Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine declared for the NBA Draft, being one of the top prospects that scouts would be looking at. The 4-year college player and NCAAB player of the year’s stock has quickly dropped due to injury woes and knee issues that have NBA scouts doubting his true abilities. The 6’5 shooting guard/small forward who plays more like a guard than anything, is being compared to another player that had similar knee issues coming into the league, former Pacers star Danny Granger.
According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:
Word is Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine may have a fairly significant knee issue, so much so that one team sort of compared him to former Indiana Pacers All-Star Danny Granger, who came into the league with a degenerative knee condition and struggled every year to play 82 games. League sources said it’s still likely he will get drafted in the first round, but his stock looks to be a tough one to lock in with so many teams believing his knee will be a problem.
Valentine is projected to still get drafted somewhere in the 1st round, but the former projected lottery pick has slipped from top 10 to top 30. That being said, maybe that’s better for a guy like Valentine, known for his leadership abilities and his readiness to play in the NBA, would be better for a team that is looking to win now. If any team does take the risk and draft him earlier then projected, they’re drafting him for his shooting ability, leadership, and his experience in college. Recently in the NBA, players who have stayed for the full 4 years of college have had a lot of success due to their maturity, and the experience they bring compared to a ‘1 and done’ player. Damian Lillard and Draymond Green are just two recent graduates who have had tons of success in the NBA, rising to stardom. If Valentine can avoid the knee issues that has taken Danny Granger from potential stardom in Indiana, to barely having playing time on the Clippers bench, he can potentially be a solid player in the NBA.
