</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#6 SF Nicholas Batum - 6'8, 209 - Le Mans Sarthe Basket</font></p> <font size="1">#7 G Eric Gordon - 6'2, 190, <font color="#ff0000">Indiana</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#8 C Brook Lopez - 6'11, 230 - <font color="#800000">Stanford</font></font></p> <font size="1" color="#000000">#9 SF Danilo Gillanari - 6'9, 209 - Armi Jeans Milano</font></p> <font size="1">#10 PG Tywon Lawson - 5'11, 175 - <font color="#00ccff">North Carolina</font></font></p>
1 O.J. Mayo 2 Derrick Rose 3 Michael Beasley 4 Roy Hibbert 5 Chase Budinger 6 Eric Gordon 7 Nicolas Batum 8 Darell Arthur 9 Tywon Lawson 10 Brook Lopez </p>
I like Arthur, but not sure if he ends up top 10 if all these guys come out. He is due a breakout season at KU so who knows, he could be top 8 by June.
I'm not convinced Lawson is a top 10 pick and it doesn't feel like there are enough bigs in those top 10 lists</p> Jamont Gordon should be very impressive this season</p> Richard Hendrix is one of my sleepers for this draft. He has plenty of tools and if Steele is healthy, Hendrix should get plenty of touches</p> I'm a fan of DeVon Hardin, but I think Ryan Anderson will really benefit from having Hardin next to him for the full season and jump up the draft boards.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'> I'm not convinced Lawson is a top 10 pick and it doesn't feel like there are enough bigs in those top 10 lists</div></p> I am in the same boat as you. I think Lawson might bea lottery pick, but im not that high on him I just had to put him in my Top 10, until he proves otherwise during the season.</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I'm a fan of DeVon Hardin, but I think Ryan Anderson will really benefit from having Hardin next to him for the full season and jump up the draft boards.</div></p> Hardin has a lot of athletic ability, but he is very raw. He needs to work on his post moves and offense overall, but he can run, rebound, and block shots. As for Anderson I dont see him much more than a Pac-10 version of Nick Fazekas/Steve Novak. He needs a lot of work, but he is a very good shooter and on that Cal team he was the only legitimate offensive threat. I think if he has a year anywhere near his freshman year he needs to leave. Cal isnt going anywhere and Ben Braun just isnt a good coach. Anderson needs to capitalize on any success he has this season.</p>
Just to compare, here is the top 10 from the 2007 draft</p><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="357" height="222"><tbody><tr><th height="18" align="left">Pick</th><th height="18">Team</th><th height="18">Player</th><th height="18">Position</th></tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">1</td> <td height="20">Portland</td> <td height="20"> Greg Oden</td> <td height="20">C </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">2</td> <td height="20">Seattle</td> <td height="20"> Kevin Durant</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">3</td> <td height="20">Atlanta</td> <td height="20"> Al Horford</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">4</td> <td height="20">Memphis</td> <td height="20"> Mike Conley Jr.</td> <td height="20">G </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">5</td> <td height="20">Boston</td> <td height="20"> Jeff Green</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">6</td> <td height="20">Milwaukee</td> <td height="20"> Yi Jianlian</td> <td height="20">PF </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">7</td> <td height="20">Minnesota</td> <td height="20"> Corey Brewer</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">8</td> <td height="20">Charlotte</td> <td height="20"> Brandan Wright</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">9</td> <td height="20">Chicago</td> <td height="20"> Joakim Noah</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td height="20" align="left">10</td> <td height="20">Sacramento</td> <td height="20"> Spencer Hawes</td> <td height="20">C </td></tr></tbody></table> </p> Conley and Green weren't in the discussion of the top 10 this time last year. Hawes and Horford each had their fans, but weren't consensus. </p>
And that was in one of the best drafts in recent memory. This draft is deep with talent, but nothing like last year. I think you could see as many as 4 players suprise and jump into the top 10 this year, one of the main reasons is because Roy Hibbert is the only player above sophomore status in our Top 10's as well as most draft sites.
I heven't read up enough on OJ Mayo, but from what I read it says he is a big headcase. Do young NBA squads with early picks really want him is he is only out for #1?
Huge headcase from what I can see (throwing the ball into the stands after a dunk in the middle of the game?). Butitsquiteobvioushe'sanextremetalent.Iwouldn'tbesurprisedtosethe#1pickpasshimupandtakeBeasleyorRose#1.
Mayo has some problems, but I am not so sure I would label him a headcase. He isnt Ruben Patterson, but he is no angel.</p> I really like Derrick Rose, but I cant imagine a team picking #1 that doesnt need someone like Mayo on their team.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan)</div><div class='quotemain'>TClip, what is the word on Chase. Is he going to come out in this draft?</div> Chances are very good. Pretty much everyone around him feels that he will have a great year and will be declaring for the draft. That is also one of the reasons Arizona is going hard afterWillie Warrenin the 08 class, even though they dont have an open scholarsip right now.
right now top NCAA talent, haven't seen much international ball. I'm only doing my top 5. 1. Derrick Rose- Amazing all around talent, has that "it' factor about him 2. Michael Beasley-Great talent! Unlike the Durant's and Marvin William's of the world, he likes to bang down low, which is why I see him making a bigger impact than those two. 3. Eric Gordan- Explosive scorer, his shooting range is amazing, he has the best chance of being the best scorer in this draft. 4. Brook Lopez- the best 7 footer in the country is dominating his conference and has loads of upside.He'll put up Chris Kaman( 2008 version) in 3-5 years. 5. Donte Green- He has load of upside, it'll take him time, but once he gets it, hell be an excellent pro.
Everybody needs to look out for Stephen Curry of Davidson. In the game versus Georgetown, he just proved that he had major game. He's the one to watch for to surprise some people.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Jul 30 2007, 09:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'> Just to compare, here is the top 10 from the 2007 draft</ br></ br> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="222" width="357"> <tbody> <tr> <th align="left" height="18">Pick</th><th height="18">Team</th><th height="18">Player</th><th height="18">Position</th></tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">1</td> <td height="20">Portland</td> <td height="20"> Greg Oden</td> <td height="20">C </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">2</td> <td height="20">Seattle</td> <td height="20"> Kevin Durant</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">3</td> <td height="20">Atlanta</td> <td height="20"> Al Horford</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">4</td> <td height="20">Memphis</td> <td height="20"> Mike Conley Jr.</td> <td height="20">G </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">5</td> <td height="20">Boston</td> <td height="20"> Jeff Green</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">6</td> <td height="20">Milwaukee</td> <td height="20"> Yi Jianlian</td> <td height="20">PF </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">7</td> <td height="20">Minnesota</td> <td height="20"> Corey Brewer</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">8</td> <td height="20">Charlotte</td> <td height="20"> Brandan Wright</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">9</td> <td height="20">Chicago</td> <td height="20"> Joakim Noah</td> <td height="20">F </td> </tr> <tr height="20"> <td align="left" height="20">10</td> <td height="20">Sacramento</td> <td height="20"> Spencer Hawes</td> <td height="20">C </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </ br> </ br> </p> Conley and Green weren't in the discussion of the top 10 this time last year. Hawes and Horford each had their fans, but weren't consensus. </p></div> </ br> </ br>Green never should have been in the discussion of being in the top 10.
Oh how things change.... This freshman class turned out to be fairly underwhelming. Beasley was a monster but the rest of the insanely-hyped players were very good, not great though. With the basketball season at a close here's how I would rank the top 10 overall prospects of the 2008 draft. Mind you this is not who are the best players, nor where players will get drafted. Just who I believe are the top 10 draft prospects of the class taking into account potential. 1. Michael Beasley 2. Derrick Rose 3. Brook Lopez 4. OJ Mayo 5. DeAndre Jordan 6. Blake Griffin 7. Danilo Galinari 8. Jeryd Bayless 9. Eric Gordon 10. Batum/Westbrook
1. Michael Beasley 2. Derrick Rose 3. Brook Lopez 4. OJ Mayo 5. Blake Griffin 6. Eric Gordon 7. Jerryd Bayless 8. DeAndre Jordan 9. Nicolas Batum 10 Russell WestBrook