Ledo in Goodman’s Top 100 Prospects, Lunardi with the Friars at 80

1. CBS Sports college basketball insider Jeff Goodman ranked the 2013 NBA Draft prospects 1-101 in an article that ran earlier today.  Noteworthy for Providence was Goodman’s inclusion of freshman guard Ricardo Ledo at #36 overall.  Ledo was one of 12 Big East prospects listed in the group of 101 — the sixth highest rated player in the conference according to Goodman.  He was the only Friar to crack the list.

Goodman has Ledo ranked higher than fellow freshman guard Rodney Purvis, Creighton star Doug McDermott and Arizona freshman center Kaleb Tarczewski.

I did a similar exercise of my own this summer in an article questioning where the immediate NBA talent would come from in the Big East this year.  I excluded Friars in this look and came up with a pair of first rounders in Pittsburgh’s Steven Adams (who I’d ranked #1 in the Big East) and Georgetown’s Otto Porter as my only first round prospects for the 2013 NBA Draft.

My listing had Syracuse’s Michael Carter-Williams as a borderline first round pick, which fell in line with Goodman’s overall ranking of 33, while I also included Louisville duo Wayne Blackshear and Chane Behanan as a potential firsts, whereas Goodman rated them 61 and 63 respectively.

I struggled with where to rank Louisville shot blocker Gorgui Dieng, who I listed as a strict second rounder, as opposed to Goodman putting him as more of a borderline 1st/2nd.  With his shot blocking and rebounding ability, combined with what is shaping up to be a weak draft, it’s hard to argue against Dieng going in the top 30 if the Cards roll this year.

Two names we differed on were DePaul’s Cleveland Melvin, who I listed as a potential late second rounder after his junior season, while Goodman continues to include Shabazz Napier (#81) a year after predicting the Connecticut point guard would be a 2012 first round pick.  I’ve watched Napier since his sophomore year in high school and loved him as a college prospect, but I just haven’t seen it yet in regards to an NBA career.

2. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lundari lists Providence as his 80th ranked team overall in the preseason (insider content) and gives the Friars a nod in his notes:

CATEGORY NOTES: Robert Morris and Princeton are good enough to win an NCAA tournament game. Others on this list, potential NCAA at-large candidates, are longer shots. Although it wouldn’t shock me if Oregon, Maryland or Providence made an NCAA push, the more likely scenario is that each is a season away from the four-letter tournament.

3. Just a reminder, college basketball’s fall signing period is only a week away.  Prospects can begin signing on November 14 and have until November 21 to do so during the fall.

Email Kevin at kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

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