JP Tokoto

[dgies9156]

Would need to get a release from his NLI.  Could play right away then.  Don't hold your breath.

Ahhh, we're snorting cheese in here again.

I'm sure JP is a fine young man, but if we strive to be an elite program -- and by all measures we're trying -- why are we THIS excited about a good kid who can't crack UNC's starting line-up. I'm sure he's good but I want to recruit young men who can crack UNC's starting line-up but would rather play for Marquette.

This one befuddles me. Let's hope he succeeds at UNC -- but not SUCCEED at UNC, if you know what I mean. I want Roy shaking his head when a future star comes here instead and starts for us.

[kmwtrucks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLUdb79x0-U

[Wade for President]

Very cool video (and interesting that it all four players could conceivably go to different big time bball programs).

I KNOW it's just a video, but Phillip Nolan looks more athletic than I remember in past videos. 

[4everwarriors]

Which dude is Wilson?

[Nukem2]

Which dude is Wilson?

Seriously...........................

[wadesworld]

Seriously...........................

His eye sight's bad.  It comes with old age.

[OnWisconsin]

I expect JP to stay at UNC, but thinking that he'll declare early at this point is ludicrous. Kid isn't a top-5 prospect anymore. He's not even top-50. He was an athletic HS player that struggled to do the little things that differentiate the McDonald's All-Americans from the rest of the country. I loved his game at Falls, and truly wish him the best, but at this point, he doesn't project as a NBA player period, much less an early-entrant. He's got a lot of work to do to get to the former, much less the latter.

Doesn't project as an NBA player? I'll take that bet any day. You realize the NBA is a run and jump league, right? Typically you'd like your "3" man to have a solid outside game, but the more athleticism you have, the more you get away with a less than stellar perimeter game (obviously he would have to be able to hit the mid range jumper though). Not to mention, just playing at UNC will help you get drafted compared to other schools. (David Noel, Rayshawn Terry, 100 other athletic wings who weren't that great)

And notice I said, "if" he gets a jump shot, he could declare early. A very reasonable thought.

[wadesworld]

Doesn't project as an NBA player? I'll take that bet any day. You realize the NBA is a run and jump league, right? Typically you'd like your "3" man to have a solid outside game, but the more athleticism you have, the more you get away with a less than stellar perimeter game (obviously he would have to be able to hit the mid range jumper though). Not to mention, just playing at UNC will help you get drafted compared to other schools. (David Noel, Rayshawn Terry, 100 other athletic wings who weren't that great)

And notice I said, "if" he gets a jump shot, he could declare early. A very reasonable thought.

Agreed.  He will be paid to play basketball in the United States someday.

[brewcity77]

Doesn't project as an NBA player?

The rest of what you said is meaningless fluff. There are a lot of guys in high school that can run and jump. JP is the #68 prospect per RSCI. Not one single service has him projected as a top-50 player. Not one. In the average year, the NBA drafts 60 players, so right there, he's outside being projected as a NBA player. Of those 60 players, about 10 are usually going to be international players. So that means if you're outside the top-50 in the US, you aren't projecting as a NBA player.

He could get there. He could develop into one. But it isn't like he's a 7-footer which are still rare. Maybe he gets there, maybe he doesn't, but when you strictly look at the numbers, he's on the outside looking in based on projections right now, and no one is saying he's got early-entrant ability. I think he has a chance, but it's probably not much better than 50/50, and his best shot at being paid to play basketball in the United States, strictly based on the projections I was referring to, is the NBADL.

[wadesworld]

The rest of what you said is meaningless fluff. There are a lot of guys in high school that can run and jump. JP is the #68 prospect per RSCI. Not one single service has him projected as a top-50 player. Not one. In the average year, the NBA drafts 60 players, so right there, he's outside being projected as a NBA player. Of those 60 players, about 10 are usually going to be international players. So that means if you're outside the top-50 in the US, you aren't projecting as a NBA player.

He could get there. He could develop into one. But it isn't like he's a 7-footer which are still rare. Maybe he gets there, maybe he doesn't, but when you strictly look at the numbers, he's on the outside looking in based on projections right now, and no one is saying he's got early-entrant ability. I think he has a chance, but it's probably not much better than 50/50, and his best shot at being paid to play basketball in the United States, strictly based on the projections I was referring to, is the NBADL.

My guess is that if everything else was exactly the same about JP Tokoto but he was an incoming freshman at Marquette rather than at UNC you would be drooling over his athleticism and saying he will be in the NBA very soon.  Recruiting rankings mean absolutely nothing about a player's NBA potential.

[brewcity77]

I love Burton and Wilson on a potential scale. Right now, they don't project as NBA players. Of all our incoming recruits the next few years, McKay seems like the best bet because he's highly rated and a legit 6'10". But I'm okay with guys not projecting as NBA players. While having them helps, you can still win with guys like Jerel and DJ.

[Blackhat]

wilson's got nba measurables.

billingsley-esque...

wonder what our recruits are hearing from opposing coaches related to our smooth and professional AD-BB HC relations this year?

[brewcity77]

Plenty of guys have NBA measurables, though. I learned my lesson about projecting guys to the NBA out of high school with Juan. From his tapes and HS dominance, I really thought he could be that point forward type, an Evan Turner type player in a couple years. Now I still think Juan could be very good, but if he had that kind of upside, I have to think he'd have shown a bit more as a freshman. Great mixtape, but just not ready to translate that to a high-major level right away.

Looking at Marquette's current roster, Jamil strikes me as the most likely to make it to the league. Lockett could do it as well, I think he's primarily at Marquette in hopes of increasing his draft odds. Vander, Mayo, and Gardner might have a chance, but I'd say it's pretty slim for all of them. Van has a lot of holes in his game to patch up and really needs to develop into a PG in the next 2 years, Mayo is small for a SG and too inconsistent, while Gardner isn't quick enough to guard 4s and isn't tall enough to be a 5, but has enough raw offensive talent that he still might get a shot.

But our incoming HS guys? Not going to project any of them as NBA players. Not Taylor, not Burton, not Wilson, not Nunn if he comes. McKay, because it sounds like he's a true 6'10" without shoes and has proven himself at least at a post-HS level, I'd probably give an edge to over anyone that will be on the roster next year other than Jamil. Looney and Stone, okay, both are consensus top-10 players, IF they stay there, they should go pro, but there's a long time for their ratings to drop.

Until you prove yourself in high-major hoops, I don't like projecting anyone into the NBA, especially guys that are sub-50 in the RSCI.

[bilsu]

I am not arguing that Juan will be a pro. I just want to comment on what he showed his freshman year. Remember he played most of the season with an injured shoulder that required surgery this summer. Until he is fully recovered we really will not know how good he can be. I do think Steve Taylor will play ahead of him even if Juan is 100%. Steve has a better college body, but I do like Juan's ability to pass and he could be a very exciting player with a stronger body and stronger ball handling.

[brewcity77]

My point is more that projecting any guys that are sub-50 in the recruiting rankings to the NBA is a fool's gambit at best.

Sure, you know for certain guys like Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel, Jabari Parker, and other locked-in top-3 guys will go pro, but after that, it gets dicey. Not every top-10 will pan out. Certainly not every top-30. I'd guess that of guys ranked 50-100, probably fewer than 20% end up playing in the NBA. That includes not only Tokoto, but almost everyone on Marquette's current and future (committed) roster.

[bilsu]

I think you can separate players ranked 50 to 150 into two catagories. There are lots of players in this catagory that are to short, too slow, etc. to ever be pro players. Remove those players from this group of 100 players and I suspect more than 20% of the remaining ones that work their tail off make the pros for at least a cup of coffee.

[OnWisconsin]

The rest of what you said is meaningless fluff. There are a lot of guys in high school that can run and jump. JP is the #68 prospect per RSCI. Not one single service has him projected as a top-50 player. Not one. In the average year, the NBA drafts 60 players, so right there, he's outside being projected as a NBA player. Of those 60 players, about 10 are usually going to be international players. So that means if you're outside the top-50 in the US, you aren't projecting as a NBA player.

He could get there. He could develop into one. But it isn't like he's a 7-footer which are still rare. Maybe he gets there, maybe he doesn't, but when you strictly look at the numbers, he's on the outside looking in based on projections right now, and no one is saying he's got early-entrant ability. I think he has a chance, but it's probably not much better than 50/50, and his best shot at being paid to play basketball in the United States, strictly based on the projections I was referring to, is the NBADL.

Firstly, they aren't a lot of guys in the NBA who can run and jump like Tokoto. So let's throw your first sentence out right away. Second, you as a MU fan should know rankings mean nothing. (Wade, at one point a top 5 NBA player, not top 50. Maybe not top 150? Not sure. Then every Badger in the NBA, none were top 50. Not even Harris.

And the rest of what you said really made no sense, you started throwing out all these projections and numbers that are worthless.

D-League? Please, get serious.

[brewcity77]

Firstly, they aren't a lot of guys in the NBA who can run and jump like Tokoto. So let's throw your first sentence out right away. Second, you as a MU fan should know rankings mean nothing. (Wade, at one point a top 5 NBA player, not top 50. Maybe not top 150? Not sure. Then every Badger in the NBA, none were top 50. Not even Harris.

And the rest of what you said really made no sense, you started throwing out all these projections and numbers that are worthless.

D-League? Please, get serious.

Do you understand the meaning of the word "projected"? When Wade came to Marquette, he didn't project as a NBA player. Tokoto doesn't currently project as a NBA player. If they made mock drafts of the next 4 years, his name wouldn't be on that list right now. That's what projected means.

If you can't figure out what the "all these projections and numbers" are that I threw out, you might want to go back to basic, grade-school math. Pretty sure that by the time you get to second or third grade, you should be able to count to 60.

Again, I said "projected". He isn't projected as a NBA player. I realize that some guys outside the top-50 get there. But assuming that a sub-50 guy is going to play in the NBA when he doesn't have a jumper and hasn't played a minute of college ball is simply asinine.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Firstly, they aren't a lot of guys in the NBA who can run and jump like Tokoto.

+1.

Guys, there are only about 220 players in the NBA that are on par with JP's athleticism.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Firstly, they aren't a lot of guys in the NBA who can run and jump like Tokoto. So let's throw your first sentence out right away. Second, you as a MU fan should know rankings mean nothing. (Wade, at one point a top 5 NBA player, not top 50. Maybe not top 150? Not sure. Then every Badger in the NBA, none were top 50. Not even Harris.

And the rest of what you said really made no sense, you started throwing out all these projections and numbers that are worthless.

D-League? Please, get serious.

Huh???  Yeah, only about 95% of the guys in the NBA can run and jump like him.  Outside of the NBA, you are pretty much spot on.