2016 Mock Draft

[martyconlonontherun]

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/scoring-per-game/sort/avgMinutes/position/rookies

Hezonjia was the only lottery pick not to average 15 so far this year. I think he is also a year younger since he is European (could be wrong) and is playing for a playoff team coached by Scott Skiles, who has shown he will play young guys who are ready but isn't one to focus on developing talents.

[BM1090]

Hayes probably comes out.

No idea about Stone but I'd guess so if he plays well going forward.

[brandx]

Hayes probably comes out.

No idea about Stone but I'd guess so if he plays well going forward.

Just noticed nbadraft.net doesn't even have Stone listed in either 1st or 2nd round.

That sight should always be ignored.

[Class71]

Eh.  He's a guaranteed millionaire, get's coached by the best in the business, and doesn't have to go to class.

DeCourcy wrote this a few days ago about Justin Anderson who was drafted late in the first round and racking up some DNPs.  That doesn't mean that he made a bad decision.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4689461-justin-anderson-dallas-mavericks-rookie-season-virginia-cavaliers

Looks like we disagree.

[jonny09]

Once again, HE not close to being NBA ready.  If he leaves he's making a mistake.  IMO

[martyconlonontherun]

Once again, HE not close to being NBA ready.  If he leaves he's making a mistake.  IMO

What about another year of college ball will make him grow to be more NBA ready versus going to the NBA? Better practices? Better trainers? Better training facilities? Better coaches? More minutes?

[GB Warrior]

What about another year of college ball will make him grow to be more NBA ready versus going to the NBA? Better practices? Better trainers? Better training facilities? Better coaches? More minutes?

An ethics-based education

[MUWarrior4Life]

Hell yeah!!

[jonny09]

Playing Time........He's not going to get better sitting on the bench.   

[#UnleashSean]

Playing Time........He's not going to get better sitting on the bench.

Uhhh yes he will? thats why you practice way more then you play.

[jonny09]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

[buckchuckler]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

You become a millionaire when you can.  Why risk getting hurt or exposed.  What's so hard to understand?

[rocky_warrior]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

What's even easier to understand, is that he WILL get drafted, and make millions next year.  You don't turn that down to stay in college and work on your offense.  We don't get how this is difficult for you to understand.

[jesmu84]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

Dominic James disagrees

[martyconlonontherun]

Playing Time........He's not going to get better sitting on the bench.

Unless Henry really sucks, he will get 15-20 a game on a lottery team year at the very minimum. I don't get how playing time is a factor since that will be more minutes than he would be playing in college. Yeah the minutes in college are more "meaningful" but it's also against lesser talent. Might as well play against the big boys every game.

[martyconlonontherun]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

So he will get better playing a small ball zone defense every game in college? Do you think the college coaches are better than the pro coaches that he can't learn to play defense from NBA coaches or going against grown men in the NBA? He will play MORE minutes in the NBA next year against better competition.


I think there's a huge disconnect with college fans that just because a player isn't ready for the NBA it means it means he should stay in college. It's perfectly fine to sit on an NBA bench for a year or two. Every year you hear quotes from players saying their is such a huge learning curve as a rookie...you might as well get adjusted as early as possible.

[We R Final Four]

I think there's a huge disconnect with college fans that just because a player isn't ready for the NBA it means it means he should stay in college. It's perfectly fine to sit on an NBA bench for a year or two. Every year you hear quotes from players saying their is such a huge learning curve as a rookie...you might as well get adjusted as early as possible.

This is very accurate....except for the their.

[MU82]

This is actually easy to understand........This is basic.  He's not defensively ready and has a lot to work on offensively.  Staying in college is the better option.  I can't see how this is difficult for people to grasp.

Noah Vonleh was nowhere near ready for the NBA but still left Indiana in 2014 after one season. He was drafted No. 9 overall by Charlotte, who proceeded to handcuff him to the bench. Vonleh got traded in the offseason and is now a starter for Portland, playing 15-20 minutes a game.

He is still not lighting the world on fire, but he doesn't turn 21 until August, he is starting in the NBA after a year's apprenticeship and coaching, he is earning lottery money, and he will get a one-year extension because teams rarely  give up on young lottery picks with potential.

And if he looks decent at all after Year 4, he will get a nice, long-term payday because, again, he is a young guy with potential.

Worst-case scenario: He either really sucks or he suffers a long-term injury. If either happens, he will have received $10 million plus to get started on the rest of his life.

I can't see how this is difficult for you to grasp.

Having said all that, we do not know what motivates Henry Ellenson. His family isn't desperate for money, he gets to play college basketball with his brother, maybe he enjoys the Marquette experience, maybe he wants to make a Final Four run. Maybe he decides to stay another year because he simply wants to and knows the money will still be there.

We don't know, and anybody who claims to know is lying, speculating or both.

Blake Griffin stayed another year. So did Marcus Smart. So did Joakim Noah. So did Harrison Barnes. Etc, etc, etc. We have a list of guys who stayed somewhere here on Scoop. It happens. Guys make the decision to stay or go for very personal reasons.

Whether or not Henry is "ready" -- as deemed by fans like you and me and everybody else on Scoop -- will not enter into his decision. If his peeps get reliable info that he will be a lottery pick, that will mean a little more than jonny09 screaming, "But he's not ready!"

[MU82]

This from Wojo when asked by Providence media about Ellenson after the game:

"He's a kid who's unpacked his bags. He loves Marquette, he loves being around our team and he's really dedicated to the game."