Cle and NBA draft

[wsushox1]

Is 47% from 3 (unguarded I assume) really that bad?, and isn't his actual game percentage for the last 2 years of greater weight?

Yes to both questions.

If you think of yourself as a good 3pt shooter 55-60% unguarded is where you should be at. Sometimes higher.

[CBB_Fan]

I don't think shooting has any affect on his stock. Very small sample size; I'm guessing an NBA workout will have players shoot around 500 shots. Shooting six shots at a position does very little to show how well a prospect can shoot (it is essentially a 3PT contest). If a player has a major mechanical issue it could be spotted, but projecting a player's shot from that small of sample is not a good idea.

Early's height/weight mean he can't play PF in the NBA. That would be a huge deal, if people thought he was a PF. But almost everyone knew he'd be a SF at the next level. And people knew that he might need some time to extend his range, as many rookies do.

Now here's the good news: the vertical leap test is THE most important test in the draft. It is essentially the athleticism test. And Early had one of the best marks for any SF; only 9 drafted SFs have higher marks. And here's the really impressive part of that: only ONE of those SFs measured taller than Early (Rudy Gay). His other marks were also excellent.

Yes, it would have been nice for him to measure 6'8" barefoot and shoot lights out. But in some ways, 6'8" is a curse. It is a little too short to guard the best PFs (Davis, Duncan, KG, Dirk), and most 6'8" players are too slow to guard SFs. It is the tweener height. Early's height puts him in a very good range for SFs; the average lottery SF measures about 6'6.5". His athleticism should make up for his relatively mediocre length.

I don't think anyone can say Early's draft stock was altered much by the combine. His real challenge will be individual workouts, where teams will put his shooting and handling skills to the test. His age, length, and handling may scare some teams; but his incredible athleticism, decent size, and shooting touch will intrigue others. I don't see him slipping out of the 1st round. His athleticism and shooting potential just make him too much of a prospect.

[shocksrbest]

I don't think shooting has any affect on his stock. Very small sample size; I'm guessing an NBA workout will have players shoot around 500 shots. Shooting six shots at a position does very little to show how well a prospect can shoot (it is essentially a 3PT contest). If a player has a major mechanical issue it could be spotted, but projecting a player's shot from that small of sample is not a good idea.

Early's height/weight mean he can't play PF in the NBA. That would be a huge deal, if people thought he was a PF. But almost everyone knew he'd be a SF at the next level. And people knew that he might need some time to extend his range, as many rookies do.

Now here's the good news: the vertical leap test is THE most important test in the draft. It is essentially the athleticism test. And Early had one of the best marks for any SF; only 9 drafted SFs have higher marks. And here's the really impressive part of that: only ONE of those SFs measured taller than Early (Rudy Gay). His other marks were also excellent.

Yes, it would have been nice for him to measure 6'8" barefoot and shoot lights out. But in some ways, 6'8" is a curse. It is a little too short to guard the best PFs (Davis, Duncan, KG, Dirk), and most 6'8" players are too slow to guard SFs. It is the tweener height. Early's height puts him in a very good range for SFs; the average lottery SF measures about 6'6.5". His athleticism should make up for his relatively mediocre length.

I don't think anyone can say Early's draft stock was altered much by the combine. His real challenge will be individual workouts, where teams will put his shooting and handling skills to the test. His age, length, and handling may scare some teams; but his incredible athleticism, decent size, and shooting touch will intrigue others. I don't see him slipping out of the 1st round. His athleticism and shooting potential just make him too much of a prospect.

If they could measure heart...Early would be a top 3. Despite combine tests, just look at what he did against the best competition--lights out.

[Fuente 858]

Bleacher Report was the only negative I've seen on Cleanthony at the combine. But take that with a grain of salt, Bleacher Report is to sports journalism what a 9-year-old's lemonade stand is to the soft drink business.

Otherwise, there is minimal coverage out there of the combine. Mostly because the entire exercise has become irrelevant. The top players domestic players did not attend, neither did the elite foreign players. In fact, the NBA draft is headed in the direction of irrelevancy as well. Now everybody knew that last year's draft was a dud and 2014 was supposed to be the standout. But it is worth noting in a quick review of 2013 draft, only 2 of the top 10 players taken averaged double figures in points and only 3 of those top 10 are even starters (Ben McLemore with the Kings started but only averaged 8.8 ppg). If you take away Victor Oladipo at #2 - or maybe even if you leave him in there - the top of the draft, first 5 or 6 taken which is historically where the league gets its superstars, may be the worst ever.

To put it in NFL terms, only a handful of players in the entire draft would be on active rosters and virtually all of them would be out of the league in 3 years.

What all this says to me about Early is that even if he is taken as high as #16 as I've seen in one mock draft, he likely will not be expected to start right away. The NBA has become a veterans league, it's hard to get older guys off the roster. I would like a team that's in the championship window to take him or get a riser with roster holes like Chicago or Memphis or Portland. Unfortunately there are a lot of disaster teams and destinations in the league and the chances are greater you get picked up by a Cleveland as opposed to a Miami.

[Play Angry]

I am just looking forward to Cle going in the 1st round and receiving the guaranteed contract. Anything else is gravy.

It was fun watching Toure claw his way onto a roster last summer, but I would greatly enjoy knowing that our guys have spots locked up well ahead of time.

[ShoxFan7]

Top seniors in the draft

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140516/nba-draft-doug-mcdermott-shabazz-napier-combine/

[1972Shocker]

Tough to beat Cle's attitude.

[BenWSU]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2068485-2014-nba-mock-draft-full-1st-round-projections-following-lottery#articles/2068485-2014-nba-mock-draft-full-1st-round-projections-following-lottery

Been a Suns fan since Barkley days plus I like the weather there. Hoping Cle ends up in PHX.

[pinstripers]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/mock-draft

[mjbaker84]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/mock-draft

looks like the 3 have him drafted at the following numbers

17, 23, 29

[shock]

I like 17 and 29

[mjbaker84]

yahoo posted another one with Early not even going in the first round and marcus smart going 9th to the lakers? uh wtf? and dougie going like 12th...

[BostonWu]

I like 17 and 29

I think Cle would look great in Kelly Green!

[shock]

I think Cle would look great in Kelly Green!

He would fit perfect with brad, and okc would gain a compliment to KD

[mjbaker84]

He would fit perfect with brad, and okc would gain a compliment to KD

in okc he would be close to all us shocker fans to swing in and see him.