Which of the Final Four teams will have: (a) the most NBA players, (b) the most NBA starters, and (c) the most NBA all-stars?
My thoughts (tell me if you agree or not)
ALL-STARS:
- Derrick Rose (not a sure thing, but incredible upside)
- anyone else would surprise me (though I think Love or Arthur have the best chance of the others, I just don’t see all-star)
CONSISTENT STARTERS:
- Love
- Arthur
- Lawson (will have to improve defensively–which I think he will)
- Westbrook (I don’t totally see it, but the scouts apparently are drooling over him)
- Collison (I think he’s a slightly better pro prospect than Chalmers)
- Ellington (a tough call, but I think he’ll be good enough to start in the NBA eventually)
DECENT CAREERS, NEVER CONSISTENT STARTERS:
- Douglas-Roberts (this is the toughest call–I LOVE his game, but what at position can he start in the NBA?)
- Rush (does he have the heart to be a star?)
- Hansborough (I think he’ll have a terrific career as a 3rd or 4th big man on a really good team)
- Dorsey (if he develops a work ethic, he might play for 12 years in the pros, but probably off the bench)
- Chalmers (though I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if he ends up starting somewhere)
CUP OF COFFEE:
- Sherron Collins (probably an NBA player, but if Adonis Jordan didn’t make it, who knows?)
- Deon Thompson (size)
- Darnell Jackson (size)
- Josh Shipp
- Russell Robinson
So, my final count (to answer the question) of NBA players:
- 5 for Kansas–1 starter, 2 good backups, 2 potential end-of-the-bench guys3 for Memphis–1 all-star, 2 good NBA backups
- 4 for UCLA–3 consistent starters, 1 end-of-the-bench guy
- 4 for UNC–2 starters, 1 good backup, 1 end-of-the-bench guy
- 3 for Memphis–1 all-star, 2 really good backups
All in all, this is going to be an INCREDIBLE Final Four!
Two quick impressions:
As much as he has always been a personal punchline to me, I recently saw or read several talking draft-heads about Kansas and the NBA prospects of their squad. The one you left off, Sasha Kaun. The only thing they all agreed on was that Kaun would have the LONGEST NBA career out of anyone on Kansas, because he would have that Will Perdue, plays forever backup center career. Journeyman, bench guy but big, intelligent, real good character guy, hard worker, and all this and that. Again, I’ve been joking on Kaun since he was a freshman, but that one I kind of agree with. He wont ever be good and he will get hung on ALOT but he’ll always have a job in the league.
More importantly, the second impression, and I put it out there in advance that I am a huge UNC guy and am paraphrasing a point made by Knocko – aside from skin color, what are the differences between Brand and Hansborough as college players? Undersized bigmen in the pros who work harder then those around them and are never flashy but get you 20 and 10 every nite in the league. If anything, Hansborough is more versatile and less prone (to this point) to get hurt. The popular thought is that he’ll be an average pro, I think you’re looking at the nest Elton Brand.
don’t underrate westbrook’s D….he could be a lock down defender on any team in the nba right now, and if he gets on the right team, someone like the suns who love to run steve nash will make him an all star at least once
Agree with Rose as the only All-Star.
Starters: Agree with Love, Arthur, Westbrook, Collison. I’ll put Douglas-Roberts and Hansbrough in here as well. CDR just needs to improve his jump shot some and he’s an NBA two-guard. I see Hansbrough as a Kurt Thomas-type. He could average a 14 and 10. Ian, he doesn’t have the offensive polish of Elton Brand.
Decent Careers, never starters: Rush, Dorsey, Chalmers, Ellington (he has the tools but i just don’t see it for some reason), Lawson (size, defense), and I’ll put Russell Robinson here. And i agree with Ian, Sasha Kaun will be useful. Maybe Mbah a Moute also.
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