NBA Teams That Should Tank for Andrew Wiggins and 2014 Draft Class
When the 2014 NBA draft approaches next summer, several NBA squads will be hoping the lottery balls bounce in their favor.
Who wouldn’t want a chance to select Andrew Wiggins, Kansas’ incoming 6’8″ small forward, who has superstar written all over him?
He’s not the only star-quality prospect of that loaded draft class; Duke commit Jabari Parker is an inside-outside force, and incoming Kentucky forward Julius Randle is a physical specimen. Don’t forget about Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart and Arizona commit Aaron Gordon.
There’s a group of NBA franchises that desperately need the star power these youngsters can provide.
Free agency is also an option for these teams, as the 2014 class is stocked with megastars, scorers and key role players. But for teams that won’t attract significant signees, the draft is an exciting avenue to return to glory.
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Cody Zeller’s Strong Combine Performance Should Reinvigorate Draft Stock
When ascribing traits to Cody Zeller, the former Indiana star who could be the second center off the board behind Nerlens Noel in the 2013 NBA draft, most college basketball fans can fire off a fusillade of nouns and verbs worthy of someone of his stature.
Even the most astute scouts would start with a synonym of smooth—something relating to his array of post moves around the basket. Others would use intelligent or basketball IQ—anything worthy of Zeller’s veteran-level knowledge of spacing and where to go with the ball in his hands.
Someone wearing maize and blue might describe Zeller weak might use frail or weak—possibly along with a few other choice words.
Invariably, one description of Zeller that rarely comes up—or rather came up—prior to this week’s draft combine in Chicago was “athletic” or any derivative synonym.
Zeller ran the open court just fine with the Indiana Hoosiers, but he played for a team that kept things relatively under control. In Zeller’s two seasons under Tom Crean, Indiana finished with an adjusted pace of 67.3—slightly above average, but an eerie signal of the team’s consistence. Superficially speaking, Big Ten basketball is where athleticism and freewheeling play goes to perish.
So it’s understandable that the mainstream perception of Zeller was a little skewed in the athleticism department. At best, he was mostly described as an “above-average” athlete, but very few touted him as top-notch. Certainly, those who threw around words like “stiff” are victims of a larger cultural stereotype that we won’t discuss here.
But as a great wordsmith and soon-to-be two-time father once said, “men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.”
At this week’s combine, Zeller, like the man who once ran the Marcy Street projects, got his jovial laugh. According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the Indiana center leapt 35.5 inches in the standing vertical jump on Friday. That astounding leap was the highest among anyone who participated in athletic drills this week:
And more jarringly impressive, Zeller’s number was the best among players standing over 6’9″ in a decade:
He also finished with a very solid 10.82 seconds in the lane agility drill and had the fastest sprint time among big men at 3.15 seconds, per Ford. It was a virtuoso performance that is almost reminiscent of Oklahoma offensive tackle Lane Johnson’s brilliant combine, which helped vault him from borderline first-rounder all the way to the No. 4 pick in April’s NFL draft.
Zeller’s performance won’t keep him from falling out of the first 30 picks, as that was never truly in danger. But what Zeller’s combine has done and will do over the coming weeks is inject life into a semi-hapless draft process that seemed destined for a back half of the lottery ending.
It wasn’t expected to be that way. Heading into the 2012-13 college basketball season, Zeller was considered something of a top-five lock. He, Noel and James Michael McAdoo (sorry about that) comprised a Big Three of big men who were expected to be high draft picks.
While Zeller had the most success from a team perspective among those three—the Hoosiers were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and made the Sweet 16—his sophomore campaign was considered a disappointment. The talent was still lingering in there somewhere, but plenty of folks wondered whether he was someone capable of making The Leap.
By and large, that criticism is based on one fact: Zeller’s sophomore season and freshman season were nearly identical. There were some upticks, particularly in rebounding, but Zeller matched those with some surprising statistical dips as well.
During a season where Zeller was supposed to firmly place himself as college basketball’s best big man, he became the second-best player on his own team behind Victor Oladipo.
For reference, here is how Zeller the freshman compared to Zeller the sophomore from both a metrics and standard statistics standpoint:
| Year | PPG | RPG | BPG | FG% | TS% | ORtg | ORB% | USG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 (Frosh) | 16.5 | 8.1 | 1.3 | 56.2 | 62.3 | 119.4 | 12.4 | 26.6 |
| 2012-13 (Soph) | 15.6 | 6.6 | 1.2 | 62.3 | 66.5 | 126.8 | 11.2 | 24.3 |
All advanced stats via Ken Pomeroy.
Outside of becoming a better rebounder, Zeller’s numbers almost show a regression in every category. Those who watched Indiana know that he’s become a more polished player in nearly every area, but it’s fair to say Zeller failed to show any real signs of impending stardom at the NBA level.
Though he’s just 20 years old, Indiana played enough on national television and on enough big stages that Zeller felt like someone with much more experience.
Even the most casual college hoops fan could give you a general synopsis of Zeller’s skills without sounding like an imbecile. He’s a very good offensive player in the post with a strong array of moves and ability to stretch outside the paint, but sometimes struggles to handle tough defenses.
The latter part of that reputation became particularly salient during the 2013 NCAA tournament. Zeller scored no more than 15 points in any of Indiana’s three games, and his 10-point performance on 3-of-11 shooting in the Hoosiers’ upset loss to Syracuse was particularly disconcerting.
March Madness acts as something of a PSAT for top NBA draft prospects, and Zeller’s performance gave him a pre-score of 1,000. He’ll be good enough to get into a few good schools, but NBA teams weren’t getting the human embodiment of Ivy League here.
A scout told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that the Hoosiers’ and Zeller’s disappointing NCAA tournament didn’t exactly kill his draft stock—but it didn’t help either.
“Zeller is a good complementary player and not a franchise guy,” the scout said. “His stock has probably slipped but not that far. Not a real deep draft as you know.”
Another scout said that despite his poor play in March, Zeller’s body of work was worthy of a top-10 pick.
Others weren’t so sure heading into the combine. ESPN’s Chad Ford had Zeller going No. 11 in his latest mock draft while CBS Sports’ Jeff Goodman had him going No. 9. In other words, if Zeller is a top-10 pick, he’s holding onto that distinction by a tattered thread.
Zeller’s absence from the positional drills puts a bit of a damper on his athletic performance, and not everything went swimmingly in Chicago.
Rumors floated around that Zeller, who some were describing as alligator-armed around the basket at Indiana, had a measured wingspan of 6’8″. Zeller, who interviewed with three teams on Thursday, told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix that those rumors were unfounded:
When ESPN’s Chad Ford came through with the official numbers from Chicago, Zeller’s story checked out. His wingspan measured at 6’10.75″, and he had a 8’10″ standing reach. Those are still on the small side, mind you, but nothing near a catastrophe that some predicted.
That’s especially the case if Zeller—as he’s said publicly—will play power forward at the next level. Speaking with Mannix after getting through Thursday’s festivities, Zeller said versatility could be key at the next level and compared himself to a certain Portland Trail Blazer.
“There are a lot of comparisons to LaMarcus Aldridge,” Zeller said. “I can catch in the mid-post and use my quickness. I didn’t shoot it from outside as much this year. I think I have that ability. It [won't be] a huge adjustment for me, proving I can do what I already know.”
Regardless of how teams view him positionally, Zeller’s combine experience is nothing short of a win. His athleticism numbers were off the charts and unexpected, the perfect swirling of circumstances that creates buzz. Scouts, general managers and pundits alike will walk away from the festivities with Zeller’s name at the tip of their tongue.
And perhaps, that’s the most important thing of all.
Follow Tyler Conway on Twitter: Follow @tylerconway22
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Trey Burke Should Be Considered the Top Prospect in 2013 NBA Draft
Any team that passes up the chance to draft Trey Burke in the 2013 NBA draft will be making a colossal mistake.
Although he only spent two years at Michigan, the Wolverines point guard made them count. Burke really grew into a star in his sophomore season. You could see his potential in his freshman year, but he put it all together this past season.
Burke averaged 18.6 points, 6.7 assists and 3.2 rebounds a game. What’s even more impressive is that he shot 46.3 percent from the field. With Burke leading the way, the Wolverines made it all the way to the national championship before losing to Louisville.
Going into the draft, that game will be the lasting image of Burke on the court, as Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com reported last week. Burke chose not to take part in any of the skill drills at the combine:
“The combine for us will just be testing and interviews,” Burke’s father and newly-named agent, Benji Burke told MLive.com. “We won’t be doing any workouts or skill things there.
“But he will definitely do all the testing and interviews with teams.”
You can see why Burke made the decision he did. There’s really nothing to be gained from partaking in the combine, and it’s not going to hurt his draft position too much. Jeff Rabjohns of Peegs.com considers him the best point guard on the board:
It’s hard to argue that Burke should be the top pick in the draft because you don’t know how the lottery will unfold; however, you can say that Burke is the best overall player in the draft.
In a class that’s bereft of can’t-miss prospects, Burke has the kind of talent that sets him apart from the rest. Although he’s probably not going to be the kind of transcendent star like some previous top picks, Burke is as close to a sure thing as you’ll find in the draft.
Burke is a very good leader. Although he didn’t have a great showing in the tournament overall, without him, the Wolverines wouldn’t have been anywhere close to the title game. Burke showed a lot of poise and confidence for a sophomore.
As his shooting percentage would attest, Burke is a pretty efficient scorer. He’s got enough ability around the perimeter to keep opposing teams honest. On the other hand, if a defender is playing too tightly, Burke can dribble around him and get himself a better shot near the paint or find an open teammate as the defense collapses around him.
One of the biggest positives about Burke is his ability in the pick-and-roll offense. Teams are utilizing the pick-and-roll more and more. Burke is at a major advantage having the kind of experience and skill he does with the pick-and-roll.
Damian Lillard was a pick-and-roll maestro in college. He had a great debut season en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award.
Burke is a bit undersized at around 6’0″, so there’s the worry that he won’t be able to score in the paint against opposing post players and that he’ll struggle to cope with size on defense. They’re legitimate concerns and hold back Burke’s potential.
All in all, Burke is a complete player and can excel immediately in the NBA. Although he’s not going to be one of the best ever, Burke should become an All-Star-caliber point guard in a few seasons.
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Here are 5 reasons Kansas should be thrilled about Andrew Wiggins
This is the best thing to happen to Kansas since “The Wizard of Oz.”
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Key UNC Basketball Returners You Should Watch
North Carolina Tar Heel basketball thrives off of experience from returning players year after year.
In 2005, senior Sean May and junior Raymond Felton led the Tar Heels to a national championship. In 2009, Roy Williams won his second banner with the help of three seniors and three juniors.
In the 2012-13 NBA draft, North Carolina saw four players selected in the first round, all of which returned from the previous year.
This upcoming season is no different.
Besides losing guards Dexter Strickland and Reggie Bullock to the NBA draft, the Tar Heels have excess of talent at Williams’ disposal next year.
While most of the starting roles are filled, some positions are up for grabs. Now is the time for some of the younger players to come in and fill those spots that were left behind by the previous stars.
Here is a look into the important players that chose to return to play for North Carolina in 2013-14.
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Kentucky Basketball: 5 Reasons Fans Should Expect an SEC Title in 2014
Kentucky basketball is used to winning SEC titles, both regular-season and conference tournament ones. In fact, it’s more of a surprise to SEC fans when any team besides Kentucky wins a conference title.
The Wildcats have won a record 28 conference tournaments as well as 47 regular-season titles. But, after a down year in 2012-13, Big Blue Nation is ready to add to those numbers. Will it be easy for Kentucky to do that?
No. Florida is expected to be a top-10 team this year.
Will Kentucky be the favorites?
Yes. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see the Wildcats win their second national title under John Calipari.
The first step toward that ninth NCAA title, though, is to win a 29th SEC tournament or a 48th regular-season crown.
But, why not silence all the critics and win all three?
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Syracuse Basketball: 5 Reasons Fans Should Expect an ACC Title in 2014
Syracuse fans are used to winning. A down Big East season had been a fifth-place finish. I’m not saying Orange fans are spoiled, let’s just say…fine, they’re spoiled.
Will the winning stop because Syracuse begins play in the ACC in 2013-14?
No.
The Orange have been on an unprecedented run of success ever since winning the NCAA championship in 2003. Recruiting has never been better, and there is absolutely no reason to think that will change next season.
As a matter of fact, there are five reasons for fans to expect an ACC title in 2014.
See what I did there?
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Duke Basketball: 5 Reasons Fans Should Expect an ACC Title in 2014
Duke will go into the 2014-15 season with high expectations. After a season of great parity—where the No. 1 ranked team in the country kept getting upset—the upcoming season looks to be one that’ll be dominated by a handful of supremely talented teams.
Duke will be among those elite teams. A great recruiting haul combined with promising returning underclassmen and defensive-minded seniors make Duke an NCAA title contender.
But the first step toward a national championship is a strong showing in the conference. For that reason, Duke fans hoping for a deep run in March should expect either an ACC regular season or ACC tournament title.
Or both.
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Ben McLemore should be safe from NCAA scrutiny
Former Kansas guard could be the latest subject of unnecessary NCAA scrutiny.
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Phil Jackson Should Take Front Office Job with Brooklyn Nets
With interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo no longer in the fold, the Brooklyn Nets have focused their efforts on luring Phil Jackson out of retirement. While the 11-time NBA Champion shouldn’t take the Nets’ coaching job, he should agree to a front office role if it is offered.
According to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com, the Nets have contacted Jackson with the hope that he will agree to become their head coach. Jackson hasn’t coached since leading the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2010-11 season, but he has reportedly been “itching” to return to the NBA in some capacity, according to Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
Coaching is certainly an option for Jackson as there are plenty of teams that would love to have arguably the greatest head coach in NBA history, but he doesn’t have to settle for a less-than-ideal option. Jackson is in a position where he can pick and choose what he wants to do, and taking a front office position seems like a smarter move at this point.
Chris Broussard is reporting that Jackson is at the top of Brooklyn’s want list in terms of head coaches, but Larry Brown and Brian Shaw are also options. If Jackson decides to go the front office route instead, he would obviously have plenty of say in the hiring of the next coach.
Shaw served as an assistant with the Lakers from 2004 through 2011, so Jackson is obviously very familiar with what he can do. If he feels confident that Shaw is ready to be a head coach, then perhaps Jackson will be content as a front office type who can act as an adviser and a mentor of sorts to Shaw as he transitions into a head coaching role.
Jackson has already done everything possible in the NBA with 11 titles to his credit, so maybe he’ll be content with paying it forward and helping out a long-time protege. Jackson is clearly a great basketball mind, and it would be interesting to see what he can do in a role similar to Pat Riley’s with the Miami Heat.
Riley is the Heat’s team president, but he is heavily involved in personnel decisions and essentially helps run the daily operations. He has done a fantastic job in Miami and has helped build a potential rivalry. Jackson won’t have LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh available to him in Brooklyn, but his name could help attract some big-name players moving forward.
The main reason why Jackson would be better off in the front office than on the sidelines is that failing as a team president wouldn’t damage his legacy like failing as a coach would. The Nets have talent in the form of Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson, but there is nothing suggest that they will be championship contenders in the near future.
Teams like the Heat, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls aren’t going away any time soon, so it’s tough to envision Brooklyn being much more than a mid-pack playoff team. If Jackson is unable to elevate the Nets as a coach, then there will be unfair questions about his coaching ability. Jackson simply doesn’t need that type of stress at the age of 67.
It’s possible that Jackson will fall flat as an executive, but there are other people in place who can be blamed if that ultimately happens. All of the onus will fall on Jackson as the head coach, whereas just a portion of the burden must be shouldered by Jackson in the front office.
Jackson is one of the most respected people in the sport and has earned the right to decide which role he would rather fill. Although the Nets would probably rather have him as a head coach, they would almost certainly take him regardless of what he wants to do. Jackson is an asset and the Nets have to realize that.
Having Jackson in the front office can be an ace in the hole for Brooklyn just like Riley has been in Miami. If things don’t work out with the new head coach, then the option of moving Jackson into that position exists. Jackson offers a lot of flexibility and is a perfect fit for the Nets’ front office at this point.
The Nets have looked to make flashy hirings and signings since moving to Brooklyn, and adding Jackson as an executive would be their biggest coup yet.
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