Royce White getting NBA attention

[KMAC_ATTACK]

he will be a 3 at the next level. Therefore, royce developing his handle will benefit him, as well as he has to work on his free throws. This guy could be in the top 5 scoring in the big 12 if he could hit 75% of his free throws. A lot of college players look the other way on it, but, you look at the guys scoring in the nba, its guys that can get to the hoop and hit free throws.

Royce there's millions of reasons to stay and let Freddy work with you on those outside shots and free throws...

And yes, im being 100% selfish!!!!

 

[acgclone]

I just don't see it. Yet anyway. I find it hard to believe that the way he is successful in college ball is going to translate into the NBA. If he can add a consistent jump shot of some variety over the next year or two, maybe.

The one thing that I can say with certainty, is that Fred will be able to gather all the relevant information needed for Royce to make the right decision. Fred and his NBA background will be able to:

1- Get a good feel for where he stands for most teams
2- Compare that with the other players in the draft
3- What his strengths/weaknesses are and how his game will translate

I'm also confident that Royce will trust Fred an realize that he's credible on this issue.

Either way, I'm sure the right decision will be made. Maybe that will be for Royce to leave this year, but my gut tells me that he needs one more year and if he can improve some of his shortcomings, he'll be a lottery pick.

 

[RayShimley]

I didn't see it at the beginning of the year, but Royce's play has just continued to improve as the competition has gotten stiffer. I still think he will stay due to his personality and having unfinished business here, but I definitely can see him skyrocketing up the boards by the end of the year.

What does this year's overall draft class look like anyway? Strong or weak in comparison to past years?

 

[isuno1fan]

Best comparison I've seen is Anthony Mason

 

[ruxCYtable]

Royce clearly needs more time to work on his mid-range jumper. Two years ought to do it.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I'm selfishly hoping for one more year, though I do think that Royce would benefit from developing his shot a bit before going.

 

[HFCS]

Is there really a position for him in the NBA though? There is such a huge emphasis on being able to shoot. I'm just not sure how he would fit in. Obviously he can work on things and get better at stuff like shooting, ball handling, and defense but it will be really interesting to see how his game translates.

He could be Carlos Boozer if he works on his midrange game.

But if Carlos Boozer had no midrange game or free throw shot he'd have been out of the league very long ago, and never sniffed being an all star or Olympian.

Royce is a better ball handler and a bit stronger, Boozer's midrange game is light years better. Other than that their frames and skill set are pretty similar. A younger Boozer in the NBA took the ball to the hole in the exact same way Royce did last night 4-5 times.

If I were an NBA scout I wouldn't give two thoughts about Royce's defense, the raw talent is there for that. Even four year players who are defensive studs in college get completely abused for a few years in the pros. Probably one player out of 300 arrives in the NBA with the skill and experience necessary to defend a gifted offensive pro. A more polished defender like KU's Robinson will get abused just as badly for a year or two.

Add midrange game + free throws = long career high ceiling

Don't develop those two things = 70% chance at one paycheck, likely no guaranteed contract from being a first rounder

The question for Royce is if he's better off developing these things at ISU or in the D league and on an NBA bench. There's a huge difference in terms of financial security between a first and second round NBA pick. Lots of second rounders never really make jack.

 

[CyJack13]

he will be a 3 at the next level. Therefore, royce developing his handle will benefit him, as well as he has to work on his free throws. This guy could be in the top 5 scoring in the big 12 if he could hit 75% of his free throws. A lot of college players look the other way on it, but, you look at the guys scoring in the nba, its guys that can get to the hoop and hit free throws.

Royce there's millions of reasons to stay and let Freddy work with you on those outside shots and free throws...

And yes, im being 100% selfish!!!!

There is no way White is a 3 in the NBA. He will need to lose about 40 lbs to play the 3. He's just too big to keep up with NBA caliber 3's. I think White has a ceiling of a high second round pick with his tweener size and age, so no matter when he comes out I don't think he's going to get a guaranteed contract.

 

[bawbie]

The NBA draft is a combination of skill & age(i.e. potential).

Your value goes up as your skills go up, but it goes down as you get older and your potential lowers. You see this all the time with the very very raw kids getting drafted in the top 10. It's the same argument as Brackins and the other prep school kids. They need to go after their Jr year because they are already 22 or 23 and are reaching the end of their draftability based on potential. Royce will be in the same boat. His skills (especially 15-20ft shot) aren't quite there to be a top pick yet, but if he waits 2 more years he will be too old to be a top pick. So I think one more year is just right.

 

[packthejack23]

Please don't leave Royce. We will need him next year because we won't have any other bigs to step up

 

[Cydkar]

I think we can agree that RW won't be here 2 more years. I think one more year to develop a mid-range game could earn him a ****-pot of money. He'd be easy defend right now because he has no outside threat. His ball handling won't help him if he can;t keep defenders honest.

 

[bawbie]

If I were an NBA scout I wouldn't give two thoughts about Royce's defense, the raw talent is there for that. Even four year players who are defensive studs in college get completely abused for a few years in the pros. Probably one player out of 300 arrives in the NBA with the skill and experience necessary to defend a gifted offensive pro. A more polished defender like KU's Robinson will get abused just as badly for a year or two.

Speaking of the NBA and defense, does anybody think Babb could have a future as a poor man's Bruce Bowen in the league?

It certainly seems he's playing NBA-level defense right now.

 

[erikbj]

He does not have a jump shot, he is 6'7" - he can not go to the rim everytime he has the ball in the league. He is less prepared for the NBA than Fizer was and we know how that turned out.

I think he comes back for one more year and works on developing a jump shot - then becomes a top 10 pick.

He may consult CFH for his opinion over ours though.

 

[Cychotiic]

I heard from a somewhat feasible source that he was going to be for next year. That being said, I think he stays one more year here. I think Royce is starting to feel somewhat comfortable in ames

 

[acgclone]

I think we can agree that RW won't be here 2 more years. I think one more year to develop a mid-range game could earn him a ****-pot of money. He'd be easy defend right now because he has no outside threat. His ball handling won't help him if he can;t keep defenders honest.

I think that's spot on. His athletic advantage over the other bigs in college will be diminished greatly in the NBA. Almost all NBA 3's will be able to be in his grill on the perimeter and hold their own with him in the paint. The 4's will obviously be fine guarding him down low, and most are athletic enough to recover when he drives the lane.

If I'm Fred, I tell him that my number 1 for this off season if he stays is to work on his mid range jumper and free throw shooting. And clearly there aren't many better shooters that could help him with those.

If he can show that he's capable of hitting 10-12 footers and making FT's he'll play into a lottery pick, IMO.

 

[Cydkar]

He's the Deputy Mayor. I should hope he's comfortable.

 

[HFCS]

The NBA draft is a combination of skill & age(i.e. potential).

Your value goes up as your skills go up, but it goes down as you get older and your potential lowers. You see this all the time with the very very raw kids getting drafted in the top 10. It's the same argument as Brackins and the other prep school kids. They need to go after their Jr year because they are already 22 or 23 and are reaching the end of their draftability based on potential. Royce will be in the same boat. His skills (especially 15-20ft shot) aren't quite there to be a top pick yet, but if he waits 2 more years he will be too old to be a top pick. So I think one more year is just right.

If you're thinking about the player's best financial interest, the way the NBA is set up it's all about being a first vs. second round pick.

If one more year in college can most likely boost a player from second to first round, the smart money decision is to stay. If a player will never have first round potential it's not as big of a deal if he goes and is drafted in the second round. Royce clearly could be a first rounder because he's already so good with a couple areas he could make massive improvements in, and if he's projected near the end of the first round or second round I don't think ISU fans are being selfish to think the smart decision is to stay.

The # of second rounders who flame out without ever getting loaded from basketball is insanely higher than first rounders who get a guaranteed contract when they're picked.

I watch 10 NBA games for every one college game I watch. There's not a place for Royce in the league if he doesn't develop a mid range game and hit around 60-65% from FT. Defense is irrelevant since he's athletic. The best defensive college forwards in the draft are going to get owned by Dirk, Pau, Lebron, Luol Deng, Z Bo, Carmello, etc... every bit as bad as Royce for a few years.

 

[Wesley]

What do I know, but it seems to me he doesn't have an NBA jump shot....or free throw; I think he could benefit from another year, or two.

Micheal Jordan developed his three pointer shot in the pros. It takes time. Thought I saw a few jump shots go in so far. His 70 mph passing woukld work out fine in NBA as they are more spread out on defense.

 

[isuno1fan]

I think we can agree that RW won't be here 2 more years. I think one more year to develop a mid-range game could earn him a ****-pot of money. He'd be easy defend right now because he has no outside threat. His ball handling won't help him if he can;t keep defenders honest.

I won't be surprised if he is here 2 more years.

 

[HFCS]

Speaking of the NBA and defense, does anybody think Babb could have a future as a poor man's Bruce Bowen in the league?

It certainly seems he's playing NBA-level defense right now.

Long armed defensive guards can make a ton of money. Guys like Thabo Sefolosha cash paychecks for years pretty much based on their frame and being average offensively.

If you threw all our players on NBA rosters right now, Babb would be the most likely to actually see minutes but Royce obviously has more upside. I don't know if he will make it, but he easily has the second best chance of any of our current roster guys.