I’m going to post some thoughts on the finals in the coming days, but today I wanted to get in a few opinions on the draft. The combine was this past week and this is where we start to get a good feel for where each player will go and how highly they are valued  by GM’s and scouts. This is the time of year where teams inexplicably fall in love with guys like Joe Alexander and Patrick O’Bryant, so I always like seeing who the new group of overhyped, overdrafted losers will be, along with their underrated counterparts. I’m going to pick a few players to discuss, and I will continue with this type of post right through draft day.

Earl Clark- I’m going to start with Clark, because Bo called him a fraud in his last post, and I couldn’t disagree more. He measured 6’10 (shoes on) with a 7’3 wingspan, which makes him taller and longer than Blake Griffin. He’s got all the athleticism in the world, which allows him to play either forward spot, creating mismatches for smaller 3′s or slower 4′s. That length and athleticism should also make him as good of a defender as he chooses to be. He’s known to be a great passer, which gives him the ability to play point forward if his team wants to use him in that way. He’s also a good rebounder, solid ball handler, and an improving shooter. If there wasn’t a knock on him in the mental aspect of the game than I really think he would be top 5 pick in this relatively weak draft. He has a tendency to lose focus and make dumb mistakes, and some also have major questions about his work ethic. I’m not saying these aren’t very scary concerns, but in this draft, his talent and potential are definitely worth taking a chance on in the latter half of the lottery. I’ve seen him compared to guys like Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom, and I’d say he’s probably somewhere in between those two. Even if he can just become a poor man’s Odom offensively and a poor man’s Marion defensively, you have a major contributor on your hands. The bottom line for me is that in a draft lacking guys with high ceilings; Clark’s body type, athleticism, and physical abilities give him almost limetless potential. I’m not saying I’d bet on him becoming an All Star, but I see no reason why he shouldn’t be a good NBA player.

Stephen Curry- I like Curry, and I think he’ll be a rotation player in the NBA, but I think some are getting a little carried away here. He measured at 6’3, which I was shocked at, and now seems like a lock to be in the top 5-8 picks. I think the assumption here is that he will be able to play point guard in the NBA, which I’m not sure I fully agree with. I still see him as more of an off guard, who can play the 1 for 10-15 minutes a night when the starter’s out of the game. He’s a good passer, but I’m not sold on his ballhandling and ability to beat guys off the dribble, at least not to the extent that would warrant him being the 2nd PG off the board. He’s just not that quick, which will also make life very difficult for him at the defensive end, especially considering his size. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a definite contributor to any NBA team, because of his ability to put the ball in the basket. If I needed shooting, I would take him quite early, but I’d be very careful about drafting him in the top 7 as your PG of the future.

Ricky Rubio/Blake Grffin-  As a follow up to my post a few weeks ago about these two, I wanted to address their current draft stocks. It seems that the gap between them is only widening in the eyes of most, and it is a foregone concluson that Griffin goes first, while Rubio, now, may end up outside the top 3. I was a bit surprised Griffin measured at 6’10 with shoes on, which makes him about an inch and a half taller than Beasley a year ago (though Beasley had a greater wingspan and standing reach). I still stick by my point that the two are very similar as draft prospects. Meanwhile, scouts are coming up with all sorts of questions about Rubio. All of a sudden, he may not have the size, athleticism, or shooting ability to be an above average starting PG. Well, I couldn’t disagree more. I mean I know it’s a small sampling and a different style of basketball, but if you watched him against Paul and Williams in the Olympics at the age of 17, I don’t understand how you can believe he won’t be a star in this league. He’s an uncanny playmaker, he’s a better defender than his athleticism would indicate, and I believe he will be a far better shooter than someone like Rajon Rondo or Jason Kidd (before this year at least). I still consider him the best player in the draft, and would take him #1 in a heartbeat, and the idea that any team would take Hasheem Thabeet or James Harden over him is completely baffling to me.

Jrue Holliday- Here’s one I don’t quite get. He’s flying up draft boards, even though he had a subpar season in a weak Pac-10. I know he’s big for a PG, but he’s not a great ballhandler, he’s not a great shooter, and he’s not a great athlete. He’s a completely different player than Westbrook, another UCLA guard who flew up draft boards, so comparing them is essentially worthless. I wish I had watched more of him in college now that it looks like he’ll be a top 10 pick, but I’m skeptical to say the least. I would much, much rather have Jonny Flynn, for instance.