2019 NBA Draft

[Deceptive Speed]

Never too early to get started on the next draft! This years draft was unique in the amount of white wing players being taken early, hoping that will start a trend..

I've been looking over some 2019 mock drafts and I can say it looks petty bleak, with only a couple whites sprinkled in.
On the bright side its still very early and i'm sure they'll be a few whites have huge seasons and shoot up draft boards by seasons end!
So as of right now here's out top prospects for 2019:

1. PF Killian Tillie 6'10 215 Gonzaga
Lottery pick

2. SF Luka Simanic 6'10 210 Croatia
Lottery pick

3. SG Tyler Herro 6'5 200 Kentucky (possible one-and-done player, we'll see)
Lottery-mid 1st rd

4. PF/C Ethan Happ 6'10 235 Wisconsin
Mid 1st rd

5. C Goga Bitadze 7'0 250 Rep. of Georgia
Mid-late 1st rd

6. SG Max Strus 6'6 215 DePaul (never heard of him until now)
Late 1st-early 2nd rd

7. PF Borisa Simanic 6'11 210 Serbia
Early 2nd

8. C/PF Marko Simonovic 7'0 220 Montenegro Early-mid 2nd

9. PF Luke Maye 6'8 240 North Carolina
Mid 2nd

10. SG/PG Kyle Guy 6'2 185 Virginia
Mid 2nd

11. PG Jon Elmore 6'3 190 Marshall
Mid-late 2nd


12. C Laurynas Birutis 7'1 225 Lithuania
Mid-late 2nd

13. PG Arturs Zagars 6'3 180 Latvia
Late 2nd

14. SF/SG Tres Tinkle 6'8 220 Oregon St.
Late 2nd-UDFA

15. PF Mike Daum 6'9 250 South Dakota St. Late 2nd-UDFA

 

[Freethinker]

Through the first month of the college season a number of white players have gained newfound NBA interest for this years draft. Here is an updated list of the top ranked white players in the 2019 draft:

1. PF Luka Samanic 6'10 215 Croatia lottery pick

2. SF Ignas Brazdeikas 6'7 215 Michigan lottery pick

3. PF/SF Killian Tillie 6'10 220 Gonzaga mid 1st rd

4. SG Deividas Sirvydis 6'7 195 Lithuania mid 1st rd

5. SG Tyler Herro 6'5 200 Kentucky mid-late 1st rd

6. C Goga Bitadze 7'0 250 Rep. of Georgia late 1st rd

7. PG/SG Ty Jerome 6'5 195 Virginia late 1st-early 2nd rd

8. PF Dean Wade 6'10 225 Kansas St. late 1st-early 2nd rd

9. PF Ethan Happ 6'10 235 Wisconsin early 2nd rd

11. SF Dylan Windler 6'8 205 Belmont early 2nd rd

12. SG Zoran Paunov 6'6 200 Serbia early-mid 2nd rd

13. SG Fletcher Magee 6'4 200 Wofford mid 2nd rd

14. SF Yovel Zoosman 6'7 200 Israel mid 2nd rd

15. PG Jon Elmore 6'3 190 Marshall mid-late 2nd rd

16. SF Sam Hauser 6'8 225 Marquette late 2nd rd

17. PF Mike Daum 6'9 245 S Dakota St. late 2nd-UDFA

Nice list!

 

[Riggins44]

What about Dylan Windler? Seems like he will likely get drafted.

 

[whiteathlete33]

This guy Mike Daum is a beast. Since he plays for South Dakota he might not get drafted.

 

[Shadowlight]

As noted in another thread Iggy from Michigan has declared. Murky on the "new" rules but I think Iggy has hired an agent and can't opt out but I am not positive. Tyler Herro is testing the waters but can return to school which I think would be the best thing for him. He is not ready for the NBA just yet. Iggy is fairly maxed out physically but I think one more year at Michigan would have been smarter. He is not listed on any first round mocks.

Kyle Guy has yet to announce but again Guy would be better off playing his senior year in college. He would be a second round pick at best and with one more season to prove himself he might be able to slip into the first round in 2020. Plus he would be a focal point of Virginia, a high profile program always on TV. Otherwise he would disappear into the wild blue yonder known as an NBA bench or worse yet that out of sight out of mind dreaded development league.

His teammate PG Ty Jerome has declared. By now most should no I am most always against white athletes ( Jerome has a small black mixture) declaring too early but in Jerome's case I see the point. Not a run jump athlete and he is already top level in terms of court awareness, skills and basketball smarts I don't see how much more he could grow in a college setting. Since he is getting late first round buzz in this case I think it is the right move.

Each case is different and I have never made it a strict rule.

I watch college basketball so I suffer if a white player disappears off the grid. If Tyler Herro and Kyle Guy declare for the NBA it sucks for me and members like Jack Lambert because they are star college attractions we get to enjoy on a national platform. Millions of fans are watching white college players who are stars. I know some here at CF don't mind it if white stars leave early but how many of those who are cool with early NBA entry actually watch college basketball? If I didn't watch college basketball it wouldn't bother me as much. But I do and that's why it bothers me when they leave early. Too early in most cases.

If a white star is ready by all means sign up but in my mind most are not. And rotting on an NBA bench unseen and unheard doesn't so the anti caste movement much good either. To fight caste white athletes have to be seen performing and succeeding on big media platforms and college basketball , especially the big schools, provides just that.

There is an argument to be made that early entry helps a player's skill development. For me I don't see enough ample proof for that. Look at Tyler Lydon of Denver. He has been lost in the twilight for two years now. Would one more year at Syracuse curtailed his NBA development? I have a hard time believing it. There are a lot of other recent examples.

I am not against declaring early. Donte D, Kevin Huerter and Lauri Markkanen I agree should have declared early. But despite the Huerter playing time and the growth of LM in his second season, I would have preferred they waited one more year to declare. Old fashioned me I guess.

 

[Bucky]

Shadowlight I agree every case is different! I think in general most players(black or white) that declare early are not ready for the NBA!

 

[Booth]

Shadowlight, Kyle Guy announce for the draft. How ever he has not hired an agent, so I think he can go back to school if he changes his mind.

 

[Shadowlight]

I am glad like Tyler Herro that Guy is "testing the waters" and not taking a full dive.

Logic dictates Guy should come back to school to elevate his draft stock. Hell ESPN doesn't even have him in the top 100 so what is the use of giving up your senior year. For what? To not get drafted? His HC Tony Bennett is mentoring and monitoring Kyle and I think he will see the light and will return as the outright leader of Virginia this coming season.

If he wants to participate in some pre NBA draft stuff that is fine but at the end of the day, especially for Guy, returning to school offers him the best chance of ever playing in the NBA.

 

[Shadowlight]

Tyler Herro just gave up any chance of returning to KY. That move ( a bad one in my estimation) just made the college basketball season 20% less interesting. KY is bringing in a white transfer but I doubt he has any NBA potential.

Herro is projected to go mid late to late first round. I expect a Nik Stauskus type of career at least in the early part which is not encouraging. Has talent don't get me wrong. But he won't be front and center media wise which he would have been if he returned to KY.

Young people today black and white think that twitter hits verify they are the real deal masking the fact that they need more time to mature. Quick fix society. I am so damn old fashioned I went out of fashion before the last time something went out of fashion.

This draft will be listless and aggravating. Foreign big man Goga Bitadze looks to go in the first round but very little to get excited about unlike the last draft.

I like Dylan Windler from Belmont. He is getting some deserved first round attention.

Warning. This will be one of those black god worshipping type of drafts with breathless commentary throughout. They will be framed as athletic gods the likes we have never seen before. Able to jump in a single bound to the moon. It will be tough to sift through. It will make me physically ill.

The black athlete. The new deity. The new gods that people are supposed to worship every minute of the day.

 

[white is right]

Tyler Herro just gave up any chance of returning to KY. That move ( a bad one in my estimation) just made the college basketball season 20% less interesting. KY is bringing in a white transfer but I doubt he has any NBA potential.

Herro is projected to go mid late to late first round. I expect a Nik Stauskus type of career at least in the early part which is not encouraging. has talent don't get me wrong. But he won't be front and center media wise which he would have been if he returned to KY.

Young people today black and white think that twitter hits verify they are the real deal masking the fact that they need more time to mature. Quick fix society. I am so damn old fashioned I went out of fashion before the last time something went out of fashion.

This draft will be listless and aggravating. Foreign big man Goga Bitadze looks to go in the first round but very little to get excited about unlike the last draft.

I like Dylan Windler from Belmont. He is getting some deserved first round attention.

Warning. This will be one of those black god worshipping type of drafts with breathless commentary throughout. They will be framed as athletic gods the likes we have never seen before. Able to jump in a single bound to the moon. It will be tough to sift through. It will make me physically ill.

The black athlete. The new deity. The new gods that people are supposed to worship every minute of the day.

It will be the Zion Williamson draft, but if you watch the tournament a VERY limited big man Taco Fall limited his ability to be a superman around the basket and had two rather easy stuffs, where Williamson basically telegraphed he was going for the power dunk.

The NBA's marketing machine is going to be pumping out propaganda non stop in the draft countdown but a discerning eye can see through the hype.

 

[Booth]

Kyle Guy staying in the draft. I hoped he would stay and try to win two titles with Virginia.

 

[Riggins44]

As noted in another thread Iggy from Michigan has declared. Murky on the "new" rules but I think Iggy has hired an agent and can't opt out but I am not positive. Tyler Herro is testing the waters but can return to school which I think would be the best thing for him. He is not ready for the NBA just yet. Iggy is fairly maxed out physically but I think one more year at Michigan would have been smarter. He is not listed on any first round mocks.

Kyle Guy has yet to announce but again Guy would be better off playing his senior year in college. He would be a second round pick at best and with one more season to prove himself he might be able to slip into the first round in 2020. Plus he would be a focal point of Virginia, a high profile program always on TV. Otherwise he would disappear into the wild blue yonder known as an NBA bench or worse yet that out of sight out of mind dreaded development league.

His teammate PG Ty Jerome has declared. By now most should no I am most always against white athletes ( Jerome has a small black mixture) declaring too early but in Jerome's case I see the point. Not a run jump athlete and he is already top level in terms of court awareness, skills and basketball smarts I don't see how much more he could grow in a college setting. Since he is getting late first round buzz in this case I think it is the right move.

Each case is different and I have never made it a strict rule.

I watch college basketball so I suffer if a white player disappears off the grid. If Tyler Herro and Kyle Guy declare for the NBA it sucks for me and members like Jack Lambert because they are star college attractions we get to enjoy on a national platform. Millions of fans are watching white college players who are stars. I know some here at CF don't mind it if white stars leave early but how many of those who are cool with early NBA entry actually watch college basketball? If I didn't watch college basketball it wouldn't bother me as much. But I do and that's why it bothers me when they leave early. Too early in most cases.

If a white star is ready by all means sign up but in my mind most are not. And rotting on an NBA bench unseen and unheard doesn't so the anti caste movement much good either. To fight caste white athletes have to be seen performing and succeeding on big media platforms and college basketball , especially the big schools, provides just that.

There is an argument to be made that early entry helps a player's skill development. For me I don't see enough ample proof for that. Look at Tyler Lydon of Denver. He has been lost in the twilight for two years now. Would one more year at Syracuse curtailed his NBA development? I have a hard time believing it. There are a lot of other recent examples.

I am not against declaring early. Donte D, Kevin Huerter and Lauri Markkanen I agree should have declared early. But despite the Huerter playing time and the growth of LM in his second season, I would have preferred they waited one more year to declare. Old fashioned me I guess.

Kevin Love is another white player who declared early and it was the right move for him.

 

[Shadowlight]

Kevin Love was chosen 5th in the first round. One can't argue with that. But Kyle Guy is projected to be a late 2nd round draft pick at best so I am completely lost as to why he declared. One more year in college to improve his draft status seems to me the rational move.

I just can't understand what is going on with a lot of these not quite ready to go pro white players making the leap. My line of thinking on this subject is at odds with the prevailing trends.

 

[Deceptive Speed]

With the NCAA tournament over, and the list of declaring undergrads and international prospects final an update was due. So here's the top white prospects in my new 2019 NBA draft big board:

1. C Goga Bitadze 7'0 255 REP. of GEORGIA Lottery pick

2. SG Tyler Herro 6'5 195 KENTUCKY Lottery pick

3. PG Ty Jerome 6'5 200 VIRGINIA Lottery-Mid 1st rd

4. SF/SG Dylan Windler 6'8 205 BELMONT Mid 1st rd

5. PF Luka Samanic 6'11 210 SLOVENIA Mid-Late 1st rd

6. SF Deividas Sirvydis 6'9 193 LITHUANIA Late 1st rd

7. PF/SF Ignas Brazdeikas 6'8 225 MICHIGAN Late 1st rd

8. SG/SF Yovel Zoosman 6'6 200 ISRAEL Late 1st-Early 2nd rd

9. PF/C Killian Tillie 6'11 220 GONZAGA Late 1st-Early 2nd rd

10. PF Dean Wade 6'10 230 KANSAS ST Early 2nd rd

11. SG John Konchar 6'6 215 PURDUE Ft WAYNE Early 2nd rd

12. SF Henri Drell 6'9 195 ESTONIA Early 2nd rd

13. C Alen Smailagic 6'10 215 SERBIA (G Leaguer) Early-Mid 2nd rd

14. C/PF Ethan Happ 6'10 235 WISCONSIN Mid 2nd rd

15. SG Fletcher Magee 6'4 200 WOFFORD Mid 2nd rd

16. SF Daulton Hommes 6'8 215 POINT LOMA (D-11) Mid-Late 2nd rd (D-11 player of the year)

17. CG/SG Kyle Guy 6'3 180 VIRGINIA Mid-Late 2nd rd

18. PF Mike Daum 6'9 245 S DAKOTA ST Late 2nd rd

19. SG/SF Nikita Mikhailovskii 6'8 185 RUSSIA Late 2nd rd (Draft and stash)

20. PG Payton Pritchard 6'2 200 OREGON Late 2nd rd

21. SF Tres Tinkle 6'8 220 OREGON ST Late 2nd-UDFA

22. PG Makai Mason 6'1 190 BAYLOR Late 2nd-UDFA

23. SG/SF Max Strus 6'6 215 DEPAUL Late 2nd-UDFA

24. C Josh Sharma 7'0 230 STANFORD UDFA-Camp Invite

25. CG/PG Matt Mooney 6'3 210 TEXAS TECH UDFA-Camp Invite

26. PG Jon Elmore 6'3 190 MARSHALL UDFA-Camp Invite

27. PF Luke Maye 6'8 240 NORTH CAROLINA UDFA-Camp Invite

 

[icsept]

I guess Luke Maye isn’t NBA material? He’s a poor man’s Kevin Love, and was very productive in the vaunted ACC.

 

[Bucky]

I guess Luke Maye isn’t NBA material? He’s a poor man’s Kevin Love, and was very productive in the vaunted ACC.

Agreed. Maye to Love is a great comparison. I remember Love used The NBA Combine to solidify himself as an Early pick. Hopefully Maye can do the same and slide into the 1st Rd.

 

[Deceptive Speed]

I guess Luke Maye isn’t NBA material? He’s a poor man’s Kevin Love, and was very productive in the vaunted ACC.

Yes its a shame Maye isn't picking up any NBA interest, as most teams are scared by his undersized frame as a 6'8 PF. Plenty of rather unathletic, undersized black PF's like Draymond Green 6'7, Paul Millsap 6'8, and Jabari Parker 6'8 are given every chance in the worls, but an uber-productive white like Luke Maye will most likely have to impress in Summer league to get a shot.

 

[Shadowlight]

The NBA combine starts next week. This is going to be a very tough draft to weather with the Zion craze leading the way. Expect a full blown horror show.

The combine is full of "black athletes" and many will test off the charts. Dealing with this stuff is like swallowing arsenic.

All we can hope for is the white players invited perform well on the tests with the vertical jump being the most significant. The short sprint is a distant second in terms of importance from a media stand point. The agility test is also of some import but again the media will be most focused on the vertical and sadly there are quite a few black leapers at this combine.

That said below is a list of the white players that will attend. Not many at all. Tough sledding.

Dylan Windler

Iggy

Kyle Guy

Killian Tillie

Tyler Herro

Luka Samanic

Should point out there is another lower level combine that will also be taking place associated with the G-League. Here you will see three potential NBA players who were snubbed by the more prestigious NBA combine. They are Ethan Happ, Luke Maye and Max Strus. Those are the only white college players I noticed on that list. Like I said this is going to be a tough draft. By the way expect Strus to soar on the vertical test. But since it isn't the more prestigious combine you can bet his leaping prowess will get lost in the shuffle.

 

[Shadowlight]

Follow up to above post. The NBA combine is Thursday and Friday. High flying Max Strus must have impressed at the G League combine because he was just invited to the NBA Combine. So make that 7 white players now. Not sure anymore will be added.

 

[white lightning]

 

[white lightning]

 

[white lightning]

Max Strus is from an athletic family. His mom played basketball & volleyball while his dad ran track. No wonder Max can jump out of the gym. Good luck to him at the nba combine!

 

[Shadowlight]

Update. Killian Tillie has some sort of injury (again) and pulled out of the combine.

Adam Silver did something right which is a miracle. More on that in a minute. On his watch the NBA has gotten a touch whiter this past season and we will have to wait and see if that gains momentum. As bad as the NBA is I think even they understand that there is a need for more white players and even white stars here and there at least.

Baseball could give two craps about that as they perpetually whine about the lack of African Americans not caring that white players are disappearing at an alarming rate due to the south of the border influx.

But Adam Silver is also an idiot. He thinks it is a good idea to reduce the NBA schedule. What is next? Have the men wear dresses instead of suits? Honestly with the luxury these players have today to think they are being run down by a grueling schedule is a joke.

Things were three times tougher just going back 30 years ago and everyone played 82 games and there was no bitching. Give me a break. Man up for God's sake. They have an easy job compared to most other people and now this Cadillac set wants to take more time off?

But Silver did make one good move. He changed the odds on a bad team's chances to win the lottery which was on last night. And to the despair of the media large market teams like the Bulls and Knicks didn't win the number one pick (Zion the chubby).

Instead less media friendly places like Memphis and New Orleans won the top prizes. Ha.

I applaud the move because it might teach these teams not to tank anymore. In the past teams clearly tanked to get better draft lottery position but with these recalculated odds, and last night was a good example, it should make teams think twice about tanking.

You have a league where players get a little "tired" and decide to sit out a game ( unheard of in the day when it was played by men I guess).

And a league that up until last night thought it was a ok for a team to tank in order to get some black god in the draft to save (natch) their franchise.

It is simple. Teams should play 82 games. Players shouldn't sit out to rest up. And no more tanking. The NBA was like that for years and players back then wanted to play even if they were banged up a bit. And they went out to win games no matter where they were in the standings.

Whatever happened to good old fashioned toughness?

 

[Shadowlight]

Max Strus is from an athletic family. His mom played basketball & volleyball while his dad ran track. No wonder Max can jump out of the gym. Good luck to him at the nba combine!

I think I messed up folks. I misread the article. I don't believe Max Strus was invited to the NBA combine after all. And as I mentioned before Killian Tillie pulled out. That leaves only five white players attending.

I think 10 players from the G league combine were invited but none of them are white.

Nightmarish situation.

 

[Shadowlight]

Some combine workout numbers are coming in. Still missing Tyler Herro and Iggy. Sometimes players don't perform the tests but will find out by tomorrow.

Overall very solid and I like what I see.

Kyle Guy--is performing well on all the speed tests and jumped 36.5. Nice numbers for him all the way around. Not just a stand still shooter.

Luke Samanic--he is 6'10" and put up a 38 inch vertical. That is impressive. Also did very well in the speed and agility tests. An athlete. I don't know much about him other than he has upside.

Dylan Windler--I think many of us were duly impressed watching him play at the end of the season. Windler smoked the agility test in 2.94 which has to be a near the top. Showed excellent speed and leaped 37.5. I hope all of this disproves the doubters and he can land in the first round.

[update: Kyle Guy's all around game is impressing. Samanic is very light on his feet. Might be a fast riser.]