NBA Scout: 'Pretty Confident Russell Could Become Top-8 NBA PG'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Elan Vinokurov, president and owner of a professional scouting service for the NBA Draft called EV Hoops, serves as a consultant to "between five and 10" unnamed NBA teams.
Vinokurov, a Philadelphia native, says potential Sixers' pick (No. 3) D'Angelo Russell has top-eight NBA point guard upside.
"D'Angelo Russell is our number one player on the big board," Vinokurov told Michael Barkann and Ike Reese Thursday on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show. "I actually believe that the point guard position in today's NBA is becoming the quarterback position, so if you have the opportunity to get a great point guard you have to pounce on it and I think D'Angelo Russell has top-eight point guard upside. Maybe he can be even better, maybe he could be even top-five, but I feel pretty confident he could become a top-eight point guard in the league."
Listen: Elan Vinokurov on the 94WIP Mike & Ike Show
While EV Hoops has Russell as the top 2015 draft prospect, Vinokurov admitted it's certainly a minority opinion.
"I think most people probably have Karl-Anthony Towns as number one," Vinokurov said. "So, I believe Towns goes number one to the Timberwolves. I think they view him as a two-way player, much like Andrew Wiggins. Obviously a different player, but a guy that can play both ends of the court and if they can keep Kevin Garnett there isn't a better guy to mentor."
