NBA Express Latest Mock Draft

[MU82]

How is projecting about his future not enjoying that he is here now?

I agree they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, Sultan.

It does get tiresome reading thread after thread, though, especially with so many proclaiming they "know" exactly what he'll do.

[brewcity77]

I agree they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, Sultan.

It does get tiresome reading thread after thread, though, especially with so many proclaiming they "know" exactly what he'll do.

I'm confident he'll be good enough to get drafted. If I was in his shoes, I'd almost certainly go. I'm not, so I don't know what he'll do. Selfishly, I hope MU Fan in NYC is right and he stays all four years, but at least right now, he sure is fun to watch in a Marquette uniform. Haven't seen a player make dominant performances look so routine since Wade was here.

[fjm]

He's young and impressionable. At age 18 guys are into chicks. We need to find him his "perfect" girl, get her enrolled at MU and then get her to convince him to stay all 4 because she won't leave MU with him because she's with him for his love of family and not his money....

Or something. I don't care, I just love watching him play!

[GGGG]

I agree they aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, Sultan.

It does get tiresome reading thread after thread, though, especially with so many proclaiming they "know" exactly what he'll do.

Yeah I get that.  I have no idea what he will do.  I mean, I *think* he's gone, but who knows.

[warriorchick]

He's young and impressionable. At age 18 guys are into chicks. We need to find him his "perfect" girl, get her enrolled at MU and then get her to convince him to stay all 4 because she won't leave MU with him because she's with him for his love of family and not his money....

Or something. I don't care, I just love watching him play!

Have you seen the chicks the NBA guys get?

BTW, I haven't seen Luke's gf from last year at any of the games.  I don't know what's up with that...

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Have you seen the chicks the NBA guys get?

BTW, I haven't seen Luke's gf from last year at any of the games.  I don't know what's up with that...

Oh she's still around, and still a dime. Henry has a girlfriend too I'm pretty sure.

[The Lens]

Henry was 4 months old when Tim Duncan was drafted.  Harrison Barnes was an incredibly disappointing freshman.   

This board continues to reach.

If Henry had even an inkling of staying don't you think scouts both nba and media would have heard / reported? 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Henry was 4 months old when Tim Duncan was drafted.  Harrison Barnes was an incredibly disappointing freshman.   

This board continues to reach. 

I'll give you Tim Duncan being old but Harrison Barnes being an incredibly disappointing freshmen? If averaging 16 points and 6 rebounds a game for a team that went to the elite 8 (demolishing us in the process) is disappointing....then Henry should never go pro!

As you say, this board continues to reach. The only thing MU82 is pointing out that people are stating speculation as fact and some go so far as to get upset when others speculate differently. No one knows what Henry will do when the season ends. Not even Henry. Personally, I speculate that he will stay a second year. Family seems to be a huge factor in his life and he seems like the kind of player who would want to leave college on a high note. I don't think this year's team will give him that. Complete speculation on my part of course.

If Henry had even an inkling of staying don't you think scouts both nba and media would have heard / reported? 

Absolutely not. It's December. The media doesn't care about college basketball yet. Media won't start reporting on who's thinking about staying or declaring until late March.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Henry was 4 months old when Tim Duncan was drafted.  Harrison Barnes was an incredibly disappointing freshman.   

This board continues to reach.

If Henry had even an inkling of staying don't you think scouts both nba and media would have heard / reported?

Just to play devils advocate, wouldn't the same be said about Marcus Smart and others?

[MU82]

Just to play devils advocate, wouldn't the same be said about Marcus Smart and others?

Marcus Smart, Harrison Barnes, Joakim Noah and, especially, Blake Griffin are very good recent examples of guys who could have left early but chose not to for a variety of reasons.

Griffin, an absolute stud, actually chose to stay for his sophomore season at Oklahoma in great part because he wanted to play a second season with his brother.

Sound familiar? How is that comparison a "reach"? (The only thing that might make it a reach is that Henry, as talented as he is, is no Blake Griffin! In other words, it's a reach in the other direction.)

As TAMU said, stating such a fact often leads to being ridiculed by those who offer nothing more than speculation.

[brandx]

I'll give you Tim Duncan being old but Harrison Barnes being an incredibly disappointing freshmen? If averaging 16 points and 6 rebounds a game for a team that went to the elite 8 (demolishing us in the process) is disappointing....then Henry should never go pro!

Not to mention that there were special circumstances when Barnes stayed for a 2nd year at NC.

But 82, is right. We don't know. Let's just enjoy the year.

[The Lens]

Harrison was expected to have a Ben Simmons like year and be the #1 pick the draft.  By that measure his season was disappointing.

Henry continues to live to expectations.

Blake Griffin continues to be the best example of highly projected kid coming back.  I do not beleive Noah and Smart started off their years as highly ranked.

[mu-rara]

It's pretty solid that if Henry wants to go, he will be welcomed into the NBA.  The only reason he stays is because he wants to.  MU has a wildcard that other schools don't, his brother.   

I hope he loves MU so much he stays for another year but I'm not betting on it.

[wadesworld]

Marcus Smart, Harrison Barnes, Joakim Noah and, especially, Blake Griffin are very good recent examples of guys who could have left early but chose not to for a variety of reasons.

Griffin, an absolute stud, actually chose to stay for his sophomore season at Oklahoma in great part because he wanted to play a second season with his brother.

Sound familiar? How is that comparison a "reach"? (The only thing that might make it a reach is that Henry, as talented as he is, is no Blake Griffin! In other words, it's a reach in the other direction.)

As TAMU said, stating such a fact often leads to being ridiculed by those who offer nothing more than speculation.

Actually, Blake Griffin was ranked 18th by ESPN, 23rd by Yahoo, etc.  Hank was ranked as high as 5th by ESPN, 9th composite (I can't find a single site that had Griffin in the top 10, but I'm sure they're out there).  So Hank was ranked higher coming into college.

As a freshman, Blake Griffin averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.8 bpg, and 2.3 TO/g.  Hank is currently averaging 16.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.5 spg, 1.4 bpg, and 2.8 TO/g.  And Blake's skillset included dunking and...well, dunking.  He shot 58% from the free throw line his freshman year (and not much better his sophomore year).

[The Lens]

FWIW, I LOVE the NBA and the NBA Draft.  It's oddly, one of my favorite nights of the year.  As such I have a good feel for who enters, who does not. Every year there are stories of kids loving college, thinking of staying (Jabari Parker had these stories) and every year 99% of those kids end up pursuing their dream of participating in their chosen field at the highest level.  We need to adjust how we are viewing these kids.  These kids don't drop out of school, they elect to leave their internship for professional practice.

[MU82]

Actually, Blake Griffin was ranked 18th by ESPN, 23rd by Yahoo, etc.  Hank was ranked as high as 5th by ESPN, 9th composite (I can't find a single site that had Griffin in the top 10, but I'm sure they're out there).  So Hank was ranked higher coming into college.

As a freshman, Blake Griffin averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 0.8 bpg, and 2.3 TO/g.  Hank is currently averaging 16.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.5 spg, 1.4 bpg, and 2.8 TO/g.  And Blake's skillset included dunking and...well, dunking.  He shot 58% from the free throw line his freshman year (and not much better his sophomore year).

I probably was guilty of thinking about what Griffin has become and not what he was. And I admit to not being a "draftnik" who lives and dies with this stuff.

Where were the experts projecting Blake to be drafted at this point in his freshman season? Or, probably more importantly, where were the experts projecting Blake to be drafted at the end of his freshman season? In other words, what riches did Blake actually decide to give up in returning for his sophomore year? I seem to remember him being a top-5 projection or higher, but again I'm no draftnik.

[MU82]

Harrison was expected to have a Ben Simmons like year and be the #1 pick the draft.  By that measure his season was disappointing.

Henry continues to live to expectations.

Blake Griffin continues to be the best example of highly projected kid coming back.  I do not beleive Noah and Smart started off their years as highly ranked.

Noah and Smart may not have started off their years as highly ranked, but they sure as heck ended them that way.

Noah was being talked about as the probable No. 1 pick after leading Florida to the national title as a sophomore. Nevertheless, he loved college, he didn't desperately need the money and he felt he had unfinished business. So he returned to Florida for his junior year.

So it's immaterial what Noah was ranked as a freshman or a half-dozen games into his sophomore season. The question is: "What did Noah knowingly and willingly give up to stay in college?" And the answer is: Very high draft status and big money.

He ended up staying and winning another title. He didn't have quite as good a year individually, however, and got drafted ninth by the Bulls. That knocked his salary down some, especially his first few years, but he has gone on to make a ton of money and even was prominent in the MVP race a couple years back. I'd love to hear if he regrets that decision.

[CAGASS24]

yeah I agree - folks need to stop arguing about whether or not he could leave ---

the reason teams draft mostly on potential is exactly what makes the draft the draft - you want that potential under your roof and not someones else's - the teams can't control when the good players come out - but once they decide they have to look at the potential - HE has the potential  to be a special basketball player simply because of his size, shooting ability, and ball handling/passing - his other current abilities (strength, movement, IQ, etc) that we care about because he is playing for us right now won't really come into focus for them unless they can say for certain he won't develop there - to date its hard to see any red flags about Henry long term potential wise (admitting I know nothing about his mental maturity) - however, if he jacks up a knee or foot, BIIIIG problem.

Hoping for two just so he can stay with Wally - but to me that would be the only reason i'd stay were I him.

[Benny B]

Anyone recall where Dougie McD was projected before he "opted" to return (granted, very unique situation there).

[Dawson Rental]

Harrison was expected to have a Ben Simmons like year and be the #1 pick the draft.  By that measure his season was disappointing.

Henry continues to live to expectations.

Blake Griffin continues to be the best example of highly projected kid coming back.  I do not beleive Noah and Smart started off their years as highly ranked.

I remember there being a consensus that Smart would have gone around the fifth pick, if he had come out a year earlier.  I believe that Noah would have been a top five, as well, and hurt himself by staying an extra year, falling all the way to number nine (and the Bulls!!!).  So, Noah's was a special case given that God intervened.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Harrison was expected to have a Ben Simmons like year and be the #1 pick the draft.  By that measure his season was disappointing.

Henry continues to live to expectations.

Blake Griffin continues to be the best example of highly projected kid coming back.  I do not beleive Noah and Smart started off their years as highly ranked.

He was being projected as a top 3 pick before he announced he was coming back. Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were his only competition. I think his freshman year was just fine. Barnes is the perfect example of a highly projected kid coming back.

I agree with your middle statement though.

[brandx]

He was being projected as a top 3 pick before he announced he was coming back. Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were his only competition. I think his freshman year was just fine. Barnes is the perfect example of a highly projected kid coming back.

I agree with your middle statement though.

I disagree with using Barnes as an example. He, Sullinger, and a couple others that would have declared after their freshman year, but did not do so because of uncertainty with the NBA/Players Union at the time.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I disagree with using Barnes as an example. He, Sullinger, and a couple others that would have declared after their freshman year, but did not do so because of uncertainty with the NBA/Players Union at the time.

I actually forgot about that. That is a good point. I still disagree that Barnes "disappointing freshmen year" was the reason.

[brandx]

I actually forgot about that. That is a good point. I still disagree that Barnes "disappointing freshmen year" was the reason.

Same here.

[Coleman]

Any chance Henry stays through his sophomore year to get another year with Wally?

That is honestly the only thing I can see  keeping him staying longer than this year. Even that is a stretch though.