Hubbard and the NBA
- Thread starter BoDawg.sixpack
- Start date
No. Too small to defend so he's unplayable. He'll make money overseas.
Not even close. He would be an absolute turnstile on defense and his offense wouldn’t translate. Size issue.
If I was advising him I’d tell him to try and find the most money possible next year from NIL. Realize that would hurt us, but his money making ability window is shrinking.
Uhhhh……he is the highest paid athlete on campus.
Nope. Zero chance. Someone his size has to do everything elite to be drafted. His defense is sub par and his handles are solid but not elite.
There are more campuses. Learn to read and comprehend. He needs to maximize his earning potential his last year of college. Europe and Turkey don’t pay as well.
He can continue to maximize his earning potential on our campus, while becoming a legendary record holder. Don’t act like we aren’t paying market price for his services. And his loyalty should be appreciated, not criticized.
You're asking the same folks who said there was absolutely no way Jake would make the bigs. Whatever the responses here are, go the opposite.
The NBA is a lot more cut and dry than MLB. This isn't a debate in the slightest unless Hubb gets a late growth spurt.
There was no debate on Jake either. There was 100%, no way we was going to make it.
No, he is a hell of a college player though.
Jake was a 4th round draft pick. As long as he could keep his batting average up he always had a chance at getting his cup of coffee.
There just isn't a debate on Hubbard. NBA teams primarily draft on measurables, to which Hubbard fails all of those tests and he doesn't have a tool elite enough to overlook the fact that he is a 5'10" SG.
He is a hell of a college player and I'm glad he is a dawg, but there have been much better college players than him that didn't get a chance either.
The hardest thing to also accept is that he isn’t even elite as a shooter. Not by NBA standards, anyway. The NBA is full of guys that can hit 35% from deep, and just about all of them are 10” taller than Hubbard, or more. The line is further back, too.
That’s taking nothing away from his contributions to MSU, or how much we need him. He’s certainly been OUR best shooter in a very long time. Unfortunately, that bar isn’t very high.
Last edited:
I don’t remember everyone being dead set on Jake not making it.
As someone who argued against all the Jake Mangum idiocy for many years, I can tell you that first off, it was a debate as to what his chances were. Secondly, the ones saying he had no chance are not currently here in this thread. So its actually not the same folks.
There is a reason NBA players are elite shooters. They are mentored by the best shooting coaches in the world. If Hubbard doesn’t get a shot it will be because of his height not because of his shot.
The NBA & MLB are much different animals. There are 450 NBA players. There 1200 MLB players when rosters are expanded. Maybe 2 to 3 percent of eligible players stick in the league. The only thing harder to make is the PGA tour. You’re comparing apples and oranges with Jake. Hubbard has less than zero chance at the league. There are 200+ better shooters in the league or more and all of them are a foot or more taller and better on defense. It’s a non-starter. He’s a great Bulldog but it’s not even close.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
Isaiah Thomas (basketball) - Wikipedia
Nate Robinson - Wikipedia
Both of those guys would defend circles around Hubbard.Where there's a will, there's a way.
Isaiah Thomas (basketball) - Wikipedia
Nate Robinson - Wikipedia
Both IT and Nate had longer wingspans, better shot release, better PG skills, better defense, and more athleticism than Hubbard. Specifically PG skills and defense if you want to remove athleticism. Hubbs will go down as an all-timer for us, but I’d be more confident in senior year Dee Bost making the league versus Hubbard making a G-league roster.Where there's a will, there's a way.
Isaiah Thomas (basketball) - Wikipedia
Nate Robinson - Wikipedia
Okay, then I’ll further clarify that his shooting is not even elite by NCAA standards. The baseline just isn’t there, even for “the best shooting coaches in the world”.
His 36.5% 3-point percentage this year is 107th in the country (which is still really good, because there are a lot of D1 basketball players). But alas, there are 78 players currently shooting over 40% from 3-point range. There are 6 players just in the SEC alone that have both a higher 3P% AND more made 3’s per game than Hubbard. 5 of those 6 are shooting 44% or higher.
He’s a very good shooter by historical MSU standards. He’s a good player that we need. But he’s not elite at a national level, and doesn’t have any skill or measurable that is NBA ready, including his shot.
Last edited:
If you read this board regularly, it's obvious that the overwhelming majority of State fans watch very little if any of the NBA. That's fine, like what you like. But then, like clockwork, these same fans begin to argue about a player's ability to make the league.
A common refrain from these types is, "They don't play defense in the NBA." There's not a bigger red flag that someone doesn't watch than this statement. The defense in the current NBA has never been better. The two key differences are that fouling isn't overlooked now , like it was in the 80's & 90's (so guys like Bill Laimbeer are much more scarce) and every team has multiple guys on their bench (and in their starting lineup) who would be some of the greatest shooters in history if they'd played in earlier years. The emphasis on the three has completely changed the game. There are countless 6'7" and taller guys in the league who are head and shoulders (pun intended) better shooters than Hubbard. These guys can also defend multiple positions. There is only one player in the whole league under 6' and he's a 2-way G-league player for the Grizzlies.
A common refrain from these types is, "They don't play defense in the NBA." There's not a bigger red flag that someone doesn't watch than this statement. The defense in the current NBA has never been better. The two key differences are that fouling isn't overlooked now , like it was in the 80's & 90's (so guys like Bill Laimbeer are much more scarce) and every team has multiple guys on their bench (and in their starting lineup) who would be some of the greatest shooters in history if they'd played in earlier years. The emphasis on the three has completely changed the game. There are countless 6'7" and taller guys in the league who are head and shoulders (pun intended) better shooters than Hubbard. These guys can also defend multiple positions. There is only one player in the whole league under 6' and he's a 2-way G-league player for the Grizzlies.
I love our fanbase. "Hey. What would you advise our far and away best basketball player on campus to do next year?"
"Me? Oh I'd tell him to get the 17 off campus. We po ol MSU."
"Really? Wouldn't you hate to lose a key player at thst position?"
"Yep. And id ***** endlessly about it."
I agree with this. He could consider getting a little more elsewhere but how much really? I would assume it would force State to just match anyway but I would be supprised if we weren't paying market rate now. Also, staying at one school does help you financially long term. It would open whatever doors statewide for him once he is tired of playing in Turkey or Israel.
He will get well paid and also solidify himself as a MSU legend. Transferring would hurt his MSU legacy. He goes and plays overseas for a few years then back to Mississippi and sells insurance or whatever. That is when it pays to stay loyal to a fan base.
They don't play defense in the NBA. They are not allowed to anymore, especially against the franchise players. You might want to sit this one out.
I bet I’ve watched more NBA in the last 2 weeks than you did all of 2025. What you’re calling defense is just fouling without calling it. The Jordan Rules kind of play is not allowed. But that’s not defense. It’s just football on a basketball court. There was absolutely a time a few years ago where foul-baiting was rampant but in the middle of the season the word came down to the refs to shut it down and all of sudden James Harden couldn’t just flail into free throws as easily anymore. But you probably watched a few sports center top 10’s and think you know what the league is like. Congrats.
They are allowed to play loose, light hands in the face defense. Feel free to see what you see. That's your reality. I've watched the NBA over 45 years. Might be a wider perspective than yours and most. Call defense whatever you'd like. I know I'll disagree with you and many others. It's not defense.
The complete disappearance of traveling from ever being called at any level of the game now (college or pro) is a far bigger issue than your commentary on the defense. As stated, defense is being played at a higher level in the NBA now than it has been in many years.
The traveling thing is a huge issue though. It’d be like watching a PGA major, and watch every 3rd or 4th golfer foot wedge any shot into the rough into a better lie, and never get called on it. It’s bizzarre. I think a big part of the issue with defense in basketball is that defenders now have to adjust to that never being called, and play off their man that much more. In man-to-man you’re going to get beat every time by a dude that doesn’t even have to dribble.
Last edited:
Traveling has been allowed for a while but not like it has been recently. Also palming and carrying the ball is never called. The advantage is given to the offense to make the game more exciting.
These bump fouls on the way to the goal initiated by the shooter, those were never called. Touching the elbow/wrist on shots, never called. Bumps in the paint, I'm talking full body hands free pushes, never called. Falling down after a bump, never called. It's so easy to get a foul called today. Especially the franchise players.
It's a speed and spreading the floor game now, which is what I've always seen as scrimmage target practice. Missing more than half of your long shots. Shooting mostly long shots. Not really playing D. But I digress and I don't want to offend the lovers of today's NBA.
I will say this. Thankfully they let teams get a little more physical in the playoffs. Regular season to me is more of a joke. Loading? Looking like a walk through scrimmage out there. Jogging and celebrating every play. Yes I'm the grumpy out of touch old man.
Might as well just not require dribbling at all. Wouldn't have to worry about palming then. Kill two birds with one stone.