ADVERTISEMENT

NBA declaration thread

GE Nole

Well-Known Member
Sep 12, 2005
33,307
17,954
113
Do we have one of these yet? If so, please feel free to merge.

Devin Vassell has declared. His good bye made it seem pretty clear he’s staying in, too.

Is there any coaching staff in the country that consistently takes less heralded recruits and turns them into NBA picks as much as Hamilton? Vassell chose FSU over places like Stetson, lol. Now he’s a first rounder after his soph year. Mfiondu Kabengele had no other offers, 1st rounder. Bernard James didn’t even play organized basketball until he was in the Air Force and Hamilton got him drafted after two years too. Al Thornton was completely unknown before coming to FSU and leaving as a lotto pick.

Malik Beasley is a little different because he was a top 50 kid, but he went from not even a McDonalds All American to one and done, top 20 pick.
 
Before Beilein left for Cavs, he was the best one at developing marginal NBA talents into NBA picks, OP

That’s a good one for sure. What’s his list of “unknowns to NBA” look like?
 
Forgot about Levert. Was going to include Robinson but yeah as you said he wasn’t actually drafted.
He impressed me by a shat ton, going from playing for a D3 school to starting for UM to carving a niche in the NBA. Gotta give Beilein credit for his development as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGC_07
All those guys were 3 or 2 stars (or unranked) in high school?
Basically. I think Mo and Burke were low 4 stars, but Burke became a top 10 pick and Mo a first round pick. But the rest all were 3. DJ Wilson was ranked around 130 and became the 17th pick
 
Basically. I think Mo and Burke were low 4 stars, but Burke became a top 10 pick and Mo a first round pick. But the rest all were 3. DJ Wilson was ranked around 130 and became the 17th pick

Gotcha. Thanks. Definitely impressive. Belein is a hell of a college coach.

Kabengele was outside the top 250 and sported offers from BC, Binghamton, and St. Louis.

Vassell was unranked until FSU offered and he got invited to a local all star game. Ended up 200th. Selected FSU over Furman, North Florida, Stetson, and Indiana State.

Terance Mann was like you describe some of the Michigan guys. Low four star, somewhere in the top 120.

Bernard James didn’t play high school ball and was never really recruited. Ham found him in an armed forces pickup game.

Al Thornton was Hamilton’s first recruit at FSU. Didn’t have another offer until real late when he played in GA all star game. Think he was a 2 star.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Noahtogo24
Gotcha. Thanks. Definitely impressive. Belein is a hell of a college coach.

Kabengele was outside the top 250 and sported offers from BC, Binghamton, and St. Louis.

Vassell was unranked until FSU offered and he got invited to a local all star game. Ended up 200th. Selected FSU over Furman, North Florida, Stetson, and Indiana State.

Terance Mann was like you describe some of the Michigan guys. Low four star, somewhere in the top 120.

Bernard James didn’t play high school ball and was never really recruited. Ham found him in an armed forces pickup game.

Al Thornton was Hamilton’s first recruit at FSU. Didn’t have another offer until real late when he played in GA all star game. Think he was a 2 star.
Dang. Very impressive. Hamilton has your program humming. Only a matter of time before you get a Final Four. Could have been this year, that’s a shame.
 
Dang. Very impressive. Hamilton has your program humming. Only a matter of time before you get a Final Four. Could have been this year, that’s a shame.

Its been a fun ride. Don’t get me wrong, I love college football. Growing up in Tallahassee in the 80s and 90s was fantastic. But unlike most FSU fans I’ve always been a hoops guy even more. I’d give anything to have the year in year out success of programs like Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke. Or heck even Michigan. I think Hamilton has like half of all NCAA Tourney wins in school history lol.

So it’s been a really fun decade. He seems to have found a nice groove by recruiting 1 Dwayne Bacon or Jon Isaac a year and combining him with 2-3 solid top 100 players and 1-2 diamonds in the rough. Blend them together for a team that always has talent and experience.

But yeah, I feel really bad for him and the seniors this year. Really felt like the breakthrough was finally gonna happen. This team had a bit of everything.
 
Its been a fun ride. Don’t get me wrong, I love college football. Growing up in Tallahassee in the 80s and 90s was fantastic. But unlike most FSU fans I’ve always been a hoops guy even more. I’d give anything to have the year in year out success of programs like Michigan State, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke. Or heck even Michigan. I think Hamilton has like half of all NCAA Tourney wins in school history lol.

So it’s been a really fun decade. He seems to have found a nice groove by recruiting 1 Dwayne Bacon or Jon Isaac a year and combining him with 2-3 solid top 100 players and 1-2 diamonds in the rough. Blend them together for a team that always has talent and experience.

But yeah, I feel really bad for him and the seniors this year. Really felt like the breakthrough was finally gonna happen. This team had a bit of everything.
How do y’all look for next year? Still solid? Barnes coming in has got to help
 
How do y’all look for next year? Still solid? Barnes coming in has got to help

If Pat Williams comes back we will be as good or better. Barnes is the new 5 star freshman. MJ Walker is the next senior guard. Sardaar Calhoun is the diamond in the rough (no offers out of high school despite begging NCSU, blew up in JUCO). And Williams would be the sophomore soon to be first rounder.

Anthony Polite, Malik Osborne (2020 starter), RaiQuan Gray (2020 starter) Balsa Koprivika, and Rayquan Evans were all major contributors this year and all are likely back again. We will probably add a good grad transfer too, for the 3rd year in a row.

If Williams goes pro we will have a few growing pains early on. Definitely won’t go 10-1 OOC like this year. But if we were able to add another recruit and a grad transfer we’d probably still be very dangerous come March.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MGC_07
Do we have one of these yet? If so, please feel free to merge.

Devin Vassell has declared. His good bye made it seem pretty clear he’s staying in, too.

Is there any coaching staff in the country that consistently takes less heralded recruits and turns them into NBA picks as much as Hamilton? Vassell chose FSU over places like Stetson, lol. Now he’s a first rounder after his soph year. Mfiondu Kabengele had no other offers, 1st rounder. Bernard James didn’t even play organized basketball until he was in the Air Force and Hamilton got him drafted after two years too. Al Thornton was completely unknown before coming to FSU and leaving as a lotto pick.

Malik Beasley is a little different because he was a top 50 kid, but he went from not even a McDonalds All American to one and done, top 20 pick.

Hamilton has done a really good job turning NBA caliber athletes into NBA caliber basketball players. I don't give him much credit for Al Thornton, though, since he was a full grown man in college. Wasn't he like 24 years old when he was drafted? There was a really good Chad Ford/Bill Simmons debate on this a while back; Chad was right to harp on his age.
 
Hamilton has done a really good job turning NBA caliber athletes into NBA caliber basketball players. I don't give him much credit for Al Thornton, though, since he was a full grown man in college. Wasn't he like 24 years old when he was drafted? There was a really good Chad Ford/Bill Simmons debate on this a while back; Chad was right to harp on his age.

Thornton spent 5 years at FSU (he redshirted) so yes, he was probably 23 or so by the time he was drafted. What's your point? Thornton was a nothing recruit who was gonna go JUCO and instead went to FSU. He became a lotto pick (14th). How exactly did Hamilton do him wrong?

Thornton then earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and set a Clippers franchise record for points scored by a Rookie in one game (39). His second year he started 67 games and averaged 17 ppg. Isn't that ideal production for a late lotto pick?

I'm not sure what you point is. Or what Chad was right to harp on?
 
Thornton spent 5 years at FSU (he redshirted) so yes, he was probably 23 or so by the time he was drafted. What's your point? Thornton was a nothing recruit who was gonna go JUCO and instead went to FSU. He became a lotto pick (14th). How exactly did Hamilton do him wrong?

Thornton then earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors and set a Clippers franchise record for points scored by a Rookie in one game (39). His second year he started 67 games and averaged 17 ppg. Isn't that ideal production for a late lotto pick?

I'm not sure what you point is. Or what Chad was right to harp on?

My point was primarily a joke about how Thornton was a man playing against boys. Simmons was high on Thornton, and Chad downplayed his draft status due to his age and late breakout.
  • Simmons: "By the way, you will regret questioning Al Thornton. I'm just telling you now."
  • Ford: "Philly takes the first NBA rookie that may have to announce his retirement before his rookie contract expires."

https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=nbamockdraft/070627 (the Celtics talk here - "the Celtics look screwed" - is hilarious in hindsight considering they traded for Ray Allen and KG and won the title).
 
My point was primarily a joke about how Thornton was a man playing against boys. Simmons was high on Thornton, and Chad downplayed his draft status due to his age and late breakout.
  • Simmons: "By the way, you will regret questioning Al Thornton. I'm just telling you now."
  • Ford: "Philly takes the first NBA rookie that may have to announce his retirement before his rookie contract expires."

https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=nbamockdraft/070627 (the Celtics talk here - "the Celtics look screwed" - is hilarious in hindsight considering they traded for Ray Allen and KG and won the title).

Gotcha. I think all those statements would have been better spent on Bernard James, who was drafted at like 29, lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Big_Blue79
Xavier Tillman is testing the waters but not signing with an agent
 
Jay Scrubb will test the waters, he’s the juco committed to Louisville. If they hold the combine and workouts like a normal year I’d say he’s gone, but if not nba scouts will have questions about his level of competition. Selfishly I hope he has to prove his metal at Louisville for a season, as he’s not listed on many mock drafts.
 
So as of 3/25 at 2:30pm the list of big names is:

Tre Jones
Anthony Edwards
Isaac okoro
Devin Vassell
Nico Mannion
Obi Toppin
Jay Scrubb (testing)
Tyrese Haliburton
Xavier Tillman (testing)
Daniel Orturu
Siddiq Bey (testing)
Jeremiah Robinson Earl (testing)
 
  • Like
Reactions: lurkeraspect84
Jay Scrubb will test the waters, he’s the juco committed to Louisville. If they hold the combine and workouts like a normal year I’d say he’s gone, but if not nba scouts will have questions about his level of competition. Selfishly I hope he has to prove his metal at Louisville for a season, as he’s not listed on many mock drafts.

From what I understand there will be no combine, no workouts. They're using past season scouting reports and skype interviews.
 
Patrick Williams declares for NBA draft. While it hurts FSU next season, I'm really happy for that young man. I spoke with him quite a few times this year and he is mature beyond his years, unselfish, respectful, and constantly in the gym.

Looks like Hamilton and company don't have a hard time developing one dones. Can't say the same for Mike White down in Gainesville. Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann were both higher rated than Williams last year. Both will likely be back hanging out with 5 star Andrew Nembhard, who was thought to be a one and done prospect coming out of high school two years ago, but he'll be back for his junior year in Orange and Blue.
 
Patrick Williams declares for NBA draft. While it hurts FSU next season, I'm really happy for that young man. I spoke with him quite a few times this year and he is mature beyond his years, unselfish, respectful, and constantly in the gym.

Looks like Hamilton and company don't have a hard time developing one dones. Can't say the same for Mike White down in Gainesville. Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann were both higher rated than Williams last year. Both will likely be back hanging out with 5 star Andrew Nembhard, who was thought to be a one and done prospect coming out of high school two years ago, but he'll be back for his junior year in Orange and Blue.
Florida basketball has been a joke since Donavan left
 

Yes but with no combine, or workouts, gonna be interesting to see if he gets the first round feedback he’s looking for. Every underclassman than has declared is “testing the waters” until they start receiving money from their agent. The ncaa changed the rule a few years back, last year Nwora had an agent while going thru the process and still returned to school bc he didn’t take any $.

No doubt Scrubb wants to go pro (as does every other prospect), but if scouts aren’t convinced by his Juco tapes he might have to spend a year playing against better competition to warrant a first round pick. If I’d have to bet, I’d bet he stays in the draft, but it’s not set in stone. If he does stay in, Louisville is gonna need the soph class to make huge strides or we are gonna have some growing pains, unless we can land multiple GTs
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT