I think Karaban is a worthy second round pick. He’s been through a terrible three point slump but he’s shown he can play defense without fouling (a rarity for that team), can be a connector on offense, and, most importantly, play in his role on a good team. The latter isn’t simple to find.
NBA Draft 2025
- Thread starter dk423
- Start date
So much can happen between now and late June including impressive runs in the tournament. I remember the last Nova championship they had five players drafted in the first two rounds including DiVincenzo who rocketed up after not even being mentioned in most earlier mock drafts. If we have a nice run, RJ's draft fortunes could be very much impacted.
(I agree)
It's kind of crazy that what you're alluding to has more to do with our players than Jackson at UNC or Boogie with Cal.
I think Luis should go to the NBA camps and get a feeler for where he stands. I personally think he is a marginal NBA a player. His handle needs improvement, his shooting is not up to NBA standards since it is a three point shooting game and his decision making is suspect.
He would make much more money doing another college year and improve his game to give himself a better chance for future earnings.
He would make much more money doing another college year and improve his game to give himself a better chance for future earnings.
I think it's a case-by-case situation. For RJ, I think it's best of both worlds. Teams are going to ask him to be a more heady player, be a better three point shooter, and be more consistent defensively. I don't think any team will ask him to force more shots and barrel into three guys. They'll have to be convinced that he can be a smart role player for them.
Your opinion but he is supposed to come back and fire 3’s to improve his draft stock? Rationalize all you want, it is an extremely slippery slope.
He's averaging 3.6 3PA/4 in conference play. I think that's a good enough usage. But it has to improve from 26%. Needs to be at least 33-34%.
I think I am agreeing with Logen, but I would be unsettled that a guy as undisciplined (although supremely talented) as RJ would come back with the thought of improving his NBA potential.
And I care why? I talked about players coming back to college to work on their pro needs per feedback from the league. If you think it is a good idea, fine, I don’t and meaningless stats are not going to change my mind one bit.
The whole conversation is about what RJ needs to work on for their pro needs. For RJ, it's improving his three point shot. That will also help the team. I am not sure how three point shooting percentage is a meaningless stat.
I'd take him with a late first. He has tremendous defensive versatility, and he is a good shooter that can put the ball on the floor and distribute. A Batman he is not. That's all we've learned this year. He can be very effective on a good NBA team as a 4th option.
don_pitino
Well-known member
Our team's biggest issue this year is 3 point shooting. RJs biggest weaknesses are 3 point shooting and adhering to scouting reports. NBA teams prioritize 3 point shooting and being able to adhere to scouting reports since practice time is much more limited.
Bringing back a BE first team player for his senior year who will have spent the summer working on his jumper and basketball IQ is not going to harm the team, even if NBA teams told him to shooter a better % from 3 and be smarter.
Bringing back a BE first team player for his senior year who will have spent the summer working on his jumper and basketball IQ is not going to harm the team, even if NBA teams told him to shooter a better % from 3 and be smarter.
Boogie, Jackson, and Yaxel is a nice haul in the portal. Not to mention keeping RJ another year.
I kid. I kid.
Larry Wright
Well-known member
Shoots his three different than shoots inside the arc.
Almost gets in a crouch, spreads his legs and almost shoots push shot from three.
ronm
Well-known member
According to Bleacher Reports mock draft, RJ will not be drafted in the first two rounds:
ESPN 2026 mock draft
I forgot Quiantance is not 18 yet. 7'5" wingspan is insane.
I thought I'd post this section since it's a relevant to many conversations on this board:
Why some top prospects could stay in college, prep for '26 draft
While it's still too early to know which players will decide to return to college this year, what we do know is that evolving NIL market dynamics are going to make these choices more complex for many NBA draft prospects who have eligibility remaining.
It has traditionally been a much simpler call for players whose draft value sits solidly in the top-40 pick territory. But the landscape now provides seven-figure opportunities for elite college players to remain in school. That levels the financial playing field to some extent for projected late first-rounders -- for example, freshmen such as Michigan State's Jase Richardson (No. 29 on ESPN's 2025 Top 100) or the North Carolina duo of Drake Powell (No. 23) and Ian Jackson (No. 32). Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber (No. 24) was shut down on Tuesday with a foot injury that will require surgery, likely making his NBA decision trickier.
There's a case to be made for younger players who have more to prove to stay in school -- develop there, make comparable, or superior, short-term money -- and then be better prepared for 2026.
Where we might see the greatest NIL-related impact is in the depth of the draft: productive college players who are not regarded as clear-cut NBA roster players now earn significantly more money by staying in school. In the 2024-25 season, a two-way contract pays NBA players $578,577, which only becomes fully guaranteed at midseason. From a financial standpoint, there's little argument for prospects of that caliber to leave school early, when they can be repeat earners making significantly more money by returning and utilizing their full college eligibility over time. Players such as Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic (No. 62 on our 2025 list) Houston's JoJo Tugler (No. 52) or Texas Tech's JT Toppin (No. 60) and Darrion Williams (No. 44) -- who contribute quite a bit to their respective programs, and whom we currently project outside the first round -- might have an easier decision than they would have had in an earlier era of college basketball.
While this dynamic might continue to cull from the quality and depth of the draft's second round each year, NBA teams don't seem to mind. Players who might get lost in the shuffle on the fringe of an NBA roster have greater incentive to take their time, and in theory, arrive more fully-formed when they do turn pro. The second round might end up full of super-seniors who have exhausted their eligibility, and more time to evaluate these players should lead to better decision-making and readiness to play an immediate role, albeit in many cases at the expense of perceived long-term upside.
So while we're still likely to see the annual landslide of players testing the draft waters by the April 26 declaration deadline, a shorter final early-entry list might benefit all parties in the long run. -- Woo
I forgot Quiantance is not 18 yet. 7'5" wingspan is insane.
I thought I'd post this section since it's a relevant to many conversations on this board:
Why some top prospects could stay in college, prep for '26 draft
While it's still too early to know which players will decide to return to college this year, what we do know is that evolving NIL market dynamics are going to make these choices more complex for many NBA draft prospects who have eligibility remaining.
It has traditionally been a much simpler call for players whose draft value sits solidly in the top-40 pick territory. But the landscape now provides seven-figure opportunities for elite college players to remain in school. That levels the financial playing field to some extent for projected late first-rounders -- for example, freshmen such as Michigan State's Jase Richardson (No. 29 on ESPN's 2025 Top 100) or the North Carolina duo of Drake Powell (No. 23) and Ian Jackson (No. 32). Georgetown freshman Thomas Sorber (No. 24) was shut down on Tuesday with a foot injury that will require surgery, likely making his NBA decision trickier.
There's a case to be made for younger players who have more to prove to stay in school -- develop there, make comparable, or superior, short-term money -- and then be better prepared for 2026.
Where we might see the greatest NIL-related impact is in the depth of the draft: productive college players who are not regarded as clear-cut NBA roster players now earn significantly more money by staying in school. In the 2024-25 season, a two-way contract pays NBA players $578,577, which only becomes fully guaranteed at midseason. From a financial standpoint, there's little argument for prospects of that caliber to leave school early, when they can be repeat earners making significantly more money by returning and utilizing their full college eligibility over time. Players such as Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic (No. 62 on our 2025 list) Houston's JoJo Tugler (No. 52) or Texas Tech's JT Toppin (No. 60) and Darrion Williams (No. 44) -- who contribute quite a bit to their respective programs, and whom we currently project outside the first round -- might have an easier decision than they would have had in an earlier era of college basketball.
While this dynamic might continue to cull from the quality and depth of the draft's second round each year, NBA teams don't seem to mind. Players who might get lost in the shuffle on the fringe of an NBA roster have greater incentive to take their time, and in theory, arrive more fully-formed when they do turn pro. The second round might end up full of super-seniors who have exhausted their eligibility, and more time to evaluate these players should lead to better decision-making and readiness to play an immediate role, albeit in many cases at the expense of perceived long-term upside.
So while we're still likely to see the annual landslide of players testing the draft waters by the April 26 declaration deadline, a shorter final early-entry list might benefit all parties in the long run. -- Woo
