Sorry to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming ...

[Nikolokolus]

As much as I'd love to sit and talk about KP's imminent firing/extension for the next two weeks, what about this year's draft? With guys like Rudy, Bayless and Martell maybe not a lock to be here long term, what do you guys think about Quincy Pondexter of UW? Smart, decent shooter, pretty good ball-handler, experienced college player, probably can slide between small forward and shooting guard in a backup role.

Currently he's slotted to probably go in that late teens to early twenties range. Would you guys be disappointed if KP (er ... Larry Miller, Mark Warkentien?) took him? or would you guys want to see a big man project like Larry Sanders from VCU taken or maybe a shot blocker like Solomon Alabi or even Hassan Whiteside?

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Quincy-Pondexter-1122/playerblog/

Discuss ...

 

[RR7]

I wouldn't mind Pondexter, but I'd prefer to see us move the pick in a package deal.

 

[BGrantFan]

My only worry about Pon is his size. I don't think he's the 6'6" that he is listed at on some sites, and the 6'7" listing I see cannot possibly be true.

I'm a UW alum, so I'd love to see him do well in the NBA. As a defensive hustle guy off of the bench, maybe he makes sense here. Expecting more from him? I just don't see it happening at the NBA level.

 

[Nikolokolus]

My only worry about Pon is his size. I don't think he's the 6'6" that he is listed at on some sites, and the 6'7" listing I see cannot possibly be true.

I'm a UW alum, so I'd love to see him do well in the NBA. As a defensive hustle guy off of the bench, maybe he makes sense here. Expecting more from him? I just don't see it happening at the NBA level.

I guess we'll see what happens when he's officially measured, but regardless of his height, he seems pretty lengthy in the arms, and he plays his ass off on defense which is something this team could use more of.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Thank you for posting a thread about something besides the KP/Penn/Vulcan soap opera. Repped.

I'd be happy if we picked Pondexter.

I'd like to see us take our 1st round pick and package it with some combo of Bayless and Webster and move up and take Wesley Johnson.

My dream would be for us to somehow move up and get Evan Turner or DeMarcus Cousins but dont see that as a real possibility.
Our first round pick + Bayless and Rudy for the #2?

 

[Hank The Dwarf]

Andy Rautins - Guard from Syracuse would be a great 2nd round pick.. love the way the guy plays - quick shot and NBA range - good decision maker - great defender.

Will have to progress to a PG in the NBA but I would love to see him on our team.

 

[Further]

There is a lot to like about him but I really want a SF that can put in the long ball with regularity. I just think it's needed.

 

[LittleAlex]

Quincy would be a great pick in the late first round. A kid who probably won't be a star but who can contribute a bit right away.


Sounds good to me.

 

[EGame]

Well if anything else it should make Brandon happy... So do it?

 

[oldmangrouch]

If Camby doesn't stay, the Blazers almost HAVE to go for a big guy.

I wouldn't mind them rolling the dice on Alabi. Whiteside...tough call. He is supposed to have good potential, but there are too many rumblings about his coachability/work ethic.

Another possibility, would just be to go BPA in round one, and then target a warm body like Jerome Jordan or Pittman in round two. This assumes the team has high hope that Pendergraph will make significant improvement.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I'd like to see KP (or whomever) trade up for Patrick Patterson.

Eric Bledsoe from Kentucky is a nice PG prospect. He'll blow up next season if he stays and out of the shadow of Wall.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

IMO, if Whiteside drops to where we'll be picking (19-21), you take him, because I think he's a lottery level talent. I'm definitely higher on him than Alabi. I'd also be moderately interested in Willie Warren, as I think he probably has at least as much point guard in him as Jerryd Bayless (which isn't necessarily saying much). I'd also be interested in St. Marys' center Omar Samhan (as a 2nd rounder), mainly because of his well-developed offensive game, but also the fact that he and Mills played together and might have some good chemistry already.

 

[hasoos]

Often times the first couple of picks are hard to move up and get. But the guys behind the first few, not so hard. I don't think it would be super hard to move up and pick up Cousins.

 

[Todd]

Package and trade some players for a big man that can play more then 40 games! Oh yeah, he can't be 35 years old either...it would be nice if he could shoot the ball too....oh yeah....maybe play some defense and not foul out in 5 minutes of playing time.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'd like to see KP (or whomever) trade up for Patrick Patterson.

Eric Bledsoe from Kentucky is a nice PG prospect. He'll blow up next season if he stays and out of the shadow of Wall.

Bledsoe is intriguing ... I've watched a few Kentucky games and it's hard to quantify his play just because of who he plays with.

 

[MickZagger]

IMO, if Whiteside drops to where we'll be picking (19-21), you take him, because I think he's a lottery level talent. I'm definitely higher on him than Alabi. I'd also be moderately interested in Willie Warren, as I think he probably has at least as much point guard in him as Jerryd Bayless (which isn't necessarily saying much). I'd also be interested in St. Marys' center Omar Samhan (as a 2nd rounder), mainly because of his well-developed offensive game, but also the fact that he and Mills played together and might have some good chemistry already.

Samhan is way too slow to play in the NBA. So slow. You don't draft a guy because he has chemistry with your 15th man.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Samhan is way too slow to play in the NBA. So slow. You don't draft a guy because he has chemistry with your 15th man.

Agreed. That guy is definitely skilled, but he's so slow and ground bound that he's going to get eaten alive in the NBA, I expect he'll have a nice career in Europe however.

 

[FeloniusThunk]

I wouldn't mind Pondexter at all. He's a good all-around player now (so-so from outside), but more importantly he's shown progress every year. When he came to UW, he was widely considered a disappointment. Every year he's progressed, though, and in all aspects of the game, and now he's even getting national attention. He'd be great D off the bench at the wings, which we need, and would likely improve outside shooting over time to be a very good threat.

 

[MARIS61]

Quincy Pondexter?

Sounds like a good name for a Vulcan dweeb.

Our needs have not changed since 3 years ago, just gotten more dire.

We need a starting PG, we need a starting C, we need a backup PF.

 

[ebott]

I don't know nothin about none of these guys. Is there anybody that one might describe as "tough as nails" in this year's draft? Cause it'd be kind of cool to get that guy.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I don't know nothin about none of these guys. Is there anybody that one might describe as "tough as nails" in this year's draft? Cause it'd be kind of cool to get that guy.

Patrick Patterson.

 

[RoyToy]

When it comes to the draft the name I keep coming back to is Jarvis Varnado.

While maybe a little thin at 6-9 and around 220-230, he averages over 10 rebs a game and 4.7 blks. I still remember when this guy when Mississippi St beat Oregon in the tourney a couple years ago and he just impressed the hell out of me and that has stayed with me.

And even though he's 6-9 220 or so, he has like a 7-4 wingspan.

Varnado is known as a defensive specialist and is especially adept at shot blocking aided by his 7'4" wingspan. He led the NCAA in blocks for the 2007–08 season with 157 blocks which tied Shaquille O'Neal for the most blocks in a season in the SEC. In the 2008–09 season, he would shatter that single season record with 170 blocks. Varnado was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 3 consecutive years (2008, 2009, and 2010) becoming the first person to ever do so. Collegeinsider.com named Varnado their National Defensive Player of the Year for 2008.

On November 21, 2009, Jarvis Varnado became the SEC's all-time career block record holder with 413 total blocks in his career. This passed O'Neal's career block record of 412.[4] On January 23, 2010, Varnado surpassed Adonal Foyle on the NCAA's all-time career blocks list to become the second-leading shot-blocker. Needing 8 blocks for the record, Varnado finally became the NCAA's all-time shot blocker against Alabama on February 24, 2010 passing Wojciech Myrda's record of 535 career blocks.[5]

Jarvis Varnado is now the only college player in history to acheive the 1,000/1,000/500 milestone (points/rebounds/blocks).

And just to show off some athleticism

[video=youtube;KPZHfZiV8Ec]

 

[MickZagger]

When it comes to the draft the name I keep coming back to is Jarvis Varnado.

While maybe a little thin at 6-9 and around 220-230, he averages over 10 rebs a game and 4.7 blks. I still remember when this guy when Mississippi St beat Oregon in the tourney a couple years ago and he just impressed the hell out of me and that has stayed with me.

And even though he's 6-9 220 or so, he has like a 7-4 wingspan.



And just to show off some athleticism

I just think he'll get abused in the league. He's built like a pencil and his length won't get him the easy boards like they did in college. He needs to seriously hit the weight room.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Patrick Patterson.

He seems kinda small to me.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I just think he'll get abused in the league. He's built like a pencil and his length won't get him the easy boards like they did in college. He needs to seriously hit the weight room.

That's why I like Whiteside so much. He's nearly as good a shot-blocker as Varnado, but has NBA size.

 

[Nikolokolus]

That's why I like Whiteside so much. He's nearly as good a shot-blocker as Varnado, but has NBA size.

If possible I'd love to see the Blazers move up a few spots and nab Udoh ... there's just something about that guy with his ability to dribble drive, his defensive instincts and his versatility

 

[RR7]

If possible I'd love to see the Blazers move up a few spots and nab Udoh ... there's just something about that guy with his ability to dribble drive, his defensive instincts and his versatility

DX's compairson for Udoh? Sheed w/out the attitude. Seems I've heard that before around here.

 

[Nikolokolus]

DX's compairson for Udoh? Sheed w/out the attitude. Seems I've heard that before around here.

Aldridge can barely carry Sheed's jockstrap on the defensive end of the court.

 

[e_blazer]

Aldridge can barely carry Sheed's jockstrap on the defensive end of the court.

Seems like he'd be able to defend better if he wasn't doing that.

 

[RR7]

Aldridge can barely carry Sheed's jockstrap on the defensive end of the court.

And Udoh can? Aldridge looked good in college as a defender as well.

Besides, didn't really meanmuch by it, just thought the comparison was funny, since it's been used often for LMA.