Monthly Archives: May 2014

There has been some movement in the “Roda Ratings” 2014 NBA Draft Prospects Top 20 based on talking with individuals who have watched personal workouts, Intel gained via sources and on the internet, along with some film study and the latest rumors.

For now I have flip-flopped the number #1 and #2 picks moving Joel Embiid to the top spot over Andrew Wiggins.

From sources I’ve talked to it’s going to be very hard for the Cavs to pass on the 7-foot athletic center with enormous potential if his back checks out 100 percent. David Griffin and the Cavaliers will have their own personal workout with Embiid soon so they can poke and prod him, X-ray him, MRI him, CT Scan him and whatever other medical tests they feel they need to do to make sure his back injury is healed and it doesn’t look like it will be a chronic injury. If he checks out, Joel Embiid would indeed fit what the Cavs are looking for, a defensive presence, with great foot work that allows him to score inside and a little bit outside. He would also make them tougher as he has a little nasty in him and because of his presence in the low post on offense, he would help spread the floor.  If he becomes half the player he’s being compared to in Hakeem Olajuwon, then the Cavaliers would be thrilled with a selection like that.

I still love the athletic freak, Andrew Wiggins. He’s my favorite player in this draft. He reminds me of a taller version of the old all-around, do everything  Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Sidney Moncrief.  If the Cavs feel Wiggins would be the better fit because of other moves they may be making in free agency and with possible trades, I’d be thrilled with that selection as well. But in the last fifteen years, eleven NBA champions have had an impactful 7-footer on their squad, and when a talented “BIG” comes along and you have the chance to get him, you take him.

One other note, should the Cavs decided to go with the center in Embiid with the first overall pick, if I’m David Griifin I would then try and move back into the first round and get Kentucky shooting guard/small forward James Young a 6’7, 215 pound lefty. I have him rated higher than most people, but I think he would be another perfect fit for this Cavs team as they try and put the pieces of a winning puzzle together. Young can score it, penetrate it, shoot it and defend it with his 7-foot wing span and 36 inch vertical. I love his game and I’d love it even more if he ended up wearing the “Wine and Gold”!

Also moving in to my Top 20 for the first time is UCLA point guard Zack LaVine and Michigan St. power forward Adreian Payne. Both recently had workouts that answered some questions about what GM’s might have been worried about on the floor or physically. LaVine is really shooting up a lot of draft boards after showing off his 41 inch vert and 6’8 wing span. I’ve heard comparisons to Jamal Crawford and Russell Westbrook.

So without further ado, here are my latest “RODA RATINGS” –

2014 NBA DRAFT PROSPECTS TOP 20

(5-29-14 – Subject To Change)

1 Joel Embiid                      C     7’1 – 255 – FR – Kansas

2 Andrew Wiggins            SF    6’8 – 200 – FR – Kansas

3 Jabari Parker                  SF    6’8 – 241 – FR –  Duke

4 Noah Vonleh                  PF    6’10 – 240 – FR – Indiana

5 Julius Randle                  PF    6’9 – 225 – FR – Kentucky

6 Aaron Gordon                PF    6’8 – 210 – FR – Arizona

7 Dante Exum                   SG    6’6 – 188 – 18 years old – Australia

8 Marcus Smart                PG   6’4 – 225 – SPH – Oklahoma St.

9 James Young            SG/SF   6’7 – 215 – FR – Kentucky

10 Dario Saric                    SF   6’10 – 223 – 19 years old – Croatia

11 Doug McDermott       PF    6’10 – 210 – SR – Creighton

12 Gary Harris                  SG    6’5 – 210- SPH – Michigan St.

13 Zach LaVine            PG/SG 6’6  – 180 – FR – UCLA

14 Rodney Hood              SG   6’8 – 180 – SPH – Duke

15 Tyler Enis                     PG   6’2 – 180 – FR – Syracuse

16 Nik Stauskas                SG    6’6 – 200 – SPH – Michigan

17 Adreian Payne            PF    6’10 –240  – SRR – Michigan St.

18 P.J. Hairston                SG    6’5 – 220 – SPH – North Carolina

19 T.J. Warren           SF/SG     6‘8 – 230 – SPH – North Carolina St.

T-20 Cleanthony Early     PF    6’8 – 220 – SR – Wichita St.

T-20 Jusuf Nurkic               C     6’11 – 280  – 19 years old – Bosnia

T-20 Kyle Anderson    SG/SF    6‘9  – 233 – SPH – UCLA