Tag Archives: Kansas

OH CANADA AGAIN – CAVS DRAFT ANDREW WIGGINS #1

For the second year in a row the Cleveland Cavaliers selected a Canadian born player with the first overall selection in the NBA Draft by picking Kansas small forward Andrew Wiggins. Last year’s G.M. Chris Grant shocked everybody by taking Anthony Bennett. This year the pick of Wiggins by new G.M. David Griffin does not come as a surprise. With the foot injury and surgery to Kansas center Joel Embiid, basketball  executives figured Griffin would pick between Duke’s Jabari Parker and Wiggins and he did, with Wiggins being the choice.

David Griffin Photo 5-13-14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANDREW WIGGINS

Small Forward  –  6′-8″  –  200lbs  –  Age – 19  –  Kansas  –  FR.

Reach  – 8’11    –  Wingspan  –  7’0    Max Vert  –  44 inches

Season Averages:17.0 PPG-6.0 RPG-1.5 APG-44.8%FG-34.1%(3FG)-  77.5%FT

I asked Wiggins during a conference call with the Cleveland media after he was selected if the scouting reports on him not being aggressive enough on the court were fair? His response to that question was, “You won’t have to worry about that next year!”

When Wiggins was asked how good of a player he thinks he can be, he responded, “I think I can be a great player, I want to be one of the best.” He added, “That comes with hard work and dedication and sacrifice. That’s what I need to do to become the best.”

AP FORT HAYS ST KANSAS BASKETBALL S BKC T25 KS

 

Strengths           

An athletic freak! His dad played in the NBA and his mom won medals in track in the Olympics for Canada, so his DNA is scary good. When you combine his 6’8 frame, 7-foot wing span and a 44 inch vertical jump, it’s crazy what he can do athletically on the court. His coach at Kansas Bill Self said he has the quickest second jump he’s ever seen, meaning he has the ability to bounce up and down like a pogo stick on the offensive boards and beat guys to the rebound for easy put backs. His transition game is above average. Imagine him filling the lanes on a fast break, getting from one end of the floor to the other and throwing down a tomahawk dunk!

He already knows how to play defense and wants to. How many college kids can you say that about? He uses that great athletic ability on the defensive end to guard 2’s, 3’s and some 4’s.  So he’s ready to contribute right away on the defensive side of the ball.

Shoots it well from the free throw line and his jump shot is good, not a great. His pull up “J’ is solid, as is his intermediate jumper and he has decent range.

Penetrates well, has a very quick first step and the alley-oop out of bounds play is tailor made for him.

High character kid and a student of the game.

 

Weaknesses     

Must get stronger and add a few pounds to his frame.

His jump shot and his overall offensive game needs to be more consistent.

He can get lost in the shuffle out on the court at times because he needs to be more aggressive. Some teams are concerned that he’s too passive. That he doesn’t have that killer instinct or alpha dog mentality.

He needs to work on his ball handling which will allow him to attack the rim more in the half court set and make him a better passer. Going left off the dribble is a definite weakness and with his athletic ability he should finish better around the rim. But that should come when he gets stronger.

Has good form on his jumper, but it needs to be more consistent, especially from beyond the arc.

 

Roda Thoughts:

Reminds me of a taller version of one of the best two-way players I’ve ever seen in the NBA, Sidney Moncrief.

It looked like he was figuring things out at the end of the season for Kansas as he stepped his game up when Joel Embiid went down with a back injury as he had games of 41p-8r vs West Virginia, 30p-8r vs Oklahoma St., 22p-7r vs Iowa St. and 19p-4r versus Eastern Kentucky in the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament. But his final game at Kansas was a clunker. In the 3rd round of the NCAA tournament against Stanford he was held to just 4p-4r on 1 of 6 shooting from the field in a 60-57 loss to Stanford. That left some people wondering how could he disappear in the biggest game of the season? But he also showed his true character after the defeat saying, “I let a lot of people down. If I would have played better, we wouldn’t be in this situation, you know? I blame myself for this.”

He will need to become more consistent, aggressive and attack more on offense if he wants to reach that superstar level. But he has arguably the most upside/potential of anyone in this draft because of his athleticism, ability to play three positions, he already plays defense, is a hard worker, with a high basketball IQ and on top of all that is a good kid who will take well to coaching.

Wiggins is my favorite player in this draft and his coach at Kansas Bill Self told me he’s going to be a “Stud” in the NBA!

 

MY 2014 NBA MOCK DRAFT 2.0

1st ROUND

1  Cleveland – ANDREW WIGGINS – Small Forward – Kansas – 6’8 – 200

Joel Embiid was the pick in my fist mock draft, but that was before we knew about his right foot fracture. After missing badly last year on Anthony Bennett with the first overall pick the Cavs are in no position to gamble with Embiid’s foot and back issues so they take his teammate who is a freakish athlete with unbelievable potential. Wiggins is a two-way player from the get go, meaning he already knows how to play defense and his offense will only get better in the up tempo, open floor game of the NBA. He needs to be more consistent with his jumper, work on his handle and become more aggressive with the ball, but that should come with time, practice and maturity.  He also fills a position of major need for the Cavaliers as they have been looking for a small forward since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach.

2  Milwaukee – JABARI PARKER – Small Forward – Duke – 6’8 – 241

3  Philadelphia – DANTE EXUM – Point Guard – Australia – 6’6 – 195

4  Orlando – NOAH VONLEH – Power Forward – Indiana – 6’10 – 245

5  Utah – AARON GORDON – Power Forward – Arizona – 6’9 – 225

6  Boston – JOEL EMBIID – Center – Kansas – 7’1 – 260

7  LA Lakers – JULIUS RANDLE – Power Forward – Kentucky – 6’9 -240

8  Sacramento – MARCUS SMART – Point Guard – Oklahoma St. – 6’4 – 220

9  Charlotte – DOUG McDERMOTT – Small Forward – Creighton – 6’8 – 220

10 Philadelphia – NIK STAUSKAS – Shooting Guard – Michigan – 6’6 – 205

11 Denver – JAMES YOUNG – Shooting Guard – Kentucky – 6’6 – 215

12 Orlando – GARY HARRIS – Shooting Guard – Michigan St. – 6’4 – 210

13 Minnesota – RODNEY HOOD – Small Forward – Duke – 6’8 – 210

14 Phoenix – ADREIAN PAYNE – Power Forward – Michigan St. – 6’10 – 240

15 Atlanta – ZACH LaVINE – Shooting Guard – UCLA – 6’5 – 181

16 Chicago – ELFRID PAYTON – Point Guard – Louisiana Lafayette – 6’4 – 185

17 Boston – P.J. HAIRSTON – Shooting Guard – UNC/ NBA D-League – 6’4 – 228

18 Phoenix – DARIO SARIC – Small Forward – Croatia – 6’10 -235

19 Chicago –  CLEANTHONY EARLY – Power Forward – Wichita St. – 6’7 – 210

20 Toronto – CLINT CAPELA – Power Forward – Switzerland – 6’10 – 210

21 Oklahoma City – SHABAZZ NAPIER – Point Guard – U-CONN – 6’1 – 175

22 Memphis – T.J. WARREN – Small Forward – North Carolina St. – 6’8 – 220

23 Utah – KYLE ANDERSON – Small Forward – UCLA – 6’9 – 230

24 Charlotte – JERAMI GRANT – Small Forward – Syracuse – 6’8 – 215

25 Houston –  GLEN ROBINSON III – Small Forward – Michigan – 6’7 – 212

26 Miami – JUSUF NURKIC – Center – Bosnia – 6’11 – 280

27 Phoenix –  TYLER ENNIS – Point Guard – Syracuse – 6’2 – 181

28 LA Clippers – K.J. McDANIELS – Small Forward – Clemson – 6’6 – 200

29 Oklahoma City – JARNELL STOKES – Power Forward – Tennessee – 6’8 – 260

30 San Antonio – MITCH McGARY – Power Forward – Michigan – 6’10 – 240

2nd ROUND

33 Cleveland – JORDAN ADAMS – Shooting Guard – UCLA – 6’5 – 200

Even with the Cavs taking Wiggins now with their first pick, they still need to improve their outside shooting as a team and if he’s still on the board they’ll grab Adams to help them from distance.

WHAT DO THE CAVS DO NOW AFTER JOEL EMBIID’S FOOT INJURY?

Last year the Cleveland Clinic played a major role in the Cavaliers passing on a pair of centers in the NBA Draft in Nerlens Noel and Alex Len. This year it looks like the Clinic has become a major factor again in helping determine who the Cavaliers will select with the 1st overall pick in 2014.

Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com broke the story today about a potential brake in Joel Embiid’s right foot that was discovered during the Cavaliers physical. YahooSports.com Adrian Wojnarowski followed that up with these tweets:

Adrian Wojnarowski        ✔ @WojYahooNBA

Cleveland doctors discovered right foot injury in exams and passed info onto Embiid reps, sources tell Yahoo. Fear is a right foot fracture.

12:54 PM – 19 Jun 2014

 

Adrian Wojnarowski        ✔ @WojYahooNBA

Embiid’s consulting w/ orthopedist Dr. Richard Ferkel in L.A.; determination on fracture and possible surgery expected soon, sources tell Y.

12:59 PM – 19 Jun 2014

 

So with this information Cavs G.M. David Griffin probably has been reevaluating his potential decision as to who to take number #1 overall next Thursday. More than likely it comes down to two choices, small forwards Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker.

While both one-and-done guys play the same position, they are two totally different types of players.

The 6’8 – 200 pound Wiggins is considered a strong defensive player with a solid offensive game, that makes him the more complete all-around player with ridiculous athletic ability. His 44 inch vertical jump along with his 7-foot wingspan have GM’s throughout the league salivating.  His ceiling is considered to be very high. His college coach Bill Self told me he feels that Wiggins offensive game will become more consistent because the NBA style of play suits Wiggins great athleticism, especially in the transition game.

The knock on Wiggins is that he doesn’t have the killer instinct, he’s not aggressive enough. I asked Self about that and the Kansas coach told me, “That’s fair, because with his athletic ability he leaves you wanting more. However his maturity is starting to catch up with his athleticism. He’s going to be a stud!”

The other choice David Griffin has is Parker from Duke. He’s 6’9 but weighs 240 pounds, making his body more physically ready for the NBA competition and pounding. His offensive game is where he will earn his money. Inside and outside, back to the basket or facing up, Jabari Parker can shoot it and score the basketball. His offensive game is more complete and consistent than Wiggins and that’s why a lot of G.M.’s, scouts, coaches and media members feel he is more ready to play and will contribute to a team on offense right away. You hear the term “Plug and Play” with Parker a lot and that’s what will be expected of him where ever he ends up.

The downside to Parker is his defense. His lateral movement and foot speed are of major concern to NBA front office folk on the defensive side of the ball. He may be too slow to guard the quicker, more athletic 3’s and not big enough to guard most power forwards. So you’ll have to give a little on defense to gain on offense.

Could the Cavs still end up taking Embiid depending on the severity of his foot injury? Yes. But for a team who missed badly on number #1 overall pick Anthony Bennett last year and for a team who is desperate to make the playoffs, it’s unlikely they can take a chance with Embiid, but will instead pick between Wiggins and Parker.

Either way they’re going get a potential all-star player who fills their biggest need at small forward.  One is more ready to play right now in Parker. The other is the two-way player with more all-around upside in Wiggins. It’s time for David Griffin to make one of his many important off-season decisions. Good luck Griff!

TRYING TO UNDERSTAND JOEL EMBIID’S BACK INJURY

Kansas center and potential number #1 pick Joel Embiid was in Cleveland Wednesday to work out for the Cavs and undergo any medical tests the team deemed necessary.

The most important part of Embiid’s visit was to find out if the stress fracture in his lower back had healed completely and if there were any other health or injury concerns with the 7’1 center from Cameroon.

I talked with an orthopedic surgeon today to get a better understanding about Embiid’s back injury and whether or not this is an injury that can linger or become chronic. Keep in mind this surgeon did not examine or have direct contact with Embiid, but has dealt with this same exact injury with other athletes before. Here’s what I learned and I will try to put it in terms that even I understand.

This type of stress fracture occurs in the back part and in the ring portion of the vertebrae of the lower back usually caused from a repetitive motion over time, with arching of the back type movements or bending backwards activities. It usually goes untreated and that’s when an athlete will feel stiffness and tightness in the lower back and hips. When this occurs and the pain becomes regular or too severe, the player normally will go to the team trainer and doctor and tell them about their discomfort. That’s when an MRI is usually done in place of a normal x-ray to see if there is a stress fracture, because the x-ray alone will not reveal the fracture.

This type of injury is very common among athletes and according to the surgeon I spoke with, a lot of athletes right now are walking around and don’t even know they have a lower back stress fracture. It happens more frequently with basketball players, offensive linemen, defensive linemen and gymnasts because of how often they tend to arch their backs in their sport and do so with a lot of force applied to that area. So it was good that Bill Self and his staff at Kansas found Embiid’s injury when they did and treated it properly. The Kansas head coach shared with me today in a 1 on 1 interview that you can listen to hear – https://kennyroda.com/kansas-coach-bill-self-on-joel-embiid-and-andrew-wiggins/ – that he felt Embiid’s back had healed completely.

I asked the orthopedic surgeon if this type of injury could end one’s career in whatever sport they are participating in? The surgeon told me that very rarely will this type of injury end a career or even need surgery. The way you treat and heal this injury is with what is called “Relative Rest” or staying away from things that cause pain in that area and specific rehabilitation in the pain free range. For more severe cases, a back brace may be needed to restrict the back from bending in a backwards motion, but most of the time a strict rehab program over time heals the stress fracture.

I had one more question for the orthopedic surgeon, if because you already had a stress fracture of this nature once in your back, are your more likely to have a chronic problem? The surgeon told me that if treated properly and healed 100%, you are not more likely to have reoccurring problems. However, if you rush back and don’t let it heal completely, then the chances of having a chronic problem increase.

The last thing the orthopedic surgeon told me was, “This is not an injury we doctors get too worked up about.”

If the Cavs end up selecting Joel Embiid number #1 overall, we’ll know that the Cavaliers doctors agree with that statement and his back is fine. However if the Cavs do not draft Embiid, it will tell us one of two things, either GM David Griffin liked another player better, or that Embiid’s back was not completely healed and it was something that got them all worked up and the doctors, Griffin and owner Dan Gilbert did not want to take a risk on it.

RODA RANKINGS – TOP 5 PLAYERS AT EACH POSITION FOR THE 2014 NBA DRAFT

Top 5 Point Guards

1 DANTE EXUM                  6’6 – 195 – Australia

2 MARCUS SMART             6’4 – 220 – Oklahoma St.

3 TYLER ENNIS                  6’2 – 181 – Syracuse

4 ELFRID PAYTON              6’4 – 185 – Louisiana Layayette

5 SHABAZZ NAPIER           6’1 – 185 – UCONN

 

Top 5 Shooting Guards

1 JAMES YOUNG                6’6 – 215 – Kentucky

2 NIK STAUSKAS                6’6 – 205 – Michigan

3 GARY HARRIS                 6’4 – 210 – Michigan St.

4 ZACH LaVINE                  6’5 – 181 – UCLA

5 P.J. HAIRSTON                6’4 – 228 – North Carolina/NBA D-League

 

Top 5 Small Forwards

1 ANDREW WIGGINS        6’8 – 200 – Kansas

2 JABARI PARKER              6’9 – 241 – Duke

3 RODNEY HOOD              6’8 – 210 – Duke

4 DOUG McDERMOTT       6’8 – 220 – Creighton

5 DARIO SARIC                  6’10 – 235 – Croatia

 

Top 5 Power Forwards

1 NOAH VONLEH              6’10 – 245 – Indiana

2 JULIUS RANDLE               6’9 – 240 – Kentucky

3 AARON GORDON           6’9 – 225 – Arizona

4 ADREIAN PAYNE             6’10 – 240 – Michigan St.

5 CLINT CAPELA                 6’10 – 210 – Switzerland

 

Top 5 Centers

1 JOEL EMBIID                   7’1 – 255 – Kansas

2 JUSUF NURKIC                6’11 – 280 – Bosnia

3 MITCH McGARY             6’10 – 285 – Michigan

4 WALTER TAVARES          7’2 – 265 – Spain

5 ARTEM KLIMENKO         7’1 – 228 – Russia

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MY 2014 NBA MOCK DRAFT 1.0

My approach to a mock draft is to take into consideration what a team’s biggest need is, gather information from as many sources as possible as to what they’re hearing the team might do and then factor in my ratings of the individual players. So it’s a combination of what I think the team should do and what I’m hearing the team might do. It’s not the greatest formula in the world, but then again this is just a mock draft. So if eight of my picks end up matching what the actual draft ends up being, I’ll be thrilled. With that said, here is the first of what will be two mock drafts. One today and then one on draft day, June 26th.

 

1st ROUND

1  Cleveland – JOEL EMBIID – Center – Kansas – 7’1 -255                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Embiid is the pick for the Cavaliers only IF he passes all of the medical tests on his back. If he does, he is the perfect “FIT” for Kyrie Irving and the Cavs defense. He’ll be able to play “Pick n Roll” on offense and be the rim protector the Cavs so desperately need. Plus he may have the most upside of any player in this draft. If he does not pass all the medical tests or there are any red flags, I would then have the Cavs select Andrew Wiggins first overall.

2  Milwaukee – JABARI PARKER – Small Forward – Duke – 6’9 – 241

3  Philadelphia – ANDREW WIGGINS – Small Forward – Kansas – 6’8 – 200

4  Orlando – DANTE EXUM – Point Guard – Australia – 6’6 – 195

5  Utah – NOAH VONLEH – Power Forward – Indiana – 6’10 – 245

6  Boston – AARON GORDON – Power Forward – Arizona – 6’9 – 225

7  LA Lakers – JULIUS RANDLE – Power Forward – Kentucky – 6’9 -240

8  Sacramento – MARCUS SMART – Point Guard – Oklahoma St. – 6’4 – 220

9  Charlotte – DOUG McDERMOTT – Small Forward – Creighton – 6’8 – 220

10 Philadelphia – NIK STAUSKAS – Shooting Guard – Michigan – 6’6 – 205

11 Denver – JAMES YOUNG – Shooting Guard – Kentucky – 6’6 – 215

12 Orlando – GARY HARRIS – Shooting Guard – Michigan St. – 6’4 – 210

13 Minnesota – RODNEY HOOD – Small Forward – Duke – 6’8 – 210

14 Phoenix – ADREIAN PAYNE – Power Forward – Michigan St. – 6’10 – 240

15 Atlanta – ZACH LaVINE – Shooting Guard – UCLA – 6’5 – 181

16 Chicago – TYLER ENNIS – Point Guard – Syracuse – 6’2 – 181

17 Boston – P.J. HAIRSTON – Shooting Guard – UNC/ NBA D-League – 6’4 – 228

18 Phoenix – DARIO SARIC – Small Forward – Croatia – 6’10 -235

19 Chicago –  CLEANTHONY EARLY – Small Forward – Wichita St. – 6’7 – 210

20 Toronto – CLINT CAPELA – Power Forward – Switzerland – 6’10 – 210

21 Oklahoma City – ELFRID PAYTON – Point Guard – Louisiana Lafayette – 6’4 – 185

22 Memphis – T.J. WARREN – Small Forward – North Carolina St. – 6’8 – 220

23 Utah – KYLE ANDERSON – Small Forward – UCLA – 6’9 – 230

24 Charlotte – JERAMI GRANT – Small Forward – Syracuse – 6’8 – 215

25 Houston –  GLEN ROBINSON III – Small Forward – Michigan – 6’7 – 212

26 Miami – JUSUF NURKIC – Center – Bosnia – 6’11 – 280

27 Phoenix –  C.J. WILCOX – Shooting Guard – Washington – 6’6 – 195

28 LA Clippers – K.J. McDANIELS – Small Forward – Clemson – 6’6 – 200

29 Oklahoma City – JARNELL STOKES – Power Forward – Tennessee – 6’8 – 260

30 San Antonio – KRISTAPS PORZINGIS – Power Forward – Latvia – 7’0 – 220

2nd ROUND

33 Cleveland – JORDAN ADAMS – Shooting Guard – UCLA – 6’5 – 210                                                                                                                                                                                                       If the Cavs take Embiid number #1 overall, they will look here to take the best wing player available and that could be Adams if he is still on the board.

 

I TALK EMBIID, WIGGINS AND PARKER WITH JOE KOTOCH FROM PROBASKETBALLDRAFT.COM

ProBasketballDraft.com’s Joe Kotoch and I break down the three prospects the Cavs are considering for the number #1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

David Griffin 2014 NBA Draft Lottery Photo

MY JOEL EMBIID PLAYER BIO AND SCOUTING REPORT

Joel Embiid

Center  –  7′-1″  –  255lbs  –  Age – 20  –  Kansas  –  FR.

Reach  – 9’5.5    –  Wingspan  –  7’5.75    Max Vert  –  ??

Averages  –  11.2 PPG-8.1 RPG-1.4 APG-2.6BLK-62.6%FG-20%(3FG)-68.5%FT

Draft Projection: Top 3 – if healthy should be the number #1 overall pick

Joel Embiid photo - Courtesy of USA Today

Strengths           

A true center that has a solid all-around game for only having played basketball for the three to four years. Can face up or play with his back to the basket. His best years are ahead of him, as his ceiling is extremely high.

His length and athleticism make him a defensive presence, a rim protector. Not only will he block shots, he will alter and change them. He’s an eraser in the paint and will be the anchor of your defense.

He’s is an above average rebounder who will battle for boards in traffic.

He plays with a little nastiness on defense, he doesn’t mind mixing it up a little.

A good athlete who can run the floor and has above average footwork for a 7-footer with limited experience. Plays with good energy and effort.

His jumper is solid for a 7-footer and showed range out to the college 3-point line. Has a decent touch for a big guy and can finish around the hoop with either hand.

He’s not a liability at the free throw line as he made almost 70% from the charity stripe at Kansas.

His ball handling is above average for a man of his size and should only get better with practice and more experience.

 

Weaknesses     

Has to get in the weight room and get stronger and put on some pounds.

The Cameroon native lacks the practice and in game experience at this point in his career because he hasn’t played a lot of basketball compared to the other potential top picks in the draft.

His basketball IQ isn’t the greatest either as he falls for a lot of pump fakes and that lands him in foul trouble. But again that comes from his lack of game experience.

His biggest weakness though and the major concern is the health of his back. After only 28 games at Kansas he had to shut it down because of a stress fracture in his back. Embiid and his agent say he’s 100% healthy now, but no team is going to believe that until they put him through their own thorough physical. Teams are going to want to find out if this could be a chronic injury or just a one-time thing. Bigs and bad backs aren’t a good mix, especially if you’re thinking of using the number #1 overall pick on a 7-footer.

 

Roda Thoughts:  If 100% healthy, to me and other NBA people that’ I’ve talked to, there’s not a player in this draft who could be more more of a force and dominant his position if he hits his ceiling than Embiid. If his back is not an issue, and he continues to progress at the pace that he has, the sky is the limit for the 7-footer from Cameroon.  Joel Embiid could end up being not only a game changer, but a franchise savior. I’ve heard NBA comparisons to Hakeem Olajuwon to Serge Ibaka to Tim Duncan. So I went back and compared Embiid’s freshman numbers to those of Olajuwon and Duncan and I’ll leave you with those stats as you, just like David Griffin and the Cavaliers, make up your mind as to whether or not Embiid deserves to be the Number #1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft just like Olajuwon and Duncan were!

FRESHAMN STATS IN COLLEGE:

Embiid              11.2ppg  –  8.1rpg  –  2.6blk  –  62%fg  –   20%(3fg)  –  68%ft

Olajuwon          8.3ppg    –  6.2rpg  –  2.5blk  –  61%fg  –   00%(3fg)  –  56%ft

Duncan             9.8ppg    –  9.6rpg  –  3.8blk  –   54%fg  –  100%(3fg) –  74%ft

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