Earlier today, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas discussed the 2013 NBA Draft on a conference call with members of the media. ESPN will televise the 2013 NBA Draft presented by State Farm on Thursday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET. It will mark the 11th consecutive year ESPN has televised the Draft. Bilas will be joined by ESPN analysts Rece Davis, Jalen Rose and Bill Simmons for commentary. The NBA Draft is also available on ESPN Radio and WatchESPN
Here is the replay of today’s conference call.
Q. Knicks and Nets both drafting in the early 20s there. Any sense of what kind of help they may or may not get in this Draft? I know it’s supposed to be kind of flat talent‑wise.
BILAS: See, I don’t think it is. I think they’re going to get pretty good value at that stage of the Draft. I believe that this being a weak Draft has been totally overblown. I do agree with a lot of my colleagues that say there is no no‑brainer No. 1 pick or no no‑brainer, obvious All‑Star or Hall of Famer in the crew.
Like when LeBron James came out, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that guy was going to be pretty good and same thing with Kevin Durant. You really believed he was going to lead the league in scoring. You knew that.
There are some question marks at the top. In most drafts, the top five players in this year’s Draft probably wouldn’t go in the top five. But the way I see it, if this Draft started at No. 5, the first thing David Stern did tomorrow night would be to come out and say, “With the fifth pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers select,” and we’d say this is a deep Draft. There are a lot of players in this Draft. But it’s not. So we’re starting at 1 and we don’t have a lot of traditional 1 through 4, 1 through 5 picks.
But we’ve still got a lot of really good players. So you get down into the 20s where you’re talking about, there are a lot of good values there that are going to be solid players. I don’t subscribe to this is a weak Draft, therefore if you’re not drafting in the top five, then you’ve got a real problem. I don’t believe that.
Q. I know the NBA Draft will never compare to the NFL Draft, but in my mind it seems to be gaining some more interest. What do you think about that?
BILAS: Well, I do think it’s more and more interesting. I think part of the issue that we’ve got in basketball is that the NFL probably is better managed its talent procurement than we have.
The NFL and the NFL Players Association have agreed in collective bargaining that they’re not going to take any players before the end of their junior year in college. We don’t do that. And I think it hurts the NBA product, it hurts the college game and it’s created an interesting culture.
But it’s also made it more difficult on the fan – the names that are coming out are not as recognized as they used to be. You still are looking for immediate help, but there’s not as much immediate help available because the players are younger. There are more question marks. There’s more of a developmental component in basketball now than there used to be.
Now, that said, it’s still great. We’re talking about could it be better. And I think if the players stayed in school and were older and more accomplished when they were drafted and therefore better marketed and more widely known, I think all of this would be better.
Q. I was just curious to get your impressions about Erick Green and where you see him fitting in the NBA in terms of a role.
BILAS: Well, I mean, I don’t think he’s going to be the kind of scorer in the NBA that he had to be in college. But I think Erick is a good player. I think he’ll be around the first round. He’s more of a combo guy. He’s not necessarily a point. He’s not a big guy, but he’s got long arms and he’s a good athlete, not great. He doesn’t have great speed or athleticism and he didn’t distinguish himself as a defender, but he can really score.
He’s good coming off screens; he can shoot it off the catch; he can shoot it off the dribble; he can create for himself. So you’re bringing in a guy, he led the nation in scoring and did so consistently, but he did it on a team that really wasn’t that good.
But I think he’s going to be drafted, and I’ve got him slotted around 28, if I remember right. So he’s a good prospect. But I don’t think people are going to be drafting him to average 25 a game coming into the league.
Q. You could see him going late first round tomorrow?
BILAS: Yeah, I think that’s possible. I think it’s probably ‑‑ I would guess he’s more of a high second‑round pick, but he could definitely sneak into the first round, no question.
Q. I wanted to ask you about the two University of Miami guys, particularly Shane’s size and Kenny Kadji’s age. Those are the two things that come up with any doubters.
BILAS: Well, I mean, Shane is not going to get any bigger. He’s 5’10” and has the arms of a 5’10” guy so it’s not like he’s got some freaky long arms to make him play better than he is. But what he does have is he’s a freak athlete. He tested so well, I think his vertical leap was 43 or 44 inches if I remember right.
Q. Yeah, 44.
BILAS: Yeah, 44, and his standing vertical is really good, maybe the best at the combine. He’s really quick laterally, he’s quick north‑south, he’s explosive off ball screens and also does a good job of using pace, off of him. He just doesn’t blast off, he lets things develop.
Size is really only an issue in two areas for me: defensively because I think smaller guards can get taken advantage of by bigger guards on the defensive end, so he could be posted up a little bit and targeted that way. I think he’s a good player, and I’ve got him as one of the underrated guys in the Draft. I think he’s a first‑round draft pick. But size is definitely an issue.
But smaller guards have been doing better in the last several years because of the way the game is called, the rules of the game, how spaced out it is. That’s one of the reasons I think college basketball would be better served to officiate their games the way the NBA does because it’s just a better game.
Q. And how about Kenny Kadji?
BILAS: I forgot about Kadji’s age. Yeah, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. If a team is wondering, well, you’re not drafting the kid, I don’t think he’s going to be a first‑round pick, but if he’s drafted in the second round, you’re not drafting him for a 15‑year career.
I think a lot of times the age thing gets a little bit over used. If you’re saying, okay, basically age says Kenny Kadji is now who he’s going to be in the future. I still think guys can get better at age 23 or 24 or whatever it is. Maybe he’s older than that. But it’s not that big of a deal. You’re not going to use a first‑round draft pick on a guy who’s older and not a no‑brainer.
Heck, Tim Duncan got drafted when he was 22 or 23 and it didn’t seem to hurt him that bad. I’m not so worried about age. I think that’s kind of a smokescreen. If Kenny Kadji is a good shooter, he rebounds pretty well, he can stretch the floor, he knows how to play, I think he’d be a good addition to an NBA team.
He’s probably not going to be a starter in the league, but he’d be a good addition despite his advanced age. Maybe he can help mentor younger players. He can help mentor the 24‑year‑olds.
Q. You had Ben McLemore at No. 1 earlier today. Where does Noel fall in that list and how worried are you about his game?
BILAS: Well, I’m not worried about any of them. I think you have questions about certain things. I think McLemore, and I do it a little bit differently than some of these mock drafts. I’m not projecting McLemore is going to be the first pick. What I’m saying is he’s the best prospect. I think he’s the most talented player in the Draft. I think he’s got the most potential to be an All‑Star caliber player and to do well in the league.
He’s not without question marks. I could have done this four different ways with the top four and had it ‑‑ multiple ways with the top four, more combinations than that, and it wouldn’t have been necessarily wrong.
You know, some of this is in the eye‑of‑the‑beholder thing, but it’s just interesting with a No. 1 pick, how often for a first overall pick would we say, great defender, great shot blocker, really plays hard, gets a lot of steals, really impacts the game on the defensive end but doesn’t score and is injured?
He’s going to be up on stage wherever he’s drafted walking up on crutches and that’s unusual. I think it does raise some questions with big guys who are injured. It’s not like he has a pulled muscle; he’s got an ACL injury.
But his offense, how concerned am I about his offense? I think he can get better and will get better. Do I think he’ll be a really good offensive player in the league? I don’t, but I think he can improve. I just don’t see a gigantic improvement coming from him on the offensive end. I think he’s always going to be limited. He doesn’t have a great offensive feel for the game.
But he’s a savant on the defensive end, and he’s certainly worthy of a top‑three pick, and if he went No. 1 it wouldn’t surprise me.
Q. I know you had a chance to see Steven Adams a few times in person. Are you buying the hype that he’s a lottery pick? And then the second part of that question, is there a player in the NBA now or in recent history who you think Steven might become in a few years?
BILAS: I am buying it. I don’t necessarily think it’s hype. He’s got a big body. He’s a really good athlete. His numbers permitted are actually pretty good. He doesn’t have a great feel yet down in the post, and he struggled from the free‑throw line this year, looked kind of mechanical like he was thinking through it.
When he came over here, when he was a high school player and dominated in a game that he played early on there, he showed a little more fluidity than he showed last year.
I think he’s going to be a good player, just needs some time. He’s got to develop. But he’s got the tools. And at his size, being a seven‑footer, strong and athletic, who can defend down in the post – he still needs to learn a lot about post defense, his positioning, getting and holding position on the block really on both ends. He needs to learn those nuances, but they don’t make them that big very often. That’s one of the hardest things to get in the Draft.
We’ve got a guy with us at ESPN in Tom Penn who was a front office guy with Portland and the Memphis Grizzlies and he understands every nuance of the cap. One of the things I remember him saying all the time is the hardest thing to get in the Draft is size, and to get a seven‑footer that you could put in there and that can bang bodies and defend and rebound and hold down the fort in the middle is a hard thing to get.
So that makes Adams even more attractive.
Q. You mentioned Erick Green’s defensive deficiencies or that he didn’t distinguish himself. How much of that was a function of what he was surrounded with on the court? And in talking to NBA folks, how much do they knock a prospect back on their boards because of defensive shortcomings?
BILAS: Well, I mean, it depends what they’re looking at a prospect for. I think the guys that are watching have a pretty good understanding of what a player is going through for the most part. They may process it differently because everybody has got a different sensibility and eye. Nobody has got a magic eye for this.
But they know that Erick played on a team that wasn’t successful, wins‑loss wise. He was asked to do a lot more than he might have been otherwise if there were more options on the team. He wouldn’t have had to score 25 points. But showing you’re capable of doing that is an awfully good thing.
But I can’t imagine that there are teams out there going, we’re going to draft Erick Green so he can come in here and he’s going to be our top guy and the leading scorer. I don’t think that’s going to be the case.
He’s going to have to fit into an overall concept where he’s not the lead guy, and really there’s nobody on a team anymore that you can ‑‑ you’ve got to be able to play on both ends, because if you don’t play defense, they’re going after you. They’re going to target you. If you don’t score, they’re not going to guard you, and you’re going to load up on other people.
Now, he scores, but I watched him play a fair amount. I didn’t watch him a ton live this year because after a certain point in the season, there weren’t as many meaningful games that he was playing in. But I watched a ton of tape on him, and he did take breaks defensively. But the guy was playing 40 minutes every game.
I think you can make adjustments in that, and sort of in workouts, check him out and see how he does. But I think he’s worthy of a first‑round pick, and that’s saying a lot. He’s a good player.
Q. If the Pacers did end up going with a backup point guard, really a spot that they could use, in the middle of that first round, who are some guys that you really like, whether it be a Shane Larkin, Dennis Schroeder, Isaiah Canaan? What are pros and cons you see with those guys?
BILAS: Well, Schroeder is really good, the kid from Germany. He’s really talented. He’s kind of a Rondo‑type player. He’s a possibility. I don’t know exactly when he’ll be gone. He may be higher than the Pacers are.
But Larkin, I’ve got Larkin in there. I think Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope is really kind of a shooting guard and a really good shooter, will probably be gone.
Yeah, Lorenzo Brown of NC State I think is a good point guard. A lot of people have him as a second rounder. I see him in the late first. But if you really liked him, he could go a little bit higher than that.
Nate Wolters from South Dakota State. I don’t know if he’s going to be taken in the first round. I see him more of a second‑round pick in this year’s Draft. But he’s a good player.
And Pierre Jackson of Baylor is probably a late first‑, early second‑round player. So kind of in the middle of the first round, 20s, you probably do that if the need is great.
I still think that the Draft is more about taking the best available player unless there’s a specific need that has to be filled. Most of these guys aren’t going to wind up with the teams they’re drafted by in three years. There’s so much turnover in the league that who you take now, it’s really about asset procurement and getting the most valuable assets that you can, whether you keep it or trade it, that you’re able to procure the players that you want using the assets that you have.
Q. There seems to be a sense out there now that Cody Zeller is on the rise again. There’s some rumors he could shoot up to No. 2 and really kind of screw up the top of the Draft or change things around a bit. Do you buy into that? Do you think he’s worthy of being that high a pick? Can he work in there with those top four or five guys?
BILAS: I think he can. I’m a big believer in Zeller. I think that sort of it was a perfect storm of perception issues for him. I find it fascinating that in one breath we can say, Nerlens Noel can’t score, but we think that he can improve as an offensive player, and then later on we say, well, Cody Zeller only took two threes during the course of his college career and he missed them both, and he hasn’t shown his ability to make perimeter jumpers, but he can’t do that?
The guy is a crazy good athlete. He was the best player on his team for two years. Victor Oladipo included.
The perfect storm he had was he was rated as the Player of the Year before the season started, hyped as Player of the Year and he had another really good year. He’s the leading scorer and rebounder on his team. He’s the most efficient big guy in the country.
And then Victor Oladipo had as big an improvement as I’ve ever seen as a college player from one year to the next.
So that’s going on on your team and all of a sudden that’s a negative on Cody? I don’t get that. I really don’t get it. I really thought all year long, that team doesn’t win without him. You could have Oladipo having the year he had, if Zeller doesn’t play and play well and if he’s not their leading scorer and rebounder, if he’s not getting to the free‑throw line like crazy, that team doesn’t win at that level, just doesn’t win.
Because the year before when Oladipo wasn’t the super player he became this year, they still won 20‑plus games and were an NCAA Tournament team. That was because of Zeller. That was Zeller. And he’s going to be a good NBA player. He’s the best of the Zeller trio.
I think he can shoot it. I think he’s going to prove that. I think he’s a hard worker. I think he plays with a chip on his shoulder, and I would not be at all surprised to see him taken in the top five.
The one issue that he’s got, I think he needs to improve his post-game and his ability to elevate and score over size around the basket. But running, his bounce, his ability to ‑‑ I think he could be a better rebounder. He needs to be a better rebounder. But I think he’s going to be a very good NBA player. I like him a lot.
Q. If you’re in Orlando’s spot, would you be hesitant to take him at all that high?
BILAS: I would not. If I really liked him, and I do, I would not hesitate to take him in the top five, any of those positions. He makes just as good a case to me as any of the other guys we’ve talked about.
There’s not a player in this Draft that doesn’t have a question mark and a legit one. Zeller has got some, too, but his positives are really positive.
Q. Speaking of Oladipo, and this may come down to we’re looking for things to nit‑pick here a little bit, but one of the things that seems to be floating now is as great as his improvement was, as a scout, you have to ask yourself how much better is he going to get on the next level? Has he kind of maxed out? Is that a concern with you at all with him, or do you think he’s going to be a very good NBA player?
BILAS: Well, I think he’s going to be a very good NBA player. But that is a legit concern if you’re asking is he going to be a superstar. What he is now is good enough. I mean, that’s good enough to draft him really high because he’s going to improve the culture of your team. I really like him.
But he has worked incredibly hard. I just don’t buy this idea that if you’re 23 years old or 22 years old that you’ve hit your ceiling. Tim Duncan was drafted when he was 22 or 23, whatever it was, and he got a heck of a lot better, too. That doesn’t end your arc of improvement. And the fact that he’s a really hard worker speaks really well to his ability to get better.
Is it going to be leaps and bounds of improvement? One thing that we were way overboard on, he is not Dwyane Wade. I don’t think he’s going to be Dwyane Wade. Dwyane Wade was better at this stage of his career than Victor is. So I mean, but I think he’s going to be a really good NBA player.
Saying a guy is not Dwyane Wade is not an insult to Victor Oladipo. It’s letting you know just how good Dwyane Wade is. For a time, Dwyane Wade was the best player in the world, and that’s been taken by LeBron James now. But there was a time five years ago where he was the best player in the world.
Q. So you could still see Oladipo certainly going in the top three or four?
BILAS: Oh, yeah, yeah. Top five for sure, I think.
Q. I was wondering, a lot of people here seem puzzled that Grant Jerrett might actually get picked higher than Solomon Hill. And I was curious on your thoughts on those two guys, and if you were drafting Jerrett having that upside, which guy do you prefer?
BILAS: Well, you’re probably taking Jerrett. If they’re drafting around the same spot or being considered around the same spot, it’s probably going to be late first, early second round, so that’s where I’ve got Hill. I’ve got him in the early second round.
And if you’re taking Jerrett there, you’re saying, okay, at this spot you’re taking a young guy that has a chance to be really good. Like what you’re getting is a player who’s not ready yet in Jerrett. If he had stayed in school, maybe next year or the year after, the kid is a top 10 talent. I don’t know. But he’s got that kind of potential. He could be really good. He’s not really good right now, but he could be really good in the future.
So you’re saying, hey, should we take this guy now and take a chance to develop him when we know his ceiling is a little bit higher? It doesn’t mean he’s going to reach it, but he has a chance, whereas we have a pretty good idea how good Solomon is and how good he’s going to be.
No disrespect because I think Solomon Hill is a really good player. I think he’s going to be in the NBA. You can get another Solomon Hill. So do you take the risk and say, okay, well, let’s pass on Solomon even though he’s really good, and we’ll take a chance that Jerrett is going to pan out and be way better than the selection suggests he is in the future?
Essentially what I’m saying is you’re using your 35th pick in the Draft this year to say, heck, this pick represents a top 10 pick two years from now.
Q. I’m wondering if at that point of the Draft teams are maybe more likely to take a risk because you’re not investing as much financially and saying, okay, go ahead, let’s take this kid Jerrett?
BILAS: Oh, yeah, that’s exactly what you’re doing. You take somebody in the second round, you’re more likely to take a flier because you’re not as invested for as long a period of time. The contracts are not as long in the second round.
The first round you’re locked in. That’s going on your books and you’re locked in for a period of time. It’s not the same in the second round.
Q. Mark Lyons seems like he probably won’t be drafted, but I’m curious if you think he could develop into an NBA player or do you see him more likely overseas?
BILAS: I mean, I think if he finds the right situation he can play in the NBA. He’s good enough. There are a lot of guys that are good enough to play in the NBA. A lot of it comes down to finding the right situation.
There are always guys that go undrafted that make it in the league. There are always guys that get drafted that don’t make it. Some second‑round picks get drafted, they don’t make it. It’s hard to make it in the NBA.
Mark has got a lot of ability, but yet he’s a small guard and a little bit turnover‑prone and more of a scorer than a facilitator/distributor. But he’s got the ability to play in the NBA without question. And he’s plays with a chip on his shoulder and he’s got drive, so I wouldn’t put it past him in any way, shape or form.
Q. What do you make of the comparison between Hardaway, Jr., and Rice, Jr.? What do you prefer and where do you think they’ll wind up and their contrasts and similarities?
BILAS: Well, Hardaway is a shooter. They’re both scorers. Rice, Jr., has got some off‑court issues, and is a little bit of a wild card. Rice is a better rebounder, although Hardaway is a really good athlete.
Hardaway is not really a great passer and he’s not a great handler, but he can shoot it.
And Rice is a little more complete all around. But I think he’s one of those guys to say, hey, is he worth ‑‑ I’ve seen some people have him in the first round.
I’ve got Hardaway as a first‑round talent. I think he’s 23rd or so on the best available list, I do. I’ve got Rice much lower than that. He’s in the 30s or early 40s just because of the off‑court stuff.
I think when you’re drafting question marks, I think you put yourself in a bad spot. At some point it becomes worth it. In the 30s it becomes worth it, to me anyway. But you do it in the first round and you’re locking yourself into some question marks. If you’ve satisfied yourself that there’s nothing to it, then absolutely.
Q. What type of NBA system do you think Michael Carter‑Williams would best thrive in?
BILAS: An up‑tempo one. But on the 24-second shot clock, most of them try to play fast. There’s no slow‑playing teams in the NBA.
But yeah, he’s more of an open‑court player, does fairly well off of ball screens. He’s just not a shooter. He doesn’t shoot it well. But I do think he has a pretty good stroke, and I think he can be a better shooter. But right now he pushes it to the rim in transition. He does a good job there.
I think he’s mostly a right‑handed driver, but he’s not necessarily a one‑handed player. And I think when he drives it left, he’s usually going to pass it. But he’s a good athlete, fast, and he’s improved a lot. And I think he’s pretty good defensively.
So athletically he can hang with anybody, but he gets a lot of steals. He anticipates really well. But they play mostly zone. So hanging with the man, he’s not been doing it, but he certainly can do it. I like him, but he’s got to prove his shooting, and a lot of players do that once they get up to the NBA.
Q. I’ve got a McLemore and a Withey question. You have McLemore as your top prospect but there’s not a player in this Draft without a question mark. What are your biggest questions about him and how much do you like Withey compared to Cole Aldrich coming out of college?
BILAS: With McLemore the only questions are sort of his personality type. I think the fit that he goes into, the situation he goes into is going to be important. If he goes onto a team that you’ve got to walk into right away that has been a mess, and he’s going to be expected to shoulder the entire burden, here comes the savior, that’s a problem. It’s not one he can’t overcome, I’m just saying that I don’t think he would thrive in that situation right away.
I think where he could thrive is say Cleveland took him, say they went off of my best available list, not that they would, they’re smarter than that, but if they took him No. 1, he’d go into a situation where he’s playing alongside a franchise player in Kyrie Irving and they don’t need him to be the man right away. I think that gives him a little bit more of a chance to develop at a little more leisurely pace rather than coming in there and having to be the guy.
He needs to be better attacking off the dribble and getting his own shot. But he’s a great athlete. He glides up and down the floor. I think he’s the best shooter in the Draft. I think he’s the most talented player Bill Self has ever had, and he’s had Deron Williams.
But Fran Fraschilla mentioned that this morning, and that’s an eye‑opener when you think about that. But he’s not the personality type that Williams was.
But he’s still young in the game. He’s only really played for a year in college. In his first year, he got that kind of ridiculous NCAA academic thing, and he wasn’t even allowed to work with the team his first semester. So he’s kind of been away from it a little while.
But I like him a lot. I think he’s the most talented player in the Draft.
What was your question about Withey?
Q. Yeah, how much do you like him compared to what you thought of Cole Aldrich coming out of college, and what do you think is a better NBA prospect?
BILAS: Yeah, they’re really different. Withey is probably a little bit more mobile. He’s a better shot blocker and rim protector, but he’s slight of build. So getting in holding position down low is an issue for him. That’s not going to change. I don’t see him getting a lot bigger and wider.
It’s not like he’s not an older guy. He transferred in from Arizona, so he’s a red shirt player. He’s been around a while. But he can make a face-up shot? I think he’s a better shooter than he got credit for, but he’s not a low post player. He’s not a guy you’re going to throw the ball to him in the low post and he’s going to go to work on you. He’s more a guy to defend the post, block shots.
I think he’s a backup center in the league, but he’s a valuable piece, and I think he’s a late first‑round pick. He’s a good pick.
Q. I was just curious as to your opinion on Archie Goodwin and where in the Draft do you think he might end up going?
BILAS: I think Archie is a good talent that had a tough year. Yeah, he’s not a great shooter. He’s good in transition. He’s good athletically. He’s good off the dribble, but he’s not a point guard. And when they tried him at that position, I think it was difficult for him.
He did not meet the expectations that everybody had for him, but that doesn’t mean he’s still not a good prospect. I mean, back in the old days, guys had really rough freshman years, and they turn around and they’re great players. The start is not the finish for him. He can and will get better.
I’ve got him slated as top of the second round. But he’s talented enough to be a first‑round draft pick.
He’s a good prospect that has a chance.
Q. Do you see any remote chance that a team takes a flier on Clemson forward Devin Booker? If he goes undrafted, do you feel he has the possibility to latch on and play in the NBA some day?
BILAS: Yeah, I don’t think Booker is going to be drafted, but I do think he has a chance to go into a training camp and hook on as an energy guy and a roster player. But I don’t see him as being a rotation guy in the NBA. But I never put it past guys that play their tails off and can go in and add value to making a team.
I mean, there are a lot of guys out there that are capable of playing in the NBA, but you just need an opportunity. I think he’ll get one to play in a summer league and to go into somebody’s camp if he chooses to, but I don’t see Devin getting drafted, no.
Q. Question on Andre Roberson of Colorado. He’s kind of been all around the board in terms of early second round to not being drafted at all. Where do you see him fitting and what kind of NBA player do you think he can be?
BILAS: He’ll be drafted, I believe, because he’s got a skill that translates really well to the NBA. He can really rebound. Rebounding has always translated really well.
You hear a lot about analytics and the measures that are taken and the data that’s looked at. Some data points don’t transfer as easily. Rebounding does. Guys that rebound at a high rate in college usually rebound at a high rate as a pro.
I think that he can do that. It’s the other things; what else does he do? He’s not necessarily a shooter or a scorer. Where do you play him? Who does he guard? Things like that.
But yeah, I think he’s a good prospect. He probably came out a little bit too early. As far as getting drafted, I’m fine with him. I’m not one of those guys that says, he should have stayed in school and all that stuff. It’s an individual decision. If Andre is fully committed and prepared to be a professional, where he’s drafted isn’t really the issue.
I do have a problem with guys, sort of the idea that if you’re going to be taken in the first round you have to go, or if you’re going to be a lottery pick, you have to go. No, you don’t. Tim Duncan didn’t have to go. Grant Hill didn’t have to go. Shane Battier didn’t have to go. They’re still high draft picks and had long careers in the NBA.
The guys that are the real thing can do whatever they want. They can stay; they can go; they can do whatever they want. It’s the guys that if you think about it, if you say if you’re first round you have to go, what they’re really saying is go before they find out you’re not that good. That’s just an issue of where you’re going to get drafted, and I don’t look at it that way.
Q. As a follow‑up on Andre, do you feel he needs to develop that offensive game to develop that long career or can he have a Rodman/Reggie Evans type career where he can just rebound for a decade or more?
BILAS: Well, Reggie Evans has gotten better, too, but if you can rebound at that level, you’re going to have a long career. That’s the thing. There’s a place in the NBA for specialists, and if your specialty is going after the ball, you don’t have to be a scorer. As long as you’re not a liability out there defensively or on the offensive end, then that one skill makes you a really valuable commodity, and that skill he has is a specialty that puts him in really good stead.
But I do think he should improve in all those other areas. He should strive to be as good as he can be.
Q. Why do you think that Noel will always be limited offensively?
BILAS: Well, I don’t know that he’ll always be limited offensively; I just don’t see him as getting that much better. I mean, I don’t see that somehow somebody is going to teach him a post move and he’s going to be Olajuwon. That’s all I’m saying.
I think you play that long to this point, I don’t see him turning into a guy that’s going to knock down 17‑, 18‑foot jumpers and then go into the post and have a tremendous post-game. He doesn’t strike me as being that type of player.
I’m not closing off ‑‑ I think he’s going to get better, especially since he’s a hard worker. He’s a really good kid. He wants to be good, so he’s going to get better.
But I’m talking about his offense getting up to All‑Star potential like his defense is. His defense is All‑Star. His offense is not near that, and I don’t see it getting there.
But you know what? What I see doesn’t matter. He’s going to do what he’s going to do, irrespective of what we say. And if I say he’s going to be a great offensive player or somebody else says it, that doesn’t mean it’s going to happen, either. It’s really up to him. We’re just kind of projecting things and evaluating. But this is not done in a vacuum.
But think of how many top picks have we said, he can’t score, and then they turned out to be great scorers later on? If anybody can name some I’d love to hear them because I can’t think of any. But maybe there are some and I’ve just not looked at it well enough.
Q. What is it that impresses you the most about his defense?
BILAS: He’s crazy athletic and he’s really active and he blocks a tremendous amount of shots. He blocks like five shots a game, and his shot blocks, changes, he does it a little bit different than Anthony Davis but in a way better. He’s really active. He’s got, as everybody says, motor. He plays really hard. He plays hard all the time, and he’s a high volume rebounder.
He runs and he gets steals. Most guys his size aren’t getting steals. They’re not getting deflections at that rate. He’ll knock it away, he’ll step around and knock it away on a post pass. In the perimeter, he’ll step in a passing lane and knock the ball away and take it the other way. He gets a couple steals a game. Nobody in the country at his size blocked as many shots and had as many steals. He was by far the best in sort of combining those two categories.
