Good article addressing why many of the top college players don't get drafted by the NBA. Zack Lavine over Justin Cobbs? Only in the NBA. I predict that ZL will be a major bust.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/the-best-college-players-who-went-undrafted-153602636.html

tenplay;842328698 said:

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Good article addressing why many of the top college players don't get drafted by the NBA. Zack Lavine over Justin Cobbs? Only in the NBA. I predict that ZL will be a major bust.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/the-best-college-players-who-went-undrafted-153602636.html

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I really didn't like Lavine. He has athletic ability but the NBA teams drafted a major project. They hope they can coach him up to a high ceiling.

Kid has to put in the work while in Minnesota. LOL

I don't recall that the players profiled were ever touted as future pros. Physical ability (which LaVine possesses in abundance) counts for so much more in the NBA
than effort/intensity/performance (see Aaron Craft, Cobbs et al) that it is a rarity that anyone not supremely athletic can make it there.

The worst part of Minnesota drafting Lavine is if he has any success, he's gone after his contact is up.

59bear;842328885 said:

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I don't recall that the players profiled were ever touted as future pros. Physical ability (which LaVine possesses in abundance) counts for so much more in the NBA
than effort/intensity/performance (see Aaron Craft, Cobbs et al) that it is a rarity that anyone not supremely athletic can make it there.

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By coincidence, just couldn't help remembering (with the fun, coincidental connection): Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, Steve Kerr, or, for that matter elsewhere: Larry Bird

tenplay;842328698 said:

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Good article addressing why many of the top college players don't get drafted by the NBA. Zack Lavine over Justin Cobbs? Only in the NBA. I predict that ZL will be a major bust.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/the-best-college-players-who-went-undrafted-153602636.html

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Maybe he will be a bust, maybe he will turn into the next Russell Westbrook. No one knows, it is not really knowable. He is young and a great athlete and a pretty good shooter, so there is a chance he will be great. If Justin Cobbs maxs out he will become an adequate reserve point guard. There are hundreds of Justin Cobbs-like players out there. It makes sense to take a chance on someone like LaVine. Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Sluggo

sluggo_Cal;842328925 said:

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Maybe he will be a bust, maybe he will turn into the next Russell Westbrook. No one knows, it is not really knowable. He is young and a great athlete and a pretty good shooter, so there is a chance he will be great. If Justin Cobbs maxs out he will become an adequate reserve point guard. There are hundreds of Justin Cobbs-like players out there. It makes sense to take a chance on someone like LaVine. Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Sluggo

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It ain't.

Good post.

Go Bears!

sluggo_Cal;842328925 said:

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Maybe he will be a bust, maybe he will turn into the next Russell Westbrook. No one knows, it is not really knowable. He is young and a great athlete and a pretty good shooter, so there is a chance he will be great. If Justin Cobbs maxs out he will become an adequate reserve point guard. There are hundreds of Justin Cobbs-like players out there. It makes sense to take a chance on someone like LaVine. Why is this so difficult for people to understand?

Sluggo

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I'm very high on Cobbs. I think he can be a Derek Fisher lite. Strong PG who can shoot, score in spots, bring physicality on defense, and run point in a system. With that said, yeah, you don't draft someone who's ceiling is Derek Fisher when their floor is overseas player.

concernedparent;842329116 said:

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I'm very high on Cobbs. I think he can be a Derek Fisher lite. Strong PG who can shoot, score in spots, bring physicality on defense, and run point in a system. With that said, yeah, you don't draft someone who's ceiling is Derek Fisher when their floor is overseas player.

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Fisher was a first rounder out of college (#24 to Lakers) in one of the all time best drafts.

Fisher had a long and successful NBA career for a reason.

Cobbs as "Fisher lite"? The question then becomes "How lite?"

Since he's a Cal guy, I hope your opinion of his future proves to be more accurate than mine...

Go Bears!

Bird, Kerr and Mullins were among the best shooters ever in the NBA; Bird and Mullins were among the best passers of their era; all were possessed of unusual court sense, attributes that enabled them to overcome lack of athleticism. Do you see any of those in the original post as having comparable assets? I don't. Craft was a remarkable ball defender and ferocious competitor but that's probably not enough to offset his pedestrian shooting, ordinary handle and size deficiency.

south bender;842329124 said:

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Fisher was a first rounder out of college (#24 to Lakers) in one of the all time best drafts.

Fisher had a long and successful NBA career for a reason.

Cobbs as "Fisher lite"? The question then becomes "How lite?"

Since he's a Cal guy, I hope your opinion of his future proves to be more accurate than mine...

Go Bears!

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Like I said, this is a ceiling. A realistic projection looks more like PG 3 or summer league invitee.

tenplay;842328698 said:

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Good article addressing why many of the top college players don't get drafted by the NBA. Zack Lavine over Justin Cobbs? Only in the NBA. I predict that ZL will be a major bust.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/the-best-college-players-who-went-undrafted-153602636.html

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Lavine could be a bust, but he also could be a star. Cobbs, if he plays in the NBA at all, will be a role player at best. The NBA is a star league and you have to shoot for upside and believe that full-time coaching and working on the game will take care of what is missing in a kid who only played one year of college.

mikecohen;842328924 said:

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By coincidence, just couldn't help remembering (with the fun, coincidental connection): Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, Steve Kerr, or, for that matter elsewhere: Larry Bird

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Jackson was the one guy who might fit your thesis. Larry Bird was way more athletic than you're suggesting, unless you equate athletic only with "jumps high." Same with Mullin. Both had phenomenal body control, hand-eye coordination, amazing court vision, ball-handling skills, size, and ridiculous shooting ability. Everyone knew those guys were top of the draft picks.

bluesaxe;842329396 said:

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Lavine could be a bust, but he also could be a star. Cobbs, if he plays in the NBA at all, will be a role player at best. The NBA is a star league and you have to shoot for upside and believe that full-time coaching and working on the game will take care of what is missing in a kid who only played one year of college.

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The NBA is full of guys who were not hyper productive in college or never played college basketball at all. It's about projecting their productivity against bigger, stronger, more athletic competition and it's no different in football. A ton of HS All Americans and a bevy of Heisman trophy winners failed to ever produce in the NFL.

CalHoopFan;842330165 said:

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The NBA is full of guys who were not hyper productive in college or never played college basketball at all. It's about projecting their productivity against bigger, stronger, more athletic competition and it's no different in football. A ton of HS All Americans and a bevy of Heisman trophy winners failed to ever produce in the NFL.

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Quite similar college resume to LaVine, only played a few more minutes in his one season @ fUCLA.

i think cobbs has enough athletic ability to play in the nba. he has a good shot. the knock on him is more that hes not a good passer and he lacks a good feel for the game. i think hes actually a bit like jorge in that regard. cobbs a better shooter, jorge defender and hustle. think once he play d-league a couple years and develops his skills, he'll be able to play. dont think hes different than a lot of second round picks.