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Ford: Update on Brandon Jennings

by Chris Alvino on June 9th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

Here is Chad Ford’s latest. He talks at length about Brandon Jennings’ Euro experience and how he viewed by scouts, GMs, and coaches.

I get the feeling he might drop a bit, especially with the rise of Jrue Holiday and Jonny Flynn.  A couple of months ago, I would have thought that Jennings was a lock for the top 10, if not the top 5 or 6.  But other players (college players) have shown what they can do on national stages.  They have shown what they can do in the combine.  Etc., etc., etc..

At the combine, Ford polled GMs, and the outlook for Jennings looked bleak, at best.   The consensus was that Jennings did not rank in their top 6 PGs in this draft.  Rubio, Curry, Holiday, Evans, Flynn, and Teague were all ranked ahead of him.  There are rumblings that the Bucks like Jeff Teague, perhaps enough to scoop him up at 10.

As things stand right now, unless the Warriors draft Jennings at 7 (and there are even rumblings that they might not go with a PG in this draft… that would be a mistake), I am not sure if Jennings will go in the top 10.

The Knicks will bring Jennings in for a workout before the draft.  I will trust Walsh and D’Antoni on this kid.  If they think that he can play, then I will believe it.  If Curry, Evans and Holiday are gone, and the Knicks do not trade up for Rubio, then a trade down might be a good idea, especially if the Knicks like Jennings and he drops to being the 7th PG taken.

But I am unsure on Jennings.  I’d be shocked to see him slip into the 20′s, but it would not be unprecedented to see stumble down the draft board.  Last year Bayless fell out of the top ten even though some thought he would go as high as #4 to OKC (Seattle).  In 2006, Marcus Williams was rumored to go as high as the Hawks in the top 10, but he slipped all the way into the 20′s.  Things happen on draft night.  With Jennings being such a question mark, and with the value of a 1st round pick increasing, some GMs might not be willing to take blind risks.  As many GMs probably have not seen Jennings up close, the star European PG from LA might just be a blind risk that some GMs are not willing to take.

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About Chris Alvino

Chris Alvino grew up in Crestwood, NY. He graduated from Regis High School in 2005. There he played both basketball and baseball. Chris is currently a student at Boston College, where he practices with the varsity Women's Basketball Team (... seriously). Chris has been a Knicks' fan for years and can literally talk about them all day long, every day of the week. Chris enjoys writing on this blog and seeing what everyone out there has to say about it. View all posts by Chris Alvino →
  • KBT1615

    People can be really slow this is how steals are made. Busts do good at workouts making the good players who couldn’t work out once or twice fall. If the kid was ranked as the 2nd best PG in the draft and hasn’t done anything since to make it fall Isnt he still the 2nd Best PG?

  • Cheech

    I think Jennings is a big risk-reward guy. I hope the Knicks DO NOT draft him. He seems to have some attitude issues. and i dont think he is the brightest bulb in the bunch. I mean he couldn’t get a big time d-1 college to take him, and i think they make a lot of exceptions. Im not fond of guys that arent smart players. Plus from what ive seen, his shot is kinda suspect.

  • Bart

    I Agree Jennings could be a game changer and hes a better defeneder hes better than Holiday so if we don’t get Curry and can’t get him Jennings is the next best pick.

  • Chris Alvino

    If he is that good, and Walsh believes that, the question might become where does Walsh plan to pick him? Is he a good value at 8 if another team wants to leap into the 8th spot to grab someone else?

    If Curry and Holiday are gone, then would the Bulls be willing to move into the top 10 at the expense of their two picks? This draft will be like a big chess game.

  • Magik_Trick

    He will be a steal, that skill doesnt go away, but I dont see All-Star, just a really solid PG for years to come

  • DanL

    Not if other guys have vaulted ahead of him by showing up for measurements and workouts, and having successful seasons in college.

  • DanL

    What skill. The only success he had was over short unathletic high school kids. As soon as he faced real competition, his “skill” couldn’t get him off the bench.

  • KBT1615

    OK After The “Successful” season of most of these PG’s Brandon was ranked 2nd after Rubio.. Now does a players measurements change what they saw from that previous season? It shoudn’t.
    Just watch Jennings will jump up the Knicks board if they work him out he is talented, tooo talented.

  • KBT1615

    Short unathletic high school kids? Dude you have no clue what you are talking about do you he was amazing at the Mcdonalds game (you know the game with the best college recruits) and he went to Oak Hill you know the top tier basketball high school in america. Heard of it? well they play some of the best teams in america and I know some people who played Oak Hill, far from short.
    Europe isn’t like the us jack their coaches prefer the older players.
    You obviously have no clue what you are talking about so please don’t comment about this until you find a clue.

  • Funk

    I have a very good feeling that Jennings ends up as the knicks draft pick this year. All these teams are stating they don’t know anything about him, and that he keeps blowing off opportunities to showcase his talents which is ultimately hurting his draft position. D’antoni has many connections in Italy, and with all the stuff going on with Jennings, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Knicks were the team that has made a promise to take Jennings.

    This could be very helpful for the knicks, by us trading our 8th pick to another team to move down a few spots, allowing us to acquire another pick or two, or lose a heavy contract.

    I would be very happy with Jennings as the knicks pick this year. More so than I would be if we took Jrue Holliday. Jennings has a lot of talent, don’t let his Euro #’s fool you. Like I have posted on another topic last week, Jennings Euro stats are comparable to Holliday’s collegiate stats. And Jennings played about 10 mpg less and against better competition..

  • DanL

    Wow. Don’t take it so personal. You act like I insulted you personally. Fact is, high school kids are high school KIDS, euro players are pros, and coaches like to WIN. He can go to Oak Hill but that just makes him the best player playing with and against a bunch of guys who are going nowhere fast.

    Just face it. If he was good, he would’ve played. He isn’t so he didn’t. Rubio is good, so he played. A lot. And he’s younger than Jennings. So don’t give me some mess about how euro coaches like to play older guys. They like to win. Gallo also played a lot. Because he was good, despite being real young.

    Jennings is justifiably slipping because he can’t perform against top competition and because he is hiding from scouts.

    As for the McDonalds all american game, that is an all-star game. It’s a joke. I went some years back and some kid dunked on the wrong basket. McDonalds all american game doesn’t mean jack.

    You and Jennings related or something? Sorry dude, but your cousin isn’t going to be drafted high at all.

  • DanL

    You know, other players actually did stuff and contributed to winning. Flynn is ahead of Jennings now. So is Curry. So is Holiday. They subjected themselves to scrutiny. They made contributions. They earned it. Jennings couldn’t pass his SATs, wen’t to Europe and is hiding from scouts and isn’t working out against competition. Is it any surprise he’s scaring teams off?

  • KBT1615

    Gallo and Rubio played because they are maturer and Rubio is a freakin god in europe or at least spain. Don’t be mad when the Knicks draft him. Brandon may be hiding from mscouts Oh Well but I bet you he shows to the Knicks workout.

  • KBT1615

    There you go again not knowing about something and commenting. He passed his SAT and planned on going to USC but changed his mind and he wanted to go to the same school as Jerryd Bayless but he needed a higher score so he cheated on his SAT got caught and couldn’t take it again so he went to europe.

  • DanL

    Actually, he failed, then the second time he cheated. Then he the third time he failed again. Look it up.

  • KBT1615

    After you cheat you can’t take it anymore and you cant fail a SAT. You can just get a really low score and it obviously wasn’t that low if he was getting ready to go to USC and you need a 900 to qualify for a athletic scholarship.

  • harlem heat

    I am not sure how I feel about him just yet, there is not much on him but hey

    if we get a lower pick and take a shot on him I would be ok with it.

    In the end who knows who will turn out to be what which is why I rather trade

    out of the 8 spot and get more picks rather then a high pick. I have become

    a fan of Darren Collison of late, I have been looking a footage of him and

    wow I must say the guy has a lot of skills and may be the fastest guy in the draft.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTvGJz-kV00

    By now I am sure it is easy to see I am also a big fan of Sam Young!! lol

  • DanL

    He took it three times dude. Whether he cheated or got below a 900 is anyone’s guess. I can’t post a link on here I don’t think but just google “jennings third sat”. He took it three times. It’s documented fact.