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I figured this should get its own discussion if we have one for Sam Dekker.

 

Now that all the awards have been given out and most of the guys who are going to declare have done so, where do people think Frank is going to get drafted?

 

Some of the mock drafts have him as low as #17 or #19 with Dekker going much higher.

 

I think I know some of the reasons why, but how is a 7 foot guy who shoots over 40% from the 3 point line and was just named POY, not being talked about in the top 7 or 8? In the last four games under the pressure of the NCAA tournament playing against NBA-level "athleticism" - (UNC, Arizona, Kentucky, and Duke) he averaged 22 and 9, shot about 50% from the floor and from the 3 point line and hit 28-32 free throws.

 

People seem to talk about his lack of athleticism. Did anyone get the sense that Okafor was that much better of an athlete than Kaminsky? Okafor is talked about as the top pick, but was just abused by Kaminsky on the block.

 

Arizona put guys on him who are being talked about as guys who may end up on NBA rosters. He just blew by their 7 footer on the perimeter.

 

Several times announcers or commentators mentioned what a great job Frank did denying entry passes into the low post. Why is this never mentioned?

 

I just don't understand how he could fall out of the top 10, let alone be bordering on falling out of the top 20. Is Kevin Love really that much better? Kevin Love can't guard anybody, but is talked about as an All-Star because he rebounds and shoots 3s.  John Henson was the 14th pick in the draft. I'd take Kaminsky over him.

 

Is it as simple as the fact he's a big, goofy-looking white guy?

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I go back and forth. A year ago, I didn't think he was more than an ok pro... he'll have a good career. But after this season, with him taking on all comers and thriving? I think he's a lot better than a long list of big men.

Strength is an issue- if he can get strong enough to take on guys like Mosgoff or Howard or Gasol. These are big strong guys... Kaminsky is not going push these guys in the paint. He has to get a lot stronger to go after these guys.

His attributes- footwork, touch, outside shooting, passing, and ball handling- man... How can he not have a successful, if not All Star level career?
Last edited by Music City
Originally Posted by Fedya:
Just like people go nuts hoping Ted Thompson will sign Badger football players, they hope Badger basketball players will wind up on the Bucks. 

The Bucks are going to end up picking at something like #17. If Kaminsky lasted that long, he'd be great value at that spot.

 

Dekker would probably be about right at that spot, but I'd rather have Kaminsky than Dekker.

 

Some mocks have Kevon Looney going in the top 10, well above Kaminsky. I'm not sure there is one thing that Looney is better than Kaminsky at right now.

It's amazing to me that the NBA draft tends to downplay the ability to shoot the ball. The ability to hit open shots should be the safest thing to project from college to the NBA and yet the draft always skews towards guys who are "athletic" and they figure they can teach those guys how to shoot better once they get to the NBA.

 

The best example was the 2009 draft. Stephen Curry was one of the best shooters I've ever seen in college. Yet, the three guys drafted right before him were all guards who had shown they couldn't shoot in college - Jonny Flynn shot 33% from 3 in college and ended up at 33% in the NBA. Tyreke Evans shot 27% from 3 in college and has shot 27% from 3 in the NBA. Ricky Rubio came into the league with the reputation for being a terrible shooter and has shot 31% from three. In contrast, Curry shot 41% from 3 in college and 44% in the NBA. I would have bet my house that Curry would have at least been a good shooter in the NBA since there was ample evidence that he could shoot.

 

1LACBlake GriffinOklahoma
2MEMHasheem ThabeetConnecticut
3OKCJames HardenArizona State
4SACTyreke EvansMemphis
5MINRicky RubioSpain
6MINJonny FlynnSyracuse
7GSWStephen CurryDavidson College

 

There is no question that Kaminsky can shoot. Not only that, he hit some monster 3s in very high pressure situations. It's safe to say that he'll make shots consistently in the NBA. I'm not so sure about Dekker. If doesn't become more consistent from the outside, he'll never be more than a role player since defenses will just sag off of him and let him have open shots.

And all you need to look at is the Warriors and the Spurs to see the value of shooting. They can spread the floor and make you pick your poison. And while Kaminsky can be considered a stretch 4, the fact that he can drive and play with his back to the basket makes him much more than that.

He doesn't really play "above the rim" but he's not below it either. His array of ball fakes give him the space he needs, and he has a soft touch to score off balance.

My concern is defense. That's where the red flags pop. He gets bullied in the paint- and while got got away with that in the college game with his height, that's not going to cut it in the NBA. He has to be able to keep guys out of the paint. Hit the weights, kid...

In both fb and bb a lot depends on which team drafts them.  Team style, coaching and ownership goes a long way.  Not many organizations have any patience for development, miss a couple of shots, blow a d assignment and down the bench you go.

 

Frank has skills, and is a willing type player, a good coach should be able to put him in position to do well.  Dekker?  IMO needs to get more consistent and develope a bit more for lack of a better word, confindence when things go wrong. He disappears in the NBA like he sometimes did at Wisconsin and his career will be short.

 

Good wishes to both.

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