On this episode of The Eat Check. Holy shit, this is why it's my favorite time of the year. I don't give a fuck about the NBA playoffs, if you want to be honest, I do as a fan, but not as a podcaster. This is my shit. Emma be quiet. I'm excited. It's draft time, which means it's trade time, which means it's free agency time, which means it's pod time. We've got a massive, massive trade to talk about, and I'll give you my five sure things, five question marks,
and five stay aways from two night's draft. Plus we have not one but two interviews about the draft with ESPN Seth Greenberg, what a Legend and OKC and draft expresses Rylan's styles Anthony, it's draft day, early draft day, actually, so drop that motherfuck should be young. Alright, No, no, I'm in delinquish. It's always branle Hoist and probably Zach Will as well. Like it's the end of the NBA season, but now just in time, I'm back from vacation for
a quick NBA Draft primer. Primer primer. But hold the damn phone, Hold the damn phone. We got breaking news, we breaking news, breaking news. The New York Villanova Knits.
Knicks did the damn thing and sent five first round picks, four unprotected picks in twenty five, twenty seven, nine, twenty thirty one and a twenty fifth, twenty five, twenty fifth protected Milwaukee first which I think is protected like between three and fifty I don't know, and a twenty twenty eight unprotected PICKSWAP and a twenty twenty five second round pick, four McHale Bridges and a twenty twenty six second round pick. Really all you need to know five first round picks
to complete the Thanos glove of Villanova boys. Yes, sir, we got ourselves the last infinity stone, which is Michil Bridges. Holy shit, we've been making fun of Michale. He's been looking across the pond. He's been saying, Hi, guys, I miss you. Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Devincenzo, they've been doing the same thing. Hi guys, we miss you. What an incredible all in move with so many ramifications. The first thing I wonder is what this means for og Anobi
I don't know. Honestly, Ian Bagley says that the Knicks are still going after og Annobu who probably is gonna command in the forty ms. I don't know. I don't know. Can they afford to keep og and Andobi for two hundred and forty million dollars or five years and keep mkil Bridges on the roster and sign Hartenstein very very many questions, lots of questions, so many to think about for the Knicks, this is a big swinging dick all
in move you're like man. And also, Mikil Bridges hasn't missed a game in his entire NBA career, and now he meets Tom Thibodeau, the man who is known for making players miss games. So who wins that battle? We're gonna have to see. This is incredible. We will have a ton to say about this in the future. But my first reaction is the Nets got forced to make a decision that they should have made a while ago, which is to trade multiple first round picks for Mikail Bridges.
Mikil Bridges. They wanted to build around, and mikeil Bridges came to them and said, listen, guys, I want the fuck out of here. I do not want to be here. I want to play with my friends. I want to play with the Villanova guys, and I'm not staying here. So whatever you think you're going to be able to do it in order to keep me happy here, it's it's not going to be possible. You know, I'm working in a basement and I'm like working hours I don't like,
and I love y'all, but I got to go. You know what I'm saying, like this is just not working for me. And his agency told the Nets listen, you're not going to be able to get any other teams to trade for him because he's not going to play for them long term. He's gonna go and play for the Knicks when his free agency period arrives, which is, by the way, two years from now. Two years from now. He's under team control for two years. And he forced his way out. The Nets now get some first round
draft picks, which they desperately need. And now they went out and tried to get some of their own first round picks by trading with Houston, a deal I don't even know how to comprehend yet, which is why I'm not even giving you the details. And meanwhile, I guess Houston is trying to maybe trade for Kevin Durant by trying to take the the Phoenix picks and give them back to Phoenix so much. Remember like you go to New York and they've got like the man with all
the cups and the marble under one cup. That's kind of what I feel like is happening here with first round picks. I don't know where the picks are right now. I have no idea what team has what picks. All I know mckail bridge is nick boy on Bogdanovic now a net, and then a bunch of first round picks have been moved around. I'm happy for mkil, I really am.
I'm happy for the knicks, and Sean Marks might have saved his fucking job because let's let's be honest, that team was going absolutely no fucking place so and they had no picks and they couldn't tank, and who the fuck knew where they were gonna go, and they were gonna be able to attract on him a Mitchell because he's probably gonna be reciting in Cleveland. So much more on this soon, but damn, what a massive move onto the draft. Man did the draft sneak up on me?
Or what I was like?
Came home? I'm like, man, I haven't even done a draft preview yet. It's I thought it was Thursday night and I forgot they moved it to a two day experience, and now it's when Thursday would have been better, probably Thursday Friday, but hey, hey whatever this year, since the NBA wants to make a spectacle, they have made it now a two night affair. Wednesday Round one Thursday Round two.
Now the change puts not only a lot of spotlight on the second round, probably because, let's be honest, Bonnie James, but also they moved the poor Liberty Links game out of Barclays and into Ubs Arena. Who knows why, because it's tonight, yesterday, yesterday, not tomorrow. I've been covering the NBA in one form or another since twenty sixteen, and I can't remember a draft that has been so universally
panned as this one. No one likes it. I think there'll probably be players in there, who knows who they will be. I think it's just I think what is is that there's just no short things, and people are upset about that. But I think I think there's gonna be some good players in here. I think we will get all star caliber players. Out of this draft. I just don't think the teams can get by choosing Anthony Edwards and then just pushing lagers. They don't even need
to do a lick of homework. There's oh yeah Edwards number one pick. Yep, we'll take him. So not only are multiple teams looking to move their lottery picks, but there's also like really no consensus about who goes where. Take for example, Zach Edy, two time National Player of the Year. I've seen him as mocked as high as seven and as low mocked as in the late twenties, strange guys like Kyle Philipowski and Ron Holt. Incredibly wide gap between where a player may be drafted and where
they could slide to. So is this a weak draft? I think the jury's still out. I think it's just an ambiguous draft. A lot of players with a lot of upside, very few can't miss guys that you would call complete players, Guys with very few holes in their game. Like no Victor wemb beIN Yama's in this draft. To tell you that, Like how I don't even think there's any Scoot Anderson or Brandon Miller's in this draft. Even the highest rated guys like Zachary Rishische and Alex Sar
they're not even locks to be anything. So how do you analyze a draft where half the league is actively trying to chage trade their picks, half the league is waiting for the trades to occur so they can figure out who to take. So I want to approach this in a couple of different ways. First, I want to break down the five players I think have the highest upside, because again, if the talent evaluators don't know, I certainly don't know. But let's talk about the players that we
know could be something. Then we look at the five players I think probably have the most question marks around them. And then finally, five players I would never take with any draft picks, just wouldn't unless they fell all the way to the bottom of the first I think number one highest upside is to fill. If Stefan Castle can learn how to shoot, Stefan Castle could be an all NBA player. And I know that's a big if. I know there's a lot of players that have big ifs.
But I love me some Yukon Stefan Castle, and I love me some Yukon Huskies in the NBA. Castle major player on a national championship team as a freshman. He's a winner. What do you like about Castle? First, height, athleticism. He's six five sixty six pretty damn athletic. Like he can I'm not saying he can jump out of the gym,
but he definitely has explosiveness. But if you talk to anyone associated with the Yukon program, they rave about his attitude and his ability and willingness to do whatever it takes to get up to help contribute to winning because that the way he played at Yukon isn't in his natural game. He's got defensive tenacity. Like I said, he's not at not a great shooter twenty seven from three baby. He probably will improve on that in the next year, but I think you can live with that considering what
he brings to the table. I think he's one of the small handfuls of must drafts in the draft this year. So Stefan Castle number one, number two. Another Yukon player highest upside, Donovan Clean another Yukon Husky trist that you don't say, Yeah, I know the Yukon big man haven't been great. I know that Jack Vascol and Mecca Okafer Josh Boone. I mean, the list goes on and on at Adama, Snogo, Hilton Armstrong, they were all highly touted
big men, all busts in the NBA. Only Andre Drummond was I don't even know if I would consider him a star. I would consider him very a very productive player. And Donovan Klingon now massive guy, seven to seven, wingspan, seven to two, height, ninety seven, standy reach. He can dump dunk off of his fucking tiptoes. But I love Donovan Klingon's defense. He can block shots. Boy, I think that the percentage shooting when Donovan Klingen is around the
rim is like thirty five percent something crazy. He's ridiculous. He's a game changer. He's never going to be asked to put up thirty a game. But I think he's one of the only few players in the NBA who can move everyone from Mbdyannis out of the block like you cannot bully Donovan Klingen. So how good was he at Yukon? Team scored eighty nine points per one hundred possessions when Donovan Klington played, and when he was off the floor floor one hundred and three points per one
hundred possessions. I think that translates. So we're looking at maybe an all defensive player if he can stay on the floor, if his conditioning can be right. He has questions about his motor. He only played twenty two minutes a game. But again, he broke his foot last year. He came back from the foot break, he was overweight because he couldn't fucking run, and then he played his
way into shape. So I'm not exactly worried about Donovan Klingon and guess what we have seth Greenberg go on later in the show and he talks about what he thinks in terms of Donovan Klingon's upside and what his potential conditioning limitations look like. Number three upside upside, upside, trist to upside trist to not the downside. The upside for Cody Williams is immense. The upside of Cody Williams is a better, taller, longer Jalen Williams. He's a risky pick, though, Jesus,
have you seen the thunder play? Have you seen Jalen Williams play. Jalen Williams immediate impact player, and no one was talking about him nearly as much as they are Cody Williams, and Cody is a very young player. Jalen Willims By the way, at the time that he was Cody Williams's age, he was nothing. His team told him, you are a four year player, stay in school, and eventually junior year they're like, oh, yeah, you're an NBA player now. So Cody Williams is coming out into the
league as a top ten player. And yeah he has holes in his game. Yeah he struggles with confidence. Yeah he's had injury issues. Yes, he can sometimes be tentative, but he could be He could be a star. He's six 's seven, seven to one wingspan, somewhat sloppy handles, but he has the ability to get busy with the rock. He can finish around the rim as well as almost anyone in college hoops. He has a decent shot mechanic, His defense is long, he's rangy, he plays a position
that almost every team needs. So who knows, maybe if he gets with the team that can develop well, he can find his way into being a superstar. He can be a bigger, longer, more explosive Jalen Redrafts could potentially make Cody Williams a top three pick. But boy, oh boy, are the risks there. They are really there. Number four. I don't know if I would consider him the highest upside, but I would say the most like can't miss or
most productive right away, and that's Dalton Connect. I'm not like super sold on Dalton Connect, but I know a lot of people love him. People I respect, like Seth Greenberg, like him to the point where they think he's gonna be Rookie of the Year. Sam Vesini has him ranked as the number nine prospect in this class, and I think maybe he's this year's Heimi Hawkins, most player easily able to walk into a roster or into a team and immediately contribute. I tell you what, boy, the Lakers
could use some Dalton Connect. Yeah they could. He's a big dude, six', six two hundred and fifteen, pounds, high, vertical good, handles can get his own, shot high, confidence wants to take shots in high leverage. Moments he could be a problem on the offensive. End and Since tennessee didn't play a ton of, defense we don't really know Whether Dalton connect can play defense or. Not but he's athletic enough to pick it. UP i think he's a good.
Player he should excel. Early another player fifth player that has a very high Upside Bob, carrington the youngest player in this. Draft Remember Gigi jackson youngest player in last year's. Draft one of those players that didn't get a lot of, press just Like Ggi. Jackson but the opinion of scouts just continues to go up every week since the conference. Championships had a great pro. Day he's six' four with room.
To grow he's already one of the best pull up jump shooters in, the LEAGUE and i have seen him mocked anywhere from ten. To twenty vassini has him ranked in the, top TEN and i think bub could be really Really good. Number one in terms of biggest, QUESTION marks i Think alex aar also has a very, high UPSIDE but i do think the category to put him in more likely is the biggest. Question mark number one
consensus player for. Years now now he's possibly gonna be the number two pick because Of the shenanigans going on with him not working out With The. Atlanta hawks he. Has upside athletic seven footer will always, attract interest but, to me he's like A chet holmerrin that. Can't shoot he is, extremely fluid though he is an impressive, defensive player defending the rim, against guards, small forwards probably not big enough to bother like Centers Like, Anthony Davis, Joel
embiid Jannis. And jokis you're probably gonna play Him off beflore. Right now but if he can, get thick if he can become a, thick, boy really his biggest question mark is just how skinny is can you? Gain weight can you get, A shot because if you can get a shot and you can gain, some weight, then boy, oh boy could you be. A problem there is a reason though that alex Are brother olivier is like a ten. Day guy so that's what we're talking about in terms
of floor and in terms. Of pedigree number two another player with a high amount of, question marks As. Zach edy there was a time, last year twelve, MONTHS ago i would have told, YOU listen i will give you my beating heart If zach edy makes. A leak and Now zach edy could be potentially a. Lottery pick that's like where we're. ALL at i think the world's kind of coming a little crazy On. Zach Edy zam fassini thought he was gonna be a bust, as well a
lot of us thought maybe. International Player zach edy continues to grow as, a player continues to, slim down continues to add to. His game his physical fitness. Is ridiculous he's got the physical fitness of a crime boss that's also the runner of, the operation right. Like you he's big, and strong but he's literally out there grinding playing every
single minute OF an ncaa. Championship game he single handedly carried This trash purdue team to the national, championship game him And, trailer kohlik and he did it playing forty minutes a game like it. Was nothing he is. Still slow he definitely has holes in, his game but in his footwork is. A MESS but i am done Doubting. ZACH edy i think he's gonna be an. Okay player can he be a? First option? Like no is he going to be a starting center IN? THE nba i have.
No Idea seth greenberg talks About zach edy later on in the interview in this podcast in terms of how you have To Play zach edy in order for him to, be successful WHICH is i would. Say alarming number Three. READ shepherd a lot of People Love red shephard best shooter in. The draft one of the best shooters in college. Basketball history you know who was also the best shooter in the draft right sense of ball. Last YEAR and i think he saw the court like for thirty seconds all.
Last year shepherd is. Very, ATHLETIC yeah i don't mean for a guy that's like six. To one i'm very Concerned about bryce About read. Shepherd's hype he shot fifty two percent from deep. Last year that's. Pretty ABSURD but i think he's gonna find to have a hard time, getting loose our hard time. Creating separation he has a really hard time creating separation even in. College basketball but in terms, of movement shooter, off screens all That read shepherd is gonna be. A problem how much will his
three point? PERCENTAGE dip i. Don't know that's gonna be the tell of the tale of the Tape for, shepherd's career as Well as, Izio one, izio two and what do you do with? Them? All right? Number four remember twelve, Months Ago ron holland was the consensus number one, Overall PICK and i told, you guys that's. A lie like that guy's comp. Is great mock draft site said his Upside was Corey Brue corey breuerr dude average twenty seven and three FOR The G, league knight which turns out
to be a terrible Decision For. Ron holland the league Folded the ignite immediately after his. Season ended not Because Of. Ron holland i'm not saying that. That's why i'm just saying probably not the. Best choice he, is big though a lot of, question marks but he does have upside, six seven very active on both the ends of, the court and his defense will. Definitely translate but that's also his. Negative attribute he plays out. Of control reports are that
he didn't have A Great, pro day his stock. Was falling but if he can learn to focus, that athleticism especially on that, defensive side maybe he could be Like A. HERB jones i tell, you, what Though If herb jones is like your player comp then you are a second. Round pick you are not a first. Round pick i'm not, saying no no Shade To, herb JONES because I Think herber jones would be mocked, right now redrafted as a first.
Round pick but one way guys typically not. Lottery picks Number five modus muzialis another player again we'll see as number one. Overall pick can you tell that this draft class is Very? Like Murky like murky's, The word it's about as clear as The, As. Lake michigan his career also TANKED By G league knight six,', nine, wing, athleticism, shooting ability, play some defense does a ton, of things well. But nothing elite might be enough for him to become.
A valuable player his upside is higher, than most players and he could probably steal him around ten or twelve. In the draft he could be really good of who? The fuck knows because he's international and he was IN On, the g league so no one. Watched his games no one? Watched his, games all? RIGHT stay aways i mean this is a stay away. For health Reasons number one nicole a topic a lot of scouts. Are high on but there are enough right flags for me. To stay away.
First and foremost he has had not one but two major injuries in. The last year suffered a knee injury And then he PARSLEY tore his acl LIKE immediately did i mention that he was eighteen when he. Did those things HE tore an acl before. He could drink HE tore an acl before he could even serve his country
where they. Mandate military service there are issues. With his shot then you add the injury issues, to the shot and it is enough for, Me, to say yo let somebody else but us try and figure out a way to. Rehab this, Guy, all right uh let's. Talk about saloon saloon is One of those euros that some scouts will completely fall. In love with six nine wing, seven two wings stand attracted a ton of interest of late draft stock is, rising a lot kind Of like bal. Coulibali
last year scouts Call Him on BASKETBALL. Savant basketball iq they, like his, motor but boy when you, look at it highlights, of this kid he's Very raw and euros without elite skills tended to have trouble. In the league too many question. Marks for me but maybe A Team like san antonio or A team, like okay see you can figure out a way. To develop them Those. Teams are Wizards My, team Portland. Trailblazers not wizards tell you That Number three
rob dillingham, wouldn't do it would. Not do it the market for point, guards is shrinking and the, smaller you are the less of a market there. Is for you most of the teams in the lottery are set at. The position anyway his height is, six to one so he is. Six to one he's not participating in. His pro days he's opted out of all. These individual workouts that is a big red. Flag for me he does. SOME things well i know a lot of people who are smart about basketball. Think he's fire his body control.
Is a league he plays well at. A fast pace his. Handles are great but again he has. Six to, one every year there are ten players like this in the draft who do. Not make It Chances are rob dillingham possibly could be one. Of those Players Number. FOUR johnny furfey i made a joke about. HIM this season, i, was like man this guy is like a has a parody name of, that old song the name game uh furfeye. Furfee bo furfee but nana fnf o murphy fee five o Murphy Furfy that's JOHNNY now it's i thought it
Was a Typo Johnny does johnny furvey the most typo name? Of, all time yes. Six' eight wing the number one thing people point to with him is his work. Ethic, and, his character OKAY okay like that's, I got work? Ethic I got character am i making it to the league Just Like our, MAN seth greenberg said i Want, to Be pat riley But. I'm not pat riley that and five dollars will get you. A Cup of, coffee fam to Me he's. Just another kansas, Bust let's. Be real
kansas boys. They busting number, five oh my god another consensus number one overall player who just decided he is Not Good. Really and isaiah. Collier here we Go? What's happening with uesse why do they keep lying? About their player sites why do they keep just trying to pull the? Wool over Our Eyes they listed brownie james two and a half three inches taller, than he ACTUALLY is but They Faum have had isaiah collier listed at six' five for twelve months when he's actually six to two insues.
That is a massive difference combined with the fact that HE was a nightmare at, usc in his freshman year means his pro career is probably not gonna go as well as we thought it was. Gonna go twelve months ago he's already FALLEN from. A unanimous top, i pick at one point they said Preseason Number one overall pick isaiah callier gross. No shot that, was happening by the way, When people say this stuff i'm, just looking. AT them like no way i Still Don't even believe that zachary
res is gonna be the. Number, one overall pack pick anyway IT says a lot that I can see A better NBA career for Brawny Than. I can, for isaiah. Caller. Tough stuff good stuff Though we'll move back for friday for another breakdown on the draft because a whole lot is popping and the heat check is going to. Be
there the whole way but now it. Is time for some INTERVIEWS The First, is, with espn seth, greenberg who as you, know maybe you Don't know two Times acc Coach Of the, year of virginia tech coach broke down the draft for us ON My. Other show at mgm tonight, he was so, fucking good by. The way he is spicy.
He.
Gave us some gold anyway he was joined By My other Co host nick ashew. And ryan horvat that show, if you want, to listen because you SHOULD We're giving Better guests Benmgm, tonight aris monday Through Friday Seven, to eleven eastern standard, time live On. The radio also. On twitch also on YouTube i'm live On. Video on YouTube and.
Twitch let's get into it this is a draft that has, a lot of moving, parts a lot of Questions a lot of unknown So Thankfully, WE bring on seth greenburg espn college basketball analyst to help us kind of sort through. Release some of these guys and let's start with obviously the most polarizing name In This. Draft set than zach edy and obviously we know, what he did in college what, he was able to accomplish but.
Now it's the NEXT.
Level now it's the, nba we saw the improvement we saw the player that he turned Into. His final year AT purdue what type of Nba Player do you? Think zach edy will be and is there a team that you look at where you say you know that might be.
A good fit for him i Think the biggest thing was zach dye is the players around him, in the style of play and who's. Going, to be coaching him LOOK. He's unique in today's nba he's seven five with. Like a seven eleven winspan he's a ridiculous offensive revo. Because you can wedge rebound he. Runs better than people, think the whole idea well he made. Some, threes in his workout please let's put pump the brakes. On that a little better but he's different than. ANYONE else, in the
draft i mean he's just different than. Anyone else in the draft, better pass than you think, especially out of double teams more athletic in terms of corralling, the ball in drop coverage runs the. Floor better than you think but he's got to be. On a very specific team he's got to be on a team that number one will have a. Big time, shooters around. Him all right good yea if you, have big time, shooting rhys, you
create spacing create spacing. Then he becomes a tactoo they've got to have versatility, at the four spot defensively because she can't be switching four and five because he's not gonna. Be up to switch five he's. Gonna be a drop defender so you gotta have versatility because in the drop defense you're gonna, have to tag some things. You're gonna have to rotate, but in the, right team it'd be interesting Like you put him, in, miami and you say wait a sec vam can switch. It for he's at enough?
Do they have enough shooting especially Depending On. What happens with jimmy butler that could be. A unique situation for him but you're gonna have. To change how you coach you're not getting up down to court running or you know you're Not going to be any he. Can't be a second unity the second units, usually your, team gets smaller not bigger and that would be a little. Bit OF a matchup. Problem but i. Like him he's, gotten better his footwork's good, he runs the floor better and
he's a freak because you've. Not seen anyone like.
Him another big man that's sort of rising up the Draft Bars. To seth is donovan klingon what do you like about what he's doing and where do? You think he would fit and are you concerned at all about some of the conditioning issues that he had in. Last year's college basketball.
Season i'm not concerned because i'm. UP there all the time i watched. It practice all the time the guy at a broken foot. First set of the season it never got a chance, to get. In great shape playing shape you can't. Approve unless YOU'RE in shape that's just i. Don't care who you. Are you can't improve well to see what happened at. The end, Of the season what happened he got himself in shape because he hadn't. PLAY himself, in the shape i mean he missed multiple, games early
in the season so he was playing. His way back into shape cleaning is gonna be able to step out and pick. A pop and Shoot trees i've been in i've been. In that Facility, enough times different from zachie and. He's Got a beautiful stroke uh so he'll be. Up to pick a pop he'll. Be up to short roll, He's a very good passer he'll. Be up to long roll he is a terrific riom protector. And, got pretty good feet, defensively runs the. FLOOR great very Good Hands
i can see donald. CLEAN and going number one i, don't KNOW if he will but i can. See him going number. One because let's saice it the two guys that. Everyone's talking, About number one you. KNOW sorro and us shape I. Mean they're, good like shay you Know He. Reminds me of brandon miller. Miller, Went to last year uh sara, is a little more athletic. Runs a little, bit better but You know you watch. Donomd clean and HIS, UPSIDE even In today's nba i think he's. Going to be really interesting if.
You had to Pick A, player comp for donovan?
KLINGON who would it be i would probably Say, In the, end brook lobez i'm saying, but a better shot. Locker, but a better shot. Damn he's gonna be out he's gonna be out to Shoot it. And a better loco scorer that's what you. Have me on, here for? Damn? Good cops isn't it.
Coach so we keep hearing that there's not.
A star in this draft, but who would you say in your, opinion has The Highest ceiling maybe an all star.
Selection or Something like that i'm gonna i'm gonna go way.
Outside the box almost things i'm going to go a guy That is going To. Win rookie, Of THE year all right so i don't, know the Long Term. Star, And That's, dalton connected yes dalt connect go. Go in the top ten, dalt connects an, absolute bucket three level scorer shoots the three killer and transition and will. Punch it on your head runs. The floor now he does he probably, can't CHECK me Right Now but i think
dalton connect has has. STAR written all. OVER me i really do I Think, he's Uh Think bobby surah think, rex, chapman way way way way way. WAY back IN the day I think i think that connect has a. Chance To be really special stephan, castle as well as Intriguing but the way that connect shoots, the ball and can score he is a really. Really interesting prospect To me do.
You think castle is going to be more of a combo guard or a one or maybe a two WHEN. He gets TO the.
Nba the whole. NBA is, a, ball guard, i mean like you know there were very. Few point guards to, guards if you can't score you can't play it as is, he a Point you know but he's, you gotta be a player you gotta you gotta have. A guy that has game you gotta have a guy. That That that. Has game and ashlaw's game he can, really, defend anyone, flitch ability rebounds his, position gets to the rim. AND finishes at the rim i can play off the elbow.
In The back down situation alave brunson and at, the end of the season he, saw how he shot it really shot it well at. The end of the, season and a. Great Kid a great kid so i'm. A little biased Towards Him i really like Stephen cassel a lot but. Dalton. CONNECT is a bucket.
Yeah i agree with that and in TERMS of players that maybe i think we, wanted more from last season and again we're talking about, injuries as well with him but his pedigree and what we wanted and obviously the. Team that he was on i'd love To Get. Your thoughts on cody, williams OBVIOUSLY a lottery kid but i think a LOT of the feedback that i get from, talent, evaluators questions his motor. Questions, the dog.
In them Yeah You. Know you, know jared wesson you know he, might Not Have a dog but. Jared west is. A wolf the eight dollars. I'm Not Sure that anyone, look cody williams terrific skills great length, over some foot one, wingspan can shoot the, three a good enough passer, high upside defensively for. Sure can play in transition, banged around, ALL season, long you, know i mean you know. HE'S banged up and injured i think that we have not. Seen the best of, him not a great shooter but,
he does have good, mechanics which IS you know. That's where i looking for can, he get it off, quicker not over the athletic but sneaky. Athletic Needs to get stronger well moost nineteen year. Olds needs to get stronger is he a guy that you're gonna draft. It all, of a, sudden he's gonna you. Know, Be a rotation guy maybe but if you look at his pedigree and, you look at his character and you look at his seven to one wingspan at, about sixty six in socks and you see that, HE can make a SHOT i
would bet on i would bet. On him a little bit jade. McDaniels type a little bit i think that is his length makes. Him a Really versatile defender So High, i'm, high on cody williams well maybe a little higher than. Other people are on Him you brought up.
A darlin connect and he's getting a. Bunch of love right now What Are your Thoughts on devin carter from providence as? A, POTENTIAL top ten pick yeah i.
Think he's in that Vicinity Look, HE you know devin carter i mean like to me and THIS is the, first thing i, wrote Down as you, know and i've watched him watched, his career fix hie wingspan but the. Most ready impact Maybe Player. Could he be drew holliday it's. Got to, prove, the shooting but elite. ELITE elite, competitor and defender i mean like legitimately, downhill driver rebounds his position improved ball screen creator does a nice job. Reading
THE off Ball. Defenders so, i like devan you're. Like he's a doll competitor he's a more of a plug and. Play in, the Right organization you know can miami mess with him? And he drops to fifteen does? HE go higher than fifteen i think that's that's going. To BE an Interesting Thing, BUT i like. DEVAN carter i really do. I just like, his toughness though, people say oh my god, He's, twenty two years old like we'll take a twenty, two year old international guy but god forbid a guy comes
to COLLEGE and. Grows less, Then i checked, you Know Brunson was older, The Keel bridges was. OLDER malcolm brogden was, older i, mean we see you know we we freak out. Over a guy being older yet the older guys, that come INTO the, league they can i mean they. Can
all help. You win they're all competitor like you don't, have to, HOLD their, HANDS you know i, mean i have grown, men and like to me if you're Trying to win twenty two so, Guy's twenty two years old so say say, he's a legit rotation player so you're
gonna get? Thirteen good years at him or are you gonna guard and you're gonna draft an if you don't know if he's mature enough to DEAL with being a successful nba guy that's just gonna be given ten million dollars to and has, all these people around him then you've got to. Teach them how to compete you've got to teach them how. To be a good teammate there are. So Many variables in That so I'm, A higher i'm.
HIGHER carter i really am i, wasn't, Gonna ask you this Coach But then you mentioned devin carter In The, same BREATH as drew Holiday And i thought about brownie james and him saying that He. Wants to be true holiday is that is that A realistic ceiling for brun I.
WANT to, be pat riley i mean the guy has four, Points, of, A all right Look look i think that ronnie has handled this better than. Every adult in. His life That's my take he's handled he's handled. This better than his dad He's Handled this better than rich paul because he's handled it with some humility, and he, hasn't tried to. You know overplay his hand now he's going. To listen
to his agent, of COURSE you, understand that but? I mean, who, is, he you know look tragic tragic situation was in while. Coming out of High School guy got to. UMBA state For Nine years i had lucius harris who played. Thirteen Years In the league had brian russell played. THIRTEEN years In The league i had james cotton who played. Four years In the league i'd watching hawkins who played. Four years, in the league you know he would have been a
Good Guest. FOR us, at lumbage state i Mean he's he's an s he's a six one two, guard, and like everyone goes oh he. Played great In the combine he played people that playing The combine are all of but if, you're playing in the combine? You know what you are your guy that's probably not going. To play in the league. It's like, the, summer, league people go somebody man he was. Great in the summer league who
are you? Playing against the summer league get for the first two days a bunch of dudes that are not going, to be in the league that are going to get Two. Ways OR be in europe, SO i YOU know again i don't i. DON'T overbuy all the hype i think. HE'S an unbelievable young man i really have enjoyed listening.
To some of, his interviews but you know so, if He Doesn't make it is rich paul going to bury him, like buried, cal for uh you know VERY the coaching staff At usc Like They, buried, cal for CHRIS livingston who like the nba is the most. Exclusive club in the. World it's not for Everyone and this is not OPRAH, where everyone, GETS a, TV all right i mean i mean that's. Just the way it is it's it's. It's,
A very exclusive club hey i'd love. To see the, guy making but right now if, you had to EVALUATE him. He's not. An nba player that's it he's not men be a player right.
Now is as polarizing as, it gets for a. Player Certainly, in his POSITION Seth greenberg two Time, ACC Coach Of The. Year espn college basketball. Analyst awesome having you. On we really appreciate it.
Thanks coaching discightful this.
Time thanks, for Having. Me appreciate it oh.
Man great interview from Coach Next, interview is with Ryland styles Host of the locked onn thunder PODCAST As well. As an nba DRAFT insider he also joined betmgm tonight broke down, what's popping in The draft but. Also what okase might do let's, just listen, In To.
That all right ryland styles As the Host of the locked On Thunder. Podcast also with draft digest, let's, talk about players first though Before we get into anything brownie at some point the name. Is probably gonna come out but guys at the top of the draft that we know have a shot, at being, a number one, number, two, number three pick whatever like this draft is so difficult for us to certainly engauge while we're sitting here looking
at the draft market player. Positions where they could go there's also a lot of unknowns in terms of a lot of. International players in this draft so let's look at the, top two Picks right now with The wizards and then. The hawks at number one reese sche has looked at as kind, of the Consensus number one but the hawks. Aren't Really telling people, MUCH alex sar would then i guess. Likely be, the number two first off
what do you think? Of those two prospects one and then Do you think it Goes Resa sche and?
Then, ALEX sar one Two yeah i think that alex sar is the.
Best prospect in this draft there's been some awkward things about how He's, not working out for Atlanta which. Might make the hawks skittish they also could just take them as the number one overall, team even without a workout just understanding, and betting on the, talent because once you're selected what are You really Going To Do, IF you're alex sar rischache i think is one of the better prospects that you can COUNT on him being an nba contributor and you don't have to worry about him just.
Being a complete flame out but that ceiling is significantly lower than some of the other names, that you can Bet On Like like an alex sar. Sars ceiling his way higher sar could BE a, much less impactful nba player or As like the floor For Reshache is like, a tobias harris level impact which sounds like not good right now because the room Has Kind. Of soured on tobias Harris But you look at tobias harris's career in.
A very, bad draft class by consensus to get someone of that longevity as a contributor is, going to be you, know significant in this draft which is not going to. Net you a superstar anyway it's not going to net you really. A cornerstone of your franchise you're hoping to get those contributors and those rotational pieces and, complinary pieces to your. Core not, Build Your.
Core this year read shepherd ryland is considered the consensus, favorite to Go third overall even with houston potentially looking to trade out of that pick. And GET some more veterans and i think it's probably just because all. The mocks have him there, if You were to guess, if houston keeps the pick what would be the best, player that fits their? System, WHO would that be.
Yeah I would still go Read Shepherd.
Only BECAUSE of donovan kling and i think that that's kind of, what the market Is suggesting is that if, houston does keep the pick and it's always more smarter to bet, against the trade than not because trades are very, hard to actually pull off as easy as. They Are to talk about reed shepherd Makes. Things just simpler for houston he's going, to be a deadly shooter and at
minimum he's going to lift Up the floor. Spacing that houston Desperately, needs IF you draft klingon who i think is the, Better player Of the two clayton and shangoon, do NOT fit at all and i think that they're not ready to wave The, flag of course on stongoon so they'd rather Have. Him Long Term than clinging so, read shepherd at a minimum he's going to be an absolute pit bull defensively where he's not going to be an,
all defensive member at all but he is going. To give you maximum effort he's going to make an, impact in the passing lanes and whenever you Surround Him, with guys like dylan brooks, then all of a sudden it.
Elevates your overall team.
Defense they desperately need shooting he, can play on the ball he, can play off the ball especially. Where you really like Him So if you keep jalen Green around And you have fred van vliet and you now are getting more into the teeth of the defense and the, pain and kicking it out then there there's no, better shooter in, this Draft Especially. Off MOVEMENT than read shepherd so i think that that's what the kind, of odds are telling you is, that if they stay put which is hard, to pa off a Trade.
Then it'll Be. Read shepherd there to houston.
We've been talking a. Lot about the draft position is there anybody in this draft you think goes a little bit higher maybe than?
They're.
BEING projected right now yeah i.
Think that what's interesting is the smoke screens, would suggest that Because Like in order, for ron holland to fall, as People are talking, about Or Dillingham to fall, or cody williams to fall. Somebody has to jump up they're. Just gonna forfeit those picks so who is.
It going to.
Be that makes THE climb one name that i think like people could have fall In love, with is like jared McCain who can shoot. The ball off the ball so if you have a team that's already really good at dribble, pass and all that stuff and you just need the extra shot and he can come off screens,
for you. And finish plays he's there, but by the same token if you need a table setter to get, your scores into their action he's also going to thrive, in that area as well so him jumping, up wouldn't be a surprise and also in Be You a surprise
if john salon jumps up as this guy that. We fall in love with every, single year in the draft you're always going to see these eighteen year olds who have a man, body already and you think maybe, we can make them shoot maybe, we can fix the jumper because, if You fix the jumper then salon has like all the.
Intangibles you could ever want, he's excellent at the rim he's a great feel for the game in, terms of a connective passer, in terms of a cutter in, terms of a rim finisher and then, defensively because of his frame he can defend one through five and so like it all comes, down to that Jump SHOT which in the myron nba it's a risky proposition to bank gun because if the. Jump shot doesn't come around we've seen how non shooters are play off the floor regardless of.
What ELSE they can.
Do but i could see a team falling in love with him and. Him being a surprise jumper but those are two guys that keep an eye on in order for some of These other Guys To, fall TALKING to.
Ryland styles bet mgm tonight it don't connect is kind of the opposite, of, everything in this draft, right not a young. Player not an international prospect he played a long time in college but was really GOOD and. HAS that prototypical nba body i think he's got a REALLY. Bright future in the nba what DO you? Think about his nba prospects and, most likely it seems like especially where the odds are telling us clearly a top ten
pick like minus six fifty to. Be a top ten pick could he be somebody that maybe even jumps, Up a little bit higher maybe a team trades up because they want, more of that veteran present somebody that. Has, A little more experience.
Yeah i think that with the connect he is a victim of just our draft bias of we always want the younger, UPSIDE swing when in raality i think that he's gonna be a classic case of, in two years from now you're gonna look, back on him and say why did? Teams just not draft him because he's so much more productive than these guys we did.
Take in the top five he's.
Going to have it offensively he's going to be able to score at all three levels and be asked to do less on the offensive end than He, Was in college at tennessee but that's going to, be ACTUALLY better for, him and i think that especially with his motor like you look At, a TEAM like the thunder who i don't think would take him because they don't. Ever DRAFT guys this old But i seem like the thunder who have constructed this defense that just has, a lot of
switchable guys a lot of. Guys who fight through screens they can easily mask his deficiencies defensively and then easily. Benefit from his outside shooting so a team like that that has defenders that you trust to hide him on the end of the floor and allow him to focus on his awareness, level and off ball defense which is able. To get out in transition. HELPLE that with his shooting
i think he'll be one. Of the more productive players he's certainly not the sexiest prospect because he, doesn't have that tantalizing upside but in TERMS of just who do i think, will have a high impact high production, in three years from now he's. Certainly high On that list.
So the thunder mentioned them. Want to get. Your thoughts they draft twelve it feels like we never really know what. Direction they're GOING to go and Now I mean they're just sam presi's a vault man, and the lies are crazy. The smoke screens are? Crazy, what does they need, obviously, ANOTHER big, is key Right i mean especially with chet and some of the big men That were able to body.
Chet around in the playoffs But With, the trade of josh giddy do they also need another guard or what do you think considering that you cover?
This, TEAM day to day yeah I, think that for the thunder the BIG's going to jump out to the majority of the audience just Given. That, They Only have chet really, jay will has improved, significantly you're one to two but he's still better as a third. Big, than a second big, however in This, draft class like even klingon who's one of the, best bigs in this draft he does not necessarily, fit WHAT they're looking for and
i think that there Are other. Priorities for this thunder team you, look at the guard position you might think that, They're loaded at that spot But go back to that mavericks series and A big reason Why The thunder lost against dallas mavericks is that they simply could not. Get Into their offensive actions the, mavericks were just too athletic they, were too good offensive defensively and there was no true table setter to take some Of, that pressure Off of
shay especially as jadeb. Did NOT perform through expectation so i think that another guard who can play make would be at. The, top of the list also like they need another guy who's not, afraid of the big moment and that. Will come with Internal development It'll come with chut and jada having seen the. Postseason a couple more times but you need a guy that's not going, to pass up open looks which Happened a. Lot in that maverick series so, a guard Who's a, PLAYMAKER like a
jared McCain I Think. Would fit for, OKLAHOMA city the reality Is i think that the thunder could benefit from trading down just in any typical year because they don't necessarily need. Anyone at twelve to, CONTRIBUTE but in this draft i think that we all can agree that, it's like a seller's market not anyone no one's really. Looking to keep their pick so what value can you actually
get from trading back that makes it worthwhile is. The QUESTION heading into tomorrow But i, would look at jared, McCain if they go, GUARD if they go Big I would look At, doron holmes out of dayton and if they go wing and he's still there And, like slides past The Spurs it is a sam Presty Pick to draft to john salon and try TO develop him with their.
G league, system.
Really quickly follow up What Do you think About. Bob, Carrington To the thunder yeah.
Bob carrington is a recent name that's getting A Lot of traction for oklahoma city and he Had a workout, with the thunder this week so that's always a good. SIGN heading into the Draft, i think that with carrington this SHOULD be a spot that i think his agency should want him to go to and his camp should want him To go to because the thunder could absolutely use some more on ball scoring and they don't have
to have it. Right out Of the choot so the thunder of one of the BEST, Developmental systems in the nba they have one of. The best gie the infrastructures they can use him and kind of slow play him at, the start of the season get, him some maturity basketball wise get him some reps on THE ball and up to nba speed and then usher him into, an already ready made corps which will be good, for him down
the line whether it's in the second half of his rookie. Year, or in year two altogether you've seen How Patient, they've been with usman jang who they took at pick. Eleven in twenty twenty two even as they've began to win, and climb, up the standings they've stealed, not rush things with him and cared about his personal growth and development over rushing. Him TO the big league So i think that bub carrington coming in a similar spot where we
understand that he CAN be, a really quality nba. Player he's not there yet going to a team that's not going to rush him and just throw him out to the fray and have, HIM fail at the beginning i think. Will be good for him as far as what He. Can bring to the thunder you have to, love his
on ball scoring especially with recent moves and. Trades like that secondary Unit there's Belief With a thunder that cason wallace can take, a jump on the ball but you're banking on one guy at that point to take a jump on the ball to, help your secondary unit score and so this gives you some insurance as a guy that we've seen can score with.
THE ball in his hands i, have.
To be selfish here but i'll also add in a little. Bit of A draft, question, i'm a bulls fan unfortunately which, was awesome three decades ago.
BUT not so much Today I listened to.
The josh giddy presser today he expects to unlock. His potential after this trade what do you think About that deal for.
The bulls and also what do you think? They, SHOULD do tomorrow night.
Yeah i think that the bulls Like They clearly have targeted josh gitty as some. That they think Highly Of and we've seen billy donovan, maximized, guards of all shapes sizes and even maximized three guards at the same time As he did with a thunder in twenty twenty whenever he rolled OUT a lineup that If i told You In SEPTEMBER he'd Play Chris paul sga and dennis shorter Together and he'd be the thunder's best lineup to get to be on track to get a four seed and.
Ended up the fifth seed you'd have laughed. Me off of this show but he did it. And he made it work so if there's Anyone Who can, tap into josh gitty's potential which is massive as, a six' Nine Point, guard it Would Be billy donovan even. WITH kobe white next To, him i think that with josh he was just asked to play a style that was. Not suited for, him at all to his credit he never made a fuss about, it at all until the offseason so was not a Disgruntle player at all for the thunder as
they went To The. Second round of The, INDIANA playoffs now for the bulls i think that they should really hope. That these Smoke Screens, Are true You've Got, josh gitty you've got kobe white and independent of What you Decided, to do with throzen and levie you should hope that the smoke screens Are True and That One of ron
holland or cody williams falls that far. BECAUSE you want that banking, upside I think both those guys while i HAVE him in this upside and i have both of them in my, top five on my big board they ALSO have an elevated floor where i THINK that they're going to be nba contributors with star power in the
star in this draft would. Mean LIKE all star level player and i think that if those reports are True And, you END up getting josh giddy Who I, really believe in with billy donovan and you END up getting a guy who i would have my Top Five at That Point, of.
Cody williams or.
Ron holland that would be exceptional an exceptional way is of three offseason with All that they can Do With levigne and with the, rosen independent of those guys falling then it depends.
Which way you.
Want to go as an organization would you want to go for it and like make sure? You, get a win now Player yeah to push? For the eastern PLAYOFFS this year at that point I Would go With Even. Either devin carter or, Dalton Connect, Love That.
All Right Ryland, Styles, lockdown thunders podcast. DRAFT digest man that was awesome i have looked, forward to this draft tomorrow night. Probably gonna be a, little, chaotic appreciate you coming.
On man thanks for having me that's all the time that we Have For. This episode Of The heat Check Thanks to seth greenberg And RYLAND styles. And the Whole ben mgm crew come back friday for an all new episode breaking down both days of the draft and check. Out the feeds for past, episodes Many, episodes Would drop unexpectedly, Like, AGAINZALIA all, americans draft stock yeah i guess don't forget to. Follow us at the heat, check that means. Throughout the summer, not.
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