2021 NBA Draft

[ghostzapper]

An article from Sports Net Canada on Justin's signing (see article link below) talks about how Julian's better outside shooting and skillset might make him a more natural fit than Justin as an NBA wing. Fortunately for us Julian has decided to come back and he will have the luxury of watching and learning how chasing the NBA dream will work out for Justin. 

I was actually looking forward to their SJU-Pitt MSG matchup on December 18th, but without both Twins playing, the game has really lost its luster.

It is great for us that we have Julian with us again. Hopefully his season this year will advance both SJU as a program and his future status as an NBA prospect.

[URL]https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/a...t-raptors-reported-signing-justin-champagnie/[/URL]

 

[MainMan]

Meh, Knicks get 3 players that will sit at the end of the bench or play in Weschester. 
At least I hope. 
Because I want win-now players when FA begins. 

 

[MakingPlays]

Looks like Julian made the right choice. Julian undrefted this far and Sandro fell to 54.

Yea, I'm still unsure why Justin elected to stay in the draft, his stock dropped dramatically during the combine/workouts.  He's young for his class, so there was no rush for him to leave. This was arguably the strongest draft class since 1996, so coming back would have helped his stock.  If he would have joined Julian here, they would have got some good endorsement deals as well as a ton of national attention.  Now, it's going to be an uphill battle for him to make an NBA roster, he'll probably be offered a 2-way contract, but most guys on those 2 way contracts end up overseas after a year or 2, it's very few that have turned being a 2-way contract player into a rotational player in the league.

Edit:  As expected Justin gets a 2-way contract.

https://twitter.com/BlakeMurphyODC/status/1420975813164519427


 

IMO the problem for Justin is that he was a tweener and was always going to be a tweener.  There wasn't really anything he could do in returning to college that would have appreciably raised his NBA draft stock.  

While this may be true, it still doesn't eliminate the fact that a lot of experts had this draft class as the best class since the 1996 draft.  You had the POY Luka Garza go late 2nd round.  There was so many great athletes in this draft.  Keon Johnson, who broke the vertical record went late 1st round, in any other draft he would have been a lottery pick. 

Next year's draft class is much weaker, Justin would have had a much better chance to be a 2nd rounder, and I would guess most experts would have had him as a 2nd rounder in next year's draft, and that's all you want to give yourself a fair shot at being a rotation player in the league, most 2nd rounders will get a guarnteed 2-4 year contract and get a chance to play in an actual NBA game, where as a 2-way player is only going to get 1-2 years to prove something, they are going to stick you in the G-League for the majority of the time, and the money is much less.  

 

[paultzman]

https://twitter.com/georgiatech24x7/status/1421051330940919808?s=21

 

[room112]

Looks like Julian made the right choice. Julian undrefted this far and Sandro fell to 54.

Yea, I'm still unsure why Justin elected to stay in the draft, his stock dropped dramatically during the combine/workouts.  He's young for his class, so there was no rush for him to leave. This was arguably the strongest draft class since 1996, so coming back would have helped his stock.  If he would have joined Julian here, they would have got some good endorsement deals as well as a ton of national attention.  Now, it's going to be an uphill battle for him to make an NBA roster, he'll probably be offered a 2-way contract, but most guys on those 2 way contracts end up overseas after a year or 2, it's very few that have turned being a 2-way contract player into a rotational player in the league.

Edit:  As expected Justin gets a 2-way contract.

https://twitter.com/BlakeMurphyODC/status/1420975813164519427


 

IMO the problem for Justin is that he was a tweener and was always going to be a tweener.  There wasn't really anything he could do in returning to college that would have appreciably raised his NBA draft stock.  So if he wanted to play professional ball he might as well stay in the draft, see where the chips fall, and then go earn a living in Europe or the G league or whatever.  Bottom line is he had gotten all he was going to get out of college.

Julian is another story.  He could work his way into NBA conversation as a big guard/small forward/swingman for 3 and D but he has to work on his defensive quickness and assertiveness at taking his man to the rim.  Those are things he can work on at SJU and put himself in a better position next year.  Justin was more or less a finished product for evaluation purposes; Julian is not.  He made a smart decision IMO.

I actually saw it differently. I thought Justin should have come back for a year, and transferred to a blue blood so he could have got maximum exposure, and entered next year's weaker draft.

 

[BrooklynRed]

Meh, Knicks get 3 players that will sit at the end of the bench or play in Weschester. 
At least I hope. 
Because I want win-now players when FA begins. 

What player wants to play for a teamed owned by Dolan--until he goes, the Nets are NYC's Pro BB team.

 

[L J S A]

Meh, Knicks get 3 players that will sit at the end of the bench or play in Weschester. 
At least I hope. 
Because I want win-now players when FA begins. 

What player wants to play for a teamed owned by Dolan--until he goes, the Nets are NYC's Pro BB team.

Players are finally happy with the people under Dolan who they'll have to deal with on a daily basis. Makes a big difference. Unless you are a drunk cokehead who plays bad music, you won't be hanging with Dolan on a regular basis.

 

[prjohnnies]

Yup.  Dolan's culture was prohibitive for a long time, at least to some extent (certainly didn't stop certain guys the Knicks threw money at).  But Rose, Thibs, WWW and company changed the culture.  It seems players/agents view the Knicks positively as an organization now.  And players got to see what it is like in NY/MSG when the Knicks are even remotely good.  A team in the same city with 3 HOFs, 3 of the best offensive players you'll ever see, and that was the title favorite (until injuries) was an afterthought in NY because of the Knicks having  a solid season.  Jalen Rose said it best -- the Nets are probably the most popular NBA team outside NY, but in the NY they are a blip on the radar because of the Knicks winning some games and being a middle seed in the playoffs. 

A few ex-players turned commentators said they couldn't believe the crowds at the MSG playoff games.  Everything moving in the right direction for the Knicks.

 

[NCJohnnie]

Agree wholeheartedly with Rob & LJSA. New York has always been a Knick city from a basketball perspective. Dolan has done a lot to poison the well over the years  but has seemingly decided to stay out of basketball and let the sane people run the ship. 

If the Knicks were playing the Nets in the Eastern Conference playoffs no question which arena would be more electric. 

 

[Moose]

The Athletic did a 2022 mock

https://theathletic.com/2727138/202...s-still-seeking-visibility/?source=dailyemail

Subscription paywall. But see below. First BE player listed. Kadary Richmond at 33

29. Julian Champagnie | 6-8 forward | 20 years old | St. John’sChampagnie averaged 20 points per game last year, while shooting 38 percent from 3 and 87 percent from the line. He’s a legitimate shooter and has a chance to be the kind of stretch four teams look for in the NBA. He declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and got invited to the combine but chose to stay in school. Another season like last year, in which he also proved he has the potential to defend and improve his lateral quickness, and he has a real shot to become a first-round pick.

 

[RedStormNC]

https://twitter.com/NYPost_Brazille/status/1421280340396621831?s=20

 

[room112]

I was surprised to see David Duke from Providence go undrafted. He eventually signed a two way contract after the draft, but throughout the year mock drafts had him as a mid first round pick. Then again, his season was a big disappointment.