The Big 12 had a huge night in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday. The league hoped to keep rolling in Wednesday’s second round.
Entering the second round the Big 12 had five of the Top 25 remaining players available, including Cincinnati’s Baba Miller (No. 4), BYU’s Richie Saunders (No. 7), Houston’s Emanuel Sharp (No. 8), Arizona’s Jaden Bradley (13) and Arizona’s Tobe Awaka (No. 17).
But how many of them would be selected? Let’s find out.
Rolling With Rickie
Two Big 12 stars suffered ACL injuries within about a week of each other in February. One was Texas Tech forward JT Toppin, who stayed in school to rehab the injury. The other was BYU star Richie Saunders, who had no more eligibility left when he was declared out for the season.
So the two questions before NBA scouts were these — was he worth a draft pick even though he’ll miss most of the season due to the injury? And, was his body of work in college enough to convince an NBA team he was the right choice.
Well, Memphis was convinced. The Grizzlies took him No. 32 overall, making him the first Big 12 player off the board in the second round. Saunders had a terrific year but there is one thing to keep in mind. He’s 25 years old, and NBA teams typically don’t take players that old. Memphis clearly sees something long-term in the guard.
Baba to the Clippers
The NBA values things that don’t necessarily jump off the page when they’re playing in the Big 12. Cincinnati’s Baba Miller folds into that category.
Now, Miller averaged a double-double last season — 13.0 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He was an all-Big 12 second team selection and an all-Big 12 newcomer. I think the Clippers have a few reasons why they took him No. 37 overall.
He’s 6-11 and he can play inside and outside. While he shot the 3-pointer terribly at Cincinnati last season, he was a 35% shooter at FAU the season before and NBA team like forwards that can stretch the forward like that. Plus, he averaged 3.2 assists, making him one of the better passing big men in the draft.
The Clippers don’t need him to score, so he can focus on rebounding, passing and defending, things they do need from a rookie. It should be a good fit for the Bearcat.
The Big 12 Player of the Year
Many non-Arizona fans were unhappy when Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley was named the Big 12 player of the year. All he did was lead the Wildcats to the Final Four.
Now, he’s in the NBA. Bradley was selected No. 50 overall by the Toronto Raptors. There’s some validation for Bradley and some validation for the coaches that voted him the league’s top player. Yes, players like BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson had great seasons. But Bradley affected winning on a nightly basis for Arizona as he averaged 13.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and more than a steal per game.
He’ll affect winning in the NBA too. Look at the trajectory of West Virginia guard Miles McBride. He was a second-round pick, worked to stick with the New York Knicks and he’ll get an NBA championship ring this fall. Bradley is that type of player.
