Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith

[Rednilla 5,391]

4 hours ago, steeleagle said:

I understand what you say about AU, but these guys all dream of playing in the NBA, and if Cardwell should stay he will get only 1 year as a starter, if Kessler decides to stay one more year.

So he has to look at it as showcasing his game as much as possible, and he can't do that playing 10 minutes a game this year and next...

Are the basketball players not getting a Covid redshirt year like the football players did?

[Dunndone414 469]

12 hours ago, Rednilla said:

This is a good point. I don't think he would look elsewhere, because he, also, seems to genuinely love playing for Bruce at Auburn, and he's getting minutes, but contrary to what I've seen some others say, I think he can be a legit SEC starter next season, as opposed to being forced to find next year's starting center in the portal.

Luckily for Cardwell, I would be pretty surprised if Walker came back. His stock has gone up as much as any player in the nation. The Athletic had him on the edge of the lottery (#18) yesterday and climbing. With a great tourney performance I think he gets into the late lottery, and he’d be crazy to pass that up. 
 

Whether or not Cardwell is an SEC-contender level starter with more minutes is open to debate. He’s better than many starting centers defensively, for sure. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who will get an NBA shot though, regardless of whether he goes somewhere else for more minutes. 

[Rednilla 5,391]

5 hours ago, Dunndone414 said:

Luckily for Cardwell, I would be pretty surprised if Walker came back. His stock has gone up as much as any player in the nation. The Athletic had him on the edge of the lottery (#18) yesterday and climbing. With a great tourney performance I think he gets into the late lottery, and he’d be crazy to pass that up. 
 

Whether or not Cardwell is an SEC-contender level starter with more minutes is open to debate. He’s better than many starting centers defensively, for sure. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who will get an NBA shot though, regardless of whether he goes somewhere else for more minutes. 

I think he might get at least a cup of coffee with the NBA, but you're right that he's going to have to get a lot better to have a real shot at it.

[autan 737]

Probably will have to cross the Atlantic. But if Walker goes to pros, CBP might give him a shot if he can greatly improve his offensive game.

[AUinMS9528 1,086]

On 2/17/2022 at 4:29 PM, AUpreacherman22 said:

Cardwell is absolutely getting better!!!   And this is one of the reasons I won't be as upset when Kessler goes pro after this season.    But I'm not so sure if Kessler did come back that Cardwell wouldn't stay as well.   That may be the one dude on the team that loves being at Auburn more than Kessler does!

 

On 2/17/2022 at 4:34 PM, steeleagle said:

So he has to look at it as showcasing his game as much as possible, and he can't do that playing 10 minutes a game this year and next...

Both great points, but I’m highly confident it’s all a moot point.  Kessler is going pro, and getting drafted early!!!

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,674]

Someone can delete my account the second it occurs if Dylan Cardwell spends a single minute in the NBA

that’s not me hating but cmon now 

[Rednilla 5,391]

1 hour ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Someone can delete my account the second it occurs if Dylan Cardwell spends a single minute in the NBA

that’s not me hating but cmon now 

Be careful betting your account. We just *might* decide to hold you to it if DC makes a team.

Seriously though, you feel that strongly that he can't improve his offensive game enough in two years to even get a real look from a team?

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,674]

48 minutes ago, Rednilla said:

Be careful betting your account. We just *might* decide to hold you to it if DC makes a team.

Seriously though, you feel that strongly that he can't improve his offensive game enough in two years to even get a real look from a team?

Wiley is a guy that was better than him at literally every facet except athleticism, and the difference in that isn't enough to make up for everything else. There are rim roller guys, more athleticism and potential than proven game, that do get drafted, a Jaxson Hayes comes to mind (and just about every Texas big picked up last draft), but they were underclassmen with the type of build we'd be projected Cardwell to have at 22-23. 

It's definitely not impossible, but using Jericho Sims for example, he had to wait behind Mo Bamba and Hayes, and he got two good seasons of being the guy. Two seasons being as the guy got him the third to last draft pick. You just gotta contribute sooo much as a center nowadays to really stand out, and I don't really know what he does on that level. Good at accruing blocks and contesting drivers, but he still has an incredibly high tendency to reach down and foul. Was a really solid alley oop guy with Cooper (a NBA caliber facilitator), but his hand-eye coordination worries me sometimes. Pretty much nonexistent skillset outside of that yknow