Tag: 2021 nba draft

Source: Boise State to consider Derrick Alston Jr. as 6’9″ point guard

Boise State forward Derrick Alston Jr., who was an early entrant for the 2020 NBA Draft, will return to the program for his senior season.

Boise State forward Derrick Alston Jr., who was an early entrant for the 2020 NBA Draft, will return to the program for his senior season.

Alston averaged 17.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, both strong marks. He ranked among the top five in scoring for players in the Mountain West Conference in 2019-20. He was a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.

But according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke to USA TODAY Sports Media Group on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, Alston will likely take over the position of starting point guard at Boise State next season. Alston, who is 6-foot-9, averaged 3.1 assists per game in 2019-20.

Before his most recent season, head coach Leon Rice predicted that Alston would see a drastic increase in his role as a creator on the court (via Boise State):

“You’ve got another versatile guy. When talking about his feel for the game, [it] is at the highest level, 99th percentile, I’d say. He just knows what’s going on out there. He can see the floor. He’s so big … But he is also a weapon in making a lot of guys better, too. He can get guys easy buckets because of his abilities. I think you’re going to see a big jump in that aspect.”

Rice ended up being correct considered, as noted by Pro Basketball Combine, Alston recorded just one game with at least four assists during his sophomore season. But as a junior, that increased to eleven instances. This was highlighted by a 24-point, 7-rebound, 7-assist performance during the first month of the season.

Overall, his assist percentage (20.1%) ranked sixth-best among all players 6-foot-9 or taller in college basketball last season. When including passes, per Synergy, Alston finished 34.4% of his possessions as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll sets.

Alston was 9-for-15 (60.0%) on finishes as the ballhandler in transition, per Synergy. Boise State had the third-lowest transition frequency in the MWC, via Synergy. This is something that could increase, resulting in a style that is more reliant on pushing the break in the open court if Alston does take over as the lead initiator.

It is worth mentioning that Alston’s assist count (98) was already the highest mark of anyone on his team last season, recording nearly thirty more assists than Alex Hobbs — who finished with the second-most on the team.

“Alston’s assist count (98) was already the highest mark of anyone on his team last season, recording nearly thirty more assists than Alex Hobbs.” (Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports)

Hobbs, however, has exhausted his four years of collegiate eligibility. So, too, did Justinian Jessup — who finished with the third-most assists on Boise State. Alston is projected to once again lead his team in assists next season, per Bart Torvik.

Even if he does not end up getting the start in their opener, expect to see Alston with the ball in his hands more often when he returns to the NCAA.

This is likely something that can make Alston more alluring to NBA teams. He was certainly on the radar in the second round when he tested the waters after declaring for the draft in 2020. But if he is able to succeed as a primary playmaker, he can serve as a secondary ball-handler at the next level.

His is a name worth keeping an eye on when making early big boards for the 2021 NBA Draft.

[lawrence-related id=18649]

Bleijenbergh, Belgian player of interest to Celts, to stay in ’21 draft

Vrenz Bleijenbergh, a 6-foot-10 wing from Belgium on the Boston Celtics’ radar, does not plan to join the 2020 NBA Draft.

[jwplayer Rfco0CJs-z6KDnl0B]

Overseas wing prospect Vrenz Bleijenbergh, a player of interest for the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat, plans to continue aiming for the 2021 NBA Draft despite the delay created by the coronavirus.

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has pushed the 2020 NBA Draft from June to October of 2020, but the 6-foot-10, forward plans to move ahead with his plans to hold off until 2021, citing the impact of the pandemic on any potential interviews with Boston to the Celtics Wire.

Having played the sport since very early in life in his native Antwerp, Bleijenbergh was offered scholarships from a number of high-profile U.S. schools such as U.C.L.A., Arizona and Kentucky, but chose to play professionally in Europe instead.

He now plays for the Telenet Port of Antwerp Giants, a franchise in the Belgian Pro Basketball League — the highest level of competition in that country — and will play his third campaign as a pro in this coming season.

He had previously participated in the 2019 NBA Draft, but withdrew as an early entrant.

[lawrence-related id=37613,37606,37540,37579]

Five wings for the Boston Celtics to watch from the 2021 NBA Draft

While it might be too early for most to think about the 2021 NBA Draft for most, the Boston Celtics ought to consider these five wings when the time comes.

It’s understandable that most fans aren’t especially dialed in on the prospects likely to participate in the 2021 NBA Draft with the 2020 draft yet to even happen.

But teambuilding never sleeps, and you can bet that the Boston Celtics have been keeping close tabs on the next wave of prospects all 30 franchises will be looking to replenish their rosters with when the time finally comes.

With that in mind, Celtics Wire has put together this article analyzing five wings the Celtics should keep tabs on as potential draftees in the draft after next, using the outstanding early analysis on the top prospects at all positions of 2021 draft prospects created by our sister site, Rookie Wire.

As of now, Boston has only one pick (their own) available in the 2021 draft, which gives us a good idea of the likely range it will fall in — the latter third of the first round.

So with that said, who should the Celtics be considering among wing players?

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Five bigs for the Boston Celtics to watch from the 2021 NBA Draft

It might be too early for some, but the 2021 NBA Draft has intriguing prospects galore – here are 5 bigs the Boston Celtics should watch.

It may be too soon for most to consider the 2021 NBA Draft when we still don’t know the date of the 2020 draft, but team-building never sleeps — not even in quarantine.

And with that in mind, The Celtics Wire continues its analysis of 2021 draft prospects, moving from guards to bigs who the Boston Celtics ought to be keeping an eye on for when that draft finally rolls around.

With the early entry deadline more than a week behind us, we finally have a solid idea of who will actually be in the mix for the summer (we think) after next, which lets us take a closer look at a more defined field of prospects.

We’ll be working off of our sister site’s recent article “2021 NBA Draft: An early look at the top 60 prospects” as a guide to compliment our own analysis of these potential future Celtics.

And possessing just one 2021 first-round draft pick likely to be towards the end of the last third of the draft, we have a good idea of the range of players likely available to Boston, barring big movements in either direction.

So, with all that said, let’s take a look at some of the best big men potentially in the Celtics’ reach.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Rookie Wire names Greg Brown a top 2021 NBA Draft prospect

Incoming 2020 recruit Greg Brown has been named to the Rookie Wire’s top 60 prospects for the 2021 NBA Draft.

There is no denying the fact that Greg Brown is a top tier talent, so much so that the NBA G-League was a possible destination. Brown has made it known that he is a one and one prospect at the University of Texas. Head coach Shaka Smart hasn’t shied away from going after recruits who don’t plan on sticking it out past their freshman season. Brown will be a name often talked about when it comes to the NBA Draft.

In fact our colleagues at the Rookie Wire have him listed as one of the top 60 prospects for the 2021 NBA Draft.

Greg Brown averaged 20.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game on the AAU circuit in 2019 for the Texas Titans. Brown also had the second-best player efficiency rating (36.0) as well as the second-most points per game (20.2) among all participants in the 17U adidas Gold Gauntlet in 2018-19. He is a highlight-reel dunker, too, which can help his fame among more casual fans when he throws down on bigger stages.

It is a bit surprising to see Brown so low on their list considering the hype surrounding him. Especially given the fact that the G-League was more than willing to offer Brown a six-figure contract to join rather than going to the college ranks. Brown will have an opportunity to increase his draft stock and work his way into the first round discussion.

“His actual game has grown a great deal. How he sees the game, how he approaches the game, certain components of basketball and then the way that he interacts with his teammates, he’s really done with what you hope guys do from from ninth grade through 12th grade. He’s really grown up a lot.” -Shaka Smart on the evolution of Greg Brown’s game

Five guards for the Boston Celtics to watch from the 2021 NBA Draft

While it’s much too soon to think about the 2021 NBA Draft for most, for the Boston Celtics, there’s no time like the present.

While it’s much too soon to start thinking about what kind of team the Boston Celtics will be in the summer of 2021, for those in charge of keeping an eye on NBA prospects for the team have already been working on such a task for some time.

And as we draw closer — though we’re not sure how much closer — to the 2020 NBA Draft, the picture begins to come into focus as other elements of the puzzle begin to become known.

For now, the biggest piece of the puzzle to snap into place is simply having a better idea of who will be available to be drafted in the first place, and with the 2020 NBA Draft early entry period over, it’s much clearer exactly who will be there to populate the big boards of the NBA’s 30 teams.

With that knowledge, then, let’s take a look at the top five guards, bigs, and wings that could fall within the Celtics range over the next few weeks, using The Rookie Wire’s early look at the top 60 prospects of the 2021 NBA Draft.

This week, we’ll start with the guards, and we’ll focus on the end of the first round, the most likely range of Boston’s only 2021 first-rounder, its own.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6

Two prospects for Celtics fans to watch in the 2021 NBA Draft

While the 2021 NBA Draft might be too far off for some, it’s never too early to begin scouting prospects for the Boston Celtics.

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony recently released a very early 2021 mock NBA draft with two players for Boston Celtics fans to keep an eye on.

The 2021 NBA draft may be a way off still, but it’s never too soon to think about how prospects might fit into the team’s longer-term plans — or at least with the higher ranked prospect, ties to Boston players.

That player would be Boston native Terrence Clarke, who forged friendships with up-and-coming Celtics wing duo Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum with workouts after Clarke reached out to the pair this winter.

Brown in particular took the future Kentucky Wildcat under his wing, offering Clarke counsel on what to expect at higher levels of competition.

“I wish some stuff I would have learned a little bit earlier that I know now, that it would have probably helped me have a better career,” Brown offered via MassLive’s Tom Westerholm.

“So just telling [Clarke] some of that stuff that people told me to help me try to give him a little bit of an advantage, because when you get to a certain [level], it’s going to be a lot of 6-foot-7 guys, it’s going to be a lot of talented guys.”

Clarke is unlikely to end up a Celtic given Boston figures to be one of the stronger teams in the East in the 2020-21 NBA season, and with little in the way of draft assets to move into the lottery of a future season, it seems more likely Boston will be drafting late in the first.

However, another prospect worth keeping tabs on with a local connection is University of Connecticut guard James Bouknight.

Bouknight is one of the best guards to come through UConn since Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier did at the start of the decade, is taller and bouncier than either at 6-foot-4, and can shoot deep 3-pointers.

He’s still a bit of a work in progress — thus his decision to forego this year’s NBA Draft, but projects well in the proximate draft, with Givony expecting the Brooklyn native to go 26th overall.

Then again, with so much time between now and the summer after this one, both of these prospects may see the fortunes change radically in either direction.

Even still, it’s worth keeping an eye on both of these two as the coming year unfolds.

[lawrence-related id=33370,33362,33345,33319]

Get to know top NBA prospects who may join new G League Select Team

The NBA G League is launching a brand new team for top prospects who would prefer to forego the traditional route of college basketball.

The NBA G League is launching a brand new team for top prospects who would prefer to forego the traditional route of college basketball.

Prolific Prep’s Jalen Green was the first player to commit to the program, which exists in many ways to convince players to be in their pipeline rather than go overseas in Australia and play in the NBL like LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton did in 2019-20.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony, former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell is “expected to be considered” as an option to lead the team.

We have provided brief profiles on Green, who will headline the show in Southern California, as well as several other prospects who could join him.

Jalen Green, Guard

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

6-foot-5, 17 years old, Prolific Prep (California)

Jalen Green is an incredibly explosive athlete who also has improved as a shooter over the past few years. The scorer has become a more consistent and reliable option, offering an attacking mentality that will develop further as competition continues. One of Green’s crowning achievements thus far: He took home tournament MVP during the U17 World Cup in 2018, leading the United States to the gold medal behind 15.7 points per game. He also averaged 7.7 threes per 40 minutes, showing he is a fearless shooter. His natural stroke from the free-throw line shows that his 3-point percentage will likely increase within time, too.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8