THT Going into the Draft
- Thread starter JM4CY
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I completely agree with everything you said. I wish him the best, but I will be surprised if he is ultimately picked in the first round. I don't blame him for leaving to take advantage of the NBA's obsession with "potential". Clearly I am not an NBA scout, but having watched almost every ISU game: he isn't exceptionally athletic, he doesn't have exceptional size, and it is not apparent to me that he does (or has potential to do) anything exceptionally well. I would not want my favorite team to use a first round pick on him at this point. I hope I'm wrong and I'll be the first to admit if I am. As a Cyclone fan, I'd much rather be talking about a Monte Morris that was drafted in the second round and is playing well above his draft slot than first round busts (for one reason or another) like Marcus Fizer or Royce White. THT staying another year or two has a much greater of falling into the MM scenario, where leaving this year makes it much more likely he'll fall into the MF or RW scenario (if he is indeed drafted in the first round), IMO.
This is where I disagree, especially on a guy like THT. His potential playing time in the NBA is not effected by when he leaves college. He's either going to have "it" or he's not. And in THT's case, I would say he has a higher hance of getting better next year working 24/7 with professional coaches and facilities.
The flip side might be Wigginton. He might be a case where staying in college would be better. But that's assuming he doesn't get drafted at all. There's a better chance of him improving, and getting drafted next season.
I don't think we disagree, necessarily. The point I was making in my paragraph that you quoted was about perception of bust or steal. If Monte Morris would have been drafted with the 10th pick in the first round, he would probably be considered a bust. However, because he was drafted in the second round, he is a great pick, if not a steal. As an ISU fan, I would prefer the perception that former ISU players in the NBA are overachievers, rather than underachievers.
From a purely basketball perspective devoid of any sort of preconceived expectations, I don't believe that staying or going really has that much of a long term effect on how skilled a player will ultimately become. Essentially, THT is betting on his projected "potential" being at it's peak right now, and likely diminishing with another season of data, which is probably a smart bet.
It just still amazes that ISU fans just can’t throw their hands up and say that an ISU player is good, and probably better than even his supporters think he is.
It's hard for people to understand the NBA draft. We see all the flaws in THT, but aren't familiar enough with early entries to know that they virtually all have holes in their game at that age (18-20). Outside of your guys like Zion, all early entries are inconsistent.
Culver is a good example. If you only watched him in the last two games (FF and NC), you would never expect him to be a top 7 pick.
The way the season ended for THT doesn't help fans understand him getting drafted either. If THT would have went out on a 4 game hot streak instead of a 4 game cold streak, opinions from fans would be totally different.
We are the same way with our teams. Every year, the geniuses on here declare that the team is garbage won't get into the tournament and generally go apeshit over how flawed our team is. But these same people don't see that every team has flaws and when you compare our team to most others they are very similar.
All Fr and So with a few Seniors sprinkled in at the end of the draft. Kinda amazing. Not sure that I see Jaxson Hayes there either but whatever.
Culver single handily carried that team in the middle of the year. Even when he "struggled" in the last few games he was still the go to guy, getting 15+ points, and not sitting next to the coach.
NBADraftNet has THT going mid-2nd round and Wiggs not drafted. Tyler Cook drafted ahead of THT according to them.
That's about the last mock I'd put any stock in. Cook isn't getting drafted. THT is very likely to be a first round pick. No way Hachimura goes #4 and no way Reddish slides to #10.
@ChrisMWilliams or @JStanz51 , can we get some clarity on this? The new policy is pending until the NBA and NBPA agree to change one of their rules -
“This change is effective if/when the NBA and NBPA make an expected rule change, which would make undrafted student-athletes who return to college after the draft ineligible for the NBA until the end of the next college basketball season,” the NCAA wrote.
Have the NBA and NBPA changed their rule yet? Because if they haven't, then this new policy is not in effect yet and the NCAA deadline for early entrants to withdraw is still May 29th.
THT was definitely good on defense. He was just too sporadic on offense, and not shy about going outside the offense. Lindell was way more consistent on offense, and played more within the team concept, but wasn't great on the other end.
