Great article on Jun and Rafael.
I think it's safe to say that what makes Jun a prospect for the NBA one day is his unique skill set. The NBA loves unicorns and someone with Jun's size who can handle the ball the way he does certainly qualifies him as one. I continue to be impressed by how adept Jun is at not picking up offensive fouls. A player who can consistently play this way while not getting into consistent foul trouble is going to be noticed by NBA scouts.
Compared to last year, what has changed for Jun is that he is the sole focal point for defenses to stop or contain, rather than last year when Jun shared this responsibility with JB. This puts an even greater premium on knowing when to dish, when to finish, etc. His shooting percentage being down by 7 percentage points can best be explained by this.
In short, Jun will likely always be a valuable player because of the combination of his size, athleticism, and manner in which he plays. Right now, I'd say he is a good player but not quite a great player, which he'll need to be if the NBA is to ever be in his future. What he truly needs is more experience, more reps, and a better understanding of making the correct decisions with the ball. Improving his midrange shot and free throw shooting will be extremely important. Personally, while I understand why we would all want to see his three point shooting thrive, I really don't believe that this ought to be a part of his arsenal.
As for Rafael, how could you not be encouraged by his start, or a bit disheartened by his performances of late? I think he brings so much value to this team when he's on that I'd hate to see a deemphasized role for him moving forward. At the same time, the level of consistency he'll be able to bring against A10 opponents remains to be seen. There may not be a player on the team who better completes this sentence: As Rafael goes, so will this GW team.