Draft Season: A Primer on Potential First, Second Round Fits

think they could help teams like Philadelpha. They can help playoff contending teams. It is another draft season edition of the broadcast coming up. As they say, better weather, who gets better draft talk? Now, no one says that. I have, for the record, never heard anyone make that connection whatsoever. But I will tell you this a truism that on Monday, June three, when the seventy sixers brought in their latest group of prospects for a pre draft work count, the

weather was excellent. We had a great weekend here in the Delaware Valley. Seventy degrees on Monday, just a very nice, non humid time of the year. Also a great time of the year to dive into the draft. We're gonna hear from a Lou Dort out of Arizona State and

Dalen Cuff from ESPN all that is coming up. But first, a reminder, as we normally offer you at the beginning of every episode of the podcast, in case you are a first time listener or you have yet to act upon subscribing, please do subscribe right away, right now, fresh audio content delivered to your podcast app whatever it may be, on a regular basis. We encourage you to subscribe on Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, tune in SoundCloud, whatever it might be.

Just type in six Ers Podcast Network and that will take you to our feed. ESPN College Basketball analyst dare I say expert Dalen Cuff with some thoughts and knowledge in a minute or two. But first let us hear from Lou Dort. He was one of six prospects the seventy sixers had in for a workout on Monday, June third.

Also included in that group, Nas read out of LSU, Terrence Davis from Mississippi, and of course Terry Harris, younger brother of Tobias Harris, wrapped up his career at North Carolina A and T so very spirited session inside the seventy sixers practice facility on Monday, And here's what lou Dort had to say afterwards when we caught up with him courtside. All right, so here we are. Catch me up to speed with what you've been doing so far your predraft process. Oh, I've been working a lot on

my shot conditioning. I mean there's there's a lot of way cuffs coming up for me, so I've worked on my body and then stay in shape and then get to get a lot of slipment to take care of my body. So it's been pretty Yeah, specifically just workout with the sixers. What did you feel good about? I felt good how hard I was playing defense, how hard I was competing and even making shots too. Yeah. Where do you feel like your game, your body, your whole

package you're offering is most NBA ready? Oh? I felt that's the way I compete. My body. I'm pretty strong, strong guards. I feel like I can guard pretty well. That's why there's not a lot of guards that's willing to guard. So I'm one of them. And then I'm just ready to compete and just run the floor. Finished I'm easy basket and just just just play hard. You're obviously someone who was highly recruited coming out of high school and had a nice pipeline track record going into

college and Arizona State. Still, you went out there, led the team and scoring decorated season. What do you think allowed you to make an immediate impact last year? That's really coaching staff for my teammates. I felt like that that a lot of trusting me, even at first. I mean, coach Shelley was the first one to tell me that I had a chance to be a one and done.

And then the fact that he prepared me on on the floor even off the floor, I mean, we got just feel like we we worked a lot this year, and I feel like I had a pretty good season this past year. What do you think it was about your scoring style specifically that was really so effective? Oh? Shoot, the way that that I drive to the basket. I felt like the fact that I was really big and I had ad finished on a couple of guards that

was guarding me. So the fact that I could drive to the basket and and making tough on the big to block my shot or get to the free throw line, and and nucking down some up and shots too. Have you always been a strong, powerful guy? Have you putting a lot of work on your body? Yeah, it started

like this, I mean just going up always. I was always big, So it starting like this, and then I add more skills to my game, be able to knock down shots and be able to run the point and get my teammates and balls to the decision to go into the draft. What were some things that went through your mind? What was making that decision? Like, I'm sure

it's not an easy thing too. Yeah. So, I mean I just had to talk to my people in my family and actually coach really, we'll ask you first one to call me to his office and he told me that, I mean, I think you ready, and then he doesn't think that that I have to come back, so he actually told me to leave. And then when when after I heard that from him, I was it was really easy for me to make my decision. It's crazy how strong of a pipeline Canada has these days going to

the pros. Is there a point of pride for you being from Camp? Oh yeah, definitely. I mean even though and I'm from Montreal. Two so the fact that there's not a lot of places from Montreal going out there in the States and now being a disposition, I'm just really pride to say that even to kiss from from

montsh'all have a chance. I was going to ask you about that, because it's got to be a little bit different than Toronto, where it seems like that seems been coming along for a while, right, Yeah, I mean we get we're really getting better. I feel like now Monshroald in Ontario, Toronto is actually ran out of the competition. It's about the same, and I just feel like we keep coming up and then I feel like there's more

kiss from Monshal that that's gonna have a chance. It was a really strong season for lou Dort with the Sun Devils under head coach Bobby Hurley. Led the team in scoring around sixteen per game, also average four and a half rebounds, two and a half assists, one and a half steals. He was PAC twelve Rookie of the Year, All PAC twelve overall and the second team, and he received an All Defensive Team in the PAC twelve nomination

as well. Got to the free throw line a ton a very strong, sturdy, explosive and physical player who got to the rim on a regular basis, So Lou Dort part of the seventy Sixers workout group on Monday, June third. We're gonna dial with Dale and Cuff in just a second. But first, if you are like me and you are a parents, you are always looking to figure stuff out there your kids can be involved in. Now. I've got fourteen and a half month old twins, so they do

not yet qualify for this. However, if you have a kid or multiple children between the ages of four and fourteen, sign them up for the all new seventy six Ers Kids Club presented by five Below. You receive gear, a welcome kit, birthday card, and a whole lot more. Again, it's for children ages fourth through fourteen thirty five dollars annual membership fee. You can sign up quick and easy on sixers dot com slash kids Club. It's the seventy

six Ers Kids Club presented by five below. A five dollars five below gift card, kids Club Basketball, a membership card and lanyard, a kid and Parent T shirt, twenty percent off of the team's store, monthly newsletter, a birthday card, and a ticket boucher to a Delaware Bluecoats home game. It's Sixers dot com slash Kids club to register right now.

Seventy sixers full on into draft season. A lot of workouts at the training complex this week, so it is time of the podcast for us to further dive into our draft prep. And for that, I gotta bring in a guy who scarily, at this stage in our lives, we can actually say we go back a ways, like probably a decade worth of time. You see him on ESPN all over their college hoops coverage. His name is Dalen Cuff. He played at Columbia University. I did games

for Penn Dylan. What's up man? Not much Broan, Good to be on with you, man. Yeah, I think it might be more than a decade, but that is quite a ways back. It's terrifying when you really look at the timeline. I actually I feel like maybe towards like my late twenties early thirties, I could like joke with people and say, oh, you know, like I'm aging I'm

getting old. But now I actually feel when I say, like, you know, we've had some sort of connection for about almost a decade and a half, I can be like, I do seriously feel old. Yeah, Unfortunately, that's just how it goes. Everybody. You people told us set too. Everybody tells you you're in college, like, enjoy those years. They go by so quick. Then you're in your mid twenties. I'll live it up. You don't have kids. Then you start having kids. I start running people at a grandparents.

Enjoy it. Now. Everybody keep telling you about every step of the way, and they just keep buzzing by every every landmark. So here we are. You cannot outrun the clock. You know, most times I feel somewhat intimidated when I have conversations with college basketball experts and draft experts, because, in full disclosure, when the NBA season is going on, I feel like there's only so much bandwidth I've got in my brain. That's a flaw, I admit, but it's

also the truth. One of the things that I like about this is A, you are a very knowledgeable on top of it dude. But B I feel like there's a context where I can simply say to you, Dalen, start me off. The seventy sixers playoff run ended about two weeks ago. I need a draft primer. I feel like I can be very comfortable asking you very basic run of the milk questions before going into the granular.

So why don't we begin there. Just give me your overall impressions thoughts as we zoom out to maybe thirty thousand feet on what the two thousand nineteen draft pool and draft class could be looking like. Just in general, it's not a great draft. Let's just say that outside of really the top three picks, and you could even argue a little bit of the top two, which in my mind are going to be Zion Williamson and John Murant, and I don't think I have to explain anymore about

who those guys are. And maybe you throw on RJ. Barrett in the mix. It's a bit of a crapshoot after that, It's not It's not what we've seen a couple of recent years. I've been some better drafts. You've had some guys you could see six, seven, eight, nine to ten that could that could be players that are go to guys. Would be a guy like Jamal Murray from a few years back that I know I was really big on him. He's he's shown now the the playoff level that he could kind of deliver at different times.

School guys like that I'm not sure exist in this draft, so I really think it's a little bit weaker. That said, I do think there's guys you can find. There's a number of upper classmen that really understand how to play the game, and I think will probably come around that later.

And we're talking about Philadelphia where I think they could They could help teams like Philadelphia that could help plaoff contending teams because they can give you something because they're guys that can play maybe off the ball, that understand how to play that he can give you energy, that can make shots on In today's modern NBA, you gotta have guys that can make shots. So I think I think we might find some more of those in this

draft than in recent years. The last thing I will say is the big wildcard to me is Darius Garland, point guard from Vanderbilt. Towards ACL five or six games into the season. I had their next game actually against NC State on ESPN right after he got hurt. It was their first full game. He got hurt a minute into the game prior. I think it was against Savannah State. They went on to win by a lot of Santah State,

which just it was like watching a park game. But then they played NC State and talk and Bryce Drew, who no longer is the coach there, and I think this is the reason why you lose a point guard at this level. They built their entire offense around. Now they had Simmi Shit who was on the team too, and a freshman was the top fifteen freshman. But Garland and college basketball, is a guy that dominates the ball. Point guard, can make shots, change in direction, changes feed

very very well, and everything was built around him. And Vanderbilt season just they completely fell apart. After that. They really struggled and I think they went win list in the SEC and Bryce Trew has lost that job. That said, Garland's that kind of player, He's that good. I'm interesting to seehere comes back. Was a knee injury that took him out. He could be a guy that could be great in the NBA. But I think just the amount of tape and the amount of reps, amount of experience

he has at a little bit of at a higher level. Obviously, coming out of high school, he took a big step up going to an SEC team and didn't get the Riggers in the actual SEC season this year, which is really a good league. So Darius Garland's a guy that I think is going to be really interesting to see

a where he goes. You know, what teams think of, what they're willing to what they're willing to invest in them with their pick, and then what kind of player he develops into, because I thought he could be special. When we've showed up on the scene in college basketball, we didn't get to see it, so we'll see it

in the league. It's interesting because you could have a draft, like you said, where let's take twenty eighteen, there are a number of prospects that could be immediate impact difference makers for NBA teams, and there is a degree of fun seeing how that all shakes out in the lottery

phase and stages of the draft. But then this year, like you said, like it almost seems like this is going to put the microscope more on front offices, personnel people, scouts to try and unearth some quality products that they could bring in and find the right fits on their rosters. You get the right we get the exactly what I was thinking. It is about fit. It's about knowing what you need, finding a guy that can fit in there and can give you something you want, you want to use,

especially in a lottery pick. You want to get guys that can actually impact your first let you know, your first lineup, your first seven guys, if you will, But teams that are in the playoff hunt, you want to get a guy that can be a player for you, that can do something for it, that can provide something. So it really is about finding the right fit for your organization with that individual, and what do you think he's going to give you. And that's it's hard. It

is not easy. I mean a lot of these things. The NBA draft had become almost purely on potential. That's why I did point to some of those older guys in the back half of the first round. I think you would feel safer going with them. They may not give you all star seasons, that they may give you some really good careers and particularly their first hit, and I give you something to help some of those teams

in playoff time. It's interesting because Elton Brand has said this publicly for the seventy sixers that given where they're at in terms of the timeline of the franchise trying to contend for a conference championship and NBA championship. They're looking more for guys who could come in be a role player, have a maturity about their games, not necessarily being a four year player or a three year player, but just someone who is a mature overall demeanor on

the court, that sort of thing. So I don't want to necessarily lead you with this question, but could this be the type of draft that is more suited for the seventy sixers needs right now compared to other years? Yeah, I think so. I think you're gonna get a number of guys that are going to be capable of stepping in and any guy and any kind that comes into the NBA to be a successful player. To be a guy that can come in and help a team, you

have to have an at least one elite skill. You have to do one thing at a really high level. And and and some of those guys that are a little bit older to have two point maturity to their game. They've developed that one skill. Whether it's some guys like Cam Johnson that can really shoot it, or or Dylan Winler, a guy from Belmont who I think is gonna be a guy that it's a lefty that's six seventies got good length, really understands how to play the game and

can really shoot it. Those type of guys I think are going to have famty factors in the draft in terms of the back end of the first round, the second round, but emerge as guys that can get in the lineup and really help teams because, as we've already said, the top end talent it's not that great. You're not having very many franchise changes in this draft, which you could still get a piece that helps you win games.

That's what this is all about, all right. Maybe I don't feel totally entirely unprepared because said Cam Johnson and Windler on my list of people to ask you about today, semi encouraging, semi encouraging for me. Do you think there's also something to it where, hey, let's say you have five picks in the draft, like the seventy six ers due number twenty four and then four more in the second round. They're tied with Atlanta for the most picks in the draft when a team has that number that

volume of draft picks. Is there also something we said for the fact of how they might be in certain spots to be able to influence the way the draft board ultimately shakes out whether they try to move up, move back, that type of deal. What's tough on you four those picks in the second round, So you might be able to affect the draft board as lights to the second round, and they affect the draft board and

it relates to twenty twenty in a little bit. But I think when you have four picks in the second round, you're not able to swing a much of the draft, as Sick of the Cell Justis did a couple years ago, and then three, you know, three picks in the top poll was a thirty thirty three or something like that, So that that that carries more weight and carries more

ability to to drive the conversation the draft. Overall, I think the Sixers can have something to be said about how the pretty much from pick twenty four their pick back to the end of the draft shakes out. But to really be a player in the front part, I don't think I really have a big effect there. From what you've been able to deserve from looking at the NBA game and then comparing that, obviously your in depth knowledge of college basketball, what do you think that Sixers

needs are? In your opinion, you mentioned earlier with your limited bandwidth, Like when I'm in college of basketball season, it's college hoops, you know, twenty four to seven threes every single day because there's so many teams to focus on. Which is nice that our season ends used the first weekend in April, and then I get to turn my attention to the NBA and becoming really just watch it as a fan and as a basketball guy, which is

which is great. So obviously I watched their playoff series, and I would say they need more shooting, any guys that can help space the floor, They need guys that can play without the ball. This is this is like I'm gonna ask you, like a trigonometry question or something, what gibbons are we operating? And are we operating the world that Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris, well, we know Simmons and indeed all four of those guys back on this

roster next year. That is the question. You're right, and that's that's part of the really compelling, fascinating stories right in the seventy six ers and this draft class. There's a certain amount of this that you just won't know or at least have a definitive idea of until June thirtieth six o'clock rolls around, you know, all right, So Mike, given is if those four are staying, Here's my approach to it is that you need guys that You need guys that can shoot, you, Guys that can play off

the ball. And I mentioned earlier you guys that know how to play, that can play off the ball and still be effective. I also think you need some energy guys. You need guys that can help manufacture some of their own baskets, whether that be hit the offensive boards, to set good screens, to be able to help your offense funk, help the offensive function better because I know you saw it latent games and time times with them get very bogged down and become very reliant on Jimmy Butler to

go score. And why ald times you need that offit dog, and Butler proved that he could he could do it at a very high level. You still need other guys, so the course of all forty eight minutes of the game and eighty two games of regular season to put

yourself in that position. So I think they're going to need guys shooters, Guys will play off the ball, Guys that hip high energy, can bring some energy and bring some stuff some two way guys to I think what they would be looking for not ball dominant players that need the ball in their hands to score, because I don't think on this team, you're probably not going to have the ball in your hands a lot. Just thinking of some recent mid twenty picks that come to mind

who have affected playoff series. I mean even this year, Pascal Siaka. I'm probably gonna bring up another name that's tough for seventy sixers fans and a guy who's with the Sixers at the start of the season, Landry Shammitt, played well down the stretch of the year for the LA Clippers and into the first round of the playoffs. Who are some of the guys that jump out to you.

I know you've floated a few names out there already, but if we look at the number twenty four pick, if there's a daln Cuff best available type big board thing in your mind, who are some guys that jump out to you? I'll give you a couple of guys. And these are guys, Yes I'm talking best available where if you're a Sixers fan, you're happy these guys are here. So I would think these guys might not be on the board, but if they're there, you should be pumped.

Kelvin Johnson from Kentuck, he has one. He's a guy that he's coming out of a freshman, got good length, good athleticism, can really play well on transition. But if you want, you watch Kentucky a lot this year. He his numbers for forty minutes were fantastic. He was a very efficient, especially in a SEC play. They didn't run stuff for him hardly ever, like maybe maybe run a

pin down or something. Occasionally he was able to. I said before, and this is gonna be the seeing with all these guys, play off the ball, manufacturers on offense, get on the offensive, glass, get out on transition, create some energy on the defensive end. And his and his shooting got better through the course of the year. So he can knock down a three. I think he needs to knock down a three more consistent at the NBA range. We'll see if you can do that. But he's he's

a bit of us. He's a slasher. He's a guy that understands how to play within the context of other good players around him, which you always will learn to Kentucky how to fit into other great players around you, And I think he would be He'd be great if he's If he's there, these are this, I'm gonna be three if they're there. Guys, First, Can I jump in

about him real quick? Yeah? So would he fit that description of a guy who he was only a freshman at Kentucky last year, who does have that mature vibe about his game? Would you put him in that category? I would. I think he's mature beyond his years. I think he really again understands how to play the game, and I think he's a competitor. When you watch him, the kids just wanted to win, and I think that

was the unique knicks of this Kentucky team. It took a while for him to find themselves, but all those dudes gave them themselves because they wanted to win. And that's hard to do for guys that all come in as five star guys, all think they're wanting done dudes. But he competed. He played at a high level to play with the level of intensity and focus that you don't see a lot in freshman And I will say too, when this is part of the NBA Draft, is drafting

on potential. So some of these guys, although I think they are a little more mature than they are, they may have only been one year. I'm speaking on both sides of an outs before I was saying, you want to have guys that are that have been around, that are that. There are some guys there that have been three four years in college and you kind of know

what you're getting. I think you have a good sense of what Johnson is, but I think his upside is just a little bit more than you're going to get than guys like him Johnson, which I'm sure I'll bring up again because I like him, but that maybe a little more upside because of what Johnson has athletically. He's still young, he's still developing physically, and he has all the entangles that I think you on the player all right, cool, I like it. So some other names. Sorry I didn't

mean to throw you off course, there no fire. The other guy with Nikil Alexander Walker from Virginia Tech. He's a sophomore. His game really develops. He can play off the ball. On the ball, he's better off the ball, to be honest. And when Justine Robinson, the point guard got hurt this year. He had to play more on the ball on it. I think that will benefit him in the long run. It's being more comfortable trying to

lead a team and run an offense. But I don't think you don't want to ask him to do that. He's a guy that can. He's a knockdown shooter from the NBA range. He's really wiry. He's gotten stronger in his sophomore. You're able to go through some contact at the rim. He's got a good pull up game. His offensive game is really good. I think defensively he brings something too, but he's got when you play at the NBA level Physically. We'll see if he's able to battle

with some of those guards. You're going to see night in the night out, and that'll be interesting. But I think he's a guy that if he's available, because again I think, as I said before, they need some shooting in the seventy six ers could use guys that gets faced the poor and knockdown shots. He could absolutely do that. And I'll give you a third name in that twenty four slot as Tyler Hero, another freshman that'll be coming out of Kentucky. Same thing in terms of very much

mature better defender than people give him credit for. Absolutely outstanding shooter. He can really stretch it forward to the NBA level, and again you don't need to run much for and he's able to create offense by playing the right way, understanding angles. They ran a lot of They'd run a lot of baseline screens for him, and you could tell me he really understood how to come off screen still, which is an unreal and art that most

players don't even know anymore special coming into college. But he was able to come off a lot of screens, create offense for himself or create clothes out situations and in those get into the lane finished for himself or more importantly, to facilitate for his teammates on this team. In the next level, whether it's the Sixers or elsewhere, he'll be a guy that can knock down spot up shots and at times being transition, he'll be hunting threes in transition. So he can have an impact for you

coming off your bench, just flat out. Like I said at the beginning there, if you have an elite skill that I'll help you make that makes shoot an NBA player, he has an elite skill. He can knock down shots. I'm going to throw out this name because he was in Camden to work out for the seventy six ers on Monday, and seeing his name surface maybe late teens in some mocks, early to mid twenties and others. Lou

Dort out of Arizona State. I know his shooting touch perhaps maybe not quite with the seventy six ers might need right now, but he seems to be a really physical guy with high energy who embraces competing defensively. Yeah, I mean I loved him his physicality. He's a physical specimen six four about two twenty he is. He's built like a like a Greek god. I mean, he is an absolute, you know, grown man for his age and athletically he can really get up and down and you

can use that body to score and transition. My concern with him is his ability to play and succeed off the ball and really understanding the game and shot selection. But you watched him in Arizona State, especially when they started to struggle. Everything was good for him early on, and he's getting twenty a game and they were playing some lesser competition and he was learning the college game,

and he was playing in a high level. But when it got tough and he had other guys of you know, similar ilk athletically and you know, similar length or length, it's greater than his. He struggled at times, he would he would easily fall into the trap of taking a lot of tough shots forcing the issue, and he was

better when the ball was in his hand. So I think that's why I keep coming back to teams to guys with this team being the seventy sixers, that need to be able to play with the ball in their hands. Because of those four dudes, you're not going to have You're not just walking the ball up the court. You're not getting on the wing in a nicer situation. You're not going maybe coming off a lot of ball screens

where you're the primary option to make something happen. So I think I think you need guys that did excel off the ball, and Lukewor can learn how to do it better, for sure, and he's got the physical he's got great physical capabilities. But again I think you might want somebody that can come in and affect the group and fit into the group a little better than he may at this individual time. He's got he could be

a really good NBA player. I'm just not sure he's a fit, as we said earlier, for this Sixers team at this time. I think another big question down that I've got about the seventy Sixers for this draft is, Yeah, they have the twenty fourth pick in the first round, but then they've got thirty three and thirty four early

in the second round. In your mind, how much variance, how much disparity and talent potential do you see in those I guess really ten slots between twenty four and then once you get up to thirty three and thirty four early on in the second round. I don't think there's a ton and not in this draft, at least I think there's I think you're going to have guys.

We keep saying the same things a little bit that fit for your guy may want you to pick a guy at twenty five verses thirty based on how the draft board has fallen out and what you need in your in your roster. Doesn't mean that guy at twenty five is way better than the guy at thirty three, or twenty four better than thirty four. I don't think there's a huge delta between those two. So and I do think the sixers can find good pieces. And you

mentioned one guy before, Camra Johnson from North Carolina. I think he's going to be a really good pro with a great career. He's developed as a better defender. He was really slow footed earlier his career. When he's a pit and he's transferred to UNC, he's become a better devender, better positionally, understands concepts in the defensive end. He's got good length, but most importantly, he is a knockdown shooter again six eight sixty nine. He's tall and he doesn't

waste any motion in his jump shot. I mean that thing catches. He catches, and you still see in college all the time people bring the ball down and that wasted motion gets you a chance from a good, a great shot to a now contested shot, or in the NBA he gets your shot blocked. So when you think about guys like Clay Thompson last night when he was rolling in that first half, when you watch him and that ball is caught up by his ear, he just shifts it right to the shot pocket up that it's

never down. There's never a wasted motion, and cam Johnson has developed that where he catches it anywhere in his midsection, it's right up. There's no if he catches, there's no wasted motions. So he's able to get that shot up with length and at six nine, and he's got long arms to get that and shoot it over to defenders because doesn't only stand emotions. He's an outstanding shooter that's gotten better on the defensive end and can come in

and helping and again space the floor. And I think that's a guy that you could find at thirty three that could be have some real value if he's still on the board. Another guy that I think is interesting

that that should still be there. And I did a number of a couple of his games early in the year as Fiando Coop Kevin Gelly's Kenby mctumbo's nephew, and he's got great length from Florida State and Florida State's always got they run Leonard Hamilton runs nine, ten eleven guys at you, So you may not get a chance to see guys play the minute you want on the role they want, but he's he gives you good energy

when he's on the court. You may have to rest him a little, but he's not was in the greatest shape, but you give him he gives you energy on the court. He's got great length over seven foot wingspan, can knock down shots when you close out, and was able to go buy and finish a little bit in the land. He's got touched, he can get on the offensive glass, and he's a good shopwalker like like his uncle was.

So I think Kevin Gelly's a guy that's it's interesting that could be a unique fit if it maybe for the seventy six or so, it'd be more like how does he work and what the lineup is around him, But he would be a guy able to come in and could help, like I said before, manufacture his own offense and help you on the defensive end at times protect the rim. I think he needs to understand concepts a little better defensively, but he's gotten a lot of physical tools that you want him at end of the floor.

You know you mentioned Darius Scarland a couple of minutes ago out of Vanderbilt and his injury at the start of the season. What about for a guy like Chumo Kiki, who obviously with Auburn that came such a huge story for them as they made their run deep into the postseason, who suffered an untimely injury at the end of the year. Yeah. Him, He's a really good player and his games developed, and he could be in your prototypical NBA three and D guy. I hope he comes back from his injury a one

hundred percent. I hope he continues to learn to shoot the ball and then shoot the ball even at a more efficient clip as he started to and did throughout the second half of the SEC second half of a college basketball season. And he's a guy that can defend the perimeter. He's got good feet, good length. He's an athlete, athlete that can end interior wise, he's not he's long, he's not big, so and then well today's modern NBA, I don't think he's worried about really can getting posted

up anymore. So he's a guy that can that can help you, that can protect the rim a little bit because hes got great length, just around seven four wingspan UM, and he's why are he's strong, He's got real quick jump. So he's a guy that I think could be interesting,

um for a number of different teams. We'll see, you know, how his body recovers, But that's that's the question is what are you willing to invest in the pick when he just tours ACL in April and you're not going to see him play again until sometime early next season, and you're wondering, if, ifan, what can the contribution be. So with a guy like that, it's one of those things where you have four second round picks, maybe you take a flyer. I don't think I would do it

in thirty three or thirty four. I think there's other good players you could get that that could help you and then kind of have a real feel and what they are right now. Somewhat because they put in more years consistently in college, also because they didn't get injured. I would opt for some other guys at that pick. But maybe in the later picks, look at a guy

that co keek if he's still on the board. So begin to wrap this up, tell me a little bit more about Dylan Windler, who you referenced earlier out of Belmont. A kid that can just see can flat out shoot it. He's got really good length. He's a good rebounder as well. He'll get in there and mix it up a little bit. But again, the guy that understands the game Lefty can play on the playoff, played really well off the ball, better off the ball. They put him on the ball

time just because he was at Belmont. He's the best player on the floor almost every game he played in seption of playing Murray State, when he play against John Rant and some of the other games they played, they played UCLA. They want at UCLA, which doesn't say anything because you say wasn't good as a team, but the US only has some NBA talent, and Dylan will win

with the best player on the floor. Um. He can really knock down shots out pass the NBA range, a very good passer, really understands angles, able to able to make the right pass, libert on time and on target. And I think his length will help him on the defensive end. He's not he's not athlete. He's not really a gifted athlete. It's note in a lot of foot speed, a lateral speed. But his length will help him positionally

defensively to hide some of those mistakes. He gets some passing lanes pretty well, anticipates well uh and needs to do that because again his lack of athleticism. But he's a he's a really really good basketball player. That's gonna be I think gonna be a good NBA player and have a good career. He'll be a lifetime guy coming off the bench, but he can have a great career, help teams second units and be a guy that can

come in and be a difference maker. I think Eric pascal Um has a shot to go in the mid forties or is he looking potentially a little bit later For the veteran of Villanova. I think that's probably where he ends up going. Uh. This is a guy that that learned a lot about basketball and being a player and being a teammate over his career, and he started at four of them. I remember had a bunch of

his games when he was a freshman. It was eight ten, Freshman Atlantic ten and Freshman of the Year with Tom mccora was coaching there. But literally, I talked about a green light. I'm this coming from a guy who used to chuck a lot of threes. This dude can shoot shooting shot it whenever he wanted as a freshman and just didn't. That was his obsession. I'm gonna get my shots up, I'm gonna get my points. But then he transfers over to Villanova and then gets in Jay Wright system,

playing with other pros, and it's about winning. He learns how to play, learns how to defend better, give up his body at times, taking charges, getting into doing the dirty work trying to defensive rebound. He does have NBA range, he needs to be more consistent with a three point shot. He has to be tighter with the ball. He's able to create a little bit, but he can get real loose with the ball. I think if he works on that. He's got good physical tools. He's about six six two

fifteen to twenty. He's got a good body, good length to him. He's a guy that could could potentially be a guy that could help you in the NBA. It's just it's gonna His development as an individual and as a man's really evident. So I think he'll be willing to take whatever role a team needs of him and do the best that he can to fill that role. And his role is past year was to be one of the dudes. Him and Phil Booth had to go and score every night, and it was a different role

for him than it was before. At Villanova he started, he grew into it a little bit, and I think he got comfortable in that. But at the same time, he'll go back to what he was on the teams that won the championship the year before, where he'll just he'll do what is necessary, what is needed of him as an open make an open three. Is it defends somebody and has helped the helper, is it take a charge. He'll do whatever is necessary. So I think he's I hope, hope he finds a way to make it in the league.

Like I said before, I think you need about one real elite skill helps you. I don't think he don't much. I don't know what that would be with him, but he's He's a kid that's I hope works out for him last but certainly not least got to bring him up. Of course, Miaoni tell people about his story and what his chances on draft night might be. I like the IVY League love Miaone from Yale left after's junior year. He was supposed to be he was gonna supposed to

play at Williams. He's gonna be a D three player. Besides the postgrad for a year. Tape gets out on him after having a big AU tournament. James Jones at Yale offers sold me he offered him sight unseen. He saw the film, never saw him in person. That James has never offered anybody that before offered an opportunity to come play like that. Before he does, the kid ends up being player of the year in the league. This guy, now, I talked to you. I had their game. I had

their IVY tournament game. They played Harvard and stuff. About twenty scouts there. But I had them back in December when they played in Miami and they beat Miami. He had like twenty nine nine and seventy the monster game and they're about fifteen scouts there too, because it was a who Paul event. Texas Tech played, Miami obviously played, there were NC State played. There were a number of

reasons to be there. And talking to a bunch of scouts before they'd all had said, someone said, he's Do you think he's a draftable guy in mid second round? You know, I want to see if he can take over. I saw him last year. He's got really good length. Again, he's about six six, but he has about six nine six ten wings fan. He's an outstanding knockdown three point

shooter and well passed the NBA range. So that's about twenty seven feet, but the question was canny takeover game, how does he handle the ball and kind of what kind of player is he? All around? More than just a shooter. And then they all those guys came out of watching that game like, oh man, this guy's definitely a draft sable guy. And I would check in with these dudes throughout the course of the year, and then

more they watch and more they saw him. And I actually went to watch Yale quite a bit because i'd be up in Bristol and I was up there Wednesday, Thursday, Wednesday through Sunday, but Friday night we wouldn't have a game, so I would go down to Yale and watch him play. And there was always an NBA scout or two there three, and I would always talk to him and everyone came away impressed every single time, because once you see him in person, he's a little different, different than watching the film.

He's got that lane, he's got an NBA body without a doubt, wide broad shoulders, it'll continue to grow into Athletically, he can dunk on your head, and he's got a really good understanding how to play the game. And I think the one thing he's got to change is he's got a good handle. He has to make the right decisions. It's decision making for him can get a little wayward, and a lot was asked at him at Yale that won't be necessarily asked to him at the next level.

He'll be able to knock down a ton of threes because he's gonna be open playing on good teams. Where where he gets drafted, close out situation, he's excellent shot fake, wonderable pull up shot, fake, go to the side, knockdown a three shot fake, get in the lane, create for other people. Is where that next step needs to beat. And I think he'll make he'll get better at that. Um. I think he's going to have a really good NBA career. I was slightly surprised that he decided to stay in

the draft. Is only a junior. I remember talk talked to him right before they played Harvard in the in the end in the IVY League tournament. He said, I'm gonna test the waters. We'll see how it goes, you know, And I'm not, you know, thinking anything before, but he was. He was out there early. He signed. The agent said he was staying right He same, staying in the draft early. It was it was months ago, wasn't around the deadline at all. So he fell feels confident in himself. He's

a confident kid. He's a talented kid. Obviously, he goes up saying he's a smart kid. And I think he knows what he's capable of, and I think he knows what his potential can be. He's going to work for that, and I think if he has the right situation, he can have a really good NBA career because with the NBA right now is about you gotta build, makedown and make shots. He can do that and he can also

defend them. So he's a he's a three and D type guy to this, you know, to the to the tens and now it's he make that next decision, next jump by getting in the lane and making the right decision with the ball in his hands. If you can do that, this kid is a really dangerous player. And if Philadelphia has the option to take him, opportunity to take him, you definitely should in one of the second round picks because he would absolutely help their team right now. Tremendous.

Always great to talk college basketball or in general with Dalen Cuff about anything. An extra bonus to work in an appropriate not Forest Ivy League basketball question. Dalen, thanks so much, man, really enjoyed it. Anytime. Grand I'm going Yeah. I got to see Dalen Cuff play a lot when he was at Columbia in New York City. Awesome player, better dude, and now a tremendous analyst at ESPN. Just awesome stuff that he's done in the broadcasting field over

the last couple of years. We appreciate him joining us on the podcast and giving us a outstanding primer on the draft this year, specific to the seventy six ers needs. Thanks for lou Dort for being a guy as well. Thank you always for listening. We'll have another episode of the broadcast next week, another Draft season edition of the Pods, So be on the lookout in your feets. See