Patrick a Lottery Pick??

[tornado]

Here is an old post on Bradleyfans that discussed whether Patrick O'Bryant might be a lottery pick. Some posters found it too much to believe, though now it seems virtually assured.

Congrats to chitownBUB for being the first one to suspect such a possibility.

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=11999#11999

[Braves4Life]

Grassman

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....................Gotta love that Grassman

[BU Bill]

I talked to someone today who has strong connections to the NBA. He tells me that the NBA scouts think POB is not ready for the NBA, and needs to gain 30-40 pounds of weight and improve his conditioning tremendously. Right now, he is good for 5-10 minutes a game, mostly in a deep backup or mopup role. He is not ready to go against the Shaqs and other big time centers in the league.

Despite that, he feels Patrick will be drafted in the top 15 based just on his potential. There just aren't many true centers, and POB has the ability to develop into a very good one. So those who predicted he would be a lottery pick appear like prophets now. Those who stressed that the NBA draft is all about potential are 100% correct.

[tornado]

These are precisely the same things that were said about Shaun Livingston two years ago, and still he got drafted #4 in 2004.

Note question #2 asked of SL in an interview just days before the 2004 draft,
"Are you anxious to prove wrong the critics who say you???‚¬?„?re too skinny or too young to play in this league?"

http://www.insidehoops.com/pdinterviews2.shtml

Even no less an expert than Kirk Wessler called Shaun "too skinny".

[Da Coach]

Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline does not think Patrick will be a lottery pick. He projects him at #19 and says this about him--

Patrick O'Bryant, C, Bradley: No one's sure what position O'Bryant plays because of his poor body. He's too weak to defend most centers, but he's not skilled enough -- and probably not athletic enough -- to play power forward on offense. The Kings need a center, though, so here you go. The best of a bad remaining lot.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/9459496

[tornado]

Ordinarily I think his opinions are well researched, but I think Doyel virtually discredits himself here by even suggesting anyone in the universe beyond himself has ever considered Patrick as a power forward. He is a center, always has been, and will be. Every team and every scout knows that, but Doyel still speculates some team might try him at PF.

[collegehoopjunkie]

Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline does not think Patrick will be a lottery pick. He projects him at #19 and says this about him--

Patrick O'Bryant, C, Bradley: No one's sure what position O'Bryant plays because of his poor body. He's too weak to defend most centers, but he's not skilled enough -- and probably not athletic enough -- to play power forward on offense. The Kings need a center, though, so here you go. The best of a bad remaining lot.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/9459496

I likewise feel I don't hardly know enough to be too critical of these supposed expearts and their opinions, but I also see some holes in Doyel's arguments.

First, at Pick #7 he has the Celtics taking Maurice Agar. I may be missing something, so someone fill me in if I am making some gross error, but isn't shooting guard the spot they may well be strongest at right now.
They have Paul Pierce, and a young, talented Gerald Green, both of whom are 6-6 to 6-8 and shoot nearly 50% from the field, 35% from long range. If they need a backup, they are well stocked there, too. Boston desperately needs a center, as really all they have is Michael Olowokandi and Kendrick Perkins!


Second, the Sixers have all but said they will take a center, and yet here's what Doyel says about their choice:
" Aaron Gray, C, Pittsburgh: Patrick O'Bryant ate him up in the NCAA Tournament, an outcome that still shocks me. Was that a fluke? Not sure, but I'm going out on a limb and saying Gray will be a better pro. But neither will be all that good."
Whoa, they know the guy isn't that good, they know Patrick embarrassed him and his weaknesses, and yet they take him when POB is still available? Why not just take Sasha Kaun?


New Orleans also needs a center badly,
I cannot believe they'll let two sub-#15 picks slide by without an effort toget a center, and pass on POB. Just not gonna happen!
(sorry- edited, as I had teams mixed up)
And, I don't think JJ Redick will go that high. Anyone who saw him knows his shooting range does drop off over 20 ft, and that he looked bad when decent defense was applied in their conference tourney and the NCAA tourney.

[Fetz86]

isnt that the Bobcats personnel listed above?

[Grassman]

Re: Grassman

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....................Gotta love that Grassman

I am always glad when one of you, EXPERTS, shows me some love!

[BUBraves06]

isnt that the Bobcats personnel listed above?

Yes. Felton, May, Okafor, and Knight as well as Wallace all play for the Charlotte Bobcats.

[tornado]

Re: Grassman

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....................Gotta love that Grassman

I am always glad when one of you, EXPERTS, shows me some love!

Grassman, I think most BU fans are just as happy things turned out the way they did, it was a great year.
But having NBA caliber players is a double edged sword. If they are good enough, you just can't keep them four years, but then I like being in the same company as the UNC's and Duke's in that regard.

[Grassman]

Re: Grassman

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....................Gotta love that Grassman

I am always glad when one of you, EXPERTS, shows me some love!

Grassman, I think most BU fans are just as happy things turned out the way they did, it was a great year.
But having NBA caliber players is a double edged sword. If they are good enough, you just can't keep them four years, but then I like being in the same company as the UNC's and Duke's in that regard.

I agree! It just amazed me that 3 games into his soph. season, people were projecting POB to be a lottery pick.
It turns out they may be right, and that is great for everybody concerned.

[tornado]

It's just that many of our posters are smarter than the NBA scouts!!

[chitownBUB]

In today's ESPN Insider, Chad Ford notes one NBA scout thinks Patrick might be the best prospect in the draft.
"I overheard one Eastern Conference scout....
....Patrick O'Bryant the top prospect in the draft. ...... the only legit center in the draft. Every team that needs a center is looking at him"

[Da Coach]

POB worked out for the New Orleans Hornets.
They describe him as a project--

http://www.nola.com/sports/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-24/114914479086060.xml