This topic contains 35 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by NorrinRadd 2 weeks, 3 days ago.
- AuthorPosts
- Posted on: Sat, 01/18/2025 - 11:10pm #1266393
OhCanada-ParticipantWith his flashes of brilliance early in the year against weaker competition, his struggles in conference play and intriguing skillset Egor Demin is all over draft boards. Opinions seem to vary in the “mock draft community” and I feel like that would also reflect on the NBA scouts opnions as well. He has plenty of options and with AJ Dybansta joining BYU next year his best option maybe to stay in BYU for another season to hone his very unique skillset.
I feel like he would not only benefit from staying a year as far as development goes but also financially if he were to fall out of the lottery or maybe even out of the top 10. The 15th overall pick rookie contract pays 3.5/yr1, 3.7/yr2 and 3.9/yr3 whereas the 7th overall pick pays 5.7/yr1, 6.0/yr2, 6.3/yr3. That including the potential NIL deals in a year where one of the greatest HS prospects will be playing there and every game should be televised we may see Demin stay if he continues to struggle in conference play.
Wuhere do you guys see Demin ranked currently in your own big board tiers or mock drafts? What do you think about his upside and his options moving forward?
1+ - Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 1:34am #1266395
NorrinRaddParticipantI currently have Demin in a tier between 9th and 12th atm, but that is very subject to change by the time my next big board even comes out. His highest reach factor for me would be 5th. His lowest fall be 16th. He is maybe going to find his groove back if he gets 100% during season. I think he’s close, but slow right now. Shots haven’t fallen. I haven’t seen him in a minute though, should look at more videos of him again…
0 - Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 3:52am #1266398
NorrinRaddParticipantActually, it’s not easy finding a ton of highlights lately of him… If I were Demin I’d probably get to speed before I play again for BYU. Then no matter the record, display some better games with fresher legs. He’s obviously a step slower on every level right now compared to what I’ve seen. But if he sat until he was more 100%, I think his stock could go up. Otherwise, it’s a similar situation as Keyonte George playing through an injury for a long stretch. This being a weird Knee injury probably means he just needs to ride the bike and get his strength/stamina along with his instincts back to catch up with what he’s trying to do on the court.
0 - Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 4:33am #1266399
HitsterParticipantAs Demin is Russian wouldn’t his NIL earnings be limited?
I have him as a lottery pick but where I’d put him would range from about 6 to 14 as a lot of players in that 3rd or 4th tier are so close in ability.
2+- Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 5:42am #1266400
OhCanada-ParticipantI actually am not sure how the NIL works to be honest. I just assumed it was the same for everyone.
2+- Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 6:26am #1266401
HitsterParticipantPeople had said on here it is harder for non US born players to get NIL deals hence why say Adama Sanogo gave up two years of college eligibility to declare.
The British born Great Osobor did get a big NIL deal this season but I’m pretty sure they are mainly designed for US born or US naturalised players.
1+- Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 7:14am #1266402
NorrinRaddParticipantI’m not sure how it works either, but I remember Edey saying he would have returned one more year if he had a fair NIL opportunity.
1+
- Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 5:59pm #1266404
HitsterParticipantZach is earning $5.75m this season and has over $6m guaranteed for next season plus likely take up of the rest of his rookie deal.
Great Osobor is earning $1.7m from his NIL deal so Zach is making $4m more than him. I would have guessed Zach would have wanted to stay at Purdue to have another run at the NCAA title but if he had become a “giant for hire” I wonder how much his NIL value would have been if he had been given a full NIL opportunity. He was a double and reigning college player of the year so on decent team he’d have made them a contender.
1+- Posted on: Sun, 01/19/2025 - 10:46pm #1266407
NorrinRaddParticipantbeing a Wood Award winner Imo he’d get close to what he earns now.
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 12:04am #1266408
BothTeamsPlayedHard-ParticipantThe thing is, we have seen this story before. Egor Demin looks like what the NBA wants. He is 6’9″, “can” do anything, nice looking form on his shot, pretty athletic, and youth level success that made him known for some time. He is also having a – to this point at least- a bad freshman season. If you take away the “buy” games, he has played 9 live opponents. In those games, he is playing 29 minutes per, 8.4 PPG, 4.9 APG, 4.6 RPG, 2.9 TOs, and his shooting splits are 29/12/68. Not ideal. Go back and look at Cam Reddish, Ousmane Dieng, Ziaire Williams, and Poku (who five years later is still not ready to get real minutes at Partizan). NBA teams love the idea of what a guy like Demin can be. Analytics departments have shown time and time again that they give incredible weight to size and age. If he enters, he is not going to fall far. Not entering, and getting closer to being ready for the NBA, might be best for his long-term ability to have a long and successful pro career. That is ultimately his decision. He can take Ryan Smith’s money in the form of NIL payments at BYU, or get a proper paycheck from him or another NBA owner.
3+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 12:26am #1266409
BothTeamsPlayedHard-ParticipantThe limits on international students earning NIL money stems from the F-1 student visa. If an international student is in the US on a student visa, they cannot hold normal jobs. I think there are loopholes for on-campus jobs and internships, but they cannot do a photo shoot for a law firm for some billboard and make appearances at a local car dealership. Schools, or school NIL collectives, can come up with workarounds. Oscar Tshiebwe wasn’t able to do much in the US to get NIL, but was able to do promotional work when the team did an offseason trip to the Bahamas. I am not sure what Illinois or BYU came up with to accommodate Kasparas Jakucionis or Egor Demin. I assume there was some kind of “work” done after committing to the school and prior to arriving in the US. The increase in the number of young European playing choosing the NCAA route makes me believe schools have figured something out.
3+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 5:39am #1266417
OhCanada-ParticipantInteresting.
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 3:17am #1266410
NorrinRaddParticipantI’m not sure if he’s that polarizing or not, but maybe… what do we think about Kon Knueppel??? Seems like every publicized big board or mock out there has him pretty high. The low side seems to be still in the top 20 while I’ve seen him as high as top 10. Imo he should maybe 50/50 go back to school. I wouldn’t likely consider him in the top 20 at least for now. Is he better than McNeeley? or Penda? or Miles Byrd? Nique Clifford? Sergio de Larrea? Seems like there are some wings that are at least considerable other than Knueppel in the top 30. Will Riley is finding his game again, is he as high as Knueppel now? Drake Powell is scratching the surface finally, and he’s also an elite athlete. I mean Knueppel is a great shooter at times. He’s automatic from the FT line… if he gets there. I wouldn’t call him an elite athlete, nor would I say he’s great at handling the ball. Maybe adequate. He’s not the greatest defender either. I get he has a useful asset to his game and will have a use on a team, but how much upside does he have? Am I crazy for thinking he’s not a top 20 guy unless you really want to reach?
0 - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 4:32am #1266411
HitsterParticipantKon Knueppel I’d have somewhere late lottery down to about number 20. I don’t see him being a top 10 let alone top 6 pick as some mocks have him. I just don’t see how he would go before teammate Khaman Maluach for example. They are different positions and skillsets but I always agree with the idea you cannot teach size especially in a draft which is more backcourt and SF heavy than frontcourt players.
Knueppel could well decide to return as Duke have 4 of the top 25 recruits on some boards already signed up, some of the current team will return and they could well add a few transfers to have yet another top contending team. He would probably get decent NIL money but whether that would be anything like he could make as likely a top 20 pick I don’t know. He turns 20 this year so is slightly older than some freshmen but if he did return to college going to the NBA as he turns 21 wouldn’t be a major issue.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 4:59am #1266412
NorrinRaddParticipantHmmm interesting, I have him just outside my top 22 prospects
0 - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 5:12am #1266413
HitsterParticipantI have a pretty wide draft margin for him so my mid to lower range isn’t that different from yours. But I could argue a rock solid intangibles guy like Alex Karaban who has a superior 3 point success rate than Knueppel deserves to be a mid to later first round pick as much as Kon does.
1+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 5:15am #1266414
NorrinRaddParticipantI have them both in the same tier as a fringe first rounder top 40ish prospects.
0 - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 5:22am #1266415
OhCanada-ParticipantSo heres the question I have. Will Kon Knueppel ever be as good as Eric Dixon? Because this is the 2nd time I watcvhed Villanova this year and Dixon is a monster. If he was 20/21 he would be a top 5 pick. How much should age hold someone back?
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 6:58am #1266421
NorrinRaddParticipantI think he could be better than Dixon, but then maybe not… it’s not like he’s scoring like Dixon.
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 5:34am #1266416
OhCanada-ParticipantI still see Knuepopel going 6th,7th,8th. Thats too high for me I just don’t see him as an Allstar calibur player or All Defensive Team player.I’d agree he’s another polarizing player.
1+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 6:26am #1266419
HitsterParticipantWith Eric I didn’t have him really on the radar before this season and in a weaker depth draft last year he wasn’t talked about. But I don’t see why a contending team wouldn’t have a good look at him as a guy who can play some good bench minutes from day one.
Could he be a slow developer like say David West was but turned out to have a very good career.
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 6:50am #1266420
OhCanada-ParticipantThe Knicks have two 1st round picks, I could see them picking him.
1+
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 7:03am #1266422
OhCanada-ParticipantChasedown block for Dixon. He’s got 29 points 5 rebounds and 3 assists in a very physical game.
Sorber has been extremely impactful. I like the Al Horford comparison for him. Hes also come short on alot of his finishes, kinda lacks balance offensively but defensively he has great positioning especially when it comes to rebounding. Good prospect. I feel like hes gonna be small for a C in the NBA though.
In the Rutgers Penn St. Ace Bailey is amazing. He has completely changed his approach. No longer stopping the ball. Most of his buckets have been catch and shoot or one dribble pull ups. His defense has been phenomenal,
1+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 7:16am #1266423
OhCanada-ParticipantDixon missed a very tough fading mid ranje jumpshot at the buzzer. Georgetown wins by 1.
At the same time Ace Bailey just got the college dunk of the year,
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:11am #1266428
OhCanada-ParticipantOops wrong thread.
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 7:17am #1266424
NorrinRaddParticipantagree, Ace is killin’ it tonight. Dylan Harper – uh oh! I was hoping Rutgers would go on a streak of wins. Doesn’t look like it in this one.
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:12am #1266429
OhCanada-ParticipantHarper rolled his ankle pretty badly in this game. He played through it but he may miss some games it was a pretty bad one and was clearly bothering him.
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:22am #1266430
NorrinRaddParticipantdo you think it will affect his stock?
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 7:23am #1266425
NorrinRaddParticipantgaining momentum now
1+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:37am #1266431
HitsterParticipantAce has been on a good run recently and I think he is now back as the clear number 3 pick and pushing towards Harper at No 2 behind Cooper Flagg as first pick.
With Ace’s defensive ability and size I do wonder what will be his best NBA position. Could he be a guy who starts as an SG and then moves into a forward position like how KD did. ( Not saying he’ll have the career KD had as that would be a very high upside).
1+- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:51am #1266433
NorrinRaddParticipantIt’s kind of looking like that atm with Kasparas having a 3 point total night, and Harper not at 100%.
0
- Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 8:44am #1266432
HitsterParticipantI like Eric Dixon to the Knicks with one of their later first rounders or even 37th pick as he looks a Thibs type player. Boston with their late first rounder and Dallas with early 20’s and early 2nd rounder could also be an option. Plus the Spurs have 3 picks between 31 and 40 – Eric’s bulk and strength to compliment Wemby’s insane size would work IMO.
1+ - Posted on: Mon, 01/20/2025 - 7:32pm #1266436
BothTeamsPlayedHard-ParticipantWith Dixon, I am curious to see how much weight he has lost. He weighed in at 269 lbs at Portsmouth last spring, and I think he appears to be down. Obviously, his all-around game has grown considerably, but he isn’t going to have great length (6’8″ in shoes, 6’11.5″ wingspan and 8’8″ standing reach) for a 4 much less a 5. Georges Niang is probably the most similar in terms of size and style.
1+ - Posted on: Tue, 01/21/2025 - 2:12am #1266437
HitsterParticipantEric Dixon will have been known to a lot of the NBA scouts across his time at the Wildcats given the team’s success and high profile. So its not like he has become an overnight sensation. He’d been a key player for them for his last 3 seasons and now his final college year it is like a good young NBA player making the step up from being a good starter to a potential All Star if Eric earns All American nods.
A lot will depend on what the various scouts think of him and whether he has had advice before he wasn’t likely to be drafted. He played PIT last season so would have got a lot of feedback and coverage there.
With his relative lack of length compared to a lot of NBA frontcourt players his bulk and strength will be a key part of his game. Any weight loss has helped his game clearly so has been beneficial if it hasn’t reduced his power around the basket etc. He is listed at 265lbs on ESPN so if he is nearer 250lbs now he’ll still have a weight advantage against a lot of NBA PFs and smallball C’s.
1+ - Posted on: Tue, 01/21/2025 - 2:51am #1266438
OhCanada-ParticipantYeah they were talking about this a bit during last nights game. The commentators mentioned Dixon saying the key to his success this year has been “adding” muscle and being in the gym. I’m assuming with the muscle gain came the body fat loss as well. I doubt he’s less than 260 right now.
2+ - Posted on: Tue, 01/21/2025 - 3:23am #1266439
NorrinRaddParticipantI was thinking he could be like Trey Lyles, but I like the Niang comparison actually better.
1+ - AuthorPosts
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. | Login |