Draft Express: James White Impresses

Draft Express--Flight White Skying up the Charts

If Marcus Williams of UConn was (and still somewhat is) the talk of the town last week, James White is the player who is generating the most amount of discussion these past few days. Most everyone we’ve spoken to--from all different camps and backgrounds—seem to be thinking that his stock is shooting the charts at the moment, to the point that they could see him end up in the 1st round, if he’s not there already.

Blessed with a fantastic 6-7 frame, super long arms and possibly the most explosive vertical leap in this draft crop, White is a player who was always going to turn some heads once he enters workouts. What’s standing out and surprising everyone who has seen him is how well he is shooting the ball from distance from the perimeter, as well as just how mature he is off the court. White has been dominant everywhere he’s been so far and was invited back to every single NBA team he has worked out for, which is not very common. With the buzz he’s generating he would be able to work out for the next 20 days straight if he pleased, but of course will not so in order to not break down towards the home stretch.

White is currently training for a few days with IMG's Joe Abunassar and Dan Barto at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles, where he is again drawing rave reviews for his skills and attitude. What’s scary is that the staff there claims he is nowhere near his full potential in terms of his where his body is at strength-wise, which means he might even test out better once his core strength and lower body are worked on.

Based off the feedback he’s getting, White is considering passing on the Orlando pre-draft camp altogether and focusing on a select number of teams drafting in the 1st round.

rydjorker121 wrote:There was no question White's stock was going to go up the charts in workouts. No matter how poor or mediocre the players were at college, the intriguing combination of long arms, athleticism, a high vertical and/or blazing speed will always intrigue scouts. Hence the hype on uber-athletes such as Gerald Green, Josh Smith and Gerald Wallace.

However, James White is a special case. He never really capitalized at ALL during his five years at college (he was once a Florida Gator before he transferred). Normally a person with his kind of athleticism and physical gifts would only stay in college for no more than 2, maybe 3 years, but James White could not make the leap to the NBA until he was a senior.

A lot has to with that; he never really impressed as a college player at all, was not really a leader, more of an all-around role player type of guy at college. He never put up huge scoring numbers and certainly was never a superstar at college as well, and people are left wondering why that was the case. The fact that he couldn't break through as a college star, combined with his injuries and lack of great improvement, really made White a mid-2nd round pick by the time college was over. Of course, though, with these workouts, he is certainly bound to put himself back into perhaps the late 1st round bubble; there is always going to be a team that is going to fall for his athleticism.

White actually has a solid skill set and has polished his game as his college years progressed, improving his jumpshot (a 80% free throw shooter), showing decent versatility (especially with passing) and playing fairly good defense. He can really be a sleeper, undoubtedly, and find a niche as a possible role player in this league. And if the ice breaks for him, he may have that slim chance of being either a super role player or even a possible star. He certainly looks the part of the NBA prototype and that alone will get him looks. If it weren't for his freakish athleticism, we probably wouldn't even be talking about much of an NBA prospect.

pureuncut100 wrote:One way to tell if a player is going to be good or at least better than in college is to try and project that player in a more wide open game, such as the NBA.

Players like Latrell Sprewell and Gerald Wallace played much better in the NBA than in college. I think the same will go for James White. Whites talents are not suited for the NCAA compared to the NBA. I mean a good scoring average for a college team is 70ppg. White is fast as hell, quick as hell, and could jump out of the gym. Imagine him on a team that scored 100ppg in an open offense.

You always have to compare what a player did in college to what you think he could do in a league that does not include a real zone and that does include illegal defense.