The NBA 2013 draft class is one of the weakest draft class since 2000 and it only gets weaker when almost 1/3 of the projected 1st round players decides to return for one more year in college. The most notable player who decides to return is Marcus Smart who is projected as top 3 pick. Followed by James Micheal McAdoo, Willie Cauley-Stein, Gleann Robinson III, Mitch McGary, Dario Saric, Doug McDermott, CJ Fair, Isaiah Austin and Alex Poythress. Imagine the lost of these players in the draft class which means some of the projected 2nd rounder mixed up with the first rounder. So if a team have a late 1st round pick is likely draft a player which is supposedly 2nd rounder quality.
One more indication that this draft class is so weak is that there is no clear who is going on to the top pick. Scouts can't find anyone with a franchise player talent. From the start of the year there are debates between 4 players who were involved in the top pick, Noel, Zeller, Muhammad and McAdoo.
Those 4 are promising players before the season start but at the end of the season, all those 4 have something in doubt. McAdoo decides to return to college for junior year though even if he decides to join this year's draft, he's probably out of the top pick discussions. Muhammad's questionable potiential after he struggles on UCLA. Zeller's strength and defense deficiencies hurts his stock down to several spots.
Noel's raw offensive ability makes plus a big blow when he suffer from torn ACL made him uncertain in the #1 spot. And there goes the wild cards: Alex Len, Ben Mclemore, Victor Oladipo and Trey Burke which don't have the quality to be a Top Pick.
As we look back to 2000 NBA draft, there are a couple of players who are having a solid careers. Kenyon Martin the former #1 pick, 2 former six man of the year Mike Miller and Jamal Crawford, and the most notable 2nd round steal: Micheal Redd. Also Hedu Turkoglu, Kenyon Dooling, Quetin Richardson, Eddie House and Deshawn Stevenson were a solid picks. These players made impact to the teams they played. They were maybe not a franchise player but help provide solid contribution for their team. This years draft class teams could find much needed help in Oladipo, Porter, McLemore and Carter-Williams. It will just depend on what system they will play and how will they be able to maximize their potentials.
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