the official Dwayne Wade <<<<<< you thread

Lol JR Smith. Apparently it won't last long Mike Woodson told him to change it before the season starts

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Good article discussing Point Guards: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-PG-130808/debating-nba-point-guards

1. LeBron James, Miami Heat
Projected 2013-14 WARP: 23.2

Really, what can you say? The undisputed best player in the world has shown nothing resembling signs of slippage, and if you asked me who will win the MVP award in the coming season, I'd take James over the field. Remember, James played most of his minutes at power forward last year -- no one should be surprised he tops the list here instead of at the 3. We discussed why he's a PF instead of SF here.

Griffin

2. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Projected 2013-14 WARP: 11.7

ATH is forecasting a .633 winning percentage for Griffin, which would be the highest of his career, but would also be in roughly the same range of his last two campaigns. Griffin's skills have improved early in his NBA career even as his otherworldly athleticism dominates the highlight reels. He's coming off a career-best assist rate and his free throw shooting has gotten better. However, Griffin's rebounding has fallen off and, frankly, he's never been as dominant in that area as I thought he'd be coming out of Oklahoma. Griffin's established level of performance is so good that you don't want to nitpick, but a more sustained effort on defense and on the boards could propel Griffin toward MVP contention. New coach Doc Rivers might be just the guy to coax that out of him.

Davis

3. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.7

Davis was as good as advertised. There have been just 23 first-year seasons in which a player has posted a .600 or better winning percentage in 1,800 or more minutes during the 3-point era. Davis was at .624, though injuries limited him to the fewest minutes of the players on the list, which is a who's who of eventual Hall of Famers like Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley. And here's the other standout number from the list: Davis was younger than any of the other 22 players.

Love

4. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.6

If healthy, Love will likely challenge Griffin and probably Tim Duncan for first on the list of non-LeBron power forwards. Health is his biggest issue, as he's missed at least nine games in each of the last four seasons. That limits his games forecast to 65 for the coming season, and you also have to wonder if all the maladies will have a cumulative effect. He's just 25, though, and chances are he'll be back in the 15-16 win range this season.

Duncan

5. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.5

It's hard to explain how a player can have a breakout season at age 37, but Duncan did it. The most amazing statistic of the entire NBA season was that Duncan blocked 6.4 percent of opponents' 2-point shots. His previous career best was 4.8 percent. ATH predictably sees a regression coming, but not much of one. The resurgence in athletic indicators tells me that Duncan is going to be Duncan until he decides to stop playing.

Anderson

6. Ryan Anderson, New Orleans Pelicans

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.4

Last season, the big question for Anderson was how much of his efficiency was tethered to Dwight Howard when they teamed up in Orlando. In his first season with New Orleans, Anderson's game changed, but he was still really good. He used more possessions, and his shooting efficiency inside the arc dipped under the weight of the added volume. Anderson's rebound rate declined as well as he shared the boards with Robin Lopez and Anthony Davis. ATH sees Anderson moving back toward his Orlando level of efficiency, but I'd be surprised if that happened. Nevertheless, he's an immensely valuable player.

Faried

7. Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.3

Because they're so dissimilar stylistically, you'd never equate Anderson with Faried, but they had somewhat similar stories in 2012-13. Like Anderson, Faried's efficiency fell off, though his increase in volume wasn't usage-related, as it was instead due to playing more than twice as many minutes as he did as a rookie. ATH sees Faried stepping up on defense and recovering the loss in true shooting percentage, a combination which would give him his first double-digit WARP season. A caveat: Faried needs to stay out of foul trouble.

Smith

8. Josh Smith, Detroit Pistons

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 9.7

I was tempted to put Smith with the small forwards, though he's played the 3 position in only short stints in recent seasons. Detroit's grand plan isn't quite clear, so I thought it best to leave Smith where he's been. We've long known Smith's game is undermined by his inability to avoid or make long jumpers, and it's hard to see how a change in base position will help him in that regard.

Ibaka

9. Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 9.6

Ibaka's game evolved as he spent more time on the perimeter on offense, using possessions 2.5 percent more often with a career-best true shooting percentage of .611. He knocked down an unreal 59 percent of his 2-point shots, a rate that isn't likely to be repeated. Also, Ibaka's overall rebound rate has declined in every season of his career. Nevertheless, he's a fine player with an established WARP level of around 10 per season and a perfect complement to the star duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Anthony

10. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 9.2

Anthony hit 11 WARP last season, the first double-digit season of his career. His offensive efficiency spiked with his position shift, and his acceptance of the move. The downside of the tweak is Anthony's lack of defensive acumen. His defensive rebounding was fine when he was a 3, but one position over, it doesn't look too good. Anthony does, without a doubt, score a lot of points. Make of that what you will.

Next five: LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, Dirk Nowitzki, Zach Randolph, David Lee

The power forward position is loaded right now, so you have an awfully impressive "next five" at this position. Aldridge is coming off a down season on the offensive end, with drops in 2-point percentage and foul-drawing. ATH sees a recovery in both instances. Millsap is steady and his shift to Atlanta is predicted to impact his value one way or another. Nowitzki is five years past his peak levels of 17-19 WARP per season. If healthy, he can still push double digits, which is nothing to cry about. ATH, however, sees age taking a further toll on Nowitzki's production.

Randolph has been off his game the past two seasons. His team has done so well that we've hardly noticed. As for Lee, his team's success without him in last season's playoffs tells me it's time for him to return to the lower-usage, uber-efficient style of play he had in his early days with the Knicks.

Also notable: Derrick Favors, Kevin Garnett, David West

Favors' winning percentage jumped from .532 to .561 in his age-22 season, and with the depth chart in Utah now wide open, he might be poised to establish himself as a foundation player. He's going to have to cut his foul rate, but that often comes when a player moves from a part-time role into the starting lineup.

Garnett is still an effective player and a defensive anchor, but he's facing a likely cut in minutes and a diminished offensive role in Brooklyn. West had his best season in 2012-13 and is a big part of the equation in Indiana. He turns 33 before the season, and ATH is seeing a pretty alarming degree of regression.

1. Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets
Projected 2013-14 WARP: 13.2

Howard is coming off his worst season since his rookie year, and ATH has him bouncing back to a level roughly equivalent to his third season. Because of his history of back trouble, you can't dismiss last year's dip in rebound rate as a fluke. However, his block rate was higher, so not all the athletic indicators were down. Howard's foul-drawing rate is always hard to read because of how often he is intentionally fouled, but it was strong last year as well. In his last fully healthy season, Howard put up 20.5 WARP, and that's the championship-caliber center the Rockets hoped they signed this summer.
Drummond

2. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 10.1

Drummond was a monster in limited minutes last year and he was a monster during the Orlando Summer League. Obviously, the ATH system is highly enamored of his abilities. Much of his projected value stems from huge block and rebound rates. He's also a standout in foul-drawing and steals, which makes him 4-for-4 in the categories ATH looks at as athletic markers. Like many a raw, athletic big man before him, Drummond's weak spot is at the line, where he is forecast to hit just 37 percent of his free throws this season.

Drummond's playing time projection also is murky. I've got him as the starting center on Detroit's depth chart, with Greg Monroe moving over to the 4 and Josh Smith to the 3. If that alignment doesn't work out because of spacing problems, new coach Maurice Cheeks will have some hard decisions to make.

Cousins

3. DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Projected 2013-14 WARP: 8.7

Cousins has become gradually more accurate from the field as his career progressed but his overall value, strong as it is, is held back by traits identified with lack of discipline: shot selection, turnovers and fouls. The important thing is that the trends in all these areas have generally been positive, with the exception of turnovers. Cousins needs to stop undermining his court time with foul trouble, but if new coach Mike Malone can use Cousins in a way that accentuates his strengths, the upside is immense.

Horford

4. Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 8.3

After an injury-shortened 2011-12 season, Horford was mostly healthy last year and had a typical Horford season. During three of the past four years, he has posted winning percentages between .558 and .565, marking his career .603 season in 2010-11 as an outlier. Horford can approach that level of value simply by fixing a strangely broken free throw stroke after shooting 9 percent worse than any other season of his career. Perhaps the loss of confidence at the charity stripe explains why Horford became more jump-shot oriented than ever before.

Noah

5. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 8.1

Noah became a central figure in Chicago's offense last season in Derrick Rose's absence, with the offense often running through Noah's fine passing skills from the high post. That led to a spike in assist rate that won't be repeated with Rose back in action. At the same time, a return to typical levels of usage and a focus on offensive rebounding can up Noah's efficiency and help him avoid a slight, age-related decline. One thing seems certain, and coach Tom Thibodeau has said as much: Noah's minutes will be managed more carefully in the coming season.

Monroe

6. Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 8.0

We're still trying to figure out what Monroe will be, and with Drummond ready to break out, this is the time to find out. Monroe's WARP totals in three seasons thus far have been 6.6, 12.3 and 8.4 respectively. Last season, Monroe's efficiency fell because of his lack of a consistent face-up shot and insistence on trying more of them. Over a third of Monroe's attempts as a pro have come outside the vicinity of the rim, and he's hit just 32 percent of those shots. He needs to become a midrange threat to fit with Drummond and take advantage of his solid passing skills. Monroe improving his stroke might be the most important piece of Detroit's puzzle.

Jefferson

7. Al Jefferson, Charlotte Bobcats

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 7.8

Sometimes I think we become so fixated on what Jefferson isn't good at -- defense -- that we lose sight of the fact that he's a very good interior scorer during a time in which that skill is in short supply. It feels like Jefferson has been around a long time, but in fact he's almost the same age as Noah. Sure, Jefferson needs to excise some of the bad jumpers out of his game but then again, he's always stuck on bad teams starving for the points. Unfortunately, that may not change right away in Charlotte.

McGee

8. JaVale McGee, Denver Nuggets

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 7.3

Statistically, McGee was underused by George Karl last season, but the fact of the matter is that Denver's starting five functioned better with Kosta Koufos in the middle. Well, Koufos is gone, as is Karl, and this is the season we'll find out if McGee can turn his fine part-time production into a full-time, star-making role on a good team.

Gasol

9. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 7.2

Gasol really came into his own last season and his projected decline is one of the more perplexing results ATH spit out this summer. It's not a defensive regression -- his defensive rating is actually forecast to improve from 106.1 to 105.4. At 7-1, 265 pounds, Gasol is part of a distinct historical group, one that portends a regression in athletic factors at age 29. He's still a fine player, but the Grizzlies can't really withstand a four-win decline from him.

Bosh

10. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Projected 2013-14 WARP: 6.8

Bosh is a jump-shooting big man, soft on the boards and isn't an elite rim protector. He's also capable of doing much more than he's asked to do on the Heat; just how much is no longer clear after his three seasons as the third option in Miami. One of the most interesting stories in the Miami season will be whether Dwyane Wade is babied through the regular season, and if so, whether Bosh will be able to pick up the slack.

Next five: Anderson Varejao, Pau Gasol, Tyson Chandler, Brook Lopez, DeAndre Jordan

The solid but unspectacular rankings of four of these five centers can be explained by age, injuries, a skill set too slanted toward one end of the floor, or all the above. But all of them can help teams win.

The one player I want to pinpoint here is Lopez, who I think subjectively should be in the top 10. Lopez went from two seasons of just under a .500 winning percentage (in 82 and five games, respectively) to .629 last year. The most impressive part of that gain was his improved rebounding and shot-blocking, and I'd be surprised to see him regress as ATH forecasts him to do. Like all the Nets, his usage rate is projected to fall because of the new lineup, but if Jason Kidd is smart, he'll keep the offense focused around Lopez and Deron Williams, while Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett fill roles. If that happens, Lopez is easily a top-five center.

Also notable: Roy Hibbert, Andrew Bynum

The players I get the most guff about are the ones freshest in our memories. Hibbert was so good against Miami in the Eastern Conference finals that we forget how rough most of his regular season was, when he hit just 44.9 percent on 2-point shots. Two of Hibbert's last three seasons have been similar, so ATH's pessimism is understandable. While his offensive performance is variable, Hibbert is clearly one of the most valuable defenders in the league and I still think we have a way to go to properly value that kind of player statistically.

As for Bynum, I think we all understand what's holding back his projection. Keep in mind Bynum's 2011-12 WARP, before last year's missed campaign: 12.1. A healthy Bynum is an All-Star player.

Yes, Ryan Anderson > Carmelo and McGee > Marc

Thanks for posting these man, incredibly funny.

BTW, JR looks a idiot but making him cutting it is too far and completely over steps a coaches boundaries.

A Valdano quite comes to mind.

"Passarella is my friend, but I’m an even greater friend of freedom."

Said after Passarella dropped Redondo from the NT for refusing to cut his hair.

^ I agree on that. I understand wanting your employees to look professional but this isn't a Fortune 500 company, it's the NBA. What's next, limiting tattoos? But J.R. changed it already... to red

and I knew they would overrate Ryan Anderson lolool

It's clear they got Center right though No but really I would've had Drummond about 6th. Howard, Gasol, Noah, Cousins, Hibbert, Drummond. I really wouldn't be surprised if he finished as the 2nd best center though.

I'd take out Monroe(he's a PF now), McGee and put Lopez and Hibbert in the top 10 and you don't have a bad list.

Better discussion on the NBA's centers(except for the 2 guys who think Davis is a center ): http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-C-130809/debating-nba-center-position

2014 NBA DRAFT BIG BOARD: By: Chad Ford

The 2014 NBA draft is going to be epic. Our initial 2014 Big Board is one of the most talent-laden I've ever seen. There are as many as five to eight future All-Stars in this group. A number of teams deliberately gutted their rosters this summer to try to get as high as possible in the 2014 lottery. It's going to be big.

The day after the draft, we debuted our first Top 100 of 2014. The Top 100 is a reflection on the consensus of NBA scouts and general managers about a player's relative value in the draft. The Top 100 debuts each year the day after the NBA draft and is finalized the day of the draft.

The Big Board is different. This is a more detailed look at the top 30 players (essentially the first round of the NBA draft) in our Top 100. It tracks player movement and stock fluctuation and is filled with the latest intel from NBA scouts. The biggest takeaway from the first Board for 2014? Not only is the top of the draft stacked, but Kentucky is unbelievably talented.

We have seven Kentucky players in our Big Board -- something that's never happened before. So here it is, our first Big Board for the 2014 draft.

1
Andrew Wiggins
SCHOOL: Kansas
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-8, 195
POS: SG
Freshman: No stats

Wiggins begins the year as the consensus No. 1 player on our Big Board. In fact, many scouts believe he's the best young prospect to come into the draft since Kevin Durant. Wiggins is blessed with extreme athleticism. You hear names such as Vince Carter and Dominique Wilkins when people talk about his explosive leaping abilities. Wiggins is also a polished scorer who can shoot the 3 and get to the basket. His only weakness is that he appears to lack the same killer instinct that elite wings such as Kobe Bryant possess. But he's young. Wiggins skipped both national team commitments and camps this summer and, instead, enrolled early at KU. Fans might have to be patient as he figures out how to fit into a pretty loaded Jayhawks squad, but he's going to have to stumble pretty badly to fall out of this spot on our Big Board.

PLAYER CARD

2
Julius Randle
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-9, 225
POS: PF
Freshman: No stats

In a normal year, Randle would be the consensus No. 1 player in the draft. He's that good. He has size, strength, athleticism and a well-rounded game; power forwards like Randle don't come along very often. Head coach John Calipari might have to convince Randle to stay in the paint and take fewer 3-pointers. Still, he's expected to anchor a ridiculously talented Kentucky squad this season. Like Wiggins, Randle decided to forgo any summer league play and focus on Kentucky. Despite the talent on the team, scouts expect him to quickly assert himself as the alpha dog. He should provide a serious challenge to Wiggins for the No. 1 pick in the draft.

PLAYER CARD

3
Dante Exum
COUNTRY: Australia
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-6, 188
POS: PG
18.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG at FIBA U-19s

Exum had the biggest summer of any player on the Big Board. He was awesome in the FIBA U-19 championships this summer, averaging 18 PPG and nearly 4.0 APG. A 33-point game against Spain in the quarterfinals and a 28-point game in the bronze-medal game versus Lithuania were highlights. He seems to have the perfect blend of size, athleticism and skill to play either the point or the 2. Add in his rangy defense, and he's a true two-way player. He graduates from high school in December and, technically, if he wanted to he could join an NCAA team for the second half of the season. However, he may not have to. He impressed scouts enough this summer that he seems like a lock to be a top-5 pick if he declares for the draft. He's also a dark horse for the No. 1 pick.

PLAYER CARD

4
Jabari Parker
SCHOOL: Duke
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-8, 241
POS: SF
Freshman: No stats

Parker, not Wiggins, is the one who once graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Two years ago, he would've been the No. 1 guy on the board. But Parker's growth leveled out, scouts began to question his athleticism and upside and that combination has caused him to slide a few spots here. Make no mistake, Parker can play. In fact, he might be the most well-rounded player in this class -- think a better version of the Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter.
PLAYER CARD

5
Marcus Smart
SCHOOL: Oklahoma State
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-4, 225
POS: PG
15.4 PPG
5.8 RPG
4.2 APG

Smart shocked everyone in April when he decided to forgo a likely top-2 selection in the 2013 NBA draft and return to Oklahoma State for his sophomore season. Some saw Smart's decision as bizarre, but to many NBA scouts Smart's choice to return is a testament to his great character. Smart felt he wasn't ready to dominate the NBA. He wanted to improve his jumper, cut down on his turnovers and, most importantly, he wanted to lead the Cowboys to a national championship. Nevertheless, scouts who watched Smart at the FIBA U-19 championships and Team USA minicamp came away wondering if he'll really improve. His jump shot and handle still were pretty shaky and scouts were already picking apart his game. If Smart fixes his weaknesses, he, too, will make a compelling case for the top overall pick -- especially if the team that lands No. 1 needs a point guard.
PLAYER CARD

6
Aaron Gordon
SCHOOL: Arizona
AGE: 17
HT/WT: 6-8, 210
POS: PF
Freshman: No stats

The hardest player to leave out of the top five was Gordon. Why? Gordon looks like a young clone of Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin. After Wiggins, Gordon might be the most athletic player in the draft, he plays with a huge motor and is very scrappy. Gordon was, arguably, the best player on Team USA's U-19 squad, leading the team in both points per game (12.6) and rebounds (6.3). Gordon's lack of size for his position and a shaky perimeter game are the two things that keep him from being ranked higher. Arizona plans to play him at small forward this season. If he can make the transition, he's going very, very high.
PLAYER CARD

7
Andrew Harrison
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-5, 207
POS: PG
Freshman: No stats

Harrison is the last player in this group that scouts are convinced is a sure-fire All-Star. Blessed with size, athleticism and terrific court vision, Harrison is the prototypical point guard of the future. The only things pushing his ranking down are question marks about his attitude and work ethic. Kentucky head coach John Calipari has a way of righting wrongs, however, and most scouts feel that a season at Kentucky is exactly what Harrison needs to polish up his resume. He should be Smart's top competitor for the top point guard in the draft.
PLAYER CARD

8
Joel Embiid
SCHOOL: Kansas
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 7-0, 240
POS: C
Freshman: No stats

Louisville head coach Rick Pitino is on record as saying Embiid has a chance to be the No. 2 pick in the draft. The scouts I talked to aren't quite ready to go there yet, but they are very, very intrigued. Embiid is the riskiest player in the Top 10, but next to Wiggins, he might have the most long-term potential. Embiid wowed scouts at the McDonald's game and in practices for the Nike Hoop Summit, as well as at adidas Nations. He has rapidly moved up in the rankings. His feel for the game is still a work in progress, but the physical tools are convincing. He has a 7-foot-5 wingspan, is a fluid athlete and is more skilled than one would think. If Bill Self can get him up to speed quickly and get him to play hard all the time, he's the top center prospect in the draft.
PLAYER CARD

9
Dario Saric
COUNTRY: Croatia
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-10, 223
POS: SF
7.7 PPG
6.1 RPG
2.1 APG

Saric pulled out of the 2013 draft at the withdrawal deadline and opted to return to Croatia for another season despite a promise from an NBA team that he'd be drafted in the lottery. The early thinking was that the move was a mistake because the 2013 draft was weaker than 2014 projects to be. However, many scouts believe another year at Cibona will allow Saric to make his case that he's the best young international player in the world. He started the season off really slowly and ended it strongly, one international scout said. "Next season, if he plays like he did in March and April, he's going to be a top-10 pick. He's just too talented. Saric certainly made his case this summer with the Croatian U-19 national team. He was second in the tournament in scoring at 20.3 PPG, first in rebounds at 11.2 RPG and first in assists at 4.9 APG. That's an impressive feat. For Saric's critics, they'll point out he also led the tournament in turnovers, as well. Still, most scouts walked away from his performance still believing he's a top-10 pick next year.
PLAYER CARD

10
Chris Walker
SCHOOL: Florida
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-9, 195
POS: SF
Freshman: No stats

Like Embiid, Walker is an upside player. Blessed with elite athletic abilities and length, the question for him will be whether he can make the transition from the 4 to the 3. If he can get his jump shot falling with regularity (and if he can get cleared academically by the NCAA), he'll be a very attractive pick for teams looking for a Paul George-esque wing.

PLAYER CARD

11
Montrezl Harrell
SCHOOL: Louisville
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-8, 235
POS: PF
5.7 PPG
3.6 RPG
0.7 BPG

Harrell had a coming out party of sorts in the NCAA tournament and followed it up with another terrific performance for Team USA in the U-19 championships. Harrell was the third leading scorer for Team USA (10.6 PPG) and showed incredible energy. He has so many traits scouts love in a big man -- athleticism, toughness and a terrific motor. He's still a bit raw offensively, but he's a force of nature in the paint.
PLAYER CARD

12
Gary Harris
SCHOOL: Michigan State
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-4, 210
POS: SG
12.9 PPG
2.5 RPG
1.4 APG

Harris would've been a lottery pick had he declared for the 2013 draft after his freshman season, but there's reason to believe he can actually improve his status with another year in school. Despite averaging nearly 13 PPG and shooting 41 percent from 3-point range, Harris struggled with a shoulder injury all year that limited his productivity. Harris has been rehabbing his shoulder all summer and is now back in the gym. His defense, toughness and shooting ability all make him a highly coveted asset in 2014.
PLAYER CARD

13
Glenn Robinson III
SCHOOL: Michigan
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-6, 210
POS: SF
11.0 PPG
5.4 RPG
1.1 APG

Like Harris, Robinson also would've been a likely lottery pick in 2013. He is one of the best athletes in the country and quietly put together a terrific freshman season at Michigan. With Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. off to the NBA, the burden now falls on Robinson and teammate Mitch McGary to carry the load for the Wolverines. Robinson needs to get stronger and keep polishing that perimeter game, but scouts are very high on his future.

PLAYER CARD

14
Willie Cauley-Stein
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 7-0, 220
POS: C
8.3 PPG
6.2 RPG
2.1 BPG

Cauley-Stein made a really wise decision to return for his sophomore season. The long, lanky big man has enormous talent. He's just very raw. Another year at Kentucky, this time surrounded with big-time talent, should help him to have a breakout year. In fact, if Cauley-Stein really takes off and maximizes his traits, we might have him way too low.

PLAYER CARD

15
Mario Hezonja
COUNTRY: Croatia
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-6, 200
POS: SG
2.5 PPG
33.3 FG%
2.3 RPG

I saw Hezonja playing at the 2011 Eurocamp for the U-19 Croatia team. He was my favorite player in the camp despite the fact he was just 16. I loved his athletic ability, but more importantly, I loved his confidence. He's now playing for FC Barcelona, one of the best teams in Europe. He's the only player in Europe who can really rival Dario Saric, in terms of talent. Injuries kept Hezonja out of the Under-19s this year, which might have hurt his draft stock a bit. The big question for Hezonja will be whether he gets the playing time he needs to continue to develop his game.

PLAYER CARD

16
Mitch McGary
SCHOOL: Michigan
AGE: 21
HT/WT: 6-10, 250
POS: PF
7.5 PPG
0.7 BPG
6.3 RPG

I was pretty surprised that McGary decided to ditch the 2013 draft. After his dominant performance in the NCAA tournament, his stock was as high as it's likely ever to be given that he's old for his class at 21. Now he has to live up to expectations that will be very hard to match. I love his toughness, energy and his skills around the basket -- but he'll be under a microscope this season and given that Trey Burke got him lots of easy buckets, scouts are a little more cautious when trying to project his draft status next season.

PLAYER CARD

17
Jerami Grant
SCHOOL: Syracuse
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-8, 203
POS: SF
3.9 PPG
0.5 APG
3.0 RPG

Grant didn't play a huge role for Syracuse as a freshman, but scouts are expecting him to play a much bigger role this season. Grant is another great athlete who can shoot the basketball and excel in transition. He was looking good for Team USA in the U-19 practices before coming down with mononucleosis and being scratched from the team. If he has a breakout season the way Michael Carter-Williams had, it's not out of the question that he goes in the lottery.

PLAYER CARD

18
Sam Dekker
SCHOOL: Wisconsin
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-8, 215
POS: SF
9.6 PPG
39.1 3PT%
3.4 RPG

Dekker is a favorite of the analytics crowd after a very effective freshman season. Not only does he have size and athleticism for his position, he's also a deadly shooter. He reminds a lot of scouts of Gordon Hayward.

PLAYER CARD

19
Jarnell Stokes
SCHOOL: Tennessee
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-8, 250
POS: PF
12.4 PPG
1.4 BPG
9.6 RPG

Stokes has been a quiet prospect over a season and a half in Tennessee. He's one of the youngest college juniors in the nation. The talented big man is a load in the paint, has soft hands and, when he plays hard, can be unstoppable down low. He had a solid showing for Team USA in the U-19s, averaging 7.4 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 12 MPG. He needs to continue to improve his jump shot and stay in great shape to keep his stock here, but the talent is undeniable.

PLAYER CARD

20
James Young
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 17
HT/WT: 6-7, 200
POS: SF
Freshman: No stats

Young is the fourth player on this board from Kentucky, and on sheer talent, he's as good as anyone on the list. Young is a long, athletic scorer who aggressively gets to the basket. He plays with a great motor and has some of the same intangibles as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. His ranking may depend more on where he lands in the Kentucky pecking order. If he earns a starting spot over Poythress, he'll move up the rankings.
PLAYER CARD

21
Alex Poythress
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-7, 215
POS: SF
11.2 PPG
6.0 RPG
42.4 3PT%

I wasnt really sure where to put Poythress on this list. Many scouts still believe that, on sheer talent alone, he's still a top-10 pick. Others arent convinced. He was strangely passive as a freshman, so much so that he eventually lost his starting job. That said, he has lottery-pick talent, and the Kentucky coaching staff really believes in him. If things start to click with him mentally, he's a lottery pick for sure.

PLAYER CARD

22
LaQuinton Ross
SCHOOL: Ohio State
AGE: 20
HT/WT: 6-8, 225
POS: SF
8.3 PPG
2.9 RPG
38.9 3PT%

Ross was another breakout star in the NCAA tournament. After two largely ineffective seasons at Ohio State, he came on strong late in the season and then put up some really impressive performances against Iowa State and Arizona in the tournament. With Deshaun Thomas off to the NBA, Ross should see a lot more of the scoring responsibilities fall on his shoulders. He has the size, athletic abilities and skill set that scouts love in a small forward. If he can play like he did in the tournament consistently over the course of the season, he'll be yet another player who will challenge for the lottery.

PLAYER CARD

23
Semaj Christon
SCHOOL: Xavier
AGE: 20
HT/WT: 6-3, 187
POS: PG
15.2 PPG
2.9 RPG
4.6 APG

Christon is one of just four point guards on the Big Board. Length and athleticism are his primary calling cards. A number of scouts believe he'll be a better prospect than Dennis Schroeder, a similar player from Germany who went No. 17 in the 2013 draft. Christon needs to improve his jump shot and keep turnovers down, but there is a lot of talent here.

PLAYER CARD

24
Jahii Carson
SCHOOL: Arizona State
AGE: 20
HT/WT: 5-10, 175
POS: PG
18.5 PPG
3.7 RPG
5.1 APG

He might be on the smallish side, but Carson wowed everyone this summer with his play at adidas Nations. He might be one of the two or three quickest players in the country and is an explosive athlete who can really score the basketball. Carson still needs to work on his court vision, but he took another big step this summer to landing somewhere in the first round.

PLAYER CARD

25
Dakari Johnson
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 17
HT/WT: 6-10, 250
POS: C
Freshman: No stats

Johnson is the sixth player on our board from Kentucky and, were he likely to start as a freshman, would probably be 10 to 15 spots higher. There's a dearth of centers on our board, and Johnson is the only one who really plays like a traditional, back-to-the-basket big man. He's strong, physical and should provide a boost off the bench for the Wildcats this season behind Cauley-Stein.

PLAYER CARD

26
Aaron Harrison
SCHOOL: Kentucky
AGE: 18
HT/WT: 6-5, 210
POS: SG
Freshman: No stats

That's right. We have seven Wildcats in our top 30. That has never happened before. Harrison doesn't get the love his brother receives despite the fact in many ways, they are the same kind of player. Andrew's ability to play the point is what really sets him apart. Aaron is strong, athletic and can score from everywhere, too.

PLAYER CARD

27
Doug McDermott
SCHOOL: Creighton
AGE: 21
HT/WT: 6-7, 210
POS: SF
23.2 PPG
7.7 RPG
49.0 3PT%

McDermott has been dominating college hoops for three seasons, but he didn't really capture the imagination of scouts until he showed up at the Team USA minicamp in Vegas this summer. There, McDermott did what he always does, knocking down shots from everywhere on the floor. But this time he was doing it against other NBA players. In short, he looked like he belonged among them, and with shooting at a premium in the NBA, he should end up landing somewhere in the first round.

PLAYER CARD

28
Isaiah Austin
SCHOOL: Baylor
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 7-0, 215
POS: PF
13.0 PPG
8.3 RPG
1.7 BPG

Austin was ranked as a lottery pick at the start of last season, but the more scouts saw of him the more questions they had. He has great size and is very skilled for a big man. But his thin frame and stuck-in-between game have really hurt his stock. Is he a 5 or a 4? Right now hes neither, and until he starts to thrive at one or the other, scouts will continue to see him as a tweener.

PLAYER CARD

29
James McAdoo
SCHOOL: North Carolina
AGE: 20
HT/WT: 6-9, 223
POS: PF
14.4 PPG
7.3 RPG
1.1 BPG

McAdoo was also ranked in the lottery on our Big Board last year, but a disappointing sophomore season caused his stock to tumble. There's still hope for McAdoo. He has all the physical characteristics you want in a power forward. He's long, explosive and very quick. But he has to dramatically improve his offensive game. If he does, he'll move up 10 spots on our Board. But, he's going to have to prove it.

PLAYER CARD

30
Vasilije Micic
COUNTRY: Serbia
AGE: 19
HT/WT: 6-4, 185
POS: PG
12.9 PPG, 4.8 APG at U-19s

Micic was another international breakout player at the U-19s this summer. The Serbian point guard averaged 12.9 PPG and 4.8 APG and made the argument that he was the best young pure point guard in the world. Of all the point guards on our Big Board, Micic has the purest game. He is simply special when it comes to seeing the floor. He's not a great athlete, but appeared good enough to get wherever he wanted to against Team USA's guards.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gia-allemand-dead-29-bachelor-contestant-dies-undisclosed-medical-emergency-article-1.1426795

Ryan Andersons girlfriend died, apparently she committed suicide. Wow.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=truehoop&id=62100&src=desktop&wjb

If he doesn't improve by the end of next year, maybe he should consider this. However, it's only been one year and I've seen guys with worse form who can make free throws consistently. He should try to work with Ray Allen.

Shaq shoot 80%, but of an unfair number to put on him...both Hakeem and Kareem were up about 70-72%.

Anyway, yeah 37% is obviously unacceptable. He needs to get with Ed Palubinskas. With Shaq, they went from 39 percent in November 2000 to 65.1 percent in April 2001.

Shaq eventually reverted back to his old ways because he stopped working as hard on them and yeah, we saw the results.

ranDOM 10 wrote:

P.S. Maybe suggest underhand jump shots to Josh Smith.

Great line lol

And yeah underhand or not I doubt Shaq would've made 80%.

I remember Shaq tried a much more conventional method, but it wasn't effective right away so he quickly abandoned it.

I do believe what Shaq says out his hands, they are so big he struggles with a conventional grip on the ball when shooting shots. And you see the same with Rondo, whos hands are freakishly a similar size to Shaq's and he too struggles.

When you get too much hand on the ball, its easy to sent it offline. Which is why consistency of form must be so important, which Shaq obviously failed in.

Very, very bizarre(and depressing):

An accomplished sports writer who helped develop Efficiency Index(the stat before PER). Anyways, he kills himself. But it's bizarre because he documented the whole thing, set up a website explaining why, how, etc.

http://deadspin.com/nba-efficiency-rating-inventor-kills-self-explains-via-1154741280?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

and here's his website: http://www.zeroshare.info/ Link looks sketchy w/ the .info but it's legit.

Damn, this topic really hits close to home and I am in the midst of reading the first page. It's quite interesting and while there is a lot of stuff to get through, I hope to find the time to read it all.

WOW I just read through a bit of it, kind of lost for words. Will definitely read some more and form an opinion that don't involve any subsequent emotions from just reading it.

Also Dmize, I think it would be a very interesting topic for the whole forum to have a look at. I doubt many people visit this thread other than the usual suspects so creating a separate thread in the Life&Humor section might gave everyone a chance to have an input. I'll leave that call for you to make.

Good idea, making a thread now.

Ronnie Brewer close to signing with the Rockets, according to ESPN.com

Some good news, desperately in need for wing defenders.

http://www.complex.com/sports/2013/08/lebron-james-shortcut-jay-z-justin-timberlake-concert

This idiot got the police to escort him to a concert through on coming traffic, took a video then posted it online?

Yeah saw that a couple of days ago and LOL'd hard. Surely he must have known the poor cops would get in trouble for doing that.

Shouldn't of posted it to Instagram  

When you're a King, you're entitled to special treatment though  

Lamar Odom has had a "hardscore drug addiction" the last 2 years.

http://tracking.si.com/2013/08/24/lamar-odom-drug-abuse-khloe-kardashian/?sct=nba_t2_a1


I think it goes some way to explain his play these last 2 years, because he has been flat out horrible.

One of my favorite guys in the league...praying for his recovery. Would love to see him back to his best in a LA kit before he retires.

I thought there was a chance this summer, I mean, they brought back Farmer.

Pau/Kaman
Odom/Hill
Johnson/Young
Kobe/Blake
Nash/Farmer

Get Ariza back to start at the 3 and its not bad.

Also

http://instagram.com/p/dSMCadEZBI/

Hibbert looking gigantic.