He was also getting frozen out by his teammates the first half of the year.I don't think he will either, but Luka also didn't drag his team to a potential playoff spot.
He was also getting frozen out by his teammates the first half of the year.I don't think he will either, but Luka also didn't drag his team to a potential playoff spot.
With Big10 play in full swing, I am retracting my initial statement. KC is still playing great, but I think he takes another year to develop his skills to try to make his stock greater for next year (as some here have mentioned with OA and BU influencing that decision/development). I sure hope this to be the case so we have another good year of development for someone to take over while we continue to get those highlight reels/exposure to help us keep landing those top recruits. The ball is finally rolling down the hill!
My only concern is what Dakich brought up during the game the other night. KC is kind of under the radar right now, but he will almost certainly work out for NBA scouts this off-season. Especially since they allow you to do that now without declaring. When they see how quick he is, how competitive he is, what kind of attitude and personality he has, and how quickly his game is coming together he may turn some heads. He has no chance at being in the lottery, but a good team that needs some hard fouls and rebounding for a few minutes a night could do a lot worse than taking this kid.
I always worry about NBA scouts drooling over potential. It's the whole reason they wanted to get rid of drafting HS kids. They get drunk on potential. All it takes is one franchise to fall in love and make him a promise.
I hope he stays. He is, in my opinion, the difference maker on this team. Teams can't just do what they normally do when he is playing. His leaving would certainly put a cap on the ceiling of next year's squad. If he stays they would have a legitimate shot at a final 4.
On the other hand, his leaving may not be so bad in the long run. I can't think of a single 1 and done Illini player. If he is the first it would likely only hurt the team for one year. I think Junior year Kofi is a pipe dream.
He was also getting frozen out by his teammates the first half of the year.
My only concern is what Dakich brought up during the game the other night. KC is kind of under the radar right now, but he will almost certainly work out for NBA scouts this off-season. Especially since they allow you to do that now without declaring. When they see how quick he is, how competitive he is, what kind of attitude and personality he has, and how quickly his game is coming together he may turn some heads. He has no chance at being in the lottery, but a good team that needs some hard fouls and rebounding for a few minutes a night could do a lot worse than taking this kid.
I always worry about NBA scouts drooling over potential. It's the whole reason they wanted to get rid of drafting HS kids. They get drunk on potential. All it takes is one franchise to fall in love and make him a promise.
I hope he stays. He is, in my opinion, the difference maker on this team. Teams can't just do what they normally do when he is playing. His leaving would certainly put a cap on the ceiling of next year's squad. If he stays they would have a legitimate shot at a final 4.
On the other hand, his leaving may not be so bad in the long run. I can't think of a single 1 and done Illini player. If he is the first it would likely only hurt the team for one year. I think Junior year Kofi is a pipe dream.
Not knowing enough is key.This is basically where I am at. I don't think Kofi is ready for the NBA and I think it make sense for him to stay another year if BU and OA plan on developing him away from the rim. However, there is no doubt Kofi has a really high ceiling and I would not be surprised if a teams reaches up and try to grab him. I also go see an established playoff team grabbing him in the late first round knowing he could be a lottery pick. I really just don't know enough about the NBA Draft and current teams to know for sure.
Not knowing enough is key.
THT thought he was first round and dropped. He had obvious weaknesses in his game.
What are the obvious weaknesses for Kofi? Are they fixable?
Kofi wouldn't be a first rounder, which means his contract isn't guaranteed and he'd float around in the D league. He can't shoot. I don't watch any NBA basketball, but don't you need to be able to shoot?
This is the exact comment I made to somebody the other day.Kofi hits free throws. that makes me think he'll be fine shooting away from the basket.
The short answer is - not necessarily, at his position. The template is there with guys who are great at rolling to the basket, sprint rim to rim, and can protect the rim defensively. Clint Capela is the mold. Willie Cauley Stein, Mitchell Robinson, Deandre Jordan, Dwight Howard. Adams, Thompson, Zubac etc. Anybody who tells you he can't fit in a modern NBA just simply isn't watching the NBA. Kofi fits - especially if he shoots free throws.I don't watch any NBA basketball, but don't you need to be able to shoot?
I was at every home game last year were you?Huh. We must've been watching different games. Hard to be frozen out all that much when you're using a quarter of your team's possessions when you're on the floor. Which, it should be mentioned, is a higher usage rate than Morant has had the past two months.
Its hard to be better than the best !I was at every home game last year were you?
Being unstoppable in a couple college games won't convince the NBA. Kofi will sell the idea of himself to the league in workouts after the tournament is over. I'm inclined to agree with the mock drafts at this point, I would be absolutely shocked to see him drafted after this year (unless he starts showing of a quality outside game in the next 2 months).If we have a magical run in the NCAA tournament this year, then it will be partially (in large part?) because Kofi was unstoppable. And, in that instance, he should absolutely declare. I'm hoping for another year though.
We were talking about the 1st half of Luka's rookie season. It was covered by many, not some myth.Huh. We must've been watching different games. Hard to be frozen out all that much when you're using a quarter of your team's possessions when you're on the floor. Which, it should be mentioned, is a higher usage rate than Morant has had the past two months.
I was at every home game last year were you?
We were talking about the 1st half of Luka's rookie season. It was covered by many, not some myth.
Luka didn’t get in because almost no one gets in their rookie year. LeBron didn’t, Luka didn’t, ja probably won’t either.Of course not -- what an odd flex. I don't live anywhere close to Texas.
This has gotten so far away from my original point about Ja's team in playoff position compared to the Mavs during their respective rookie seasons (maybe I shouldn't have used the word "drag"). Now it makes sense why that rubbed 3 point girl the wrong way, but that is still a fact either way you slice it. Even better, the Mavs had won 15 games after 26 games played last year, but only had 18 more wins over the next 56 games, so implying that Luka being shut out early on is the reason they weren't in playoff contention is just not true. And, regardless of whether Luka's teammates shut him out early in the season, he still had a higher usage rate every single month of last season than Ja has had over the past two months (admittedly Ja's usage was higher his first 1.5 months than Luka's first 1.5). Not only that, but he was averaging more MPG than Ja. In other words, he was using more of his team's possessions on offense while having more floor time to take advantage of those increased opportunities than Ja is getting over the bulk of this season. I didn't see anything written about Luka being shut out nor did I see it when I watched the Mavs, but then again I didn't attend "every home game" nor did I read Dallas news (unless you count the occasional Marc Stein). Still, the numbers show that this narrative is a poor point of comparison to use relative to Ja.
This isn't an apples to apples comparison, and I'm well aware of that -- all I had originally pointed out was that if Ja is selected as a reserve (I doubt he will be), it will be because his team is in playoff contention whereas the Mavs weren't in Luka's case for his rookie year. I'm not trying to place judgement on who is better right now or even who had the better rookie season. Ja is incredible but I think Luka could legit be the greatest ever if he keeps it up. If you want to poke holes in my argument, I'll do it for you -- Memphis may be in 8th place in the West right now but they only have two more wins than the Mavs did after 46 games last year. They clearly aren't a substantially better team but are benefitting from a tighter race for the 8th seed. Still, optics matter, and Ja is having a great season while Memphis is radically overreaching relative to expectations (hence the appearance that he is instrumental in possibly "dragging" them to the playoffs) -- that may cause some votes to swing his way, even though you could argue JJJ or their bench is more critical. Luka had a great rookie season but the Mavs still ended up on pace for the lottery, right where the expectations were -- there was no way he was making the All Star team while that happened.
Luka didn’t get in because almost no one gets in their rookie year. LeBron didn’t, Luka didn’t, ja probably won’t either.
I don't think he will either, but Luka also didn't drag his team to a potential playoff spot.
if Ja is selected as a reserve (I doubt he will be),