[druneave3Participant]

@NBADraft.net recently- “Prediction: As talented as this class is, there will be some major busts. Scouts already beginning to moan and groan.” I wonder who a majority of the scouts were talking about?

This class has the potential to be one of the greatest classes ever. Going down the list of JBC and McDonald’s participants there are a lot of players to be really excited about. Melo and Amare said Wiggins, Parker, and Randle are the future of basketball. I think Kennedy Meeks and Marcus Lee might be guys who scouts are talking about, both with weight concerns, and might not make the league. I feel like Dakari Johnson and Isaih Hicks have a lot of bust potential as well. Never been a big fan of Jabari Parker but he is moving much better after the injury and getting in game shape. Showing some better athleticism than what I had originally thought. While I still don’t think he will be great, I don’t think he will necessarily bust. My pick is Aaron Gordon. I think he is considered among the second tier players in this class behind Wiggins, Randle, and Parker. Gives good effort, strong, and athletic but I just don’t see it in him. Doesn’t have a good feel for the game, OC, undersized, no shot, and gets my vote for biggest bust.

Who is your pick for biggest bust out the 2014 class?

[Steven]

bring on the negatives: andrew wiggins. here me out first. he can be really good, however people are touting him as the next best thing. i just dont think he will be. that is all.

[strobox88Participant]

You know, I find it amusing that they are giving you what you want. lol

[SnowtaParticipant]

I don’t see Dakari Johnson as having a lot of bust potential. I think you could maybe say doesn’t have a super high ceiling, but a C with legitimate size, touch, hands, footwork, and feel for the game coming out of high school seems to be a good bet to at least be a solid player at the next level.

[HitsterParticipant]

I do wonder are scouts really talking about guys that are still in High School, surely they are only really looking at guys who may declare this year. Wiggins is hugely hyped and he does look special but he is still over 18 months away from playing his first proper NBA game and we don’t even know which college he’ll go to yet, so I’m having a wait and see view on him. He’d be top of my 2014 mock draft if I had to do one but as I have not done my 2013 mock yet, that does not really mean a lot.

The likelihood of busts are often higher with big men so maybe someone like Ilimane Diop would have a lot of risk factor as scouts would not see him in direct competition with other prospects as they do in the NCAA.

[fcb206Participant]

Its pretty early, all of these kids could make strides, but I agree that there are serious question marks surrounding Gordon’s NBA future. His game is typical of someone with such explosive athleticism in that he’s never had to develop a perimeter game. His size wont be enough to bang in the post in the NBA. Granted he could grow a little still, but at this point he has no NBA position. I think its a good sign he went to Arizona, he will have to develop a perimeter game to log serious minutes since they have a stable of post guys already. He projects as a SF in the NBA, and right now he doesn’t have many wing skills. He’s the guy I’m most intrigued to watch develop over the college season. He needs to develop shooting range and a better handle.

[J_01Participant]

Why can’t Gordon become like a Kenneth Faried type player? Kenneth Faried is an undersized 4 at 6’8 230 lbs with a great motor. Gordon right now is 6’8 210 lbs with also a great motor. I don’t see why Gordon has to become a 3 with the way the NBA is changing. In the past he might have had to develop a perimeter game but now the NBA is played smaller and faster and I think Gordon is the prototypical 4 man in today’s NBA game. He’s athletic and mobile which is where the nba PF is heading.

The problem with a lot of “tweeners” is that they try to hard to develop a perimeter game just because they are 6’8 or 6’9 instead of getting stronger and embracing the 4 spot. There are very few 4s that are 6’10+ now and with teams going smaller and faster Gordon is physically what NBA teams will look for in a 4. He does need to develop a jumper but his mechanics look good so with practice that should come.

[fcb206Participant]

I agree, there’s no reason Gordon couldn’t make it as a undersized motor-driven PF, based on his size and skills, but being that guy takes a totally different mindset than Gordon has right now. Faried likes dirty work and doesn’t have a problem being a complimentary piece. Wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and had to bust his butt to become the player he is. Gordon is your typical prep superstar. Making the transition to “underrated glue guy” after a lifetime spent as prospect royalty is probably harder than expanding his game to become a complete offensive player. An enormous amount of succeeding in the NBA hinges on a player’s mental makeup. A lot of guys can’t hack it as a complimentary player. The road to NBA irrelevancy is paved with guys who had more than enough talent to be role players, but not enough to be stars, and ended up fizzing out because they weren’t wired to play in the shadow of others. You’re right, below the neck there isn’t much difference between Faried and Gordon, if anything, Gordon is an even better physical specimen, and give him a few years in the weight room and I’m sure he will be a 230-240 pound beast too, but the big difference is between the ears. That’s why most elite prospects end up boom or bust, and guys like Shane Battier, who spend prep and college as The Man, and transition into a long NBA career as a valuable cog in the wheel are hard to find.

[Sewok15Participant]

Vonleh could be a guy that never reaches his huge potential. I have seen him ranked 3rd in a lot of Mock drafts but there is no way I would take him over Wiggins, Parker, Randle or Gordon. He is a very raw big man who should probably stay a couple years at Indiana but likely will not.

[samosasParticipant]

I’m a UK fan and I agree 10000% on Dakari Johnson. Dude can barely dunk. I know you can push people around when you got a big ass but you can also get blocked by Gorgui Dieng, too. I like my big men at least level with the rim or above…not two inches off the floor.

[Author]

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