(4) Texas @ (14) WVU at Noon on ESPN

[conVINCEd 21469]

1 minute ago, Dr. Beeper said:

I don’t think it’s a done deal either. Kai is a fascinating prospect. But I believe Surly is doing what Surly always does, and that is find a contrarian viewpoint and make it consensus. It’s not like Greg Brown isn’t athletic or is fully developed. 

Lemme ask you this - which of the two is more athletic?  Which has better basketball skills?

If we’re talking about winning a dunk contest, Brown is more athletic.  If we’re talking about chasing down that overthrown pass today, Kai might be more athletic.  On skills Brown wins, but Kai’s newness to basketball gives me a little pause.

[cashman 20]

Kai>Greg isn't even a contrarian take. There are multiple mocks and boards that have him ahead. I think they're very close and I'm enjoying watching them both.

[SDG 3319]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Kai won’t be a lottery pick because of his raw ability to be a hustle guy. He could turn out to be a good NBA player for a decade and make $100 million. Greg will into the league and contribute by year 2. I think his game is incredible. I think he’s vastly undervalued in this draft and he will surprise people by 2022. 

“Lottery pick” doesn’t mean a great deal in a lot of NBA drafts.   In most drafts, half the guys are busts. 

Mark the tape.

[dcar00 14374]

the 3 to 4 inch difference in height between Greg and Kai is big in the NBA.

[WJC88 97]

15 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Yes it is a contrarian take. The majority of boards have Brown as a borderline lottery guy and Kai as a borderline 1st rounder. Some boards don’t have Kai at all (like even in 2nd round). When considering their current talent and contribution to the team it is very much a contrarian take. And I love Kai and his play. Love watching both play too. 

Greg has been an elite prospect since he was 9-10 yrs old.  And training as one.  Kai just started playing the game seriously at 15.  I think that makes a difference in the players we see right now.

Most draft boards don't have Kai high on their boards because they are just noticing him.  He looked so raw as a freshman.  The improvement he has shown in one year is impressive.  He is showing improved range, better ability to put the ball on the floor and get a basket.  The NBA is famous for drafting on potential.  If he continues to develop his game he will move up those draft boards as he has since this season started.  

  

  

[Blotto 23579]

9 hours ago, WJC88 said:

Greg has been an elite prospect since he was 9-10 yrs old.  And training as one.  Kai just started playing the game seriously at 15.  I think that makes a difference in the players we see right now.

Most draft boards don't have Kai high on their boards because they are just noticing him.  He looked so raw as a freshman.  The improvement he has shown in one year is impressive.  He is showing improved range, better ability to put the ball on the floor and get a basket.  The NBA is famous for drafting on potential.  If he continues to develop his game he will move up those draft boards as he has since this season started.  

  

  

exactly. See- Hayes, Jaxson

 

[jimmyjazz 46153]

On 1/10/2021 at 12:13 AM, dcar00 said:

the 3 to 4 inch difference in height between Greg and Kai is big in the NBA.

?

Roster says Greg is 6' 9" and Kai is 6' 11'.  Not arguing that there's a difference, but it seems like you're exaggerating (or UT is fudging).

[jeevsie 3740]

Couple of things - Coleman had some key buckets in the last 10 minutes.  Also, Ramey's pass to AJ was absolutely perfect.  AJ able to shoot in perfect rhythm.

[dcar00 14374]

8 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

?

Roster says Greg is 6' 9" and Kai is 6' 11'.  Not arguing that there's a difference, but it seems like you're exaggerating (or UT is fudging).

I've seen Brown mentioned as 6' 7" and Kai looks to be a legit 6' 10".  If I had to guess its about 3inch difference but who knows.  I remember there was some talk of Durant being 7'0" but he didn't want to be listed at that because at the time there was as stigma that 7 foot meant George Mikan.

They are both very good players and both are playing well right now.

[hobbes2702 13074]

On 1/9/2021 at 11:29 PM, Dr. Beeper said:

I don’t think it’s a done deal either. Kai is a fascinating prospect. But I believe Surly is doing what Surly always does, and that is find a contrarian viewpoint and make it consensus. It’s not like Greg Brown isn’t athletic or is fully developed. 

Lemme ask you this - which of the two is more athletic?  Which has better basketball skills?

Brown is the answer to both questions but they both are getting taken in the first round. Brown in the lottery.

[ztejas 43539]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Beeper said:

Is there any chance Kai stays a year, develops, and is a sure fire lottery pick next year?  It is apparent the ‘21 draft is deep and Kai is still a relative unknown.  

If he plays well down the stretch, and gets scouts in his ear telling him he's a top 20 pick, there is almost no way Kai improves his stock by staying another year. Same is probably true for GB. Age is a massive factor in the NBA draft. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

they're both gone after this year. i can't see it going any other way. the more success this team has, the more certain it becomes that both of them will be leaving after this year. and then again our team going the other direction doesn't do a lot to dissuade them from leaving either. they've got the NBA's attention, and playing in the NBA is their ultimate goal. no reason for either to stay if they're both consensus top 20 picks, which they will be, assuming both stay healthy.

Greg is more refined at this point and has been on scouts' radars longer, but Kai is something special. I'm not saying he's going to be better than Greg Brown, but he is unlike anything i've ever seen at Texas. Can't say i've seen anyone like him anywhere to be honest. How many times can he make some soaring, uber athletic block on one end, come down from the rafters and back to earth, then outrace everyone else to the other end of the court where he makes some uber athletic catch and finish? again, i've never seen anything like it. you add to that his shooting form on FTs (it's really nice), and his clearly innate feel for the game (his decision making and off-ball movement are better than many pros and he just picked up this sport 4.5 years ago) and you have an extremely tantalizing prospect who could easily go as high as top 10 overall depending on his performance the rest of the year. someone is going to fall in love with Kai and take him in the lottery. count on it. 

[ztejas 43539]

4 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

Can't say i've seen anyone like him anywhere to be honest. How many times can he make some soaring, uber athletic block on one end, come down from the rafters and back to earth, then outrace everyone else to the other end of the court where he makes some uber athletic catch and finish? again, i've never seen anything like it.

DRob, KD, Giannis all come to mind. 

Not bad company. 

[Gut Wagon 8087]

51 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

they're both gone after this year. i can't see it going any other way. the more success this team has, the more certain it becomes that both of them will be leaving after this year. and then again our team going the other direction doesn't do a lot to dissuade them from leaving either. 

In college basketball in particular, the program's trend or fate seems to have little impact on player decisions about the draft. Those with tremendous upside (regardless of the level of recognition/awards) seem to bail ASAP. As a fan I wish it weren't so, but I've rarely heard of a lottery pick deciding to come back to school to make a title run. There aren't many Tim Duncans.  

[Catdaddyhorn 3447]

52 minutes ago, Gut Wagon said:

In college basketball in particular, the program's trend or fate seems to have little impact on player decisions about the draft. Those with tremendous upside (regardless of the level of recognition/awards) seem to bail ASAP. As a fan I wish it weren't so, but I've rarely heard of a lottery pick deciding to come back to school to make a title run. There aren't many Tim Duncans.  

The year Tristan Thompson left for the draft saw a lot of premier draft prospects come back for another season due to an anticipated lockout for the upcoming NBA season (which of course pushed Thompson towards the top of the draft and probably made both his and Cory Joseph's decision to enter the draft a lot easier). Miles Bridges, Robert Williams, and Marcus Smart are a few certain lottery picks who came back for an additional season when it wasn't expected. 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Catdaddyhorn

[shadow_operative 15932]

1 hour ago, Gut Wagon said:

In college basketball in particular, the program's trend or fate seems to have little impact on player decisions about the draft. Those with tremendous upside (regardless of the level of recognition/awards) seem to bail ASAP. As a fan I wish it weren't so, but I've rarely heard of a lottery pick deciding to come back to school to make a title run. There aren't many Tim Duncans.  

i'm more referring to the exposure and hype they will get as long as our team stays in the top 10/winning games. the more exposure and acclaim they get, the more their ear starts to get tugged towards the League. beyond that, were we to win a Big XII title, or go to the Elite 8 or something, then there would be even less impetus for them to return to school. 

[Gut Wagon 8087]

I certainly hope there's a ton of hype about the whole team as the season ends. If guys are likely to move on anyway, I know we'd all prefer it be with confetti falling and nets being cut. Same for the other sports as well, with guys such as Joseph Ossai. Although I suspect the people who draft players for a living know who the monster prospects are regardless of team achievement. 

[jimmyjazz 46153]

Yeah, I'm not gonna clutch my pearls over our team getting too much hype by the time the tournament rolls around.  It's the definition of "a good problem to have".

Obviously we all expect a dropoff with the loss of Coleman and some combination of KJones/Brown, but I'll take the recruiting uptick that almost surely comes with putting as many 3 guys in the pros in one year.  It's just the nature of the game these days.  (I am not at all sold on Shaka being able to coach his way through such a minefield, so I'll sell my soul for a great run this year and then whatever happens, happens.)