Tag: Prospect Park

Q&A: Raptors rookie Gradey Dick: ‘I just try to be myself in everything that I do. It’s goofy.’

For The Win caught up with Raptors rookie Gradey Dick.

NEW YORK — Toronto Raptors rookie Gradey Dick is one of the most interesting rookies in the league.

The former McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade National Player of the Year (we spoke to him after he won the award) was a standout freshman at Kansas last season, earning Big 12 All-Freshman. The 19-year-old forward was then selected by the Raptors at No. 13 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.

While he is known for his sharpshooting off the court, he is also an animal lover who does a shockingly good impression of the Disney character Donald Duck.

He performs dance routines and backflips on his TikTok, he is followed by Drake on Instagram and he has a personality as vibrant as the suit he wore on draft night.

Before the 2023 NBA Draft, For The Win met up with Dick, who shared his thoughts about his transition to the NBA.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Read more of our pre-draft interviews with NBA prospects.

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Q&A: Jazz rookie Keyonte George on rapid improvements: ‘It’s just the beginning, so I’m taking everything in’

For The Win caught up with NBA Summer League standout Keyonte George.

NEW YORK — Keyonte George was arguably the biggest standout from the 2023 NBA Draft at NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas.

George, a 6-foot-4 guard from Texas who played one collegiate season at Baylor, was named Big-12 Freshman of the Year. Then the Utah Jazz selected him at No. 16 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.

On the court for the Jazz this summer, he averaged remarkable splits. He produced 28.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 2.0 steals per 40 minutes.

Unfortunately, however, George injured his ankle and will not play again while in Las Vegas.

He was also one of the leaders in free-throws attempted and 3-pointers attempted during these games as well. George was frequently able to create his own jump shot off the bounce, sometimes even managing to drop his defender with nifty dribble moves.

This was nothing new for George, via CBB Analytics, who ranked in the 97th percentile for unassisted 3-pointers per 40 minutes among all players in college basketball last season.

But his ability to score as the ball handler in transition and in the pick-and-roll made him project well as the point guard of the future for the Jazz.

What was especially encouraging, per Synergy, is that George recorded as many dunks (3) in NBA 2K24 Summer League as he did during his entire career at Baylor.

Before the 2023 NBA Draft, For The Win met up with George, who shared more details about how his game will translate to the NBA and what he likes to do when he is not on the court.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Read more of our pre-draft interviews with NBA prospects.

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Meet Lakers rookie Maxwell Lewis, the saxophone player turned prototypical NBA wing

Lewis played the saxophone until deciding he wanted to pursue an NBA career.

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published June 8, 2023

Pepperdine sophomore Maxwell Lewis is one of the most intriguing wings in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Lewis averaged 17.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his breakout campaign for Pepperdine in 2022-23. Although he didn’t take the most traditional path to the pros, we project he’ll be a first-round pick in our latest 2023 NBA Mock Draft.

As the youngest of five children but the tallest in his family, Lewis always knew that basketball was an option for him. Soon, he can potentially turn it into his career.

“I feel like it was meant for me to play basketball,” Lewis told For The Win during a recent interview. “I had a size 15 shoe in like sixth grade.”

Lewis has spent the offseason training at IMPACT Basketball in Las Vegas with legendary skills trainer Joe Abunassar. Lewis has spent the pre-draft process training alongside several NBA players including Josh Green, Caleb Houstan and Keon Johnson.

The former Pepperdine standout has worked out for several teams with draft picks in the lottery including the Mavericks, Pelicans and Thunder. Some of the other teams with first-round picks that brought Lewis into their facilities include the Hawks, Lakers and Rockets.

Now, he feels ready to take the next step and make his mark in the NBA, and here are five things to know about him.

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Meet Clippers rookie Kobe Brown, who projects as the perfect ‘glue guy’ at the next level

Missouri senior forward Kobe Brown is a fascinating sleeper available in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Missouri senior forward Kobe Brown is a fascinating sleeper available in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Brown averaged 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists while shooting 45.5 percent on 3-pointers last season. He also added 1.5 steals per game and was named First-Team All-SEC in 2023.

After the season ended, Brown immediately became focused on turning pro.

“I really didn’t take but a day or so off,” Brown told For The Win during a recent interview. “I tried to keep things going because I knew this process was going to be a very crucial part of everything. It’s been really great. A lot of discipline.”

Brown says that the offseason has included “a lot of self-improvement” and training in the months leading up to the draft on June 22. Soon, he will learn where he will begin his professional career.

Although he wasn’t included as a projected first-round pick in our latest consensus mock draft, Brown could outperform his draft position and soon provide tremendous value for whatever team selects him. His highest ranking in any mock draft is No. 35 overall, per HoopsHype.

Until then, here are four of the most important things you need to know about Brown.

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Meet Hornets rookie Nick Smith Jr., who thinks he can be one of the NBA’s top passers someday

For The Win caught up with NBA draft prospect Nick Smith Jr.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Although Nick Smith Jr.’s productivity on the basketball court was limited, the 19-year-old Arkansas star who was once the top high school player in the country is ready for the NBA.

Since his days as a one-and-done at Arkansas ended, he’s ramped up the intensity.

“The pre-draft process has been one of the best offseasons I’ve had in a long time,” Smith recently told For The Win. “I’m just working on my game each and every day and getting my body prepared for an 82-game season.”

Smith was a McDonald’s All-American who participated in the Jordan Brand Classic and the Nike Hoop Summit in 2022. After playing one season of college basketball at Arkansas, he is a projected lottery pick in Thursday’s 2023 NBA Draft.

Here are four things to know about Smith before the draft.

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Meet Mavericks rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who says he is ‘somebody that is electric’

We spoke to Meet Marquette forward and NBA draft prospect Olivier-Maxence Prosper.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Marquette junior wing Olivier-Maxence Prosper, also known as O-Max, is an intriguing NBA draft prospect originally from Montreal.

Prosper, who measured just short of 6-foot-7 in socks with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, was one of the biggest standouts at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. We have Prosper as a projected top-20 pick in our latest 2023 NBA Mock Draft.

When he meets with NBA teams during the pre-draft process, he told For The Win during a recent video interview that there is one thing that he wants to make clear.

“I want them to know that I’m going to leave everything on the floor to win. I’m a competitor. I’m a hard worker,” explained Prosper, who played a crucial role in leading Marquette to win its first-ever Big East Conference title.

Prosper, who attended the NBA Academy and speaks four languages, knows what he wants to see come next in his journey.

“I feel like my body is ready. I feel like my basketball skills are ready,” Prosper said. “I feel like I’m in the best position to go out there and do my thing.”

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

RELATED: Why NBA teams looking for the next OG Anunoby should consider drafting Olivier-Maxence Prosper

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Meet Trail Blazers rookie Kris Murray, who’s creating his own basketball identity separate from twin Keegan

We caught up with Iowa’s Kris Murray.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Iowa’s Kris Murray is hoping to do something that has never been done before. He wants to eventually win an NBA championship with his identical twin, Keegan Murray.

Last season, the Kings selected Keegan, who declared after his sophomore year with the Hawkeyes, with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. One year later, Kris is projected to hear his name called on draft night as well.

Kris averaged 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists while adding 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game for Iowa.

He was one of just three players in Division I men’s college basketball to record at least 200 rebounds, 30 steals, 30 blocks and 60 3-pointers last season. The other two were Brandon Miller and Taylor Hendricks, who are both projected top-10 picks in For The Win’s consensus mock draft.

All things considered, it was a successful campaign during his first-ever season playing without Keegan.

“We’ve been together for so long, and I’m grateful that he’s been my teammate for the time that he was,” Murray told For The Win. “But having my own team and being able to play without him helped me grow my game and helped me create my own identity.” 

While it was a new challenge for his parents to have one son playing in Sacramento and another playing in Iowa, they will soon know where Kris will suit up next season.

The good news for their parents: ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft has Kris selected by the Kings as the No. 24 overall pick.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Meet Nets rookie Noah Clowney, the ‘always overlooked’ Alabama product

For The Win caught up with NBA draft prospect Noah Clowney.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Alabama’s Noah Clowney isn’t someone who was projected as a first-round draft pick before the season began. But now, that’s exactly what he’s become.

Still only 18 years old, Clowney is listed at 6-foot-10 with a reported wingspan around 7-foot-3. The SEC All-Freshman was the only Power Five freshman with a block percentage above three percent and a defensive rebound percentage above 20 percent, via Bart Torvik.

The only players to reach those thresholds last year (Jabari Smith, Jalen Duren and Jeremy Sochan) were all lottery picks.

“I think the thing that helped our defense is that I was smart. Later in the season, I caught on,” Clowney told For The Win. “Not only can I do what I’m supposed to do but I can talk to my teammates and tell them what they need to do as well. I feel like it helped our defense a good bit.”

On the offensive end of the floor, per Bart Torvik, Clowney is one of just four Power Five freshmen to record at least 25 dunks and 25 3-pointers. The other three (Jarace Walker, Taylor Hendricks and Cam Whitmore) are all projected lottery picks as well.

Despite the elite statistical company he keeps, Clowney is currently projected outside the lottery at No. 26 overall in our latest consensus mock draft. But it doesn’t bother him.

“I think I can play with anybody. I can do whatever is asked of me at multiple positions,” Clowney added. “I can make shots and do what I do and do what nobody else wants to do — help win. Whatever it takes, really.”

Here is what else you need to know about Clowney as an NBA prospect:

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Meet Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski, who used the transfer portal to make himself a pro

We spoke to Santa Clara guard and NBA draft prospect Brandin Podziemski.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Santa Clara Broncos guard Brandin Podziemski was one of the standout performers from the 2023 NBA Draft Combine.

Podziemski averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 43.8 percent on nearly six 3-pointers per game. He was one of the more impressive players in his first five-on-five scrimmages during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago.

He recorded 10 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and two steals while also connecting on two of his 3-pointers. Podziemski made impressive shots off the bounce and didn’t have any turnovers. It was exactly the performance that front-office executives and scouts would want to see.

“I can be a really good role player my first year,” Podziemski told For The Win during a recent interview.

Podziemski also showcased his athleticism, finishing with a 39.0-inch max vertical leap, per Stadium Speak, which ranked in the 89th percentile among all participants in the NBA Draft Combine since 2000.

“I’m gonna surprise a few people with my athletic ability,” he said.

After a 26-year gap between draft picks from Steve Nash to Jalen Williams at Santa Clara, the WCC program could potentially have a first-rounder selected in back-to-back seasons.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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Meet Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively, the big man from Duke who is going to dominate on defense

We caught up with Duke’s Dereck Lively II.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published prior to the NBA Draft and has been updated.

Dereck Lively II was the top recruit in the nation coming out of high school in 2022. A year later, he will hear his name called in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Basketball is dominated by big men like NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and NBA MVP Joel Embiid. Teams around the league need someone who can protect the paint. But how exactly does a team find someone who is capable of actually guarding someone like Jokic, Embiid or Anthony Davis?

The 19-year-old one-and-done prospect can answer those questions as an instantly impactful defensive-oriented big man. He is listed at 7-foot-1 and with a reported 7-foot-9 wingspan, which makes him the largest prospect in this class aside from Victor Wembanyama.

“I’m always somebody that you’re going to hear on the floor, no matter if that’s on offense or defense,” Lively told For The Win.

“I still have to be the kind of radio tower. Everybody sees me. Everybody can hear me. But I can see everything. I have to be able to navigate everybody on the court.”

The former McDonald’s All-American big man was named ACC All-Defensive and ACC-All Freshman after his one-and-done campaign for Duke. Now, he is a projected top-20 pick in our latest consensus mock draft.

Here are four important things you need to know about Lively.

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