Deandre Ayton Rumors | Hoops Rumors

NCAA Tournament Filled With Draft Prospects

March 11th, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NCAA tournament bracket was unveiled on Sunday and NBA draft prospects can enhance their resumes by leading their teams on a deep run. A majority of the projected first-rounders in Jonathan Givony’s current rankings on ESPN.com will be in action during March Madness.

Here’s a look of some of those storylines:

No player will be more closely watched than the projected top pick, Arizona freshman center DeAndre Ayton. He has remained eligible despite an FBI probe into his recruitment. The Wildcats, who won the PAC 12 tournament, were seeded No. 4 in the South region and will play Buffalo in the first round. A potential second-round matchup against Kentucky looms. The Wildcats have two players slotted as mid-first-rounders — swingman Kevin Knox (No. 12 overall) and combo guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15).
Duke and Michigan State were ranked 1-2 at the start of the season and faced each other in November, with the Blue Devils prevailing. They could see each again in the Sweet Sixteen, a Midwest showdown that would feature a handful of first-round prospects, Duke’s frontcourt duo of Marvin Bagley III (4) and Wendell Carter Jr. (6) and shooting guard Grayson Allen (30), and Michigan State forwards Jaren Jackson Jr. (3) and Miles Bridges (11).
How good is Texas center Mohamed Bamba (5)? We could get a better idea if the Longhorns get past Nevada and face rugged Cincinnati, the South’s No. 2 seed which also features small forward Jacob Evans (24).
Alabama’s Collin Sexton, currently the top-rated college point guard at No. 8, will try to build off his big SEC tournament performance in the East Region. If the Tide gets past their opener, they’ll likely face top seed Villanova and its No. 10 prospect, small forward Mikal Bridges.
Oklahoma point guard Trae Young (9) and his team faltered down the stretch but still got in as the Midwest’s No. 10 seed. If they upset Rhode Island, the Sooners would likely face the Blue Devils in the next round.
Texas A&M big man Robert Williams (15) could improve his stock if his team, slotted No. 7 in the West, can get by Big East tournament runner-up Providence and then upset No. 2 seed North Carolina in the next round.
Miami (Fla.) shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV (13) might move into the Top 10 if he carries his team, seeded sixth in the South, into the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.

Draft Notes: NBL, One-And-Dones, Top Prospects

March 6th, 2018 at 1:42pm CST by Luke Adams

With commissioner Adam Silver exploring ways to adjust the one-and-done rules that prevent high-schoolers from making the leap directly to the NBA, Australia’s professional basketball league appears ready to capitalize on an opening.

According to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Australian National Basketball League has formalized a rule that will give teams an extra roster spot next season for NBA-draft-eligible players. A player signed using that roster slot will be guaranteed approximately $78K USD, funded directly by the NBL, sources tell Givony.

Previously, Australian clubs were limited to three import players, and many teams were reluctant to dedicate one of those spots to an unproven 18-year-old. However, this fourth import slot, funded by the league, should give the NBL a better chance to attract players who want to forgo the NCAA before entering the draft, as Terrance Ferguson did a year ago.

“The NBL is considered one of the best leagues in the world and this initiative will give these up and coming stars an opportunity to create a name for themselves on the way to being drafted into the NBA,” NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger told Givony. “As Terrance Ferguson demonstrated, there are a number of players who for whatever reason won’t be part of the U.S. college system but have NBA aspirations and are good enough to be drafted. This will give them the chance to develop in a world class league in the NBL and push their claims for the NBA.”

Here are a few more draft-related notes:

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr weighed in on the one-and-done debate, arguing that the NCAA should allow early entrants who go undrafted to return to their respective schools. “Why not? What’s the harm?” Kerr said, per ESPN. “We talk about amateurism and all this stuff, but if you’re truly trying to do what’s right for the kid, and the kid declares for the draft and doesn’t get drafted, you know what? Welcome him back. Do something good for the kids.”
In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Givony and Mike Schmitz single out some prospects that have the most at stake during the NCAA’s conference tournament season. While the Givony and Schmitz name several players ranked further down on ESPN’s big board, big-name prospects like Mohamed Bamba, Trae Young, and Michael Porter Jr. headline the list of youngsters worth watching.
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News spoke to one league scout to get his take on 10 college prospects who have big months of March ahead of them. The scout made some interesting comments on Devonte’ Graham (Kansas), Moritz Wagner (Michigan), and several other prospects, noting that he believes Arizona’s Deandre Ayton is the favorite to be picked first overall in June. “He just dominates the middle so completely,” the scout said of Ayton. “I don’t think there is much that can happen that will knock him out of the top spot. He is not a sure thing in that spot, but he is ahead of everyone else.”

Arizona Stars To Enter NBA Draft

March 4th, 2018 at 10:54am CST by Arthur Hill

Deandre Ayton, Rawle Alkins and Allonzo Trier will leave Arizona early and declare for the NBA draft, according to Daniel Rapaport of Sports Illustrated. Coach Sean Miller informed reporters of their intentions Saturday, and all three players participated in the Wildcats’ senior night ceremonies.

The turmoil surrounding the Arizona program may have figured into their decisions, although Ayton was a lock to leave as an expected top five pick and Alkins and Trier are both potential first-rounders. Miller’s future as Wildcats coach is in jeopardy in the wake of reports that the FBI has recordings of him discussing a $100K payment to bring Ayton to Arizona. Miller strongly denied any wrongdoing in a press conference this week.

Ayton is projected second overall in the latest mock draft compiled by Jonathan Givony of ESPN. A seven-footer with game-changing abilities on both ends of the court, the freshman is averaging 19.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per night.

Alkins, a sophomore swingman, is slotted as the 41st pick by Givony. He missed the first nine games of the season with a broken right foot, but appears fully recovered, averaging 13.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in 19 contests.

Trier, a junior shooting guard, is comes in at pick 45 on Givony’s list. He was recently reinstated by the NCAA after being declared ineligible for testing positive for a banned substance. Trier is the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer at 18.9 points per game.

Mavs Notes: Noel, Curry, Trades, Draft

February 13th, 2018 at 10:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Center Nerlens Noel is expected to return to action shortly after the All-Star break and Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle plans to give him steady playing time, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. Noel has appeared in just 18 games this season, mainly due to a torn thumb ligament which required surgery in early December. “We want to get him healthy, get him back and try to get him a good 20 or so games, if we can,” Carlisle told Sefko. Noel will be an unrestricted free agent this summer after signing his qualifying offer last summer when he couldn’t find a satisfactory offer in restricted free agency.

In other news regarding the Mavs:

Seth Curry probably won’t get offered a mid-level exception during free agency following an injury-plagued season, Sefko speculates in his live chat excerpts. A contract with a modest raise over the $3MM he’s making this season might be the best he’ll do, Sefko adds.
The most likely trade the Mavs would make this offseason is absorbing a contract from a team looking to shed salary to sign a top-level free agent, Sefko opines. He uses the example of the Lakers perhaps looking to dump Julius Randle in order to sign LeBron James or Paul George.
Who might the Mavs be looking at in the draft lottery? Saad Yousuf of the Dallas Morning News sizes up 10 prospects on the team’s radar, including Arizona’s DeAndre Ayton and Duke’s Marvin Bagley Jr.

And-Ones: Ayton, Thunder Trades, Wagering, Ball

December 4th, 2017 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Arizona freshman center DeAndre Ayton could be the No. 1 overall pick in June, according to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. The 7’1” Ayton has proven to be a highly productive for the otherwise disappointing Wildcats, averaging 20.4 PPG, 11.4 RPG and 1.4 BPG in his first eight college games. He has a 7-foot-5 wingspan and has shown a high basketball IQ, Brigham continues. At worst, Ayton should be a top-three lock, Brigham adds.

In other news involving the league:

The trade packages the Knicks and Pacers received from the Thunder in blockbuster deals this offseason have proven to be far better than expected, as ESPN’s Kevin Pelton notes. Center Enes Kanter, the best player the Knicks got back in the Carmelo Anthony trade, is a good fit as Kristaps Porzingis‘ frontcourt partner, while Porzingis has thrived as a No. 1 option in Pelton’s analysis. Victor Oladipo has actually outperformed Paul George in his expanded role with Indiana, according to Pelton’s metrics. The other player the Pacers received in the deal, center Domantas Sabonis, has improved sharply while playing more often in the post than he did in Oklahoma City, Pelton adds.
The league and several owners have positioned themselves to cash in on expanded betting on its games, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst examines in an in-depth piece. The league would prefer changes in current federal laws and the creation of a unified commission to oversee the expanded betting operations, Windhorst continues. The Hornets’ Michael Jordan, the Wizards’ Ted Leonsis and the Mavs’ Mark Cuban have recently invested in a company focused on real-time data distribution, which would facilitate in-game wagering, Windhorst adds.
Lonzo Ball‘s younger brother LiAngelo Ball has no chance of being selected if he declares for next June’s draft, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. LiAngelo Ball would have trouble finding a spot in any professional league, including the G-League, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter links). UCLA announced on Monday that the younger Ball intends to leave the program, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic tweets. The freshman was arrested along with two teammates in China on shoplifting charges and suspended by the school after being allowed to return to the United States.

And-Ones: NBA Draft, International Play, Oliver

November 19th, 2017 at 6:07pm CST by Austin Kent

The NBA Draft is seven months away but that doesn’t mean hoops writers can’t weigh in on what Sam Vecenie of The Athletic refers to as a year-round process. The scribe’s initial mock draft does a fine job weighing in on the biggest prospects on the draft radar while digging admirably deep for a comprehensive 60-pick projection.

Expected to fall in the No. 1 slot is the much-hyped Slovenian star, Luka Doncic. The Real Madrid swingman has shown a remarkable feel for the game at a young age and could make an impact for a team like the Bulls, who currently sit most likely to land that top spot come next June.

It’s after the first pick where Vecenie’s mock gets particularly interesting. The writer opts to put Arizona big man DeAndre Ayton in the No. 2 spot, ahead of the likes of Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr.

With analysis for each of the first 30 projections, the early look at the draft can’t be missed. Especially considering that he has college basketball’s biggest villain, Grayson Allen, falling directly into the laps of the world champion Warriors.

There’s more from around the league:

The number of fringe NBA players who opt to sign overseas in international leagues following NBA training camps has dropped precipitously. Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype writes that the trend can be attributed to a depressed European economy and the leaps and bounds that the G League has made over the course of the past 10 years.
The fifth edition of FIBA’s 3×3 World Cup will take place June 8-12, the governing body’s official site says. This year the competition will take place in the Philippines.
A Rockets training camp invitee has been picked up by the G League affiliate of the Bucks. Chris Reichert of 2 Ways, 10 Days tweets that the Wisconsin Herd have claimed Cameron Oliver off waivers.

Draft Notes: Fultz, Ball, Hutchison, 2018

April 11th, 2017 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks currently have the sixth-best odds in the NBA draft lottery, which would give them a modest 6.3% chance to land the first overall pick. Despite those fairly long odds, potential No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz has considered the possibility of playing for New York, and was in attendance on Sunday at Madison Square Garden to take a first-hand look at the team and its triangle system.

As Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News details, Fultz said it would be “amazing” to be drafted by the Knicks, and didn’t express any reservations about the triangle.

“I think I could play in any system,” Fultz said. “I’m very versatile, so it was cool to see that. It’s a lot of openings and stuff like that, so that’s why I came to see that in person.”

Let’s round up a few more draft-related items…

Former UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball is the biggest threat to Fultz for that No. 1 pick, but if he had to choose between being drafted first overall and being selected by the Lakers, Ball would opt for the Lakers, he recently told ESPN (video link). Ball also made the case for why clubs should draft him over Fultz, suggesting that he’s more capable of leading a team than the Washington point guard is.
Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison will enter his name in the 2017 NBA draft pool, but won’t hire an agent, according to an announcement from the school. “Our coaches have informed me that NBA teams are expressing interest, and I feel that I need to take advantage of the opportunity to be evaluated and find out where I truly stand,” Hutchison said in a statement. The junior shooting guard, who isn’t considered a top prospect by DraftExpress or ESPN, will have until May 24 to decide whether to withdraw his name and return to Boise State.
Much has been made of the strength of the 2017 draft class, but as Chad Ford of ESPN.com writes in an Insider-only piece, the 2018 class projects to have several elite prospects at the top too. However, it won’t be as deep as 2017’s class. “[The 2017] class was one of the most talented and deepest I’ve ever seen,” one NBA GM said. “[For 2018], I love three or four guys and that’s about it.” Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri), Luka Doncic (Real Madrid), and DeAndre Ayton (Arizona) are the three players at the top of Ford’s 2018 board.
Former Green Bay power forward Kerem Kanter, who was said to be testing the draft process before potentially graduating and transferring, has committed to Xavier, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. As such, the brother of Enes Kanter figures to postpone his pro career for another year.