Mastodon
@Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks: NBA Draft 2024 before March Madness with Ben Pfeifer (Part 1)



Atlanta Hawks: NBA Draft 2024 before March Madness with Ben Pfeifer (Part 1)

On today’s show I am joined by my friend Ben feifer to discuss the NBA draft in two-part fashion this is part one and it’s coming to you right now you are locked on Hawks your daily Atlanta Hawks podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every Day Hello friends welcome to episode 1672 of the lot on Hawks podcast I am your host Brad Roland coming to you on a Tuesday here in mid-march and Today’s Show is brought to you by the folks at Nissan take the Nissan Rogue Nissan pathfind or Nissan armana and go to find your next

Big adventure check them out today at nissanusa.com also I should tell you the top of the podcast to make us your first listen each and every day here at Lots on Hawks check us out subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts Apple Spotify YouTube Etc and plenty of content in

Recent days unfortunately I had to do an emergency podcast on Monday afternoon with the news breaking that sadik bay towards the Hawks then later confirmed and announced that on their own still TBD on his surgery but that was the big news from Sunday unfortunately also did

A full breakdown of the Hawks losing at home to the Pelicans on Sunday evening so it’s been a busy stretch for me and that’s all available in the archive but today I’m going to focus on the NBA draft a little bit in between um games

For the Hawks kind of a two and a half day break and it was a good time to kind of get into the mix here being that it is March and there’s conference tournaments going on this week and then the of course the ntaa tournament next

Week so I’m bringing on my friend Ben Fifer who’s been on this podcast many times before talking about the NBA draft it’s actually a two-parter this is part one that you are about to listen to and without any further delay here’s myself and Ben talking NBA

Draft I am joined Now by my friend Ben feifer regular NBA draft based guest on this program Ben how’s it going man I’m doing well Brad what is this like year six or something something like that and uh you know we’re we’re talking in in March uh I’m probably going to have to

Beg you to come back on later uh I you never have to beg I’m always like sure yeah I mean it’s it’s that time of year I mentioned it before I brought you in but like you know a lot of the top top guys in this class are not playing

College basketball so that makes a little bit challenging but still you know you know as well as I do a lot of people want to talk always want to kind of maybe dive in for the first time during conference tournaments and then in the NCA tournament and like kind of

See the at least the college guys who are going to be on March Madness for sure uh so it’s it’s it’s a good time to kind of do that and uh you are you’re always you’re always watching guys so I know you uh you’re more schooled than I

Am on this class I was just telling you before we started recording that um I’m getting my bearings a little bit on this group but um a long way to go I’m I’m pacing myself in the middle of covering the Hawks everything else because there’s there’s a lot to get to here for

Sure for sure um so I guess we can start I guess wherever you want to but I I’ll ask the obligatory question first uh that I’ve asked I’ve only done I think two dra draft or focused podcast so far in the last couple months um I’ll

Frame it this way is this draft as bad as everybody thinks it is I think so I feel like I’ve been one of the like the foremost people for a long time pushing this narrative so I feel like I have to kind of defend it um but then I feel

Like with some of like the the guys at number one I’ve been seeing I’m like maybe it’s going a little too far in like the the terrible Direction because I’m like there’s it’s not this bad but but overall I would say yes um there isn’t a real like Blue Chip number one

Prospects at the top like we’ve had in past years I would say even like the TW the the top prospects of like the 2020 draft were better than yeah than this draft um and I think that’s honestly kind of fun as well because they’re we’re liable for some crazy [ __ ] to

Happen on draft night where where like this this could be the first year I guess I mean 2018 kind of Since since 2013 where there’s like a totally crazy out of left field number one pick um but yeah I think the the thing people say about this draft is like oh the

Depth is really good which I definitely don’t agree with um I think the off pretty hard after like 20 25ish for me and this is this is of course like players will return and there are some players who like I include on my board because I like them but they have no

Chance of you know like draft sickos like them like Solomon Washington is a wing who plays for Texas A&M who me and other draft people like but like there’s negative chance he the clears it’s like that’s kind of what it’s still very early and you know I made the point too

We can move on to the actual players people care about but it’s um sometimes when people say bad draft they mean bad top of the draft which is what you just point out like the the biggest thing that there isn’t that top top guy or even a top section of guys but sometimes

When that happens it kind of flattens out and becomes pretty normal after that it seems like you don’t necessarily buy that either like is there is there an area of this that’s like okay like is is it like the late Lottery is that like pretty normal like that kind of area

Yeah I would well well just because like there’s going to be guys we follow that shouldn’t as always well you know you know I’m asking because the Atlanta Hawks are probably gonna have a pick between or maybe even two picks between like I tweeted this I tweeted this

Morning that like based on all of the mocks and Intel 10 to like 15ish seems like it’s going to be the place to be in this draft that that might be where the Hawks are uh and as always there’s going to be good second round values because there always are

Like regardless of the draft there’s always interesting guys who fall um but I think that’s going to be more of a reflection of just like me slash internet people per like viewing players differently than the league does which I don’t think it’s particularly new or anything different from what we always

Expect right like that’s kind of how it yeah always is it pretty much is yeah that makes sense and like we we don’t know one of the things we don’t know in addition to guys declaring or not declaring or whatever injuries Etc is that the Hawks are either going to have

One pick or two picks and we don’t actually know the answer to that the kings are probably going to make the playoffs but it’s not a luck um the Hawks have a decently wide range when you factor in the lottery and their current in injury situation and all that

Stuff so we don’t know where they’ll be but I think it’s safe to say as a projection generally like generally they’re in like the 12 to 15ish yeah I was gonna say like I think if I if you told me to just pick the Hawks pick

Right now take Lottery luck out of it like I think it probably somewhere in that 10 to 15 range is going to be where they are so that’s at least just for people listenting in the pocket that don’t that don’t know the stuff that well that’s the area that that were

Probably projected most likely to be I I’ll ask you this first as far as we get sort of get into players who’s your favorite slash who is the best college Prospect in your mind like is there a clear guy that you like the most

Or is there like a tier at the top of again this only college guys put put alexar to the side put R to the side I think there’s like a top six in this draft and four of those guys are not playing college basketball that is kind

Of what I thought you were gonna say and the two that are playing college basketball who I think are that level are Isaiah klier and Rob Dillingham who are like top top tier guys to me yeah and that’s it’s funny because I’ll just get in front of this they’re both uh

Lead guard types and that’s not really what the Hawks probably want but hey maybe maybe in the face they trade try young they’ll I think Dillingham is like more of a combo than a Le but I literally like pairing paing I was say but even then would be one of the most

Insane things you could do I mean offensively it would be ridiculous because like Rob is an amazing off ball player um like he loves running around and cutting and sprinting off of movement threes but like they shouldn’t do that they’re not gonna have the opportunity to but they shouldn’t just

Just not a good idea but yeah col so my top two are Kier and and um Rob undecided on who I like more of those two but those are the the best college guys to me and only one of those is going to be in the tournament Today’s Show is brought to

You by better help and sometimes when need the opportunity to get something up our chest big or small certain things happen to be really starting to get to you if you don’t let them off of their chest and really it’s important to let this stuff out especially someone who

Happens to be unbiased on your life so today I want to tell you about how to feel about something and for maybe a few of you in similar spaces you might happen to understand a little bit of what I’m saying here here and that is I

Have a real bit of unease about the next steps in the media landscape right now not about the hawk stuff necessarily but whether there’s actually going to be jobs available in what I do covering Sports and doing sports writing and sports podcasting Etc and of course not

The most intense or life altering topic for a lot of different people but therapy can be different for everybody and most of us including me have much bigger problems than this particular thing involving Sports and media but it’s also quite important to get stuff off your chest every once in a while if

Think about starting therapy at all give better he a try today it’s entirely online it’s designed to be flexible it’s sued to your schedule and the place to go is betterhelp.com lockon MBA and you when you do that it’s 10% off your first month with betterhelp once again it’s betterhelp.com

Lnba and one more time the place to go is betterhelp that’s betterhelp.com lockon NBA speaking of that like I kind of broke it out on my notes as like guys who are probably going to be in the tournament and guys who are probably not going to be in the tournament and

Borrowing a USC winning the Pack 12 they’re not going to be in the tournament which really funny which is wor and I honestly I would say it’s like not impossible they’re playing better not this is a this is a college they’re playing better recently it wouldn’t stun

Me they have a lot of talent ker missed a ton of games in the middle of this season plus like early season struggles but he’s looked like like the part of a top pick recently I was gonna say he kind of had this weird like high school

Yeah he he kind of had this weird thing where coming into the year plac has even had him like number one coming into the year um and then he kind of yeah as as sometimes happens there was a harsh probably over correction people kind of dropped him out of the lottery even it

Was like all right what’s going on here and now he’s kind of creeping back up um I I kind of hope he at least has a good game or two in the Pack 12 tournament just so people like could see I just look like Washington’s super beatable they already beat Arizona Oregon is

Super beatable like they can for sure go on a little run the Pack 12 stinks like yeah it’s not the best I mean Arizona’s good but other than that it’s Washington state is pretty good but like they are but ker just so we we lay it out there

What do you like about klier and Dillingham just it doesn’t have to be long because they’re probably not Hawk guys but you know yeah klier is probably the most like traditional point guard sized initiator um and I guess like point guard height is because he’s like

Built like a brick [ __ ] house he’s like 63 64 and like pound-for-pound the most jacked player you’ve ever seen um but he is aside from Nica toic who’s the international guy like the for sure best Advantage Creator in the class incredible strength and burst and power going downhill um he like just totally

Overwhelms defenders in one of many ways whether that’s blowing right by them or going straight through their chest or posting them up and shooting over them um and though there have been plenty of inconsistencies with Collier throughout the year um the the playmaking flashes off of a live dribble are really really

High level um he can really he can really score in the half court and create good looks in the half court pretty consistently he has like a ridiculous free throw rate I think it’s probably like above 50 um which is just nuts for a 63 point guard um and then I

Think defensively there’s a lot of upside as well um he’s you’re he’s he’s a very typical like college freshman Point High usage College freshman Defender but like super strong and quick laterally has shown good like Team D stuff good steel rate um and the pullup has been better in the pass especially

But that would be my biggest thing is like where the pullup levels out and there are a lot of issues with like decision- making consistency as well and his handling control like he sometimes will lose control of his handle but all this stuff I think is relatively fixable

And especially for a week draft he’s probably As Good As It Gets if you’re a team that like we need a point guard to like be our initiator like this is probably your best bet along with maybe one other guy yeah that makes sense um

And just to say it out loud like you know as far as if you start watching USC they also have Jay Johnson’s brother Kobe who’s kind of interesting I wish he could shoot um he doesn’t see I really like Kobe Johnson later I do too I’m I

Was trying to pair people you know try to pair team together his people were turning on USC for the first time like Ronnie’s obviously there too but um Kobe Johnson Isaiah CER uh yeah great yeah I like I like CER I the feel the feel

Worries me a little but only a little I think it’s I think it’s G be yeah he has for he he’s for sure not like a special passing Prospect or anything but like the fact that he’s as crazy an advantage Creator as he is like gives him leeway

There like he doesn’t need to be like a Trey young passer like that’s because he’s gonna like get the line every single time and he I was say I I I checked it while you said that because he does have a 50 50.5% free throw rate which

Is ridiculous that’s a lot of free throws uh for a guard um so the other guy you mentioned is Rob Dillingham who plays on this this on this loaded Kentucky team ky’s super high upside sure we’ll talk about re Shepard in a second too because he’s a popular guy right now um DJ

Widner is there who’s been playing a little bit better recently Justin Edwards is like back from the dead uh way kind of I mean I’m just saying like way more even than Coler Edwards was like going like suddenly undrafted and now he’s kind of well that was kind of

How I felt about him pre-draft so yeah I’m just saying like he was in the lot of top 10 in August so like it’s a he’s one of those crazy runs so Kentucky is maybe not not the single most interesting team but certainly they have three four guys the most fun fun college

Basketball team to watch yeah they they they they it’s off it’s offense everywhere they don’t really defend at a high level um and by the way Dillingham doesn’t defend either so that’s that’s part of what it is there so while we’re on Kentucky and Dillingham we can get to

Read too but what do you like about those guy like what are you looking for even about the Kentucky guys because they are going to be I think certainly getting a lot of attention because number one it’s Kentucky but they’re real prospects like Reed and dingham are

Real first round high oh yeah they’re both like at least in this draft like for sure like Lottery level guys um I’m definitely lower on Reed than consensus I’d say Rob I’m probably around the equal what even is the consensus now on Reed Shepard I I I really all over the

Place like I won’t say where it was because I don’t want to give them a lot of attention I saw I saw I saw number one today on I saw the same thing and that’s even though that’s not a source that I would consider reputable they’re

It’s not the first or second time I’ve seen that like yeah and uh just but I also know people like myself who are a lot lower so I don’t really even know like what the consensus is he’s a very unique Prospect which obviously is going

To lead to a lot of divisiveness on on him right so Reed Shepard um has been a I mean I think you would agree awesome college player this year like absurd efficiency college player yeah uh yeah like probably the Freshman of the Year nationally I think he proba he’s

Probably gonna win it I think by the end just because between the narrative and the way he’s actually playing um also hasn’t like there’s this whole story line that no one cares about on the but Dillingham and Shepard are coming off the bench for Kentucky you know two best

Prospects from the team um but re Shepard is 62 63 maybe I don’t think he’s 6’3 I think 63 either so 62 uh guard was like a he was a four star but not a like he was not a top 50 Prospect in the high school class um and he shot

The ball incredibly well and the defensive like the steel rate’s huge all that stuff but you mentioned him being unique it really is a very unique profile his dad actually was a former Hawk Jeff sheer played for the Hawks for a little bit uh in my youth but um what

Do you like and not like about re sheer because he’s going I can tell you this right now you know this as what as I do he’s going to get a lot of he already is getting a lot of attention but once the CBS machine gets going if they make a

Run it’s gonna be he’s going to be everywhere oh yeah everywhere oh yeah and look everyone loves like a small white guard like like it’s just the way it is like it just is um but like he is a very very great connective passer that’s probably the main thing with him

That that in the shot making but I think connective the connective passing is the most bankable thing um like incredible feel as a transition passer as like a off ball secondary decision maker um so so good like extra passes hit ahead simple basic pick and roll

Reads um again I don’t think he’s like an elite elite passing prospect there have been some more like live dribble high level read flashes in a couple recent games but I don’t think he’s an elite passer or anything and then the shot making obviously has been hilarious

This year I think it’s like like 52% from three just that’s that and it’s not even small volume like it’s getting to be it’s a lot of shots for a college guy I’m definitely getting higher on his shot because the volume has been steadily increasing but it’s still not that high

Like no it’s not just over eight per 100 is like good but nothing crazy and he doesn’t take a ton of diffic like his shot diet is quite easy is part of my other issue like the shot versatility he doesn’t really Sprint off of movement

Which is if he did that I’d be a lot more in um he he definitely has trouble like going full speed One Direction and stopping and shooting and he’s also not like the craziest Handler or pull-up shooter but catch and shoots transition basic like forward momentum pick and

Roll shooting is he point guard is he a point guard for you like are you Val him as a point guard I don’t think so I think I a combo yeah and I I I tend to agree with you and that’s I like him a lot I think I’m probably higher than

Them than you but at the same time like it’s really hard to sell this profile as a top five even in a bad draft I don’t think I’m really like I don’t feel like I’m that low on him like I like him I have him like just inside my lottery I

Think it would be totally fine to take him top 10 in this draft especially but like it’s it’s a tough sell for me for your 62 sub like mid athletic tools mid creation guard just everything he or almost everything he creates for himself off the dribble is just difficult like

It’s not easy um and it’s hard to make a living off of that in the NBA NBA athletes are really good really strong really fast really tall and I think that definitely does like worry me as opposed to someone like Rob who has shown like

Way more ability to like shoot at a at a like high NBA level or to create his own offense not to get into Rob yet but and then my other kind of Disconnect is I think think Reed’s defensive impact is Way overstated by his insane stock numbers where and they are really

Impressive the stock numbers gu is with hiss but yeah he is like his hand I it’s like his hands in like reaction time is probably like maybe his best trait overall like they’re stupid absolutely stupid but I think the narrative that he’s like a high field Defender I don’t

Really buy because he gets back cut more than like most college guards um he’s also just like small struggles to defend ball screens really struggles against weight and strength and like his lack of wingspan and the fact that he is already like fairly filled out physically like

Especially when you can I mean he’s like a teenager right but even when you like put him next to someone like Rob Dillingham who is obviously very slender where Reed is a little stockier but even that I don’t think he plays above his size which I’ve seen some people say

That I very strongly disagree with I think like there’s some moments where he’s like shot blocking but most of his blocks are like the Fred Van flee type blocks where you like swipe it on the way up or he’s like jumping to block threes which he is really good at but

Yeah on a play to-play basis especially with his athletic tools like I don’t think he’s gonna be a great defender I think he could be a good Defender but I comps which is ridiculous to me because Derrik is like the best guard defender in the league or like Suggs level but

And then to me like It ultimately just seems like a difference in philosophy I don’t really think the ceiling is very high and I’m generally not interested in drafting like a complimentary offguard in the top five I think there’s a good chance he’s going to be a good NBA

Player um and I think his like median outcome is pretty high but overall I think the top five stuff like I don’t buy the the shooting to be as special as people do the creation is pretty non-existent to me and the passing while very good I don’t think is like Elite or

Anything yeah no I’m I’m but is super weird and I kind of really don’t know but it’s it’s really interesting because I think objectively the player that we’re talking about like it’s not low to think that guy as a low a late lottery pick that that’s a very reasonable projection but it’s just

Gon like look I have like 11 right now like like that goes up to like six or seven I’m like that feels totally like I don’t know maybe no it’s not that’s very reasonable especially because again like I’m with you on the upside or Le the questions on the upside the shooting

Might be real and if it is like okay then that that’s that’s a calling card in itself but he is limited otherwise to show is brought to you by Nissan on our youth time driver to push things a little bit further when you’re behind the wheel do you ever happen to

Wonder what eventure could be around the next Corner when you’re driving our friends at Nissan have a lot of SUVs with the great ability to take your adventure to the next level and 2024 Nissan Rogue is perfect for City drives and Great Escapes alike as a classic exclusive Google built-in that is your

Always updating assistant calling for almost anything gone are the days connecting your phone to to your car because Google Assistant Google Maps Google Play Store built right into the 12.3 in HD touchcreen infotainment system in the Nissan Rogue and the 2024 Rogue is the perfect midsize crossover

For your next big adventure and a lot of Nissan is really incredible it also includes the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder which sub eight people has expansive carb capacity and also has advanced available 4×4 capability has 284 horsepower and up to 6,000 PBS of Towing when a venture calls Nissan Pathfinder

Is also there to answer it for you and take the Nissan Rogue Nissan Pathfinder or the Nissan and go find your next big adventure with the folks at Nissan shop nissanusa.com one more time that is nissanusa.com we B Dillingham briefly we can talk about him for a second too because again

P out the Hawks guy I have seen him compared to Lou Williams I kind I kind of like that a little bit I don’t hate that it’s not the worst it’s not the worst comparison by the way this I’m talking about younger L Williams not not

35y old L Williams that was in Atlanta the second time but um what do you make of like this is too this is too simple but like there’s kind of a school of thought like if you’re not in on Rob it’s like you think he’s a a combo guard

Allah L Williams like a six-man type um or I see people that are like really in on him as like a primary potential star there’s gray area in the middle of those two things but what do you kind of I kind of think he’s somewhere in the

Middle but also don’t think that’s a bad thing because I think his ability to scale down is a big benefit um like like I said unlike Reed he is a legitimate movement shooter will like Sprint off threes different foot Works left and right um and he’s had this going back to

Like his his sample of elite shooting across high school and college is much larger than beats it just is um like with with with high volume and shot versatility he has a much larger sample of elite shooting and I fully fully buy him and the fact that he’s an elite

Tough shot maker obviously is a great off ball catch and shoot guy but can create insane space with his pull-ups and the the real cell with Rob is like he’s the best Handler in the class he’s one of the best ball handling prospects in a long in quite a while um the the

Creativity the decisiveness the control it’s all ridiculous and he doesn’t have like the best burst and he is not super big but I think he really does make up with like like his burst is good not great and I think he makes up that makes up for that with the Handel he’s like

Got insanely good touch I think like there is definitely a limiting thing with his size but like he gets to the rim a lot and his numbers are not bad at all like for for someone his size like we see way worse than than Rob and his

Passing is like I think like I I feel like it’s a hot take to say that Rob is a better passing Prospect than Reed he’s probably not a better passer right now he’s not right now but I I tend to kind of agree with you like upside wise live dribble comfortability his willingness

To make highlevel difficult off dribble reads in the tight window he has more like Creative Solutions to help and to problems the defense throw it at him whether those are like long skips or bounce passes or threading the needle and he like turns the ball over more

Yeah but he’s she’s trying to do more stuff and I think yeah he has like sneaky potential to be a primary playmaker I don’t know if he’s like a legit primary initiator Creator type because of the athletic limitations but I think his passing ceiling is astronomically high it’s and it’s always

Been like this and that was kind of the thing with Rob before is like we always knew like he was talented but it’s like is he a serious basketball player and I think we like 100% without a doubt we know yes he is very serious is great

Playing off ball with an a system defensively yeah is a big problem it’s it’s bad yeah it’s bad but I do think there are enough flashes of him trying and I think like as the season has gone on he’s his effort has kind of weaned a

Little bit um but like he does have like nice lateral quickness um he can really get around screens with his agility at times when he needs to his off ball effort as like as like a dig guy is is okay sometimes but yeah there there’s just way like the overwhelming majority

Of the defensive sample at this point just like constant blowby dying on screens he’s he’s he’s really he’s really skinny like really skinny which is he’s already small too I think a lot of the problems he has Reed has as well but it’s just not like talked about

Because of Reed’s positiv that obviously Rob doesn’t have and as big for re right like Reed has a lot of the same issues as Rob and in some games is I think as egregiously bad in on like a per possession basis obviously his turnover creation matters

But like I don’t think it’s crazy in a world where like Darius Garland has become like a neutral Defender and Trey young has become like just regular bad like I I don’t think it’s within like I don’t think it’s impossible that Rob becomes a serviceable Defender no yeah I

I I agree with that I think right now it’s not good but it doesn’t mean you have to be that bad I think overall like the creation upside the high high level shooting upside the passing upside I think is worth the top five pick in this

Draft he’s just as dynamic as they come I dig it I mean I don’t think it’s like you that you have to have him there but I definitely see a pathway for him to be yeah I certainly understand the one of those guys yeah agreed um and yeah those

Are the two main guys at Kentucky uh I guess we should transition I probably should have gone for breach sheeper to D connect for the for the obvious skin color reason uh but I’m kind of kidding but D connect is also probably uh him and Reed sheeper

Are like the two most disgusted players right now in the mainstream because they’re famous college players and also first round picks and connectus has the weirdest trajectory imaginable like I’ll just say this for people that don’t know he was playing at Northern Colorado a year ago and he’s one of the oldest

Players in the draft too he’s gonna be 23 at draft time he’s the second oldest he’s the second oldest player in my top I did yesterday he’s like I believe he’s the second oldest player in my top 60 so that’s Bridges and there’s always I already hear people that don’t care

About I’m not saying you have to care about age I’m just references it’s a data point and he was literally playing at Northern Colorado like division two a year ago and somehow some way he’s literally having he has better stats in the SEC at Tennessee than he did

Northern Colorado like the jump that he has made is insane and it feels real like he I think he’s I think he’s awesome especially as a college player like he’s undeniably awesome as a college player undeniably but what do you make of him a prospect because I’ve

SE the lottery now I totally buy him as a prospect I I’ll probably have him a little outside of the lottery just because I think age is really important and limiting for his upside I think he’s really old like there’s there’s like 21 year olds and then like there’s 23 year

Olds and he’s the 23y old right like he’s getting to the point where he’s gonna have to think about getting his own insurance like like I mean when was the last time okay just this more of a thought experiment like when was the last time

Someone as old as old as this was a lot pick for comparison like so like dwarte is is the one and I think he’s like for sure a better Prospect than dwarte was I agree I didn’t love D anyway but the thing that gets me and I

We agree just for everybody we agree on him being a real guy his pathway is so hard for me to be like how did he how did how did this happen like how did he go from that I believe he was like really short in high

School as well and like was like okay that makes sense um because I mean you don’t you just don’t see guys I know you know there’s Duncan Robinson did the D3 to college but it wasn’t one season like he went Duncan took a while D also like

As the college player also was not like this no that’s that’s that’s what I’m saying I’m trying to think of guys who like I mean Derrick White is another guy who did this too from from same same exact thing to Colorado but like it’s the onee thing we’ve seen guys go from

D2 to D1 and figure it out but it’s going doing that in one year and then being the best player in the IC essentially collegewise it’s wild but so what do you like about yeah like defensive and age issues aside which do matter and but like and have me lower

Like he is a crazy scorer like yeah he really is just like there might not be a guy in this in this class aside for maybe Rob who’s just like more of a bucket like he is like a crazy like legitimately Elite shooter like he has

Like Desmond like I don’t know if he’s like a Desmond Bane level shooter but like he has similar like long-term shooting priors to where it’s like fairly confident that uh he is like a high volume high like deep pull-up threes off the dribble versatile off movement threes um great pull-up

Mid-range shooter as well um and I think some of his like efficiency stats are honestly like could be even higher if he played on like a team with a competent offense outside side of him well that was the thing I was going to say he is his stats are crazy and they they’ve

Also gotten better like you would think a guy this profile that maybe he got he had huge numbers against like nonconference teams he’s been better play like he’s averaging look at this now he’s averaging in conference play in the SEC a real conference with good defenses and stuff like that 25 and a

Half points a game on 61% true shooting while being the number one guy and like being game planned for every night like that’s in like you don’t you can’t fake that against Real comptition but that’s it’s wildly impressive this is like a very terrible comp that I I I hate that

I make it but it’s like so good like he has real he has real Grayson Allen equity in the NBA like he’s definitely not as good of an athlete as Grayson I I think like he’s a pretty good athlete like he can definitely get downhill and

His vertical pop is nice um he is really big but like a guy who like will slot in perfectly as like a complimentary scorer hitting catch and shoots attack and Closeouts like he’s so good scoring in the intermediate he’s already like a seasoned foul grifter um he’s and he by

The way you need that if you’re if you’re as as limited as he maybe as he maybe is athletically in some ways like you need to be line and like I definitely don’t think he’s a bad athlete like I think his athleticism is gonna be like completely serviceable

Like he has 20 24 dunks this year like yeah he is an athlete he can get by guys sixish yeah he’s tall he’s big he is like a I think he’s an all right passer like he’ll Flash the ability to make some pick and roll reads to throw some

Basic like lob passers passers to rolls but he’s not super consistent and I think also part of it is just like that he is like he carries the F of that like he carries them so hard as a scorer like I think there’s some of the the decision-making stuff that I will excuse

And I think in a smaller role he can curtail for sure um but I think there is like as good as you’re like he’s like like as good as complimentary scoring Wings get like there’s always going to be limitations he’s just like straight up a bad Defender um like like the

Upside is not going to be massive because of how old he is but like he could be a legit like fifth starter on a great team like that he has that kind of offensive ceiling and I think taking him in the lottery would be perfectly reasonable all right that is all with

Part one of myself and Ben Fifer talking all things NBA draft stay tuned part two should be available in your podcast feed of choice right now again places like apple and Spotify YouTube you should be able to have that podcast in your ears very quickly and please subscribe to the

Show please also follow the show on Twitter at Lots on Hawks follow me there as well at BTR roll and I write about the Hawks on a regular basis at patreon.com BTR Rolland thanks for listening everybody as always we’ll see you with part two next time

Brad Rowland (@BTRowland, DIME on UPROXX) hosts episode No. 1672 of the Locked on Hawks podcast, and he is joined by Ben Pfeifer for Part 1 of a 2-part episode. The conversation focuses on the 2024 NBA Draft as March Madness ramps up, with focus on the college players in this year’s class through the lens of the Atlanta Hawks.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOHawks?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#AtlantaHawks #NBA #TraeYoung

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!’

Nissan

Our friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

eBay Motors

For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

BetterHelp

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

PrizePicks

Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime

Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.

FanDuel

Make Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS if your best bet of FIVE DOLLARS or more wins. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

3 Comments

  1. I don’t trust Ben he overanalyzes film to an extreme level that it clouds his judgement of how players project to grow and develop once they get into the league. Prime example of this is Cody Williams who he says isn’t that high upside and doesn’t even have him top 10 but I think that is being incredibly shortsighted and a stickler for tape that impresses him when really things like physical tools, character, how a players thinks the game and approaches training, and versatility of skillset and how they project to grow and much more are of equal importance but he will downplay that stuff in favor of his analysis of film of which there isn’t even that much on Cody Williams because he’s missed half the games

  2. Love the pod!! After the latest injury to Bey, would you consider just sitting who you can and looking to next seasons team structure overall?

  3. Rob Dillingham seems like he has the most potential to become an All Star in this Draft. It seems easier to see it than other guys. He will be a bucket in the NBA. The defense is a major concern. Not sure he would be great for the Hawks unless Trae Young gets traded this summer.

    I also think Cody Williams will be really good, he's just younger than his brother was when he was drafted. It will take time, but the tools are there for him to be great like his brother.

Write A Comment