DRAFT WATCH #4 - French wing, UConn champ, Chinese shooter in for workouts
Photo by Gioele Mason/NBAE via Getty Images
Hoopshype in listing Draft prospects who’ve been worked out by NBA teams, provide 14 names who have shown up at HSS, led by Pacome Dadiet of France. it’s uncertain how many Draft prospects the Brooklyn Nets have had in for workout at HSS Training Center since the end of last season. In a normal year, there are dozens, accompanied by their agents, in groups of six or so, doing a variety of drills, scrimmages, sitdown interviews with the GM and coaches, etc.
This, of course, is not a normal year. The draft itself is generally seen as mediocre and Brooklyn is the only NBA team without a first or second round pick next Wednesday (first round) or Thursday (second round.) Despite suggestions by Sean Marks that they may get in, agents may not be that willing to bring prospects to HSS without knowing the Nets plans.
Still, tracking those who’ve gone through the process can provide some sense of what the team is looking for. You know, the direction thing.
On Thursday, Hoopshype published a list of 14 players, domestic and international, who it believes the Nets have had in. While it’s the most comprehensive so far, the list is incomplete no doubt and derived from Hoopshype’s own reporting rather than some official list circulated by the Nets.
An analysis indicates that the Nets have been looking at prospects more in the second round and like last year on the younger side. Of the 14, only four make the consensus of mock drafts, none higher than No. 32. The remainder are listed alphabetically.
Two of the four top-mocked prospects, Pacome Dadiet, a 6’7” wing out of France and Trentyn Flowers, a 6’9” point forward, are 18 and barely 19, We’ve profiled both of them in our Draft Sleepers of the Week in the NetsDaily Off-Season Reports. Both are athletic but also raw, with potential on both ends of the floor.
Dadiet has flirted with the late first round in some mock drafts. NBADraft.net wrote this about him earlier in the Summer when they had him at No. 27.
Pacome Dadiet is the prototypical 3-and-D player, but with the potential to become a lot more … A wing with great size, a solid shooter in Spot Up actions, who has shown glimpses as a secondary creator and a multi positional defender … With that said, he still has ways to go as a shooter, ball handler and defender, since he lacks consistency in all those areas … Dadiet’s ceiling is as high as anyone’s in this year’s class and if he finds a way to maximize his potential, he could become a really interesting player in the futur
Similarly, Flowers, who played four high school teams then signed with Australia’s NBL’s Adelaide 36ers, is all about potential. also per NBADraft.net
Young wing/forward with a great deal of talent and upside … Put in the right situation and with focus and development, he shows a lot of potential … A high level shooter with excellent shooting stroke and range out to NBA three … Tremendous form on shot, gets feet set quickly, shoots with very good elevation with follow through and a repeatable and consistent release … Has an NBA body with thick legs and a strong overall body and core strength.
The other prospects on the list who Hoopshype projects as second rounders are different, on the older side of 22. Both will be 24 on Draft Night.
Enrique Freeman is decidedly undersized as a 6’7” big but one who led Division 1 in rebounding at Akron. He would also be among the oldest players drafted at age 24. The NBA’s own draft profile notes his scrappy history — he was a walk-on — and defensive potential.
At 24 years old, Freeman isn’t the ideal draft prospect, but he has flashes of Draymond Green and Herbert Jones, who are both perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidates. ... Freeman’s chances of being an NBA role player likely depend on where he ends up.
The questions about Cam Spencer, who won two national titles at UConn under Danny Hurley, are two-old. He’s also 24 and a great shooter as well as a solid defender and leader but is he athletic enough for the NBA? Also, is there an NBA rule limiting the number of roster players named Cam?? From NBADraft.net.
Spencer is a crafty combo guard and will knock down shots when left open… Excellent 3-point shooter that can hit from all over the court, shot 44 percent from beyond the arc in 2023-24 — fifth in the NCAA… Tremendous feel for the game and team mentality … Competitive player who loves to challenge the opposing team’s top players verbally and mentally … Fits into any offense with his floor spacing and awareness on the court.
We’ve previously written about a few other prospects who’ve been in, like Taran Armstrong, a 6’6” Australian point guard whose prospects have rising during individual workouts, and three other 24 year olds, none of whom are likely to be drafted but could wind up on a G-League roster: Bryan Antoine, one of New Jersey’s top high school players ever who was plagued by injuries at Villanova; Jaylin Williams, a do-it-all forward who played five years at Auburn; and Daniss Jenkins, a combo guard from St. John’s.
One other prospect who’s intriguing as one of the top pure shooters in draft pool: Yongxi “Jacky” Cui, a 6’7” guard who played in the Chinese Basketball Association last season and wowed people at the G League Elite camp last month when he nailed 23-of-25 3-point attempts...
@nbagleague HE CAN’T MISS! Chinese prospect Yongxi “Jacky” Cui sank 23 of 25 three-pointers during today’s shooting drills at the G League Elite Camp. ♬ MILLION DOLLAR BABY (VHS) - Tommy Richman
A graduate of the NBA Global Academy in Australia and a member of the Chinese national team, the 20-year old averaged 15.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 37% from three for Guangzhou in the Chinese CBA. Guangzhou produced Yi Jianlin, who New Jersey Nets fans may — or may not — recall. Hoopshype recently interviewed him. No mention of Joe or Clara Wu Tsai but he said he’s not opposed to starting his NBA career in the G League.
As we noted, the Nets currently don’t have a pick but we have also noted previously, the Nets two first rounders from last year, Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney are younger than all but 10 of the 58 players likely to be drafted on Wednesday and Thursday. So even if they don’t grab a pick, the Nets will still have young players to develop.
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