Jay King weighs in. The Athletic is a very worthwhile subscription for those on the fence.
https://theathletic.com/4591105/2023/06/08/celtics-2023-nba-draft-pick-35/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983
Jordan Walsh: 6-foot-6 forward, Arkansas
Walsh just works. His energy stands out. He can get too eager (he fouled out of eight games) but his intentions are pure. He accepts the challenge of defending. Even when a ballhandler beats him, Walsh regularly hustles his way back into the play — and he sometimes finishes it with a block from behind. His rearview contests occasionally have shades of
Derrick White. As Celtics fans know, that’s high praise. Especially for a 19-year-old with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Walsh plays with an unusual motor. He needs to add more strength but he’s tough and young with a solid frame already. He projects to be the type of versatile defender every team wants.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 6-foot-6 forward, UCLA
Jaquez Jr. hasn’t ever been a steady outside shooter. He’s not the quickest defender. He’s 22 and has a bunch of qualities that often make NBA teams say, “Pass.”
UCLA still won all sorts of big games over the past three seasons largely because Jaquez Jr. consistently played winning basketball at both ends of the court. He handled the ball in pick-and-rolls, defended all sorts of opponents and rebounded. Not many big wings can be trusted to run isolations at one end of the court while guarding up at the other, but Jaquez Jr. managed to do so at UCLA, showing off two-way versatility that helped make him one of the nation’s best players over the last three seasons. His intelligence at both ends helped define his team
Brandin Podziemski: 6-foot-4 guard, Santa Clara
After barely playing at Illinois as a freshman, Podziemski transferred and immediately emerged as one of the nation’s most productive players. Not many guys can combine the volume and efficiency he did as a sophomore at Santa Clara. While averaging 19.9 points per game and handling many of the creating responsibilities, he shot 51.3 percent on 2-pointers, 43.8 percent on 3-pointers and 77.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Podziemski displayed great touch, feel and a complete offensive repertoire. He can thrive in the post, where he can score and facilitate, and in transition, where he made a killing in college. Especially if he’s able to add more 3-point versatility (both off the bounce and off movement), it’s easy to see how he should help an offense at the NBA level. He gives off some
Luke Kennard vibes, right down to the dominant high school numbers.
Jalen Pickett: 6-foot-2 guard, Penn State
I almost put Jalen Clark in this spot, but this list is too heavy on UCLA players already. His defense could make some team happy, though.
Anyway, Pickett became one of my favorite players to watch last season after transferring to Penn State. He might have the funkiest game of any draft prospect. He’s a point guard who lives in the post, a penetrator who plays with his back to the basket, a crafty dude who probably leaves defenders confused about why they can’t stop him.
Will Pickett’s unique game translate to the NBA? I’m not sure. Pickett is old for a prospect and he’s not the best athlete. Though he shot the 3-pointer well this past season, he did so on low volume and doesn’t have a long track record of sinking outside shots (he made 35.5 percent of 3-point attempts throughout his college career). There are reasons why Vecenie’s latest mock draft projected the 23-year-old Pickett to go undrafted. He is far from conventional and inverts the point guard position. It’s possible he won’t find the right fit for his weird game.
It could take a creative coach to unlock Pickett, but he had a huge season at Penn State. He handed out a ton of assists without turning the ball over much. He averaged 17.7 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game and 6.6 assists per game on efficient shooting percentages from inside and outside the arc. He has decent size and length for a point guard and a long history of making smart decisions with the ball. I might be going to “Moneyball” here, hollering about how the sidearmed pitcher can mow down people, but Penn State had one of the most potent offenses in the nation last season with the ball in Pickett’s hands much of the time.
Marcus-et-trois