Prediction: Next MU 1st round pick

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

DJO!

This guy is as talented a player as we've had since DWade. With Lazar as a testament to working your fanny off, DJO is going to explode!

[Clam Crowder]

what about Jimmy?

[HoopsMalone]

I agree on DJO.  Jimmy has a chance to make the NBA though, I would just say DJO if I was betting. 

Who knows on these freshman though.

[Clam Crowder]

Yeah I agree DJO will be the next first rounder and if not him well see about Vander and Jamil and even Jae

[duanewade]

I'm going to say Chris Otule as it seems the NBA is more interested in potential and NBA bodies ("NBA body" was a term they used on almost every player in the first round) than on actual production as we saw last year with Jerel McNeal going undrafted while a guy who didn't even start for tOSU last year ended up getting drafted in the 1st round.

I'm half sarcastic in saying Otule but he is 6'10ish and 240 lbs. who had a late growth spurt in high school who could surprise the crap out of all of us this year.  He's also going to be 20/21 next year and I know my body started to change a lot when I reached 21 so if he stays healthy he could be a baller for us next year.    

[NersEllenson]

DJO!

This guy is as talented a player as we've had since DWade. With Lazar as a testament to working your fanny off, DJO is going to explode!

Agree 100%.  Some might call DJO a tweener - but the kid can ball.  My guess he will be a Top 20 pick.

[MarkCharles]

My vote goes to Vander Blue. By the time he goes to the NBA, he will likely have much better guard skills than DJO. DJO can score the ball and is lightning quick, but his ball-handling was often sloppy and his passing is nothing special. Plus he hasn't learned to play defense yet, something Vander seems committed to. He is also a couple inches taller than DJO and still possibly growing. My guess is DJO is a 2nd rounder at best, but I hope I am wrong. Don't discount the possibility that the two could be in the same draft class, if Vander really develops and is ready to make the jump after his soph year.

I don't see Jimmy making it in the league. I'm sure he will show the hard work and desire that helped Wes and Lazar land, but he is nowhere near as skilled as those guys. He has very limited range for a 6'6 guy and wouldn't be able to do anything off the dribble at all against NBA small forwards.

[duanewade]

My vote goes to Vander Blue. By the time he goes to the NBA, he will likely have much better guard skills than DJO. DJO can score the ball and is lightning quick, but his ball-handling was often sloppy and his passing is nothing special. Plus he hasn't learned to play defense yet, something Vander seems committed to. He is also a couple inches taller than DJO and still possibly growing. My guess is DJO is a 2nd rounder at best, but I hope I am wrong. Don't discount the possibility that the two could be in the same draft class, if Vander really develops and is ready to make the jump after his soph year.

I don't see Jimmy making it in the league. I'm sure he will show the hard work and desire that helped Wes and Lazar land, but he is nowhere near as skilled as those guys. He has very limited range for a 6'6 guy and wouldn't be able to do anything off the dribble at all against NBA small forwards.

Good analysis that I agree with as I love DJO but think he has limitations but will be more than happy to admit I'm wrong if he becomes a first rounder also.....the unknowns are how good Junior and Jumail can become.....Junior is built like Deron Williams who was also from Texas.....maybe that is were their similarities end but we truly have yet to see what he can do.....Jumail is oober athletic and can nail the outside shot.....it will be fun to watch all this talent Buzz is collecting develop and see who rises to the top. 

[77ncaachamps]

Vander. I believe he has the tools to be drafted.

Jimmy can slip in late 2nd...but if he blows it up this year, it can be a solid 2nd.

DJO has the ability to be a 1st, but as an earlier post indicated, his handle needs to improve. NBA scouts will salivate over his 3pt shooting and his ability to take it to the hole (which he HAS to do more of).

I can see Jamail improving and getting some draft love...it's just really early for the young ones...

[Blackhat]

DJO has to become a lot more consistent in production if he is to be drafted.   Needs to become a better and more frequent driver and finisher as well. 

[downtown85]

DJO.  If he has a break out year 2010-2011, it could be next year.

[nyg]

DJO is small in size for a SG and lacks the point guard/ball handling skills of lets say an Eric Bledsoe, who was also around 6ft 2in.  Look what happened to Scottie Reynolds in this draft, he didn't even get a sniff and he was also an awesome shooter. Now if DJO was 6ft 5in like Rautins, that would be something. 

I'll go with Blue. 

[Brewtown Andy]

DJO is small in size for a SG and lacks the point guard/ball handling skills of lets say an Eric Bledsoe, who was also around 6ft 2in.  Look what happened to Scottie Reynolds in this draft, he didn't even get a sniff and he was also an awesome shooter.

Reynolds's best shooting year was last year when he shot basically exactly the same as DJO from the floor, and all 4 years he never came within 10% of DJO's 3PT% number last year.  If DJO continues to stroke 3s at a 45+% rate, NBA teams are going to take a LONG look at him.

[nyg]

Reynolds's best shooting year was last year when he shot basically exactly the same as DJO from the floor, and all 4 years he never came within 10% of DJO's 3PT% number last year.  If DJO continues to stroke 3s at a 45+% rate, NBA teams are going to take a LONG look at him.

Good points, thanks.

Here's an interesting fact about Reynolds. 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/news/story?id=5326042

[GGGG]

DJO is small in size for a SG and lacks the point guard/ball handling skills of lets say an Eric Bledsoe, who was also around 6ft 2in.  Look what happened to Scottie Reynolds in this draft, he didn't even get a sniff and he was also an awesome shooter. Now if DJO was 6ft 5in like Rautins, that would be something.  

I'll go with Blue.  

I agree with this.

Reynolds's best shooting year was last year when he shot basically exactly the same as DJO from the floor, and all 4 years he never came within 10% of DJO's 3PT% number last year.  If DJO continues to stroke 3s at a 45+% rate, NBA teams are going to take a LONG look at him.

They will look at him, but spot up guards with limited ball handling skilss are generally not drafted in the first round.

[MerrittsMustache]

I'm a big DJO fan, but NBA teams don't exactly line up for 6'2" shooting guards. If he can handle the ball and, at times, run the point successfully the next two seasons, he'd have a chance to be drafted in the 2nd Round.

Butler is a wing who's played PF during his time at MU. Next season could be a great chance for him to breakout and show more of his perimeter game. Lazar was really helped by showcasing his strength and his agility at the combine. Butler is not as strong, but he has good quickness and athleticism so he could surprise some people...but I still don't think that would get him into the 1st Round.

Both players should be helped by the fact that MU has produced a couple very solid NBA players recently in Wes and Lazar.

I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that Marquette's Vander Blue gets drafted a few spots later than Maquette's JP Tokoto in the 1st Round of the 2013 Draft.

[NavinRJohnson]

Vander Blue or DJO

[brewcity77]

DJO reminds me a lot of Ben Gordon. An undersized 2, but can simply fill up the basket and has great shooting range. I can see him becoming one of those superstar 6th man type guys. I think he'll be a borderline lottery pick, whether it's after he declares next year or finishes out in two years.

[NersEllenson]

DJO reminds me a lot of Ben Gordon. An undersized 2, but can simply fill up the basket and has great shooting range. I can see him becoming one of those superstar 6th man type guys. I think he'll be a borderline lottery pick, whether it's after he declares next year or finishes out in two years.

+1000 - Great comparison.  DJO is very unorthodox, being lefty, a little herky jerk, yet has explosive athleticism.  I get that he doesn't have protypical shooting guard size..but he's crafty, and can flat out shoot it.  There were questions about DWade being a tweener, etc...but he's a ball player.  Obviously DJO isn't as gifted as Wade off the dribble..but DJO showed great explosiveness, and a great spin move.  DJO is a basketball player, period..his height will not prevent him from getting drafted.  Since the first game(s) I saw him play at the Old Spice Classic...I've felt he's the most talented player at MU since Wade...and I'll stand by that statement.

[kmwtrucks]

I think Jimmy butler has the best chance of all the player's coming back from last years team. If he improves as much from his Soph to JR and Jr to Sr.  He is going to measure out about 6-7 in shoes, and is going to have verticals around the same as Lazar is my guess. He is also is a much better ball handler and can shoot off the dribble, He also shoots the ball at a very high %. 

[GGGG]

+1000 - Great comparison.  DJO is very unorthodox, being lefty, a little herky jerk, yet has explosive athleticism.

DJO does not possess "explosive athleticism."  Ben Gordon got to the rim all the time while at UConn... when DJO puts it on the floor, he gets in trouble a lot simply because he's not explosive.  Furthermore, Gordon is a much better ball handler.  He can play the point when he has to...and in fact did so often at UConn.  DJO cannot do that.

To follow this up...

Ben Gordon was listed with the point guards in many draft previews.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/draft/2004-point-guards.htm

Also, to point out the differences between the two as far as their games go, DJO got to the line 96 times last year.  Gordon was up around 180 his last two years at UConn.  Gordon is much more explosive...and he has to be considering his size.

[bilsu]

I really expect DJO to be significantly better this year. Last year he never seemed to put two great offensive halves together. My worry about DJO is that he will think he is good enough to go pro after this year. Again that is what he thinks, not what we think. There are plently of players that declare that should not have.

[MerrittsMustache]

IMO, best case NBA scenario for DJO is to be an Eddie House type. Undersized for a SG, never going to be a star, but always finds a place to play because he can score the basketball.

Best case for Butler: Jamario Moon. Thinking with my heart, not my head...Butler = Gerald Wallace 

[HoopsMalone]

With all of the free agent hoopla surrounding the Bulls and other teams, I'd have to say a pure shooting guard does not fall into laps.  If teams stack themselves with multiple all-stars, DJO is a nice pick potentially for his ability to knock down shots consistently.  He needs to show that he can play defense, but but him at the 2 with Derrick Rose at the 1 and LeBron at the 3 so he can just stand there and wait for passes.  (not saying that James is going to Chicago, but that is a good hypothetical spot for DJO)

He could have a future in the league where he does not need to show he can do anything but shoot 45% from 3 and play defense.   Cheap shooters are going to be in demand after this offseason of overpayment to all-stars and next summer's free agent class will be similar.   

Heck, even McNeal could find a home.  He plays decent defense and knocks down open shots.  If he does not have to create anything, he could be a good role player for a team to come in for 6-8  mins a game. 

[john_cocktoasten]

Unless DJO improves his ball handling skills he's heading to the Euro leagues. He has the talent to play the 2 position in the NBA but he's only 6'1" and that just wont cut it in the NBA. DJO needs to show that he can run the point for any hope that he can make a team.  
Jimmy has the talent and has an unique skill that NBA teams covet... Rebounding and defense.  Unfortunately those skills aren't going to get you drafted in the first round and probably not even in the second.  So, unless Jimmy has a huge year I see him headed down the same path as Wes... Which isn't not that bad