Isaiah Roby - 2019 NBA Draft Prospect

[timvp]

https://i.imgur.com/OZitjTw.jpg

Isaiah Roby

School: Nebraska
Position: SF/PF
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 230
Wingspan: 7-foot-3
Draft Range: 28 to 50

Why: Impressive runner and jumper. Add in his notable length and he's capable of spectacular finishes at the rim. Surprisingly quick with the ball and his handles are solid. Has court vision and is unselfish. Shooting stroke looks fine. Quick feet help him defensively, too. He can guard out on the perimeter and is also a really good shot blocker. Late bloomer; has more potential upside than most other prospects his age.

Why Not: Has the tools but he has never put it together. At Nebraska, averaged 11.8 points and 6.9 rebounds as a junior. Hit only 33% of his three-pointers, 67.7% of his free throws and less than half of his two-point attempts (for someone with his athleticism, that could be a red flag). Soft at the point of contact; rarely ever powers through opponents -- even smaller ones. It can be difficult to decipher if he's not trying hard or if he's being painfully passive.

Spurs Fit: Would need a year in Austin to work on his perimeter skills. Could need two years depending on if he asserts himself right away.

Spurs Comparison - Ceiling: Youthful Robert Horry

Spurs Comparison - Floor: Malcolm Thomas

College Stats (https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/isaiah-roby-1.html)
Highlight Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPo2SbOx-K0)
Tankathon Profile (http://www.tankathon.com/players/isaiah-roby)
NBAAnalysis.net Profile (http://www.nbaanalysis.net/2018/10/07/breaking-down-underrated-isaiah-roby-skill-set/)

[BWS-1994]

Him or KZ Okpala at 29.

[cd021]

Definitely my number one choice at 29 tbh

[duncan2150]

I like him with the 29 th pick. Will need some work in Austin but has all the tools to succeed as a 3/4.

[look_at_g_shred]

Sign me up for all that upside

[TXstbobcat]

Hope spurs get him at #29

[D-Robinson 50 fan]

Interesting pick for 29 but I have a feeling he might go earlier

[Roscoe P. Coltrane]

So one thing I have gotten out of these reports is who ever the Spurs draft is pretty much going to suck.

[exstatic]

Interesting pick for 29 but I have a feeling he might go earlier

Nah, he's probably an early second rounder.

[exstatic]

So one thing I have gotten out of these reports is who ever the Spurs draft is pretty much going to suck.

That rarely happens. They're pretty damn good at what they do.

[benefactor]

Run like deer, jump like deer, think like deer

[Mugen]

Run like deer, jump like deer, think like deer

:lol

[Eaglenole2002]

I’m a Nebraska grad. Roby is a good kid who got caught up in a bad offensive system. I get why he is going pro, but I wish he’d return to play his senior season under Hoiberg so he can unlock his offensive potential.

Some of his his issues are of his own making. He rarely played aggressively on offense and was too quick to fade into the background. He often would pass on open 3s with a pump fake before settling for a guarded 3. I’ve also talked to folks who said he struggled with balancing school and basketball. When one went well, the other seemed to struggle.

Defensively, he was the king of the cheap foul, mostly by being over aggressive and others because Big Ten refs are the scourge of the earth.

In short, I want him at 29. I think he’ll be a better NBA player than college player. If he reaches his peak, he can be a guy who can play 3-5, although he supposedly hated playing the 5 in college. His game fit the modern NBA if he realizes just how good he can be. That isn’t a superstar, but he should be a good role player as a pick and pop player who can rim run as well.

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/Kyle__Boone/status/1129560153509048320

[Dejounte]

Im liking this guy more and more with our 29. Im afraid the Warriors will take him at 28 though. Isaiah has the perfect measurables and enough skills to be worthy of a pick. I think he has higher potential than Rui since this guy plays more like a wing than Rui.

Big board at 29:

1. Isaiah Roby
2. Luka Samanic
3. KZ Okpala
4. Louis King
5. Romeo Langford
6. Eric Paschall

[kobyz]

Is a Jeremy Grant clone...

[timvp]

He looked good in the combine. Flashed legit SF skills -- particularly he looked really comfortable with the ball in his hands. It's still a concern that he never put it together at Nebraska and he's another boom or bust prospect ... but he's intriguing enough to draft in the first round.

I think 19 would be high but if he's on the board at 29, he would have to be considered. He does hypothetically check a lot of boxes for what the Spurs need.

[cd021]

Really want him at 29 but he may be moving up, unfortunately. Seems like KZ Okpala may fall to 29 given a number of recent mocks. If not Roby then Okpala would be a solid pick at 29.

[Dejounte]

Really want him at 29 but he may be moving up, unfortunately. Seems like KZ Okpala may fall to 29 given a number of recent mocks. If not Roby then Okpala would be a solid pick at 29.

Which mock has him move beyond our pick at 29?

This is one of the top guys to draft. Above Nassir. Above Rui.

[cd021]

Which mock has him move beyond our pick at 29?

This is one of the top guys to draft. Above Nassir. Above Rui.

Hoop Hype has a mock draft aggregator; they take 5 or 6 mocks and list all of the players whom are projected to be drafted.

Okpala was ranked 29th in the ESPN mock and wasn't in the first round in the Athletics and Bleacher Reports mock.

There was another released in the last couple of days (either CBS or SI IIRC) that didn't have him in the first round either

[RC_Drunkford]

definitely in my Top 3. Wouldn't even be mad if we pick him at 19

[B1gduff]

It looks like some guys are rising, while others are falling. We could get a solid pick at 29, Roby looks like he's rising but guys like little, Okpala and king maybe there at 29.

[look_at_g_shred]

Call me crazy or am I just buzzed at 10am in the morning, but he reminds me of Klay Thompson. Of course without the super saiyan shooting stroke.

[Man Mountain]

https://twitter.com/Mike_Schmitz/status/1129794083340333057

[timvp]

Roby has 10 hours to decide whether or not to stay in the draft. Hopefully he does because he'd be interesting at 29 and great at 49.

[Ocotillo]

Roby has 10 hours to decide whether or not to stay in the draft. Hopefully he does because he'd be interesting at 29 and great at 49.

49? I suspect he will be gone by then. I am hoping for him at 29 and thinking he will be gone by then.

[timvp]

49? I suspect he will be gone by then. I am hoping for him at 29 and thinking he will be gone by then.

Yeah 49 is a pipe dream for Roby -- even though some mock drafts have him falling into the 40s. Most mocks have him in the 30s with a few in the first round. I'd say there's at least a 50/50 shot he's there at 29, especially since he's taking so long to decide whether to stay in (since that likely means he doesn't have any strong first round assurances). I'd say his draft range right now is 25 to 45.

[timvp]

1133800728026406912

That wasn't a long wait. Good news :tu




Edit: Couple other tweets confirming...

1133800859576471552

1133801058835283968

[Ocotillo]

Good deal, he is who I am crossing my fingers we can pick up at 29.

[look_at_g_shred]

Luka at 19 and Roby at 29 would be amazing.

[kobyz]

Luka at 19 and Roby at 29 would be amazing.

Luka is too risky at 19, Roby is meh at 29 as a high floor low ceiling prospect...

[look_at_g_shred]

Luka is too risky at 19, Roby is meh at 29 as a high floor low ceiling prospect...
Luka has a higher ceiling than Roby imho he's worth the gamble. Having said that, I wouldn't mind Porter Jr at 19 either.

[kobyz]

Luka has a higher ceiling than Roby imho he's worth the gamble. Having said that, I wouldn't mind Porter Jr at 19 either.

I agree, Luka is to swing for the fences, but using #19 might not be the right move...

[BackHome]

I think it’s one of the following - Luka, Cam Johnson, or Keldon Johnson at 19.

[Dejounte]

https://youtu.be/C-B8IgtBaEA

[ceperez]

https://youtu.be/C-B8IgtBaEA

https://hoopshype.com/2019/05/15/2019-nba-mock-draft-zion-williamson-lottery-results/

Isaiah Roby 46 50 37 42 29 <---- So there's a high probability that he's available at 29. Definitely not at 49. 2/7 that he's still on the board at 49.

[Dejounte]

https://hoopshype.com/2019/05/15/2019-nba-mock-draft-zion-williamson-lottery-results/

Isaiah Roby 46 50 37 42 29 <---- So there's a high probability that he's available at 29. Definitely not at 49. 2/7 that he's still on the board at 49.

Do they have a 2018 version? Want to see how accurate an aggregate mock is.

[ceperez]

Do they have a 2018 version? Want to see how accurate an aggregate mock is.

Sample size is small, but it is an aggregation of experts, so it's better on average to a single mock draft.

You can't really know if teams make wild gambles before Spurs picks. Some teams are conservative and some are swinging for the fences.

I think the Spurs have decent choices at 18 and 29. They could either let fate decide or they could gamble by trading up.

[pad300]

https://youtu.be/C-B8IgtBaEA

4 jumpshots in 8 and a quarter minutes of highlights... he's gonna need a jumper in the NBA.

[Dejounte]

4 jumpshots in 8 and a quarter minutes of highlights... he's gonna need a jumper in the NBA.

His speed, defense, and his athleticism to dunk the ball stood out. Almost Giannis-like if he can get a better dribble. That length is what we need.

[4lifecowboy]

Roby is a perfect 3/4 to compliment Murray's game. The plan last year before Murray got injured was to run. Roby has great hands, athleticism and runs floor like a deer. If we came away with him and Claxton I wouldn't be mad.

[Gordy58]

I really like Roby but I still feel Okeke is a better version of Roby, they seem like really similar players although Roby might be a bit more explosive but Okeke the better shooter/passer

[ceperez]

Roby is a perfect 3/4 to compliment Murray's game. The plan last year before Murray got injured was to run. Roby has great hands, athleticism and runs floor like a deer. If we came away with him and Claxton I wouldn't be mad.

Claxton at 18 and Roby at 29 have a high chance to happen. Question will be if Spurs pick them.

[exstatic]

Claxton at 18 and Roby at 29 have a high chance to happen. Question will be if Spurs pick them.

They won’t pick Clayton at 18. :lol that’s about 20 spots too high.

[pad300]

They won’t pick Clayton at 18. :lol that’s about 20 spots too high.

Could see needing to use 19 to get Claxton. He's a strongly rising prospect after the combine. Think about the bigs in this draft, and try and do a Tier order, it's pretty hard. To my mind, currently it's like this

Not classified for medical reasons: Bol Bol, Jontay Porter
Tier 1 : Goga (skills and production against the best non-nba competition), Hayes (youth, athleticism)
Tier 2 : Kabengele (is his 3pt shot real?), Claxton (defensive performance, youth, skills)
Tier 3 : Fernando (physicality),
Tier 4 : Reid, Gafford, Tacko Fall (size - he just changes the game when he's in), Moses Brown

That leaves him at 4th or 5th big off the board (Bol Bol high, Jontay late). Depending on the Guards and Wings picked, that could be 15-25...

[exstatic]

Could see needing to use 19 to get Claxton. He's a strongly rising prospect after the combine. Think about the bigs in this draft, and try and do a Tier order, it's pretty hard. To my mind, currently it's like this

Not classified for medical reasons: Bol Bol, Jontay Porter
Tier 1 : Goga (skills and production against the best non-nba competition), Hayes (youth, athleticism)
Tier 2 : Kabengele (is his 3pt shot real?), Claxton (defensive performance, youth, skills)
Tier 3 : Fernando (physicality),
Tier 4 : Reid, Gafford, Tacko Fall (size - he just changes the game when he's in), Moses Brown

That leaves him at 4th or 5th big off the board (Bol Bol high, Jontay late). Depending on the Guards and Wings picked, that could be 15-25...

You're assuming teams even want bigs anymore. Their value has dropped dramatically in the last few years. All that aside, I have not seen Claxton even in the first round in ANY mock draft. Any draft can miss a player as a first rounder, but it's almost unheard of for ALL of them to miss one.

[DPG21920]

You're assuming teams even want bigs anymore. Their value has dropped dramatically in the last few years. All that aside, I have not seen Claxton even in the first round in ANY mock draft. Any draft can miss a player as a first rounder, but it's almost unheard of for ALL of them to miss one.

Friend - this is like RB in the NFL. As much as people talk about the demise or lesser demand (which is true) there are always teams that take RB early despite all the data against it.

Same with bigs in the nba. There is still room for elite bigs (which there really aren’t any in this draft) but still also room for solid modern bigs in the first round aplenty.

[Drom John]

You're assuming teams even want bigs anymore. Their value has dropped dramatically in the last few years. All that aside, I have not seen Claxton even in the first round in ANY mock draft. Any draft can miss a player as a first rounder, but it's almost unheard of for ALL of them to miss one.

Check The Ringer.

[pad300]

You're assuming teams even want bigs anymore. Their value has dropped dramatically in the last few years. All that aside, I have not seen Claxton even in the first round in ANY mock draft. Any draft can miss a player as a first rounder, but it's almost unheard of for ALL of them to miss one.

I'll just drop this here :

https://www.thestepien.com/2019/06/03/draft-notes-imagining-nic-claxton-rich-mans-kevon-looney/

[Dejounte]

Roby is back in SA for a second workout

https://twitter.com/roby_isaiah/status/1138565591206436864?s=19

I think he's a real target.

[Dejounte]

Roby is back in SA for a second workout

https://twitter.com/roby_isaiah/status/1138565591206436864?s=19

I think he's a real target.

In his other tweets, he called Tony a legend and retweeted Dejounte's video about gifting his brother a car.

Signs are there.

[exstatic]

Roby is back in SA for a second workout

https://twitter.com/roby_isaiah/status/1138565591206436864?s=19

I think he's a real target.

TP was called back for a second workout in 2001 because no one was impressed with the first one. Lots of reasons for a call back.

[4lifecowboy]

Love his fit with our young guns.

[look_at_g_shred]

Call me crazy or am I just buzzed at 10am in the morning, but he reminds me of Klay Thompson. Of course without the super saiyan shooting stroke.

[Dr. John R. Brinkley]

http://www.nbaanalysis.net/2018/10/07/breaking-down-underrated-isaiah-roby-skill-set/

This link, while old, gives a good breakdown of meaningful plays, not just dunks.

[timvp]

Good eye, Dejounte. I think 19 is too high but 29 is in his range. IMO, he has a low floor (his actually play at Nebraska was really underwhelming, especially for a junior) but a useful ceiling that would mesh well with the current young core.

[Eaglenole2002]

TP was called back for a second workout in 2001 because no one was impressed with the first one. Lots of reasons for a call back.

I talked to someone who was there during his first workout. He apparently had a great first workout and shot the ball really well.

[Dejounte]

Good eye, Dejounte. I think 19 is too high but 29 is in his range. IMO, he has a low floor (his actually play at Nebraska was really underwhelming, especially for a junior) but a useful ceiling that would mesh well with the current young core.

His defense in college will translate.

I have a feeling we're working out both these guys in case we lose out on Bazley, Samanic, and whoever else.

[cd021]

Roby is back in SA for a second workout

https://twitter.com/roby_isaiah/status/1138565591206436864?s=19

I think he's a real target.

Don't see that on the link, he may have deleted it since posting. If true though, then that is good news IMO. I have been very high on him.



His defense in college will translate.

He averaged 2 BPG, 1.3 SPG, in his final season at Nebraska. Over his 3 year career, he's been a good shot blocker and averaged around 1.5 steals per 40 minute.

I think those are encouraging numbers, in regards to effort and defensive skill and how he might translate to the NBA.

[kobyz]

Even with the injury I prefer to to draft Okeke in that same mold of player at #29...

[Eaglenole2002]

Roby was called for some of the most tricky tack and ridiculous fouls during his three years at Nebraska. It was a running joke amongst Husker fans. While he needs to get smarter, just being around competent refs will help immensely.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I’m glad we have guys like Chip. it’s how we make these late first rounders relevant NBA prospects.

[Dejounte]

Roby just posted an instagram story of being in the Spurs swimming pool room.

[r0drig0lac]

Roby just posted an instagram story of being in the Spurs swimming pool room.

its_happening.gif

[CGD]

Watch, the Jazz will pick him now

[kobyz]

one of the most overrated in this draft, i don't think i want him even with #49, at best he's Alfonzo McKinnie...

[keithington1]

This guy gets bullied in the post just saying

[exstatic]

This guy gets bullied in the post just saying

He also doesn't really have wing offensive capabilities.

[palangi]

Watching the Dallas-nets summer league game. We really missed our here. A true SF

[venitian navigator]

Watching the Dallas-nets summer league game. We really missed our here. A true SF

agree...he was one of my favourites and possible to take just buying a mid second round pick...

[Dejounte]

Watching the Dallas-nets summer league game. We really missed our here. A true SF

Looks like he played PF in that game... Roby would have been redundant with Samanic.

[ace3g]

I guess Spurs re-opened some of their notes on Roby from his pre-draft workouts with the Spurs.

[Eaglenole2002]

I’m a Nebraska grad. Roby is a good kid who got caught up in a bad offensive system. I get why he is going pro, but I wish he’d return to play his senior season under Hoiberg so he can unlock his offensive potential.

Some of his his issues are of his own making. He rarely played aggressively on offense and was too quick to fade into the background. He often would pass on open 3s with a pump fake before settling for a guarded 3. I’ve also talked to folks who said he struggled with balancing school and basketball. When one went well, the other seemed to struggle.

Defensively, he was the king of the cheap foul, mostly by being over aggressive and others because Big Ten refs are the scourge of the earth.

In short, I want him at 29. I think he’ll be a better NBA player than college player. If he reaches his peak, he can be a guy who can play 3-5, although he supposedly hated playing the 5 in college. His game fit the modern NBA if he realizes just how good he can be. That isn’t a superstar, but he should be a good role player as a pick and pop player who can rim run as well.

Not a half-bad scouting report…

[Mr. Body]

Nebraska has been terrible for years, huh. Why does Hoiberg have a job?

[Eaglenole2002]

Nebraska has been terrible for years, huh. Why does Hoiberg have a job?

He would have cost too much to fire and replace. He agreed to a reduced salary as well.

[mystargtr34]

Run like deer, jump like deer, think like deer

😂

[mystargtr34]

Luka is too risky at 19, Roby is meh at 29 as a high floor low ceiling prospect...

Wish you told Pop, kobyz.