Rafael Araujo proved he's adjustable, a chameleon. So, when the NBA draft rolls around in June, what's to be expected of the big Brazilian? How good is this guy? And how good may he be at the next level? The answer may be found in looking at his potential ? his best days are ahead of him, he will be a first round draft pick, and he has all the tools to be successful, including attitude. Since Araujo ended his college season at the NCAA regional in Denver, a check with several NBA scouts and two player personnel types solidified pre-draft reports: The big guy will be a coveted selection. BYU standout big man Rafael Araujo is expected to be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft. Stuart Johnson, Deseret Morning News Last week, BYU head coach Steve Cleveland gave his perspective of why Araujo might succeed in the NBA. Speaking at a team banquet, Cleveland said in more than 26 years coaching at every level, he'd never had an athlete improve in every aspect of his game and life than Araujo had in the two seasons he had him. Full Article There's a lot of talk around him, and he shows a lot of promise. What do you guys think of his future in the NBA?
I like this guy a hell of a lot, he's one of my favorite college players. I heard from Supersonic that his defense isn't really that good. I know for sure though that he's a rebounding and scoring monster threat. He's definitely got the build and smarts to do well on any team, as a starter. I feel he'd play well with almost any team, I compare him mostly to Pau Gasol, kind of lanky, questionable defense but a great team player, who works well on the boards and in the post.
Well, for starters, His size will be coveted. The guys a mini-house in the paint. Big strong boy. He's already developed a decent short hook and he likes to rebound. Footwork is in need, but he's at the average or ahead of it for someone with his experience, IMO. Being a BYU player decreases the likelyhood that he's got disciplinary problems and by all accounts, he's a great kid, from both a team and person standpoint. He could easily end up being mid-lottery, IMO.
His defense is very questionable, but like hagrid said, he has a valuable asset in his size. Teams will show a lot of interest, I would forsee him going anywhere between picks 10-20, depending on workouts and the like. He may even sneak into the top 10 if his workouts are strong, and guys like Deng and Livingston end up at college next season. EDIT - I keep spelling your name with a capital 'H'
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">His defense is very questionable</div> From an overall standpoint, I can see that as a pretty valid point. I think he's got some decent shot blocking skills though, which will help him and the rest is just willingness to learn. I'm pretty sure he's got the tools to succeed, he just has to have the desire to. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">EDIT - I keep spelling your name with a capital 'H' </div> It's nice that you noticed. It's not a problem though. I keep it lower case for personal reasons, but don't take offense to anyone capitalizing it. Many people view capitalizing someone's name when referencing them as a general sign of manners/respect. IMO, you can't really fault people for going that route.
Araujo may be the most NBA ready big man in this draft. I see him somewhere between Eddy Curry and Lonny Baxter. He's more talented than Baxter, and he's got a better head on his shoulders than Curry, but I don't see him having a lot of upside left. Right now I've got Araujo in that 11-20 range. While the Warriors will most likely draft big, they're more likely to go with a guy who has more upside, like Perovic, Podkolzine, Ramos or Samardziski. I'd generally be surprised if Araujo went in the lottery, but I could see a team getting infatuated with him and picking him high. Seattle and Portland see like the most likely candidates. You'd have to go up to #8 (Toronto) to find another team that needed a big man who was bulky and could produce right away.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Seattle and Portland see like the most likely candidates.</div> I'm not following that part. With Rahim, Ratliff, Miles, Davis, Woods and Randolph, I would tend to think that Portland would be looking for guards.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm not following that part. With Rahim, Ratliff, Miles, Davis, Woods and Randolph, I would tend to think that Portland would be looking for guards.</div> Rahim, Ratliff, and Davis will all be entering the last years of their contracts next season. All of them are overpaid, and the only one I could see staying in Portland is Ratliff, but not if he gets offered more money by another team. Miles can't play center and may not resign anyway, and Woods is a small forward. Araujo and Randolph would give Portland two big space eaters at the 4 and 5. You're right in that Portland could go after a guard, but they already have Anderson and Patterson signed to long term deals. They also have a young pg in Dickau, who is a local guy. And, unless Nelson falls to them, I don't see a pg in the draft who is clearly better than Dickau. Since most of Portland's big contracts come off the books after next year, who they draft this year will probably be the first clue as to what free agents they're targeting in the '05 offseason. Off the top of my head, I know Ray Allen and Tracy McGrady would be available. So I think Portland is most likely to draft a pg or c this year. I think they have enough young talent and/or long term contracts at sg, sf, and pf to keep them from drafting someone at any of those positions.
I knew Davis would be gone, but didn't think that they might not be trying to retain Rahim and/or Ratliff. Thanks for the info!
Before some irrate Portland fans tears me a new one, allow me to qualify... This is just a Warrior fan's take on what will probably happen in Portland. Paul Allen has said he wants to clean up the team's image and he the days of free spending were over. Well, Ratliff and Rahim have certainly helped polish the Blazers image from a PR standpoint. But my bet is that Rahim is gone because he hasn't been able to play in the same line up as Randolph, and while its nice that Rahim said he'd come off the bench, I don't think he meant the rest of his career. And even if he did, Allen isn't going to pay 15+ million a year for a benchwarmer. The Blazers like Miles more than Rahim anyway, so if they can resign Miles this year and plug him in at the starting sf spot with Woods and Outlaw backing him up, there's just no room for Rahim. The team would be better off using his 14.6 expiring contract as trade bait. As for Ratliff, I need to backtrack a bit. He's really played well in Portland and the fans love him, but he's still making 11 mil next year. Given the fact that revenues are down, there are only two centers in the league that deserve to make that much money: Shaq and Yao. So while Ratliff is definatlely going to have to take a pay cut on his next contract, no matter where he signs, Portland is probably still one of the teams that is most likely to overpay for Ratliff. So the Blazers are going to have to get a feel for whether Ratliff will resign and for how much (I believe directly asking him would be a violation of the CBA, but I'm not quite sure) before the draft. But even if he did indicate that he would resign in the 7-9 mil range, the Blazers may still want to darft Araujo so they can have a back up at the 4/5 or a replacement 5 if Ratliff leaves. Then they could move Rahim and his 14.6 in cap space in exchange for their future starting pg once Stoudemire's contract is off the books next year. Actually, I've been hearing quite a few fan generated Rahim to the Warriors for Van Exel, but I really don't like those and I'm already far enough off topic as it is... Back on Araujo...he's big, and despite what nbadraft.net is now projecting, you'll see a bunch of centers go in the lottery based entirely on upside. That should push Araujo down to the late lottery to mid/late first round. I'm guessing he'll be one of those guys who comes in and makes the NBA rookie first or second team because he's more prepared for the NBA than most rookies, especially rookie big men, and he'll be going to a team that's already pretty good. Man, it would be a coup for Utah to get him with one of their picks: fan faovorite, can come right in and replace Ostertage, makes you wonder how Jerry Sloan does it...
Araujo is the man! I watched almost every game he played in this year, and he isn't afraid of anyone or anything. He isn't the most vocal leader because of the difficult transition of learning the English language, but he sets the tone. He is one of the only true bigmen in the draft, so I would select him in that 10-20 range...
