NBADraft.net has Oturu going 8th in the 2020 draft updated today

[short ornery norwegian]

I agree with bga - I also see Oturu as more of a PF who could play a few minutes of backup C if needed. But, that could make him more valuable if he can fill multiple roles.

bottom line - if he's a top-20 pick in the draft, he's looking at a guaranteed contract of at least $5-million, plus he can pick up some $ from a shoe deal and endorsements.

so, it's go pro and get rich, or come back for another year with the Gophers, run the risk of injury, and finish in the middle of the league.

conclusion - he's gone. Pitino has to - absolutely has to - be planning right now how he's going to replace Oturu in the middle next year.

 

[forever a gopher]

He does. I wish the NBA and common sense were paired together. I hope he returns AND the move pays off for him. He'd have a chance to be college player of the year next year.

Unfortunately, that's not how the NBA draft works. I have no doubt Oturu would be a better player and more developed if he stayed another year. But that often doesn't translate into higher draft position. He runs the risk of "not showing enough development" over the extra year and teams downgrading his projection. The NBA draft is all about projection and potential.

I would like to see basketball go to a baseball style system, where your two options are go pro right out of high school, or sign on to play college and stay 3 years (I think basketball could make it 2 years instead of 3). Or presumably, you could play overseas right out of high school and enter the draft after 1/2/3 years.

 

[Gopherlife]

Disagree. Oturu is significantly more athletic and can actually put the ball in the floor. I'm shocked Dieng even made a career albeit a small one in the NBA.

Just throwing this comparison out there but Draymond Green played the 5 for the warriors and he was only 6'5". Green can't really shoot. If Oturu gets a consistent three ball and works on his lateral quickness/movement he could be a great small ball center.

Two areas in which I believe Green is significantly better are in ball handling and physicality. Oturu has done a slightly better job of standing his ground on defense and keeping his man from pushing him down toward the basket over the past 3-4 games, but I would say that it is still an area of weakness and would improve with another year to get stronger.

Oturu's situation appears similar to that of Smith for Maryland. Both appear to be more suited for the power forward role in college, but have been forced to be centers on their current teams.

Another interesting thing to me (maybe some will disagree) is that I think Garza (for Iowa) is a better college center than Oturu, but Oturu is a better NBA prospect. Oturu is more gifted athletically (which looks more attractive to the NBA), but Garza appears to have a tougher mentality as, for one, he does not get beat down court on defense. The main reason Garza ends up with so many rebounds is that he outworks other players of similar size.

 

[Keyser Söze]

conclusion - he's gone. Pitino has to - absolutely has to - be planning right now how he's going to replace Oturu in the middle next year.

Probably close to a 90% chance that if Oturu leaves, we replace him with a grad transfer. Can't really plan which grad transfer to take right now and would be against the rules to start recruiting guys who we think are potential options.

 

[Parcival]

Probably close to a 90% chance that if Oturu leaves, we replace him with a grad transfer. Can't really plan which grad transfer to take right now and would be against the rules to start recruiting guys who we think are potential options.

Matthew Hurt could be an option ?

 

[BleedGopher]

per Shooter:

Gophers 6-10, 240-pound sophomore Daniel Oturu is now the No. 8 overall pick by Washington in NBAdraft.net’s projections for June’s draft.

Although Oturu is projected as a center, he’ll play power forward in the NBA. Being chosen No. 8 overall would mean a two-year guaranteed contract worth about $8.3 million. Oturu, by the way, has made 12 three-point field goals this season.

Charley Walters: These Twins will win another hundred in 2020

The signing of slugger Josh Donaldson two weeks ago probably made the Minnesota Twins the second-best club in the American League, behind only the New York Yankees, heading into spring training thi…

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Pretty soon we'll need an Oturu nba mock draft thread

 

[Spottedmuskie]

Matthew Hurt could be an option ?

I thought going to Duke at the time was the right choice, but his nba draft stock would be better playing on the Gophers. Then again who says he wouldn't be the third option behind Oturu and Carr?

 

[cjbfbp]

Unfortunately, that's not how the NBA draft works. I have no doubt Oturu would be a better player and more developed if he stayed another year. But that often doesn't translate into higher draft position. He runs the risk of "not showing enough development" over the extra year and teams downgrading his projection. The NBA draft is all about projection and potential.

You're exactly right. Just ask players like Jared Sullinger and Chase Budinger who hurt their draft status by staying in school.

 

[cjbfbp]

per Shooter:



Although Oturu is projected as a center, he’ll play power forward in the NBA. Being chosen No. 8 overall would mean a two-year guaranteed contract worth about $8.3 million.

Charley Walters: These Twins will win another hundred in 2020

The signing of slugger Josh Donaldson two weeks ago probably made the Minnesota Twins the second-best club in the American League, behind only the New York Yankees, heading into spring training thi…

www.twincities.com

Go Gophers!!

Actually, the way it works most often is at least 3 years of guaranteed money, at least for first rounders. The reason is that teams have to announce their intention for the 3rd year team option fairly early in the player's second year. The deadline was October 31st, shortly after the beginning of the regular season, this year. So, unless the player really hasn't shown much at all, the team is unlikely to refuse the option.

 

[cjbfbp]

I thought going to Duke at the time was the right choice, but his nba draft stock would be better playing on the Gophers. Then again who says he wouldn't be the third option behind Oturu and Carr?

I saw him on a couple of draft boards I checked today. He has a Player Efficiency Rating of 21.1 (22.3 in conference, a true shooting percentage of .599 (.637 in conference), and Win Shares per 40 minutes of .208 while playing for a 20-3 team that gets as much exposure as any team in the nation. I'd say his decision is working out well for him.

 

[GopherChaos]

I suspect that Oturu will be heading to the nba next season. It would be hard to turn down a solid 1st round projection to then risk it another year and then enter a deeper draft that will be open to high schoolers again. They are calling it a double draft and Oturu likely could be projected lower.

 

[LesBolstad]

Exactly. As evidence, look at the flurry of top recruits we snagged after Rickert and Humphries bolted.

Haha. Yep, losing a guy like Oturu is devastating for a program like Minnesota. There is so little top end talent coming here, tough to replace a guy like that. If no NCAA tourney this year and Oturu likely NBA bound, Lil' Ricky will not be our coach next year.

 

[Gopherfan.in.fergus]

I suspect that Oturu will be heading to the nba next season. It would be hard to turn down a solid 1st round projection to then risk it another year and then enter a deeper draft that will be open to high schoolers again. They are calling it a double draft and Oturu likely could be projected lower.

Agree, as much as I selfishly want him to stay for the team to be really really good next year, if he’s projected to be a top 10 pick he should go and do what is best for him and his future.

 

[Block M]

Haha. Yep, losing a guy like Oturu is devastating for a program like Minnesota. There is so little top end talent coming here, tough to replace a guy like that. If no NCAA tourney this year and Oturu likely NBA bound, Lil' Ricky will not be our coach next year.

Thats a full-retard post.

 

[Block M]

I suspect that Oturu will be heading to the nba next season. It would be hard to turn down a solid 1st round projection to then risk it another year and then enter a deeper draft that will be open to high schoolers again. They are calling it a double draft and Oturu likely could be projected lower.

FWIW he is not mocked in the first round of the latest Sporting News mock.

 

[builtbadgers]

Friend who is a Bucks scout says about 23rd. Who knows, i would have thought higher but i am notoriously poor at translating college players to the next level. Besides, perhaps he wants to stay in school.

 

[Veritas]

Winning games is good, losing games is bad. Orturu leaving is, therefore, bad for the Gophers.

 

[Block M]

Winning games is good, losing games is bad. Orturu leaving is, therefore, bad for the Gophers.

Good 3-point shooting trumps interior play. My hope is that we get better at the shooting guard/forward positions next year and have adequate interior play if Oturu leaves.

 

[bc2211]

Friend who is a Bucks scout says about 23rd. Who knows, i would have thought higher but i am notoriously poor at translating college players to the next level. Besides, perhaps he wants to stay in school.

That gives me some hope for a return. Someone with better knowledge of contract schedules chime in, but maybe there is value in returning for a year and playing his way into the lottery.

 

[BballJones]

Friend who is a Bucks scout says about 23rd. Who knows, i would have thought higher but i am notoriously poor at translating college players to the next level. Besides, perhaps he wants to stay in school.

23 seems low. But I agree, so hard to see the games translate to the NBA. I think he will be a very solid NBA player, but not a game changer. He seems to love college and MN in general (both the U and the State). If he gets good feedback and is pretty much assured to be a lottery pick, I can't see him passing it up. But, if he truly is a 23 type pick, wouldn't be shocked to see him back for his Jr year.

 

[Block M]

e college and MN in general (both the U and the State). If he gets good feedback and is pretty much assured to

I saw him on a couple of draft boards I checked today. He has a Player Efficiency Rating of 21.1 (22.3 in conference, a true shooting percentage of .599 (.637 in conference), and Win Shares per 40 minutes of .208 while playing for a 20-3 team that gets as much exposure as any team in the nation. I'd say his decision is working out well for him.

Hurt will get drafted this June and will likely be out of the league a few years after that. I think the Duke rep (artificially) enhances draft stock of players like Jones Bros., Hurt, and others who are realistically, marginal NBA players.

 

[builtbadgers]

Hurt will get drafted this June and will likely be out of the league a few years after that. I think the Duke rep (artificially) enhances draft stock of players like Jones Bros., Hurt, and others who are realistically, marginal NBA players.

Interesting. I never heard that the Hurt's had ever entertained one and done.

 

[bga1]

Friend who is a Bucks scout says about 23rd. Who knows, i would have thought higher but i am notoriously poor at translating college players to the next level. Besides, perhaps he wants to stay in school.

If he's 23rd he should stay. I think he deserves top 10 and would be there next year. The difference in pay between 23rd and 10th for the 3 year period is a ton.

 

[fair]

Good 3-point shooting trumps interior play. My hope is that we get better at the shooting guard/forward positions next year and have adequate interior play if Oturu leaves.

In theory, yes, but the reality is what we've seen this year- shooters can go ice cold. We'd probably have a couple more losses without Oturu forcing the issue inside or without Carr always finding a way to the basket.

 

[Mulligan]

If he's 23rd he should stay. I think he deserves top 10 and would be there next year. The difference in pay between 23rd and 10th for the 3 year period is a ton.

Saw a national writer say that this year's draft is projected to be the poorest in 7 or 8 years while next year's draft is "loaded." Pretty sure Daniel is aware of that and how that might affect where he's drafted although I don't know if that would be much of a factor. Biggest thing to me would be what a serious injury would do. He has a teammate who has had two devastating knee injuries in two years.

 

[howeda7]

Saw a national writer say that this year's draft is projected to be the poorest in 7 or 8 years while next year's draft is "loaded." Pretty sure Daniel is aware of that and how that might affect where he's drafted although I don't know if that would be much of a factor. Biggest thing to me would be what a serious injury would do. He has a teammate who has had two devastating knee injuries in two years.

There's insurance for that. I'd hope he already has it.

 

[builtbadgers]

There's insurance for that. I'd hope he already has it.

He has it.

 

[Bordergopher]

He has it.

Glad to hear. He seems like such a great kid-I would hate for a devastating injury to ruin his financial future.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I'm sure Oturu saw fellow NBA draft prospect Ayo Dosunmu go down in pain last night. Covered (by insurance) or not, seeing that has to make an impact on his thinking?