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4949
Posts: 29378
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Joined: 4/25/2006
Member: #1126
USA
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We saw their stats!
We saw some of the college games!
We looked at Youtube videos!
And we read some articles about each player and their accomplishments!
How's about a perspective from the scouts now?
I found this list over at hoops. I re-typed the information, making it simpler to read.
In typing all of this information, I have become very acquainted with each players abilities and now feel better informed about each prospect.
Here are some of the strengths and weaknesses of each player. I hope this informs you in your decision on who you think we should draft.
Enjoy!
Michael Beasley, 6'-9” PF (ranked 1st) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Versatile, ambidextrous power forward
Scores equally well with back to or facing basket
Outstanding athletic ability
Quickness, strength and leaping ability outstanding
Great shooter from all over and able to get to the rim
Great offensive rebounder, with giant hands and a seven footers wingspan
Dominated college basketball and looks like a can't miss prospect
WEAKNESSES
Poor defender
Lacks focus and maturity at times, on and off the court
Has tendency to settle for bad shots from the perimeter, trying to prove he's a SF, he's not
26.6 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 1.6 blocks
Derrick Rose, 6'-4” PG (ranked 1st) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Freakish athlete
Has all of the physical tools and instincts scouts crave
Possesses great size and quickness
Is terrific at changing gears, with phenomenal body control
Very unselfish
Has lock down defensive potential with the tools to guard two positions
Has shown better scoring ability than initially anticipated
His perimeter shots where not considered a strength.....
.....But he's made shots pulling up from mid-range and beyond the arc
Really blossomed in the NCAA tourney
Potential is off the charts
WEAKNESSES
A bit wild at point at times
Doesn't always read defenses and can be out of control driving into lane
14.9 ppg, 4.7 apg, 4.5 rpg
Brook Lopez, 6'-11” Center (ranked 1st) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
Solid athlete with excellent size
A good basketball I.Q.
Very effective with his back to the basket
Can hit the mid range jumper
Establishes position extremely well inside
Gets to the free throw line at a high rate
A decent shot blocker, with his timing and strength
Plays hard, smart and has good physical tools he can develop
WEAKNESSES
Sometimes settles for low-percentage shots
not a great passer out of the post
And a little bit predictable (mechanically)
Needs to develop more strength
19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.1 blocks
Jerryd Bayless, 6'-3” PG (ranked 2nd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Quick, explosive guard with possibly the best shot creating ability in this draft
A terrific perimeter shooter, with a great mid-range game
Gets to the free throw line at an excellent rate
Superb confidence in his abilities – a go to guy
WEAKNESSES
More of a combo guard than a true point at this stage in his career
Too small to defend shooting guards
Shot selection questionable at times
19.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.0 apg
Kevin Lowe, 6'-9” PF (ranked 2nd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Super skilled power forward
Excellent instincts both facing and back to the basket
has range out to the 3-point line
Outstanding footwork and touch in the post
A throwback, complete with the pump-fakes and the Tim Duncan-esge bank shots from 15 feet
Very, very smart and poised for a player his age
Has mastered the art of creating fast-break opportunities with an outlet pass
Has excellent hands
Superb rebounder
WEAKNESSES
Will struggle defensively, especially on the perimeter
Needs to lose 15-20 pounds
Size, quickness and leaping ability are not' off the charts.....
.....And so his upside may be deemed limited
17.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 blocks
O.J. Mayo, 6'-5” PG (ranked 3rd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Big, strong guard with excellent versatility on both ends
Can play either guard spots and and creates shots for self/others
Excellent shooter with a mid-range game
Has nice court vision
Has a good basketball I.Q. and great confidence in his abilities
A better defender than most people thought
WEAKNESSES
Lacks explosiveness to consistently get by his man and finish at the rim
Shot selection can be poor
And somewhat turnover prone
Not greatly efficient, but was asked to do much more than he will at the next level
Can he run the point?
20.7 ppg, 3.3 apg, 4.5 rpg
Eric Gordon, 6'-3” SG (ranked 1st) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Bowling ball of a shooting guard, with outstanding scoring ability
Built like a brick wall
Capable of overpowering defenders on his way to the rim
Has a first step and low center of gravity
A terrific finisher in traffic who is assertive and confident in his moves
Very capable perimeter shooter from mid to past the three point range
Solid defender (when he wants to be)
WEAKNESSES
Has tendency to force things sometimes
His shot selection isn't always the best
Turnover prone
Ball-handling skills are improvable
More of an undersized shooting guard, then a combo
20.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.4 apg
Danlio Gallinari, 6'-9” SF (ranked 1st) from Italy
STRENGTHS
Precocious European talent who is producing at the highest levels of International level
He's only a teenager
Versatile small forward with great size, who can play multiple positions
A solid shooter
Terrific ball handler and excellent passer
Gets to the free throw line at a high rate
Competes on both ends
Very mature both physically and skill wise
Has an extremely' high basketball I.Q. and excellent intangibles
WEAKNESSES
Not a great athlete
Lateral quickness is questionable
Can he guard NBA small forwards?
Average rebounder
Likely more of a role player in the NBA level
14.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.7 apg
Anthony Randolph, 6'-11” PF (ranked 3rd) Freshman
STRENGTH
Long, left-handed super athletic 4/3 with a skinny frame
Excellent ball handler for his size
Can create facing the basket and will grab a rebound and take the ball coast to coast
Very versatile and talented athlete, who is only beginning to scratch his potential
Solid mid-range jumper
WEAKNESSES
Doesn't have great range
Settles for bad shots at times
Lacks experience and a great feel for the game
Not strong enough to take advantage of his height inside
Gets pushed around defensively in th post
Blocks shots and and rebounds fairly' well, but doesn't have great defensive awareness
Extremely young and possesses considerable upside
15.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.3 blocks
DeAndre Jordan, 7'-0” Center (ranked 2nd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
7 footer with great frame
Incredible wingspan
Unbelievable athleticism
Has great hands, finishes well around the basket
Very good rebounder with potential to develop into excellent defender down the road
Extremely raw player who is 2-3 years away from contributing at a high level
WEAKNESSES
Lacks a great deal of strength and polish on both ends of the floor
Shows poor awareness
Not always active as you might hope
A high risk, high reward player who has too much upside not to be drafted early
7.9 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.3 blocks
DJ Augustin, 5'-11” PG (ranked 4th) Sophmore
STRENGTHS
The best PG in college basketball?
Scoring playmaker with solid quickness and outstanding ball handling skills
Unselfish with excellent court vision
Rarely gets rattled
Keeps TO's to minimum
Multiple speeds to get around his man to create offense, especially on pick and rolls
A very solid shooter, especially off the dribble
WEAKNESSES
Lack of size hinders next level
Defensive potential is a question mark
19.2 ppg, 5.8 apg, 1.2 spg
Donte Green, 6'-11” SF (ranked 2nd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Big, smooth, athletic combo forward with a very high skill level, when facing basket
A terrific perimeter shooter, who gets his shot in multitude of ways
Excellent coming off screens, or pulling up off the dribble
Can put the ball down and operate in the mid-range area
Has shown sparks of potential with his back to the basket
WEAKNESSES
Shot selection can be poor
Falls in love with the 3 pointer, excessively
Needs to improve his ball handling skills
A poor defender who still needs to learn the nuances of the game
A project, but with great upside
17.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.0 apg
Russell Westbrook, 6'-3” PG (ranked 5th) Sophmore
STRENGTHS
Freakishly athletic combo guard with long arms, big hands and tenacious motor
Excellent in transition and a true ball-hawk defensively
Always looking to make things happen, but understands role and team player
A late bloomer, who still has considerable upside to improve
Raw player in the half court
WEAKNESSES
Ball handling skills and perimeter shooting still a work in progress
Not a true point guards
Undersized for a 2
Is he starting material?
12.7 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.9 rpg
Kosta Koufos, 7'-0” Center (ranked 3rd) Freshman
STRENGTHS
True center with tremendous size and length
Mobile big man with great hands
Possesses an extremely high skill level both facing, and back, to basket
Terrific shooter with excellent touch from 'anywhere' on the court
Huge wingspan aids him as a rebounder, shot blocker
WEAKNESSES
Not terribly explosive
Shot selection and left hand needs work
A poor passer who doesn't always know his limitations
Lateral quickness is average
Still a work in progress
14.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg
Joe Alexander, 6'-8” PF (ranked 4th) Junior
STRENGTHS
Developing small forward with good size
Length and athleticism for the position
A late bloomer who had gotten considerably better each and every years
Likes to operate in the mid-range area in the post
Gets to the free throw line at a solid rate
Aggressive player with a good feel for the game
WEAKNESSES
Lacks polish offensively
Not a great perimeter shooter or ball handler
Overall skill level still a work in progress
High center of gravity makes it difficult for him to stay in front of small forwards
Not quite a 3, not quete a 4
Has an unorthodox game that won't fit every offense
Needs time to develop
No stats
Darrell Arthur, 6'09” PF (ranked 5th) Sophmore
STRENGTHS
Smooth big man with scoring mentality
Very nice potential facing and back to basket
Possesses terrific frame and wingspan
Excellent athletic ability
Has great hands, nice touch, solid finisher around rim and great turn around jumper
Also can face up and knock down jumpers from 17' out
Has solid defensive potential
Excellent lateral quickness
WEAKNESSES
Poor rebounder
Not particularly active
Tendency to coast too often and not always 100% focused on or off the court
Poor passer
Needs to add strength
Not always productive enough
Lots of potential, but will he achieve it?
12.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg
Nicolas Batum, 6'-8” SF (ranked 3rd) from France
STRENGTHS
Smooth athletie and physical attributes and a style of play that is tailor made
Great length
Excellent quickness and superb leaping ability
Creates shots with ease and has a beautiful mid-range game
Has shut-down defensive potential in the NBA
WEAKNESSES
Shooting mechanics need work
Not a great ball handler yet
If fairly passive at times
Doesn't show willingness to dominate his opponents
Particularly late in games
Still inconsistent, but terrific upside
8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg
Chase Budinger, 6'-7” SF (ranked 4th) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
Athletic wing with excellent size and leaping ability
Very good perimeter shooter, both spotting up and coming off screens
Picture perfect mechanics
Intelligent player who knows how to move off the ball, find open man, with good pass
Very unselfish
Former world class volleyball player who is still scratching basketball potential
WEAKNESSES
Poor ball handler
Lacks ability to create his own shot effectively
Has almost no mid-range game
Doesn't utilize his athleticism effectively enough
Hasn't show go-to scoring mentality at this point
Lateral quickness and defensive intensity are questionable
17.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.9 apg
Chris Douglas Roberts, 6'-6” SG (ranked 2nd) Junior
STRENGTHS
Unorthodox player, but one of the best slashing wing players in the country
Possesses solid first step, terrific toughness
Outstanding body control
Ambidextrous on both his drives and finishes
Plays extremely strong with the ball, despite his lanky frame
Solid defender, thanks to his length and toughness
Very efficient player who shoots a high percentage from the field
WEAKNESSES
Perimeter shot was considered a weakness, but has shown major improvement
18.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg
JaVale McGee, 7'-0” PF (ranked 6th) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
Unique prospect with a terrific combination of size, length, athleticism and budding skill
Has good hands and a nice frame that should fill out
Can put the ball on the floor, shoot with range and execute smooth moves in post
Operates solely off his instincts
Makes his presence felt at times on the offensive glass or as a shot blocker
WEAKNESSES
A project in every sense of the word
Extremely weak
Possesses poor shot-selection
Nonexistent passing ability
Concerning lack of hustle
Barely competes defensively
Has very little in the ways of fundamentals or awareness
2-3 years away from stepping onto an NBA floor
14.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.8 blocks
Marreese Speights, 6'-10” Center (ranked 4th) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
Long, athletic and extremely talented big man, who can put the ball in the basket
Likes to play with his back to the basket
Has great hands and soft touch with both left and right
Finishes well, with tremendous offensive instincts
A strong rebounder, thanks to his quickness, frame and wingspan
WEAKNESSES
A long ways away defensively
Effort, focus and fundamentals are often lackadaicial
Slightly undersized for a center
Conditioning is not idea
Extremely talented, with big upside, but question marks about reaching potential
14.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.4 blocks
Alexis Ajinca, 7'-1” Center (ranked 5th) from France
STRENGTHS
Big man, with excellent size, legnth and athleticism
Fluid, who looks comfortable facing the basket
Knocks down mid-range jumpers
Excellent finisher around the rim
Has good feel for the game
Solid passer
Extremely impressive shot blocker thanks to his freakish wingspan
WEAKNESSEES
Still raw in many ways
Lacks footwork in the post
Struggles to finish through contact
Extremely thin and frail
Average rebounder and man to man defender
Lacks experience
No stats
Roy Hibbert, 7'-2” Center (ranked 6th) Senior
STRENGTHS
Efficient big man with outstanding size and average mobility
Possesses a high basketball I.Q.
Excellent work ethic
Establishes great position on the low block and is a very good finisher
Solid touch and framework
Can also pass iffectively out of double teams
Has good potential on the defensive end as a shot changing presence
Looks fairly mechanical at times
WEAKNESSES
Can get too passive on the offensive end
Not a great rebounder
Numbers went down in what was a disappointing senior season
Can his body survive 82 games?
13.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.2 blocks
Brandon Rush, 6'-7” SF (ranked 5th) Junior
STRENGTHS
Swingman with excellent size, wingspan, basketball instincts and athletic ability
Solid perimeter shooter, with feet set or off the dribble
Shown great improvement in his defense, but.....
WEAKNESSES
......needs to improve his ball handling skills, particularly with his left hand
Unselfish to a fault at times
Refuses to take over games and quickly loses his confidence, when things to wrong
A little bit old for his class
Production was disappointing early on, but really came on late in the season, in tourney
13.3 ppg, 2.1 apg, 41.9 3P%
Robin Lopez, 7'-0” PF (ranked 7th) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
Good physical tools – size, length, mobility and agility
Has good hands in some basic moves
Good passer
Nice feel for the game
Physical tools and activity level make him tough to keep off the offensive glass
Emotional player who competes hard on the defensive end, where he's a sold shot blocker
Likely, an energy guy in the NBA
WEAKNESSES
Not very skilled offensively
Lacks strength, footwork and polish
Intensity wavers at times
10.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 blocks
Courtney Lee, 6'-5” SG (ranked 3rd) Senior
STRENGTHS
Mid-major gem who is arguably the most complete wing player in the country
Smooth player with great body and super high basketball I.Q.
Solid shooter with a deadly pull-up mid-range jumper
Plays excellent defense – fundamental and really competes
A real team player
Excellent passer
Shot creating skills are improving
WEAKNESSES
Unselfish to a fault at times
Ball handling skills could still get better
Athleticism is good, but not great
Looks passive at times
Did not get great exposure in the Sun-Belt conference, but faired extremely well against all types of competition and let his team to sweet 16 in NCAA touney
20.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.1 apg
Tywon Lawson, 5'-11” PG (ranked 6th) Sophomore
STRENGTHS
True point guard who might be quickest end to end player
A master at igniting fast-breaks after made baskets
Has excellent strength
Ball handling skills, footwork and body control, especially in transition
Solid court vision
Gets to basket extremely well
Has strength to score, even with contact
WEAKNESSES
Has tendency to over-do things at times, particularly with decision making in half court
Loses focus and is still inconsistent as a floor general
Possesses poor shooting mechanics, particularly off the dribble
No mid-range game
Gets in the passing lane defensively, but lack of size hurts his NBA potential
12.7 ppg, 5.2 apg, 2.7 rpg
Jason Thompson, 6'-11” PF (ranked 8th) Senior
STRENGTHS
Big man with legit size and length
Mobile, versatile player who has nice touch in the post, but can also step away from hoop
Can find the open man and knock down the mid-range jumper
Solid rebounder
WEAKNESSES
Defense leaves a lot to be disired
Not always 100% focused
Didn't always dominate low level competition
Feel for the game is a question mark, but definatley not a finished product
20.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 2.7 blocks
J.J. Hickson, 6'-9” PF (ranked 9th) Freshman
STRENGTHS
Long, strong, athletic big man with a nose for the rim
Likes to operate with his back to the basket, where he is very effective
Great hands
Toughness and aggressiveness makes him a high percentage finisher
Has good quickness and footwork
Solid rebounder
WEAKNESSES
Not very versatile
Doesn't have a very high skill level facing the basket
Poor defender and passer
Put up big numbers on mediocre team with bad chemistry
Clearly a work in progress, but has nice upside for the future
14.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 blocks
David Hardin, 6'-11” Center (ranked 7th) Senior
STRENGTHS
Promising big man with physical tools and upside NBA scouts crave
Excellent wingspan, combined with great frame and fantastic athleticism
The type of body every team needs inside
Runs the floor well
Hits the glass and a very good finisher inside
Excellent lateral quickness defensively
Has solid intangibles and great upside, if the light bulb ever come on
WEAKNESSES
A bit of a tease, doesn't always play up to potential
Limited offensively – average hands, no face-up game, no left hand, no footwork in post
Intensity wavers, gives up space inside and is often in foul trouble
Not productive enough in senior year
Average shot blocker
Young for his age
9.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 blocks
I'll never trust this' team again.
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5/22/2008 2:50 PM
