Adam Gutekunst
In between running errands, working out and snaking toilets at his janitorial handyman job at Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit in Emmaus, PA, Adam Gutekunst manages to catch about four hours of sports radio a day. The recent graduate from University of Maryland’s Phillip Merrill College of Journalism and former recruiting writer for Rivals.com, the popular college basketball and football team reporting and recruiting site, enjoys keeping up with all the college and professional basketball happenings while he searches for his first major post-graduate job. I got a chance to ask him a few questions and despite the look of his “Mustache March” growth, he managed to give some insightful opinions on several of the draft’s hot topics.
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Who do you think will end up being the best pro out of this year’s (undeclared) draft class and why?
Being an ACC guy, I’ve always had a pointed disdain for Duke. So it pains me to say this, but the most complete player that is expected to come out of this year’s draft class has to be the Blue Devils’ freshman, Jabari Parker. A lot of prospects that come into the college game as highly touted as Parker was aren’t able to live up to the seeming unattainable expectations we set for them as overzealous sports fans and media members. He took a few weeks to get adjusted, but ever since he has, he’s placed himself in the highest echelon of college basketball talent. In a way, he’s become college basketball’s version of LeBron James. He’s got the handling of a guard, the height of a forward, and the strength to catch on the block and bang inside. While that versatility likely won’t translate to the next level, once he finds his niche at the pro level and completely grows into his frame, he’ll be a special player.
Who do you think is going to help their draft stock the most in this year’s NCAA Tournament?
Doug McDermott has the most to prove come tournament time. He’s one of those players that people are always going to be hesitant about, when it comes to draft talk. There’s no disputing that he’s an incredible talent. He has singlehandedly decimated a number of teams with his in-the-gym range and his knack for getting the ball right to the tin. But, people will continue to question whether his body translates to success at the next level. He’s 6’8, which would put him at the forward position in the pros. His offensive efficiency at Creighton relies largely upon the offense running through him nearly every possession. That certainly won’t happen in the NBA. Can he make a team better without the ball in his hands? If you look back at high-volume scorers at mid-major schools, one name that comes to mind is Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison. These aforementioned concerns about McDermott’s acclamation to the next level proved to be the downfall of Morrison’s lack-luster NBA career. Despite all this, there’s no greater stage to shine on than that of the NCAA tournament. If McDermott can continue to put on a show against the best of the best and help Creighton streak deep into the tourney, I think he could crack the top 10 on the draft board.
How do you feel about tanking and what, if anything, should be done about it?
I’ve always thought that tanking was and would continue to be a part of the game, until I heard an interesting solution to tanking by Mike Greenberg, of ESPN’s Mike and Mike. The draft lottery, as it is currently structured, incentivizes losing. The more games you lose, the more ping pong balls you get and the better chance you have at getting the top overall pick. Greenberg recently expressed his displeasure with the way losing is rewarded in the NBA and recommended this alternative: The top pick in the upcoming year’s draft should go to the winningest team in the league that did not make the playoffs. The picks would then go in descending order of the winningest remaining 13 teams that did not make the playoffs until the playoff teams pick. I wholeheartedly agree with Greenberg’s idea. At the end of the day, the NBA exists to entertain fans, and watching two tanking teams can be close to unbearable. Teams need to be given a reason to try and win every single game.
What are you thoughts about increasing the age limit to enter the draft?
I like the idea that many in the media have tossed around about using the same age limit rules in the NBA as are used in the MLB. In this system, a player could declare for the draft directly out of high school, but if they choose to go to college, they have to stay for three years. There are always going to be prospects who think they’re ready to turn pro out of high school. And, whether they are or not, we have to keep in mind that at its’ core, the NBA is a business. If a team is willing to give a teenager millions of dollars right out of high school, it seems wrong to keep them from going for it. If they don’t work out at the pro level, as most of them will not, then they’re in between a rock and a hard place, with no future in the game and no college education. For those players that stayed in the college game for at least three years, their game and fundamentals would be so much more refined than what we’re seeing now, that it would inevitably make the college AND professional game significantly better. Players would have more time to develop a complete skill set.
Who do you think the Sixers should take if they have a top 3 pick?
Joel Embiid. Some would argue that Philly already has a center in Nerlens Noel, but I don’t think his body translates to success in the paint at the NBA level. He’s too athletic to be limited to roaming the paint. Embiid is a project, that’s for sure. He’s not putting up eye-opening numbers at Kansas, but if you consider how far he’s come in his minimal time playing the game, you can’t help but salivate at what he could become. If he stays on course in his progression and gets an edge or a tenacity about him, he can become a dominant force at the NBA level. I know a lot of people would go with Parker here, but I pose this question. With all the cap space the Sixers have cleared, aren’t there about a dozen players of the Jabari Parker mold that Philly could hypothetically go out and sign in free agency. A versatile, 6-8, athletic forward, while not common, is not an endangered species in the NBA. A true, dominant center, has become a rarity at the professional level and if the Sixers have a shot at this one, they need to take it.
What college player who is currently not highly rated on draft boards do you think will make a good pro, potentially as a second round pick?
Nick Johnson, the ultra-athletic guard from the University of Arizona. Above everything else, Johnson is a leader and a smart basketball player. Watch any Arizona game on TV and the announcers are sure to gush over the intangibles this guy brings to the game. When the Wildcats hit a rough patch recently, it seemed Johnson was always there to bail his team out with a big shot or a momentum-shifting play. Then you look at his athleticism and you have to do a double take. This kid can seriously soar. I saw him play at the ESPN RISE National Championships when he was at Findlay Prep high school and he threw down a dunk so vicious that it established a tone for the entire game. I think he could be a valuable guard for a young team looking to rebuild at the next level.