[GreenLanternParticipant]

I won’t say it in public, but I like Mullens and I think he has a good future in the NBA. It’s been reported that he’s looked good in workouts so far and looks like he has worked on his game and body since declaring. Now I know what most are thinking but keep in mind that outside of the top 5, this is a draft of role players, not all-stars. The key to this draft is to find that guy who can complement your stars or who can produce effectively off the bench, and I believe there are many players this year who fit that bill, including Mullens. Don’t be surprised if he winds up in Jersey (he has the quickness and athleticism to play PF as well as C) or Chicago (just needs a big man that can score inside) or 18 to Minny (they have three picks as well as an established frontcourt so they can definitely afford to take a chance)

[rtbtParticipant]

Hey CaptainAmerica08, this time we disagree. I think anyone who drafts Mullens will be in for a major disappointment. Yes he has great physical talent that shows up well in workouts, but he doesn’t understand the nuances of basketball. He hasn’t yet grasped how the game is played, what’s important, what isn’t important, and how to play the Center position. At this stage of his young career, he has no clue!

Mullens was so lost as a freshman that he hardly played on his college team. In my opinion, he isn’t even ready for the Big Ten, you can forget about the NBA where opposing centers would eat him alive if he’s fortunate enough to make a team.

I understand Mullens came out for the draft because of financial reasons. I think that was a mistake because more than anyone, he needed to go back to Ohio State where he could learn how to play the game, and then he would have much more appeal to the pros, and hence, greater financial income would come his way.

His situation is very similar to Cole Aldrich at Kansas, who was a big time recruit, but barely played as a freshman. He came back for his sophomore year, improved dramatically and could have been a first round draft choice this year. However, he and his father decided that Aldrich needs another year of seasoning at Kansas, so he dropped out of the draft. I think that was a very smart move and that’s what Mullens should have done.

In the end, I think we’ll add Mullens name to the long list of players who had great potential, but their career’s went nowhere.

[ctw724Participant]

He has all the potential in the world, but lacks the motivation to be a top player in the NBA. Like I said, he appears to be Eddy Curry Part 2!!!

[kobyzParticipant]

i think he will go as low as 15 to the Pistons

[d-grizzlyParticipant]

either hansbrough or mullens will go to detroit…i don’t think detroit will be much interested in blair.

[Stanford hoopsParticipant]

yeah i agree he will most likely be a big dissapointment…i cant say its a mistake for him to come out though because one hi family needs help and 2 i would never tell a kid to tunr down million because i know i wouldnt and theres a chance that if he did return he still wouldnt get it or get exposed possibly like what would have happened to holiday if he went back..gotta get it while u can…i remeber when my brothers friend donal williams killed at carolina and could have went first round and that was when there wasnt a rookie salary cap..he went back and was never drafted

[ctw724Participant]

I think the Pistons might take him at #15 with Rasheed looking like he’s on his way out. Of Course, they may grab a PG or possibly Austin Daye even. If he gets past the Pistons, I’m not sure where he goes.

[NYKnicksuperFanParticipant]

might be overated but if you have a pick in the 19-25 range you should take him just because of his upside and players picked at those positions arent expected to instantly average 25/12, put Mullens on the bench for a year or so and soon he will break out

[ctw724Participant]

Good Advice:

It’s always a good idea to browse the archives before starting a new topic.

[QHaynes123]

i never saw a COLLEGE game he dominated….the O didnt run through him. So I dont think he would a team ppg leader but I think he could go as high as 13.

[ctw724Participant]

To your twin.

[bigkozeParticipant]

As a pistons fan i would be dissapointed if he wound up on our roster, as a buckeye fan i hope i am wrong when i say he wont last long in the league, i agree that he is not ready and i think the nba is a bit too quick for him, i watched several games this year and only one game he was truly dominate was against a lower tier butler team that they still never broke away from….

[Johnny_HazeltineParticipant]

That’s a SCARY number for any team willing to take a chance on this kid. He’s gonna take a while to develop, but there is a ton of talent there. MIN would be a great fit at #18 considering they have so many picks, and Al Jefferson playing the 4/5.

[GreenLanternParticipant]

pick 18 is exactly where i have Mullens going. It makes perfect sense for them if their first pick is the one they really want.

[2K_DAVISParticipant]

only way hansbrough goes to detroit is to visit

[rtbtParticipant]

I think the word potential is often overrated. Mullens certainly has tremendous physical talent which translates into potential, but he’s completely lost on the court. The young man has no clue when it comes to the nuances of the game.

When I think of potential, I think of a guy who’s very talented and you can see flashes of that brilliance, and then he does something stupid to make you realize he still needs to mature and learn the game. However, when I watched Mullens at Ohio State, I never saw any of those brilliant flashes that make you think the guy is special. What I saw was a guy who doesn’t understand how to play the game of basketball.

Let’s look at the last 3 centers at Ohio State.

1. Greg Oden was a fantastic center in college, but so far he’s done very little in the NBA. If he isn’t doing well, that should put a scare into any NBA GM.

2. Kosta Koufas had a very good freshman season. He isn’t much of an athlete, he’s very slow and methodical, but he does have a decent array of offensive moves. Unfortunately for him, he should have stayed in school at least one more year. He barely played in his rookie season and I don’t expect him to make it in the NBA. At best he will become a career backup playing 10-12 minutes a game. My guess is he’ll leave for Europe where he can become an above average center.

3. BJ Mullens didn’t start as a freshman and was usually on the bench during the final moments of the game. That tells you the coach had no confidence in him. I can see why, he was clueless and seemed to meander around the court with no purpose in mind.

In plain English he was lost. He’s a guy who needed at least 1, and probably 2 additional years at Ohio State before he could even think about applying for the draft. BJ Mullens isn’t even ready yet for the Big Ten, how can anyone think he can play in the NBA? I predict he will join a long line of guys who were known for their potential but never went anywhere.

[bonishswhsParticipant]

Mullens won’t get drafted for what he did/didnt do at OSU. Hell get drafted cuz hes a legit 7 feet and very athletic for his size. Jrue Holiday didnt put up very good numbers at UCLA, yet everyones convinced hes going to be a definite lottery pick. In the right environment (having him come off the bench behind a good veteran C), I can see Mullens being a really good NBA center.

[ctw724Participant]

If the Bulls get him instead of Blair, I’m going to cry…hehe!!!

[rtbtParticipant]

bonishswhs wrote, “Mullens won’t get drafted for what he did/didnt do at OSU. Hell get drafted cuz hes a legit 7 feet and very athletic for his size.”

That’s very true and my point is that would be a mistake. Please re-read the reasons why I think that’s a mistake. Obviously we disagree so it will be interesting to see where Mullens is drafted and how he plays in the NBA.

[bryant markson1]

i just dont see him being that good even though he has the tools to be…i dont know if he just doesnt want it bad enough or work ethic but theres no way he should have performed the way he did this past season with all the tools he has. and these web sites(and gms) are putting way to much emphisi on these workouts seeing as the players are working out against there shadows

[bonishswhsParticipant]

I respect your opinion but I still feel that with proper tuelage, Mullens could be a very good NBA center. I think a big part of it is that, IIRC, he played in a very poor division in HS (unlike many top HS recruits who play against high caliber plaers/teams) and just wasnt really ready for the speed/athleticism that the college level presented. Also, he shot a very high % from the field (63.8), so at least we know that he’s not takin a lot of poor shots. And considering the minutes he played, his stats arent that bad. Also consider he played in the Big 10, which is a difficult league to put up impressive stats. Also, comparing him to Koufos may be a little off-base because they’re games are so different with Koufos being more of a Euro-style big man and Mullens being more of a traditional big man. Lastly, if you’re so low on Mullens. I’m curious as to what you think of Jrue Holiday who had less impressive stats in more minutes in an easier league…

[Stanford hoopsParticipant]

everyone expects more out of mullins..question is if he can do anything with the ability he has..im nto one to give him excuses because of the conference he played in because talent wise there really wasnt any player better(big men)…im not sold on holiday till he proves something..so far hes proved hes average against competition but great in workouts against no one

[rtbtParticipant]

bonishswhs,

First, let me say I completely agree with your Koufas vs Mullens assessment. I wasn’t trying to say they’re similar players, I was making a different point. I was trying to say that Koufas had a very good freshman year at Ohio State, but he couldn’t make it in the NBA. Mullens had a terrible freshman year, so why would anyone think he could make it in the league?

Second, potential is both a good and a bad thing because it can make someone think they can make it without the hard work and preparation required. When a young guy has potential he will occasionally do something that makes you say, “Wow”! I watched Mullens several times and he never once did that. In fact, he looked completely lost and had no clue.

Third, that’s not unusual for freshman, especially big guys. That’s why they have to come back, get that all important experience, and learn the game.

Do you know who Cole Aldrich is at Kansas? He was another heralded big man when he went to Kansas and he too had a poor freshman year. But instead of applying for the draft, Aldrich returned for his sophomore year and turned himself into a pretty good player. In fact, he might even be a lottery pick. Well he decided to return for his junior year so he can get stronger and continue to learn the game. This is what Mullens should have done.

Back to potential, the NBA has a long list of guys who had it coming into the league, but they fell by the wayside early in their career. One reason is the fact that they expect you to be a pro right away. Unlike college, where coaches have time to work on fundamentals, very often, NBA coaches don’t have the opportunity to do that. Although Mullens may turn out to be the exception, I suspect he will instead be another guy with great physical talent who never succeeded.

As for Jrue Holiday, I didn’t see him play so I can’t give you an opinion. Does he understand the game? Does he have point guard instincts? If the answer is yes, he has a shot.

[ctw724Participant]

John Paxson, Gar Forman and Bulls fans,

(INTANGIBLES vs. BAD CHEMISTRY)

Let’s revisit the past (BAD CHEMISTRY) for a moment.

* Jamal Crawford and Jay Williams = Bad Chemistry
* Elton Brand and Marcus Fizer = Bad Chemistry
* Eddy Curry and Brad Mller = Bad Chemistry

Now, let’s fast forward to the present.

* Luol Deng and Earl Clark = Bad Chemistry.
* Tyrus Thomas and James Johnson = Bad Chemistry
* B.J. Mullens and Brad Miller/Joakim Noah = Bad Chemistry

Here’s my point.

The Bulls have been down this road before, let’s not go down it again!!! What happened when you put SIMILAR and/or BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE guys with one another? It didn’t work. What happend when you put Tyson Chandler (who’s like Noah) with Eddy Curry (who’s like Mullens) with Brad Miller (who’s the same Brad Miller)? It didn’t work and the wrong guy left town!!!

Again, let’s not go down this same BAD CHEMISTRY road again…PLEASE!!!

The smart move and/or decision is to GO GET DeJuan Blair. His style of play (INTANGIBLES) FITS PERFECTLY with the other three front-court players.

Noah = Energy
Thomas = Athleticism
Miller = Wisdom
Blair = Toughness

Together = VERSATILITY

* That front-court lets you match-up with any front-court style in the NBA.

[Author]

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