[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]
2019 NBA Draft: What Are Experts Saying About Mountain West Picks
Three Mountain West players were drafted
Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire
The NBA Draft was kind to the Mountain West
Well, well, well, look at that. In the 2019 NBA Draft the Mountain West had a trio of players drafted, which was fairly shocking as we expected, incorrectly, that just one player was going to hear their name called during the draft.
https://twitter.com/MountainWest/status/1142108385791348736
With some of these picks being a surprise we are going to take a swing around the internet to see what the NBA experts said about these draft picks.
Round 2, Pick 36, Charlotte Hornets: Cody Martin, Nevada
https://twitter.com/NevadaHoops/status/1141911047139282944
CBS Sports: With an excellent frame and positional versatility, Cody Martin brings combo guard skills to the Hornets who are in need of upgrading their backcourt talent. Grade: C
ESPN: Charlotte took a flier on long-armed, 6-foot-6 wing Cody Martin, a versatile player who saw quite a few minutes at point guard for Nevada and impressed with his defense and toughness. — Jonathan Givony
Bleacher Report: Martin is a no-flash prospect with the vision and passing touch to orchestrate NBA pick-and-rolls right now. His length and mobility will help him battle guards and wings defensively. Grade: C
RotoWorld: The Hornets added Kentucky forward PJ Washingtonwith the 12thpick, F Cody Martin at 36 and F Jalen McDaniels with the 52ndpick. They didn’t shock the world, but I think they did well with what they had. Grade: C
Pro Basketball Talk: A good athlete, plays hard, can play at the two or three, the real concern has been his shot. If he can shoot, this could be a good pick up.
Round 2, Pick 40, Sacramento Kings: Justin James, Wyoming
https://twitter.com/wyo_mbb/status/1141921643004125184
CBS Sports: Sacramento is getting a productive four-year college player in James who averaged a conference-high 22.1 points per game last season in the Mountain West. While his efficiency is a concern, his scoring instincts are not. Grade: B
ESPN: Wyoming’s Justin James, a versatile ball handler who was somewhat of an afterthought in the pre-draft process, was picked at No. 40. — Jonathan Givony
Bleacher Report: Athleticism and energy drive the appeal for Wyoming’s Justin James, who averaged 22.1 points as a senior.
He’s serviceable-to-solid in a lot of different areas, but he doesn’t excel in any particular one. His three-point shot fluctuated wildly (41.9 percent as a sophomore, 29.6 percent as a senior). Grade: D
RotoWorld: The Kings got F Justin James at 40, G Kyle Guy at 55, and G Vanja Marinkovic with the final pick of the draft. They made the most of their low picks. Grade: B-
Pro Basketball Talk: He was the offense for the Cowboys, and his ability to shoot on the move coming off picks could translate to the NBA, but he needs to be more consistent as a shooter. The biggest concern is he needs to get a lot stronger to play in the NBA.
Round 2, Pick 55, Charlotte Hornets: Jalen McDaniels, San Diego State
https://twitter.com/MountainWest/status/1141924637489553408
CBS Sports: Charlotte’s selection of Jalen McDaniels continues a theme of the front office’s goal to address depth in the frontcourt. He needs to improve as a shot-blocker and shooter to reach his potential, but he at least has intriguing perimeter skills for a player his size. Grade: C
ESPN: Jalen McDaniels’ size, ballhandling and defensive versatility are interesting enough to warrant a pick at this stage of the draft, even if his slender frame will have to improve to earn a roster spot eventually. — Jonathan Givony
Bleacher Report: The Hornets went outside the safety net to roll the dice on Jalen McDaniels, a 6’9¾” forward with an interesting blend of ball-handling skill and defensive versatility. He also needs to add considerable bulk to his 192-pound frame, or he’ll be susceptible to bully-ball around the basket.
Nevertheless, he could be intriguing if Charlotte gives him enough time. Grade: B-
RotoWorld: The Hornets added Kentucky forward PJ Washington with the 12thpick, F Cody Martin at 36 and F Jalen McDaniels with the 52ndpick. They didn’t shock the world, but I think they did well with what they had. Grade: C
Pro Basketball Talk: He’s long, athletic, plays hard, and has real potential as a guy who can defend multiple positions. He’s either going to have to learn to shoot a lot better to play the three or add a lot of muscle to play more in the paint in the NBA.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1361]