[valentine]

Yes I know that it is way too early to determine who will be drafted in what order next year but who would you project to be a lottery pick for next year’s draft. Right now Andrew Wiggins looks like the favorite to go #1 next year but then last year we all learned that your expectations can never be too high on a high school player after what we saw from Shabazz last year. A year ago Trey Burke, Victor Oladipo, Kelly Olynyk and Shane Larkin would have been in nobody’s projected lottery. But just for fun who is in your projected lottery?

#1 Andrew Wiggins Kansas Fr.
Wiggins looks like the unanimous first pick of next year in the same way Jadeveon Clowney is for the NFL Draft. Outstanding athleticism from an 18-year old and has a very unique talent level that we rarely see. He is expected to right away make a huge impact in Kansas with the rest of their highly recruited freshmen class. Every year there always seems to be somebody as good as Anthony Davis or John Wall in every draft class, but Wiggins is the kind of pick who you don’t see in every draft and the pick you’d better take if you have the chance. Like I mentioned earlier, your expectations should never be too high on a high school player after how Shabazz was the favorite to go #1 a year ago and now might not even be picked in the lottery. Wiggins and Muhammad are obviously two very different types of players and I find a 99.9% chance of that NOT happening with Andrew Wiggins.

#2 Jabari Parker Duke Fr.
Sports Illustrated once called Parker “The best high school player since LeBron James”, despite the fact that by the end of his senior year, he was no longer the #1 prospect after Wiggins reclassified. Carmelo Anthony is a fair comparison to Jabari Parker’s game. With Duke losing all three of senior leaders, Parker is expected to immediately take the leading role at Duke. Only in a very good draft class like next year’s could somebody like Jabari Parker have no projections to not go #1 overall.

#3 Marcus Smart Oklahoma State So.
Smart surprisingly made the decision to stay for his sophomore season with the Cowboys after potentially being the #1 pick of this year’s draft and most likely a Top 3 lock. I like to look at Smart as the full time PG version of James Harden. Was always more of an SG before he came to OSU until he proved that he can play the PG at the next level. Very explosive ability to attack the basket and the kind of player you would always want to guard the other team’s PG on a press. However with 2014 expected to be a way better draft class than this year’s, he could potentially be similar to Harrison Barnes who would have been a Top 3 pick after his freshmen year, had an even better sophomore year then fell since the class was so much better.

#4 Julius Randle Kentucky Fr.
John Calipari was a winner in the recruiting process again this year especially after they signed Randle. Julius Randle has great size for the NBA and plays very aggressively down low on offense as is very intimidating to go against. If Randle somehow slips out of the Top 3 which could only happen in a very strong draft class like next year, you better pick him up at #4. He is the definition of a true NBA PF both offensively and defensively along with his work ethic.

#5 James Young Kentucky Fr.
Along with his outstanding outside shot comparable to Michael Redd, he also has a Michael Kidd-Gilchrist motor as he can attack the basket as well but not as aggressive. This lefty also plays very unselfishly and makes a lot of smart decisions as well. Maybe the best pure scorer in the draft but still has a long ways to go and a lot to prove at Kentucky as many believe that Aaron Harrison will start over him which I really don’t see happening.

#6 Andrew Harrison Kentucky Fr.
Being a very coordinated 6’5 PG always attracts NBA teams. Even if he lands on a team with a franchise PG he could still probably play some SG at the NBA level. Mainly has been forced to play the point with his twin brother Aaron playing in the same backcourt as him his whole life but he could be a good combo guard at the NBA level. Could average a lot of turnovers like a typical rookie PG but him playing at the SEC level of competition will help his game mature a lot.

#7 PJ Hairston North Carolina Jr.
Where PJ Hairston ranks right now can be a little questionable after his arrest earlier this month. Coach Roy Williams said that he won’t penalize Hairston until he learns more information. I have been expecting Hairston to have a breakout junior season. I always looked at him as a mainly outside scorer until I began to watch him play even more last year. He really knows how to attack the basket with his impressive 15 ppg last year, I believe that Hairston’s game will really translate well to the NBA.

#8 Mario Hezonja Croatia International
I was really looking forward to seeing Hezonja play in this year’s Nike Hoop Summit until he pulled out at the last minute. This 18 year old has drawn comparisons to Brandon Roy already and played at the highest level of Euroleague competition last year playing for FC Barcelona. I’m also expecting a good battle between Hezonja and Saric going against Marcus Smart and Team USA next month in the U19 World Championships.

#9 Aaron Gordon Arizona Fr.
Yes he has been compared to Blake Griffin several times but that is mainly because of his dunking ability. With Gordon being undersized for an NBA PF that does make him a tweener. He really needs to work on his outside shot but has a great ball handling ability for his size. Can jump out of the gym whether he’s going up for a dunk or a rebound. It’s very rare when somebody like a Kenneth Faried or DeJuan Blair can make it in the NBA as a true PF but it’s gonna take a lot of hard work for Gordon to earn that spot. There’s nothing he can do to make him grow more but if he could add some weight and improve his outside shot a little bit he can find himself as a one and done player.

#10 Wayne Selden Kansas Fr.
Selden has an amazing scoring ability along with his athleticism alone. With Andrew Wiggins also choosing Kansas, that will help Selden adjust to playing the SG position which he will have to play at the NBA level with him being 6’5. He already has a good outside shot but should improve it a little bit for the NBA.

#11 Johnny O’Bryant III LSU Jr.
Like I’ve already mentioned, every year there’s somebody who breaks out who rises up to the lottery with their stock after not being projected there a year prior to the draft. This next year I see Johnny O’Bryant as a great candidate for that position. With his low IQ he is the kind of player who just needs to be coached. He can spend a lot of time in the high post but if he can be coached the right way, I see him being a solid role player/starter in the NBA. Amazing ability to rebound as he always fights for the ball after it leaves the rim and sees where the ball could go after almost every missed shot. He even goes up aggressively in the post however he won’t dunk every time like a Julius Randle as he tends to pump fake a lot. If there will be a breakout prospect like Oladipo, Burke or Olynyk next year who nobody really had high expectations on, I see O’Bryant as that player.

#12 Glenn Robinson III Michigan So.
Robinson had a very unexpected freshmen season at Michigan where he had a huge role for the Wolverines who nearly won the national title. He has a very hard work ethic as he has a very powerful ability to score a basket. Aggressive rebounder as well and very good defender if you are going to run a man to man defense. Slightly undersized for an NBA small forward but has great size as well.

#13 Willie Cauley-Stein Kentucky So.
4 Kentucky guys going in the lottery? That’s what John Calipari loves to accomplish with the number of blue chip recruits he’s landed since 2009. As a big Kentucky fan, I find WCS being overrated. He has made talent and athleticism for a 7 footer but he is super raw offensively and he is not very coordinated. Calipari said last year that he is the quickest player on the team as tall as he is and he usually beats everybody at running in practice. That probably explains how he was a 7 foot tall Wide Receiver in high school. He is a powerful shot blocker and can score with his athleticism when he’s under control. What I mean by when I say he’s overrated is that I do not think he is worthy of a Top 7 pick.

#14 Dario Saric Croatia International
I honestly think that it wasn’t a bad decision for Saric to take his name out of the draft. He’s been playing a high level of competition with players who once were in the NBA since he was 16 years old. Beyond great size for an NBA SF, he can really shoot the ball and potentially be a point forward in the NBA as well.

On the bubble:

Gary Harris Michigan State So. -Could be picked in lottery if he can prove to not only be a scorer and I also didn’t place him in the lotto with him being undersized.

Mitch McGary Michigan So. -Never shined until the end of last season where he could have been the MOP of the NCAA Tournament only if Michigan would have won that game. If he can play like how he did at the end of last season he could be up there no doubt about it.

Wang Zhelin China- Seen this guy play a number of times and he may not be the most athletic Center but he just really knows how to play down low on offense and can fight for rebounds and has a great shot blocking ability. Being over 7 feet tall is obviously a great sign for the NBA but his athletic ability is the only thing that could question his stock.

[CameronCrazy11Participant]

The only guys I look at right now as being “locks” to go in the lottery are Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, and probably Julius Randle too.

Andrew Wiggins has those physical gifts that you just can’t teach. Plus he’s a pretty darn good basketball player. Jabari Parker has about as good a skill set as you’re going to find in a college freshman. Marcus Smart has that “it” factor that teams crave, he just knows how to win. Julius Randle seems like he can be a Chris Webber-type player from what I’ve seen so far, he’ll be on the center stage at Kentucky to show off his skills.

There are lots of other candidates that could be in the lottery as well. Too many to tell right now in my opinion, which is why I don’t want to make any kind of mock draft for 2014 until about late January of 2014 at the earliest.

[CameronCrazy11Participant]

The only guys I look at right now as being “locks” to go in the lottery are Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart, and probably Julius Randle too.

Andrew Wiggins has those physical gifts that you just can’t teach. Plus he’s a pretty darn good basketball player. Jabari Parker has about as good a skill set as you’re going to find in a college freshman. Marcus Smart has that “it” factor that teams crave, he just knows how to win. Julius Randle seems like he can be a Chris Webber-type player from what I’ve seen so far, he’ll be on the center stage at Kentucky to show off his skills.

There are lots of other candidates that could be in the lottery as well. Too many to tell right now in my opinion, which is why I don’t want to make any kind of mock draft for 2014 until about late January of 2014 at the earliest.

[qDizzle32Participant]

Alex Poythress has the talent to be up there for sure. But I don’t know if he could reach that accomplishment after how un-confident he played last year. With that size and athleticism it’s a disappointment how he can’t be as good as he should be.

[qDizzle32Participant]

Alex Poythress has the talent to be up there for sure. But I don’t know if he could reach that accomplishment after how un-confident he played last year. With that size and athleticism it’s a disappointment how he can’t be as good as he should be.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Isaiah Austin could slip in there. I could see Mitch McGary going top 5. He is a legit power forward with a great motor.

I hope the 2014 draft lives up to the hype, but it will be hard. Wiggins looks like he should be very, very good, but if people are expecting this draft to be 10 or 15 DEEP with stars then they will be disappointed.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

Isaiah Austin could slip in there. I could see Mitch McGary going top 5. He is a legit power forward with a great motor.

I hope the 2014 draft lives up to the hype, but it will be hard. Wiggins looks like he should be very, very good, but if people are expecting this draft to be 10 or 15 DEEP with stars then they will be disappointed.

[MalcolmxParticipant]

I think Montrezl Harrell has a chance to climb the charts. He just killed it in Colorado for the U19 usa tryouts and measured out 6’10 in shoes. We know he is athletic and long as well,His motor is always on high. If he can polish up some skills he maybe is a lotto pick. Also he is 19. Not one of those older college rising sophomores.

[MalcolmxParticipant]

I think Montrezl Harrell has a chance to climb the charts. He just killed it in Colorado for the U19 usa tryouts and measured out 6’10 in shoes. We know he is athletic and long as well,His motor is always on high. If he can polish up some skills he maybe is a lotto pick. Also he is 19. Not one of those older college rising sophomores.

[mawi7056Participant]

Another guy with late lottery potential is Spencer Dinwiddie from Colorado. At 6’5 or 6’6 he is Colorado’s primary ballhandler and really controls the game. Many would call him a combo guard, as he can be an effective scorer or distributor depending on what the team needs. He has great court vision in transition, but will have to work on his pick and roll reads. He is a good shooter and has a knack for getting into the lane and scoring or drawing contact (7 free throw attempts per game at 83%). Overall,

I believe he has the ballhandling ability, basketball IQ, and savvy to play the point guard position in the NBA. He will not measure out with a 40-inch vertical like MCW, but he is no athletic slouch and has a very good first step. As we have seen, NBA scouts are prone to fall in love with 6’6 lead guards.

Right now this site has him project as the 12th pick in the 2014 draft. With a good season at Colorado, I see him being drafted somewhere in that range.

[mawi7056Participant]

Another guy with late lottery potential is Spencer Dinwiddie from Colorado. At 6’5 or 6’6 he is Colorado’s primary ballhandler and really controls the game. Many would call him a combo guard, as he can be an effective scorer or distributor depending on what the team needs. He has great court vision in transition, but will have to work on his pick and roll reads. He is a good shooter and has a knack for getting into the lane and scoring or drawing contact (7 free throw attempts per game at 83%). Overall,

I believe he has the ballhandling ability, basketball IQ, and savvy to play the point guard position in the NBA. He will not measure out with a 40-inch vertical like MCW, but he is no athletic slouch and has a very good first step. As we have seen, NBA scouts are prone to fall in love with 6’6 lead guards.

Right now this site has him project as the 12th pick in the 2014 draft. With a good season at Colorado, I see him being drafted somewhere in that range.

[SiggyParticipant]

Johnny O Bryant is garbo.

[SiggyParticipant]

Johnny O Bryant is garbo.

[arthurhenry14Participant]

If you dont mind, may you please make a 2015 draft lottery as well?

[arthurhenry14Participant]

If you dont mind, may you please make a 2015 draft lottery as well?

[ItsRainingNegsParticipant]

Is my sleeper lottery prospect. Shannon Scott of Ohio State sleeper first rounder.

[ItsRainingNegsParticipant]

Is my sleeper lottery prospect. Shannon Scott of Ohio State sleeper first rounder.

[Author]

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