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Mock NBA Draft

The Knicks have the 19th pick.
Juzang from UCLA is shooting terribly at the combine. In 2 scrimmages he was 5 of 23 or something. I wonder if he returns to UCLA.
Chris, did you see where Hurt and Steward dropped in he athletic part of the combine?
 
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Chris, did you see where Hurt and Steward dropped in he athletic part of the combine?
No how did they do? The article I read noted several risers and neither was mentioned. The Texas big man and the Baylor guard impressed.
 
No how did they do? The article I read noted several risers and neither was mentioned. The Texas big man and the Baylor guard impressed.
The article I read just stated Hurt and Steward did below expectations at the athletic portion and noted Jalen had boosted his stock. I see where the Baylor guard could now go top five .
 
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I saw Barnes play in high school and really liked him. Wasn't he on Carey's high school team?
 
According to ESPN Steward had a very poor combine and will not get drafted. Any chance he returns to Duke or is that bridge burned?
 
Its strange. The NBA scouts are saying he's too small and can't play pg or defense at the next level. Like we said all year. (I did say he'd go, but in no way thought he should.)
 
In an ideal world for him, Steward transfers to a school where he can play 40 min. a game at point guard. But I don't think he wants to be in college.
 
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I must have missed the bridge burning stuff.
My personal opinion on it is that, at this juncture, bringing a guy that clearly doesn’t want to be there, into, what (by all reports) seems to be a pretty cohesive and driven group, just wouldn’t work in the best Interests of the team. Without beating a dead horse, he got awful advice and left and hired an agent. I don’t see that as a guy who would relish the opportunity to return and accept his role whole heartedly on the team.
 
Timo, although I agree with you, sometimes young adults make mistakes and learn from those life lessons. This is a big one for DJ.

At the college level is was a scorer though at times he was inconsistent. He was a good rebounder for his size and he was a high energy guy. But he didn't gain any wt or strength and this team is build to not get "knocked back"

I wish him the best.
 
Not going to knock the kid, but I agree him coming back could cause chemistry issues. It would be like announcing a transfer and then returning. Testing the waters is different. But announcing it and hiring an agent, that is going all in on leaving. So even though I think his shooting would help us, perhaps it is best for all if he moves on. And I wish him well. Let Keels develop, and hopefully we don't go 0 for 15 from 3 in a tournament game wishing we had Steward back. :)
 
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Timo, although I agree with you, sometimes young adults make mistakes and learn from those life lessons. This is a big one for DJ.

At the college level is was a scorer though at times he was inconsistent. He was a good rebounder for his size and he was a high energy guy. But he didn't gain any wt or strength and this team is build to not get "knocked back"

I wish him the best.
Certainly. And I’m not knocking him, he made a terrible business decision. Whoever “advised” him was in the wrong just as much or more so.

If he returns to college, it will be via transfer and i do wish the kid the best, it just won’t be at Duke.
 
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That would be tough to watch him light it up at another school. Shooting from the backcourt is our big question mark.
 
That would be tough to watch him light it up at another school. Shooting from the backcourt is our big question mark.
I mentioned this on the premium board, but steward can not return to college due to signing with a non approved agency that had not been vented by the NCAA. Unless they did away with that rule which I just read the article yesterday.
From what I’ve read a lot of scouts wanted him to return to college and work on multiple parts of his game and become more of a combo then just a scoring guard .
 
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Hopefully with the NIL rules allowing kids to make money they’ll be more motivated to stay in school.
 
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Hopefully with the NIL rules allowing kids to make money they’ll be more motivated to stay in school.
I do think that will be one positive result. But it will be choppy waters for a while trying to figure it all out for many.
 
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He seemed like he loved playing for Duke. Maybe he just hated the academic aspect. If so, we really can't fault him for that. And, it's not like he had issues with academic eligibility. Lots of kids don't fit into an academic scene. We don't criticize kids who jump straight into a job or the military.
As for him being welcomed back, agent hiring aside, K took Kevin Strickland back after announcing that he was transferring and that worked out very well.
 
It's the most head scratching draft decision that I can think of at Duke. Guys like Bolden, Duval, and Jackson had NBA size and athleticism. Steward did have good numbers as a freshman, but maybe with Roach there he figured he would never play point guard? If he wanted to play PG then he could have transferred. So he must just want to play pro ball, wherever that is. I imagine the agent gets a decent cut of his money, so that money now is even smaller. I wish him luck and hope he does not become a cautionary tale.
 
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Juzang returning to UCLA. They pretty much have their whole team back, plus a good big man transfer and a top 10 freshman wing.
 
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I clearly understand the benefits of the new NIL rules if you are a top college player. Obviously a guy like Zion would have made a boatload of cash in endorsements. But realistically how much could a player of Stewart's caliber expect to earn while in college? I just can't imagine Nike or Gatorade knocking down his door to get his name on a shoe or a sports drink. Maybe I am missing something.

* I am not picking on DJ, just using him as an example being just one of hundreds who are probably in the same situation.
 
I clearly understand the benefits of the new NIL rules if you are a top college player. Obviously a guy like Zion would have made a boatload of cash in endorsements. But realistically how much could a player of Stewart's caliber expect to earn while in college? I just can't imagine Nike or Gatorade knocking down his door to get his name on a shoe or a sports drink. Maybe I am missing something.

* I am not picking on DJ, just using him as an example being just one of hundreds who are probably in the same situation.
It’s a good question. I’m not sure anyone knows. I think that’s what makes it the wild Wild West. Eventually the market will work itself out, but right now it’s just everyone on both sides scrambling to get any piece of the action they can.
 
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Wow that is surprising. I wonder if NIL had anything to do with it. Now he can come back and still make loot.
He struggled in the combine. From ESPN -

Juzang struggled to carry the momentum from his NCAA tournament run with UCLA into Chicago. He shot just 4-for-13 from 2, 1-for-8 from 3 and showed he still has room to improve as both a decision-maker and defender. Becoming a more attentive on-and-off-ball defender will also go a long way in maximizing his 3-and-D potential given his tools at 6-7 with a 6-11 wingspan. While Juzang would surely garner interest throughout the second round if he elects to stay in the 2021 draft with his size, length and scoring ability, proving himself as a knockdown shooter, facilitator and defender next season could help elevate him to a first-round pick in 2022 with another year in Westwood.
 
A lot of players are withdrawing and returning to their original school. This draft is so guard and wing heavy that if you don’t have a guarantee from a team you should return.
 
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He seemed like he loved playing for Duke. Maybe he just hated the academic aspect. If so, we really can't fault him for that. And, it's not like he had issues with academic eligibility. Lots of kids don't fit into an academic scene. We don't criticize kids who jump straight into a job or the military.
As for him being welcomed back, agent hiring aside, K took Kevin Strickland back after announcing that he was transferring and that worked out very well.
I think you mean Phil Henderson. Strickland was never transferring.
 
Not sure where to put this but I hope JJ doesn’t get drafted in the 1st and I had to turn the channel becuase; just the sound of JRs voice makes me wanna scratch my eye balls out :)
 
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