NBA Draft Projections & Mock Drafts 2019

Yeah that person must have forgot about Eli starting. We were 33-8 last year. That person must have just added the 15 wins to the total.

Itā€™s tough to say.

Iggyā€™s age and him being a perfect fit for an NBA bench right away due to his being a big wing (every NBA team is dying for them) and being solid at most things suggests he should leave, but he did wait a year to get bigger before going to college. Maybe heā€™ll come back for a sophomore year to try to be the best player in the country with Poole and Matthews leaving?

Poole has the skill to be an NBA 2 guard and he seems like he could be an average defender, so basically Stauskas or HardawayJR with a little more creativity and ballhandling but a 6/10 on D instead of their 3/10 and youā€™ve got a solid rotation NBA player. So it seems like he should go, but he also seems most like the kind of dude who would surprisingly return because he wants to, and while he might make the best pro of the 3, heā€™s also the smallest and could struggle to get minutes as a freshman.

Matthews age and defense imply leaving, but I donā€™t know if he has the offensive game and efficiency to get drafted. There are almost no NBA guys his size who would be worse FT and 3pt shooters who are getting minutes. Craig on Denver, Diallo on OKC, Bembry on Atlanta,Jonathon Simmons on Orlando and then some young guys only playing because they were high picks (Stanley Johnson, Josh Jackson, Wiggins) but who really hurt their teams. I think Matthews can make an NBA team right away as an undrafted guy because wings playing 15 minutes of good D are in high demand, and his 3pt shot looks a bit better (and heā€™s not a bad cutter) but is that worth coming out instead of taking another year to improve his shooting under Beilein? If NBA teams project him as a 30% shooter from 3 (which is what I think his FT and 3PT% numbers imply) over his first couple years, he might not get drafted, even if some good team with lots of shooting like Denver, Boston, Portland or Milwaukee is eager to get him as an undrafted guy or pick in the 50s since heā€™s both a prospect (has potential if his shot keeps improving) and someone who can immediately defend at a good level off the bench.

I think on the off chance that either Iggy or Poole return, either one of them would be a legitimate first team all American & national player of the year candidate.

Late lotto this year?? I just donā€™t see any way that happens. I imagine that would have to include another final four

What do you think would be holding him back from the possibility of being a late lottery pick?

You donā€™t have to think hard to see how Mathews and Poole translate to the NBA - they have the size to play the 3 and 2 respectively and the NBA is so desperate for wings that can even punch their weight on both ends of the floor that they will roll the dice on turning Charles into a better shooter/handler or Jordan a better defender.

Iā€™m honestly not sure how Ignas fits in the NBA - at his absolute best I think he becomes Jimmy Butler without the defense (Butlerā€™s offense is based on just bludgeoning guys until he gets his shot), but the athleticism gap there is pretty vast.

I love Pooleā€™s game, and I think heā€™ll be a good pro, but to answer your question, lack of plus athleticism for his position (if heā€™s going to be a 2), lack of demonstrated ability to create for others on a consistent basis (if heā€™s going to be a combo or a 1), and a clear lack of strength no matter which position heā€™s going to play. Could he be a first rounder this yearā€“absolutely. Might he leaveā€“sure. However, I think Michigan fans tend to be convinced that great players will leave at the first possible draftable opportunity, despite the fact that it really hasnā€™t happened this wayā€“Burke, Robinson, and McGary were all projected (Robinson and McGary) or possible (Burke) first round picks after their freshman years, and Wagner was a potential first round pick, and certainly a draft able player after his second year, and all came back.

IMO, the only clear decision at this point is Matthewsā€“heā€™s 22, will have his degree from Michigan after this year, and would not benefit from staying. Iā€™ve seen Iggy and Poole all over the map at this point. Dylan is right that all will have decisions to make after the year, but itā€™s way premature to know how those will turn out; indeed, I think that we may not know until after those guys have gone through the workout and draft camp process.

6 Likes

If Poole keeps this up he will shoot into the first round imo. Kid is special.

1 Like

Iggy needs to learn how to gain an assist. Looks to be a Black Hole each time he gets the Rock. His nickname is ā€˜GOā€™ the moment he touches it he is going to the hole or letting it fly.

1 Like

Donā€™t worry, once Sanderson is done with himā€¦, Think James Harden. James Harden type Players will be the New Thing trust me and Poole fits the bill.

2 Likes

Yeah Poole has really increased his strength a lot in just one year. I expect him to continue to make big gains for the next few years. If he keeps up his current level of play the first round seems like a no-brainer. Possible lottery pick, imo.

1 Like

So, it seems like starting to track 2019 wing recruits again would make sense, since Michigan might have 1 or even 2 openings.

So who other than inquiring about Franz Wagner or an unlikely 2019 reclassification for R. J. Hampton, should UM fans be targeting? Just curious.

Hoops discussion that includes J Poole and NBA

Here. Starts around 53 minute mark.

1 Like

Sam and Cole are pretty much my go-toā€™s on draft evaluation. Iā€™m mostly just sad now because JP is my favorite player and the thought of only getting one legitimate year out of him bums me out. If Iggy, JP, and Charles leave that is a total roster reconstruction and the JP loss would be the toughest to swallow since DJ Wilson.

Lottery is still too high for JP though.

Iā€™m still feeling lucky that Matthews stayed this year ā€“ takes some breaks to have a special year, which weā€™re having. Not surprising that Poole may have some options at the end of the year, heā€™s got a great skill set for todayā€™s game, thatā€™s for sure.

1 Like

Can anyone summarize what Sam and Cole said about JP or other Michigan prospects?

Cole said heā€™s a huge fan of his skillset, and is an underrated passer. Sam said heā€™s a top 40 guy on his list and he thinks heā€™s the best pro prospect on the team (and he has Charles around 40). Cole said if Charles had more touch around the basket he would be a lotto guy for him, both said he may be the best wing defender in the draft.

2 Likes

Iggy is a perfect fit for an NBA bench is about right because he wonā€™t be able to guard anyone.

Vecine went back and forth on his Poole ratingā€¦first said top 50, then said probably top 40. It will be interesting to see where he settles when he publishes his list later in the week, and whether he moves at all if he goes through a few games at less than microwave like level. Zwicker seemed a bit lower, based on defense and athleticism, but still a very good prospect. The key is whether he goes from top 40-50 so so to top 25 or soā€“thatā€™s when the strictly business call dictates leaving.

One thing to note from this podcastā€“these things change. A month ago, the consensus was the Brazdeikis was our best prospect. Now, these guys think heā€™s our third best prospect, in part because the others have risen up, but in part, because the consistent exposure has revealed some areas where he needs work.

3 Likes

As much as I want to enjoy this season 2019 targets for the late period have crossed my kind recently as we might have an open spot even though we are oversigned by 1.

Wonder if names will start to pop up now, landscape is always different come spring with coaching changes.