Post by London on Aug 23, 2013 8:23:08 GMT -6
LONDON (AP) -- Ask various "experts" and they'll tell you what they think of the upcoming 2016 ABCA Legends Rookie Draft. Some think it is super thin while others think it has good talent to be had but almost none of them will tell you it is a great draft.
All that could change with the declaration of two prospects into this year's draft pool. Both players look to grade out as Point Guards which will probably help their stock.
The first is well-known basketball clown Meadowlark Lemon who is best know for his showboating style on the court. He is a showman who is know as a flashy, high-energy player who loves to involve the fans as much as his teammates. For the sake of whatever team drafts him lets hope he decides to pass the ball to his team rather than the audience. Still, his brand of basketball should help sell tickets and give someone another player they can count on for starter minutes.
Meadowlark may not have the high-end talent of some of the previous Point Guards taken high in the draft, but he could be the right player for a team in the mid-to-late lottery.
The second player comes from fresh from Rucker Park - Earl "The Goat" Manigualt. He is (appropriately) a Legend when it comes to street basketball coupled with his mythical jumping skills and he's not your typical Point Guard. He's also not the type of Point Guard who will distribute the ball to everyone but he is certainly a game-changing offensive weapon who packs a lot of punch and the right amount of swagger.
Scouts vary as to their exact opinion on Manigault's game and how is translates to ABCA but he should certainly be in the discussion for a Top 6 pick - perhaps even first overall. His largest asset might be his age since the rest of the top prospects look to be no younger than 21.
Perhaps these two alone won't take a draft from being one of the weakest to one of the strongest but with other foreign inclusions it might not be as void of talent as many originally prognosticated. That being said this draft looks to be similar to last year with no clear cut top pick. This will be a draft order that will be dictated by the needs of the teams drafting.
This might be the year that takes Point Guard off the endangered position list in ABCA the way the last draft made Small Forwards and Shooting Guards plentiful.
Because of that I can see Elvin Hayes, who will be 23, going first overall with Wes Unseld going #2 due to the need for bigs in the league.
All that could change with the declaration of two prospects into this year's draft pool. Both players look to grade out as Point Guards which will probably help their stock.
The first is well-known basketball clown Meadowlark Lemon who is best know for his showboating style on the court. He is a showman who is know as a flashy, high-energy player who loves to involve the fans as much as his teammates. For the sake of whatever team drafts him lets hope he decides to pass the ball to his team rather than the audience. Still, his brand of basketball should help sell tickets and give someone another player they can count on for starter minutes.
Meadowlark may not have the high-end talent of some of the previous Point Guards taken high in the draft, but he could be the right player for a team in the mid-to-late lottery.
The second player comes from fresh from Rucker Park - Earl "The Goat" Manigualt. He is (appropriately) a Legend when it comes to street basketball coupled with his mythical jumping skills and he's not your typical Point Guard. He's also not the type of Point Guard who will distribute the ball to everyone but he is certainly a game-changing offensive weapon who packs a lot of punch and the right amount of swagger.
Scouts vary as to their exact opinion on Manigault's game and how is translates to ABCA but he should certainly be in the discussion for a Top 6 pick - perhaps even first overall. His largest asset might be his age since the rest of the top prospects look to be no younger than 21.
Perhaps these two alone won't take a draft from being one of the weakest to one of the strongest but with other foreign inclusions it might not be as void of talent as many originally prognosticated. That being said this draft looks to be similar to last year with no clear cut top pick. This will be a draft order that will be dictated by the needs of the teams drafting.
This might be the year that takes Point Guard off the endangered position list in ABCA the way the last draft made Small Forwards and Shooting Guards plentiful.
Because of that I can see Elvin Hayes, who will be 23, going first overall with Wes Unseld going #2 due to the need for bigs in the league.