Returning players for 2021-22

RyanS12

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orientalnc said:
www.ajc.com

Could Georgia Tech’s Moses Wright really go undrafted?

Every ACC player of the year — the league has chosen one since 1954 — has been drafted by an NBA team. The 2021 ACC player of the year might not be.
www.ajc.com www.ajc.com
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I think his draft situation will be similar to Okogies. He might not end up as high as Josh, but once he gets in front of some GM’s and coaches at workouts, he will blow them away with his motor and athleticism. I think he ends up mid to late 2nd rd. Most likely bounce around for a few years between G league and the NBA but he will be making a great living.
 
orientalnc

orientalnc

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RyanS12 said:
I think his draft situation will be similar to Okogies. He might not end up as high as Josh, but once he gets in front of some GM’s and coaches at workouts, he will blow them away with his motor and athleticism. I think he ends up mid to late 2nd rd. Most likely bounce around for a few years between G league and the NBA but he will be making a great living.
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Just for the basics, I hope Moses is drafted and has a profitable pro career. With my gold tinted glasses, I want him back for another season. So, my ambivalence is out there. No one needs to point out my contradictions.

The best basketball future I see for Moses right now is that he is a late 2nd round pick, bounces around in the G league and Israel or Europe for a few years, then begins a professional career as a GT grad. That is not a bad projection, but it's also not what kids dream about.

Another future is that he is not drafted, tries to make it as a G-league player with a minimum contract. Or he takes a flyer on an international gig with no guarantees. This is basically a delaying tactic because that route is rarely headed toward the NBA. Maybe it works out, but the chances are very slim.

The more likely scenario is that NBA execs see a better than average NBA athlete with a high energy motor, but with limited skills. He is not a great shooter and Bradley pointed out that fact in his column. Everyone hits the net with their dunks. But Moses is more like a small NBA power forward in size without the outside shot. Left alone he can hit the NCAA 3-point shot with decent frequency, but he cannot create his own shot from the perimeter.

I will not be surprised if he returns to GT to improve his draft prospects and to earn some NIL money. Or begins life as a college grad. Of course, the above options will still be open to him.
 
awbuzz

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Would Moses be able to apply for Grad school and get accepted for the Fall Semester this/that late (end of June beginning of July) into the process?
 

lv20gt

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awbuzz said:
Would Moses be able to apply for Grad school and get accepted for the Fall Semester this/that late (end of June beginning of July) into the process?
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"Deadline for Fall 2021 admission is December 20, 2020; and the deadline for Spring 2021 admission is October 1, 2020. A list of current deadlines is also maintained by Georgia Tech's Graduate Studies Office.

Applications received past the deadlines may be considered, but to receive full consideration, especially for Institute -and internal- fellowships, applications need to be submitted by the due dates."

So yes.
 
orientalnc

orientalnc

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lv20gt said:
"Deadline for Fall 2021 admission is December 20, 2020; and the deadline for Spring 2021 admission is October 1, 2020. A list of current deadlines is also maintained by Georgia Tech's Graduate Studies Office.

Applications received past the deadlines may be considered, but to receive full consideration, especially for Institute -and internal- fellowships, applications need to be submitted by the due dates."

So yes.
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Does he actually have to be in grad school? Could he not take undergrad classes that complement his degree?
 

YlJacket

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He could take undergrad classes and play. While the grad business school might be problematic, I expect they could find some grad classes he could take
 

lv20gt

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orientalnc said:
Does he actually have to be in grad school? Could he not take undergrad classes that complement his degree?
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My assumption is that if he's graduated he'd have to either be enrolled in grad school or taking classes that earn him progress towards a second undergrad degree. I actually don't know if the latter is allowed.
 

g0lftime

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YlJacket said:
He could take undergrad classes and play. While the grad business school might be problematic, I expect they could find some grad classes he could take
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When I was in school I needed 3 hours to graduate and I knew I was staying for grad school so I took the remaining hours that quarter that counted toward my masters. Got a head start in grad school.
 
tsrich

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orientalnc said:
Just for the basics, I hope Moses is drafted and has a profitable pro career. With my gold tinted glasses, I want him back for another season. So, my ambivalence is out there. No one needs to point out my contradictions.

The best basketball future I see for Moses right now is that he is a late 2nd round pick, bounces around in the G league and Israel or Europe for a few years, then begins a professional career as a GT grad. That is not a bad projection, but it's also not what kids dream about.

Another future is that he is not drafted, tries to make it as a G-league player with a minimum contract. Or he takes a flyer on an international gig with no guarantees. This is basically a delaying tactic because that route is rarely headed toward the NBA. Maybe it works out, but the chances are very slim.

The more likely scenario is that NBA execs see a better than average NBA athlete with a high energy motor, but with limited skills. He is not a great shooter and Bradley pointed out that fact in his column. Everyone hits the net with their dunks. But Moses is more like a small NBA power forward in size without the outside shot. Left alone he can hit the NCAA 3-point shot with decent frequency, but he cannot create his own shot from the perimeter.

I will not be surprised if he returns to GT to improve his draft prospects and to earn some NIL money. Or begins life as a college grad. Of course, the above options will still be open to him.
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Can Moses really improve his draft stock with more time in college? If he's not draftable after the year he had, I'm not sure another year of college is going to help. He might be better served to go play somewhere fulltime for $$$ and hope he can play his way into an NBA contract, or just settle for a decent living playing overseas.
 
Techster

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tsrich said:
Can Moses really improve his draft stock with more time in college? If he's not draftable after the year he had, I'm not sure another year of college is going to help. He might be better served to go play somewhere fulltime for $$$ and hope he can play his way into an NBA contract, or just settle for a decent living playing overseas.
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I mean, if Moses came back and lit it up from outside, shows he can create shots off the dribble, and has a high percentage midrange game, then yes. He would also have to work on his quickness and going from outside in.

If you watch the NBA enough, you can tell the difference between an NBA 4 versus a college 4. Heck, some NBA 5's are playing a lot like small forwards these days.

IMO, Moses can DEFINITELY play in the NBA. It'll take him going to the right team, playing for the right coach that values Moses's skillset, and accepting a certain role (high energy guy that can defend down low and sweep up rebounds) while working on his game to become a more modern NBA 4. He won't be the first to do it, and certainly won't be the last. Moses has shown growth every season he's been at GT, and in the NBA, he won't have to deal with the rigors of GT classes and can use that time to work on his game. Again, he just needs a chance and be willing to do whatever it takes.

Here's an NBA secret: Not every guy on an NBA roster is someone that will score in bunches, and rebound like Dennis Rodman. The guys at the end of the bench are usually glue guys that offer the team a good practice body who will challenge the starters, and do the dirty work for the team stars when they get minutes. Moses can absolutely be one of those guys until he develops his game to become a rotational player.
 

lv20gt

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tsrich said:
Can Moses really improve his draft stock with more time in college? If he's not draftable after the year he had, I'm not sure another year of college is going to help. He might be better served to go play somewhere fulltime for $$$ and hope he can play his way into an NBA contract, or just settle for a decent living playing overseas.
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That can be said for almost any player who ever has a big year. Playing in college won't really develop players more than a year of playing overseas. It'd probably be true of Devoe as well. But usually players don't leave with eligibility remaining to go play over seas. It happens but it usually isn't the tradeoff that people make.

Whether Moses goes overseas or comes back, his likely path to improving his draftability is in showing more ability to create his own shot, and more volume to his 3 point shooting (41% last year was good, but just on 1.2 attempts per). Usually you would expect most of the development to be done before senior year, so him improving that much in year 5 seems like a stretch. That being said, Moses is one of the wilder stories of development that makes conventional wisdom not as attractive to apply. He developed late and took 2 hugs jumps his junior and senior year whish is rare, but he also had two huge jumps mid year, during his sophomore year and seniors years, as well. If he came back could he increase his 3 point attempts and maintain the average? Maybe. Could he improve his ability to create his own shot? Sure. Maybe he comes back for year 5, take another huge leap and is consensus national player of the year. Or maybe he comes back, slightly improves individually but without Jose doesn't get as many easy and flashy finishes and so has a step back year. That is the other factor.

Sounds like he knows he has an open invitation to come back if he wants, so there's no reason for him not to push as hard as he can now for the draft. If that isn't an option then he can make the choice of returning or looking elsewhere.
 
Techster

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Devoe will be interesting. We've seen Moses and Jose pop up in various mock drafts and internet NBA draft discussions, but Devoe hasn't been mentioned...yet.

Personally, I fully expect Devoe back. He's close to graduating, and it appears his NBA options are limited. Unless he looking to leave and play professionally overseas or G League, it seems returning to GT is his best option. He'll be the defacto #1 option for us, and he also has the chance to work on being the main distributor as he did at certain times last season which would help his stock as he's more of shooting guard now. At 6'5, and having the ability of a lead ball handler is positive for the NBA.
 

JonathanV

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