The latest 24/7 Sports.com (the recruiting service partnered with CBS Sports) Crystal Ball shows 68% California for Ivan Rabb; who we have as the the 3rd overall pick in our 2016 NBA mock Draft. The crystal ball projections aren’t always correct, but they’re accurate a high percentage of the time. They’re more often right than they are wrong, and they are a HELLUVA lot more accurate than your average local television or newspaper reporter.
24/7 projections poll a group of national experts, so they’re more non-partisan. Juxtaposed against your local television station or newspaper reporter who 99% of the acts like a fanboy blogger with these types of things. So I’d feel confident in saying Ivan Rabb is going to Cal.
The same projection says Arizona 29%
So if Rabb heads to Zona, it wouldn’t be all that shocking. Rabb has already eliminated the Jayhawks, so never mind that 3% for Kansas you see on there.
During our exclusive with Ivan Rabb at McDonald’s All-American Media Day, Rabb said his being from Oakland won’t factor into his decision. Arizona is “only 2 hours away” by airplane as he pointed out. And he feels that both of the Pac-12 schools in his final cut are close to home.
“Either way I’ll be in a good situation,” he said.
Rabb says he models his game after Anthony Davis, Kevin Garnett, Chris Bosh and LaMarcus Aldridge.
“They’re all big fours who can put the ball on the floor a little bit and shoot jump shots, rebound well, play with their back to the basket and face up well,” Rabb said.
Here’s where we have Ivan Rabb in our latest 2016 NBA Mock draft:
3. Ivan Rabb, PF, California or Arizona, 6-10, HS Sr.
Possessing tremendous length and athleticism, once Ivan Rabb adds strength to his frame, he will be an inside/outside force.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. You can read Banks’ feature stories and op-eds in the Chicago Tribune RedEye newspaper and hear his regular guest spots on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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