JBL Power Rankings - Pre-Season Edition

JBL Power Rankings – 2019 Pre-Season

With the JBL Auction less than 3 weeks away and the NBA pre-season beginning, I thought it was a good time to look at the JBL rosters and see who is in the best shape heading into the 19/20 JBL season. 

Obviously, those established teams with as many as 5 players (4 keepers and 1 rookie) will likely be rated higher than those teams with less players. For a team like French Lick, the defending Champ, who has won 3 of the last 4 titles and who has 5 players coming back (33% of his roster is already set) – they are going to be very highly rated. 

So, with that said, let me dive right in. Here are your Power Rankings in 3 distinct tiers (A, B, C).

Grade A teams: French Lick, Chilliwack, Idaho

French Lick
As mentioned above, French Lick is the envy of the JBL these days. 3 titles in the last 4 seasons. A loaded roster coming back for the 19/20 season. He’s got Mitchell Robinson as a cornerstone piece to this franchise for many years to come. He’s got 4 keepers who would all go for much more at Auction so he’s got ‘value’ on his side already. And for French, a known Celtic lover, he’s got his boy Tatum on the cheap as well. Nothing better than winning fantasy pools while having guys from your favourite team on board. This team is already well balanced but you know Hildy will be looking for ATO during the Auction as he’s light in ATO right now. All that being said, this French Lick squad is once again the favourite to win it all in 2019/20. The rest of us all have our work cut out to knock him off his pedestal.

Chilliwack

It’s been 6 years since the Wack won his last JBL title, but this year’s squad is poised to make a run. He’s got Towns and Adebayo at huge discounts and was lucky enough to nab the #2 rookie pick and selected potential superstar Ja Morant with his pick. The Wack knows how to JBL, no doubt about it. This 4-time champ will be well prepared come Auction night and I expect him to be laser focused on building a title contender. This is KAT’s last year before he goes back to Auction so Benny needs to make sure he takes full advantage of his discounted price. This Wack team could be knocking on French’s door if he drafts right. Of course, the 5 year trend in the Wack has not been very good. But, because Benny is a former champ, member of the Elite Champions Club, my best mate, I’m excited to see if he can win another title and catch Mr. Woo for 2^nd place all time.

Idaho

Yet again, Idaho has proclaimed this is the year that he takes home the JBL Title. He’s getting closer every season. Last year he was 2^nd. Year before that he was 3^rd. So he’s moving in the right direction. With Ben Simmons and DeAndre Ayton on board, Tuna has 2 massively discounted players on his roster already. They are both studs and the cornerstones of the franchise. He’s also got Kanter and Allen on board for rebounds. I’m sure Idaho was disappointed to see DeAndre Jordan land in Brooklyn as it takes the shine off Allen’s potential breakout season. Nevertheless, Allen has value and with Kanter’s boards as well this is a very BIG roster to start the Auction. Adding the #3 rookie pick RJ Barrett to the fold completes the big 5 for Idaho going into the season. Barrett is a complete wildcard in my book. There will be nights where he goes off and there will be nights where he looks lost. Regardless, Idaho is poised to make a run at his 1^st ever JBL title. To join the elite JBL Champions Club would be a very rare feat indeed. Can he do it? Can Idaho actually do it?

Grade B teams:  Bangkok, Norfolk, Juan de Fuca, Maui, Golden, Brussels

Bangkok

We all know about Bangkok’s big offseason move to trade Zion to Seoul for 3 established players and the #4 rookie pick. What could have been a lengthy rebuild towards chasing a title in a year or two has been accelerated into ‘win-now’ mode in Bangkok. With Mitchell, Siakam, and Turner on board, the Kok already has some seriously category builds going on. Adding in a rookie like Hunter, who should play right away, fits the build for Bangkok to compete this season. Knowing that the good Doctor is not going to be ordering the Kok around his own house also gives me belief that Rick can focus on the draft and not on getting another scotch and some peanuts for his house guests. The Kok has a similar build to French so far and needs to get himself some ATO at Auction. Will Rick look to go big and acquire a big name or will he build around a bunch of mid-tier players? There are a lot of options here for Rick and I’m excited to see what the Kok does if he’s a contending team. 

Norfolk

The good Doctor will apparently be drafting from a wedding venue in Toronto on the night of the draft. Hopefully he’s able to find someone to bring him his scotch on demand like he did when drafting at the Kok’s house. This is year #7 for Norfolk and he’s coming of best ever 5^th place finish. On top of that, he’s bringing back 3 excellent players in Bradley Beal, Trae Young and Domantas Sabonis. It’s very well balanced 3-some and he’s added a potential gem in Jaxson Hayes. He could be the Pelicans starting Center in the very near future. The key for Norfolk will obviously be the draft and if he’s able to spend the time needed while he’s at this wedding. The Auction is such a massive building block for JBL teams so let’s see if Norfolk can get it all sorted out. With a strong draft, Norfolk could definitely be in the hunt for a money spot this coming season.

Juan de Fuca

Juan is the answer to a great trivia question. Outside of Golden, French, Seoul, and Chilliwack, name the last JBL team to win the title. That’s right, it’s Juan de Fuca, in the 99/00 season. That’s 19 years ago now!! Juan comes into the 19/20 season with a very balanced 5-man roster. He’s got scoring with Lavine and Randle. He’s got ATO with Brogdon and Augustin. He’s got a rookie, Hachimura, who should get a lot of minutes. And he’s got a history of strong performances in the JBL. As you can see from the chart below, he’s got 8 money-spot finishes in the last 15 years. Look for Juan to get some blocks at Auction and as always, look for Juan to get some Raptors on that roster. Juan will be right there contending for a money spot again in 2019/20. Count on it.

Maui

Here come the Ribs. One of the OG’s in the JBL, this is year 29 for Trev and he’s finished in a money-spot in 5 of the last 6 seasons. This year, Maui brings back 4 keepers and 1 rookie as he heads to Auction. How will Porzingis do paired with Doncic in Dallas? This is year 5 for the Unicorn and he’s been a big reason why Maui is a contender in years past. Maui also has holdover rookie picks in Bagley and Isaac on the squad this season. Both of them look ready for bigger roles and could be fantasy darlings this season. Maui also secured Jarrett Culver in this year’s rookie draft and he could be a starter in Minnesota before it’s all said and done.  And Maui will ride Caris LeVert one more season in Brooklyn as well. With KD injured for the season, LeVert could have a nice campaign with Kyrie by his side. Like other squads, Maui is light in ATO and will likely be looking for some point guards at Auction.  With a strong draft, Maui can be shooting for another money finish or maybe even a JBL title.  And as most of you know, if you want a player, best get him at Auction, cause once he’s in Maui, it’s unlikely he’ll be leaving. 

Golden

Johnny is back to chase a 12^th JBL title. The 18/19 JBL season was Golden’s worst finish since the debacle of 2010. I believe that was the Vegas Draft and my attempt at a Gay Love team (Rudy and Kevin). Golden brings back 3 players (Fox, Harrell, and Gilgeous-Alexander) on decent contracts and I’m excited to see SGA in OKC. Picking rookie Brandon Clarke was based solely on people smarter than me saying that he would be a good player in the NBA. Plus, he was born in Vancouver so that gives me 2 Canadians already. Is another Johnny theme team in the works? Golden clearly needs some rebounds at Auction and will be looking to spend all of his Auction money this season (as opposed to years gone by where I’ve left a lot of money on the table). Will Golden be contending for another JBL title? History says yes. 

Brussels

The Muscles rebuild is in full effect. Last season he grabbed Doncic with the 2^nd overall rookie pick. Then he traded for Jaren Jackson Jr to give him 2 stud rookies to build around. Now, in this year’s rookie draft, he may have landed another gem in Darius Garland. Could Brussels be building something big here? It all depends on what Timmy does at Auction. And of course, it also depends on whether he can manage his Free Agent dollars. In year’s past, Brussels is out of money before Christmas and has to ride it out for a few months. Like other teams, ATO and 3PT% will be a priority if he wants to build a balanced team. Word is Brussels is creating his own War Room for the Auction so there are fewer distractions. Could this be the year that Brussels competes for a money spot? It’s been a dark 5 year period for Brussels as you can see. Come on Timmy. I’m cheering for you. 

Grade C teams:  Arctic, Seoul, Vancouver

Arctic

You might think this is a little harsh for Arctic to be here in the ‘C’ category. This ranking is more based on the amount of money Arctic has left for Auction and the unknown on whether Arctic will be making player selections or if he will engage his Auto-Pilot to complete the draft. If I knew for certain that Crikker was going to be drafting his own roster, then I would move them to the ‘B’ list. If he auto-drafts, who knows what this roster will look like when the Auction is over. With Westbrook, Harden and Russell on board already, the Arctic is loaded with scoring. The %’s are going to be an issue but he could work on those depending on who he drafts (or auto-drafts). The biggest issue for the Arctic is having just $107 bucks for 11 players. It’s very do-able, but I would have more faith in this squad if Crikker was behind the wheel instead of Steady Eddy the auto-pilot. 

Seoul

Again, maybe a harsh grade for the 5-time champion but this is more of a product of him having just 1 player to start the Auction. Also, I have to factor in sleep deprivation since Phil is a new Daddy. Will he be able to stay awake for the entire draft? Will he be able to avoid petting Barkley the whole night? Will he stay focused and not play NBA2K? There are a lot of variables to factor in here with Seoul.  I love that Woo traded his entire roster for Zion. That takes balls. I would also wager that Zion doesn’t finish the season in Seoul. Will he be able to build a contender around Zion? He might. Woo’s last 5 years has just one money spot finish. Will his reliance on Tendex rankings bring him back to glory? I love the wildcard that is Philly Woo. 

Vancouver

This will be year #6 for the Jizzlies squad. They are bringing back Kemba and Hardaway Jr while they also added one of my Blazers, Nassir Little, at the rookie draft. I think Kemba will be very good in Boston while I have my doubts about Hardaway in Dallas. The Auction will be key for this franchise and whether they can compete in 19/20. They need good players. Plain and simple. In their short history, it’s been a tough go. Their history looks a lot like the other Vancouver franchise and their short time in the NBA. It only takes a few smart picks and some luck to be right there in the JBL race. Let’s see if this is the year for them to make a move up the standings.

Incomplete Grades – Cali, Bellingham

I love that the JBL has 2 expansion teams. Albeit, Cali does have prior JBL experience from a few years back. It’s always nice to have new owners who are passionate about fantasy hoops. With now 14 JBL franchises, it places extra emphasis on Auction night and ensuring you get a solid roster to start the year. It also gives Idaho two new teams to bombard with trade offers. History shows that expansion teams struggle in the JBL. However, with an Auction draft you can build a roster however you like and with some clever Free Agent signings and shrewd trades, you just never know.  Best of luck to our new expansion friends, I’m excited to have you on board. 

Rookie Rewind 2019

The 2019 Rookie Draft

With the summer dragging on and my Fantasy Football team already 0-2 the focus on the JBL intensified this past week. So much so that teams were dropping players left and right with the hopes of beginning the JBL rookie draft early. Usually we start out Rookie draft around October 1^st but the group this year was super keen on starting early and despite a few mild protests – everyone dropped their final players.

With those final drops completed, we officially opened the 2019/20 JBL season. Again, this is our 29^th year of JBL fantasy hoops.

Let’s have a quick look at the picks…

#1 – Seoul – Zion Williamson

Was there ever a doubt? Seoul goes into the Auction with 1 player and $245 remaining to spend. Woo will build around Zion and try to win another title.

#2 – Chilliwack – Ja Morant

I’m still not sure if this pick is actually staying in Chilliwack or is apart of a bigger trade. Nevertheless, for now, Morant is an Off. This was always going to be the pick at 2. Morant could be very, very good. Chilliwack has 3 players on his roster and $198 left to spend at Auction.

#3 – Idaho – RJ Barrett

Again, the defacto choice all along. Even though we all know the 3^rd pick and/or RJ was offered around the JBL at some point. Idaho has 5 guys on his roster and $176 bucks to spend at Auction.

#4 – Bangkok – De’Andre Hunter

Was this the safe pick? Or was it the right pick? Or was it both? The rumours were Kok was going to take Hunter and it turned out to be the case. Hunter is primed for a starting position and could push for 30 minutes a night. Will he be a superstar? Unlikely. Will he play enough minutes to be fantasy worthy? Yes, I think so.  Bangkok, after the big trade with Seoul, now has 4 players on his roster and still has $201 to spend on Auction night.

#5 – Golden – Brandon Clarke

The first pick to go off-script from the NBA draft. Watching Clarke at Gonzaga this past season got me partially hooked on him. Plus he was born in Vancouver. So add him to SGA and I’m creating my own Team Canada. I like Clarke’s game and hope he can play some minutes off the Memphis bench. And if they get blown out, then more minutes for Clarke.  Golden has 4 players on the roster and $218 to spend at Auction. Of course, will I spend all of it is always the question. Golden is notorious for saving money for players that don't exist.

#6 – Brussels – Darius Garland

Brussels must have liked seeing Garland slip to him at #6. The kid only played 5 college games at Vanderbilt before blowing a knee. Recent videos show he’s bulked up considerably and looks 100%. And man this kid can shoot. This is the big potential player that Brussels was hoping to land. Adding Garland to Doncic and Jackson Jr is a major haul for a rebuilding Brussels squad. Timbo now has 3 players on the roster and still has $221 to spend.

#7 – Norfolk – Jaxson Hayes

Another move off script here. The Doctor aiming for the high ceiling that Hayes brings to the table. Love his potential but will he play much this season in New Orleans? Guess we’ll find out. Norfolk has 4 players on his roster and still has $171 to spend.

#8 – Arctic – Sekou Doumbouya

This was a big home run swing here by the Arctic. Not much is known about Doumbouya. Some have compared his potential to the Greak Freek. Could you imagine. Not sure if Doumbouya will spend more time with the Pistons or in the G-League. But hey, why not take a swing. If you don’t like him, drop him. Arctic has 4 players on the roster and just $107 bucks left to spend. Keeping those high-priced keepers has always been the Arctic’s play.

#9 – Vancouver – Nassir Little

If you thought the Sekou Doumbouya pick was a big swing, this is a monstrous swing for the fences. Little was rated very highly coming into his freshman season at North Carolina. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a great college season. That said, he was projected to go in the lottery but for some reason slipped to the Blazers at #25. Being a Blazers fan, I love the pick for them. Many scouts still feel Little could be a star in the NBA. I don’t expect to see him play much for a Blazers team that was in the Western Conference Finals last year and whose coach only played rookies (Simons and Trent) 20 and 15 games respectively last season. Classic draft and stash here.  Vancouver now has 3 players on the roster and still has $206 to spend at Auction.

#10 – Maui – Jarrett Culver

Maui’s draft strategy over the years is pretty simple. Take the highest remaining available rookie. NBA teams employ smart people to make the best picks, so for Maui to take the #6 pick in this draft with the 10^th JBL pick was a no-brainer. As mentioned, I think Culver could start eventually for the Wolves. Safe pick here by Maui.  The Ribs now have 5 players and still have $203 to spend at Auction.

#11 – Juan de Fuca – Rui Hachimura

Another good pick here in the sense that Hachimura should see lots of minutes with the Wizards this season. Who are the other forwards? Davis Bertans? Troy Brown? CJ Miles? Umm, yeah, Hachimura should play. Juan has 5 players on the roster and $186 to spend on Auction night.

#12 – French Lick – Goga Bitadze

I’d like to say this is a surprising pick by French but I know the methods to his madness and predicted this pick. Goga should see time as the first big off the bench in Indiana. He’s ready to play and could put up decent numbers for the defending champ. There is a reason that French has won 3 of 4 – he follows the numbers. French has 5 players and $204 still to spend. 

#13 – Bellingham – Cam Reddish

The 1^st ever pick in Bellingham has a chance to see a lot of minutes for a young Hawks team. Cam can play multiple positions and if he can figure out his shooting could make an impact this coming season. Bellingham has Cam and $259 to spend on Auction night.

#14 – Cali – Cameron Johnson

Much like the Suns, Cali reaches for Mr. Johnson. At this stage of the game, why not swing for the fences. Cali goes into Auction with Johnson and $259 bucks to spend.

So, there you have it Gents, the 2019 JBL rookie draft. Surprises? For sure. Coby White, who the Bulls took at #7, didn’t get picked. I find that a bid odd. Maybe it was my harsh review of his summer league play? We saw lots of guys that were not drafted in the top 14 picks in the NBA draft get taken in ours. Doumbouya (15), Bitadze (18), Clarke (21) and Little (25) all found their way into the top 14 of the JBL draft. I think there could be a poll here for the JBL site to keep things interesting…

And finally, here is the breakdown of what each team needs (# of players) and how much they have to spend in the October 19^th JBL Auction. 

Team Players to Draft Money to Spend

Arctic 11 $107

Bangkok 11 $201

Bellingham 14 $259

Brussels 12 $221

Cali 14 $259

Chilliwack 12 $198

French Lick 10 $204

Golden 11 $218

Idaho 10 $176

Juan de Fuca 10 $186

Maui 10 $203

Norfolk 11 $171

Seoul 14 $245

Vancouver 12 $206

The Rookies

The Top 10 Picks in the NBA Draft

As the slow summer months drag on it’s time for another JBL Chronicles. Even though our JBL Rookie draft is still a couple weeks away (deadline for drops is October 1^st) I thought I would share my thoughts on this year’s top 10 rookie picks. Should I be sharing my thoughts on these guys considering our Rookie draft hasn’t happened yet? Well sure, why not, again my history with rookies is less than stellar so if anyone is reading this and making a decision based on my comments, shame on them. What do I know?

Furthermore, I have pick #5 in this draft and we can all pretty much agree on who will be the top 3 picks will be so I don’t think sharing my take on the other 7 top 10 picks is going to change much. All 10 of these players will be selected in our 14 team rookie draft. So there really isn’t any surprises there. I will say that I don’t envision our rookie draft following the exact same order, but who knows, that’s why the rookie drafts is so much fun.

So, with that, here we go…

#1 – Pelicans - Zion Williamson – the guy is a beast. A ManChild.  I know some say he will be a bust because he’s carrying too much weight. And hey, they might be right, but I just see a beast of a player. I see similarities to Barkley or Larry Johnson or Elton Brand. Undersized but a bull in a china shop. I like him. I like him a lot. Is he the best rookie since Anthony Davis? Since Karl-Anthony Towns? Only time will tell. But I clearly see why Seoul sold the farm to move up to #1. Most people would be building around Zion for 5 years and the rest of us would never have a chance to trade for him. That’s the great thing about Zion landing in Seoul because it’s highly unlikely Zion lasts the full 5 years. Phil is not afraid to pull the trigger on a trade if it means a chance at another JBL Title. Did you know Seoul hasn’t won a title since the 2010/11. That’s a long time ago. Is Seoul still considered a perennial favourite when they haven’t won in 8-9 years?

#2 – Grizzlies - Ja Morant – again, I’m a huge fan. Not just of him as a player but of his landing spot. Being in Memphis and essentially giving the keys to him. I like it. The fear of small or mid-major schools shouldn’t be there anymore with guys like Lillard and McCollum showing that those players can be successful in the NBA. Morant and Jackson Jr should be an exciting young duo for the rebuilding Grizz. I think he could have a real shot at Rookie of the Year because he’s going to have the ball in his hands all the time. I don’t have any doubts that he’s going to be the #2 pick in the JBL rookie draft. I think Benny would love to add him to his KAT/Bam combo. However, I’m also well aware of teams with offers to move up to #2 to presumably grab Morant. We’ve already seen the #1 pick flipped – let’s see if Benny stays here at 2.

#3 – Knicks - RJ Barrett – love that another Canadian kid went so high in the draft. His numbers at Duke were insane and I like that he landed in New York. I don’t like that NY went out and signed 5 power forwards for this season. Once NY didn’t land the big fish Free Agent I would have much preferred they just go with a young team and build through their youth. My question though is can he be a fantasy stud? His percentages were not great in college so how will they translate to the NBA. I expect a lot of points and some huge nights. No one is higher on RJ Barrett than Idaho. That works out really well since Idaho is picking at #3. Now, it could all be a part of an elaborate rouge by Idaho, pumping the tires of RJ and looking for someone willing to trade up and get him. However, I’m not sure if everyone is as sold on RJ as Idaho is. I’m not saying there is another player to take over him at #3 but RJ does appear to be very difficult to project at the pro level. 

#4 – Hawks - DeAndre Hunter – the Hawks paid a huge price to move up and get him in the draft. For me, he’s going to be a way better real life NBA player than he will be in Fantasy. However, he’s in the perfect landing spot. A young team who needs a Small Forward. He can play D and he can shoot 3’s. He has lots of opportunity to approach 30 minutes a night and in most cases - minutes usually mean fantasy stats.  Will Hunter be the #4 pick in the JBL rookie draft? Bangkok now sits at #4 and we know Kok could go 2 ways here. He will go with the ‘safest’ pick and the one who will likely contribute to the Fighters this season. Or he goes for the home run, takes a chance on someone who might not start right away but could be good next spring and for years to come. Someone who has massive upside. This #4 pick is really where the JBL Rookie draft begins. And the Kok gets to set the stage for the rest of the rookie picks. Who will Kok take at 4?

#5 – Cavaliers - Darius Garland – the wildcard pick. He only played five games in college before injuring his knee. It appears he can shoot it. He doesn’t pass much. Can he defend? How will it work with him and Colin Sexton in the Cavaliers backcourt? The coach appears to love him already so that’s a good thing for him. He is a little undersized though and I wonder if the Sexton/Garland backcourt can work long term. For me, the kid could be a stud and one of the best players in this draft or he could be just another average dude struggling to find his way in Cleveland. High risk, high reward type pick. The latest news that he had another knee surgery this summer definitely has to worry some JBL owners considering calling his name. Will he stay healthy? Will the Cavs limit his minutes? Since Darius is the son of Winston Garland, that gives him bonus points in my eyes. 

#6 – TimberWolves - Jarrett Culver – A bit surprised that Minnesota took Culver here with Coby White still on the board and Minny needing a PG. That said, I like Culver. I think he will play a lot for the T-Wolves and ultimately if he develops he will force the Wolves to push Wiggins out the door (if they can find someone to take his horrible contract). While Culver needs to work on his shooting apparently, I think his athleticism and defense will earn him minutes this coming season. The Wolves traded Dario Saric and the #11 pick in the draft to move up to take Culver – so they must have plans to play him. It looks like the Wolves will consider starting Josh Okogie at a wing position alongside Wiggins. Or can Culver beat Okogie out? Regardless, I think there is a path for Culver to play meaningful minutes this season for the Wolves. 

#7 – Bulls - Coby White – initially one of my favourite rookie targets for my #5 rookie pick. Then I saw him play in Summer League. He’s quick, he’s agile, he can pass and defend, but the boy can’t shoot. I like that he’s landed in Chicago as I thought he would replace Kris Dunn but then the Bulls went and signed Satoransky for 3 years. I do think he’s worth a high pick because of how fast he is and what he’ll be able to create for the Bulls. Reminds me of De’Aaron Fox. If the Bulls didn’t sign Satoransky then I think White would be very high on the lists of JBL owners. I do still think he goes top 10 in our Rookie draft because his upside is huge. Like his hair. Love his hair. 

#8 – Pelicans - Jaxson Hayes – didn’t know much about him except I thought his rebounds were low for a 7-footer. Then I saw his summer league dunk. Holy cow, he’s long and athletic. The challenge will be minutes in New Orleans I think. They brought in Favors and they also have Okafor. I think New Orleans thinks they can push for a playoff spot so I’m not sure how many kids they can play at one time. Now, if the Pelicans playoff push stalls I would look for Hayes and Alexander-Walker to get more minutes near the end of the season. Love him as a draft and stash because of his athleticism and Favors and Okafor haven’t exactly been a perfect picture of health over the years. Could this be the Kok’s big swing? 

#9 – Wizards - Rui Hachimura – loved his college game and I loved that Gonzaga team but the scouts are concerned about how his game translates to the NBA. Can he hit 3’s? Can he defend? Is he a SF or a PF? The best spot about this landing spot is that the Wizards are going to be bad and they don’t have many forwards who can play. I think Rui will play a lot from the get-go and could put up decent numbers. When Seould held the #4 pick it seemed like Hachimura was destined for Seoul. After the big Seoul/Bangkok trade, the Kok demonstratively announced he would not be picking Hachimura. I wonder if that statement still stands. Hachimura had a good FIBA World Cup and looked good at times so I definitely think he will play minutes for the Wizards this season. 

#10 – Hawks - Cam Reddish – the 3^rd Duke freshman taken in the top ten. He was supposed to be a stud coming out of the high school but his numbers at Duke are amazingly bad. The kid never found his shot. He’s long and athletic and landing in Atlanta is a great spot for him. But will he excel and be a fantasy gem? I’d like to think he can and I know a lot of scouts love his potential. I’m just worried about those percentages.  He’s also struggled a bit with some sort of injury this summer. If he had been able to play in the Summer League and show he’s healthy and can shoot – then I think he would likely go higher than #10 in the JBL Rookie Draft. It certainly looks like he has a path to minutes in Atlanta as he can play SF or SG and he’ll be battling for minutes with the likes of De’Andre Bembry and Evan Turner – so you have to like his chances. 

So, those were the top 10 picks in the NBA rookie draft. Will those be the top 10 picks in the JBL rookie draft? I'm saying absolutely not.