Draft Express' 2016 UK Draft Picks

[Smashcat]

Adam Zagoria ‏@AdamZagoria 45m45 minutes ago
Kentucky in the 2016 Draft per @DraftExpress
1. Labissiere
6. Murray
18. Briscoe
28. Lee
59. Poythress

Is Poy too low? if you agree with the projection, think Poythress will play himself into first round this season?

 

[jrpross]

Poy could definitely rise. I expect him to be an early second rounder but I could see him in to the first if he shows some decent progress.

 

[Rhavicc]

Poy will definitely rise. With it being a small ball league now, and him being a world-class athlete and elite defender/transition player on both ends, he'll go in the first round. When he was playing PF in the Bahamas last season, he was dominating the post, that's where he's going to be playing again. The post.

 

[Big_C_KU]

Hard to tell. Poythress has things working for him and against him. The league is definitely becoming smaller. But teams have been hurt by drafting the 6-7 to 6-9 "tweener" and have become more reluctant the last few years drafting them in the 1st. For every Draymond Green there are 3 or 4 Derrick Williams drafted in the 1st. The tweener or combo forwards (whatever you wanna call them) usually have to put up huge scoring numbers and solid rebounding numbers to get drafted in the 1st. I can see the defensive numbers and rebounding numbers being great for Poythress but can't see the scoring numbers being good enough. I think also his height measurements will hurt him. If he's a legit 6-8 to 6-9 then I could see someone in the late 1st taking a flyer on him. I do think Poythress can definitely be a contributor at the next level.

His situation will be interesting to watch in comparison to someone like Georges Niang. Both in the combo forward, tweener range. Poythress has the athleticism and defense whIle Niang has the offensive skill to create matchup problems. I can see both going late 1st while also can see both going early 2nd because they'll be labeled as tweeners.