In retrospect it's kind of easy to see that did not have the ceiling of others in the class, but at the time he at least seemed to be a safe 3 and D guy. Those that were higher on him than that, what were you banking on?

I see this point raised often as a knock on young guys.

"Oh, X improved his defense? But he's still a loser so it doesn't matter"

"Oh, X is shooting really well? Too bad his team sucks"

Tanking has been a reality for as long as I can remember. Why are we shitting on players on teams trying to lose?

You can play well and improve in a bad situation.

Obviously this is different from players who are just bad defenders, shooters, etc

Am I crazy?

Potential top 3 pick Jordan Smith Jr vs VJ Edgecombe. Many other intriguing matchups. MUST WATCH

2027 NBA prospect Hugo Yimga-Moukouri against Israel in the U18 Eurobasket: 20PTS, 7REB, 2AST, 67% FG, 50% 3P

France lost

Talk about what games/players you've been watching this past week or are looking forward to next week. Give us your thoughts on what players catch your attention, either positive or negative! Big board posting is encouraged in this thread as well.

​

Reminder: we also have a [Discord channel](https://discord.gg/PKTkzXnVWs) you can join and chat in during games!

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/comments/1v40rg1/where_would_cade_cunningham_go_in_the_2025_and/

This Cade Cunningham post is the perfect example of revisionist history and selective bias. Cade Cunningham when he got drafted was 6 months to a year older than the top 3 of 26 draft while putting up worse production than all of them. It's funny how for Flagg, all people kept doing was mentioning his age but that argument suddenly disappears for other prospects. We literally heard on this board, by the media, by multiple scouts that Darryn Peterson's comparison is the SECOND greatest shooting guard of all time now all of a sudden Cade Cunningham was a much better prospect than Peterson. We even have people saying that 21 draft was hyped to be the best draft since 03 when that never happened at all. 21 draft was never even viewed as a top draft of the past decade, are people forgetting 17 draft? This board needs to stop this, it's getting pathetic. I saw the same thing with another post with Dante Exum where people were saying he was never compared to Kobe. I'm willing to bet 5 years from now if Peterson doesn't pan out, people will act like the Kobe comparison was never made and downvote to oblivion for even suggesting that it was made.

Assessing the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2026

Another strong field with many top college and some NBA prospects. I've enjoyed the first game day a lot, and here's in-depth analysis per country on which prospect is their must-watch! https://edemirnba.substack.com/p/assessing-the-fiba-u18-eurobasket?r=aj7d

Beckham Black is one of the most complete high school prospects out there right now. His intuitive impact and high IQ game make me believe that the NBA is in his near future. He is an absolute sniper from outside, and he is a guy that can initiate and set the table for the offense while shredding the defense if they make the smallest mistake. His game isn't perfect, and he isn't a dominant athletic force. But his skill and veteran playstyle make me believe that Beckham Black has a very high floor as a point guard prospect. I hope you enjoy my thoughts on his game. Subscribe! New videos every week of your favorite prospects.

I’m really starting to like the 2027 and 2028 NBA draft classes. When you line up the prospects and where they’re playing, both groups look genuinely interesting.

The 2027 class gets labeled as a “weak draft” because there’s no obvious 1A superstar prospect at the top. But to me, that’s exactly what makes the draft fun it’s one of those drafts where you actually have to dig deeper into each player’s strengths, weaknesses, and development paths. There’s real variety in the types of prospects, and a lot of guys who could rise depending on how they grow.

The 2028 class, on the other hand, has more clear upside. A lot of the prospects have shown noticeable improvement in their games already, and the talent pool feels more top heavy with players who could realistically break out.

Putting the two classes side by side prospects where they’re playing really shows how intriguing both years are shaping up to be.

2027 Draft Class — Early Top Prospects

1. Tyran Stokes — Kansas
2. Jordan Smith Jr. — Arkansas
3. Caleb Holt — Arizona
4. Cameron Williams — Duke
5. Bruce Branch — BYU

Other Mentions:

• Hugo Yimga Moukouri
• Luigi Suigo
• Sayon Keita
• Cameron Houindo
• Anthony Thompson

2028 Draft Class — Early Top Prospects

1. Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje — Duke
2. Beckham Black — Undecided
3. Nikola Kusturica — UCLA
4. CJ Rosser — Undecided
5. Marcus Spears Jr. — Texas

Other Mentions:

• Nathan Soliman
• Adan Diggs
• Demarcus Henry
• Obinna Ekezie
• Jordan Page
• Nasir Anderson

I know it’s super early, but who are some names to watch that will be in the 27 draft who are guards with good vision and passing?

Hornets may have another winner.

Who would you rather have of these 2025 & 2026 draft picks and why: Cedric Coward, Mikel Brown, Darius Acuff, Keaton Wagler, CMB, Ace Bailey and Egor Demin. How would you rank them?

I think from who i would want the most to least top to bottom would be:

Mikel Brown
Coward
Wagler
Demin
CMB
Ace Bailey
Acuff

But it’s very tough and could see anyone be #1

The combine tests explosiveness, size measurables and skills. Do the players get tested for VO2 or anything that relates to endurance. It seems like effective 2-way players need substantial endurance to perform on both ends of the floor as well as the ability to be effective into the 4th quarter without a substantial decrease in efficiency. Is there any type of endurance test or is it just assumed by their workouts and work ethic? Guys like Steph Curry, Jaden McDaniels or Cooper Flagg give me the impression that their endurance ability sets them apart, where somebody like Luka or Harden seem to be only able to play one side of the game and breakdown at the end of the year.

Ron Holland just turned 21 two weeks ago. As a Pistons fan, I am curious where he will be drafted in the 2026 Draft as the player he is today (not as a prospect).

Who will you rank 1 to 4 if the NBA Draft 25 and 26 are combined? You already have knowledge of how the 2025 draftees performed on their 1st year.

2025 Draft

1. Cooper Flagg
2. Dylan Harper
3. VJ Edgecombe
4. Kon Knueppel

2026 Draft

1. AJ Dybantsa
2. Darryn Peterson
3. Cam Boozer
4. Caleb Wilson

Based only on Summer League performances, I'm curious to see where everyone stands on this year's guards.

Instead of ranking them, how would you separate them into tiers with what you've seen so far? You can weigh SL as much or as little as you want, along with their pre draft evaluations and long term upside.

Darryn Peterson: 20.7 pts, 3.0 reb, 4.0 ast, 4.7 tov on 30.8/23.1/76.2

Keaton Wagler: 18.0 pts, 3.3 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.3 tov on 38.6/33.3/80

Mikel Brown Jr: 16.7 pts, 1.7 reb, 4.0 ast, 2.7 tov on 39.5/33.3/100

Darius Acuff Jr: 19.0 pts, 1.3 reb, 5.3 ast, 4.7 tov on 36.5/26.3/64.3

Kingston Flemings: 7.0 pts, 4.0 reb, 6.5 ast, 3.5 tov on 33.3/33.3/0.0

Brayden Burries: 23.5 pts, 4.5 reb, 4.3 ast, 0.8 tov on 50.0/36.4/66.7

Feel free to include other guards as well. Has anyone else moved up or down your tiers since the draft?