Post by themouth on Sept 5, 2015 21:11:21 GMT
Thanks to Bundy writing the ratings in the 2040 draft topic, we can check what improvements the player drafted four years ago have made seen then. Here's a top ten of the players who worked hard four summers and got way better !
CONSIDERATIONS
Tracy McGrady (#3, Houston Rockets)
Draft ratings : B- B- C B- C+
Current ratings : B- A- C B+ C+
T-Mac had this injury issue and he was somehow a bet at #3. But he improved the way he should and he's now a nice player. Great shooter, good defender, not so great attacking the rim, but he averaged 21.0ppg last year, with a nice .406 from behind the arc. Not really a passer (3.4apg, 2.1topg) but a capable rebounder (6.3rpg). And he's 21, which means he has more than enough time to become the best player in the league.
Chauncey Billups (#4, Los Angeles Clippers)
Draft ratings : C B- C+ B- D+
Current ratings : C B+ B B+ D
Billups is having a questionable career so far. He was in the All-Rookie Team (10.0ppg, 6.0apg, 1.6spg, .440 FG%) but he did not seem to get really better in the next years. His ratings are OK, not great, but he did some work since the draft. But he's still far from being a star in this league, his scoring is mediocre (11.3ppg in 27.8mpg) and his assists/turnovers ratio (1.4) is horrible for a point guard.
Paul Rogers (#19, Denver Nuggets)
Draft ratings : C+ C- C C B-
Current ratings : B- C- C B- B+
Roger was a random pick in the draft, and he's a min type player now. But he had to improve a lot only to stay in the league, and he did it. He's not the worst offensive center in the league (.434 FG% last year) and he's a really great rebounder. He was a starter in Denver two years ago and average 8.9ppg, 11.4rpg, .405 FG%. OK stats, but he's not good enough defensively to be a good roleplayer.
TOP TEN
10. Calvin Hammond (#24, Los Angeles Clippers)
Draft ratings : C B C- C C
Current ratings : C+ B+ C- B C+
It was hard to think back in 2040 that Hammond would have an impact in the league, but he played a lot of minutes in all his four seasons (25.5mpg, 23.3mpg, 26.0mpg, 25.8mpg). His playing style, outside big, is much loved in the league and he's a terrific three point shooter (.465 3P% last year), not a scorer though (5.5ppg in 25.8mpg). He improved a lot in defense and he grabs some rebounds (6.9rpg).
9. Keith Van Horn (#7, Sacramento Kings)
Draft ratings : B- B- C- C C
Current ratings : B A- C- C+ C+
Van Horn was an intriguing prospect in the 2040 draft. He looked like he could become a great scorer, and he did, mostly as a shooter : he just had a breakthrough season and he averaged 20.6ppg, .477 FG%, .383 3P% last year. Not a defender, but he improved in that area and is worth 1.1spg. Nice rebounder (6.2rpg) and not that bad in the ballhandling area (2.1apg, 2.3topg).
8. Luke Jeter (#8, Chicago Bulls)
Draft ratings : C+ C- C- B- C+
Current ratings : B- C C A- C+
Jeter is mostly known for his dunking abilities : he won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie. The problem is he can't really score right now (4.6ppg in 22.3mpg last year) even if he's OK from long range (.409 3P%). But he's a great defender and a top rebounder for a shooting guard (4.8rpg), and with a few more camps he could be a great starter in the league.
7. Antonio Daniels (#9, Utah Jazz)
Draft ratings : B- C+ C+ C+ D-
Current ratings : B B- B B D-
Daniels was drafted kinda high for his ratings, but it was a valuable pick. He developped into a very nice scorer (15.3ppg, .459 FG% last year), a very good passer (6.2apg, 2.5topg) and a capable defender (1.6spg). And he's quite young (only 23) with a lot of upside. He can't get a rebound even if the ball falls on his head though.
6. Kevin Garnett (#1, New York Knicks)
Draft ratings : B- C C B B-
Current ratings : B+ C C- A- A-
Garnett already had nice ratings as a rookie so he did not have to improve much to become a superstar. But his current ratings (B+ inside, A- defense, A- rebounding) are almost perfect for a big man. He has already been All Star three times at 23, averaged 17.6ppg, 12.2rpg, 2.7bpg last year and has a lot of potential left ! A legitimate shot to the GOAT status. Too bad his handles somehow went down, he could have been a quadruple double threat.
5. Milos Obradovic (#10, Milwaukee Bucks)
Draft ratings : B C- B+ C+ D-
Current ratings B C+ A- B+ D
Obradovic entered the draft looking like a young Isiah : great in the paint, great passer, no defense and no shooting. Three years later, he entered the league looking like the best Isiah : great scorer (16.8ppg), way better shooter (but .258 3P%), incredible ball handler (7.9apg, 1.6topg), very nice defender. By the way, he's 21 and has three years left being paid less than 3 millions.
4. Derek Anderson (#13, Atlanta Hawks)
Draft ratings : C B C C+ D+
Current ratings : C A- C+ A- D+
Anderson entered the draft as a prospect shooter who couldn't do anything else. Now, he's a great shooter (.400 3P%), not a scorer though (9.3ppg in 30.0mpg), but also an incredibly good defender (1.6spg). That's a huge improvement in such an important area. Also, he's nice handling the ball (2.7apg, 1.4topg). Definitely a steal at #13.
3. Clay Elliott (#5, Los Angeles Lakers)
Draft ratings : C+ C+ D+ C+ C-
Current ratings : B B- C- B+ C
Elliott was a very raw prospect, picked at #5 with no rating above C+. Four years later, he proved his potential was high enough to explain that choice : he's a very nice scorer (16.8ppg, .497 FG%) and defender (2.4bpg, 0.9spg). His outside shooting ability (.308 3P%) is very interesting for such a big man (he's 6'11") but he's not a rebounder (5.6rpg). More suited to play at the small forward.
2. Cuttino Mobley (#16, Charlotte Hornets)
Draft ratings : C B+ C C D+
Current ratings : C A- B- A- D+
Mobley entered the draft as a great shooter... and that's all. And now, he's a capable scorer (14.0ppg), not the best shooter in the league (.450 FG%, .369 3P%) but he's just incredible in every other area. Defensively he has gone from "horrible" to "one of the bests at the shooting guard spot" (1.9spg) ! And he's also incredibly great playing the point (7.7apg, 1.9spg). One of the best pick #16 in the last years. What a steal.
1. Kobe Bryant (#2, Seattle Supersonics)
Draft ratings : B- C+ C C+ C
Current ratings : B+ A- C+ A- C-
Bryant was very raw entering the draft. He was so raw some doubted he would be a star one day. His two first seasons (10.7ppg as a rookie, 13.4ppg as a sophomore) were quite tough. And then, BOUM ! He exploded and became overnight a great scorer (21.5ppg), a great defender (2.4spg), a capable ballhandler (3.7apg, 2.2topg). His rebounding rating went down, but he's still a big rebounder (5.6rpg) for a shooting guard. In one word, a star. A few TC away from the superstar status.
CONSIDERATIONS
Tracy McGrady (#3, Houston Rockets)
Draft ratings : B- B- C B- C+
Current ratings : B- A- C B+ C+
T-Mac had this injury issue and he was somehow a bet at #3. But he improved the way he should and he's now a nice player. Great shooter, good defender, not so great attacking the rim, but he averaged 21.0ppg last year, with a nice .406 from behind the arc. Not really a passer (3.4apg, 2.1topg) but a capable rebounder (6.3rpg). And he's 21, which means he has more than enough time to become the best player in the league.
Chauncey Billups (#4, Los Angeles Clippers)
Draft ratings : C B- C+ B- D+
Current ratings : C B+ B B+ D
Billups is having a questionable career so far. He was in the All-Rookie Team (10.0ppg, 6.0apg, 1.6spg, .440 FG%) but he did not seem to get really better in the next years. His ratings are OK, not great, but he did some work since the draft. But he's still far from being a star in this league, his scoring is mediocre (11.3ppg in 27.8mpg) and his assists/turnovers ratio (1.4) is horrible for a point guard.
Paul Rogers (#19, Denver Nuggets)
Draft ratings : C+ C- C C B-
Current ratings : B- C- C B- B+
Roger was a random pick in the draft, and he's a min type player now. But he had to improve a lot only to stay in the league, and he did it. He's not the worst offensive center in the league (.434 FG% last year) and he's a really great rebounder. He was a starter in Denver two years ago and average 8.9ppg, 11.4rpg, .405 FG%. OK stats, but he's not good enough defensively to be a good roleplayer.
TOP TEN
10. Calvin Hammond (#24, Los Angeles Clippers)
Draft ratings : C B C- C C
Current ratings : C+ B+ C- B C+
It was hard to think back in 2040 that Hammond would have an impact in the league, but he played a lot of minutes in all his four seasons (25.5mpg, 23.3mpg, 26.0mpg, 25.8mpg). His playing style, outside big, is much loved in the league and he's a terrific three point shooter (.465 3P% last year), not a scorer though (5.5ppg in 25.8mpg). He improved a lot in defense and he grabs some rebounds (6.9rpg).
9. Keith Van Horn (#7, Sacramento Kings)
Draft ratings : B- B- C- C C
Current ratings : B A- C- C+ C+
Van Horn was an intriguing prospect in the 2040 draft. He looked like he could become a great scorer, and he did, mostly as a shooter : he just had a breakthrough season and he averaged 20.6ppg, .477 FG%, .383 3P% last year. Not a defender, but he improved in that area and is worth 1.1spg. Nice rebounder (6.2rpg) and not that bad in the ballhandling area (2.1apg, 2.3topg).
8. Luke Jeter (#8, Chicago Bulls)
Draft ratings : C+ C- C- B- C+
Current ratings : B- C C A- C+
Jeter is mostly known for his dunking abilities : he won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie. The problem is he can't really score right now (4.6ppg in 22.3mpg last year) even if he's OK from long range (.409 3P%). But he's a great defender and a top rebounder for a shooting guard (4.8rpg), and with a few more camps he could be a great starter in the league.
7. Antonio Daniels (#9, Utah Jazz)
Draft ratings : B- C+ C+ C+ D-
Current ratings : B B- B B D-
Daniels was drafted kinda high for his ratings, but it was a valuable pick. He developped into a very nice scorer (15.3ppg, .459 FG% last year), a very good passer (6.2apg, 2.5topg) and a capable defender (1.6spg). And he's quite young (only 23) with a lot of upside. He can't get a rebound even if the ball falls on his head though.
6. Kevin Garnett (#1, New York Knicks)
Draft ratings : B- C C B B-
Current ratings : B+ C C- A- A-
Garnett already had nice ratings as a rookie so he did not have to improve much to become a superstar. But his current ratings (B+ inside, A- defense, A- rebounding) are almost perfect for a big man. He has already been All Star three times at 23, averaged 17.6ppg, 12.2rpg, 2.7bpg last year and has a lot of potential left ! A legitimate shot to the GOAT status. Too bad his handles somehow went down, he could have been a quadruple double threat.
5. Milos Obradovic (#10, Milwaukee Bucks)
Draft ratings : B C- B+ C+ D-
Current ratings B C+ A- B+ D
Obradovic entered the draft looking like a young Isiah : great in the paint, great passer, no defense and no shooting. Three years later, he entered the league looking like the best Isiah : great scorer (16.8ppg), way better shooter (but .258 3P%), incredible ball handler (7.9apg, 1.6topg), very nice defender. By the way, he's 21 and has three years left being paid less than 3 millions.
4. Derek Anderson (#13, Atlanta Hawks)
Draft ratings : C B C C+ D+
Current ratings : C A- C+ A- D+
Anderson entered the draft as a prospect shooter who couldn't do anything else. Now, he's a great shooter (.400 3P%), not a scorer though (9.3ppg in 30.0mpg), but also an incredibly good defender (1.6spg). That's a huge improvement in such an important area. Also, he's nice handling the ball (2.7apg, 1.4topg). Definitely a steal at #13.
3. Clay Elliott (#5, Los Angeles Lakers)
Draft ratings : C+ C+ D+ C+ C-
Current ratings : B B- C- B+ C
Elliott was a very raw prospect, picked at #5 with no rating above C+. Four years later, he proved his potential was high enough to explain that choice : he's a very nice scorer (16.8ppg, .497 FG%) and defender (2.4bpg, 0.9spg). His outside shooting ability (.308 3P%) is very interesting for such a big man (he's 6'11") but he's not a rebounder (5.6rpg). More suited to play at the small forward.
2. Cuttino Mobley (#16, Charlotte Hornets)
Draft ratings : C B+ C C D+
Current ratings : C A- B- A- D+
Mobley entered the draft as a great shooter... and that's all. And now, he's a capable scorer (14.0ppg), not the best shooter in the league (.450 FG%, .369 3P%) but he's just incredible in every other area. Defensively he has gone from "horrible" to "one of the bests at the shooting guard spot" (1.9spg) ! And he's also incredibly great playing the point (7.7apg, 1.9spg). One of the best pick #16 in the last years. What a steal.
1. Kobe Bryant (#2, Seattle Supersonics)
Draft ratings : B- C+ C C+ C
Current ratings : B+ A- C+ A- C-
Bryant was very raw entering the draft. He was so raw some doubted he would be a star one day. His two first seasons (10.7ppg as a rookie, 13.4ppg as a sophomore) were quite tough. And then, BOUM ! He exploded and became overnight a great scorer (21.5ppg), a great defender (2.4spg), a capable ballhandler (3.7apg, 2.2topg). His rebounding rating went down, but he's still a big rebounder (5.6rpg) for a shooting guard. In one word, a star. A few TC away from the superstar status.
