Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

2018 NBA Draft

Khyri Thomas To Remain In 2018 NBA Draft

May 14th, 2018 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

After entering the 2018 NBA draft last month without hiring an agent, Creighton shooting guard Khyri Thomas has announced that he’ll keep his name in this year’s draft pool. Thomas confirmed his decision on Twitter, thanking “everyone at Creighton for their incredible support” during his time in college.

Thomas is coming off a successful junior year with the Bluejays in which he averaged 15.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 2.8 APG. He also had the best shooting year of his college career, posting a .538/.411/.788 line.

Currently ranked as the 23rd overall prospect on Jonathan Givony’s big board at ESPN.com, Thomas also comes off the board at No. 23 in Givony’s latest mock draft. Within that mock draft, Givony calls Thomas “a willing ball-mover and a promising spot-up shooter,” adding that the Creighton junior had become “one of the better defenders in college basketball.”

Thomas is one of 69 prospects expected to attend the draft combine in Chicago this week.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Draft Notes: Ponds, Heron, Spellman, Melton

May 12th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

After being passed over for the NBA Draft Combine, Shamorie Ponds of St. John’s is concentrating on team workouts to prove himself, writes Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog. The sophomore guard put up a 21.6/5.0/4.7 line for the Red Storm this season, but wasn’t among the 69 players who received combine invitations.

“For sure, I was most definitely upset,” he said. “I feel I deserved it.”

Ponds worked out today for the Cavaliers and has held a session with the Nets. Cleveland GM Koby Altman spoke with all the participants after the workout, and Ponds said he received positive feedback. “[Altman] said he really likes my game a lot, he really enjoyed watching it,” Ponds added. “There was great energy after the workout.”

Ponds still has workouts remaining with the Jazz, Pistons and Lakers and wants to reschedule sessions with the Knicks and Hawks that he had to cancel because of final exams. He will use the results of those workouts to determine whether to remain in the draft, a decision that has to be made by May 30.

There are more draft-related notes to pass on:

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Jacob Evans To Remain In 2018 NBA Draft

May 11th, 2018 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Cincinnati swingman Jacob Evans, who initially entered the 2018 NBA draft without an agent, will keep his name in this year’s draft pool and go pro, he confirmed to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

“The NBA is a lifelong dream and I am making every day count to make the most of it,” Evans said. “I’m excited about the feedback that I have received in this process so far. I can’t wait to lace up my kicks in Chicago (at the draft combine) and show all of the teams what I can do.”

Evans’ decision doesn’t come as a surprise. Even though he didn’t initially sign with an agent, the junior said when he first announced his decision in early April that he expected to be picked in the first round and wasn’t testing the waters just “to come back to school.” Presumably, Evans wanted to make sure that NBA evaluators agreed with his perception of his own stock before making his decision official.

While Evans isn’t a lock to be selected in the first round this May, he ranks as the No. 24 prospect on Jonathan Givony’s top-100 list at ESPN.com, and came off the board 24th in Givony’s most recent mock draft.

Evans averaged 13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 3.1 APG with a shooting line of .427/.370/.754 shooting line for the Bearcats in 2017/18. Although his shooting numbers were better in his sophomore year (.473/.418/.732), Evans has intrigued NBA executives with his potential as a two-way wing, Charania notes.

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Draft Workouts: Hawks, Bucks, Spurs, Wolves

May 10th, 2018 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks, who hold four of the top 33 picks in this year’s draft, are bringing in six more prospects for pre-draft workouts on Friday. Jaylen Adams (St. Bonaventure), Tyler Hall (Montana State), Kevin Huerter (Maryland), Jo Lual-Acuil (Baylor), Doral Moore (Wake Forest), and Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State) will get a look from Atlanta, according to a team release.

Here are a few more updates on pre-draft workouts:

  • The Bucks are working out local standout Ethan Happ on Thursday, per Jeff Potrykus of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Happ, who averaged 17.9 PPG and 8.0 RPG for Wisconsin this past season, is testing the draft waters as a junior.
  • Chinese forward Abudushalamu Abudurexiti has already worked out for eight NBA teams this spring, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, who identifies the Nets, Mavericks, Lakers, Bucks, Suns, and Jazz as clubs that have taken a look at the youngster. Scotto’s piece is worth checking out in full for a closer look at the under-the-radar prospect.
  • The Spurs worked out Seton Hall big man Angel Delgado on Wednesday, tweets Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. San Antonio also worked out Missouri’s Jontay Porter today, according to Aaron Reiss of The Kansas City Star (Twitter link).
  • Cincinnati forward Gary Clark will be among the prospects working out for the Timberwolves this week, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. So will Jontay Porter, per Aaron Reiss (Twitter link).
  • Xavier senior Trevon Bluiett auditioned for the Timberwolves this week and has a workout lined up with the Warriors on Sunday, per Shannon Russell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Draft Workouts: Raptors, Lakers, Knicks, Wolves

May 9th, 2018 at 1:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Raptors won’t have any picks in the 2018 NBA draft unless they trade back in, having sent their first-rounder to the Nets in last summer’s DeMarre Carroll trade and their second-rounder to the Suns as part of their deal for P.J. Tucker. Still, Toronto should be able to bring in several prospects for workouts in the coming weeks. Given the success they had with an undrafted rookie like Fred VanVleet, the Raptors will be keeping an eye out for draft-eligible players who might not be selected with one of this year’s 60 picks.

According to an announcement from the team (Twitter link), the Raptors are holding a pre-draft workout on Wednesday with Giddy Potts (Middle Tennessee State), Joe Chealey (Charleston), Alan Herndon (Wyoming), and – most notably – Kostas Antetokounmpo (Dayton). Antetokounmpo is, of course, the younger brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Draft Notes: Washington, Ward, Brown, Hudson

May 8th, 2018 at 10:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentucky freshman forward PJ Washington is working out for the Clippers this week and will meet with the Timberwolves and Bucks before next week’s draft combine, Fletcher Page of the Louisville Journal Courier reports. Washington, who has already visited the Celtics and Nets, has a pinky finger injury that will require surgery, Page continues. Father Paul Washington told Page that his son isn’t assured of staying in the draft.

“It’s real simple — if he’s guaranteed a first round pick, then he’ll stay in the draft,” Paul Washington said. “If he doesn’t get that, we’ll have to make a decision. It’s PJ’s decision.”

The 6’8” Washington is listed at No. 51 among Jonathan Givony’s top 100 prospects at ESPN.com. He averaged 10.8 PPG and 5.7 RPG for the Wildcats.

In other draft developments:

  • Michigan State sophomore center Nick Ward will work out for the Pistons this weekend, Brendan Quinn of The Athletic tweets. Ward has already worked out for the Knicks and Thunder and at least eight other teams are interested in bringing him in, Quinn adds. He averaged 12.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG for the Spartans. He is not listed among Givony’s top 100 prospects.
  • The Hawks are bringing in six prospects on Wednesday, according to a team press release. South Carolina forward Brian Bowen, Auburn guard Bryce Brown, Purdue guard Nojel Eastern, Maryland forward Bruno Fernando, Florida shooting guard Jalen Hudson and Utah Valley center Akolda Manyang are the players visiting Atlanta. Hudson, ranked No. 45 by Givony, is the most prominent member of the group.
Retweet 1 Share 0 Send via email0

Pacific Notes: Kokoskov, Suns, Ball, Buss

May 6th, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

Igor Kokoskov is set to become the Suns‘ next head coach and it is just the latest chapter in his legacy which has been defined by breaking barriers,  NBA.com’s Cody Cunningham writes.

A car accident ended Kokoskov’s playing career, but it allowed him to move into a coaching role. Soon after, he became the youngest coach in Yugoslavian basketball history. Not long after that, Kokoskov became the first non-American assistant coach to win an NBA championship as part of the 2004 Pistons.

Since then, Kokoskov enjoyed a successful run under his mentor Alvin Gentry — the former Suns coach and current Pelicans coach — during his first stint in Phoenix. Kokoskov went on to enjoy international coaching success, most prominently leading Slovenia to a first-place finish at FIBA EuroBasket 2017. He will be the first non-American head coach in NBA history and it’s something Gentry feels he’s ready for.

“He’s had some great head coaching experience internationally,” Gentry told 98.7 FM’s Arizona Sports Station. “I think he’s very much ready to be a head coach. I think he understands the game, (he’s) got great personal relationships with the players … he’s got great temperament. I think he would be a great choice.”

Check out more Pacific Division notes below:

  • While the hiring of Kokoskov has led to speculation that the Suns are eyeing Slovenian prospect Luka Doncic with their lottery pick, GM Ryan McDonough dismissed the idea that Phoenix is locked in on Doncic. “It’s an easy assumption to make, but we’re going to draft whoever we think the best player is,” McDonough said, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. “If we do get the No. 1 pick, Doncic will certainly be in that mix. But [Deandre] Ayton and a few other guys will, as well.”
  • LaVar Ball, the father of Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball, is back in the United States after younger sons LiAngelo and LaMelo wrapped up their first professional season in Lithuania. The elder Ball has been quiet since returning but if history is any indicator, it’s only a matter of time before he’s making headlines again, Martin Rogers of USA TODAY Sports writes.
  • The Lakers‘ season ended early once again this season and now the team prepares for free agency and the draft. Assistant general manager, Jesse Buss, the youngest of all the Buss siblings, will be an important factor in the team’s draft plans, as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes.
  • As we noted yesterday, there are indications that the Clippers and Doc Rivers have agreed to an extension to keep him in his role as the team’s head coach.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

Full List Of 2018 NBA Draft Combine Participants

May 4th, 2018 at 4:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Potential No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton will skip this year’s NBA draft combine in Chicago, according to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Ayton, Luka Doncic, and Robert Williams are among the potential 2018 lottery picks who won’t be in attendance at the event, which takes place from May 16-20.

[RELATED: 2018 NBA Draft Early Entrants List]

However, the full list of participants obtained by Charania indicates that plenty of top prospects will attend the event, including Marvin Bagley III, Mohamed Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr., Trae Young, Michael Porter Jr., Collin Sexton, and Wendell Carter Jr. In total, 69 players are on the list of participants expected to attend the combine.

Via Charania, here’s the full list of combine participants sent out to NBA teams this week, in alphabetical order:

Retweet 10 Share 0 Send via email0

Tulane’s Melvin Frazier Staying In NBA Draft

May 2nd, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Having initially entered the 2018 NBA draft process without an agent, Tulane prospect Melvin Frazier has decided to keep his name in this year’s draft pool, as he tells ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Frazier will sign with Thad Foucher of Wasserman Media Group for representation.

By hiring Foucher, Frazier will forgo his NCAA eligibility for his senior year. When he first announced his decision to test the draft waters in March, the 6’6″ swingman indicated that getting his degree means “a lot” to him, which is one reason he was still weighing whether to sign with an agent.

“Early on, I just wanted to take time and focus on finishing my semester,” Frazier told ESPN today. “After taking time to look at everything and talking with my family, I just feel like my time is now. I’m ready to get to work and take this next step. Looking forward to this next chapter of my life!”

In his junior year in 2017/18, Frazier averaged 15.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 2.1 SPG in 34.4 MPG for Tulane, with an impressive shooting line of .556/.385/.712. He’s currently the No. 30 prospect on ESPN’s big board, and was projected to be an early second-round pick in Givony’s latest mock draft at ESPN.com.

Retweet 2 Share 0 Send via email0

2018 NBA Draft Lottery Odds

May 2nd, 2018 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s draft lottery is less than two weeks away, and the results of that event could significantly alter the course of multiple franchises. While we’ve already outlined what the draft order will look like heading into that night, we’ve yet to take a closer look at each club’s lottery odds, so we’ll do that today.

Let’s dive right in…

  1. Phoenix Suns
    • No. 1: 25.0%
    • No. 2: 21.5%
    • No. 3: 17.7%
    • No. 4: 35.8%
  2. Memphis Grizzlies
    • No. 1: 19.9%
    • No. 2: 18.8%
    • No. 3: 17.1%
    • No. 4: 31.9%
    • No. 5: 12.4%
  3. Dallas Mavericks
    • No. 1: 13.8%
    • No. 2: 14.2%
    • No. 3: 14.5%
    • No. 4: 23.8%
    • No. 5: 29.0%
    • No. 6: 4.5%
  4. Atlanta Hawks
    • No. 1: 13.7%
    • No. 2: 14.1%
    • No. 3: 14.5%
    • No. 4: 8.5%
    • No. 5: 32.3%
    • No. 6: 15.5%
    • No. 7: 1.3%
  5. Orlando Magic
    • No. 1: 8.8%
    • No. 2: 9.6%
    • No. 3: 10.6%
    • No. 5: 26.2%
    • No. 6: 35.9%
    • No. 7: 8.4%
    • No. 8: 0.4%
  6. Chicago Bulls
    • No. 1: 5.3%
    • No. 2: 6.0%
    • No. 3: 7.0%
    • No. 6: 44.0%
    • No. 7: 33.1%
    • No. 8: 4.5%
    • No. 9: 0.1%
  7. Sacramento Kings
    • No. 1: 5.3%
    • No. 2: 6.0%
    • No. 3: 7.0%
    • No. 7: 57.3%
    • No. 8: 22.6%
    • No. 9: 1.8%
    • No. 10: <0.1%
  8. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Nets)
    • No. 1: 2.8%
    • No. 2: 3.3%
    • No. 3: 3.9%
    • No. 8: 72.5%
    • No. 9: 16.8%
    • No. 10: 0.8%
    • No. 11: <0.1%
  9. New York Knicks
    • No. 1: 1.7%
    • No. 2: 2.0%
    • No. 3: 2.4%
    • No. 9: 81.3%
    • No. 10: 12.2%
    • No. 11: 0.4%
    • No. 12: <0.1%
  10. Philadelphia 76ers (from Lakers)
    • No. 1: 1.1%
    • No. 2: 1.3% (to Celtics)
    • No. 3: 1.6% (to Celtics)
    • No. 10: 87.0%
    • No. 11: 8.9%
    • No. 12: 0.2%
    • No. 13: <0.1%
  11. Charlotte Hornets
    • No. 1: 0.8%
    • No. 2: 0.9%
    • No. 3: 1.2%
    • No. 11: 90.8%
    • No. 12: 6.3%
    • No. 13: <0.1%
    • No. 14: <0.1%
  12. Los Angeles Clippers (from Pistons)
    • No. 1: 0.7% (to Pistons)
    • No. 2: 0.8% (to Pistons)
    • No. 3: 1.0% (to Pistons)
    • No. 12: 93.5%
    • No. 13: 3.9%
    • No. 14: <0.1%
  13. Los Angeles Clippers
    • No. 1: 0.6%
    • No. 2: 0.7%
    • No. 3: 0.9%
    • No. 13: 96.0%
    • No. 14: 1.8%
  14. Denver Nuggets
    • No. 1: 0.5%
    • No. 2: 0.6%
    • No. 3: 0.7%
    • No. 14: 98.2%

Note: Because odds are rounded to nearest tenth, they may not always add up to exactly 100.0%.

Information from LotteryBucket.com was used in the creation of this post.

Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts