ESPN Insider: JJ Hickson Is A First Round Lock
J. J. Hickson, F, North Carolina State
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Hickson is an athletic big man with an NBA frame and the ability to score from 15 feet and in. He’s shown good ability as a shot-blocker and a rebounder and has been shooting with extreme efficiency from the field.
Although scouts say he’s raw and could use another year in school, the combination of length, athleticism and efficency is usually a potent one come draft time. His stock is harder to judge because of his rawness, but most scouts have him going somewhere in the mid-first round.
18 Responses to “ESPN Insider: JJ Hickson Is A First Round Lock”
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This is great news for JJ; however, I would hope that he takes another year to develop his skill as a player and thereby increase his potential at success in the NBA. I would really love to see a former NCSU player become a top flight player in the NBA.
I am certain that Sidney can develop him well over the next season. Please stick around JJ.
As a state fan, I’d love JJ to be in uniform another year (or two, or three). Realistically though, if you can be assured first round status you are pretty foolish not to take it; you can be set for life off of that guaranteeed money. Passbook interest alone on that amount is going to amount to a middle class living wage.
can we use this thread to vent about how bad we are tonight?
Fells is on fire… thank the lord. Javi is back to his old terrible self though it seems.
Causey = Kobe
Fells is a man among my little ponies out there.
No way in Heck Hickson is a first rounder with the lack of interior defense his shown these past two games.
Be cool, Stay in school JJ
15 feet? Haven’t seen it. Not tonight. But hey, I don’t know crap about the NBA.
First round lock? No way, not this year. A few of the reasons why: Beasley, Thompson, Patterson, Love, Ibaka, Hendrix, White, Jawai, Hardin, Pekovic. All of those guys would probably go before JJ.
Put it this way; if Hansbrough were to go this year, he not only would be extremely unlikely to go 1st round, its altogether possible he wouldn’t even be picked in the 2nd round. The PF position is a log jam this year.
Unless they measure distance differently in the NBA there is no way in hell JJ is good to 15 ft.
Yeah I think this must be based on before ACC play, because since the “real season” has started JJ has just been average. He’s only shooting 40% FG since ACC started and he’s not as dominant against his stronger competition. Part of this is because he’s getting doubled down (because of our poor outside shooting) but most of his points come from the drive and dish (and dunk). Post moves Ben McCauley is much better and JJ’s 15′ shot is just not there YET. I’m less and less worried each game about him leaving after this year.
There is always at least one who’ll jump up and exclaim, he’s “foolish not to take it”, but the fact is that JJ is no where close to ready for the NBA. He’s got what it takes, sure, and someone will draft him just like they did Cedric Simmons, but Hickson is not ready for anything more than an occasional rare minute or so of PT in the NBA.
People will just say take the money and run, he’ll be OK, that he will eventually learn and develop in that league. That is something that I strongly disagree with, because I do not think that playing amoung the best BB players in the universe really affords a “raw talent” an opportunity to fully develop like competition at a lower level does.
So, in my opinion, at least some players are much wiser to stay and play longer on the college level, and their experiences their will only enhance the “value” of their future.
^ their experiences “there”
^Let me further add to my last comment and say that what I said up there is only true when the right coaches are involved on that lower level. It involves a really fine line and there must be good coaching for individual development to even occur in the first place. That player may feel, or at least appear to be, more ready for the leap to the NBA than he really is. But either way, by doing his job that college coach is convincing that to kid to come back for more of the same the next season, or rather, he is setting that kid up for success, or maybe not, in the NBA.
I disagree with the view he is ready. He isn’t really dominating any ACC center and is usally outplayed by no-name centers.
His defense against a good center is weak to say the least.
I don’t think he will be first round, after they scouts get a close look at him against good ACC competition.
I don’t have a problem with him leaving. I don’t think much of one and done. We would likely have just as many if not more games without him this season.
Why recruit a guy that is going to do that. They have no connection with the school and never will. what a waste.
I disagree with the view he is ready. He isn’t really dominating any ACC center and is usally outplayed by no-name centers.
His defense against a good center is weak to say the least.
I don’t think he will be first round, after they scouts get a close look at him against good ACC competition.
I don’t have a problem with him leaving. I don’t think much of one and done. We would likely have just as many if not more games without him this season.
Why recruit a guy that is going to do that. They have no connection with the school and never will. what a waste.
Primewolf, I wouldn’t really blame any KID for getting stars in young his eyes, and taking that leap well before he is ready. It’s the people around him that I blame. They should know better, be brutally honest with the kid about it, and advize him likewise.
Too many fans out there also telling young kids to go after the first dollar that’s waved in their face, and making it sound like the kid is ignorant not to just go ahead, whether he’s really ready or not. It’s pretty obvious when a kid is ready and will impact on the next level, I think the real ignorance comes in when adults rush them into it when there is no rushing necessary.