A dive into the D-League Draft pool
The NBA D-League Draft is set for Sunday and while the draft pool looks relatively shallow compared to prior years, there are still gems to be mined.
There are 182 players eligible for the draft and there are some differences from the NBA draft; mainly there are six rounds instead of a mere two, and only the first four are mandatory. So, teams can choose to select a player with their final two picks or they can pass if no one tickles their fancy.
Last year, only two of the first round picks — Jeff Ayres and Jimmer Fredette — earned NBA call ups, but there were plenty of key players drafted early. Jabril Trawick was selected 14th overall by the Sioux Falls Skyforce and ended up being integral to their championship, and record-setting, season. Others like Antonio Barton, Jarred Shaw and Mike Anderson, were waived after training camp after being first round selections.
While the NBA draft is risky, the D-League draft takes the level of risk up a couple notches as many of these players are unknown quantities at this point in their pro careers.
The consensus around the league is that this is a “weak” draft class. The D-League is the penultimate land of opportunity and every season, players who weren’t expected to succeed break onto the scene. This year will be no different in that respect.
Size matters
The D-League is largely guard-driven. Most of the league’s top players are point guards or shooting guards due to the talented big men getting snagged very quickly. One thing that stands out after looking at this draft pool is the amount of size available. There are seven 7-footers in the pool this year and I would expect each and every one to be taken.
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The headliners are Jaleel Roberts and Adam Woodbury. Roberts played last year in Australia’s second division and while his numbers weren’t astronomical, he enjoyed a solid season. He played well enough to earn an invite to the Milwaukee Bucks’ training camp and since they are without their own affiliate, he is now available. Roberts stands 7-foot, 235 pounds and would be a formidable rim protector at this level. Two years ago as a senior at UNC-Asheville, he posted 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.
Woodbury is a 7-foot-1 rookie center out of the University of Iowa. He averaged 7.6 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior. Surprisingly, he has never really been a great shot blocker and had a mere 10 blocked shots in the NCAA last year.
Back for the first time
The D-League is not only a place for unknowns to make a name for themselves, but it also serves as an avenue to reinvigorate past careers. As previously mentioned, Fredette and Ayres both played in the D-League last season and earned NBA deals from their play.
There are some other recognizable names in this year’s class as well — Salim Stoudemire, Shannon Brown, Desmon Farmer, Travis Leslie and Rashad McCants.
Shannon Brown is likely a top-3 pick in the draft as he’s still just 30 years old and has over 400 games of NBA experience. He hasn’t played in the NBA since 2014-15 but he’s still an explosive guard who will put up points in bunches.
Stoudemire is a smooth shooting lefty who is somehow already 34 years old. That makes me feel super old as my memories of Salim stem from his NCAA battles against J.J. Redick and Adam Morrison. Outside shooting is always at a premium, so if he’s in shape, the shifty 6-foot-1 guard can still cause damage.
Rashad McCants was once pegged as the next great NBA shooting guard, but never really panned out. Now at 32 years old, he’s attempting an NBA comeback and using the NBADL as his vessel back to the top. It will be interesting to see how McCants fits with whoever drafts him as there will be a lot of people keeping a close eye on him.
Just give me a platform
This is the group who likely has tons of local fans screaming at you about how good they are, but the masses don’t really know them yet.
Brannen Green is a 21-year-old rookie out of Kansas who can really shoot it and in a league dominated by guards, the 6-foot-7 sniper can be king. We saw this two years ago with Jarell Eddie who ended up with the Washington Wizards. Green hit over 42 percent of his 3-point attempts at Kansas and while the sample size is small (182 attempts), his mechanics are sound.
Sterling Gibbs and Shonn Miller are UConn products and it will be intriguing to see how they fare at this level. Neither put up the numbers that were expected at the college level, but both have the upside teams are looking for.
Marcus Posley is a rookie out of St. Bonaventure who proved to be a quality combo guard at the collegiate level. His drive and motivation to prove naysayers wrong could propel him into the spotlight in the D-League. Guys like Posley who can play both guard spots efficiently are supremely valuable, so I expect him to be an early round selection tomorrow.
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Two years ago we were given Brady Heslip (who is back in the league with the Raptors 905!!) and this season the basketball gods provide Max Hooper. First, the name is perfect. Hooper?! Are you kidding me. Second, the kid shoots the lights out. Last year at Oakland, the 6-foot-6 wing took 257 shots and every single one was from 3-point range. Every. Single. One. Also, he hit almost 46 percent on those shots!
There will undoubtedly be more names to watch as at least 88 players will be selected in tomorrow’s draft, but a lot of these are “wait and see” guys. The D-League endures heavy roster turnover every year, so don’t be surprised to see more exciting names pop up on the waiver wire after training camp.