Rak's pro chances?

[Rocco]

After this year, any chance he gets a shot in the NBA? He has finally shown the athletic burst and dominance that we all hoped for when he committed here. He has great size and has improved his offensive game (albeit still a lot of improvement to be had) 5 fold from two seasons ago.

Thoughts?

 

[NineOneSeven]

Absolutely.

And if he isn't drafted (which would shock me), he'll get picked up.

Take away the name associated with the player. If you look at his stats, or watch the games with no clue who he is, you cannot tell me you don't think that he has a solid chance to contribute in the NBA.

No, I'm not saying he'll be an all-star, but definitely someone who can, and should, barring some crazy level of regression, crack an NBA rotation.

 

[Macky44]

Boeheim believes he will be a 10-12 year NBA player. That's all the confirmation i need.

 

[Rocco]

Boeheim believes he will be a 10-12 year NBA player. That's all the confirmation i need.

He's said that? Wow.

 

[Fly Rodder]

He's said that? Wow.

Men lie, women lie, Boeheim don't lie.

 

[Macky44]

Im both pleasantly surprised, and baffled at how Rak has developed that face up jump shot that he is hitting from free throw range lately. I think that is the one part of his game that he needed to develop to make it as a 4 in the NBA. The changes he has made in one year are startling and impressive.

 

[Finwad32]

I think the only thing that hurts him in terms of the NBA, is the NBA is all about potential. The improvement has been phenomenal, and seriously noticeable. I'm interested to see how he's viewed at the end of the season. I'd be surprised if he was drafted because of what my understanding of what the league is looking for. If he can latch on somewhere, I'd like to think he'll stay there.

 

[Libero2]

Im both pleasantly surprised, and baffled at how Rak has developed that face up jump shot that he is hitting from free throw range lately. I think that is the one part of his game that he needed to develop to make it as a 4 in the NBA. The changes he has made in one year are startling and impressive.

If he continues to hit that jumper his chances of getting drafted (and getting drafted higher) keep going up and up.

 

[Macky44]

I think the only thing that hurts him in terms of the NBA, is the NBA is all about potential. The improvement has been phenomenal, and seriously noticeable. I'm interested to see how he's viewed at the end of the season. I'd be surprised if he was drafted because of what my understanding of what the league is looking for. If he can latch on somewhere, I'd like to think he'll stay there.

True..and its one of the reasons that i personally can't watch the nba anymore. I have no respect for the league.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

The question is how tall is Rak actually? Can he play the 5 and cover in the NBA, that will be what deterimines his future

True..and its one of the reasons that i personally can't watch the nba anymore. I have no respect for the league.

And you prefer to watch college? Yes, the draft is about potential but the league day to day isn't. Guys like Duncan still playing, look at Anthony Davis? Third year, played his way to probably a top 5 guy at this point. Potential gone the right way, many draft busts as well. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the NBA from people who don't watch it. Sure the NBA draft is about potential, doesn't mean these guys are all ready. It's the draft, but if guys are good enough to play they will.

The NBA in my opinion is basketball at it's best with the greatest athletes in the world. Just my opinion of course but, do you watch Golden St? San Antonio? Potential, I don't think so

 

[Macky44]

The question is how tall is Rak actually? Can he play the 5 and cover in the NBA, that will be what deterimines his future




And you prefer to watch college? Yes, the draft is about potential but the league day to day isn't. Guys like Duncan still playing, look at Anthony Davis? Third year, played his way to probably a top 5 guy at this point. Potential gone the right way, many draft busts as well. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the NBA from people who don't watch it. Sure the NBA draft is about potential, doesn't mean these guys are all ready. It's the draft, but if guys are good enough to play they will.

The NBA in my opinion is basketball at it's best with the greatest athletes in the world. Just my opinion of course but, do you watch Golden St? San Antonio? Potential, I don't think so

San Antonio is one of the only teams i can watch and not want to turn the channel. I hate the fact that defense is an afterthought in the NBA for the most part. Don't give me your best athletes in the world garbage in regards to defense either. Noone in the 80's would play O-lay defense and give Lebron and open lane for dunks. Get in front of that crap or foul the hell out of him.

So yes...i prefer to watch college. I don't need to see every game be in the 100's for a score because i don't have ADD. I enjoy defensive battles in football as well.

 

[RF2044]

It is very rare for a senior to be able to improve their draft stock in the modern NBA. Generally if guys stay that long, they either aren't good enough or their flaws get dissected / picked apart so much that it ends up hurting them.

Rak has pulled off a rare feat--he's actually played himself into being draftable. I thought his level of play might drop off, but now I don't expect it to.

Kudos to him for staying focused.

 

[Brooky03]

The only negative is his age, and that wouldn't even have been a negative a decade ago. He's an athletic big man with good height, great length, good defensive skills, good strength, and solid low post offensive skills. You don't find many of those in the draft. A team looking for some bench help at Center would pick him up in a heartbeat.

 

[Rocco]

The question is how tall is Rak actually? Can he play the 5 and cover in the NBA, that will be what deterimines his future




And you prefer to watch college? Yes, the draft is about potential but the league day to day isn't. Guys like Duncan still playing, look at Anthony Davis? Third year, played his way to probably a top 5 guy at this point. Potential gone the right way, many draft busts as well. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the NBA from people who don't watch it. Sure the NBA draft is about potential, doesn't mean these guys are all ready. It's the draft, but if guys are good enough to play they will.

The NBA in my opinion is basketball at it's best with the greatest athletes in the world. Just my opinion of course but, do you watch Golden St? San Antonio? Potential, I don't think so

Rak is legit 6'9". He has 4 written all over him. Not big enough IMO to play the 5 in the NBA.

One of the things that will also hurt his draft rankings is his age. He's already a 3rd year NBA player.

 

[CuseFanInFl]

If he continues to hit that jumper his chances of getting drafted (and getting drafted higher) keep going up and up.

This exactly. He doesn't have the body for Center in the NBA and isn't consistent enough from further away from the basket to be a PF. He really needs to improve his outside game to make it in the NBA. IF he continues his current play he will be drafted in the 2nd but to hold in the NBA, he needs that jumper to fall.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

San Antonio is one of the only teams i can watch and not want to turn the channel. I hate the fact that defense is an afterthought in the NBA for the most part. Don't give me your best athletes in the world garbage in regards to defense either. Noone in the 80's would play O-lay defense and give Lebron and open lane for dunks. Get in front of that crap or foul the hell out of him.

So yes...i prefer to watch college. I don't need to see every game be in the 100's for a score because i don't have ADD. I enjoy defensive battles in football as well.

So you prefer 45-42 rock fights where a 15 foot jump shot is a lost art. OK, to each his own

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Rak is legit 6'9". He has 4 written all over him. Not big enough IMO to play the 5 in the NBA.

One of the things that will also hurt his draft rankings is his age. He's already a 3rd year NBA player.

Yep and that is what will hurt him A LOT. Only 6-9 guy that can play the 5 in the NBA is Howard and he is built like something out of a super hero comic book

 

[jordoo]

Rak is right now good enough to be a 2nd unit 5 in the NBA and no he isn't too small for that just look around plenty of 6-9 and 6-10 guys playing the 5 in the NBA especially off the bench. The thing is the more he shows that jump shot the more POTENTIAL he has as a 4 down the road. I think he will surely get drafted as he is putting up some of the best numbers of any center in the country. I hope he lands late first round with a good team that is looking for front court depth. I'd love to see him find himself in a good situation like that helping a team win games and learning his place in the league.

Are you telling me NY, LA, Philly or even Cleveland couldn't use him right now?

 

[OttoMets]

... I thought his level of play might drop off, but now I don't expect it to.

Kudos to him for staying focused.

He took a beating last night.

I'll take a wait-and-see attitude regarding a decline in quality of play; if it happens, it'll be due to the rugby-level of physicality to which he's subjected, not due to any skills deficiency.

 

[orangepassion]

Yea, But Rak will be ready to play day 1

 

[TBCuse11]

So you prefer 45-42 rock fights where a 15 foot jump shot is a lost art. OK, to each his own

Amen. I prefer college hoop in general... but these past few years it has gotten very tough to watch. Shooting is an absolute after thought in the game now. First team to 60 wins 75% of the time now. Ugly stuff. You just never expect any shots to go in anymore. Airballs are more common that swishes.

 

[TBCuse11]

Rak is right now good enough to be a 2nd unit 5 in the NBA and no he isn't too small for that just look around plenty of 6-9 and 6-10 guys playing the 5 in the NBA especially off the bench. The thing is the more he shows that jump shot the more POTENTIAL he has as a 4 down the road. I think he will surely get drafted as he is putting up some of the best numbers of any center in the country. I hope he lands late first round with a good team that is looking for front court depth. I'd love to see him find himself in a good situation like that helping a team win games and learning his place in the league.

Are you telling me NY, LA, Philly or even Cleveland couldn't use him right now?

I am a Sixers fan, and he would probably start for us sadly. Hell, even Grant plays for us a decent amount.

 

[jordoo]

So you prefer 45-42 rock fights where a 15 foot jump shot is a lost art. OK, to each his own

Not to mention the whole they don't play defense in the NBA thing. That cracks me up. They don't allow contact and actually blow the whistle on first contact. These are the best offensive players in the world surrounded by guys who filled it up in college. Its nothing like defending a college team because you simply aren't stopping NBA teams from scoring you are playing defense to try and force them into lower percentage shots that you can live with, that's it. That's all you can do and against superior ball movement and talent even the best help defense in the world cannot do that on a regular basis. This is the way the game was meant to be played not this crappy wrestling we see in the NCAA these days. The NBA is much nicer to watch and simply better on all levels. Sure there are some lulls when you play 82 games and 48 minutes per and I would be fine with shortening the schedule by 20 games for that reason, but in the end the NBA players, teams and coaches are so much better overall.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Rak is legit 6'9". He has 4 written all over him. Not big enough IMO to play the 5 in the NBA.

One of the things that will also hurt his draft rankings is his age. He's already a 3rd year NBA player.

I feel like there are so many offensively challenged centers in the NBA, he could probably get away with being a backup 5 - but I agree his ideal position is at the 4.

 

[SUMBA]

He took a beating last night.

I'll take a wait-and-see attitude regarding a decline in quality of play; if it happens, it'll be due to the rugby-level of physicality to which he's subjected, not due to any skills deficiency.

Rak took a beating last night...hhhhmmmmm. FSU ran three seven footers out there to play against him. All Rak did was score 14 points, grab 11 rebounds and block 5 shots. They were very physical with him the entire game, but he put up pretty good numbers.