Obekpa and Jordan on Knicks

1. Would either make the team?
2. If so, are either good enough for rotation?
I don't watch the knicks or the NBA so I am interested in responses.
Obekpa looked really good these few games, but he wasn't dominate like Ron Artest or even Lamont Hamilton. Omar Cook didn't make it in the NBA and he was dominate here as a freshman. It's obvious that Jordan is talented but he hasn't dominated anything. Why would these guys not come back next year? If these guys are pros right now plus Harrison shouldn't we be buying our final 4 tickets?

No and no.

Obekpa will be a first round pick this year. His shot blocking ability is rare to find and valuable in the NBA.

No and no.

This is the Knicks we're talking about.  I'm pretty sure any of US would make the rotation at this rate as long as we were willing to try on defense.  Definitely not looking forward to being the first team to lose to the 76ers.

In all seriousness, are they there yet?  Of course not.  Very few college players come out of college ready to play at an NBA level.  Both players have the potential to play at the next level.  Both could use another year of seasoning (although they still have the rest of this year to develop), but I don't know how much they would benefit by coming back.  As has been discussed ad nauseam on this board, just because you don't play in the NBA doesn't mean you can't have a lucrative (or at least comfortable) life playing overseas so I certainly wouldn't blame them if they left.

Re: the dominant part....How many players dominate one side of the ball more than Obekpa?  He changes entire team strategies when he's in the game.  Rysheed can look pretty dominant when he is determined to get to the rim.  Will that carry over to the professional level?  Who knows?  But there have been worse players who left early...

The Knicks are bad at giving rookies a shot for the most part if they're not first round picks. Hardaway Jr had a pretty good year last year and Fisher barely plays him some games and then plays him in crunch time in others. Its very frustrating especially since they're bad again this year.

I don't know how much run Jordan would get even though Shane Larkin is currently running point and can't score but is a decent passer. They would probably play Obekpa though, maybe. Dalembert is terrible and lets not even talk about Bargnani. But this franchise even with Fisher is set in their ways. It's why Greek Freak Jr and Orlando are in Westchester.

tl;dr I think they both could play on the team but I don't think they'd get a chance.

I think I am more positive then most on board. I think both these guys improved and and are poised for great seasons . At the same time I think they are not ready for the NBA or any pro basketball where they could make a lot of money . Hope they stay. D league make 17,000 a year.

Obekpa will be a first round pick this year. His shot blocking ability is rare to find and valuable in the NBA.

Jordan has FINALLY appeared on his first mock as #49 for 2016.  Chris jumped all the way to #34 on the DraftExpress 2015 mock after the recent buzz.  I think the only way he stays that high is if he measures in at 6'10 or near it.  If not, even with a stellar season, guys like Georges Niang (currently #39) will pass him with deep runs in the tournament. 

2015 is an awful year for Chris to enter the draft.  There has never been so much size that I can remember, and this is one of the best international classes in some time.  19 of the top 21 picks in the draftexpress mock are between 6'6 and 7'1 and 13 of them play PF or C.  Only one (PG Tyus Jones) is shorter than 6'5.  This also follows a draft that had a ton elite PFs and centers taken in the first round.

He won't be ready to contribute to an NBA team in the 2015-2016 season, so it comes down to his height.  Is he worth stashing for a year or two while he develops further fundamentally and physically?  At 6'10 or near it, yes.  At 6'8...teams will likely take one of the many similarly sized NBA ready wings or bigger forwards and centers.  I think Sean James is the only comparison that can be made to Obekpa and he went undrafted at 6'9 with crazy shot-blocking stats (5.29 average over three year career) and a more refined offensive game (career 38.9% from three, 74.6% from FT line, 11.8 ppg, 7.5 boards).

As for Jordan, his situation is much bleaker for 2015.  There have been a ton of PGs taken the past two seasons and the league already has multiple stars at the position that aren't going anywhere for years.  The demand will be extremely low, and it is very likely there won't be more than 3-4 pgs taken in the first 35-40 picks.  That is bad news for Jordan, who has almost no chance to surpass the three ahead of him:  Mudiay (top 3 pick), Tyus Jones (lottery), and Andrew Harrison (late first/early second).  It will also be nearly impossible for him to pass over Marcus Paige (beast) and Delon Wright (does it all).  The off the court questions will plague him, but playing off the ball this year will take away his chance to make up that ground.  He is already dangerously close to being labeled a combo or a SG that can play some point.  If you look at the next tier of guys like Yogi Farrell, Olivier Hanlon of BC, Vanvleet of Wichita State, Juwan Staten of WV, Kasey Hill of Florida, Shannon Scott of Ohio St.

I think both of these guys can play their way into the first round of 2016 if they stay and develop. Both guys are in a better position than Sampson was/is IMO. Jordan's ticket will be his defense.  He has the potential to be a lock-down star on that end.  He has to show he can run an offense and shoot for a high % of his jumpshots.  Out of the second tier of PG draft prospects (guys like Yogi Farrell, Juwan Staten, Shannon Scott, etc.) he is probably the worst shooter right now.  I hope like hell that changes for SJU's sake.

 

He is already dangerously close to being labeled a combo or a SG that can play some point. 

That's a done deal already.  He's not a pure point.  He's a wonderfully flashy talent who clearly has a score first mentality but is also a great passer.   

I don't see how Obekpa can be anything more than a bench player in the NBA. He has ZERO offensive ability compared to guys his size that will be in the NBA. Unless its an uncontested dunk teams will never want him  touching the ball on offense. Guys like that don't see the court much regardless of how good they are on D, and in NBA he won't be any better than above average on D

I doubt you have seen his offensive improvement.....the trajectory is truly amazing ....and if he keeps it up who knows.   I saw him  hit about 13 out of 15 deep jump shots.....(which I hope he doesn't take in game situations.)

I doubt you have seen his offensive improvement.....the trajectory is truly amazing ....and if he keeps it up who knows.   I saw him  hit about 13 out of 15 deep jump shots.....(which I hope he doesn't take in game situations.)

Yeah he has improved but he's still a very very long way away from having NBA caliber offensive ability. Do you think his jump shot will ever reach a point where NBA teams will actually step out and put a hand in his face from 15 feet away? Looking at his ugly form, I don't. NBA teams will dare him to take jump shots and will never have to double if he has it with him back to the basket.

Quote from: hnk on November 22, 2014, 08:45:41 PM

I doubt you have seen his offensive improvement.....the trajectory is truly amazing ....and if he keeps it up who knows.   I saw him  hit about 13 out of 15 deep jump shots.....(which I hope he doesn't take in game situations.)

Yeah he has improved but he's still a very very long way away from having NBA caliber offensive ability. Do you think his jump shot will ever reach a point where NBA teams will actually step out and put a hand in his face from 15 feet away? Looking at his ugly form, I don't. NBA teams will dare him to take jump shots and will never have to double if he has it with him back to the basket.

He still has a ways to go to be a acceptable NBA offensive player, but the potential is there. I'm really curious as to how tall he is.  Didn't Lavin say something that he was like 6'7 3/4?  If that is true, it would be devastating to his stock.  You can't defend guys like Dwight Howard and Tim Duncan at that height even with a great wingspan.

Update on Rysheed Jordan's draft prospects: http://zagsblog.com/articles/nba-scouts-talk-tyler-ulis-chris-mccullough-kelly-oubre-rysheed-jordan-jonathan-holmes-adam-white/

Update on Rysheed Jordan's draft prospects: http://zagsblog.com/articles/nba-scouts-talk-tyler-ulis-chris-mccullough-kelly-oubre-rysheed-jordan-jonathan-holmes-adam-white/

“Good young prospect. Good NBA physical tools. Needs to improve his skillset: 3-point shooting, pull-up jumper and free throw need a lot of work. He has to take better care of the ball. Stay in school and get into the gym. He has a lot of work to do. The next step is a big one.”
If Jordan comes back next season, I can see him being one of the top guard prospects in college BB.

this board can't agree on anything . I have to think everyone would agree with that evaluation of Jordan

Draft Express was just updated yesterday.

Obekpa #31 overall in 2015 Mock Draft
Jordan #56 overall in 2016 Mock Draft

Id hope that they'd both be smart enough to stay in school. Maybe watch a little tape of Sampson sitting on his butt in the D League would help? 

Id hope that they'd both be smart enough to stay in school. Maybe watch a little tape of Sampson sitting on his butt in the D League would help?

I obviously hope Chris sticks around another year for selfish reasons. That said, another summer of working with John Lucas' staff & others could really help him develop basic offensive moves. With hard work, professional training & another season at SJU, I think he will be better positioned for NBA draft & play. This probably won't happen, but this makes sense to me.

Quote from: Poison on December 09, 2014, 08:55:54 AM

Id hope that they'd both be smart enough to stay in school. Maybe watch a little tape of Sampson sitting on his butt in the D League would help?

I obviously hope Chris sticks around another year for selfish reasons. That said, another summer of working with John Lucas' staff & others could really help him develop basic offensive moves. With hard work, professional training & another season at SJU, I think he will be better positioned for NBA draft & play. This probably won't happen, but this makes sense to me.

Sounds right to me. Problem with many of these borderline kids is they have a big game or two and think they're ready for the league. They don't understand that to make the league that productin is expected on a more frequent basis. Of course they'll get overpaid to be mediocre and that's the problem.

I read mock drafts where geno smith was a top 5 pick. Obekap is shooting 20 percent from the field in the season .  As well as he played against syracuse he didn't dominate Christmas . And Christmas isn't an NBA player.