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fishmike
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By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
The cream of the high school class of 2001 has already been skimmed off. Amare
Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Andre Iguodala are already in the NBA
and look like they'll be all-stars for years to come.
However, the rest of the junior class remains surprisingly intact. Four
defections this late in the game is rare. Of course, there's a reason.
"That class was pretty top heavy," one NBA scout said. "With the exception of
Bosh and Stoudemire, there just weren't a lot of big men. Most of the really
talented players left in the class are guards. That's a little disappointing,
but there are some talented kids left."
How talented? Only the top three or four kids on the chart project as potential
lottery picks, however there's plenty of first-round and second-round talent in
this group.
Deron Williams, PG, Illinois
The facts: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds; 12.8 ppg, 6.9 apg on 43 percent shooting
The skinny: More and more scouts are claiming that the second best point guard
prospect in the league is Williams. While Wake Forest's Chris Paul is getting
tagged as the best point guard prospect since Jason Kidd, Williams is getting
the rep as the player whose style and body most resemble Kidd's.
"Deron is a lot like Kidd in the half court," one NBA scout said. "They play the
same way. They're both straight-line guys. Once he gets his hip on you, he's
gone. Deron's not as fast as Kidd in the open court, but Deron can shoot. Jason
can't."
Not everyone agrees. Some scouts think he lacks the speed and quickness to be a
great NBA point guard. However, Insider's most trusted scouts feel that Williams
playmaking ability, size, strength and floor vision make up for his lack of
speed in the open court. Look for him to go anywhere between the late lottery to
mid-first round.
If Felton were taller, he would be a lock for a lottery pick.
Raymond Felton, PG, North Carolina
The facts: 6-1, 200 pounds; 9.7 ppg, 7.7 apg on 45 percent shooting
The skinny: Felton is another one of the best "pure" point guard in the college
ranks right now. He has blazing speed and a real feel for directing traffic.
He's a great ball handler and can see things on the floor before most point
guards can. He's an excellent athlete and has a nice, strong frame that NBA
scouts love. He can be very explosive and plays with a nice flair.
Not everything is positive for Felton. He can't shoot off the dribble. At times,
he struggles to nail even open jumpers when teams give him the shot. What's
interesting is that Felton averaged 30 ppg as a senior in high school, so
obviously he knows how to score. He just hasn't done it well during his stint at
UNC. He's also an accomplished defender.
The comparisons with T.J. Ford are pretty obvious. If he were two or three
inches taller, he'd be a lottery pick for sure. Right now, scouts think the late
lottery to mid first round is probably where he'll be taken.
John Gilchrist, PG, Maryland
The facts: 6-3, 200 pounds; 14.4 ppg, 7.1 apg on 48 percent shooting
The skinny: Gilchrist has it all. He's tough, has a great NBA body and
athleticism for a point guard, can score and pass, and has hit some big clutch
shots for Maryland over the past two years.
So why isn't he ranked higher on the list? He's so much like like Stephon
Marbury in style and attitude – that he's scaring off a number of scouts who
feel that Marbury's style of play puts up great numbers, but doesn't win in the
NBA.
"I'm not sure you win with him," one NBA scout who has had Marbury on his team
told Insider. "His numbers look great, but you watch how he interacts with his
teammates and it isn't too good. He gets way too negative to his own players and
he too often gets caught up in his own game at the wrong times. The talent is
there. I'm not sure about the head."
That report makes Gilchrist a little tough to project – lottery talent with a
second round attitude. Figure that teams split the difference and he's a
mid-first rounder.
Antoine Wright, G/F, Texas A&M
The facts: 6-7, 210 pounds; 16.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg on 58 percent shooting
The skinny: Wright seems to have rebounded from a horrific sophomore season.
Wright looked like he was a lock for the lottery after an amazing freshman
season for the Aggies. However, last season his numbers dropped across the board
as he shot just 36 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point arc.
This year, Wright seems to have regained his shooting stroke and his confidence.
He handles the rock well for a 6-foot-7 foot player, he sees the floor well and
just has an overall good feel for the game. Scouts still wonder about his head a
bit after he fell apart last season. If he can continue to play like he has this
season, scouts claim he's talented enough to be a lottery pick. Right now he's
more on the mid-first round bubble.
Francisco Garcia, G/F, Louisville
The facts: 6-7, 200 pounds; 16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.9 apg on 47 percent shooting
The skinny: Garcia appears to have helped himself tremendously this offeseason
by gaining a little weight. He's obviously a gifted scorer and a top-notch
athlete. He's a dead eye from long range and seems to have no problem getting to
the basket at will. He's very quick and explosive.
Garcia's long, versatile and has a good feel for the basketball. He's a fabulous
shot blocker for a swingman and also is a dead eye from the free throw line.
Scouts believe his natural position is the three, but he also has the ability to
play the two. The comparisons to Tayshaun Prince are pretty solid. He still
needs to get stronger and work on shooting off the dribble, but most scouts now
see him as a very solid mid to late first round pick.
Carney can help his stock by filling the void at Memphis.
Rodney Carney, SF, Memphis
The facts: 6-7, 210 pounds; 17.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg on 39 percent shooting
The skinny: After a scintillating start to the season, Carney has cooled off in
the last week. That might be due to an enormous amount of tension right now in
the program thanks to a three-way feud between coach John Calipari, Sean Banks
and Darius Washington Jr.. Carney is a good kid that seems to be caught in the
middle.
The 6-7 junior is the son of two track stars. Carney himself was the Indiana
state champ in the high jump as a high school senior. Calipari calls him one of
the best five athletes in the country, something you know will turn heads in the
NBA.
"Just on DNA, you've got to love him," one NBA scout told Insider. "Both parents
are track stars. He may be the best athlete in college basketball. On an
up-tempo team he'd be really good. He's also improved his shooting in the
mid-range game, which is why he's having such a big year."
So why hasn't he gotten more publicity? "He goes through huge spans where he
disappears. He doesn't create his own shot. If he did, he'd be a lock for the
lottery."
Look for Carney to get consideration as a late lottery to mid-first round pick
anyway if he continues to play well. With his size, length, speed, jumping
ability and three-point shooting ability, he appears to be the prototypical NBA
small forward.
Rashad McCants, SG, North Carolina
The facts: 6-4, 205 pounds; 19.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg on 53 percent shooting
The skinny: McCants might be the most-talented junior in the country. He's
obviously a gifted scorer and a top-notch athlete. He's a dead eye from long
range and seems to have no problem getting to the basket at will. He's very
quick and explosive.
But he, too, has some serious issues. Scouts believe he's much closer to 6-3 and
don't believe he has the handle or the head to be an NBA point guard. His long
arms and athleticism make up for some of those height issues, but not all of
them. He's also a spotty defender, which certainly doesn't help his cause "He's
just so moody. He's up and down like a yo-yo. He's a talented kid who will be
very tough to coach in the NBA," says one scout. "There's a history of these
undersized scoring two guards in the league. Most of them don't make it. How's
he going to handle adversity? From what I've seen, the answer isn't good."
McCants is also getting hurt from comparisons to another talented, undersized
two guard from North Carolina – Joe Forte. Despite having talent, athleticism
and the ability to score at will, Forte was a major bust in the NBA. Is McCants
on the same track? He's a high lottery pick based on talent, but he's another
kid with a second round attitude. Who knows who will take a shot?
Shelden Williams, PF, Duke
The facts: 6-9, 250 pounds; 15.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.6 bpg on 57 percent shooting
The skinny: Williams is one of the best rebounders in college basketball. He's a
physical bruiser who works tirelessly in the paint. He's also one of the best,
if not the best, shot blocker in the NCAA. While he isn't the most athletic guy,
he is quick off the floor.
Could Williams be the second coming of Carlos Boozer? Scouts say that the work
ethic and basketball IQ are there, but Williams lacks Boozer's scoring touch on
the offensive end. He has terrible hands. If you watch him closely, he never
catches the ball cleanly. That could limit his effectiveness on the offensive
end.
Still, for teams looking for rebounding and shot blocking in the paint, Williams
is one of the best options on the board. Look for him to be a late first
rounder.
Nate Robinson, SG, Washington
The facts: 5-9, 180 pounds; 22.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 5.6 apg, 2.4 spg on 56 percent
shooting
The skinny: Several NBA scouts are quietly saying that Robinson is their
favorite basketball player in college basketball. When you look at his numbers
it's kind of tough to argue. Right?
So why isn't Robinson atop our list of potential No. 1 overall picks? Size
matters in the NBA, and Robinson stands 5-9 in shoes (according to official
measurements at the 2004 Chicago pre-draft camp). The fact that he isn't even a
point guard also doesn't help matters.
Still, that hasn't stopped scouts from drooling over the possibility of adding
Robinson late in the first round. "He's the best finisher in college
basketball," one NBA scout gushed. "He's almost impossible to guard."
Robinson put up impressive numbers last season, too. He was one of the better
players at the Chicago pre-draft camp, averaging 11.7 ppg and ranking second in
the camp in assists. In fact, he ranked No. 1 among all the players in the camp
in athletic testing.
He measured a 43.5 inch vertical and ran the three-quarters court sprint in 2.96
seconds, a Chicago record. However, he couldn't convince one team to give him a
promise in the first round, so he went back to school. That sounds like it's
going to change this year.
"I'm not sure where he will go in the draft, but don't forget the 'wow' factor
here," an NBA exec told Insider. "Every time he touches the ball, everyone holds
their breath. He can sell tickets. Fans react to him. I think he's going to go
much earlier than people think. If he's a mid-first rounder I wouldn't be
surprised.
Right now he's a likely late first-round, early second-round pick, but it only
takes one team to fall in love for him to go much higher.
Jarrett Jack, PG, Georgia Tech
The facts: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds; 13.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5 apg on 61 percent shooting
The skinny: Jack is having another up-and-down year. That's not really the image
you want to project if you're a point guard. He really knows how to run a team.
He has good size and nice court vision, as well as an NBA body and athleticism.
He's an excellent rebounder for a point guard. He's also a good defender who
collects a decent number of steals.
Still, scouts worry that he plays a little out of control at times. His three
turnovers per game are fairly high for such a natural point. He doesn't have
great 3-point range on his jumper, and he struggles to shoot off the dribble.
With so many point guards ranked ahead of him right now, he's probably better
off returning to school for his senior season unless he really breaks out during
the second half of the season. Right now he's on the first round bubble.
Best of the Rest: Kennedy Winston, G/F, Alabama; Hassan Adams, SG, Arizona;
Bracey Wright, G, Indiana; J.J. Redick, G, Duke; Sean May, PF, North Carolina;
Torin Francis, PF, Notre Dame; Paul Davis, PF, Michigan State; Rashad Anderson,
SG, UConn; Dee Brown, G, Illinois; Ike Diogu, PF, Arizona State; Justin Gray, G,
Wake Forest; Jeff Horner, PG, Iowa; Kelenna Azubuike, G/F, Kentucky; Anthony
Roberson, G, Florida; Tim Smith, G, Eastern Micihgan; Matt Haryasz, F/C,
Stanford; Juan Jose Barea, PG, Northeastern; Brandon Roy, G, Washington; Craig
Smith, F, Boston College; Carl Krauser, PG, Pittsburgh; Shavlik Randolph, F,
Duke; Nik Caner Medley, F, Maryland; Matt Walsh, F, Florida; Jason Fraser, F,
Villanova; Pierre Pierce, G, Iowa
Draft Cards
Pittsburgh's Chris Taft was a preseason favorite for the No. 1 pick in the 2005
draft. That might begin changing soon. Several NBA scouts told Insider that they
were unimpressed with Taft after attending a series of Pitt games over the past
couple of weeks.
Taft's numbers have certainly been suspect. Five players on the Pitt roster are
getting more minutes than Taft. His rebounding numbers and field-goal percentage
are down from last year. For the season, he's averaging just 12.9 ppg and 6.7
rpg. Those aren't lottery pick numbers. What's going on?
"I think he has a bad case of NBA-it is," one NBA scout said. "He just looks
like he's going through the motions. Last year he had something to prove. This
year, he seems like he's just trying not to get hurt."
Another scout said that he's concerned that Taft has put on some bad weight,
which may be hurting his athleticism and explosiveness. Whatever the reasons,
he's clearly found himself in head coach Jamie Dixon's dog house. Dixon has been
leaning toward using Chevon Troutman (another player scouts really like)
instead, because Troutman hustles and grabs loose balls.
His teammate, point guard Carl Krauser, says that Taft will get his minutes once
he starts putting in the work again.
"I don't really know what's going on with that, I just know a lot of guys are
competing hard, and maybe it's tough to get everybody the minutes they're
supposed to have," Krauser said. "But I know with hard work, (Taft) is going to
bounce back into the top three."
NBA scouts have been whispering to Insider for weeks that something was amiss at
Memphis. All of them came away raving about Carney and cursing about Banks and
Washington under the breath. Now we know why.
Calipari suspended Banks indefinitely this week for breaking team rules.
However, there's more to it than that.
"He's been a cancer on that team," one NBA scout said. "He's a selfish player.
Instead of reveling in the fact that he has more talent around him, he's gotten
more selfish. He's a very talented player, the most talented guy on Memphis. But
with his attitude, I'm not sure how you give a guy a guaranteed contract in the
first round acting like he does."
Those observations, coupled with a checkered past for Banks, has torpedoed his
NBA stock for the moment.
Our apologies to Duke guard Daniel Ewing, who mysteriously was left off our list
of college seniors NBA scouts were watching. It was an accident, not an
indictment on his pro prospects. To make up for the mistake, I asked one NBA
scout, who is a Ewing fan, to break down his game.
"I think he has the chance to become an NBA point guard," the scout told
Insider. "He's got all the physical tools and real knack for scoring. They
question has always been his size (6-foot-3). He needs to make the transition to
the one. I think he's made huge strides this year. He's shown that he's a good
passer and makes smart decisions with the basketball. I think he could be a
Gilbert Arenas like point guard in the pros."
Other scouts aren't quite as sure. They all love his athleticism, his ability to
shoot off the dribble, and his three-point accuracy. Ewing's numbers this year,
17.9 ppg, 4.4 apg, 46 percent shooting from three are very impressive. But can
he make the transition to the point? Every scout has a different take.
Unfortunately for Ewing, that's the difference between Ewing going in the mid to
late first round and the second round.
On the other side of the pond, several top prospects are getting minutes and
turning the heads of scouts. Croatian point guard Roko Leni Ukic, who declared
and withdrew from the 2004 NBA draft, continues to impress scouts. He's
averaging 17.1 ppg, 3.7 apg 44 percent shooting for Split.
Croatian guard Marko Tomas followed up our mention in Insider last Friday with a
30-point game against Split this week – a career high for Tomas.
Serbian powerhouse Partizan has suffered a high number of injuries, meaning that
some of their young talents are getting opportunities to play.
Uros Tripkovic continues to look like one of the best young guard talents in
Europe. Peja Samardziski, who didn't play a minute for the senior team last
year, continues to get important minutes for Partizan this year. He had 14
points versus Hemofarm earlier in the week. He got to play 16 minutes in their
Euroleague game against Efes Pilsan on Thursday and grabbed four rebounds.
The other sleeper is Turkish big man Semih Erden. Erden, an 18-year-old seven
footer, has been getting consistent minutes for Partizan and is seen as a legit
NBA prospect. He had 17 points against Hemofarm this week and had 10 points and
six rebounds versus Efes Pilsan on Thursday.
Finally, scouts are spending a lot of time in Madrid, Spain checking out two
potential prospects playing for Read Madrid. Mickael Gelabale, a 21-year-old,
6-7 swingman from France, is putting up consistent solid numbers in Euroleague
play. He had 17 points and 7 rebounds versus Climamio Thursday night and is
averaging 9 ppg on 68 percent shooting in Euroleague play.
This week's sleeper is Real Madrid's Axel Herville, a 21-year-old, 6-9 power
forward from Belgium who led the Ulep cup in rebounding last season. "He's a
good athlete, with long arms and big shoulders," one NBA scout said. "He's kind
of a rebounding specialist. He isn't much of a scorer but he really hits the
glass as well as anyone in Europe right now."
Herville had 12 boards against Estudiantes last week and 10 points in Madrid's
win versus Cimamio on Thursday.
Both players are second round prospects at this point, though Gelabale has
enough game that he could work his way late into the first round with strong
workouts.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
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By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
The college basketball season is finally underway. Have you seen your collegiate
senior lately? NBA scouts are looking for quality in that class, but so far the
search is coming up empty.
"It's not going to be as ugly as last year," one veteran NBA scout said. "But
that's not saying much. Last year was the worst senior class in the history of
the draft."
Since high school stud Kevin Garnett broke the college barrier in 1995 and
declared for the NBA draft directly from high school, the number of college
seniors in the first round has dwindled at an alarming rate. In 1995, there were
20 seniors taken in the first round, six in the lottery. In 1998, the number
dipped to 14 seniors, with five in the lottery, and the slide continued each
year thereafter:
1999: 13 first-round seniors; only four in the lottery.
2000: 11 first-round seniors; only three in the lottery.
2001: Four first-round seniors; only one – Shane Battier – in the lottery.
2002: Eight first-round seniors; only one – Melvin Ely – in the lottery.
2003: Nine first-round seniors; only three in the lottery.
The 2004 draft was among the worst ever for collegiate seniors. Just four –
Rafael Araujo, Luke Jackson, Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen – were taken in the
first round.
It couldn't get any worse, could it?
In a perfect world, college seniors all would be driving Pintos, scrounging for
lunch money in the cushions of their dorm-room sofas and strutting around
campus, ready to lead their teams to the coveted Big Dance before picking up a
diploma and waiting to see which NBA team might pick them.
In the real world, the talented high school class of 2001 has all but defected
to the NBA. Can you imagine a draft that had Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddy
Curry, Emeka Okafor, T.J. Ford, Devin Harris, Ben Gordon, Mo Williams, Josh
Childress, Kirk Snyder, David Harrison and Delonte West playing the roles of
savvy four-year veterans?
While some try to claim college seniors are losing in what is becoming an
increasingly brutal war of expectations and fortune-telling, something more
simple and more insidious appears to be taking place.
"The NBA has been strip-mining the college game for years," one scout said last
season. "It's finally coming back to haunt us. The only guys worth taking in the
lottery any more are the young ones. The older players that are left usually
don't have enough talent to contribute in a meaningful way. Experience is a
great, but if you're not going to be able to come in and average 18 a night,
then I'm going with the kid who could turn into Kobe or KG down the road."
He's got a point. Of the top 20 scorers and top 10 rebounders in the NBA, only
one, Tim Duncan, played four years in college.
A senior of a different ilk dominates the categories – the high school senior.
Five of the top 10 scorers in the NBA right now never played a minute of college
ball.
Luckily for seniors this year, scouts are reporting that this may be the worst
high school class since 1996. They also feel this year's college senior class is
one of the stronger ones in recent memory. Several scouts identified nearly a
dozen seniors with a shot at the first round this year.
Here's a quick look at 10 seniors the scouts will be watching this season.
One scout says Gonzaga's Turiaf is "one of the worst-finishing bigs I've
ever seen."
Ronny Turiaf, PF, Gonzaga
The facts: 6-foot-10, 245 pounds; 23.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg on 61 percent shooting
The skinny: Gonzaga's import from France has turned himself into one of the most
lethal low-post scorers in college basketball. He's one of the most talented big
men in the game with his back to the basket. He possesses excellent footwork and
several different go-to moves off the block. He plays very physical and gets to
the foul line better than just about any other college big man. Once he's there,
he shoots 81 percent. The aggressiveness also has a downside. Turiaf is
constantly getting fouls quickly, which limits his effectiveness (and minutes)
for the rest of the game. Scouts like Turiaf, though none believe he'll be a
star at the next level. Why? According to one scout, "He's one of the
worst-finishing bigs I've ever seen." Look for Turiaf to be a mid-to-late
first-round pick in 2005.
Joey Graham, SF, Oklahoma StateThe facts: 6-7, 220; 17.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg,n 59 percent shooting
The skinny: Graham may be the best player in the Big 12. When he gets going, get
out of his way. Graham has the body of a power forward and the speed and dunking
acumen of two guard. His game starts with his back to the basket, but in the
past year it slowly has moved all the way out to the 3-point line. He'll settle
in the middle as a small forward in the pros. We know he can dunk, but what else
can he do? His rebounding and shot-blocking need work. So does the jumper. He
still needs to show the ability to do more off the dribble, and some scouts have
questions about his work ethic. Still, he has the body, athleticism and size to
make a great wing. An endorsement from Michael Jordan after Graham's impressive
stint as a counselor in his summer camp doesn't hurt either. If he continues to
play well, he'll go anywhere from the mid-to-late first round.
Danny Granger, F, New Mexico
The facts: 6-8, 220; 18.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.8 spg 55 percent shooting
The skinny: Granger is a versatile big man with long arms and a sweet shooting
stroke. He's shooting 50 percent from 3-point range and grabbing nearly 10
rebounds a game. That isn't easy to do. Granger is also known as a superb
defender who can guard both forwards and guards. He has a real fiery streak in
him that scouts love. "He reminds me a little of Joe Johnson," one scout told
Insider. "He can guard four positions and play four positions on offense. I
think he'll primarily be a three, but he can also play two and even a little
one." Granger may be one of the most underrated prospects in the country. Look
for him to take a Kirk Snyder-like leap on draft boards as the year progresses
and more scouts see his game. Right now, he's on the first-round bubble, but
expect his stock to rise as high as the mid first round when more scouts take a
look.
Warrick has improved by leaps and bounds.
Hakim Warrick, SF/PF, Syracuse
The facts: 6-9, 208; 19 ppg, 9.5 rpg on 58 percent shooting
The skinny: Warrick is an incredible athlete who jumps like he's on a
trampoline. He improved in almost every aspect of his game this year. He added a
nice mid-range jumper. He put on some weight and found ways to score down low.
He's very quick, posing match-up problems at both small forward and power
forward. He gets to the line a lot. Despite the fact he had a great junior
season at Syracuse, his stock is slipping. Why? No one is sure exactly what
position he would play in the NBA. He doesn't have the perimeter or
ball-handling skills to really be a three. He doesn't have the strength or
low-post moves to excel at the four. Scouts wonder if he's the second coming of
Darius Miles, an athletic big man without a go-to skill. Some scouts think he
could be a very good four, because of his length and quickness. They believe
he'll get stronger and be just fine in the post once he gets on an NBA strength
training regimen. Only a few of them see him having a future at the three. He
could go anywhere between the mid first round to the early second. Warrick will
be very hard to project, because he's really an "eye of the beholder" type kid.
Normally athletes like him make it in the game unless they have no feel. But
then again, he could be the second coming of Marcus Haislip. Someone like Isiah
Thomas will love him. Someone like Larry Bird probably won't. He could go
anywhere between mid first round and the early second round.
Julius Hodge, SG/SF, North Carolina State
The facts: 6-6, 191; 18.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 5.7 apg on 57 percent shooting
The skinny: Don't let his wiry frame fool you. Hodge is a great, tough athlete
who can be absolutely fearless taking the ball to the hole. His passing skills
are above average, leading some scouts to believe he could make the transition
to the point. He's shooting an impressive 57 percent from the field this season
and has a knack for drawing fouls. His perimeter shot, turnovers and defense are
the biggest question marks. Scouts just aren't sure what position he plays in
the pros. Hodge can play some one, but it's not his natural position. He's not
really a two, because of his lack of a 3-point shot. He could be a three, but is
he big enough? Scouts feel he could go anywhere between the mid first round and
the early second. He reminds me of Josh Howard a little bit – another talented
ACC player of the year, who didn't quite fit a mold and slipped in the draft. We
all know how Howard turned out. There's a chance Hodge could do the same.
Ryan Gomes, SF/PF, Providence
The facts: 6-7, 240; 18.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg on 49 percent shooting
The skinny: Gomes was one of the most-improved players in the country last
season. He has all the skills to play in the post and added a nice perimeter
game to his repertoire last season. This year, he's taking his jump shot a step
further and is now draining 3s at a 40-percent clip. He has good athleticism and
great strength at both positions, but position is the biggest issue with Gomes.
He's a bit of 'tweener. Scouts feel he's too small to excel in the pros at his
natural position, the four. While his perimeter game has improved to the point
you can start thinking about him as a three, scouts wonder whether he has the
quickness to guard threes in the league. There's some buzz on Gomes, but only as
a late-first-round pick. The more scouts watch him; the more they seem to like
him. If he continues to prove he can make the transition to the three, it might
be enough to convince NBA teams his upside is worth the risk.
Wayne Simien, PF, Kansas
The facts: 6-8, 255; 17.8 ppg, 13 rpg on 51 percent shooting
The skinny: He's a blue-collar bruiser with a solid NBA body and plenty of
strength and toughness. Simien is an outstanding rebounder, especially on the
offensive glass. He has developed a nice baseline jumper, shows soft hands and
is quicker than his bulky frame would suggest. He also has impressive leaping
ability for a player his size. He's a very good free-throw shooter for a big
man. He has a real motor and toughness. But is he big enough to play the four?
Scouts feel he's closer to 6-foot-7, which will raise a lot of concerns. He
doesn't have long arms either, which can be a problem. He has great touch from
10 feet out, but no touch around the basket. He's not a good shot blocker, which
is a surprise considering his leaping ability. Scouts also claim he has bad
hands. Durability is also an issue – he has missed a lot of games the past few
years with injuries, although he's been relatively injury-free for the past 18
months. Simien is a bubble first rounder right now.
Jawad Williams, SF/PF, North Carolina
The facts: 6-9, 220; 16.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg on 61 percent shooting
The skinny: Williams has a sweet stroke and pretty good ball-handling skills for
a 6-9 kid. He's much more comfortable on the perimeter than he is on the block,
but he started to work on that by adding 21 pounds to his wiry frame. Scouts
claim he has looked much more aggressive around the basket this year. Scouts see
him as a likely second-rounder right now.
Lawrence Roberts, PF, Mississippi State
The facts: 6-8, 235; 14.7 ppg, 10.5 rpg on 37 percent shooting
The skinny: Roberts was one of the most improved players in the country last
season. He is a big-time rebounder on both the offensive and defensive boards.
He's a pretty good athlete who can run the floor and has good strength for the
position. Scouts worry a little bit about his size and his perimeter skills.
He's off to a poor start this season, which isn't helping. Most scouts believe
he's a second-round pick.
Luther Head, PG, Illinois
The facts: 6-3, 175; 15.9 ppg, 5.3 apg on 50 percent shooting
The skinny: Head always has been considered the third wheel in Illinois behind
guards Deron Williams and Dee Brown. However, head coach Bruce Weber believes
Head is the best guard on his team. "Luther has been maybe our best guard, and
people don't even realize it," Weber said last week. Head, a senior from
Chicago, has been great for the Illini this season. He's a great athlete with
excellent floor vision and legit 3-point range. Scouts have been traditionally a
little down on Head because of his inability to shoot off the dribble, but he
seems to have worked on that over the summer and is getting serious interest
from scouts. He's a bubble first-rounder who could make his way in if he can
prove he can play the point full time in the pros.
The best of the rest: B.J. Elder, G, Georgia Tech; Channing Frye, PF/C, Arizona;
Chris Thomas, PG, Notre Dame; Luke Schenscher, C, Georgia Tech; David Lee, PF,
Florida; Taylor Coppenrath, F, Vermont; Matt Nelson, C, Colorado State; Travis
Diener, PG, Marquette; Dijon Thompson, G/F, UCLA; Alan Anderson, G, Michigan
State; John Lucas, PG, Oklahoma State; Rawle Marshall, SG, Oakland (MI).
Draft Cards
A plethora of NBA scouts and GMs were in St. Louis on Thursday to watch one of
the biggest high school tournaments of the year – the KMOX Shootout. Last year,
the Shootout was the coming out party for Shaun Livingston, who went on to
become the fourth player taken in the 2004 draft.
This year, the highlight was a matchup between two players who have a legit shot
at the first round – Gerald Green and Andray Blatche.
Green is a 6-8 swingman playing at Gulf Shores Academy in Houston. He was the
MVP of the ABCD camp this summer and is currently the highest-ranked high school
player on Insider's boards.
Green has drawn comparisons to a young Tracy McGrady. He's very athletic, with a
41-inch vertical. He also possesses great range on his jump shot, can create his
own shot off the dribble and is an excellent ballhandler. Scouts claim he's one
of the fastest players in the draft despite the fact that he's 6-8. He's
averaging 29 points, 15 rebounds, seven blocks and five assists this season.
Blatche is a fifth-year senior forward playing at South Kent Academy in
Connecticut. Blatche, who stands 6-11, can play both the three and the four.
Scouts say he's a poor man's KG – a finesse big man who likes to face the basket
on offense but crash the boards on the defensive end. Through nine games,
Blatche is averaging 27 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks.
Both players have their weaknesses. Green needs to put more muscle on his wiry
frame. Scouts also claim he's very immature and struggles in the classroom.
Blatche, despite his size, has become enamored with his perimeter game. Scouts
say he spends too much time shooting 3-pointers and not enough time in the
paint.
In their showdown Thursday night, both players were good, though Blatche's team
ultimately defeated Green's 80-76 in three overtimes. Blatche finished with 24
points and 22 rebounds. He made six of 14 shots from the field and 11 of 14 from
the line. However, he also had 11 turnovers.
"I like Andray, but his game really needs to mature," one NBA scout who attended
the game told Insider. "I just wish he went inside more. I know he's trying to
show us that he's versatile, but he also needs to show us that he's smart enough
to take advantage of his size in the paint."
Green finished with 29 points. He, too, seemed to be obsessed with impressing
scouts.
"He really settled for a lot of jumpers when I thought he could have taken the
ball to the hole a little more," the scout told Insider.
Today, Green is projected as a late-lottery to mid-first-round pick. Blatche is
a bubble first-rounder.
Kansas shooting guard J.R. Giddens has watched his NBA draft stock take a hit
the past several weeks. He's off to a slow start for the Jayhawks, averaging
just 10 ppg. Several NBA scouts already have traveled to Lawrence to watch him
practice and play, and they haven't been impressed.
"He's a great athlete," one NBA scout said. "And he can really knock down the
3-point shot. But he has absolutely no in-between game. If he's not dunking or
launching a 3, he can't score."
Said another scout. "He only looks like a player when he's open. He doesn't know
how to clear space. I also have no faith that he can stay healthy."
While there's still plenty of time for Giddens to turn things around, we're
going to be downgrading his stock in favor of another swingman on whom everyone
seems to be high again ...
Texas A&M's Antoine Wright seems to have rebounded from a horrific sophomore
season. Wright, a lanky 6-7 junior swingman, looked like he was a lock for the
lottery after an amazing freshman season for the Aggies. However, last season
his numbers dropped across the board as he shot just 36 percent from the field
and 29 percent from the 3-point arc.
This year Wright seems to have regained his shooting stroke and his confidence.
He's averaging 17.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg on 60 percent shooting from the field and 50
percent from the 3-point arc. If he can continue to play like that, scouts claim
he's talented enough to be a lottery pick.
Scouts on an Adriatic scouting trip were very impressed with 6-8 Croatian guard
Marko Tomas. He played at the Chicago pre-draft camp last year, but his
production was limited because of an ankle injury. This season the 19-year-old
is averaging 18.4 ppg and 3.1 apg (which is great for Europe) for Zagreb. Scouts
love his aggressiveness, athleticism and size in the backcourt.
Tomas has been playing point for point for Zagreb this year because of injuries
and he has excelled there. Tomas played point until he was 15, but a growth
spurt moved him to the two. But scouts say he has the potential to be an NBA
point – at least part of the time.
"He reminds me of Marquis Daniels a little bit," one scout told Insider. "He's
one of these guys who's a little bit unassuming, but when he gets on the court,
man that kid can do it all. To me, he's the real international sleeper in this
draft."
The Croatian media are already calling him the next Drazen Petrovic. That's
totally unfair. But at 19, Tomas certainly has been impressive. The scouts
Insider talked to this week claim he's a likely top-20 pick in the upcoming
draft.
A number of NBA scouts have been traveling to Serbia lately to check in on KK
Reflex. The team is playing two important prospects, Nemanja Aleksandrov and
Mile Ilic. However, scouts have walked away from Reflex's game impressed by a
virtually-unknown forward – 22-year-old Milan Majstorovic. The 6-9 small forward
is getting big minutes for his team and recently dropped in 18 points on
Olimpija in front of a host of scouts.
"People always forget about these draft-eligible international players," one
scout told Insider. "If they haven't been on the radar as teenagers, they tend
to slip through the cracks. This kid has size, talent and most importantly,
experience. He's still very inconsistent, but I think he's helping himself much
more than Aleksandrov or Ilic are right now. Those guys need to play, but right
now their playing time is very sporadic."
Scouts are projecting Majstorovic as a possible second-rounder right now.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
---------------------------------------------------------------
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
With the NBA season in full swing, NBA scouts and personnel directors already
are shifting their focus to the 2005 draft.
Their challenge is finding the next LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Andrei
Kirilenko.
Chad Ford also examines the Top 5 Draft Prospects by position.
This year, scouts believe the college class is one of the strongest ever. The
international class doesn't have a clear No. 1, but there's a lot of depth. And
the high school class? You might want to wait until next year, when Indiana big
man Greg Oden is eligible for the draft.
While injuries, a strong season or the late discovery of an international
sleeper can certainly change this group, the dozen or so NBA scouts and GMs
Insider talked to all were in agreement on which prospects had a shot at the No.
1 pick.
There isn't a clear-cut No. 1 this year. But each of them, with patience and a
few breaks down the road, has the potential to be an NBA superstar.
Here are the contenders:
COLLEGE
Chris Paul, PG, Wake Forest
6-0, 170 (Sophomore)
13.5 ppg, 5.3 apg, 4.5 rpg, 2 spg on 40 percent shooting
The skinny: The last player under 6-foot-8 to be drafted as the No. 1 overall
pick was Allen Iverson in 1996. Before him, you have to go all the way back to
1981 when the Mavs drafted Mark Aguirre. In other words, Paul faces a pretty
steep climb against history if he's going to be No. 1.
So why does he top our list?
First, scouts believe that he is the best point-guard prospect to come into the
NBA since Jason Kidd. Not some of them. Everyone Insider talked to. It's easy to
understand why scouts absolutely love him. He is T.J. Ford with a jumper. He's
lightning quick, has unbelievable court vision, is a superb decision maker and
shoots the lights out from the field and the three-point line. He pushes the
ball relentlessly on offense and already is one of the best penetrators in the
game. His defense is top notch as well. Teams wish Paul was stronger, but given
his age they believe that will come.
Second, the Bobcats, a team that has as good of a shot at winning the No. 1 pick
as anyone else, love him. If the Bobcats get the No. 1 pick, sources in
Charlotte have told Insider that they will pick Paul. GM/Coach Bernie
Bickerstaff needs a young point guard and believes that Paul is the perfect fit
for the team that he's trying to build. The fact that he's a local, and very
popular in North Carolina, probably doesn't hurt him, either.
Still, you have to wonder whether Paul can he live up the hype. With those lofty
standards set for him, how will he respond? So far Paul is off to a so-so start
for Wake. He has a large target on his chest and that means that opposing
coaches, defenders and scouts are constantly working on breaking down his game.
Paul continues to claim that he's returning to Wake for his junior season,
regardless of what the draft buzz is surrounding him. If he continues to
struggle, some scouts might cool on him a little, making that decision a little
easier. But there's a large contingent of NBA people who are convinced he has
what it takes to be a superstar in the league – whether he plays well this year
or not.
Chris Taft, PF, Pittsburgh
6-10, 230 (Sophomore)
12.3 ppg, 6 rpg, 50 percent shooting
The skinny: Taft, over the summer, moved into a dead heat with Paul as a
favorite for the No. 1. He definitely fits the more traditional bill.
Like Paul, Pitt's Taft is off to a so-so start thus far. But he remains
high on NBA wish lists.
Taft has the rare combination of size, athleticism, strength and power that NBA
scouts covet in a good power forward. And unlike many players who possess those
abilities, Taft prefers to score with his back to the basket. His footwork is
sound, patient in the paint and always working for a good shot.
Taft, too, has enjoyed his share of hype this summer. And he, too, has struggled
a bit to live up to it. Despite his superior strength and athleticism, he's been
just an average rebounder and shot blocker this season.
However, he's also the only American big man with the talent to justify a No. 1
selection. In other words, he could end up on top by default, the way so many
big men before him have.
Marvin Williams, F, North Carolina
6-9, 240 (Freshman)
8.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 38 percent shooting
The skinny: Williams flirted with declaring for the 2004 draft. Had he done so,
he would have been a likely lottery pick. Several NBA scouts had him rated as
the second-best high school player in the country behind only Dwight Howard.
Adding a year playing for Roy Williams at North Carolina should only help his
stock.
Williams has a great NBA body, top-notch athleticism and the ability to play
just about anywhere on the court. He's got one of the most developed
inside/outside games of anyone his size. He played point forward for his high
school team for much of the year but was also the team's best rebounder, shot
blocker and low-post scorer. Scouts claim that he's a great, unselfish kid who
adapts his game to the circumstances around him.
At North Carolina, he's playing primarily at the four and putting up impressive
rebounding numbers given the minutes he's playing. Regardless of whether
Williams increases his minutes, he'll be a legit contender for a pick in the top
five. If he turns into a superstar this year, No. 1 overall isn't out of the
question.
Rudy Gay, F, Connecticut
6-9, 220, (Freshman)
10 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 45 percent shooting
The skinny: Gay, unlike most of his peers, never seriously considered going pro
last season. There's a pretty serious internal debate between scouts concerning
whether Gay is actually a better prospect than Williams.
He has great size for a small forward. He is an above-average athlete with
serious hops. He's also deceptively strong. He does just about everything well.
He can slash to the basket, pull up for the mid-range jumper, beat up a defender
in the post and make the perfect pass. If his ball handling was just a little
bit better, there wouldn't be anything not to like. Scouts also claim he's a
great kid with a tireless work ethic.
He's been very productive in UConn's first two games, though it remains to be
seen how much Jim Calhoun will actually use him this year. If Gay breaks out,
he'll challenge all three of the players above for the top spot. However, the
chances are good that Calhoun will limit his minutes. If that happens, Gay might
have to wait until 2006 to enter the draft.
INTERNATIONAL
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F,C, Lithuania
7-3, 240, (19 years old)
1.2 ppg, 1.2 rpg in 8 mpg
The skinny: Andriuskevicius declared for the 2004 draft but withdrew when he
couldn't get a top-five commitment from a team. However, he wasn't far off that
quest. The Suns, who had the No. 7 pick, seriously were considering taking him
and leaving him in Europe before he pulled out of the draft.
Andriuskevicius is 7-3 and owns a deadly-accurate three-point shot.
This year the chances are high that he declares for the draft and sticks with
it. Scouts almost uniformly claim he's a lock for the top five.
Andriuskevicius has great hands, is a fantastic passer and doesn't shy away from
contact despite his thin frame. He's got great quickness for his size and is
capable of playing both inside and outside. The fact that he's being tutored
daily by Arvydas Sabonis is evident.
Right now, Andriuskevicius is much more comfortable playing as a finesse four.
At the Reebok Eurocamp last June, he showed excellent court vision and made a
number of picture-perfect passes off the dribble to driving big men. He has
great court instincts and always seemed to know when and how to make the right
play. The game comes easy to him. He ran the floor as well as anyone in the camp
and showed impressive athleticism for a guy his size. He also has a stellar
perimeter shot. He shot 15-for-25 from the international 3-point line and has
the ability to shoot off the dribble. Eventually, he may make the move to the
five, but right now his body is still too weak to hold position in the paint.
"I saw Dirk [Nowitzki] when he was 18, and I'm not sure he was as comfortable
with the ball as this kid is," Mavs president Donnie Nelson told Insider in May.
"I think his true position in the pros is at forward. He's really talented."
Andriuskevicius looked solid this summer at the European Under-18 Championships
in Zaragoza. He averaged 16.9 ppg and 13.4 rpg there but didn't exactly
dominate.
"His skill set is fantastic, but he disappears from games," one NBA scout said.
"If things get physical, he doesn't always fight for it. That will come with
time. Another year playing with Arvydas Sabonis is really going to help this
kid."
With Sabonis injured right now, Andriuskevicius is actually seeing some playing
time in Euroleague play this year. While his numbers certainly don't suggest
greatness yet, the extra year playing at a top level and practicing with Sabonis
should pay off if he can remain healthy.
Nemanja Aleksandrov, F, Serbia
6-10, 210, (17 years old)
6.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg in 18 mpg
The skinny: He's been projected all year as a contender for the No. 1 overall
pick since the summer of 2003. However, his stock took a series of hits this
summer that he's yet to totally recover from.
Serbia's Nemanja Aleksandrov has a shot at being the No. 1 overall pick in
the 2005 draft.
Aleksandrov played to mixed reviews at Reebok Eurocamp in June and the Under 18
Championships in Zaragoza this summer. In both tournaments, he struggled with
his perimeter shot and looked passive much of the time.
He's obviously one of the most skilled big men you'll ever find at his age. He
has a very good three-point shot, good athleticism (though just a 24-inch
vertical), a great handle and great feet in the paint. During the 5-on-5
tournament, he put several moves on in the paint that were reminiscent of Kevin
Garnett. He's quick and a real match up problem on offense.
The issue with Aleksandrov is heart. He often coasts in games, doesn't always
defend and will disappear for large chunks of the game. He seems to be able to
turn it on and off at will, but that's a scary attribute in a top prospect like
this.
"He's got unbelievable talent," one NBA scout told Insider. "But you can't
change who you are. He's laid back. He doesn't play hard. I think that's
impossible to teach. Someone will grab him because of his size and skills. But I
think they'll walk away from the experience three years later with their heart
broken."
That fact is starting to scare away the same scouts that boldly predicted last
year that he'd be the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft. Still, no one is ready to
write him off, either.
"From a skill standpoint, he's probably the most skilled 17-year-old big guy
I've ever seen," one NBA international scout told Insider. "He has Toni
Kukoc-like skills. His issues are well known. He doesn't play with a lot of
passion. He doesn't seem to have a killer instinct. But we've got to keep
reminding ourselves that he's just 17.
"He had a huge target on his chest this summer. Everyone was trying to shut him
down. He still managed to put up pretty good numbers and was effective in the
paint. I just think people expected him to improve dramatically the past year,
and he didn't. But that may say more about the situation he's in than his
talent. In my mind, he's still one of the top five or six prospects for next
year."
We'll see. No one denies the talent. But NBA GMs have tired of
fundamentally-sound Europeans who look great in workouts and struggle in actual
games. Aleksandrov might not fit into that category, but as the backlash grows
more severe, he might suffer from it anyway.
HIGH SCHOOL
After the ABCD camp in New Jersey, the Nike camp in Indianapolis and the adidas
camp in Atlanta, followed by several big AAU events like the Big Time in Las
Vegas, scouts remain as enamored as ever with the American high school crop –
just not this year's.
Greg Oden, who is starting his junior year this fall and O.J. Mayo, who is ready
to begin his sophomore year, both look like sure-fire picks at the top of the
draft in 2006 and 2007. This year, it's pretty ugly.
Scouts have been predicting NBA doom for this class all year, but all of them
hoped a player or two would emerge from the summer play. While several caught
their eyes, no one in the class is close to being a lottery pick – let alone No.
1.
"This is the worst high school class I've ever seen," one veteran NBA scout
claimed. "There are a lot of kids in it who will help their college teams. But
NBA teams? I'm not sure that even after four years of college most of these kids
will be ready for the NBA. It's awful."
Depending on who you ask, Louis Williams, a lightning quick 6-2 shooting guard
from Georgia, Andray Blatche, a 6-11 power forward playing prep ball in
Connecticut, and Gerald Green, a lanky swingman in the image of Tracy McGrady,
are the three players scouts are watching closely.
Still, this should be the first year since 1998 that a high school kid doesn't
crack the top 10.
DRAFT CARDS
Several NBA scouts are quietly saying that Washington's Nate Robinson is their
favorite basketball player in college basketball. When you look at his numbers –
21.6 ppg, 5.9 apg, 4.2 rpg on 57 percent shooting and 54 percent from three –
it's kind of tough to argue. Right?
So why isn't Robinson on our list of potential No. 1 overall picks? Size matters
in the NBA and Robinson stands 5-foot-9 in shoes (according to official
measurements at the 2004 Chicago pre-draft camp). The fact that he isn't even a
point guard also doesn't help matters.
Still, that hasn't stopped scouts from drooling over the possibility of adding
Robinson late in the first round.
"He's the best finisher in college basketball," one NBA scout gushed. "He's
almost impossible to guard."
Robinson put up impressive numbers last season too. He was one of the better
players at the Chicago pre-draft camp, averaging 11.7 ppg and ranking second in
the camp in assists. In fact, he ranked No. 1 among all the players in the camp
in athletic testing. He measured a 43.5 inch vertical and ran the three-quarters
court sprint in 2.96 seconds, a Chicago record. However, he couldn't convince
one team to give him a promise in the first round, so he went back to school.
That sounds like it's going to change this year.
"I'm not sure where he will go in the draft, but don't forget the 'wow' factor
here," an NBA exec told Insider. "Every time he touches the ball, everyone holds
their breath. He can sell tickets. Fans react to him. I think he's going to go
much earlier than people think. If he's a mid-first rounder I wouldn't be
surprised.
Possible sleeper Vazquez makes up for lack of strength with hustle.
This year's Euro sleeper looks like it will be the Spanish league's Francisco
Vazquez. The 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward is getting regular minutes for Malaga
and is averaging 7.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg in 20 mpg in Euroleague play.
Just about everyone in the league has been over to Europe to watch him play,
including Larry Bird and Jerry West.
The scouting report on Vazquez reads as follows: He's an athletic, bouncy big
man with great hands. What he lacks in physical strength he makes up for in
energy and hustle. His aggressivness and quickness leads to a lot of dunks.
Right now he still relies on his physical gifts more than basketball skills, but
scouts say he's improving.
The 21-year-old forward has played well enough that almost every scout agrees
that he'll be a mid-to-late first-round selection. But watch him closely this
year. Several scouts claim he could rise if he keeps producing for Malaga this
season.
Chris Paul's status as the best point guard in the country is no longer a
secret. But here's one you haven't been hearing. More and more scouts are
claiming that the next best point guard on the board is Illinois' Deron
Williams. Twenty NBA GMs and scouts watched Williams outplay Paul and the Demon
Deacons on Wednesday. Williams finished the game with eight points and 11
assists. Overall, Williams is averaging 13.6 ppg, 7.4 apg on 46 percent shooting
this season.
“Deron is a lot like Kidd in the half court. They play the same way.
They're both straight-line guys. Once he gets his hip on you, he's gone.
Deron's not as fast as Kidd in the open court, but Deron can shoot. Jason
can't. ”
— One NBA scout, telling ESPN Insider how Illinois G Deron Williams
compares to All-Star G Jason Kidd
Williams, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior, made the most of his opportunity as a
counselor in Michael Jordan's camp last summer. Scouts who saw him play there
said he improved dramatically by playing against the best point guards in the
country and a handful of NBA veterans.
While Paul is getting tagged as the best point guard prospect since Kidd,
Williams is getting the rep as the player whose style and body most resemble
Kidd's.
"Deron is a lot like Kidd in the half court," one NBA scout said. "They play the
same way. They're both straight-line guys. Once he gets his hip on you, he's
gone. Deron's not as fast as Kidd in the open court, but Deron can shoot. Jason
can't."
The irony of Williams' ascension is that head coach Bruce Weber believes that
Luther Head, another 6-foot-3 point guard, is the best guard on his team.
"Luther has been maybe our best guard, and people don't even realize it," Weber
said Wednesday.
Head, a senior from Chicago, is averaging 17.2 ppg and 6.8 apg for the Illini.
He, too, is a great athlete with excellent floor vision and legit three-point
range. Scouts have been traditionally a little down on Head because of his
inability to shoot off the dribble, but he seems to have worked on that over the
summer break and is getting serious interest from scouts as well.
Tripkovic is no longer a secret.
Speaking of point guards, Partizan's Uros Tripkovic is sure turning some heads
in Europe. The 19-year-old combo guard has been great all summer in the various
youth tournaments, but he's really making an impression now that he's playing
big minutes for Partizan in both the Adriatic and Euroleague.
Tripkovic is averaging 13.3 ppg on 52 percent field-goal shooting in the
Adriatic league. He's also averaging 6.2 ppg in 22 mpg in the Euroleague.
Insider spotted the lanky 6-foot-6 guard for the first time when we traveled to
Serbia in the winter of 2002. The Partizan team literally hid him from Pistons
scout Tony Ronzone and I when they allowed us into practice. Here's an edited
version of how it went down.
December 18, 2002 – 10:45 a.m. Ronzone notices the court is partitioned and
hears balls bouncing on the other side. We casually walk over and peek behind
the curtain.
Bingo.
On the other side of the gym, working alone with another assistant coach is
Uros Tripkovic, a 16-year-old, 6-foot-6 point guard who already is being
prepped to take over the team once star point guard Milos Vujanic leaves for
the NBA at the end of the season.
Ronzone and I sit down quietly at the end of the bench and hope we aren't
noticed. On the far court I'm watching Tripkovic catch and shoot on the
perimeter. He has made 12 consecutive 3-pointers from different spots on the
floor.
"This just got interesting," Tony says. Five minutes into the workout, an
assistant coach spots us from across the gym and begins heading toward us. A
friend of Ronzone's is also in the gym and walks toward the coach in an
attempt to intervene. There is a heated discussion and Ronzone's friend tells
us we have to leave.
"Doesn't matter," Ronzone whispers to me as we walk out of the gym. "I saw
everything I needed to see."
Memphis swingman Rodney Carney is off to a great start, averaging 21.3 ppg, 6.3
rpg, 44 percent field-goal shooting for the season.
The 6-foot-7 junior is the son of two track stars. Carney himself was the
Indiana state champ in the high jump as a high school senior. Head coach John
Calipari calls him one of the best five athletes in the country, something you
know will turn heads in the NBA.
"Just on DNA, you've got to love him," one NBA scout told Insider. "Both parents
are track stars. He may be the best athlete in college basketball. On an uptempo
team he'd be really good. He's also improved his shooting in the mid-range game,
which is why he's having such a big year."
So why hasn't he gotten the publicity of fellow teammate Sean Banks?
"He goes through huge spans where he disappears. He doesn't create his own shot.
If he did, he'd be a lock for the lottery."
Look for Carney to get consideration there anyway if he continues to play well.
With his size, length, speed, jumping ability and three-point shooting ability,
he appears to be the prototypical NBA small forward.
It seems Utah big man Andrew Bogut is back in favor with NBA scouts.
The Australian burst onto the scene at the World Junior Championships in Greece
in 2003, when he led Australia to a gold medal over the Americans (and averaged
26.3 ppg and 17 rpg). At the time, some scouts predicted he'd be a lock for the
lottery. However, a good but not great freshmen season at Utah caused his stock
to slide a bit.
Bogut actually wanted to turn pro last summer, but when the Ute staff did some
research, they discovered no team was serious about taking him in the first
round anymore.
That has changed. Bogut was great for Australia in the Olympics. He scored 22
points and grabbed 18 rebounds in a victory over Team USA. Most of that time Tim
Duncan was guarding him.
His early play for the Utes this season has him turning heads again. He's
averaging 17.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg on 62 percent shooting.
The 6-10, 245-pound Bogut does a little bit of everything. Bogut is an
excellent, physical rebounder with nice hands. He's a tremendous passer for a
big man and averages a couple of assists per game in international play. He's
very difficult to guard because of his ability to score in both the high and low
post. Overall, he just has an excellent feel for the game.
He's not as athletic as scouts would like, but one NBA executive sees
similarities between Bogut and one highly successful, unathletic NBA big man.
"He's a young Vlade Divac," one NBA exec said. "He passes like him, shoots like
him, is slow like him. He's tailor-made for the NBA. I'd be stunned is he goes
any later than 12 (overall) in the draft."
Spanish point guard Sergio Rodriguez was the star of the Under-18 Championships
in Zaragoza, Spain this summer. He looked like a little John Stockton out there,
running the offense to perfection and hitting an impressive 50 percent from the
three-point line.
He's played well enough that scouts are now claiming he'd be one of the first
international players taken in 2005 if he declared for the draft. Several
sources told Insider that Rodriguez will not declare for the draft this year,
however, because of contract issues with his team. Instead, look for him to make
a big splash in the 2006 draft.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.
"winning is more fun... then fun is fun" -Thibs
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