It’s official……Steven Adams going pro

This is awesome news. I’d take him top 5.

I didn’t see this coming. I thought he would return but this is a weak draft so I don’t blame him. He can easily be a lotto pick based off potential alone. Plus if he does well at the combine probably could go higher.

Aaaaaand the dumb draft decisions start pouring in. He showed flashes of being great, but he’s light years away from being NBA ready. He could have REALLY benefited from at least one more year, probably two. But then again, teams have made dumber draft decisions before (Daniel Orton, pretty much any big the Sonics picked before moving to OKC, etc.)

If he count Noel as a PF, than Adams has a chance to be the first center taken. If Zeller and Len both declare, than Adams will have stiff competition, but Zeller’s draft stock is trending downward and Len didn’t even make the tournament, but played inconsistently this season. Not that Adams played spectacular either, but with his potential, a team could potentially take him over the other two. I’d personally take Zeller and especially Len over him, but anything could happen from now to June. Plus Zeller and Len may not be in great positions to declare for the draft right now.

I have a gut feeling that he is going to be a bust… He should have stayed in college for another year.

Not a smart decision at all. He is nowhere close to being ready for the NBA and I know that for a fact after how many times I watched him play last season. I know the money is very tempting to get right away but you’re most likely not going to make as much as if you would if you were to stay and improve your game. My projection is he will be like Quincy Miller last year, a top 10 ranked high school player who gets drafted in the 2nd round a year later when they could have been drafted a lot higher if he were to stay another year or so.

In a draft class like this, idk if anyone can even be labeled as a bust due to the low expectations of such a class. He really isn’t NBA ready, if Anthony Bennett is “soft”, what is Steven Adams?

I see that the Mullens comparison is the one being used on this site and I think it’s terrible. Adams has no problem with contact and he’s defensive minded. Mullens shied away from it and wanted to become Dirk so he could avoid the dirty work.

Not even shocked. Just disappointed…B.J Mullens all over again.

STAY ANOTHER YEAR

Oh man this is going to be the Austin Rivers of this draft class. So much potential but it really is too early. This sucks…

I’m only saying it because of wasting his potential by leaving early. Why not stay another year, round out the offensive skills, and better your chances at becoming a more talented pro?

Is getting that rookie contract that big of a deal when most of the money is made in the next contract? I just don’t see what’s so appealing about either riding the bench on a good team or actually playing but on a historically bad squad.

He’s a solid, high potential guy who’s game should should translate to the NBA. However inconsistent and otherwise uninspiring play on the court makes him a late first, early second pick. If he drops to the second team’d do well to pick him up, and if a team is willing to risk it in the first round then they could a big payoff if their gamble pays off.

For Adams being drafted into a team that’ll help him work on the fundamentals is a must, he has athleticism and good basketball IQ for his size, all he needs now is to consistently get his shot to go in.

I don’t think his family is very wealthy. Also, I don’t think he was able to read until he was 14. He needs the money. Basketball wise, he needs more time. Money wise, the time is now.

I’m not sure many on here have watched him play or lookd at what scouts have told chad ford. He would not be the first second or third big taken. In scouts eyes hes behind Zeller,Noel, Plumlee, Len and rightfully so because he’s not close to being as good as any of Em. He has potential but right now he is far from it. Still would go first round though

so that makes, for PF/C’s projected in the first round in no particular ranking:

1. Nerlens Noel
2. Willie Cauley-Stein
3. Isiah Austin
4. Cody Zeller
5. Alex Len
6. Kelly Olynyk
7. Rudy Gobert
8. Steven Adams

and these are just the undergrads, dint list Mason Plumlee or Jeff Whitey among them. hopefully Mitch McGary doesnt join the pool. thats a long list of unpolished big men who are hoping to be drafted due to their size and mobility. some of these bigs will be very disapointed and will slide to the second round the way DeAndre Jordan did despite his size and athletic ability.

I mean i didn’t expect this though. But when u look at the big men on this draft and the quality of the draft overall why not take your chances. Even though he didn’t produce as much as other big men on front of him he still may be more talented.

Finally a Kiwi will get drafted. This is good for NZ basketball but he should have stayed.
Must put him back in my Mock Draft.
I thought he did well when I got to see him on tv. The Pitt guards never got him the ball, much like Alex Len in Maryland.
He should be in the lottery imo. e.g Philly.

hes gonna slide like bj mullens did

I anticipated this happening most of the year and agree with him and here’s why. Adams is NBA ready from a physical standpoint and can make an immediate impact rebounding and blocking shots. I never liked his choice of Pitt as a college because they are a notoriously bad score for big men to attend. Compare Khem Birch’s production at Pitt to his production at UNLV.

I watched Pitt a lot this year and was always disapointed at how they used Adams. Adams was able to gain position in the post at will and often had great position but never got the ball. His situation reminded me of Andre Drummond’s at UConn. And like Drummond, Adams is going to shock a lot of people with his play as a rookie.

A rebuilding team will look to draft him early for the future, or a very good team that doesnt need him now and will let him play in D League until hes ready. Me personally, hopes he drops to one of the Hawks picks. We need a center bad and no one else with potential will far that far.

Steven Adams is just not ready yet for the pros. Are you guys gonna neg me? I’ll never forget I got like 15 negs when I said that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist should start over Darius MIller

Lots said Meyers Would be a Bust and look how he is developing. To me this is the same situation but I think that Adams has a better defensive game with Meyers having a offensive edge.

This is national news here in NZ lol. Listening to the t.v in the background. probably more so because of his Sisters accomplishments. x2 Gold Medallist in shot put.

I would take him top ten on physicals and potential alone. He reminds me of Enes Kanter, but could be slightly taller, and I actually think he is better athlete too. He definitely moves his feet better. The thing is he is a project and you’ll have to wait 3 or 4 years for it to bare fruit.

If he’s not going to be ready for 3 years then he is useless. No one gives prospects that kind of time anymore before moving on.

I barely watched him this yr but why?? just why?? lets hope he doesn’t become another Daniel orton

Jesus, he wasn’t even good at the collegiate level. Pitt fans were complaining about how soft he is all year.

Now this means OKC can either select Alex Len or Adams with their pick, maybe even trade down to get the one they like!

the next David Robinson!

It’s funny how he’s projected as a mid to late first rounder this year while people were projecting him to be top 10 next year.

Next years draft is way more top heavy than this years, he’s definitely a top 5-10 draft pick this year based on his upside.

Centers with his physical attributes at his age don’t grow on trees. Pair that with the upside he has shown in multiple facets of the game and you’ve got yourself a high potential big man.

Adams looked great in limited time this season and I recall alot of credible posters here were very optimistic over him, I could see him go lotto if he workouts well and measures well. I think it’s a good decision, an agile, 250lb, 19-year-old center will always be highly coveted it’ll be better for him to join a rebuilding team with a set nucleus and face stronger competition because he’ll adjust as opposed to staying in college. If he weren’t as efficient for Pittsburgh then I’d be more skeptical. This draft is weak when juxtaposed with next years. He could be one of the workout wonders. He just needs to crank up his demeanour a little bit like Drummond did this season.

I was very skeptical of Andre Drummond’s rookie impact, based on the production of his freshman year in college. He intially far exceeded my expectations for him and as a result I warmed up to the idea of a 7 footer with great physical tools being able to make an immediate impact. Adams was a guy I noticed in about December on having a lot of the same physical tools and possibly the ability to come in and guard the rim right away.

I think Adams should go lottery, his size alone will help him come in and make an impact and despite being a low percentage jump and free throw shooter, his rotation and form is pretty good. He was a guy that came along late in the year too, in Pitt’s loss to WSU, he looked like the best guy on their team. He’s half Drummond half Vucevic and those are the top two centers under the age of 23 in the entire league.

could you guys help me out, in my current mock, i have three bigs going consecutively in Zeller, Len then Adams. Ive been back and forth in re-arranging that order. when all three are preety much are project bigs in their own rights, Zeller good mobility and offensive touch but can become passive, Len shows flashes but inconsistent and Adams as having maybe the best physical tools for a big but have had inconsistent rebounding games this season especially against ranked teams.

in what order would you say that they’ll get taken cause obviously who takes any of them will not be expecting a polished big to contribute right away. appreciate the advise and the help.

I have watched all of pitt’s games this season, so I believe that I have seen plenty of Steven. Let me just say some things..
1) He has the best body for a NBA center that we have seen in recent years. I mean, Oden was considered to be a physical specimen, but look what happened to him when he reached 285. His knees couldn’t take it. Adams is just huge, plain and simple. He’s got tree-trunk legs, very strong low base, and his arms and torso are equally impressive. As for strength, it is a joke to think that Zeller, Len, Gobert, Plumlee or Olynyk are stronger than Adams. I mean, it would at least be funny watching them trying to back down on him. DaVante gardner did it, but he is shorter and 300 pounds.. Adams has the body of a seasoned NBA center already, there is no denying that.
2) His offensive game is not pathetic. It is bad, no, it is worse, but it is not tragic. And the reason most of the people think it is, is because the whole season he had ABSOLUTELY NO touches in the paint. Anyone that has watched any of pitt games can’t disagree. It was as if his own guards were denying him the ball, like some kind of a joke or something. Remember all those summer games with other prospects, where Steven used to score 20 points on Noel or Tarsczewski? Anyone thinks his game just disappeared when he started playing in college? I know these games are mostly loose and fast-break based, but still.. I play basketball myself, and it is really bad to have a player NOT touch the ball on offence for entire minutes.. It then is natural for him to get cold.. Again, I’m not saying he is Kevin McHale, but we can’t even know if he has an up-and-under because no one passed him the ball!!! On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being Tim and 1 being I don’t know, let’s say DeAndre jordan) I would rate his offence with a 4.. Then again this is just an oppinion..
3) The reasons he declared for the draft are personal, and have to be respected. He has stated in the past that even 4 years in college would be a good possibility for him, but he went back home and saw that his family really needs money, so don’t blame him for foolishness, he is one of the most mentally mature prospects in this draft. Oh and I personally believe that had he stayed for another 3 years at pitt his impact as a senior would be at least twice the size of that of Jeff Withey.
4) Let’s just hope that a serious team will select him in the draft, so that he will not get tossed to the D-league and brought back all the time. The NBA has been quite a weird universe for big men lately (Hamed Haddadi is not that bad at all yet he had to sit on the bench for some years in memphis before getting some playing time, but Hasheem Thabeet will probably contend for a title just because… well there’s no reason actually.) Perfect plan for him would be to get drafted by the spurs (the only team that makes its draft position irrelevant somehow), thrown on Tim Duncan (literally) for 2 years and then start right away. I’m sure he wouldn’t face such a disaster against the likes of Spencer Hawes or Kosta Koufos or Byron Mullens.
5) Defensively he has top-5 potential even for the league, no doubt about that. There’s Dwight, Noah, Okafor, maybe Dalembert, but other than that no other center can be viewed as a defensive game changer. Adams can definitely do that. The thing is, he did that with such ease in the college level that finally people got used to it and totally overlooked it.

And one last thing, I know that people are talking about how weak this draft class is, but I really don’t see that for big men this year. I mean, we got Noel, Zeller, Len, Gobert, Adams, Withey, Olynyk, Nogueira and Plumlee coming in, and personally I believe that provided the right circumstances and given the right playing time they could all stand in the league, though I see Noel, Adams and Gobert going higher. It will certainly be a very interesting combine this year, with these guys squaring off each other (I mean, if you consider the fact that last year we had to watch Tyller Zeller and Meyers Leonard)..