2015 NBA DRAFT WATCH

Making the Case for the Harrison Twins

I’m sure you probably had the same reaction that I did when you first saw the news that the Harrison twins were declaring for the NBA draft in June. WHAT??? Why the hell would they do that?? Those dudes suck!! Initially I was on the exact same page, I didn’t get it either. They were both highly ranked recruits that never lived up to the hype. So after two average seasons (for them, not the team) they decided to strike while the iron was hot and throw their names in the proverbial NBA hat. But was this a good decision? Well your boy Bobby Catz is here to tell you that; yes, yes it is. First off their stock is never going to get any higher. Sure they could come back for another season and maybe move up to being selected late first round,  but far more likely is they hurt their stock even further or worst case scenario get hurt and don’t get drafted altogether. So they should absolutely capitalize on what little momentum they have after such an impressive season for Kentucky, and two consecutive final four appearances.

Now, here is the other question that people always find themselves asking, are they any good?? Well…that’s a little more complicated.

The Suck Meter: How do we judge the Harrisons?

The first strike against them is that they play for Kentucky and have such a spotlight on them at all times. If they were to play at some random big ten school or even a different school in the SEC, their stock would probably be a lot higher. But when you are part of a team that every media outlet covers on a daily basis, you better be fuckin fantastic night in and night out. Instead for the most part of the first season they played like they were freshmen, not freshmen at Kentucky who are notorious for one and dones.

The second strike against them is that they are twins and carried themselves like they were about to be selected number one and two whenever they decided to grace the NBA with their presence. I suppose that is what happens when you are the top two players coming out of the state of Texas and you choose to play college basketball at Kentucky.  But throw all of that nonsense aside for a second. What do they really have going for them?

Do the Harrisons suck as much as we've all been saying? Maybe not.

A Tale of Two Harrisons

First off, let’s start with Andrew Harrison, otherwise known as the Harrison twin who plays point guard. The reason it was so hard to tell these two apart when they first got to Lexington was mainly due to Andrew trying to jack up a bunch of shots and play much more like his brother Aaron.  Then Calipari had a revelation during a practice one time. He pulled Andrew aside and told him to stop shooting and start passing!! It only took him five months to realize that his point guard should be passing the ball primarily instead of shooting it (are we sure Calipari is a good coach??). From that moment on the team took off and the offense actually looked competent as they shocked their way to a title game run before reeling off 38 straight wins as an encore. Now why couldn’t that translate to the NBA level? I am here to tell you that I actually think it can. I think NBA GM’s see this too, because we have this one little thing in common when it comes to our point guards….we love tall ones!! Seriously when has a tall point guard ever failed?? Some GM is sitting in an office right now watching tape on Drew, just muttering to himself “but he’s 6’5….” again and again as he watches him turn the ball over three times in a row against a guard from South Carolina that wouldn’t crack Kentucky’s top 12. I think he goes late first round, and the real shocker, he actually becomes a competent NBA point guard. Now I’m not talking first team all-pro, or even third team, but he could be a solid backup getting 15-20 min a game on a contending team! That’s pretty good considering how far his stock has fallen since coming out of high-school.

Now for Aaron Harrison aka the Harrison who plays shooting guard. He is legitimately the reason why they get so much hate outside of every city in the country besides Lexington and Jasper TX (hometown). Something about the way he carries himself before games, and then his reactions when he throws up a terrible floater and screams at the ref that the light contact was the reason the ball went fifteen feet over the basket.  So there’s absolutely no saving grace for him right?? He’s the Harrison destined to fail correct? Well, slow your roll on that one too. First off he’s got the same attractive trait of his twin brother (funny how that happens right?) of being 6’4 or 6’5. That’s the size of an average NBA 2 guard, and he definitely fits the image of what a shooting guard is supposed to look like. But there are hundreds of 2 guards who are 6’5 right? Correct, but how many of them have played crunch time minutes on a big stage, and have not only come away without shitting their pants, but have actually thrived in that situation?? Well Aaron fits that bill too. He took some of the most ill-advised shots that I have ever seen, especially in last year’s tournament, and you know what? He hit almost every one of them. Now we aren’t talking about off balance toss ups that hit the backboard and luckily bounced in, he was legitimately standing three feet behind the line squared up a three and drilled it. Not just once, but no less than five times! He won the final four game against Wisconsin with one of those shots, and the amount of ballz that it takes to not only take a shot like that, but to hit it?? HUGE!! That cannot be taken lightly. Shit, Robert Horry made an entire career off standing in the right spot and taking big ass shotz when they were most needed by his team. With all that being said I don’t think that will actually improve his draft stock much as he will still go second round, but it should improve his potential NBA role player stock.

 The Verdict

In the end, are the Harrison twins going to be all stars in the NBA? Probably not, no, but are they going to be NBA players who will get a decent second contract and contribute to an NBA team? Yeah they actually should be, especially Andrew aka the point guard Harrison. Hopefully once they get drafted and stashed away on an NBA bench, they will finally get a chance to develop away from the spotlight for the first time since I am assuming middle school. Now I don’t want people going out and saying “Catz said the Harrison twins are going to make it in the NBA”, but the Harrison twins are going to make it in the NBA and that’s a direct quote (thanks Mike Vick).

2014 Top NBA Prospects Pt. 1

Top 2014 NBA Lottery Prospects 

How many times have you typed in "NBA MOCK DRAFT 2014" this year, clicked on a result and said, "this makes no fuckin sense!" ? We here at Dirty Picks respect the effort it takes to come up with a full on mock draft; mainly because it takes a shit ton of time and research. However, you can not convince me that coming up with a half-decent top 10 is some Herculean task that most people would never attempt. If your top 10 mock only compares people to current All-Stars or Hall of Fame greats, you've fucked up. If your mock doesn't consider playing style and personnel fit, you've let the people down. We have taken the guess work out of drafting this year and are giving you, what we believe, is a an extremely honest and accurate take on 2014's top NBA Draft prospects. As you'll see, this is not a mock, but more of a ranking system, based on fit and overall talent level. Some of these guys are stars, some are just solid role players. The most important thing is, you know exactly what you are getting. We've also attached an NBA 2K rating to each incoming rookie to give an overall idea of where each player is coming in to the NBA. Here are the bottom 5:

10. Aaron Gordon—  Arizona — F

What Bob says: Aaron Gordon is athletic as fuck. Because of his length and incredible athleticism he will not only make Jay Bilas hard, but he could become one of the premier defensive players in the NBA. He gets rebounds using his jumping skills and arms that are longer than fuck. Raw isn't even fair to call him on the offensive end, retarded is actually a closer description. The only points he gets are off of oops, putbacks, and wide open dunks. His jump shot and free throw shooting are borderline atrocious, and this will definitely be a primary concern for GM's looking to draft him. With the right coaching though he has the potential to become at least a competent NBA scorer, but his defense will be his calling card. He could serve as a lockdown defender for a title winning team, think Tayshaun Prince on the Bulls or Kawhi Leonard for the Spurs. Defense will get him in the league, his potential on offense could make him a star.

What BJ says: I don't think Aaron Gordon is very good. He shouldn't go top 10, nor should anyone expect him to be great in the NBA. He can be a good role player, or a shitty version of Shawn Marion. He's only on here because Bob didn't want to put Gary Harris on the list. Everybody loves a tweener that can't score, rebound well or guard at an elite level! That being said, if he goes to a team that doesn't need his scoring, he COULD turn into the next coming of Marion.

Risk Meter: 7 Thabeets. If he doesn't learn to do something on offense, he's going to suck.

Player comparison: Best case: Shawn Marion, Andrei Kirilenko. Worst case: Wes Johnson

Worst fit: 

Best fit: Dallas. Great coach, great organization, old Shawn Marion. Phoenix and Denver as well, because of their style of play.

NBA2K Rating: 65-69

9. Doug McDermott —  Creighton — F

What Bob says: "McDouble is already capable of being a quality NBA 3 point shooter. Very quick release allows him to get his shot off with little to no space from defenders. Also possesses an underrated post game that allows him to take advantage of smaller defenders. Can get "hot" and put up a bunch of points in a hurry. Not a very good athlete, and will be someone that opposing players abandon their game plan so that they can take him one on one. Decent rebounder for his size and limited athleticism. Positions himself well and uses his body to create great rebounding opportunities. Definitely won't be a star at the NBA level, but on the right team he could be an absolutely essential piece to a title contender. His ability to shoot from deep will keep him on a roster for years to come."

What BJ says: "Let's make on thing perfectly clear: Doug McDermott is probably not an NBA starter. He is not going to be a star player. He is a role player. Now that we have that out of the way...So, why should a lottery team take a guy that's not going to be a star? Because you know exactly what you're getting with McDermott! He's going to play the wing, be a liability on defense and need a lot of screens and ball movement to get around. It's sad that we have to compare all white guys to other white guys, but he really does remind me of Kyle Korver. Except maybe a little more polished than Korver. So if you're sitting there with the 7th-15th pick in the draft, just take a look at that 2003 lottery. Korver was taken in the second round. In the lottery ALONE there are 6 guys who haven't been the NBA for years! Take the guy that is going to have a solid NBA career, not some asshole that can jump super high.

Risk Meter: 5 Thabeets. There's a chance McDermott is so far below average defensively and in other offensive areas that he just flames out after 2 seasons. If Steve Novak and Matt Bonner can get contracts, McDermott should be able to as well.

Player comparison: Best case: Kyle Korver. Worst case: Luke Jackson, Joe Alexander.

Best fit: Chicago, Boston, Philly. These three coaches know how to use screens and ball movement to get shooters open. That's exactly what McDermott does best, so he needs to land with a  smart coach.

Worst fit: LAL, Milwaukee, Sacramento. These teams do not understand spacing or ball movement. Even if Steve Nash comes back, Lakers remember having Troy Murphy and Jason Kapono. No open looks.

NBA2K Rating: 67-69

8. Tyler Ennis —  Syracuse — PG

What Bob says: "Freshmen point guard who was not on a lot of NBA radars until midway through the college season. Does not possess outstanding or even above average athleticism or physical intangibles of say a Marcus Smart, but makes up for it with an incredibly high basketball IQ (last two minutes of the Dayton game not considered). Controls the game, tempos and makes smart passes consistently while rarely turning the ball over. Not fast, but quick and consistently gets to his spot on the court. Has a nifty package of floaters and push/scoop shots when he does get in the lane. Very impressive poise/confidence for an 18 year old freshmen especially during their brief run in the NCAA tournament because of the confidence he has in his game. Never looked like the moment was too big for him and didn't seem intimidated at all by the position he was in. Needs to develop an outside shooting/midrange game, currently he can hit the shot and his jumper does look smooth, but NBA defenses will test it out until he proves he can consistently knock it down. Once again he will never be an above average athlete at the NBA level, and this could lead him to consistently getting destroyed by quality NBA point guards, but there have been a lot of points who were terrible on defense and still had a positive impact on the game (Steve Nash won two MVP's!!). If he gets drafted by the right team/coaching staff he could immediately come in and average 6-8 assists a game and start at point guard. "

What BJ says: "I wasn't very high on Ennis throughout most of the season, but he really started to catch my eye by doing a few little things. As Mr. Catz mentioned, he is very poised. He's not like a Johnny Flynn or an Austin Rivers who has little to no idea of what's going on around him. His court awareness and leaderships skills are going to make him a good player in this league. He also has a nice frame for a PG and I could see him becoming a strong guy that can bully smaller guards. He'll probably never be a D-Rose, Westbrook, Lillard type player, but he could definitely be a championship PG."

Risk Meter: Six Thabeets. Ennis doesn't have anything that jumps out at you. Which isn't good. He can't shoot, he's not explosive, he doesn't have a mean handle. He could just be a bench player forever.

Player comparison: Best case: Ramon Sessions, Andre Miller. Worst case: Kendall Marshall.

Best fit: Orlando, Dallas. There would not be a ton of pressure on Ennis here and he could take over for an aging, borderline useless guard in Jameer Nelson. There's a solid core of young guys here that Ennis could grow with. Dallas could use a PG of the future and playing with Dirk and in a great organization could get Ennis going faster than expected.

Worst fit: Milwaukee, Utah, Boston, Sacramento. Anywhere that already has a point guard or needs more scoring. Ennis can't be the guy that comes in and has to score.

NBA2K Rating: 70-71

7. Adreian Payne —  Michigan St. — PF

What Bob says: "Starting out his career at Michigan State, Payne did not look anything like an NBA player, now he's one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. This season, Payne looked like a quintessential stretch 4 that is all the rage right now in the NBA. Being a four year player, he should be able to step in and contribute right away. His performance in the NCAA tournament was especially eye-opening and probably moved his draft position up three or four spots. He consistently looked like the best player on the floor and showed that he can knock down the 3 with consistency. Uses his length and athleticism to make plays on the defensive end and cleaning the glass. Won't be an elite rebounder, but should be able to pull down 6-8 boards a game consistently because of his size. Lately in games he's been settling for threes too often instead of trying to take his man off the dribble or exploiting smaller matchups in the post. Doesn't show enough consistency on the defensive end that makes you think he is gonna be considered a stopper, but he shouldn't be a liability either. If he proves that he can come in and knock down the 3 with consistency he should be a very strong role player for the right team."

What BJ says: "There are multiple reasons to like Payne. He has great size, strength and speed. That will always translate in the NBA, but the fact that he can put it all together into one, coordinated body of work is what is going to make him valuable. Payne can stretch the floor, but he will bang with big guys down low and punish smaller guys. The only thing to worry about is his assertiveness. If he continues to polish that low post game and improves his rebounding, he will be a very nice piece on a good team."

Risk Meter: 4 Thabeets. In any case he will be one of the Morris Twins. His size, IQ and his awareness of his own strengths and weaknesses will keep him in an NBA rotation.

Player comparison: Best Case: Markieff Morris; Worst Case: Patrick Patterson

Worst fit: Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pellies. Neither of these teams need another stretch 4.

Best fit: The Bobcats. We know Michael Jordan loves prominent college guys! He could be great with Kemba off the pick and roll.

NBA2K Rating: 71-74

6. Marcus Smart — OK St. — PG

What Bob says: "Taller combo guard that contributes in multiple categories consistently. Disrupts passing lanes and hounds smaller guards into forcing the issue or turning the ball over. He is also a fantastic rebounder for the point guard position. Stayed an extra year in college so he should be able to adjust to the NBA game faster than some of his counterparts. Solid passer, is able to consistently get by his defender and then finds the open man for an easy dunk or corner three. His assist numbers should only improve at the NBA level due to the talent that will be surrounding him (unless he ends up a Buck! zing!!). The biggest question mark right now is whether he is going to be able to improve his outside shooting to be considered a threat from distance. Athleticism is not as great as some of the other combo guards in league such as Eric Bledsoe or Wesley Matthews, but he can hold his own. Could really blossom into a star on the right team and at the very least should be a solid backup point guard due to his passing and defensive skills."

What BJ says: "Smart reminds me of this new hybrid breed of point guard now in the league. On one hand we have distributors like Rondo, CP3 and Rubio. On the other, there are scoring guards like Westbrook, Rose and Irving. Then there's guys like Eric Bledsoe, Kyle Lowry and Patrick Beverly. These dudes are just raw energy, aggressive on both end DAWGS. They can come in off the bench and spark your second unit, or frustrate a starting point guard with their defense and physicality. Smart is going to be well-built for being a rookie, and that will work to his advantage. I see his career playing out a little more like fellow college standout Kemba Walker, but I think he has more potential on the offensive end. "

Player comparison: Best Case: Eric Bledsoe. Worst Case: Jarret Jack.

Risk Meter: 4 Thabeets. Even if you aren't getting a starting point guard, you're getting a combo guard off the bench that can score and defend.

Best fit: New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers. Smart has obviously been through a few things this year. He's going to come out pretty polished media wise and I think he will be ready for the bright lights; specifically LA or NY. Both teams need a PG of the future and Smart not only brings the skills, the toughness and the mental readiness, but a passion for the game.

Worst fit: Milwaukee. Sacramento. If one of these teams decides they need to "bring in some competition" it's only going to be awkward. Smart needs to go to a team and be the guy from day 1.

NBA2K Rating: 71-73