[Scott42444Participant]

Hey guys, just wondering what everyone thought about the 2 guys that skipped playing in college this year currently being listed as late 2nd Rounders. The two I’m specifically looking at are Darius Bazley & Brian Bowen.  I was hoping that these guys were going to have more of a chance, in a realtively weak draft, to be more highly coveted.  Some of the reasons that I thought that, just to name a few, are:

1)  The recent success of a player like Mitchell Robinson and

2)  The recently added 2-way contract, which allows an NBA team to sign a player to an exclusive G-League/NBA contract

3)  The NBA seemingly being open to lowering the required age for potential draftees back down to 18

Most teams in the NBA now have their own G-League affiliate, even the disturbingly cheap Chicago Bulls (the Windy City Bulls).  Wouldn’t a team feel like taking a flyer on a former McDonald’s All-American and the MVP of the Jordan Brand Classic like Brian Bowen?  He also has the genetic pedigree of an NBA player, being the nephew of Jason Richardson.  

For most of his freshman year at North Carolina, Nassir Little played like he needed to stay in college another year (at least).  But most websites, like this site for example, have him STILL going in the lottery (#9 as of this posting) of what most are calling a shallow draft year.  He doesn’t seem to have done anything to have improved his draft standing in most people’s eyes (although it seems that he has finally learned defensive concepts and has been coached by top level professional coaching at North Carolina).  But it seems that Bowen and Bazley are being written off because they didn’t play 30 games of college ball.

Wouldn’t most teams feel that drafting these guys late 1st, early 2nd with the potential ceilings they represent make more sense than the current late 2nd projections?  I feel like there is still this stigma that players that skip playing NCAA basketball are lesser talents.  However, the SAME GUYS they beat out for MVP of major all-star games are going in the lottery.  It seems that there is a ton of late round value if the current mock draft holds relatively true.

 

 

[CoachWyersParticipant]

 I think Bazley is a mid to late 2nd rounder with Bowen a late second to undrafted guy.  Bazley reminds me of a Robert Covington type player and Bowen I like the RIP Hamilton comparison so both players could be steals if they do go that late.

[ChoppyParticipant]

 From all reports, Brian Bowen has been playing well in the NBL. He’s been a teammate of Andrew Bogut’s at the Sydney Kings and earnt 15 mins per game playing with and against seasoned pros. Shot 45% and 34% from 3 scoring 6.3 a night (better stats than what Terrance Ferguson had with Adelaide if I remember correctly). He’s definitely worth a look in the second round. 

[evantomesParticipant]

Mitchell Robinson was much more of a prospect than either of them. I don’t think comparing success to others who have chosen a similar predraft path is a good indicator. Neither were sure fire first rounders who teams backed off of because they didn’t go to college. Bazley could definitely be a first rounder but don’t think so for Bowen. And MVP of the JBC isn’t going to play a factor at this point.

[BKGingerSnapParticipant]

Both Bazley and Bowen were highly rated recruits with NBA length and skill I’d say there situations are slightly different.

Bazley is 6’9" and 18 yo and has the outline of a high level forward if he can develop. The thing that scares me about Bazley is that he is NOT playing in the g-league or any organized basketball and instead is just training. Along with the $1,000,000 he got from New Balance and I’m worried whether he’s taking basketball that seriously right now. I would stay away from him. 

Bowen on the other hand is 6’7" and already 20 but as Choppy mentioned above has been playing pretty well for the Sydney Kings. I think he’s worth a late first rounder. 

 

 

[Sewok15Participant]

 Anfernee Simmons isn’t exaclty setting the league on fire. Thon Maker is having his troubles as well. Mitchell Robinson has been good but I don’t see every draft having a player like that who skips college and is a lottery talent. 

Bowen seems to have some NBA skills but I still wouldn’t consider him a first round pick.

If I am a team picking at the end of the first round I would rather look at someone like Cameron Johnson. He has improved quite a bit each year he has been in school. He is a better shooter and although he is 23 years old and lacks the perceived upside I believe he has a way better shot to have an effective NBA career than either of the two guys mentioned. 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Far more players who have tried to work around the one-and-done have been disappointing, either overall or relative to where they were taken (Mudiay -though he did play a handful of games in China, Maker, Simons, Exum, LiAngelo Ball -RIP, Billy Preston, Norvel Pelle, Aquille Carr, etc). The funny thing about people pointing to Zion as to why the NBA’s policy about prep-to-pros is wrong miss that it was for the most part a consenus that Cam Reddish, Nassir Little, and Sekou Doumbouya were better prospects before the season and some thought more of Quentin Grimes.

It is harder to evaluate players when they haven’t played at a level higher than AAU. Not everybody is going to be the MVP of the Euroleague prior to entering the draft or first-team All-American, but having a body of work where they are playing against good competition and good coaching is unquestionably valuable. I have no problem with Bowen going to Australia. It is a good thing, but it is informative for where he is at for teams to know that he is just a guy there. That said, he will go through the pre-draft workouts as will Bazley. It is possible they win over people who are skeptical of the poor performing collegiate early entrants.

 

[juves4783Participant]

i think it’s hard to compare bowen and bazley to mitchell robinson.  robinson was literally a mystery because he dropped out of western kentucky and then skipped the combine.  i think there were a lot of questions about his passion for the game and attitude.  i honestly think he was completely mismanaged.  

bowen is a long shot for the first.  if he’s shooting 34% from 3’s, he better jump out of the building and his 2018 combine results don’t show that he’s an elite athlete.  i’d say if hamadou diallo couldn’t scrape the back end 1st or early 2nd, i doubt bowen will.  diallo had a ton more potential IMO.

i don’t know a ton about bazley to be honest so i can’t really say too much.  his combine will be huge.  just off of youtube clips and draft profiles, seems like he has a lot of things that milwaukee likes to see in their wings.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 I think teams picking in the mid to late lotto should bring in Bowen and Bazley to work out.

Then you can compare them to the "lotto guys".  IF the "lotto guys" aren’t vastly better than Bowen and Bazley then you either have a problem on your hands OR you should trade down (OR BOTH).

There are TON of guys in this draft that could either go lottery or mid-second round.  I think another one of these guys is Kevin Porter, Jr.  On the other hand, it could help more "proven" commodities, pedigree names who went to blue chip basketball factories like Coby White at UNC (North Carolina IS still a blue chip basketball factory RIGHT???) and Tyler Herro/Keldon Johnson at Kentucky.  Nassir Little threads the needle as BOTH a mysterious question mark AND a pedigreed-blue chipper with raw upside.

If Nassir Little goes high I think teams will take on some more risk.  If he FALLS, then quite a few GM’s will be more worried about keeping their jobs.  

[GBeeParticipant]

 I’ve never been impressed by Bowen. He just seemed like an aggressive shot hunter, with some shot creating ability. He’s more of a volume shooter than a good one. Average athlete as well who’s never shown a good floor game or defensive chops. I think his only hope would be if he transformed into a lights out shooter.

Can’t really comment on Bazley but I tend to shy away from players who hide and don’t put their games on display. If you wanna turn pro, you must think you’re a man. Aight, well then show us your game vs men, gleague or otherwise.

[Author]

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