GboysLove: Marvin Bagley is an early contender

GboysLove

Marvin Bagley is an early contender for the top pick in the nba2k20 myteam coins Draft.

“One of the more interesting prospects in this draft class,” the scouting report reads. “The main reason being that everyone seems to be talking about his shortcomings much more than what he can actually do as a player. And despite how good he was [in college] the last two seasons, he does have some flaws as a prospect. The biggest issue for most scouts will be his athleticism, or relative lack thereof. What [he] lacks in athleticism, however, he makes up for with a great understanding of the game and what he can do.”

Can you guess which NBA player this scouting report describes? If your guess is known for his signature beard, you guessed correctly. This is a Bleacher Report scouting report on James Harden from 2009, just a little over a month before the Seattle SuperSonics would select Harden with the third pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. The Grizzlies likely wish they would have selected Harden or a number of other players second rather than big man Hasheem Thabeet, who failed to live up to his pre-draft expectations.

The scouting report shows that very few prospects, even the ones who turn out to be superstars, are sure things coming into the NBA. The league is leaning on analytics more than it ever has, yet, while there is science involved, it is far from an exact science.

Digging deeper into the Harden case study, you realize even though the Thunder (formerly Sonics) were great in evaluating Harden’s potential, the team would eventually misstep by trading Harden right before he hit his prime. Nailing the draft is just one step in forming a well-run organization, and even the best talent evaluators can eventually screw it up if they are not careful.

While the college basketball season officially kicked off last week, the Champions Classic begins the season for many NBA draft fans with a highly anticipated double-header featuring numerous pro prospects. Duke takes on Michigan State in a matchup featuring as many as seven key NBA draft prospects, including Marvin Bagley and Miles Bridges. Kentucky and Kansas will be the grand finale in another matchup with no shortage of stars. Adam Zagoria reported 75 2k20 mt purchase front office executives and scouts are expected to be in Chicago for the two big games.