So far, no good: Worst ROY contest since Mike Miller won the award?

[fpliii]

I will honest...I haven't seen much of him at all.

He played two years of college, and was a good player. But I certainly couldn't tell you.

What do you think?

Decent size/length, strength and mobility. Didn't hear anything about him last year, but at the beginning of this season I was hearing good things about him.

Might be moving into the starting lineup permanently soon (started against the Bucks Monday, but fouled out; going to have to become more careful/disciplined if he wants to stay on the floor):

http://arizonasports.com/41/1789999/...ed-improvement

[outbreak]

I've seen two full games and bits and pieces of others, it was just something that really stuck out to me. You can rework a shot, you can teach somebody how to run an offense, but you can't really teach someone how to physically stay in front of quicker guards unless they have the athleticism to do it.

I noticed the same thing about Bennett last year, he simply couldn't keep up with Cartier Martin defensively in a game relatively early on in the season and I knew he was really going to struggle.

He has played games where he has looked above average on defence though. You can't judge on so small a sample size. He had one game in particular I remember where he had 5 or 6 steals and was guards. He's also had games where he has looked good as a scorer.

[hawksdogsbraves]

He has played games where he has looked above average on defence though. You can't judge on so small a sample size. He had one game in particular I remember where he had 5 or 6 steals and was guards. He's also had games where he has looked good as a scorer.

Eh yeah, I haven't seen that much of him. Just giving my impressions from what I've seen outside of looking at box scores.

He's certainly much more raw than some people, (Bill Simmons) thought he was coming into the league.

[Ariza4three]

He has played games where he has looked above average on defence though. You can't judge on so small a sample size. He had one game in particular I remember where he had 5 or 6 steals and was guards. He's also had games where he has looked good as a scorer.

He's literally 2nd in the league among PGs in DRAPM

[SugarHill]

I found it fascinating that so many thought this past year's draft was going to be epic. Teams were tanking to get at them.

But, here was the reality. Embiid didn't dominate in college. In fact, when he faced another seven-footer, who was half-blind, in Issac Austin, he was just awful.

And virtually NO ONE knew ANYTHING about Dante Exum...which somehow wound up being a great thing for him. As it has turned out, he can't do anything.

Zach Lavine was mediocre in college, and completely MIA in UCLA's biggest games. And now with injuries wiping out a poor Minnesota back-court, he has been playing 35-40 mpg in his starts, and has been worthless. Even Rubio must look like Chris Paul to Wolves fans, now.

You can go right down the list. There was NO player in college basketball last year that was anything close to great...in COLLEGE. And yet NBA teams were throwing away their seasons to get in line for that class.

I certainly don't blame the players for taking the money. But at some point the NBA is going to have to take a closer look at the "one-and-done" policy, and demand that the majority of players play at least two years. I understand that there will OCCASIONALLY be an AD, or Lebron, or Kobe, but franchises are setting themselves back by drafting on pure potential.

Gone are the days when a player like Elvin Hayes was a KNOWN super-star, and could jump right into the NBA and lead the league in scoring. In fact, the great college players of the late 60's and early 70's almost all became HOFers. EVERYONE KNEW that Lanier, Gilmore, Maravich, Erving, Walton, Hayes, Cowens, and Kareem were going to be GREAT. Hell, Kareem was a top-5 center in the WORLD by the end of his soph season...and everyone knew it.

There were busts, to be sure, but in most cases, it was based on POTENTIAL, and not on REALITY. Perhaps the greatest bust of all-time was LaRue Martin, who was simply a good, but certainly not great, COLLEGE player. His single claim to fame was ONE GAME in which he played Walton to a draw.

Today's college talent is so untested, that you really have NO idea if they are going to be any good. Why? Look no further than CPOY Tyler Hansborough. He played four years, and dominated in college. And yet, he was "only" the 13th player picked in the first round. Why? One of the reasons was the fact that he was either facing a handful of true NBA-quality players in his entire four years, most of whom were "one-and-done", or a TON of 2-4 year players who simply weren't good enough to make an NBA roster. BUT, at least the 2-4 year players were a KNOWN commodity, and very few went on to an NBA career.

As for THIS year...here we go again. For a while there were those claiming that this year's Kentucky team would beat the Sixers. Some have claimed that the Wildcats roster is FILLED with NBA talent. I can almost guarantee you, that in 3-4 years, maybe 2-3 will be playing in the NBA, and likely no more than even ONE will go on to be a GREAT NBA player.

It's amusing how you can criticize everything and everyone but find ways to rationalize all the faults of Wilt.

[JtotheIzzo]

Its no good because Wiggins is going to run away with it.

he is averaging 20ppg in his last 4 games and should continue this way the rest of the year.

He'll be 17-18ppg with a few boards, meager assists and above average defensive stats.

Not bad for a nineteen year old with lots of work to do.

The reality that a lot of people want to ignore is that a lot of teams in this league are veteran or up and coming teams with many stars in some part of their prime.

Its not like when LeBron and Wade came in and chuckasaurus Kobe and fat boy Shaq were the superstars, the league is as talent heavy:

Harden, James, Durant, Westbrook, Kobe, Nowitzki, Randolph, Aldridge, Lillard, Curry, Thompson, Paul, Griffin, Melo, Wade, Davis, Rose, Bosh, Irving, Gasol, Gasol, Lowry, Jefferson, Wall, Conley, Love, Beal, Butler, Gay, Hayward, Millsap, Faried, Williams, Rondo, etc.

as it has ever been and there just isn't as easy for kids to come in and splash right away.

Wiggins' career will follow a similar stat trajectory to Kevin Garnett's as I see their body types and ability to harness their athleticism at a similar stage.

Garnett was skinny, struggled with certain aspects of the game his first two years, but once he started putting things together (footwork, movement etc.) he became a great debate for who was better him or TD, ie he was the best at his position in the league.

Not everyone matures at the same time and not everyone smooths it out at the same time.

Sleeping on Wiggins and making absolutist claims about his career or progress at this point is the epitome of moronic behavior.

The kids are alright.

[senelcoolidge]

wiggins will win it by default. Everyone is hurt. It's not a competitive rookie race this year.

[Optimus Prime]

Fools were hyping up last year's draft like it was the next 1984 or 2003.

[Pointguard]

BTW,and just curious...does anyone here honestly believe that Exum will go to have even a good NBA career?

I suspect that he will be out of the league in a couple of years. A FIFTH pick in the FIRST ROUND.

He still might be a bust, but in Australia, he was Westbrook in comparison to the competition there. So he went from the outlandish to being a little above average in the athletic department in one year. From being the man with minutes, to being a squeeze me in sub. From getting what he wanted to might be getting minutes. Just too many adjustments for a guy who doesn't even know his body yet. Just too early to tell with him. Once he knows who he is, he's only 19, he will be a very different player.

With Embiid, if healthy he will be an all-time great. The way he knows the game after only playing three years is incredible. His passing is already superb and that takes a giant leap after 5 years of playing - see the Gasol's and Noah. Embiid could be at Noah's level in his second year if he wants to be but will be hyped up for his post skills. It will be interesting on how he is going to be reffed.

[livingby3's]

free Warren and let him gun for it

[Ball So Harden]

wow good joke bro.....NOT

[outbreak]

I think Payton has looked pretty bad actually.

He looks slow first of all, I don't think he has the lateral quickness to stay in front of most guards. He also can't shoot 3's or FT's, and if you're not Rajon Rondo that simply won't isn't going to work in this league.

He sure looked slow tonight. Exum couldn't keep up with him at all when they matched up