Article on DD's draft prospects

[Lefty2one]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/deandre-daniels-could-ride-hot-streak-to-the-nba-draft/

ARLINGTON, TX — DeAndre Daniels is the perfect example of a guy who heated up in the NCAA Tournament and could ride that hot streak all the way to the NBA Draft.

“He’s coming out,” one veteran NBA scout, who has no inside knowledge of Daniels’ decision-making process, told SNY.tv. “He’s playing the best he’s ever played, he might as well go for it.”

“He just scares me because I don’t know what you’re getting,” a second veteran scout said. “If Connecticut wins the NCAA championship and he plays great two nights in a row, he’ll be at another level. Right now, he’s a giant question mark.”

DraftExpress.com has Daniels projected as the No. 29 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft –but he’s taken his game to a new level in the NCAA Tournament as UConn has moved to a Final Four showdown with Florida here on Saturday night.

He’s averaging 17 points and 6.8 rebounds in four tournament games, including a 27-point, 10-rebound outing against Iowa State in the Sweet 16.

A 6-foot-8 junior forward from Los Angeles, Daniels has long been considered a potential NBA talent, but he’s been tagged as “soft” from the day he stepped onto campus at UConn, when he chose the Huskies over Kansas and Texas.

“If you saw him all year prior to the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament, you’d have said the guy should be playing in the WNBA, right?,” the first scout said.

“He didn’t get anything done, shied away from contact, couldn’t finish, wanted to just live out on the perimter, wasn’t really knocking down shots, didn’t go hard at anybody, just physically not ready.”

Said the second scout: ”To me, he has to be tougher, more consistent. He’s very talented. Kids like him are very difficult to assess because their production level in the game varies so much. He has very good physical tools, length, the ability to run and jump, but he’s not strong enough. He has the body that can turn into an NBA body.”

He added: “Inconsistency has been this theme. He’s very talented.”

 

[MattMang23]

Right now, he needs to come back. Not because he can't make a career in the NBA, but because his stock isn't yet high enough. He can change all of that this weekend.

 

[Marat]

I have been wondering about DD/Boat in the back of my mind.... If the Huskies wind up winning 2 more games.

 

[patrick]

Right now, he needs to come back. Not because he can't make a career in the NBA, but because his stock isn't yet high enough. He can change all of that this weekend.

No right NOW he needs to worry about Florida and only Florida!

Luckily that's what ko is telling him!

 

[MattMang23]

No right NOW he needs to worry about Florida and only Florida!

Luckily that's what ko is telling him!

Yeah, agree. And I'm sure that's all he is thinking about.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Answering right now I think for basketball reasons DDaniels needs another year. He needs to learn to dominate consistently. However, if he does that on this stage over the weekend, well then he's proven himself.

Boat I think different story. He needs a solid consistent monster senior year to become a first rounder. Otherwise he's fighting for roster spot as change of pace backup guard and given his size that's tough.

 

[Inyatkin]

“If you saw him all year prior to the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament, you’d have said the guy should be playing in the WNBA, right?,” the first scout said.

Ha ha ha! That first scout is a comic of the highest order. Great job by Zagoria, too, to give anonymity to someone who (a) insults a college student and (b) insults women's basketball.
Where do they find these people

 

[Brochacho]

If we win #4 these guys can do whatever the hell they want.

 

[caw]

I'm sorry, DD has been a bit inconsistent but he's been hitting his shots at very good clip all year long.

 

[Husky25]

Let's talk about it next week sometime.

 

[intlzncster]

“If you saw him all year prior to the conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament, you’d have said the guy should be playing in the WNBA, right?,” the first scout said.

Ha ha ha! That first scout is a comic of the highest order. Great job by Zagoria, too, to give anonymity to someone who (a) insults a college student and (b) insults women's basketball.
Where do they find these people

Well, he'd never get another interview again if he didn't.

 

[BlueMAB]

I'll trade a national championship for Daniels' senior season.

 

[metsfan2323]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Giffey get a summer league invite. He will be a pro somewhere.

 

[aceboon]

I'll trade a national championship for Daniels' senior season.

agreed, in order to win a title they need DD to play well, if DD balls out and looks like a late first rounder its a win win for the program and him.

 

[BlueMAB]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Giffey get a summer league invite. He will be a pro somewhere.

If Niels gets an invite I wish him the best, but I think he could have a 15 year career and be a star in Europe somewhere.

 

[dogpause]

DD needs to be the go-to player for a year. Players that show a lack of confidence at times, or who get down on themselves, need the extra year.

 

[Rico444]

If Niels gets an invite I wish him the best, but I think he could have a 15 year career and be a star in Europe somewhere.

Sure. But he should tryout for some NBA teams first. If he doesn't make it, oh well. Still plenty of time to go across the pond.

 

[UConn5]

If Daniels leaves as a result of helping Shabazz carry this team to a title then I am a happy camper. No matter what, if he decides to go, I hope he's successful.

Definitely could use another year I believe, though.

 

[arnie3]

For those that are ready the light bulb flashes and you can just see that confidence rising. I'm hoping that DD is right there.

 

[HooperScooper]

I just got back from the Celtics-Sixers game. And let me tell you that half of the UConn players could play for either team. Wow, what a suck fest that was.

 

[Zerosumgame]

I just posted about roscoe in the other thread and DeAndre is similar in my opinion. Both of them are about half way there to being legitimate NBA-type players. Roscoe has the physicality, but not enough skill right now and I feel as though Daniels is the opposite. A player his size that can shoot from outside consistently and has a good touch around the basket will always be coveted, but he needs to get quite a bit stronger to compete against NBA 3's and 4's and the way he has defended in this tournament is the way he needs to defend all of the time. During the season, there were two many times when he would float around not affecting much of anything on either end of the floor. Needs to be more assertive. Sneaking into the first round is definitely worth forgoing a year of pro ball. The most beneficial option for him would be to stay around one more year and show out as this team's first or second option, but I see why he might go.

 

[uconnbill]

The only thing that matters is happening 18 hours from now in North Texas. The rest is meaningless.

Go Huskies!

 

[TheChamps990411]

If they win two more games this season they could transfer to duke if they want. Champions get full carte blanche.

 

[mauconnfan]

None of us know what DD should or will do…..we can only speculate from a fans perspective……..

I think if he uses the mindset he has had for the last 8-10 games and transitions that into his Sr year he potentially jumps into a top 15 guy next year. Having said that we said the same thing last year and he took a while to gain some consistency.

From a selfish point of view we're really good again next year if he stays and plays with the passion of late………but DD's a great kid and I wish him the best no matter. But priority #1 is 22/10 tonight!! LOL