Frank Mason: possibility of using the second round for the Kansas guard

Gregg Polinsky, chief scout for the Brooklyn Nets, recently spoke about his thoughts on the upcoming draft. He talked about the lottery being as luxurious as ever, but also said Kansas has “great guards.” Does this mean we could see the Nets taking Frank Mason III on draft night?

We’ve finally reached June. The draft is within sight. Excitement levels are elevating rapidly, and fans are becoming anxious to see who their team will add come June 22nd.

In a recent “off-mike” discussion with Alabama radio-show host Scott Griffin, Nets director of player personnel and chief scout Gregg Polinsky had some interesting things to say. For the sake of the draft, one comment in particular stood out.

"“If you have ever been to a Kansas practice with Bill Self, the game is the easy part. Great guards.”"

So, being the die-hard fans we are, it’s time to dig deeper into Polinsky’s comment. Is he dropping a hint the Nets could be interested in Frank Mason III? It’s very possible. He played for college mastermind Bill Self for four years, and his maturity on the court is a direct result of that action.

Take a quick glance at his career numbers at Kansas.

Points Per Game: 13.0

Assists Per Game: 4.0

Rebounds Per Game: 3.4

Steals Per Game: 1.1

Turnovers Per Game: 1.9

The numbers aren’t crazy, but in his senior season, Mason played his way onto the radar of NBA executives around the league. He posted averages of 20.9 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.2 RPG and was named Big 12 Player of the Year and AP Player of the Year for his efforts. He shot an impressive 47.1% from beyond the arc. As a junior, Mason shot 38.1% from distance. This improvement is a glaring example of his strong development during his tenure as a Jayhawk.

At 5’11”, 185 pounds, Mason certainly falls into the “undersized” category. However, the interest in the Kansas product stems from his ability to lead. He is one of those players who is an “extension” of the coach. This trait is something that is hard to find, and many coaches will salivate at the thought of adding a player such as Mason. They can count on him to operate the team efficiently, execute the game plan, all while producing individually.

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So, does he fit into Brooklyn’s long-term plans? At first glance, he seems to be a fit. He’s a leader, a player with heart, and a proven winner. However, when evaluating the situation further, one may see why he doesn’t fit into their agenda.

The majority of mock drafts have him going in the middle-late part of the second round, meaning the Nets would most likely have to move up to select him.

Mason is already 23 years old, and from what we’ve seen in the past, Atkinson prefers his guards to have size (Isaiah Whitehead, Jeremy Lin, Spencer Dinwiddie). Along with that, the Nets don’t seem to need another point guard. Unless they opt to target a starting caliber point guard in free agency, and move Lin to the shooting guard spot.

Next: Can Atkinson bring Gallinari to Brooklyn?

Adding a player such as Mason would be a luxury for most teams, but with the Nets already developing young players such as Whitehead and Dinwiddie, adding Mason to the mix may halt the development processes for those players. Because of this, the Nets may look elsewhere on draft night.

Here are his highlights from his senior season as a Jayhawk.