NBA – Snubbed in the first round, big update on Maxime Raynaud!

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

While some expected him to be taken in the first round of the draft, Maxime Raynaud ultimately saw all NBA franchises leave him out. However, a well-known American website has clarified the situation regarding the French center, as the second round approaches.

Ultimately, the surprise uprising didn’t happen. There was reason to believe it would, however, as Maxime Raynaud’s stock had skyrocketed ahead of the draft. Having had his best career season at Stanford, the center had also garnered points from scouts at the Draft Combine. Despite his advanced age, his profile as a modern big man made him a viable option in the late first round.

However, the NBA franchises have apparently decided that he does not deserve this honor since the Frenchman was not among the 30 players called up by commissioner Adam Silver, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday. Though his absence from the first round has surprised some in the American media, like Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints:

Reassuring update on Maxime Raynaud before the second round of the draft

There was much discussion surrounding Maxime Raynaud throughout the pre-draft process. Although several teams, like the Boston Celtics and Atlanta, showed interest in Raynaud during the pre-draft process as a potential first-round pick, he ultimately becomes one of the top players available entering Thursday night’s second round.

While he is not the best athlete, Raynaud can be a decent rim protector who will immediately make a team’s second-unit offense better. It is quite shocking that so many teams passed on him in favor of other frontcourt players since the Stanford product is a modern-day center who can step out on the perimeter and knock down multiple shots per game.

There’s no need to worry for Raynaud, however, as Brett Siegel already has a few destinations in mind for him. Everything seems to point toward the Eastern Conference:

The Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers will be prime destinations for Raynaud since they have clear frontcourt needs.

Finally, the journalist briefly mentioned the case of Noah Penda, who was also snubbed in the first round but whose strengths should allow him to make a place in the league, provided he overcomes his biggest flaw:

The French forward has the length and defensive instincts to be a plug-and-play wing right away in the NBA. If he can develop a consistent jumper, he will end up being a steal.