Perceptions of Kevin Pangos

The NBA draft will be here before we know it.  Many believe that Gonzaga PG Kevin Pangos has the best chance of any WCC player to make it in the NBA.  Anyone who watches WCC basketball knows how great of a player Pangos is.  I was interested to see what other people from outside the conference might have to say about his chances.

I took to Reddit to ask about Pangos’ chances of getting drafted.  The reactions were mixed.  There really isn’t much middle ground either.  Most people fall into two categories.  The first is a group of people who think he has no chance of making it.  This includes Duke fans.  The other group of people think that he will be a successful player in the NBA.  These people are mostly the ones who are making Steve Nash comparisons.

Here is my original post on /r/nba where I simply asked what people thought about his draft chances and about him as a player overall.  I am mitch_burns_red (I’m sure that any of you readers who are modern heavy metal fans will understand my username.)  You’ll also notice that I am a Phoenix Suns fan.  I really hope that Pangos ends up with Phoenix, but I’ll be happy with anywhere he ends up.  Anyway, let’s touch on some of the highlights of this thread.  The top comment reads, “Bangos-Pangos is awesome.”  This is very encouraging to those of us who are rooting for Pangos.  Another comment that I really liked read, “Summer league will be a good barometer.”  This is something I completely agree with.  I would highly encourage watching summer league games.  They are fun and you can watch these players develop.  A Raptors fan also mentioned on this thread that Canadians sports casts have been comparing Pangos to Steve Nash since 2012.

Another post was on /r/NBA_Draft.  The top comment reads, “That 5’11 wingspan.”  People commented a lot on Pangos’ size.  Many said they though he was even as small as David Stockton.  Those of us who watch Gonzaga regularly know that Pangos is a bit bigger than Stockton, but I think this brings up a bigger point.  Pangos is undersized for the NBA.  There is no denying it.  You know who else was undersized?  John Stockton.  Steve Nash.  Nate Robinson.  Isaiah Thomas.  Spud Webb.  Mugggsy Bogues.  Earl Boykins.  Next question?  I know that Pangos is small, but I don’t think that should stop him.  This thread also had a lot of Aaron Craft and Matthew Dellavedova comparisons.  Many also mentioned that the could have a good career over seas.  I think this is a definite possibility.

I also posted in the subreddit for my favorite team, /r/suns.  Surprisingly, most of the comments were pretty negative.  I think that most suns fans are pretty sour about the point guard position after the past season.  Losing Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas in a crazy trade last season was tough for most Suns fans.  I just don’t think many Suns fans want to think about the point guard position.  I really think that Pangos can fit well in Phoenix.  he could be a great backup for Eric Bledsoe.

What could happen to Kevin Pangos in the NBA draft?  Here’s what I think:

Best case scenario: Pangos gets drafted 57th overall by the Denver Nuggets.  I think this would be a great fit for Pangos.

Worst case scenario: Pangos does’t get drafted and plays over seas for the rest of his career.

Realistic scenario: Pangos most likely does’t get drafted, but makes a summer league team and could possibly end up on an NBA team during the season.

The NBA draft is Thursday, June 25 at 4:00 Pacific on ESPN.