[Afactor4Participant]

To give some backstory… I’ve been following the NBA Draft by virtue of this site since 2004. Proof: I can still spell Martynas Andriuskevicius without googling it.

In my 13 years of following the NBA Draft, i’ve never seen anything quite like the curious case of Dion Waiters rise up the boards in 2012. For those unfamiliar, Waiters, an undersized, dynamic 6th man on a Cuse team that made the sweet sixteen(?), didn’t work out with any teams leading up to the draft, shopped around a first round promise he had with the Suns in the late lottery, and all of a sudden f**ked up everyones draft board by being picked 4th overall. 

Anyone else remember anything like this happening in past drafts? And does anyone think something like this could happen this? Perhaps someone with a similar Waiters profile?

 

 

[OhCanada-Participant]

 He actually also got a promise from Toronto and then shutdown his workouts. Was a bit of a shocker but I had him going 8th so I wasnt to surprised. There was also the arguement that Bohiem held back his minutes and usage. Clevelands made some head scratchers. I still think the Anthony Bennett selection was even more shocking. 

 

 

[barbabodomParticipant]

 Well, maybe even weirder was Bruno Caboclo, from nowhere to 20th pick, though I had reported here that he was receiving looks from teams, but no one ever thought about 1st round.

[SeattleSuperChronicsParticipant]

 Anthony Bennett going 1 was a head scratcher…man looking back if Cleveland drafted better they’d been in a even better situation.

[BallerScriptParticipant]

 I called Papagiannis going lottery so I am happy

[iguapops420Participant]

 Cabocalo was looked at by the spurs. Pretty sure he was their guy. 

[barbabodomParticipant]

 I heard that too, but I think Spurs would target him in the late 2nd

[BeastMode716Participant]

 My example is not as good as Dione Waiters – that was as strange as it gets

But I was floored when the Celtics took Jaylan Brown at #3 overall. Brown has incredible athletic skills but he was a terrible ball player at Cal.

2016 might end up being even Weaker than 2013 originally looked. Even w/ what every expert was calling a "One player Draft" & the Weakest Draft in years or the "Ben Simmons Sweepstakes" many Still thought Brown would #10 at best.

I admit part of the reason is b/c I think many people figured the Celtics, once the Nets failed to draw the #1 pick or at least the #2 pick to grab Ingram, would trade Out of that #3 slot but even in Mocks that planned for Boston to hold the pick very few had Brown going that early.

I know people will have strong feelings about Brown one way or the other b/c he’s a Celtics player, but put emotion aside & I am Not criticizing Boston for choosing him, Brown may turn out to be a very good player for the Celtics. I’m sticking Strictly with the premise of the post which is a guy who a bug surprise that he was picked that high & it’s rare we see a guy believed to be 9-13 range go #3

 

 

 

 

[Andv1 WaitingParticipant]

Its hard to anwers this legitimately correctly as we don’t know if teams got black balled by agents/players-See Kristaps and 76ers rumor of not wanting to go there or Cousins Black balling T-wolves due too many bigs at the time  or when the player fills a need and has the dreaded potential word with them but just ended up there at the wrong time then blowin up on new team…

Prime example Dion wasn’t a shocker pick if you think about it: He was the best SG after Beal,He had more physical potential than Barnes(apparent safe pick at time),The had just drafted a Center and PG so lillard and Drummond were out + The Cavs could afford to take a flier post lebron…

But a kind of Strange pick was Jan Vesely the guy just blew up and I don’t even think he worked out for anyone(don’t quote me on that) but  the Wizards took him far to high at 6th..Boy does that pick look like a waste now with: Klay(who would have been a nice fit there but means no GSW title maybe or Beal maybe wiz still sucked so could have maybe happened),Kawhi,The Morris twins(who don’t look horrible now) heck even Kemba or Brandon Knight as a 6th man made more sense than JAN VESELY lol…

 

 

 

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