Duke’s Paolo Banchero is projected by most mock drafts to be selected by the Rockets with the No. 3 pick. Banchero believes that’s two slots too low, USA Today’s David Thompson writes.
“I feel like I am the best player in the draft and I feel like I showed that throughout the year,” he said. “I feel like I showed everything with my skill sets and my intangibles.”
However, he wouldn’t be disappointed if he ends up playing with Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr in Houston.
“Those are two extremely skilled, extremely talented players,” Banchero said. “Both guys I’ve known for a while. I feel like playing with them would be fun.”
We have more draft-related info:
- Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley is the latest player to get a green room invite, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. He’s currently ranked No. 27 on ESPN’s Best Available list. There are now 22 players with green room invitations.
- Jalen Williams has worked out for the Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Bucks, Thunder and Spurs, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. ESPN ranks the Santa Clara guard at No. 21. Williams will soon visit the Cavaliers, Anderson adds.
- In Basketball News’ Matt Babcock’s latest mock draft, Williams winds up with the Grizzlies at No. 22. Jabari Smith is the Magic‘s pick at No. 1.
My prediction
2nd pick Paolo
3rd pick Chet
4th pick Ivey
And AJ Griffin first?
Look at it this way: the Rockets had the worst record last season and would be drafting first if it wasn’t for the stupidity of the lottery. So, technically, if the Rockets draft him, it’s the same as going number one.
I agree. Although I like Smith’s shooting ability a bit more, being the 2nd or 3rd pick puts a chip on one’s shoulder if you truly believe you’re the best player. Hopefully he comes to us at 3 and Paolo can prove people wrong.
No reason to reward loosing, the lottery works.
Rockets were a top tier team before crybaby harden broke them. That’s after he forced them to trade cp3 and lots of first round picks for Westbrook. You make it sound like the rockets are basement dwellers like the kings
A madman finds sanity
whiplash supports the reversal
scissors cut out the waste
A wrestler repoints the blame
-The story of a Texas thread
So harden didn’t do anything to set back the rockets? Shows how much you can comprehend things, harden threatened to leave before the cp3 trade then one year later sulked his way into getting traded
I did not opin on your demon, simply said you pointed to one.
Harden was demonized rather dumbly, IMO, saying one player can break the team. But the OP’s topic was the draft, not Houston’s fall.
Fact, the Rockets did have the worst record. It was a victory, though, as they are drafting higher than the Kings. How many things do you not get?
How bad is your English? You simply said I was trying to point blame and I just explained what harden deserved the blame. Yes after him leaving them being a bottom team and picking in the top 3 2 years (possibly 3) in a row is their best course of action. Like I said reading is hard
Your post is illogical.
I’m talking logic and posting standards, not reading comprehension.
Whether Harden deserves blame or not is the bug up YOUR ass not mine.
I did not disagree, you think I did?
I said you said and then you objected.
What was your problem requiring insults?
Are you so illiterate you cannot say?
I posted poetically that you repointed.
Which you did.
Is there something wrong with repointing?
(Besides being a made-up word)
I do it constantly so I hope not.
You tried to hijack the thread with your Goblinman Harden.
The topic was established.
The OP— draft. The article— “the draft”.
If you want to obsess about Harden, start your own thread!
The guy must live in your head.
Here’s another metaphor.
It’s like the drunk at the table woke up and said “That darn Harden!— I’m gonna get him!”… When the others gathered were talking about the draft.
Tldr learn English and stop sounding like sillyman then get at me
I don’t think worst record should get the best picks. Every pick should be a lottery. That will stop tanking in a hurry
Unweighted lottery. No extra ping pong balls awarded for worst record.
Banchero is great but i wouldn’t take him #1 he seems like he has conditioning issues, he was always cramped up. Its Jabari or Chet for #1. I think its
1. Jabari
2. Chet
3. Paolo
4. Sharp
As a rockets fan I love the idea of getting banchero. A lot of rockets forums have been hoping for him for over a year now. Between him, green and alpy the rockets have a formidable core that should only get better. Most likely they’ll finish bottom 5 next year, then they could sign 2 max contracts with wall of the books. Future is bright for the rockets (well if the warriors break up the band by then :) )
Of course the lottery doesn’t work. The Knicks got Ewing, Orlando hit the jackpot like 4 times, and Cleveland couldn’t even win a title til after LeBron turned traitor then came back (when he won not 1, not 2, not 3…oh wait, nevermind). And there’s still a sliver of belief by some that at least 1 of those draft lotteries was fixed…
That said, I don’t think the answer is a full league lottery. No reason perennial contenders should wind up with a top 10 pick.