So the NBA draft is tonight, and the B1G will be pretty well represented, just not in a way that you would expect if you recently came out of a coma. Rutgers is likely to have the first two conference players selected. Purdue won’t have any. Penn State? Yes. Indiana and Ohio State? No.
Who should expect to hear their name called tonight? Here’s what the “mocks” are telling us:
Dylan Harper, Rutgers:
Pretty much a lock to go #2 overall to the Spurs. Backcourt is already crowded with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, but Harper’s ability is undeniable. Frankly, I expect Harper to have a clearly better career than Castle. Any time he and Wemby are on the court together, he should have plenty of room to break his man down 1-on-1. And the Spurs, unlike Rutgers Scarlet Knights are well-run. If Manu Ginobili can come off the bench for them, they should be able to make this work.
Ace Bailey, Rutgers:
On talent alone, Bailey should go #3 to the 76ers, but, well, we’re not just talking about talent alone, now, are we. Bailey canceled a visit to Philly, and it seems pretty clear he’s willing to forgo some rookie contract money and slide a bit. Right now, the mock consensus seems to have him landing with the Wizards at #6. Do you need any more evidence that Ace’s team may not fully know what they’re doing? Will be really interesting to watch his career unfold.
***AlmaOtter Interrupts with Snark:***This point has been hammered home plenty of times by much smarter folks than me, but WOW. It’s still somewhat staggering that Rutgers had this much top-tier talent and did precisely fuckall with it. Surely, none of us have forgotten MaximumSam’s daily previews and the running Race for 15 (patent pending) that Rutgers just about dropped out of in early March. I wish the former ScarKnights well, but if Ace Bailey just played himself in to DC, that’s a bad beat.
Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois:
Not knocking Jakucionis’s production last year for Illinois, but he’s going to go this high based on talent and projected upside. NBA-friendly offensive game and the ability to play either guard spot. Jakucionis should go in the lottery, with the Blazers or Bulls looking most likely. If he falls past Chicago at #12, somebody likely will get on the phone and try to trade up. Will be interesting to compare his career trajectory with that of BYU’s PG/SG Egor Demin, who is several inches taller, but much rawer.
***AlmaOtter Interrupts with Snark:***Oh great. My team. Jakucionis was up there in Recent Illini Names that Are Fun to Yell (YAK OOO CHO NUS!!!), right up there with Kofi Cockburn and Ayooooo Donsumu. His stats are somewhat astounding just from the sheer number of 3s he put up. He took nearly as many FTs as he did FGs.
Derick Queen, Maryland:
No, he’s not going to make an all-defensive team. But he also is probably good for 18/8 in his sleep. Most projections have him landing outside of the lottery. If OKC pulls the trigger at #15—they certainly don’t need to worry about team defense—that might be a best case scenario for Queen. I’m no Jay Bilas, but, to me, optimistic comps for Queen are Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap. Below the rim undersized bigs who were still able to produce offensively.
***AlmaOtter Interrupts with Snark:***Ah, Derick “the Blizzard” Queen. Phenomenal freshman season with Maryland for the big man, highlighted by a first-team All-B1G and Freshman of the Year, plus a buzzerbeater to take the Crab Five to the S16. And when asked by a reporter why he respected Kevin Willard, he gave us this all-time quote: “First, he do pay us the money.”
Legend.
Danny Wolf, Michigan:
A nearly 7-foot playmaker seems ideal for today’s NBA. So why isn’t he going higher? Well, he turned it over a fair amount at Michigan and his outside stroke is only average. That said, there are some places where the fit seems ideal (anywhere that already has a defensive anchor inside...Minnesota and Memphis for example). Miami at 20? If he falls past 20, how do you say no?
Jase Richardson, Michigan State:
You know who his dad is. You saw what he was doing in March for Michigan State. The only reason he’s not going in the top 10 is his (lack of) height. For the record, I love him as a prospect. Can some teams roll out a lineup that exploits his lack of size defensively? Sure. But you’re guaranteed a guy who’s going to work his ass off, makes plays in a number of ways, and be hard to keep out of the lane if he gets a head of steam. He would be devastating off the bench for, say, the Pacers, but they don’t have a first-round pick. Maybe 17 is too early, but I would love to see him on the same roster as Anthony Edwards.
Will Riley, Illinois:
Most mocks have him going ahead of Richardson, and I get it. He’s 6’8”. I really think landing spot matters thought. He needs to bulk up and needs to commit himself on defense. If you’re will to wait a couple of years for the real returns to kick in, he’s obviously a first round talent. OKC (who might be in a trading state of mind) is there at 24 if he’s still around. The half dozen picks before that, though, are all teams in major rebuild mode, and I just don’t think that’s the best situation for Riley’s growth.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Penn State:
Could this all-name first-teamer find his way to the first round? Possibly! But even in today’s NBA, 7-footers don’t fall out of the first round if they’re polished and ready to go. Niederhauser a lot of work to do on the offensive side of things. But he’s also not somebody who spent his teens playing all the time, so there’s plenty of room for growth. Plus, he is going to block shots. Pretty much the perfect second round pick if you’re willing to wait on the development. Feels like somebody you are shorting until the Celtics or Heat pull the trigger. Then you just dread the big plays he makes in 3-5 years against your team. Or, it doesn’t work out and you wonder whatever happened to that rare Penn State talent with the really long name.
John Tonje, Wisconsin:
In the right spot, Tonje could remind old-timers of Vinnie Johnson. That is, you’re looking at potentially a superb instant offense guy off the bench. That said, Tonje isn’t big enough to guard small forwards, and good NBA off guards are just going to be more athletic than he is, so don’t expect a ceiling higher than “great bench option.” But, you saw what he could do this year, and that’s score points in bunches. Will he get to the line as much as he did for Wisconsin this year? Hell, no. But he doesn’t miss FTs, and as part of a bench unit that can move the ball, he should get some looks. I would love to see him land with the Spurs at 38. Give him 10-15 minutes a game with Wemby covering for him? Yes, please.
Vladislav Goldin, Michigan:
Based on his regular-season dominance of Wisconsin, I had him pegged for the top-10. But then they held him in check in the B1G championship game and, yeah, there are some limitations. If you’re in the market for a traditional big as part of your bench unit, then he sure seems worth a second-round flier. But if you want pick-and-pop action, or somebody who can defend that, you’re probably going to pass here. Would be interesting to see him taken with the last pick by the Rockets, but he’ll probably be gone before then.