Rudy Gobert Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Draft Rumors: Kabongo, Gobert, Noel

December 21st, 2012 at 10:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

Christmas is just a few days away, but for NBA Draft aficionados, it merely marks the halfway point between the Association's late-June selection meetings. As we approach that milestone, here's the latest on a few likely to hear their name called about six months from now.

Texas point guard Myck Kabongo will be allowed to return for the final eight games of the regular season after the NCAA reduced his suspension, reports Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. With a full season, Kabongo had a chance to become a lottery pick, an Eastern Conference official told Pat Forde and Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports this week. It remains to be seen how much the fringe first-round prospect, ranked No. 34 in the DraftExpress list of 2013 draft hopefuls, can improve his stock in the limited time he'll have this season.
French big man Rudy Gobert is No. 4 on the same DraftExpress list, but Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside cautions that the 7'1" Frenchman might not be ready to contribute to an NBA team right away.
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News delivers an early mock draft, with Kentucky's Nerlens Noel in the No. 1 spot. Deveney has Gobert down at No. 14, the last lottery pick.

International Notes: Parker, Gobert, Kapono

December 11th, 2012 at 4:53pm CST by Luke Adams

It's been an eventful day around the Association so far, as rumors swirl around the Raptors, while Josh Smith and Kevin Love make headlines with noteworthy quotes. There are a few stories of note happening overseas as well, so let's take a look at today's international updates:

Croatia's Cibona Zagreb has signed former NBA veteran Smush Parker, the team announced today (link via Sportando). Parker, who started 162 games for the Lakers in 2005/06 and '06/07, engaged in a bit of a back-and-forth with Kobe Bryant earlier this year about their time as teammates.
Rudy Gobert tells Catch and Shoot that he wants to declare for the NBA draft and come stateside next year (English link via Sportando). That's no surprise, considering he projects as a surefire lottery pick. ESPN.com's Chad Ford even suggested last week that Gobert could be in the mix for the first overall pick.
After dealing with a personal issue in America, Jason Kapono has finally joined Panathinaikos in Greece, according to Niki Bakouli of EuroHoops.net. Kapono had reached an agreement with the Greek team back in mid-November.

Odds & Ends: Kobe, Wizards, Draft, Bledsoe

December 7th, 2012 at 2:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Kobe Bryant continues to make a run at Michael Jordan's number of championship rings and career points, but he doesn't expect to follow in Jordan's footsteps in another area. In a video interview with Bloomberg.com (hat tip to SI.com's Ben Golliver), Kobe said he couldn't see himself owning an NBA team after his playing career is over.

"I’d go crazy," Bryant said. "If a player misses a game because he has a broken fingernail, I’d lose my mind. I wouldn’t be able to take it."

While ownership may not be for him, Bryant did say he hopes to stay around the game after he retires as a player. Here are a few other odds and ends from around the NBA:

The Wizards have gotten off to an awful start this season, but team president Ernie Grunfeld is still focusing on the big picture, as Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes.
NBA scouts and general managers are starting to consider options beyond Nerlens Noel, Cody Zeller, and Shabazz Muhammad as No. 1 picks in the 2013 draft, says ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link). Ford identifies Alex Poythress, Alex Len, and Rudy Gobert as three other possible top picks.
Even though Eric Bledsoe isn't eligible for restricted free agency until 2014, Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com is already wondering if Bledsoe will eventually become to the Clippers what James Harden was to the Thunder — a star-in-waiting that the team may not be able to afford.
On the heels of last night's big win in Miami, Tyson Chandler praised the moves Knicks GM Glen Grunwald made over the summer, writes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
According to Fran Blinebury of NBA.com, while the Grizzlies won't discuss it openly, the absence of O.J. Mayo this year has made the team's offense and locker room happier places.
David Mayo of MLive.com tries his hand at picking out a few free agents the Pistons could target next summer.

Most Execs Would Trade 2013 Top Pick, Poll Says

December 6th, 2012 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com surveyed 35 NBA executives, most of whom said they'd rather trade the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft than select from a thoroughly disappointing crop of prospects that lacks a franchise-changer like last year's No. 1, Anthony Davis (Twitter link). One GM called the field, "The worst I've ever seen."

"I'd trade the pick for sure," another GM said. "No one wants to pick first this year — and no one can live up to the No. 1 billing."

Goodman compares the draft class to 2006, when Andrea Bargnani was taken first overall and Adam Morrison, Shelden Williams and Tyrus Thomas were also top-five picks. No prospect among this year's bunch was favored by a majority of the executives Goodman polled, though Indiana center Cody Zeller garnered 31% of the vote. Kentucky's Nerlens Noel was second, with 23%.

Zeller's defensive shortcomings worry the executives, while Noel's offense and skinny frame similarly concern them. UCLA two-guard Shabazz Muhammad, the DraftExpress.com No. 1 prospect, tied for third in Goodman's poll amid doubts about his shooting and athleticism. Maryland center Alex Len, who tallied 11% of the vote just like Muhammad, has shot up draft boards thanks to the weight he added this summer, Goodman writes.

Others garnering votes as the No. 1 pick include Alex Poythress, Rudy Gobert, Tony Mitchell, Archie Goodwin and Anthony Bennett, though many of the executives say they wouldn't be surprised if someone emerges "out of nowhere," much like Andrew Bogut did in 2005.

Draft Notes: Measurements, Sullinger, Rivers

April 13th, 2012 at 10:47pm CST by Chuck Myron

Many of the underclassmen declaring for the draft this week hope to take after Avery Bradley. His success with the Celtics this year defies criticism that he shouldn't have left the University of Texas after only one season in 2010, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Here's the latest news on NBA hopefuls:

The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, taking place in Virginia this week, is a showcase for top seniors. It's also when many draft prospects have their measurements taken, which can either help or hurt a player's stock. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express passes on the measurements of all the participants, as well as some observations on some notable dimensions.
Bob Baptist of The Columbus Dispatch tweets that Jared Sullinger has signed with agent David Falk, and Givony adds via Twitter that Austin Rivers has done the same.
French big man Rudy Gobert will not enter the draft this year, Givony reports (Twitter link). The 6'11" 19-year-old is second on the Draft Express list of international prospects born in 1992 and projects him as the 15th pick in the 2013 draft.
Givony tweets that Brazilians Cesar Lima, Lucas Nogueira and Raul Neto aren't entering the draft either, according to their agency. Lima is the No. 2 Draft Express prospect born in 1991, Lucas Nogueira is No. 3 from 1992, and Neto is No. 7 from 1992.