Latest news with #secondround
CBS News
27-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
How often have Celtics hit on second-round picks over the last 25 years?
The NBA Draft is, to put it nicely, a bit of a crapshoot. There is no guarantee even the top players selected will pan out to anything at the pro level. It gets even murkier when you get outside the lottery, and it essentially becomes teams taking flyers on players by the second round. Even if teams hit on second-round selections, those players don't usually become franchise-altering superstars, or even important role players for very long. There are exceptions, of course. Nikola Jokic was the 41st overall pick in 2014 and is one of the best players on the planet. Draymond Green (35th in 2012) and Khris Middleton (39th in 2012) both played key roles on championship teams. Isaiah Thomas wasn't drafted by the Celtics, but he carved out a nice career after he was the final pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. And another lifetime ago, the Celtics drafted a spunky kid out of BYU named Danny Ainge in the second round. He turned out to be a pretty good player and executive for Boston. But for the most part, second-round picks are back-end players to fill out the roster with a very small price tag attached. And before they become players on a team, the picks are nice and necessary filler to complete trades. Given the landscape in the new CBA, they are important assets for teams, which is why Brad Stevens has been stockpiling them over the last few years. Stevens snagged three additional second-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft when he traded the No. 32 pick to the Orlando Magic, landing the 46th pick (used to draft Kentucky big man Amari Williams) and the 57th (VCU guard Max Shulga) plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027. He has a pretty good collection of second-round picks over the next seven years. Stevens has only been playing the executive game since June of 2021, so the jury is still out on most of his second-round picks. Here's a look back at the last 25 years of second-round picks by the Celtics, with some pretty solid hits in the mix and a lot of players we never saw don a Boston uniform. 2002: Darius Songalia, C, Wake Forest The big man from Lithuania never played for the Celtics, and was traded to the Sacramento Kings for a pair of second-round picks you'll meet later on this list. Songalia averaged 6.9 points and 3.4 rebounds over his eight NBA seasons or the Kings, Bulls, Wizards, Hornets, and 76ers. 2003: Brandon Hunter, PF, Ohio Hunter was taken with one of the picks acquired in the Songalia swap. He played in 36 games for Boston as a rookie, including 12 starts. His best game in Green was an 11-point, 16-rebound showing in a win over Toronto. But he only spent one season with Boston because the Charlotte Bobcats (remember them?) took him in the expansion draft in 2004, only to then trade him to the Orlando Magic. He played 31 games for the Magic in 2004-05, but that was the end of his NBA career. 2004: Justin Reed, PF, Ole Miss Reed was another explosive rebounder taken in the second round, but he played sparingly for a season-and-a-half before he was shipped to Minnesota in the 2006 trade that brought Michael Olowokandi and Wally Szczerbiak to Boston. He stuck with the Wolves until his NBA career ended in 2007. 2005: Ryan Gomes, PF, Providence; Orien Greene, PG, Ole Miss Gomes should have been a late-first-, early-second-round pick after a stellar career in Providence, but fell to Boston at 50th overall. He was a solid pro from the jump and ended up starting 33 games for the Celtics as a rookie. He started 60 of the 73 games he played in during the 2006-07 season, when Gomes averaged 12.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. But the 2006-07 season was a disaster for the Celtics, and that summer Gomes was part of the trade package in the franchise-altering Kevin Garnett trade. He played three seasons for Minnesota, two for the L.A. Clippers, and played in five games for Oklahoma City in 2013-14 before heading overseas for a few years. He started 371 of the 487 games he played over his eight-year NBA career. The Waterbury, Connecticut native started coaching in 2016, and is now an assistant in Providence. Despite playing just two seasons with the Celtics, Gomes is one of the better second-round picks by the team over the last 25 years. (Disclaimer: This is coming from a guy who still has a Ryan Gomes Celtics bobble head on his desk at work.) Greene was the second pick Boston got from the Songalia trade, and he played in 80 games for the Celtics as a rookie. He also got into some trouble off the court in March that earned him a suspension, and was waived by the team a few months later. Greene played just 50 more games in the NBA for the Pacers, Kings, and Nets. 2006: Leon Powe, PF, California The Celtics got Powe in a draft-night trade with the Nuggets, and though he played just three seasons in Boston, he's got a special place in franchise history. Powe's biggest game in Green was Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals when he dropped 21 points in only 15 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. He flummoxed the Lakers so much it had a flustered Phil Jackson calling him Leon "Pow" after the game. He also played for Cleveland and Memphis during his career. Powe rejoined the Celtics in 2014 as a community ambassador, a role he still holds today. 2007: Glen Davis, PF, LSU; Gabe Pruitt, PG, UCS Davis was technically drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics 35th overall and then traded to Boston in the Ray Allen deal. In terms of second-round picks making an impact with the Celtics over the last quarter of a century, he's at the top of the list. "Big Baby" became an instant fan favorite with his jovial, kid-like persona. He played an important reserve role off the Celtics bench in the team's run to the 2008 NBA Championship, and played an even bigger role the following season when Kevin Garnett was lost to an injury. Davis' biggest play in Green came in the second round of the 2009 playoffs, when he drained a buzzer-beater against the Orlando Magic to lift Boston to a Game 4 victory. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds that postseason, but the C's fell to the Magic in seven games without Garnett. Davis was back in his reserve role the following season, when he formed the famous "Shrek and Donkey" duo and drooled all over the court in the 2010 NBA Finals against the Lakers. Davis played four seasons with Boston before he was traded to the Magic for Von Wafer. He averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds over his eight-year NBA career. Pruitt was taken three picks ahead of Davis, but averaged just 7.4 minutes in his 62 games for the Celtics over two seasons. That was it for his NBA career. 2008: Semih Erden, C, Turkey Erden didn't play for Boston until the 2010-11 season, and was traded to the Cavaliers that February for a second-round pick. He played in 69 games over his two-year NBA career for Boston and Cleveland. 2009: Lester Hudson, PG, University of Tennessee at Martin Hudson was taken 58th overall but played just 16 games for the Celtics before he was claimed off waivers by the Memphis Grizzlies. He averaged 4.7 points over 57 games over his four-year NBA career for Boston, Memphis, Washington, Cleveland, and the L.A. Clippers. 2010: Luke Harangody, PF, Notre Dame He was a star for the Irish, but played in only 29 games for the Celtics before he was sent to Cleveland along with Erden. Harangody played in just 70 games over his two seasons in the NBA. 2011: E'Twaun Moore, G, Purdue Moore played just 38 games for the Celtics before he was part of a three-team trade that brought Courtney Lee to Boston. But he carved out a solid 10-year NBA career, including a four-year stretch with the Pelicans where he averaged 10.7 points per game. 2012: Kris Joseph, G/F, Syracuse Joseph was taken 51st overall, and had two very brief stints with Boston. He played just six games for the C's before he was waived in January, and then signed with the Nets that April. He played in four game for Brooklyn, and was then traded back to Boston that summer in the giant return for Garnett and Paul Pierce. (You know, the one that brought in the picks used on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.) Joseph was waived by Boston a few days later, and that was it for his NBA career. 2015: Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU; Marcus Thornton, G, William & Mary There was a ton of hype around Mickey, whom the Celtics drafted 33rd overall. But he averaged just 4.8 minutes in his 41 games over two seasons before he was waived by Boston. Mickey played 23 games for Miami in 2017-18, which was his final season in the NBA. Thornton played for the C's in the Summer League but then played overseas, outside of a brief appearance for the Maine Red Claws. 2016: Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame; Ben Bentil, PF, Providence; Abdel Nader, G, Iowa State There was a lot of hype around Nader, and he was a D-League All-Star and Rookie of the Year after being taken by Boston with the 58th pick. He signed a four-year contract in 2017, but bounced from the Celtics to the Red Claws that season and averaged just 10.9 minutes over 48 games for Boston. He was traded to OKC in 2018 and played two seasons for the Thunder and two seasons for the Phoenix Suns. Jackson played just five games for the Celtics, while Bentil was waived before the end of the preseason. 2017: Semi Ojeleye, F, SMU; Kadeem Allen, PG, Arizona; Jabari Bird, SG, California Ojeleye had ridiculously massive arms and was a pretty solid role player over his four seasons and 254 games for Boston. He played for the Bucks and Clippers during the 2021-22 season, which was his last in the NBA. Allen averaged just 5.9 minutes over his 18 games for the Celtics before he was waived, and closed his NBA career with 29 appearances for the Knicks over two seasons. Bird played 18 games for Boston in 2017-18, but was arrested on domestic abuse and kidnapping charges in September of 2018. He was traded to Atlanta for a conditional second-round pick in February of 2019, and waived by the Hawks the next day. 2019: Carsen Edwards, PG, Purdue; Tremont Waters, PG, LSU Edwards had some truly massive quads, but didn't do much over his two seasons with the Celtics. Waters played in 37 games for Boston over his two seasons, including four starts, but was not retained after the 2020-21 season. 2020: Yam Madar, G, Israel We heard a lot about Madar after the Celtics took him 47th overall in 2020. He was a draft-and-stash guy and has remained overseas other than a Summer League appearance in 2021. 2021: Juhann Begarin, SG, Guadeloupe Another draft-and-stash player for Boston. Begarin is currently with AS Monaco of the LNB Elite. 2022: JD Davison, PG, Alabama Davison has played in 36 games for Boston over the last three seasons, but has really thrived with the Maine Celtics. He averaged 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 7.5 assists last year to earn G League MVP honors, and had his contract converted to a standard NBA two-year deal in April. He will likely play a reserve role for Boston in 2025-26. 2023: Jordan Walsh, F, Arkansas Walsh has seen limited action in 61 games over his two seasons in the Celtics organization. He was the youngest player on the team in each of the last two seasons, and will have a chance to carve out a role on the 2025-26 Celtics. 2024: Anton Watson, F, Gonzaga Watson never played for the Celtics before he was waived in March. He was claimed by the Knicks a few days later and played nine games for New York.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft grades: Second-round pick-by-pick analysis — Lakers make aggressive move to land perfect target
It's Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft. We graded the first round, now let's hand out grades for every second-round pick. For scouting reports of every player, check out my 2025 NBA Draft Guide. Grade: A- Fleming is a hustler who drains spot-up jumpers and brings energy on defense, swatting shots and snagging boards. But he has some real warts as a ball-handler with a lack of experience against high-level competition. This matters less for the Suns, since he'll play in a role in which he just needs to do the simple stuff as a floor spacer rather than worry about shot creation. Grade: C+ Penda plays with a veteran's mind and a winning mentality, offering connective playmaking, switchable defense, and high-level feel. It's a bit of a risk for Orlando though since Penda needs to improve his jumper to shine in the long-term. But his unselfish game and defensive utility give him a strong foundation to build on. Grade: B Fans who happen to root for both Duke and Charlotte know that James has role-player qualities that can fit next to the Hornets' core pieces. James is a versatile defender who sets a tone with his hustle, and after years of laying bricks he worked hard to become a dead-eye, spot-up shooter. And he brings much more than shooting as a crafty playmaker who keeps the ball moving. But without the handle of a primary creator, it's critical he sustains his newfound success as a shooter. Grade: A A ton of teams were hoping Kalkbrenner would fall to them in the second round, but the Hornets land him here after trading away center Mark Williams during Day 1 of the draft. Kalkbrenner is a throwback 7-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It's a bit strange he isn't a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he's also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside, which could allow him to help facilitate for Charlotte's offensive engines. Grade: B+ Could Broome be the best backup center of the Joel Embiid era? Perhaps so, because he brings a ready-made game as an interior finisher with a passing feel and tone-setting defense. Though his jumper hasn't progressed as much as NBA teams would hope, Embiid's ability to space the floor could make for intriguing two-big lineups this season. In Philadelphia, it's more important that he progresses moving laterally on the perimeter. Grade: A The Lakers made multiple aggressive trades to move up within the second round, and Thiero was the perfect target. He's a slasher with a jacked frame and an explosive first step who last season logged 45 dunks and had six games with 10 or more free throws. He lives in the paint, and that's despite his limitations as a shooter. If he's able to figure out the shot then his length and defensive versatility could make him a key player on a contending Lakers team. Grade: A+ Perfect pick for Detroit. Wanna know why? Just look at the comparison for Lanier: Malik Beasley. Much like Beasley, Lanier is a knockdown shooter with shot-making creativity. Without great size or playmaking at his age, he's a second-rounder for good reason. But the Pistons needed more shooting and now they got it. Grade: B 39. Toronto Raptors 40. New Orleans Pelicans 41. Phoenix Suns 42. Sacramento Kings 43. Washington Wizards 44. Oklahoma City Thunder 45. Minnesota Timberwolves 46. Boston Celtics 47. Milwaukee Bucks 48. Memphis Grizzlies 49. Cleveland Cavaliers 50. New York Knicks 51. LA Clippers 52. Golden State Warriors 53. Utah Jazz 54. Indiana Pacers 55. Chicago Bulls 56. Memphis Grizzlies 57. Boston Celtics 58. Cleveland Cavaliers 59. Golden State Warriors
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft grades: Second-round pick-by-pick analysis
It's Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft. Let's hand out grades for every second-round pick. Also, click here for first-round grades. Grade: A- Fleming is a hustler who drains spot-up jumpers and brings energy on defense, swatting shots and snagging boards. But he has some real warts as a ball-handler with a lack of experience against high-level competition. This matters less for the Suns, since he'll play in a role in which he just needs to do the simple stuff as a floor spacer rather than worry about shot creation. Grade: C+ Penda plays with a veteran's mind and a winning mentality, offering connective playmaking, switchable defense, and high-level feel. It's a bit of a risk for Orlando though since Penda needs to improve his jumper to shine in the long-term. But his unselfish game and defensive utility give him a strong foundation to build on. Grade: B Fans who happen to root for both Duke and Charlotte know that James has role-player qualities that can fit next to the Hornets' core pieces. James is a versatile defender who sets a tone with his hustle, and after years of laying bricks he worked hard to become a dead-eye, spot-up shooter. And he brings much more than shooting as a crafty playmaker who keeps the ball moving. But without the handle of a primary creator, it's critical he sustains his newfound success as a shooter. Grade: A A ton of teams were hoping Kalkbrenner would fall to them in the second round, but the Hornets land him here after trading away center Mark Williams during Day 1 of the draft. Kalkbrenner is a throwback 7-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It's a bit strange he isn't a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he's also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside, which could allow him to help facilitate for Charlotte's offensive engines. Grade: B+ Could Broome be the best backup center of the Joel Embiid era? Perhaps so, because he brings a ready-made game as an interior finisher with a passing feel and tone-setting defense. Though his jumper hasn't progressed as much as NBA teams would hope, Embiid's ability to space the floor could make for intriguing two-big lineups this season. In Philadelphia, it's more important that he progresses moving laterally on the perimeter. Grade: A 37. Detroit Pistons 38. Indiana Pacers 39. Toronto Raptors 40. New Orleans Pelicans 41. Phoenix Suns 42. Sacramento Kings 43. Washington Wizards 44. Oklahoma City Thunder 45. Los Angeles Lakers 46. Boston Celtics 47. Milwaukee Bucks 48. Memphis Grizzlies 49. Cleveland Cavaliers 50. New York Knicks 51. LA Clippers 52. Golden State Warriors 53. Utah Jazz 54. Indiana Pacers 55. Chicago Bulls 56. Memphis Grizzlies 57. Boston Celtics 58. Cleveland Cavaliers 59. Golden State Warriors
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Milwaukee Bucks NBA Draft preview: What kind of player can they find with the No. 47 pick?
The NBA Draft is only seven days away and the Milwaukee Bucks have a selection to make. That pick at No. 47 is in the back half of the second round, but it is still an opportunity for the Bucks to, potentially, add a talented player on a cheap contract. This year's NBA Finals features a lot of lottery picks and first-round selections at the top of each roster, but nine second-round picks or undrafted players — Thomas Bryant, Alex Caruso, Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, Isaiah Hartenstein, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams — are among the 20 players who have played at least 25 minutes in the first five games of the series. Advertisement It may take years for a player drafted in the second round to realize his full potential or find his way to a contributing role in the NBA, but this pick isn't just a throwaway, so let's take a closer look at the Bucks and the No. 47 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. When talking about the draft, it's important to set proper expectations. That means this exploration will start with Seth Partnow's essential piece of analysis on the outcome of recent drafts, a piece I've often referred to as 'The Dream Killer.' Some quick thoughts: Let's start with the dream killer, @SethPartnow. — Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) July 30, 2021 First, it's important to recognize that the most likely outcome for any player drafted is not becoming a successful NBA player. At the very top, it is more likely that players will find success in the NBA, but that likelihood dwindles as you get deeper into the draft. With the 47th pick, the Bucks' chances of finding a contributor are low. According to Partnow's analysis from a few years back, a player selected between 40 and 50 turns into a rotation player roughly 10 percent of the time. Low odds, however, do not make it impossible for the Bucks to develop a rotation player from the 47th pick. It will require a strong plan and the right selection, but the Bucks can turn this pick into a contributor on a rookie contract, which, with the new collective bargaining agreement, is something that has grown in importance. However, even if the Bucks are successful in finding a hidden gem in the second round's back half, that player may not end up contributing much if the team is able to make the postseason next year. Per Stathead, only 75 rookies have played at least 10 minutes per game as a rookie in the postseason across the last 10 seasons and only 17 of those players were second-round picks. It's worth noting the Bucks played two of those second-round rookies (Malcolm Brogdon in 2017 and Andre Jackson Jr. in 2024) in the playoffs. Advertisement Recent changes to policies regarding Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) in college sports have had a profound effect on the draft, especially at the end of the first and the start of the second round. Before the changes, remaining in the draft was the best way for underclassmen who were borderline first-round draft picks to make money the next season. Even if there was some risk in dropping into the second round, those players would still end up being NBA players. Now, some of those underclassmen can just stick around in college for another year and have an opportunity to make more money than they might on a non-guaranteed contract as a second-round pick. Even some of the international prospects who often dotted the late first round and early second are now taking big NIL offers from colleges around the country as their first move to the United States to play basketball. Those changes mean the prospect pool is much different. As you're going to see as we cycle through some of the prospects, many of these players are going to have played at least four years of college basketball, often at multiple schools. Fewer players are like lottery tickets and more players are likely closer to their ceilings. That reality takes away some of the chances the Bucks could take a big swing, but also older prospects may be more prepared to make an impact earlier in their rookie contracts and that will take on increased importance in the new collective bargaining agreement. For this exercise, we're highlighting players exclusively from Tier 7 (players 37-54) in Sam Vecenie's 2025 NBA Draft Guide. (While we're here, you should go read it or maybe skim it and skip around to prospects you enjoy because it's 198 pages long. The amount of work Sam puts into it is outrageous. He is the best in the business.) Advertisement There may be prospects you enjoy more in Tier 6 who you think could fall to the Bucks or Tier 7 prospects you prefer to the ones I've highlighted or even Tier 8 players who you think have gone overlooked, but these are the 10 prospects, presented in the order they appear in the draft guide, that stood out in that tier. Martin's highlight reel is full of incredible dunks, which should come as no surprise considering Martin posted a 38-inch vertical at this year's NBA Draft combine. Many of those dunks happened because of a strong defensive effort from Martin. Throughout their national championship run, Florida was able to lock down opposing offenses and Martin was a big part of that, bringing tough on-ball defense and smart rotations off the ball. He stands just 6 feet, 2 inches tall, but his 6-foot-7 wingspan allowed him to compete against bigger players and get deflections. Plus, he can navigate screens. OH MY GOODNESS ALIJAH MARTIN POSTER 😱#MarchMadness @GatorsMBK — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 6, 2025 Questions for Martin, however, pop up on the other end of the floor, where his role on an NBA team is more difficult to ascertain from his college resume. Despite being the size of a point guard, Martin played off-ball with Walter Clayton Jr. running the show for the Gators. Martin knocked down only 35 percent from 3 on 5.9 attempts per game, but he did take several attempts off the dribble and off movement in his lone season at Florida. He's not a true point guard, which could be a problem for a lot of teams. But Milwaukee might not have a problem with it — if Martin can defend up the ladder positionally — because of the presence of a non-traditional playmaker in Antetokounmpo. UP TOP to Yanic Konan Niederhauser ‼️ @PennStateMBB #B1GMBBall on @BigTenNetwork 📺 — Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 19, 2025 As you can see in the video above, Niederhauser is a massive human and quite athletic. The Swiss big man does not have the offensive skill set of big men the Bucks have typically targeted with Antetokounmpo on the roster, but if Niederhauser is only asked to play 10-15 minutes per game at the start of his career, Jericho Sims showed that the Bucks can probably make that work with an elite defensive effort. While Niederhauser racked up 2.3 blocks per game at Penn State this past season, there are still some questions surrounding how well he was defending. His elite athletic testing at the combine — 37-inch vertical, elite shuttle run score — suggests there is more to be mined on that end. There also is still some question of whether he can unlock it at the next level. Offensively, he should be able to successfully fill the role as a rim-running big almost immediately upon entering the NBA. Because of a knee injury that forced him to miss an entire college season and the bonus COVID year awarded to college players, Williams is an old NBA draft prospect, but that shouldn't necessarily take away from his attractiveness to the Bucks. Brice Williams dropped 30 for @HuskerMBB in their @CBBCrown win 👑#B1GMBBall — Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) April 1, 2025 Williams was asked to do everything at Nebraska this season and he did the job at a high level, averaging 20.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while still shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3. He made 88.3 percent at the free-throw line and made 38.6 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s during his two seasons at Nebraska. Williams also made 60.3 percent of his shots at the rim in half-court settings. Advertisement He was a well-rounded offensive player, so there should be plenty of avenues for him to make an impact offensively at the next level, if he can scale down his offense to a role where he doesn't have the ball in his hands all the time. Williams has a big 6-foot-10 wingspan and typically gave a strong effort on the defensive end, but it will be interesting to see what he can do as a role player in the NBA. To survive and thrive, he needs to be able to make a difference on defense while playing well off of stars on offense. While Williams did his work in a variety of ways offensively, Lanier's offensive game is built around elite 3-point shooting. Chaz Lanier was getting BUCKETS in No. 1 Tennessee's win over No. 23 Arkansas 🪣 29 PTS | 10-20 FG — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 4, 2025 Lanier was one of the best catch-and-shoot players in the NCAA this past season. The fifth-year guard knocked down 40.5 percent on 242(!) catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts on his way to averaging 18 points per game in his lone season with the Volunteers. He can knock down shots from a standstill, on relocation and off movement; it didn't really matter for Lanier as he put up one of the best 3-point shooting seasons in college basketball. His 3-point shooting will be how he could eventually make a living in the NBA, but his frame with a 6-foot-9 wingspan suggests that he can survive on the other end at the next level if he can build the right habits. In his only season with Georgetown — his third team in five college seasons — Peavy served as the Hoyas' offensive leader, averaging 17.2 points and 3.6 assists per game. He had the best 3-point shooting season of his college career, knocking down 40 percent on 4.1 attempts from deep per game, but he spent his first four seasons in college as a non-threat behind the 3-point line. At Georgetown, Peavy had the ball in his hands a lot and he produced, knocking down 3s and shooting a solid 43.2 percent on midrange jumpers. But this season was an outlier. MICAH PEAVY HITS A LATE WINNER FOR GEORGETOWN 🔥 (via @CBBonFOX) — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 21, 2025 Also an outlier? Peavy's ability on the defensive end. Per Stathead, Peavy was just one of 19 players in Division I men's basketball to average at least 2.3 steals per game in 2024-25. While Peavy does not have a huge wingspan (6-foot-7.25), he was massively disruptive on the defensive end, jumping passing lanes and getting into the space of opposing stars. If he can be a disruptive, physical defender and switch across multiple positions in the NBA, he will give himself a chance to prove what he can do on the offensive end. Advertisement After making the move to VCU from Utah State with head coach Ryan Odom, Shulga knocked down 40.2 percent from 3 over the last two seasons. Like Lanier, Shulga's offensive game is built around his impressive 3-point shooting, but the Ukrainian guard showcased far more off the dribble as the lead guard for VCU. Shulga used the threat of his shot to create advantages for himself and work into the in-between spaces of the defense, which allowed him to average 4.0 assists per game this season as he probed defenses with a tight handle. Max Shulga makes contested step back threes look easy 😳 @VCU_Hoops — CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 16, 2025 Those offensive skills should allow him to be a threat as a spot-up shooter at the next level with the possibility of also working some in the pick-and-roll game with strong screeners, but that remains to be seen. Shulga only has a 6-foot-5.75 wingspan, so he doesn't have great size and there are questions about his athleticism, which means Shulga has to prove himself defensively in the NBA to avoid becoming a regular target for teams looking to attack the weak link. Like a couple of the players already on this list, Brea is a knockdown 3-point shooter and he may be able to stake a claim to being the best shooter in the entire draft. He shot 43.5 percent from deep on 5.9 attempts per game this season, his lone year at Kentucky. He also hit 49.8 percent on 6.1 attempts per game in the 2023-24 season at Dayton. Brea knocked down 3s in every situation imaginable last season, which should give him an elite skill at the NBA level next season. Koby Brea poured it in from deep 🎯 He knocked down a career-high 7 threes in the W over No. 6 Florida 🔥 @KentuckyMBB — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 4, 2025 Over the last five seasons, though, we've seen the NBA game evolve. Consistently hitting from deep isn't enough to guarantee a rotation spot because opponents can effectively run specialists off the 3-point line and take advantage of them on defense. That is where the questions arise for Brea. His wingspan is only 6-foot-6 and he doesn't possess much of a game off the dribble. Defensively, he might not possess the requisite size or speed to survive at the next level. So, while he might be the best shooter in the draft, there will be a lot he needs to improve to find a place in the NBA. Standing 7 feet tall with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Goldin has legitimate size to be an NBA center. He used that size well at Michigan, averaging 16.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors in his only season with the Wolverines. While his might not be the most popular skill set in the modern game, Goldin was a powerful post player and exhibited strong touch around the basket. Unlike Niederhauser, his offensive game was built more around skill and touch than explosive rim running, but that touch likely won't extend out to the 3-point line at the start of his NBA career. Vlad Goldin was GOLDEN tonight in Westwood ⭐️ His career-high 36 PTS led No. 24 Michigan to the road W over No. 22 UCLA 🫡 — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 8, 2025 While it was difficult for other players to score on him around the rim in Michigan's elite defense, Goldin blocked only 1.4 shots per game and part of that is because of a lack of quick-twitch athleticism. That may end up being a problem for Goldin at the next level. Because of his relative lack of athleticism and quickness, he will almost certainly need to be elite at the footwork and reads that go along with being a drop big in pick-and-roll coverage and it's unclear if he can do that. After two seasons as a rotation player in a more limited role at Gonzaga, Sallis transferred to Wake Forest and starred for the Demon Deacons. He averaged at least 18 points and 2.5 assists per game in each of the last two seasons, but his 3-point shooting fluctuated greatly. In his junior season, Sallis knocked down 40.5 percent on 5.4 3-point attempts per game, but his 3-point percentage dropped to 27.7 percent on 4.8 3-point attempts in his senior season. While Sallis struggled with his 3-point shooting, he has remained consistent with his midrange jumper at Wake Forest and used it as a weapon as a pick-and-roll ballhandler. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞: 🎩 Hunter Sallis, @WakeMBB 🔗 — ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) January 20, 2025 All of the questions for Sallis at the next level deal with his size. When he went to the combine last season, he weighed 179 pounds. This year at the combine, he only weighed 181 pounds. If he is unable to put more weight on his frame, it is tough to see how he is going to keep a consistent place on an NBA roster, as he won't be able to play through contact on offense and he'll struggle to find players to defend. (For reference, think of Isaiah Joe — 6 feet 5, 181 pounds — trying to find a place in this year's NBA Finals.) Advertisement While many of the players on this list have strong offensive games with questions about their defense, it is a bit more difficult to know what exactly will be Watkins' calling card at the next level. While he only stands 6 feet 5, he has a massive 6-foot-11 wingspan and a strong frame. That strength, coupled with his wingspan, allowed Watkins to be a strong on-ball defender and make plays. He grabbed 1.9 steals per game in the 2023-24 season and 1.2 steals per game this past season. Steal and slam 😤 Watkins opening the game with an impressive effort! 📺 @FSUHoops x ESPNU — ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) February 13, 2025 Offensively, it's difficult to see what Watkins can do at the next level. While he likes to get out in transition to take advantage of his athleticism, that's a skill lots of NBA players have mastered. He isn't a knockdown 3-point shooter and he doesn't score efficiently at any level. Offensively he might look the part, but it's not quite clear how he can impact games. Trying to find players on the margins has changed drastically over the years. In previous versions of the NBA, you could try to find a specialist — like an elite 3-point shooter or great shot blocker — in the second round, exploit that elite skill for as much as it was worth and just deal with the fact that one of your role players might not be able to defend as well as you need or attack a closeout. Now, one-dimensional players (or players with one elite skill) are harder to hide. This postseason regularly featured NBA coaches finding a way to poke at the weakest link on the floor and take advantage of what that player could not do. Great shooters have to find a way to make something offensively when they're run off the line. Shot blockers need to be able to defend in space. While having an elite skill is still something that can give you a chance to get on the floor, players who can do a little bit of everything (generalists) have found it easier to keep their spot in a rotation than specialists. It's tough to know just how much of each trait or skill players need or whether draft picks, especially those drafted late in the second round, will be able to develop enough to stay on the floor in a playoff game. It feels more difficult than ever for role players to avoid getting targeted by an opposing game plan in the postseason. (Photo of Alijah Martin and Chaz Lanier: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
