2012 NBA Draft vs. 2014 NBA Draft.

[fandarko]

I know it's too early to tell, but in view of last June's Draft hype and the emergence of Anthony Davis as a Top 3 player in the league this season, I believe it's a legitimate comparison.

While Davis obviously dwarfs everyone in this year's draft both production and potential wise (not that production is relevant this early, but he way more productive right from the onset than any of the current rooks), it is interesting to check out how other, less heralded players fare against each other.

Drummond and Beal are legitimate starters and potential borderline all stars. So is Wrotten.

Sullinger, Waiters, Barnes and Ross are solid starter material. Fournier has been surprisingly good.

The 2014 class, now, has been lukewarm and, even if we factor in Embiid, who is the closest thing to Davis potential wise, seems not to be living up to the hype.

While terribly inconsistent, Wiggins is showing flashes of greatness, but that's about it. Jabari has somewhat let me down in the sense that I thought he would be able to put 18 pts per game with his arsenal of offensive moves, since he has the playing time. The Carmelo comparisons now seem really far-fetched.

Everyone else has so far been (Randle is obviously down, but nobody considers him a franchise player anyway) weak and all potential (Mc Dermott, Smart, Exum, Mirotic, Gordon) with no true potential star in sight.

Which rookie class looks better now and in the next 5 years?

[Inferno]

No mention of Lillard?

[KobesFinger]

How can Embiid live up to the hype if hes injured?

[fandarko]

No mention of Lillard?

Of course, my mistake. Talk about lack of hype.

Lillard clearly tilts it in the favor of the already more productive (obviously since they've been around for two seasons) 2012 class.

Lillard and Davis seem way better than any potential duo from last June (Wiggins-Embiid, Jabari-Wiggins, Jabari-Embiid) and it's not likely to change in the near future.

[hawksdogsbraves]

Way too early to say but 2012 sure seems like it will wind up being better.

[Random_Guy]

wow really interesting comparison, i remember back in 12 a lot of ppl were saying davis was going to bust (admittedly me being one fo them). from retrospect 14 class seems to be nothing special up until now at all.

[fandarko]

How can Embiid live up to the hype if hes injured?

It's all theory, of course. We will not know until next season hopefully.
He seems to have Davis-like potential, but in view how Davis is playing now he might have set the bar way too high.

In short, Davis >>>>>>> Wiggins/Jabari/Embiid or just about anyone from the most hyped class in the last 10 years COMBINED.

I'm sure nobody could have predicted he would be that good.

[andremiller07]

Drummond is far from a borderline All-Star in all honesty the way he's played this year (aside from like 1 game) he's lucky to be a starter.

[waseem780]

If Embiid can stay healthy for a few years , Embiid > Davis.

Rooks actually aren't doing that bad. Wiggins will be 15-18ppg scorer with good defense by the end of the year. Jabari's production doesn't show on the stat sheet , his overall game is impressive and he's on a winning team that moves the ball well. Gordon was very good as well before he got injured. LaVine has shown great potential but still needs a lot of work. Elfrid Payton has been good for a rookie but I don't know how much he can improve. K.J McDaniels been good. That is all the rookies I've watched so far.

I'd say 2014 Draft depends on Embiid. Otherwise 2012>>

[fandarko]

If Embiid can stay healthy for a few years , Embiid > Davis.

Rooks actually aren't doing that bad. Wiggins will be 15-18ppg scorer with good defense by the end of the year. Jabari's production doesn't show on the stat sheet , his overall game is impressive and he's on a winning team that moves the ball well. Gordon was very good as well before he got injured. LaVine has shown great potential but still needs a lot of work. Elfrid Payton has been good for a rookie but I don't know how much he can improve. K.J McDaniels been good. That is all the rookies I've watched so far.

I'd say 2014 Draft depends on Embiid. Otherwise 2012>>

If Wiggins can show some consistency and Jabari's effort translates into something like 15/7 this is what I think too. Embiid is the mistery man here.

[fandarko]

If Embiid can stay healthy for a few years , Embiid > Davis.

I'm not sure we can say that, since Embiid has yet to play a single NBA game.

Even if he lives up to the hypest hype, he will have a difficult time matching Davis's numbers, which are already on pair with Hakeem's, to whom Embiid has been compared to.

I'm not sure the two inches Embiid has on Davis will give him any edge overall. Davis is simply phenomenal and can obviously play power forward and centar at will, while Embiid is a prototypical five.

[Genaro]

Mirotic isn't from this year draft, he was drafted in 2011.

About the topic, I would say it's to early to tell, and while I remind all of you that the Brow didn't seemed to be a star in his rookie year, I don't really see a superstar in this year draft, just a lot of good, serviceable players.

[Angel Face]

So far the current rookie draft class doesn't look impressive. Over hyped? :confusedshrug: