It’s Draft Day! Jay Bilas was on a media call yesterday, and here’s what he had to say about where the two former Indiana Hoosiers might end up. Bilas sized up the IU duo of Troy Williams and Yogi Ferrell. He sees Williams going in the late second round and Ferrell not getting drafted at all. For what it’s worth, we do not have Ferrell or Williams in our NBA mock draft.
Transcript via ESPN Media Zone.
Q. Curious on the two Indiana guys, Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams, kind of your thoughts on both those guys, the potential for either of them to get picked, and more importantly, if they’re not picked, do you see them having any future in the NBA?
BILAS: I was wondering what the Hall was, whether it was going to be Virginia or Seton Hall. Now I know it’s Assembly Hall. I think Troy Williams is probably going to be at or around the end of the second round. I do think he’s a draftable player because of his athleticism, his ability to run the floor, and his ability to finish plays in transition. I think he can be a good defender because he kind of fits the suit there. He’s got size. He’s not crazy long, but he’s got a — he’s a high flier. He’s explosive and plays with a lot of energy, more of a driver than anything, but really did a good job in transition, can hit some perimeter shots but not quite an NBA-range three-point shooter.
I think he should be a better defender with his athleticism, but he’s done a good job. I think his value is in the fact he brings energy, athleticism, and he can finish plays. He’s just got to play with a little bit more efficiency, not turn the ball over, take better shots, things like that.
Yogi is a smaller guard and did a very good job — he kept getting better and better. He can shoot it, good leader. Very good job creating for himself and for others out of pick-and-roll situations, gets his shot off quickly. He can shoot it off the catch. He can shoot it off the dribble. Pretty good in isolation. He’s just not got a lot of size, and that’s — he’s not a superior athlete, and he doesn’t have a lot of size, and so I do not believe he’s going to get drafted. He wasn’t invited to the combine. I thought he should have been, but he wasn’t, and that’s a pretty good indicator that he’s not on the draft — he’s not high enough up on the draft radar.
But like I’ve said about other players, I think he may be better off not getting drafted, then he can pick where he goes and have a better opportunity to make a team.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram