Future NBA'ers for 2006?

These are the players, who at some point this year, were involved with the draft process, or were thinking about it.

This is their actual ranking currently, from best to worst:

Rudy Gay 6-8 205 SG/SF UConn So.--Very well rounded and for someone his age, a well-developed offensive game. Uses his physical gifts to the fullest; has great vertical leap, speed long hang time and explosiveness; there is no more you can ask for a run-and-jump athlete. Uses those gifts well on the defensive end of the court; great lateral quickness, instincts and reflexes, can guard SGs and SFs equally well, and he blocks shots at an impressive clip (nearly 2 blocks at UConn). Still raw on the offensive end, expected given his age, but basic skills are there. Has a good post game, carried over from high school. Great finisher on the break and is a fine offensive rebounder. Developing a complete offensive game at this point; consistently good jumper from mid-range and 15-ft., hard to block due to his lift, has range up to three which is inconsistent just yet, and is a good free throw shooter. Has not been really assertive just yet; settled to become a very important starter rather than a star at UConn so far. Ballhandling and passing may need work. Below average ballhandler for his position, and passing skills are below average for a lotto pick. Cannot create his own shot from the perimeter just yet, and has problems utilizing his athleticism slashing to the hoop. Physique could use about 10-15 more lbs. of strength. His assertiveness, though, is his main concern so far. Amassed potential. Has even played some PF in high school. Lotto pick.

Adam Morrison 6-8 220 SG Gonzaga Jr.--Like his idol Larry Bird, an extremely old school player who is like a coach on the floor. Game comes extremely easy to him. Really excels in the HALF-COURT game, creating offense for himself and for others. Great and complete offensive repertoire, making plays from the top of the key. One of the best pure scorers in college basketball. Can shoot on the move, or play the catch-and-shoot game. Possesses a great shot when he falls away, with a defender over him. Effortless shooting stroke, and has great basketball understanding and intangibles. Good ballhandler, and even though he has the ball in his hands most of his time, he rarely commits a turnover. Fiery competitor who seems to relish on one-on-one challenges. Always competes and plays hard--hard worker with great intensity and aggressiveness. Fundamentally solid, a true competitor, and won't back down from anyone. Can be a serviceable clutch performer down the stretch. Great creativity, seeing the floor well. However, he is not too gifted athletically, and has the legs of a 40-yr. old. Lacks great speed and fluidity running the floor. Lacks foot speed and finds it hard to get around opponents. Doesn't have much elevation. Plays hard on defense, but ultimately lacks lateral quickness--really doesn't understand how to play defense. Doesn't have a good first step. He doesn't shoot extremely well from three point land (30%) with his good stroke, but it's good to know he doesn't abuse it either. Lanky and needs to add strength. Not a good rebounder, and needs a better post game. Lotto pick.

LaMarcus Aldridge 6-11 225 PF Texas So.--Very smooth and quick player on the court, based on his long and lanky frame. Has his post game down pat and is expected to improve. Good wingspan and pretty strong rebounder. Has some perimeter game but can improve. Very thin and that might affect his presence in the post. Ballhandling needs some work. Very raw especially on the defensive end. A lot of potential, though. Injury concerns after he got injured most of last season. Pulled out late in the draft as a high school senior; has vastly improved and is a firm lottery pick.

Andrea Bargnani 6-10 225 PF (Italy) 1985--Has the physical attributes/raw skills to be the next Euro star big man. Tall (7 feet), fluid athlete, runs the floor well, has a nice first step and is a decent leaper. A hugely versatile forward with a great feel for his offensive game. Has a very complete outside game, handles the ball well and has a great stroke from anywhere in the court-- with a quick and high release. Catches and shoots well, beats opposition off the dribble to attack the basket, or pull up for a sweet J. Has nice coordination and quickness and this alone sets him apart from other 7-footers, and really from the rest of the pack. Can be a future matchup nightmare in the mold of Dirk Nowitzki, in the near future. Showed great flashes, played well against the Americans even. Always in the flow of the offense, and even showed personality and creativity in tough shots. Active defender thanks to his quick feet, does his best against opposing bigs; has some shotblocking ability. Doesn't expose his team defensively much. Can shoot from the outside, complete fastbreaks or utilize post moves. Runs the floor well. . Mid-range and free throw shooting are very sound. Very coachable. However, needs to improve his upper body strength, which will help for rebounding and defense. Mentally he's not ready; takes a lot of jumpers. Might be a "tweener" between SF and PF, and has some weaknesses defensively. Lacks bulk and hasn't really matured in terms of his body. Might not finish well around the basket in the NBA due to his bad use of the off hand and his lack of strength. Can't guard NBA SFs. Still learning the game, needs time.

Ronnie Brewer 6-7 200 SG Arkansas Jr.--One of the most versatile players of all college ball; legit 6-7 PG who can set up his teammates and control the tempo of the game. Terrific and fluid, thoroughbred type of athlete with an excellent first step, good leaping ability, and good speed and quickness. Great body, tall and strong with an outstanding wingspan and quick hands that come up with steals a couple of times each game. Very active, has great reflexes and a knack for anticipating the opposition's next move; always a threat in the passing lanes. Fantastic ballhandling skills with both hands, can get into the lane whenever he pleases and has the creativity, strength and intelligence to finish even on and-1's; just a tough player. Super court vision and puts the ball where his teammates want it; just has the entire package here, with the drive-and-dish, pinpoint lob pass on the alley-oop, and is just extremely unselfish. Lets the game come to him, just super confident and mature; great feel for the game. Can score in a variety of ways, inside and out, slashing, shooting threes, and popping out for the mid-range J. Good demeanor, personality and just a natural born leader; has the kind of attitude wanted from such a talented player, even diving for loose balls. Very energetic, a hard worker always looking to improve his game and get the W in games. Really his biggest weakness is his shooting stroke; ridiculously ugly but it's not even his fault, because he broke his arm as a young boy and can't fully extend his elbow now ( ). Still shoots a good percentage though, but his hideous stroke might lower his stock for the pros. A rhythm shooter, makes most of his shots moving toward the basket; not a good spot-up shooter. Only shoots 66% from the line and that needs to improve. Plays good defense off-the-ball but has problems on one-on-one D, getting burned from the perimeter and lost off screens. Needs experience though, and has the potential to become a better defender with his IQ and physical gifts. Much quicker than he is athletic, won’t wow anyone with monster dunks, although he is definitely not a bad leaper. May need to be ball-dominant in order to be effective.

Rajon Rondo 6-1 170 PG Kentucky So.--Cat-quick PG and is a phenomenal ball thief; has incredibly quick hands and feet which helps him a lot in perimeter defense, and might be the best player in college ball in forcing turnovers/collecting steals. Has tremendous quickness/anticipation skills in the passing lanes, and has a freakish 7 foot wingspan and quick hands to pick pockets at ease. Adept penetrator, can break opponents off the dribble, showing a lightning quick first step and impressive ballhandling skills (AND-1 like)--this allows him to get to the lane at will. Great finishing skills, with outstanding leaping ability and body control, so can make spectacular layups and dunks. Fantastic athlete overall, and is a pure PG with good distributing skills, even though he can score; loves to penetrate/dish to open man. Has potential to become a better PG with more experience, and he once had 27 and 31 assists in a game respectively at HS. However, really is an atrocious shooter anywhere outside the paint; lacks BOTH a three point and a mid-range game, and only shoots 58% on free throws. Opponents leave him open and dare him to shoot from the perimeter, and the results weren't often pretty. May need to become a better floor general against higher competition, working at controlling the tempo/initiating the half-court offense. Can get out of control and commit turnovers, and his assist to turnover ratio is just average; can get too flashy at times. Very thin player and can benefit with 10-20 lbs. of muscle. Has got a lot of hype early this year, and has become an AMAZING rebounder.

Rodney Carney 6-7 205 SF Memphis Sr.--A highlight reel waiting to happen, with good potential. One of the top athletes in the country; has springy legs, great speed and nice length. Has developed a better jumpshot. Capable scorer from everywhere. Blessed with an NBA prototypical wing type body. Very confident and shows good poise, and has a shot virtually impossible to block. When he's on, his stroke is a thing of beauty; he doesn't get fazed by defense, he starts utilizing his explosive first step and displays an advanced off-the-dribble game. A strong presence in the wing AND in the paint. Can pull up for jumpers, show nice touch around the basket, attack the basket, play transition game, and hit three pointers. Can be a pesky defender at times with his quick feet and wingspan. Gets steals, rebounds, and has great speed. One of the most up-and-down prospects out there. When he's off, he is tentative, one-dimensional, pretty much nonexistent and only starts to brick shots out there. Carney starts to wilt, loses confidence in himself, and just 'floats' when he's off--basically does nothing else to help his cause. That's why his shooting percentage is just only around 40%. Good shooter, but when he shoots so poorly overall that raises his concern. Not much of a B-ball IQ, because he tends to force the issue and isn't a particularly good ballhandler. Should attack the basket more and utilize more headfakes. Settles too often for the outside shot. Defense isn't really a strength, but has the tools to become a good defender with his wingspan. All-around player who can contribute in many ways.

Shawne Williams 6-9 225 SF Memphis Fr.--Possesses tremendous versatility, can play the PG to the PF positions. Pretty strong body for his age, and has some PG abilities. Has an advanced offensive game, with great one-on-one skills (can slash to the hoop off the dribble) and a consistent jumpshot up to three point land. Good vision and passing skills, as well as ballhandling skills, which seem to come second nature to him; can create for others through the dribble drive. A league of his own athletically, and is a highlight reel waiting to happen. Excellent footwork and a huge wingspan; has the tools to become a lock-down defender as he already rebounds and blocks shots well. Good competitor, didn’t back down from Adam Morrison’s challenge. Very raw fundamentally. Has a low-release to his jumpshot, could be a problem for the NBA. Needs more intensity for his D. Good quickness, but it won’t stand out in the next level. Needs a bit of strength and better conditioning. Nice potential and dropped out of last year’s draft—one of the few HS’ers who did-thank god. Has really shined with Memphis and has set himself to be a lottery pick so far.

Tiago Splitter 7-0 236 PF (Brazil) 1985--Came back and popped back up as a mid-first round pick. Possesses excellent physical gifts for a big man, including a nice frame capable of putting on weight, a nice vertical leap, good quickness and good mobility. Runs the floor well, being fairly athletic for his size. Has a very effective, hard-to-stop post game, and sets good picks in pick-and-roll situations, where he can roll toward the basket and finish, or pass for better options quite effectively. Makes good decisions, rarely panics when double-teamed. Not a superb ballhandler, but can put the ball on the floor and penetrate against bigger players using his quickness. Great one-on-one player and has quite a lot of power moves. Excellent mobility, footwork, and most of all, international experience. Very solid and quite intense a defender; rarely banged in the low post, and has accurate lateral quickness to usually stop his matchups against defensive changes. Plays good team defense and shows good positioning; decent shotblocker. Defense is certainly ahead of his offense currently. High basketball IQ, knows what the game is about. Hard worker and has the right attitude. Really plays like a SF and can be a dangerous weapon in the near future if he continues to develop his game. A reliable mid-range shot seems to be missing from his game; he can make it but tends to use it as a last resource, and his lack of confidence in that shot (even when open) forces him to make some bad decisions. Shouldn't really be a serious problem though, with his good mechanics and his past shooting ability--his team started to make him play in the paint more. Rather skinny, and despite his intensity, this makes him suffer in rebounding (even though he has progressed). Might need to avoid foul trouble and patience on defense. Skills might need some improvement. Great prospect nonetheless--opted out of the draft last year; may waver in this year's draft.

Shelden Williams 6-9 245 PF Duke Sr.--Nicknamed "The Landlord." Simply a rebounding and shotblocking machine; tremendous defender, quick off the floor, has great timing and to prove it all, holds Duke's season record for blocks per game. Even when not blocking he intimidates players and alters shots in the painted area. Long arms, possesses leaping ability, relentless on the boards, and has good quickness, a nose for the ball, and the aggressiveness to fight for rebounds. Physical player with a strong, muscular frame and likes to bang for position down low; runs the floor well in transition game. Simply a hard worker, creates tons of opportunities with his offensive rebounding with putbacks and whatnot. Soft touch, along with strength and athleticism help him score in the paint; also has a decent shot up to 15 ft. Has good hands and passes well out of double teams. Great work ethic and attitude towards the game overall. Size is an issue; a center trapped in a PF's body, really; because of that, shotblocking might be neutralized moving to the PF position. Has struggled against some elite college big men such as Sean May. Lateral quickness needs improvement to defend quicker post playing NBA'ers. Has cut down the fouls, but still might get into some foul trouble. Raw and limited offensive game, mostly off put-backs, dunks and free throws. Lacks moves in the low post, pretty mechanical there and doesn't have much skill facing the basket either. Turnover prone whenever he dribbles the ball; thus, doesn't always find good situations on the court. Lacks versatility and range overall.

JJ Redick 6-4 190 SG Duke Sr.--Definition of a pure shooter; possesses an outstanding shooting stroke and can light it up from anywhere on the court. Tremendous range, and can shoot NBA threes with ease. Perfect shooting mechanics, releasing at the top of his jump and possessing a flawless follow-through. Can hit threes even from 30-ft; heats up in a hurry and can bury multiple J's in a row. Automatic from the free throw line, has shot well over 90% over his college career; might be the best in basketball here, regardless of league. Moves well off the ball, always trying to get open running off of screens. Needs little time to get off his shot behind the screen, with a quick release; can even create his own shot, improving on that. Pump-fakes allow him to hit mid-range J's, and is quicker than most defenders give him credit for, so has taken advantage by driving to the basket more; has an accurate floater from there. Scoring average increased each season. However, he is still a ONE-DIMENSIONAL catch and shoot player. In the NBA, he will be undersized/unathletic to create his own shot. Pathetic leaping ability and lacks a quick first step; very slow and undersized for NBA SG. No ability to play PG, even showing limited ballhandling skills; every time he takes 2 or more dribbles it results in a turnover. Can still be a streaky shooter from behind the arc, unlike Steve Kerr; can go 7-9 from three on day and 1-9 the next. Shot selection is a concern also and this is what prevents his percentages from being stellar. Can get caught up in his shooting and start chucking up ridiculous threes from beyond the arc, and can get shut down by physical defenses playing him tight. Doesn't play/shoot well in high-pressure moments or games; never seems to come through when game is on the line. Really does not contribute in any other aspect of the game other than scoring; terrible rebounder, defensive liability for the NBA, lacks quickness to guard NBA's athletes, and will really be outmatched in strength/quickness by EVERY single SG in the NBA. His shooting has pulled him into near lottery, if not lottery, territory.

Maurice Ager 6-5 180 SG Mich. St. Sr.--A truly dominant open floor athlete with slashing ability, as well as being a dependable perimeter threat. Has improved his shooting percentages from previous seasons. Terrific athletic ability and can play above the rim; possesses good body control as well as solid defense. Fairly good offensive rebounder. Scores in bunches extremely well, especially when he shoots off the dribble; has the tools to be a great all-around scorer. Can erupt and get hot on threes fairly easily. Has star talent, but it has been a slow going for him at college; had sophomore injuries, and his team had a deep rotation so that restricted his effectiveness to a degree. Shot selection is a concern; has never met a shot he didn't like. Lacks consistency; horrible passing ability. Needs to add some muscle to his frame, and ballhandling skills may need some work. Has improved this year—stock rose.

Taj Gray 6-9 235 PF Oklahoma Sr.--Energetic, versatile and skilled PF who could be the biggest reason for Oklahoma's success this year; has made rapid improvement considering this is only his SECOND year of playing Division I ball, and his transition has been utterly remarkable. Extremely athletic and thrives in an up-tempo offense; runs the floor well and possesses an outstanding vertical leap. Gets off the floor quickly, bounces back to get rebounds/blocks; very good hustler. Has the footspeed, arm length and body control to get rebounds that appear out of reach. Excellent transition player, can handle/pass well for short periods of time and get off the floor for thunderous alley-oops. Skilled and physical post player, strong enough to establish position in the paint. Very reliable post player and has the skills, smarts, quickness and strength to finish with a soft touch, almost automatic near the basket. Can take the ball strong to the hoop and finish with contact, and can also nail the turnaround J. Has a good court demeanor, unselfish and energetic, firing up crowds; real fun to watch with his shotblocking and highlight reels. Does even the little things, even coming up with loose balls, to get his team the "W"--just a sparkplug. Outstanding work ethic, very coachable and has a great attitude, and has the frame to add more bulk if needed. What stands out the most is his outstanding court vision and passing ability; great feel for the game, can pass from the interior or the perimeter, finding cutters or making bounce passes. Game somewhat comes easy for him. Measurements will be key though; if he's under 6-9, might be in some trouble. Very complete player, just needs a few things to work on such as free throw shooting, which is only 60%, which he tends to rush. Playing with emotion might get him into foul trouble at times. A bit limited offensively, as he lacks great shooting skills; poor range and shot mechanics, and post skills might not work against NBA competition as he uses his athleticism so much. Relies too much on his right shoulder in the post, might need better footwork/post moves to complement his physical gifts. Face-up game looks good but is inconsistent and needs work on it for the NBA. Needs to work on boxing out in rebounding.

Daniel Gibson 6-2 190 PG Texas So.--Has shown incredible fire this year as starter for Texas, even as a freshman. Great scoring skills who gets his shots within the flow of the game. Has great court vision/reaction to find his open teammates. Good quickness and athleticism to combine with his competitiveness and drive. Great killer crossover dribble, and hits his three pointers very often. Excels in the open court and pushes the ball up quickly. Size is certainly intriguing. Lacks experience, and half-court game setup could be a bit better. Still a work in development in terms of his PG skills, although the sky is the limit for him. Another year he could perhaps be a lottery pick. Had a bad end to the season, and also a horrible start to this season—and Texas is not doing so well—so his stock has dropped quite a bit.

Marko Tomas 6-7 195 SG-SF KK Zagreb International 1985--Good all-around player. Gifted Euro with long arms, good size and quick feet, along with a good vertical leap. Pretty good running the floor and has the height for the SG and perhaps the NBA SF positions. Very good shooter who can shoot static or off the dribble; good mechanics and very quick release, and needs very little time/space to get it off. That is his best attribute for the NBA currently. Was forced to play PG this year at times and showed good court vision and passing skills. Very good ball control and rarely ever causes turnovers; doesn't force too many bad shots either despite being the leader of the team. Possesses great leaping skills and can dunk whether putting the ball on the floor or on the fastbreak. Great offensive rebounder and overall rebounding for his size; can even weakside shotblock at times. Gives it his all each game. Very good anticipation of passing lanes and overall a decent perimeter defender. His footwork and aggressiveness in this aspect can be good on occasion. Great knowledge of the game and high B-ball IQ, good work ethic as evidenced by his dramatic improvement over the last two years. Pretty consistent and fairly mature player and can be clutch at times. However, he is very weak physically, and usually guards bigger men. Lacks a good first step so will struggle to create his own shot at the next level. Needs to prove that he can get to the basket and finish to be a legit NBA SG. Has a wingspan smaller than his height and this would not help getting his shot off. Left hand ballhandling needs some work, and using off-the-ball movements and catch-and-shoot there could also use some improvement. Contributions decreased this year playing against bigger/stronger defenders. Has problems getting around screens and will struggle against the more athletic SGs in the NBA.

Rudy Fernandez 6-6 175 PG (Spain) 1985--Impressive talent with just a superb wizard's game on the offensive end. Very fluid and in control and makes the game look easy. NEVER gets out of control. Makes excellent decisions with his skill and intelligence. Plays both guard positions effectively with his good court vision. Great speed and first step, utilizes screens well and plays within the system. Likes to run and reacts well to passing lanes for steals. Needs to get stronger. Doesn’t have excellent athleticism. Too young? Has declared for the draft, although he might not play with the team he goes to next season. Doesn't have good upside, or downside. Has had some injury problems with his team this season.

Marco Belinelli 6-6 190 SG Italy 1986--Can play both guard positions, as playmaker or SG. Good shooter and penetrator to the hoop; has been the top Italian guard prospect for the last 10 years. Prefers the PG with his leadership qualities, but can score naturally, hitting threes, mid-range J's or layups. Can beat his defender off the dribble or on the break with his combination of fakes and hesitations; deadly one-on-one skills. Main offensive weapon is the off-the-dribble jumper. Excellent ballhandling and passing skills, and just a very solid team player. Good athleticism and can perform a variety of dunks; and has quick feet/legs to defend faster opponents. Above average basketball IQ, understands the game well. Always plays at a high intensity level. Bright outlook and can grow even taller. Smart player on both ends of the floor, has the athleticism and size to succeed in defense. Needs to increase body strength and weight at this point though, in order to take physical contact/defend bigger guards. Needs to learn many PG aspects of the game because he is accustomed to taking all the shots/playing with poor teammates. Low experience level.

Josh Boone 6-10 237 PF UConn Jr.--A very long and extremely athletic shotblocker who runs the floor well, what's most intriguing is that he barely picks up any fouls (this year: 3.6 blocks as compared with 1.4 fouls a game). Extremely physical and gives 100% each and every game. Blue collar guy who does the dirty work for his team; fights hard and hustles well, being quick and nimble for his size. Excellent demeanor and a pretty intelligent player, both on and off the court. Knows when to make the right passes, defends the pick and roll well and gets into a great defensive position when the opposition catches the ball in the post. Has vastly improved his #'s from last season, and shown the aggressiveness that former teammate Emeka Okafor had last season. Most of his rebounds come from the offensive end, although he is still a good rebounder with his long arms and accurate timing. Has great potential and physical ability to become a great rebounder/defender at the next level, especially with his big strong hands. Possesses good vision and passing ability, runs the floor well and is a good transition player. Knows his limitations offensively and plays to his strengths; also possesses good durability (has only missed 1 game his entire college career). Shoots the ball at a high percentage, although he is not too sure of what to with the ball in the low post. Has a sweet baby hook shot, but other than that, not much offensive arsenal. Plays strictly in the paint and most of his points come through short put-backs, dunks and whatnot. Needs better post moves and a mid-range jumper. Is back to struggling from the line. Gets down on himself when things aren’t going well, needs to more composed. Upside limited due to offensive shortcomings, so certainly not a superstar prospect. Doesn't have ideal size for a center. A bit of a rigid player, as he’s not too fluid. Stock has dropped, has not seemed to improve from last season.

Mardy Collins 6-6 205 PG/SG Temple Sr.--A legit 6-6 PG, with great size and unselfishness; controls the tempo and plays with poise and patience; keeps it simple and effective. Never forces things or makes unforced errors; just smart and fundamentally sound, showing a great understanding of the game, always knowing when to shoot or when to get his teammates involved. Good playmaker and runs the half-court sets well to perfection; good leadership skills and demeanor on the floor; clutch reputation and his strict coach even trusts him with his eyes closed. Excellent ballhandler, dribbles low with great confidence and has a nice crossover to get his defender off balance in order to slash or pull up for the J. Good elevation, quick release, and nice form on his J, and can hit the mid-range shot. Decent athleticism; changes gears well and has a decent vertical. Utilizes his size well to find the open man, and his wingspan, anticipation and ballhawking can disrupt passing lanes to garner many steals (averaged 2.8 this season). Solid rebounder and averages about 5 per game. Even developed a post-up game with his size advantage, and has strength/excellent footwork to score over the top of his man. Experienced, started every game for his team ever since freshman year, and has excellent conditioning (rarely looks like he breaks a sweat) and often playing a full 40 minutes a game. Doesn't have too many holes in his game, just a solid, underrated all-around player. Not a big scorer, sort of limited by the Temple system. Just lacks star quality and isn't flashy, that's why he hasn't been heard of much as a top PG. Most likely just a solid role player in the NBA. A good athlete, but no freak; not a huge leaper, lacks explosiveness and a quick first step. Outside shooting needs work, only hits threes at a 32% clip attempting about 5 per game. Not a good shooter at all generally, only hits shots at a 41% clip this season, although Temple generally uses the shot clock and forces him to take contested shots with the shotclock running low. Can hit the three even off the dribble but just lacks consistency. Doesn’t use his size better offensively, and not really a physical player. Only decent upside; solid in many areas, but fails to stand out in any one area. Needs to move better without the ball, can be too ball-dependent sometimes. Defense is hard to evaluate, might use his hands too much but seems to be a good defender. Needs to improve his free throw shooting, which is at 64% currently.

Nick Fazekas 6-11 230 PF Nevada Jr.--Highly skilled offensive player, with a sweet shot; possesses special shooting touch for a big man that easily extends out to NBA three point range. Inside-outside forward, with a wide variety of post moves, hooks and jumpers; to boot, he has a high release point which makes his shot hard to block. Excellent free throw shooter. Slippery, as he can set up shots for himself, make use of pump fakes to draw fouls. Great feel for the game, has great fundamentals and generally makes good decisions. Spreads the floor and makes for mismatches and he can pull big men outside on defense. Good body control on defense; can block shots without bodying up his man. Tremendous wingspan makes him a good rebounder and shotblocker. A competitor and is tougher than he looks, as he is willing to battle against stronger post players. Overall a smooth talent and has been tearing up to WAC all season long. Lacks athleticism; not a great leaper and lacks fluidity running the floor—in this aspect he looks NOTHING like an NBA prospect, but looks can be deceiving. Thin and not yet strong enough to handle NBA bigs; body strength has improved, but it’s still not all that great. Needs weight, 15-20 lbs. of muscle and seasoning--and unfortunately doesn't really have the body to do that. Lacks upper body strength and can be pushed around defensively. Prefers to fade away in the post rather than go on top of his defenders; struggles to create shots against quicker bigmen, and lacks a good first step. Not a good passer. Made a lot of noise in last year's draft about wanting to play in the NBA.

Paul Davis 6-11 255 PF/C Michigan St. Sr.--Very adept big man with solid games in both the post and the perimeter. Has a solid low post game with nice moves, including a hook shot and fadeaway jumper; also has nice footwork and strong legs. Can shoot well out to 18-feet and is generally a solid mid-range shooter. Fundamentally sound and has a great shooting touch; skilled offensive player. Can find the open man especially when in the high post. There are times when he can rebound well, and has quick hands to nab steals. Has adequate size and has bulked up considerably. Stepped up in the Final Four this year. Not too much health problems, and good student. Very soft and doesn’t like to play defense in the paint; has been an underachiever most of his career. Very inconsistent and there are games when he lacks focus/intensity; shows in defensive end and can get foul prone. Weak mentally, lacks toughness and shies away from any sort of contact. Is a finesse player and that hurts him in the NBA; puts up layups when he should dunk, and just not explosive. Only a mediocre shotblocker/rebounder despite his size. A bit turnover prone, lacks ballhandling skills even in the post area. Has potential to be a good NBA center though, but he has a lot of obstacles to face first. Has a lot of pimples.

Matt Haryasz 6-10 230 PF Stanford Sr.--Has really blossomed last year into one of the best post players in the nation, after being a longtime sleeper in draft circles. One of the Pac-10's best rebounders and has a sweet J out to the college three point line. Deadly 20-foot jumper. Has a genuinely mobile frame as well as a beautiful shooting stroke for a big man which makes him quite intriguing. Has a bit of slashing ability. Has some rebounding ability. Lacks strength, but has the frame to add bulk. Prefers to spin away from contact; can take some off-balance shots at times. Not much passing ability. Doesn't have sky-high potential. Troy Murphy, or Michael Doleac?

Steven Smith 6-8 225 SF La Salle Sr.--Prototypical body and size for a NBA SF. A legit 6-8, possesses tremendous wingspan and excellent frame. Long and lanky but has good strength already. Very athletic, possesses excellent quickness and a good first step, as well as the ability to get off the floor well and a nice vertical leap. Offensively talented. Scores from anywhere on the floor, and has college three point range (though not very consistent). Shooting mechanics are fluid, elevating and quickly releasing the ball in one fluid motion. Mid-range shot is one of his strongest assets on offense, and is a good free throw shooter at around 80%. Moves well without the ball and is a very active player. Most of his points, as PF, come around the basket. Has quickness/leaping ability to finish moves around the paint, and does so with a variety of hook shots and "slithery' spin moves. Finishes strong and aggressively to the rim and is hard to put a body on. Can get into a triple-threat position out on the perimeter, putting the ball on the floor, making the necessary pass, or even spotting up for a three. Not a selfish player by any means, very humble and is a smart player on/off the court, with a strong work ethic and good court demeanor. Good passer with nice court vision. Effort is never a problem with him. The reason he hasn't gotten much hype is that the cards haven't exactly fallen his way. For his age, he is a bit of a raw player, however, and needs some polish on certain parts of his game. Perimeter game needs to be better for the SF, even though that is excusable since he plays a lot of PF in La Salle. Gets by with his raw talent and athleticism, but he doesn't seem ready to adapt to a role player-role in the NBA; might be a project. Ballhandling might be a problem; has a hard time putting the ball on the floor and is very turnover prone. Needs to work hard expanding his range and improving his outside shot. Footwork is poor on defense and can get burned on the perimeter; bites on pump fakes, gets caught in bad positions in rotations; his court awareness and fundamental skills just aren't there for this aspect of his game. Has potential in this are, though, due to his length and athletic ability. Solid rebounding #'s are more due to his physical attributes than positioning.

Guillermo Diaz 6-2 178 SG/PG Miami Jr.--Nicknamed "Superman." Best attribute is his leaping ability and explosiveness; one of the most athletic guards in the NCAA, having a vertical of about 42-45 inches. Soars above big men, scores and rebounds over bigger players very well. Incredible open court player; like Allen Iverson, blows by everyone and forces opponents to foul him when he takes it to the basket. Good crossover and also a good rebounder to boot. Explosive on both ends of the court; relentless open court player, can get steals and ignite fastbreaks. Explosive combo guard, can use pick and rolls to get to the basket using the open lane, utilizing good body control in the process. Good long range shooter from three point land, and can also pull up for the mid-range J in the halfcourt set; can get hot on his shot and that makes him all the more dangerous. Can create his own shot and break down double-teaming defenses, showing good form on his shot and utilizing pump fakes well. Has a good work ethic and phenomenal athletic talent; he was a converted volleyball player and in three years he became a leader of his conference. Doesn't get rattled easily and is tough mentally, showing the aggressive scorer's mentality. However, he cannot lead his team and create shots for them constantly. Lacks PG skills, which might be necessary for his size; really a severely undersized SG now. Lacks experience, only played organized ball for 4-5 years. Sometimes rushes plays and runs ahead of his teammates playing an out of control game; needs to slow down and create more plays at half court. Can be a streaky shooter at times, and may get infatuated with his shot. Still learning to speak English which might be a problem, coming from Puerto Rico. It is really PG skills that are most important for him however.

Marcus "Marquinhos" Vinicius 6-9 198 SF Corinthians Brazil 1984--Possesses long arms with good attacking and three point shooting game; natural born offensive player. His first step is extremely explosive and has amazing athleticism. Can pass, dribble, post up, rebound and even ballhandle well. Very good agility and excels in the fastbreak. However, needs to improve virtually all aspects of his game. Doesn’t have a fully developed body yet. Needs to gain weight and not be abused; pretty bad defender and needs to rebound better. Needs to improve intensity and effort defensively. Needs better knowledge and feel for the game, as he sometimes looks lost and has bouts of inconsistency. Shot selection is hideous. Raw but has a lot of potential. Dropped out late in the draft two years ago.

Damir Markota 6-10 225 PF (Cro)1985--Probably the next Vladimir Radmanovic given time, with his amazing three point stroke. Could function decently in the post, and based on his supreme athleticism, gets quite a lot of rebounds. Great stroke from anywhere and good size. Horrid defender though. Has a bad reputation with teammates however, and does not have an attitude that would make him like Stojakovic. Raw. Without his attitude problems he would be a first rounder. Dropped out late in the draft last year; changed his name from "Omerhodzic" to Markota.

Josh McRoberts 6-10 240 PF Duke Fr.--The ultimate high post forward. Sweet shooting left-handed big man, has NBA three point range as well as a solid mid-range game. Also can put the ball on the floor and pass amazingly well (especially in outlet passes), which is rare for his size. As versatile as they come, and is a true inside-outside threat. Great footwork in the low blocks, gains position real well. Can play dirty in the paint, where he can back down his man and take the ball to the rim. Also a dunking machine; will throw it down when he receives the opportunity; was at the McDonald's All-American dunk contest. Finishes well with both hands, and good rebounder on both ends of the floor. Runs the floor well and always seems to be at the right place at the right time for putbacks and whatnot. Aggressive rebounder. Gives full effort each game, very tough and his basketball IQ all make him a ready contributor. Below average quickness though, may not match up to some PFs that well; thus, he is only suitable to play in the post offensively at the next level, and really nowhere else. Lacks strength to bang with bulkier PFs. Footspeed and athleticism won't stand out at the next level, and his guard instincts/feel for the game would be lost at the next level because he cannot take anyone off the dribble. Not known as a defensive presence even though he is capable of shotblocking at times. Plays too unselfishly at times, needs to learn how to take over the game; needs a killer instinct. May need another year of experience.

Sergio Rodriguez 6-3 180 PG Spain 1986--An absolutely spectacular player to watch, with great handles from both hands and great agility/flexibility; great technical level. A pure PG; gets a lot of assists and controls the team around him. Deadly fastbreak player; has great fearlessness and penetration ability and is quite a scorer. Makes the 1-on-1 game appear effortless; changes gears in the blink of an eye and has great creativity in his penetrations; breaks down defenders with a lethal crossover and feeds teammates for easy buckets. Finds ways to get the shot up/draw fouls around the basket. Extremely good passer; has good execution of his passes and perfects both of them well from the static position and in transition, and even in traffic; sees the passing lanes before they open up. Possesses good shooting mechanics and quickness, a reliable mid-range shooter with the potential to be a good shooter overall; hits open shots especially in the clutch. Fast and is a pretty tall PG with above average leaping ability. Quickness makes him a capable ballhawk, solid anticipation and off-the-ball defense; also avoid screens well and has good lateral defensive movement. His physical tools, such as his agility, combined with his technical skills, such as his unbelievable ballhandling ability, make him a deadly player--simply a world of talent. Main concern is defense; doesn't put full effort/intensity into it at all. Shooting percentages don't seem too high in the perimeter despite his good form. Likes to dribble the ball first before shooting, never really spots up to shoot. Has perfected hitting shots off the dribble, but he is really complicating things more than necessary; a fixable weakness. Not a physical marvel, with only average explosiveness; not strong either and can be pushed around by bigger guards. Can also be prone to entertain, making difficult passes or chucking a three when a smarter play would be easier; goes for the flashy play rather than the simple one. Also needs a great rival to motivate him; schools his opponents so easily in youth competitions and gets whatever he wants.Nicknamed "The Spanish Magician."

Gabriel Pruitt 6-4 175 PG USC So.--Possesses the raw tools of prototypical NBA PG; has great size and speed for the PG position and is really athletic and bouncy, liking to play above the rim. A smart player with a good understanding of the game, and has nice offensive skills with the ability to drive or pull-up for the J. Excellent three point shooter, has range on his shot. Good defender, with quick hands and nice anticipation skills. Has good balance and agility, and is a clutch player who steps it up in close games. However, he's always been more of a scorer than a distributor from high school to now. Still becoming a true PG and learning the nuances of the position: setting tempo, getting everyone involved, etc. Needs to better at protecting the ball. A bit inconsistent with his jumpshot. Can try to do too much, although he stays under control most of the time. Is in a situation tailor-made to showcase his skills for the NBA, because he has only one upperclassman teammate. A lot to learn, but a lot of upside; should be his year.

Uros Tripkovic 6-5 180 SG Serbia 1986--Solid player who could soon emerge as one of the best guards coming from Europe. Very skilled, smart, athletic, and a good competitor; virtually the entire package. Has good legs that make him quick and explosive, showing a good vertical leap. Has a great jumpshot he uses most of the time for scoring; excellent shooter, has strong legs, high arch, beautiful mechanics, and a quick release all helping his shot. Consistent from static position on balance, but can also create his own shot off the dribble. Has NBA three point range. Great slasher to his hoop, which is as good as his shooting. Great handles, good first step, and great fearlessness. Can also pull up for jumpers as he attacks or feed an open teammate as well. Fine passer with remarkable court vision. Plays well in pick-and-roll situations and in transition. Has versatility to play PG with the handles, quickness, court vision and passing skills. Good lateral movement so he can defend both guard positions. Has great skills and basketball IQ, and really feels/knows the game. Really has a bright future and is a very special player--he does them all with such fine elegance, his game is so enjoyable. Not too many weaknesses, but his size is probably the biggest concerns; he only has avearage size. He might have trouble finishing against the NBA bigs, but he has potential/skills to overcome this. Strength is an issue, and it might affect his defense and fighting through screens--but this can be solved through time. Also struggles to stay in front of his opponent and often risks his defensive position to get steals--somewhat of a defensive liability. Very skinny. His PG skills--he is not a true organizer--doesn't really control the court/tempo of the game. It shouldn't be his main duty anyway, because he's such a good SG. Has trouble with off the dribble jumpers sometimes, especially those requiring great strength and range. Has a tendency to abuse his shot at times, making poor decisions which result in low shooting percentages (36%). Once made 12 consecutive three pointers on one end of the floor.

SECOND ROUNDERS:

Juan Palacios 6-8 240 SF Louisville So.--A do-it-all combo forward in the truest sense. Sees the floor and passes like a point forward from the post. Plays with a passion for the game that most coaches like and desire. Has improved over the course of his freshman season and provides toughness on the court. Good rebounder, but not a bruiser at this point; strong, but quite thin, a scorer rather than a guy who mixes it up in the post. Good outside shooting touch from outside and has a deadly mid-range J especially from the corner. Has excellent awareness near the basket and gets quite a bit of putbacks. Doesn't have excellent scoring ability though, and really lacks the athletic ability to defend SFs in the NBA. Somewhat caught between positions as a bulky SF, and needs to get in much better condition/lose weight to play SF exclusively. Defense is subpar.

Nemanja Aleksandrov 6-10 220 SF (Serbia) 1987--Very versatile forward with great height and excellent athleticism. Runs the floor well, has leaping ability and has an extremely gifted wingspan; basically has immense physical gifts. Has good hands, size, coordination, speed long arms, and handles the ball well. Basically has the physical attributes to be a star, and the sky’s the limit. Game comes so easy to him, never seems to be trying hard. Very fluid jump shooter and also hones a great post game. Good basketball instinct and decent in the fast break. Sees the best options. Good first step. Helps his teammates on D very well and plays decent D himself. Very humble and plays the game wisely. Type of player all coaches would love, but his lack of weight and aggressiveness is a minor problem—can even shy away from contact. Recentlly, his passion for the game has aroused criticism; still has not proven himself on the senior level, and needs to become a lot more aggressive. Some feel he lacks the fire to be a lottery pick. Has had injury problems in the past, must prove he can stay healthy for a full season. His game still has a ways to go. Stock has dropped a bit.

Brandon Rush 6-7 205 SG/SF Kansas Fr.--”Younger brother of Kareem! And JaRon Rush. One of the most fluid players in this year's draft, combining above average speed with astonishing athleticism. Impressive hangtime, and can perform acrobatic feats soaring to the hoop. Incredible explosiveness and leaping ability. Crowd-pleaser and has athleticism in his genes. Loves to attack the basket and posturize opposing big men (athleticism is compared to T-Mac). Really a slashser on offense, with a long stride, quick first step and good penetration skills overall. Just a killer on the break and one of the best in this draft; has the athletic gifts to finish whenever he is on the run, and doesn't mind contact either given his weak body. Length and athleticism really help him to finish unbelievable shots. Good form on his jumpshot, but is inconsistent. Has really developed a pull-up J, which goes in fairly often. Has started to make more and more intricate moves, such as those fadeaway pull-up J's, making them look easy. Legit NBA-three point range, getting great lift; his lack of consistency can also be handled with a better coach. Has the physical attributes to become a great defender, huge potential here, with above average lateral quickness and good wingspan enabling him to smother SGs in the perimeter. Extends the defense well and contests even shots when players gain separation (mentally is where his problems on D comes from). All in all just has all the tools to become an excellent NBA'er, with his speed/athleticism/body/J/star quality few have. Very raw offensive skills—a lot like Josh Smith of last year. His body is still weak, needs at least 15 lbs. of muscle or he might be knocked around on offense/defense. Lacks great form on his jumper, releasing it going up, so if he could modify it releasing it at its apex he could have a virtually unblockable shot. Needs to improve his ballhandling; adequate in his penetrations only, and his overall speed with the ball in his hands is merely just average, especially in full and half-court sets. Needs to diversify his half-court approach offensively-- tends to have too many isolations where he takes a J or attacks his way to the hoop. Needs to move better without the ball and develop a catch-and-shoot game. Just not a good defensive player, where he needs more technical schooling and motivation in this area, because he has all the physical qualities to succeed; bulking up would also help. Very lazy and lethargic on defense. Desire is extremely questionable; gives the impression that he doesn't try hard enough, although this should be improvable. Has the potential to combine both of JaRon’s explosive game and Kareem’s shooting game and roll them into one. Has one of the best upside of his freshman class; very nice season so far with Kansas.

Kyle Lowry 6-0 185 PG Villanova So.--Can get anywhere on the floor whenever he wants, and has a heart and passion for the game rarely seen even in the NBA level. Plays much bigger than his height, and rebounding is one of his strengths. Plays brutal on-the-ball defense and rattles many PGs in the Big East; defends well and makes special plays. Plays so hard it is difficult to know where he is at any given moment, he always gets things his way. Reputation to win is unparalleled and his will to win is what puts him to be high in draft boards. Also hard to stop when he's driving to the basket. Just explosive, tough and has a certain swagger in him. Lacks shooting ability; no three point range, and can't hit jumpshots off the dribble. Combine that with playmaking skills which fail to stand out, and that is a bit of a problem. Came off a slight ACL tear on his knee last year, something to keep an eye on. Can let his emotions get the best of him, and show a temper, so may not always be the best floor leader. Tim Hardaway, or another Carl Krauser?

Shannon Brown 6-4 200 SG Mich St. Jr.--Phenomenal athlete, a true highlight-film waiting on fastbreaks; can also rise up and dunk in the half-court. Incredible leaper complemented with a good outside stroke; has good form and elevation on his sweet jumpshot, as well as capable handles. Solid defender when he sets his mind to it; really an exciting player with athletic gifts. Has large hands and a long wingspan to couple his physical gifts. A lot of potential, even now still, to dominate. Passing ability still needs refinement, and might become lax at defense. Always tries to shoot himself out of slumps, and might be a deficiency to his game. Really a natural shooting guard, one considered trapped in a PG's body, and that might hurt him in the NBA. Although his hands are large, they are also slow, and his lack of a good first step really limits his penetration ability, despite his leaping skills. Will hit the outside shot when open, but doesn't have any go-to skill currently. Hasn't really exploded yet with Michigan State, but they have a deep team. One of the top five recruits in his high school class.

Marcus Williams 6-2 200 PG UConn Jr.--Has improved tremendously from his freshman year, now averaging about 10-4-8. Has developed a good feel for the game and is a tremendous passer, leading the nation in apg. Controls the tempo of the game well, and displays a good right hand, finishing well when he drives using it (he is naturally left-handed). Three point shooting percentages rose from 20% to 40% this year; gets good lift on his J, and is a threat from the outside so he can penetrate/dish or finish more often. Has a crafty and perfected tear-drop/floater he can utilize over big men. Quick and precise decision making in the open court, making him more dangerous; can spot up for the jumper or hit his teammate for the easy bucket. Fairly athletic and has a killer crossover to get by his perimeter defender. Defensively stays in front of his man well. Main weakness is his turnovers; in the break, he might turn the ball over driving and trying to feed teammates. Might need to play more selfish when teammates are struggling. Off-the-court problems also overshadow him; only played 16 games due to academic ineligibility as a freshman and recently stole laptops from the UConn dorm room. Needs to keep his focus on basketball and that might hurt his stock some. Has been caught again with AJ Price, and stock drop certain to happen.

Hassan Adams 6-4 201 SG Arizona Sr.—One of the top athletes in college basketball; an absolute freak of nature. Has an unreal vertical leap and excels at the acrobatic play. Plays bigger than his body and has a tendency and get offensive rebounds and put back monstrous slam dunks. Well-rounded player; great scoring machine and can score in bunches. Has a decent three point shot, and overall has developed a better jumpshot. Good mechanics on his shot. Very strong upper body allowing him to attack the basket effectively. Solid ballhandling skills and has phenomenal stamina. Tough on the boards; works hard, capable of doing the little things for the team. Possesses long arms which allows him to get both steals and blocks. Has all the physical tools to become a shut-down defender. Decent upside. Bad assists per turnover ratio for a guard. Really has no NBA position, since his skills translate more to the SF position. Relies too much on his athleticism at times to make plays. Has concentration lapses at times and lets his man take too many open jumpers. He has had a pretty huge dropoff from his sophomore year so far. Always gives people the feeling he should be better than he currently is. Streaky scorer. His jumpshot has abandoned him this season. Has the makings of the next Ruben Patterson.

Brandon Roy 6-5 195 SG Washington Sr.--Silky smooth swingman who lets the game come to him; very smart, athletic and deceptively quick. Can play multiple positions, and always seems to be at the right place at the right time. Gets to the hoop and finishes well. A defensive stopper, possesses long arms and gets into the passing lanes well; in Washington he always locked up the opposing team's best player. Very unselfish and sees the floor well. Also explosive, plays hard and has no problem banging in the paint. Good at getting position for rebounds, and really has the physical abilities/overall knowledge to become a contributor at the next level. Main problem is his height; if he had another 2 inches, he would be the perfect SF; thus, he seems to lack a position in the pros. Lacks the guard handles and seems to be a tweener, and really his jumper needs work. Does a little bit of everything, but doesn't seem to stand out at anything in particular.

Vladimir Veremeenko 6-10 235 PF (Bel) 1984--A true sniper; has one of the quickest releases and accurate strokes from mid-range and three-point land. Can shoot off the dribble and never really in wild fashion, either; scouts have been looking for that next "Nowitzki' and he might be the one. Has great mobility and coordination; runs the floor well and has a good first step and nice handles so he could penetrate. Has a nice turnaround jumper from the post. Understands the game very well and knows how to operate under the set offense. Plays nice team defense and could come off with blocks from the weak side, showing decent timing and vertical leap. Recently put up 25 lbs. of weight last summer to become a legit PF, his natural position in the NBA. Shot mechanics can stand for improvement. Not overly aggressive. Currently too skinny to defend low-post moves. Can become a defensive liability in the league. Doesn't have a consistent NBA three point shot currently, and would benefit adding low post moves to his game. Doesn't look overly intense attacking the basket and does not always finish. Doesn't have too much potential, but that's all right for his case. Stock fluctuation.

Taquan Dean 6-3 185 SG Louisville Sr.--If he can make the transition, possesses good NBA PG size along with a strong upper body. Has the quickness to get to his spots on the floor, as well as solid handles to make him a solid ballhandler at least at the NCAA level. Biggest strength is really his excellent shooting ability, coupled with his quick release and range. Gets good lift on his shot, and when he's on he's really one of the best shooters in America; also an excellent free throw shooter. Has improved as a shooter every season at Louisville, basically a lights-out clutch shooter, has taken many big shots in big games and hit them on a regular basis throughout his college career. Set the school record for three pointers made (133) last season. Has been the defensive stopper for Louisville, draws the opponent’s best guard. Has some ability to break his man off the dribble, and has the athletic ability, size and strength to defend PGs at the next level. Competitive player, hard worker, who understands the game, knows how to come off screens/manipulate his defender to get open looks. Shows tremendous heart and desire and the will to win, even playing the regional finals battling injuries; mentally tough player who never backs down from a challenge, such as his mother’s death, mononucleosis and hernia. Wasn’t even in the top 75 of his class as a freshman but just about passed everyone up on the list. Possesses a cut, muscular body. However, really a one-dimensional player currently as a spot-up shooter. A tweener with no NBA position, and doesn't have a PG's feel for the game, nor does he possess any of those skills. Decent in getting his team into the offense, but needs to improve his decision making and creating opportunities for his teammates by a lot. Needs to improve his PG skills to have absolutely any chance of making the league; he can't be a SG with his size. Might rely on his jumper a bit too much (when a better shot is available), and needs to learn to shoot off the dribble (especially when he's crowded). Lacks a mid-range game, and ballhandling needs improvement for the PG spot. Health issues are a concern, and has nonexistent body fat.

Matias Sandes 6-8 190 SF Arg. 1984--Very consistent shooter from mid-range and the painted area; great rebounder but biggest strength is his intelligence. Has a reliable foundation of triple-threat skills, and just a very complete player and a joy to watch. Very versatile, can play some PG with his great vision of the floor and unselfishness. Winning attitude, and just a jewel that needs polish. However, he plays SF most of the time and rarely at the point, and isn't fast enough for SG. Needs to add a lot of strength and bulk. Inconsistent defensively, although he can very good. Lacks experience with better players. Good wingspan but doesn't utilize it in attacking the basket, preferring to pull up from mid-range more. Free throw shooting needs work.

Predrag Samardziski 7-0 245 C (Maced.) 1986--Works hard and practices a lot. Tons of potential; considered the best big man in Europe. Has smooth form in the post and in his jumper. Great fundamentals and possesses Vlade Divac-ish skills; like Divac, he lacks hops, mobility, and explosiveness. Plays below his size. Dropped out late in the draft last year.

Kosta Perovic 7-2 240 C Partizan Belgrade Yugoslavia--Huge player with good athleticism and agility. Semi-mobile and has great size, and posssesses a soft touch around the basket. Has an above average vertical leap, runs the floor well, despite only having average athleticism. Good wingspan that might help him block shots in the near future, as well as in defense, rebounding, and perhaps even adding more options for himself around the basket. Has soft hands, finishes well around the basket, has potential to become a nice offensive center; size and long arms help him score many easy buckets off offensive rebounds. Pretty effective hook shot, and can use EITHER hand to hit it, showing some nice skills there; thus that comprises a decent post-up game. Has some nice footspeed in the post (although his quickness is not good) to beat his matchup in the post and score with layups. Pretty good mechanics/shooting stroke for a center, with range all the way out to 18 feet. Good court vision, can pass out of either posts, and is a nice free throw shooter to boot. Seems to have above average B-ball IQ and understanding of the game; pretty experienced and has played against many good Euro centers. Plays hard and he really loves the game. Still pretty skinny, hasn't gained weight and still gets outmuscled in the paint; doesn't even seem to like physical contact at all. Horrible athleticism, and rather slow on defense. Back to the basket game still developing despite his nice offensive skills; has trouble establishing position and finishing around the basket, at times. Spends too much time shooting/dunking so defense reacts easily to his moves. Has lack of concentration/focus sort of turnovers every game. Should show more aggressiveness on offense. Really will be a defensive liability in the NBA; poor man-to-man D with his slow movements, and lack of strength/aggressiveness. Below average rebounder, and doesn't have the best hands either. Poor shotblocker for his size and rarely shows desire to contest any shot whatsoever. Lacks intensity on D and seems to be "soft." Mentality doesn't seem good at all, hasn't improved at all since 2 years ago, really lacks fire, and doesn't seem to be working hard at this aspect. Very raw, but decent potential. Gets a second chance after dropping out of the draft last year--semblance to Rasho Nesterovic.

James White 6-7 195 SG Cincinnati Sr.--Athletic swingman with hops and speed; really one of the premier athletes of all basketball, being 4 feet short of the world record in the long jump. Extraordinary leaper, glides through the air and throws down unbelievable dunks--once he is at a running start he is one of the best jumpers there is. Has done a between-the-legs dunk from the free throw line and really dunks with ease. Can be a future Slam Dunk contest participant. Dangerous in transition game, outruns his opponents for spectacular finishes. Versatile player, with decent ballhandling skills and good passing skills for a wing. Good shooting mechanics, gets great elevation and shoots over most defenders. Has a good mid-range game with a turnaround J from the post--shoots 80% from the line so there is potential to improve his shooting. Good rebounder and capable of becoming a great perimeter defender with his length and athleticism. Has a lot of NBA caliber tools and physical gifts, but he just needs to put it all together. However, really has been nothing more than a mediocre player in college; shouldn't just be putting up 10-5-3 with his athleticism and decent skills. Very inconsistent player, does not always play with intensity and might even be invisible for some games. Shooting has improved but still lacks NBA three point range and consistency. Outside shot is more cold than hot when he shoots it; cannot create his own shot and break his man off the dribble than most players with his gifts. One-foot leaper when he dunks; can't dunk off two feet so it is hard for him to elevate and dunk in traffic. He needs to get a running start and an open lane to dunk. Skinny and can get stronger. Had attitude problems in the past playing for the University of Florida and has a questionable work ethic/attitude which makes it suspicious on whether he'll live up to his potential. Quite raw. Transferred from Florida to Cincinnati, doesn't look to stay in draft this year. Nicknamed James "Flight" White.

Craig Smith 6-7 265 SF/PF Boston College Sr.--A truly dominant scorer in the Big East, and does it mainly with his bulk; has the strength to bang with just about anybody. Has the talents and smarts to work in the paint. Creates space, knows how to get his shot up, and has nice touch around the basket. Possesses advanced footwork, a true turnaround J and a baby hook; good shooting mechanics. Quite an active player, can get into the passing lanes. Has range up to 18 feet. Very active help defender at the college level. Boxes out well and has great rebounding awareness. The prototypical undersized PF if he makes it to the NBA; even worse, probably closer to 6'6" than 6'7". A dominant college player, but that hurts his chances for the NBA. Can be contained even in college and struggles against bigger frontcourts. Given his body type and skill set, just can't really convert into a SF. Lacks athleticism and leaping ability. Can't create shots off the dribble. Lacks perimeter defense ability and the ability to defend slashers. Might have to prove himself in Europe before the NBA.

Kevin Pittsnogle 6-11 250 PF West Virginia Sr.--Doesn't look to stay in this year's draft, but is a very good scorer for the minutes that he plays, which isn't very much. Unorthodox center, prefers to play in the perimeter and is a good long-range shooter. Can spot up behind the arc and hit shots with great accuracy; useful for pick and rolls. Smart player, doesn't force shots, plays within his limitations. Can knock down big shots, plays well under pressure. Decent passing skills and has gotten stronger over the years. Really a one-dimensional NBA prospect though, nothing more than a spot-up shooter in the NBA. Three point shooting is his only skill on offense, and can't knock it down unless he's fully open; helpless against defenders. Can't create his own shot and has limited handles. Horrible rebounder and shotblocker, wastes his height by playing almost exclusively on the perimeter; no post up game (feels more comfortable 20-feet away from the basket than 5). Very slow and unathletic; lacks quickness, leaping ability and explosiveness, might even be a worse defender than Wang Zhizhi in the NBA. Interesting prospect, but probably under the 4-year college plan. Played very well for his team in the tourney and even knocked D'or Fischer out of the rotation. Dropped out of the draft.

Bobby Jones 6-6 190 SG Washington Sr.--Big athletic guard who defends equally well on and off the ball; simply one of the best defensive guards in all of college ball. Tough as nails and is an excellent rebounder for his size, leading his team this season. Gifted athlete, runs and jumps with the best of them, with an unstopping motor and tremendous lateral quickness. All out hustler and possesses the intangibles coaches love. Possesses great basketball IQ, always playing within himself and not forcing the issue. Dangerous in transition game and finishes well above the rim; jump shot is improving every game. Clutch player. Ballhandling needs a lot of improvement for the NBA SG, and improving movement without the ball and free throw shooting are musts. Very foul prone, due to his aggressive style, but fouls out way too much in college. Really needs to improve his outside shot, and he doesn't really shoot from the perimeter often, so really lacks NBA three point range.

Dee Brown 5-10 175 PG Illinois Sr.--One-man fastbreak who is simply stated, a blur. One of the quickest players in the nation. Dribbling and distribution skills are excellent; a pure PG who can fire bullet-passes extremely well. Runs the offense with a lot of poise, and rarely turns the ball over. Leads the fastbreak well and creates havoc in the open court. Excellent defender, garners himself a fair share of steals; intercepts passes well and good lateral movement. A capable scorer when he decides to show it; can get hot. A true leader and has a motor mouth. Has improved his shooting percentages to 50% and 43% last year. However, he barely tips the 6 foot mark. Ability to guard bigger guards up in the air. Also gets into very unpredictable pass/shoot modes: sometimes he'd pass up shots for the sake of others, whereas other times he'll just continue shooting, especially from three point land. Questionable natural floor general skills especially in the half-court offense. Shot selection needs some work; streaky shooter. Rarely attacks the basket despite his speed. Quite limited upside, due to his average wingspan and the fact that he can't shoot off the dribble--although he can be a nice 6th man sparkplug. Returned to Illinois this season after testing the draft waters and injuring himself in a pre-draft camp last year; hasn’t improved much, and his FG percentages are now down.

Viktor Keirou 6-6 215 SG Russia 1984--Athletic guard with a complete game and hard-nosed defense. Can hit the jumpshot, go aggressively to the basket (taking contact), or find the open man. Moves well without the ball and can shoot mid-range J's off screens. Has a very physical frame and body; very strong. Best NBA asset is his scoring ability. Needs experience and can improve his ballhandling at this point though. Half South African, half Russian player.

Jose Juan Barea 6-0 173 PG N.eastern Sr.--A proven winner with excellent all around skills. Can set the tempo of the offense to his liking, penetrate at will to the basket, and possesses the necessary court vision that most PGs need. Plays at a higher level against quality competition. Has college three point range, and is an excellent rebounder despite his size. Has won many international tournaments. A bit streaky in his outside shot. Doesn't shoot the ball at a high percentage, and can get out of control at times. Doesn't exactly play a cohesive team game because of this; but that can be corrected with experience. His height will always be a knock towards him.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu 6-9 240 PF GW Sr.--An explosive and very aggressive athlete; awesome leaper and finishes with authority around the rim. A highlight dunk waiting to happen and a probable future dunk contest participant. Slowly beginning to learn how to maximize his athletic ability; runs well for a post player, knows how to get easy buckets on offense. Quick and hard to handle in the post; does not take a lot of time to get his shot off there, and he shoots quickly. Often he is quick and decisive and that makes him hard to defend down low, so he gets his shot off easily. With his jumping ability/length, he can rise over defenders and finish. Has good leaping ability, dexterity and quickness helping with his shotblocking ability. Improving rebounder and is learning to use his quickness/length to gobble them up. Very intense player--very competitive and shows it--he will hit the floor, grab loose balls if need be (impressive for a player of his size), and possesses great mentality and assertive play. Hasn't played basketball very long, and with his athletic ability he has lots of upside. As usual with many athletes, however, he is just a raw physical prospect, despite his average age for a collegian. Doesn't have anything resembling an all-around polished game, and lacks some fundamental skills. Rough edges to his game, and that shows since he has only been playing organized B-ball for the past couple of years. Skinng player despite his said weight, and his position D is a concern; doesn't always use his physical gifts to his advantage to this area. Has to become a smarter/better rebounder and lacks proper post box-outs, usually gets pushed around, despite his aggression (even though he has improved this year). Offensively struggles against physically stronger players and will get pushed around by any NBA body--sometimes uses his quickness too much, so that's why he needs to develop a better scoring game, besides 5-footers and dunks. Range only goes up to 12-15 feet, and even that is streaky. Doesn't look comfortable shooting the ball and is a horrible free throw shooter; mechanics need work. Turnover prone whenever he tries to dribble the ball; not a good ballhandler. Picks up a lot of stupid fouls, but to his credit he puts up impressive #'s given his PT. Bites into too many pump fakes, pushes off on D, gets out of position often on D due to poor footwork and fundamentals. Really needs to expand all aspects of his game to make it to the next level. Still with his athleticism NBA teams would give him a look. Dropped out of last year's draft.

Ivan Chiriaev 7-0 220 SF Russia 1984--A 7-footer with a preference for ballhandling, passing and perimeter play. Really plays like a guard offensively. Has good mechanics, albeit little lift, in his shot. Makes very good outlet passes to start transition play. Very comfortable dribbling the ball and making passes in half-court play; finds cutters well, surveys the defenders and sees over the top of defenders with his height. Good handles. Has trouble keeping up with the fast-tempo style of game; doesn't have the speed for transition game, nor does he possess the speed to get certain rebounds or help defensively. Horrible perimeter defender, cannot utilize his length or stick with quicker players on defense. Doesn't rebound well either; in terms of angle/timing, his rebounding instincts are average at best. Weak vertical and can get into a penchance for foul trouble in the NBA. Not a one-on-one player at all, cannot take players off the dribble; sort of one-dimensional in the fact that he wants to take a three point shot or pass the ball around the perimeter. Has an inability to read things and respond to them quickly; seems slow mentally and very passive, and combine this with a lack of athleticism/conditioning, that's a huge problem. Doesn't move well without the ball and really lacks a mid-range game. Has some post moves but never seems to take the ball up strong. Conditioning can be an issue; gets tired as the game goes on. Can't really dribble the ball going left. Just an average outside shot. Has a misguided sense of self-importance, inflated ego and a bit of narcissism; people set high expectations on him a couple of years ago and he really all but failed to live up to them. Overhyped. Dropped out of the draft 2 years ago after being called the next big thing.

Eric Williams 6-8 291 PF Wake Forest Sr.--Overpowering low post player and extremely intimidating one at that. Has nice back-to-the-basket post moves and is pretty strong and muscular. Above average footwork and is very aggressive; despite his still big frame, has lost some weight showing his extreme dedication and determination. Quite agile and a relatively good decision maker as far as passing or shooting. Doesn't get stripped too often. Very intense, has good confidence and not to the point of cockiness. However, can be foul prone due to overaggressiveness. Just not much of a rebounding or shotblocking presence, despite his physique and aggression (makes you wonder). Has no offensive ability outside the paint. Not so much of a hustler in terms of diving for loose balls; seems to have avoided being a leader when given a bit of the opportunity. A bit undersized for the NBA PF position and seriously, needs to lose weight.

Torin Francis 6-9 240 PF/C Notre Dame Sr.--Was considered a top prospect of his class, with some physical tools and then some to become a 1st rounder. Athletic and agile forward who plays hard on both ends of the floor. Runs the floor well and has an assortment of nimble post moves. Has some grace around the basket and continually improves to find ways to get his shot off. Nice mid-range J and pretty good free throw shooter. Doesn't get blocked often because he was such a high release point. Explosive off the ground and has nice up-and-under moves in the baseline. Incredible rebounder and shotblocker and does all that without getting much into foul trouble. Excellent postwork skills utilizing his body well. Stellar rebounder and quick to learn new ways to improve his post game. A lot to learn yet; passing skills are weak (especially out of double teams), as well as ballhandling skills and a cancer for his team on the fastbreak. Jumper lacks consistency outside of 15-feet; perimeter game needs more work. Has back problems and quite a disappointing season last year and is now a 2nd rounder for the moment. Seems to have lost weight and even shrunk a bit; has entered his name but probably won't stay in.

Gerry McNamara 6-2 179 PG Syracuse Sr.--Difficult matchup for even gifted defenders; very fearless shooter who can pull up from anywhere and knock it down. Huge confidence level, but best attribute resides in his handles; breaks down defenders with ease and can utilize a crossover to create space for his shot. Nifty passer, loves to make the nice pass, and has excellent quickness and good floor-speed. Leads more through his play than through his mouth. However, really a SG trapped in a PG's body. Loves to look for his shot and won't hesitate to take it at any situation, which could lead him to play out of control (because of his aggressiveness). Has mainly shot below 40% statistically with Syracuse, and often takes off-balanced and difficult shots, and is not a result of his shooting ability. Plays with a strut some might confuse with arrogance. Needs to improve his overall defense, always gambles for the steal and can leave his man wide open. Finishing around the basket needs some work. Lacks athleticism and really only has average playmaking ability, with below average passing skills.

On the Draft Bubble:

Nik Caner-Medley 6-8 241 SF Mary. Sr. –A tough-nosed wing with solid skills; an inside-outside threat offensively who can play both forward positions and cause matchup problems. Has the strength to take smaller players inside, and the perimeter skills to beat bigger players outside. Scores well around the basket, utilizing pump fakes; lefty with solid handles. Really is an all-around player; gets a steal there, a block there, and some threes every game. Can dominate in college without making much of an offensive impact; plays hard every game and applies himself on defense. Outworks and hustles better athletes, and rebounds helping with his strong frame. Solid outside and mid-range shooter, and has decent ability to create shots for himself. Has experience, playing in the ACC for all 4 years. Has a deft outside touch, although it is inconsistent (only shot 34% on threes last year); also possesses a bit of an undeveloped low post game. Needs a reliable go-to move on the offensive end. Not a banger and not much of a rebounder at all. Lacks a standout attribute, although he is solid in everything. Lacks great range, and shot selection might need some work as he may shoot over defenders. Doesn't possess much athleticism, but a solid athlete. Lacks a quick first step and not a very quick player; also lacks great vision and passing skills. Just an average perimeter defender. Killed Duke with his clutch play, fiery demeanor and for the fact that he held JJ Redick down.

Oleksiy Pecherov 6-11 210 SF (Ukr.) 1985—Athletic Euro with a good inside-outside game. Great coordination and height. Really a great outside threat. Has good form and confidence on his jumper. Must get a lot of stronger to play inside in the league though. Very young and a good prospect.

Justin Gray 6-1 180 PG Wake Forest Sr.--A scoring guard who could shoot from anywhere, from outside to mid-range to the painted area. Great three point shooter. Very aggressive and likes to attack the defense--gets to the line quite well. Extremely tough, played through a broken nose as a sophomore and showed a lot of heart. Competitive, smart, a leader and just a team player. Just not a tremendous passer though or a natural PG though; with Wake Forest he's been used solely as SG because Chris Paul was the primary PG, so this could be his big year to prove whether he has any PG abilities (like Daniel Ewing). Good athlete but not a freak, good quickness but not extremely quick. Does take some poor field goal attempts, and overall shot selection needs improvement.

Dusan Sakota 6-10 200 SF Greece 1986--Plays for one of the bes teams in Greece. Very young and promising long-term talent. Rare shooter, not afraid to take big shots at crucial moments. Cold-blooded and shoots well even when guarded closely. Pure shooter. Shoots over opponents easily, and he prefers to shoot from outside. Smart player, makes good decisions. Has developed a nice slashing game, and since he is oversized for SF, not too many players can guard this. Good mobility and is big for his position of SF. Huge wingspan helping for his rebounding ability. Gets some steals with his quick/long hands. Extremely skinny, needs to add bulk to his body. Doesn't play good D, very clumsy and misses all his opponents on D, regardless of their strength/size/quickness. Needs to add at least 15-20 more lbs. Just an OK rebounder and with bigger/stronger players he has no chance of getting any sort of rebound. Lacks offensive rebounding ability. Hasn't really rounded his game and is basically one-dimensional in terms of his shooting. Rarely goes inside, tends to shy away from contact. Lacks toughness, and his approach to the game is not so good. Seems to think he is better than what he already is, so doesn't really work hard. Dribbling and passing skills need work. Below average athleticism, very weak, lacks leaping ability, not so good at transition game, and hasn't gotten much playing time. Has some potential but needs to work on his weaknesses.

Marcus Slaughter 6-8 211 SF SD St. Jr.--Possesses a prototypical body for the NBA SF and excellent athleticism. Even though he plays PF for SD State, he has nice quickness and a developing pull-up J to help his future at SF. Gets off the floor quickly, possesses great hands and generally has all the tools to be an excellent rebounder--he is already hard to contain on the offensive glass. Scores in bunches extremely well--averages over 18 pts. which is phenomenal for a sophomore. Has a mid-range J and some back-to-the basket post moves, although both need some polish. Very competitive, and with his frame and quickness can develop into a nice defender. Has improved by leaps and bounds over the last two years. Big upside but has a ton of work ahead of him. Really a raw tweener right now, unfortunately. Everything he does right now just shows that he has sparks of potential to grow into a NBA player. Doesn't has the skills of a NBA SF, just the body. Not a good outside shooter currently and needs to work to expand his range. Doesn't seem to understand his role/capabilities at times and as a result his field goal percentage is fairly low for a PF. Poor ballhandling skills and will struggle to create his own shots. Does not really have lateral quickness, so his perimeter defense is lacking--defensive fundamentals also need work. Has an inconsistent motor, and overall is inconsistent--his intensity is sometimes lacking. Can be prone to take wild, off-balance shots within the offense and can just get into foul trouble. Lacks experience--sometimes throws bad passes, gets bad positioning in rebounding, commits unnecessary fouls and plays unsmart B-ball overall. So decision making needs a lot of work. Could be inflated #'s because isn't really too good, generally. Horrible assist per turnover ratio at 1/2.4. Needs another year of college to establish his NBA position, would be a HUGE HUGE mistake if he enters this year's draft.

Mustafa Shakur 6-3 189 PG Arizona Jr.--Some say he'd be the next Chauncey Billups. A point guard who possesses incredible court vision, capable of making the no-look or behind-the-back pass effortlessly. Good height for his position. Gifted on the fastbreak, with his agility and blinding quickness. Has shown good floor leadership skills as a freshman, and even played like a senior at times. Hones above average leaping skills and can get to the basket. Has an explosive first step and a great killer instinct. Has quick hands and plays great D off the ball. Extremely coachable player and can take over games when necessary. Not a good one-on-one defender and sometimes gets too erratic with the ball in his hands. Tries to go for the quick steal and often times that does not work. Shaky jumpshot and is form is awkward. Could use some more muscle with the appropriate workout regiment. Lacks strength badly and can be abused by NBA PGs. Has all the tools to be great, but he's really leveled off in his sophomore year. Confidence level has been lacking lately.

Vincent Grier 6-5 207 SG-SF Minnesota Sr.--Very explosive offensive player, capable of getting his shot off any time in the air and on the move. Very acrobatic, a solid athlete with deceptive quickness and conditioning. Has blasted onto the national scene this season, being a dangerous and creative offensive player. Scores in the post well for a guard, takes it to the hoop hard no matter who is guarding him. Good rebounder and seems to be one step quicker than his competition on the break. Creative going to the hoop, doesn't just dunk but is capable of creating AND hitting circus shots. Good at creating off the dribble, as most of his points come off of dribble penetration, and knows how to finish (even with his crazy, ill-advised circus-like shots). Well-built physically but needs to get stronger for the next level; this allows him to get his shot off in traffic, and does things that are amazing when one least expects it. Has a nice touch from mid-range, especially with a pull-up jumper to his game. Good teammate, no attitude problems and is generally a hard worker (having improved since his freshman year) and a competitive player. Weakness is that his offense is often out of control; can create his own shot, but takes many bad shots out of the context of the offense. Needs to diversify his offense and learn skilled moves that require less energy; doesn't use fakes or jab steps to free himself up--if he adds them, his offense will be even more potent. Can be turnover prone, losing the ball under pressure; ballhandling under general dribbling needs work, although he handles it well on the break/driving to the basket. Only averages about 2 assists per game, doesn't make his teammates better; with his dribble penetration ability, his numbers there should be better. As for offense, either wants to settle for jumpshots all the time or drive full steam to the hoop, there is not much of a combination of both. Not a good college three point shooter, and if he can't hit them it would be worse in the NBA; generally needs a better jumper. Can be a solid defender, getting steals and rebounds at times, but doesn't move his feet well laterally, so he is often out of position/late on rotations. Has trouble guarding players equally or more athletic than himself; off-the-ball defense needs work, doesn't seem to fight through screens/give effort on defense. Much more intense when he has the ball in his hands than when he doesn't, and that needs to change for the NBA. Mentally, might get down on himself after missing a few shots; needs a good coach (and a good situation) to believe in his true abilities. Played JUCO ball and spent one year with Charlotte before coming to Minnesota.

Yemi Nicholson 6-10 240 PF/C Denver Sr.--Just a shotblocking machine; averages 3 per game. Prefers to score near the basket over the smaller interior bigs. Runs the fast break well and can grab his teammates' missed shots for dunks/bank shots. Hits his free throws. Not too foul prone, as he averages more blocks than fouls. Has fairly immense potential; has shown improvement over the past seasons. Very raw player, especially on the offensive end. Needs to work on his face-the-basket game. Plays against weaker competition which might inflate his stats a bit. Can notch triple doubles fairly easily at college; once got, 14 pts., 10 boards and a whopping 9 blocked shots. Former music major.

JR Giddens 6-5 185 SG New Mexico Jr.—Phenomenal, incredible athlete with excellent leaping ability and long arms. Great creative dunker off lob passes, seemingly gliding in the air as he is dangerous in the fastbreaks. Elite track athlete full of flair and excitement. Very effective, effortless and quick release on his three pointer, though the stroke is a bit awkward; has NBA three point range but that is streaky. Plays bigger than his size, gets great elevation, and has a virtually unblockable shot. Has amassed potential especially on the rebounding and defensive end due to his intensity; already a fairly good shotblocker due to his physical skills. Has star potential with his talent and athleticism; unlimited upside. However, he has regressed HORRIBLY and his draft stock has taken a huge plunge after a promising freshman year; now an enigma. Has outstanding athleticism but wastes it strictly by shooting from the perimeter; no mid-range or slashing game whatsoever. Lacks ballhandling ability and can't really create his own shot. Has a great first step but that is negated by his terrible dribbling ability; can't really put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. Rarely ever goes to the line: averaged LESS than 1 free throw attempt a game and attempted about 7 times as many threes as free throws, which is unacceptable given his athleticism. Scores mainly on the fastbreak or by simply chucking up threes; streaky outside shot, can lose confidence in it easily. Awkward form deserted at the end of the season and caused Kansas's disastrous slide, with his pitiful shooting percentage numbers. All-around game needs improvement; doesn't hit the boards well considering his gifts, and not a playmaker either. Simply needs to use his athleticism to his advantage. Hasn't really thrived in the Jayhawk program yet. Not so great off the court now after getting into a knife incident.

Jermario Davidson 6-11 210 PF/C Alabama Jr.--Great size and athletic ability, but lacks NBA skills. Has good mobility, runs the floor well. Excellent shotblocker with his athleticism and reach. Garbage scorer, not a big offensive threat, relies on his physical skills to get buckets. Needs to improve his low-post game and take it to the next level. Gets pushed around easily, not a great defender with his lack of weight. 8 pts., 8 rpg. Might regret using his draft card this early.

Chris Hernandez 6-2 190 PG Stanford Sr.--Tough but unathletic PG. Has decent height, bulk and overall a pretty good build for a PG--can bench press over 300 lbs!. Can score himself and equally distribute just as well; very crafty and has a lot of fundamentals. A pure shooter and very dangerous marksman especially from three point territory. Quick release, and the key to his success is largely shot selection. Also a solid mid-range game and can get to the basket. Decent elevation. Also has a good PG instincts as playmaker; creates for teammates, limits turnovers. Stellar free throw shooter. Shows great poise, never seems out of control or overly aggressive. Solid defender. Just an excellent basketball player; but not an athlete.

Chris Rodgers 6-4 210 SG/PG Arizona Sr.--Has the potential to play either guard position in the league, has a solid build to go with that also. Has a strong perimeter game (which he has dramatically improved) and can get his teammates involved at the same time. Does well in catch-and-shoot situations but can also hit shots off the dribble. Can use his size/physicality against smaller opponents. Terrific defender who doesn't mind hustling either, gets a lot of steals. Will not turn the ball over, but doesn't take too many chances with the ball. Doesn't penetrate often. Plays off his teammates, pretty humble, doesn't look to generate the action by himself. Not the most athletic guard out there. Fundamentally sound, but hasn't really gotten the minutes playing behind Salim Stoudamire/Mustafa Shakur. Rick Brunson (in more aspects than you can imagine)? Attitude and PG skills might be a bit of a concern. Surprise he entered the draft, probably won't stay.

Terrence Dials 6-9 255 PF Ohio State Sr.--Big and strong enough to overpower any big man in the college level; has a great back-to-the-basket post game and knows how to use his body to its full advantage. Understands how to get his shot off in the post. One of the more underrated big men in the nation. Questions whether his game could translate to the NBA though, and whether he's really a legit 6'9". Consistency and injury issues have also plagued him but it seems like he's starting to put it all together.

Jeff Horner 6-3 180 PG Iowa Sr.--Incredibly quick releasing shooter and makes great open court passes, usually something out of nothing. Beautiful release and can create off the dribble. Great size for the PG position. Terrific court vision and develops plays well. Above average rebounder statistically for his position. However, he simply just lacks the athleticism and first step to be effective in college, let alone in the NBA. Will have to find his niche as an undersized shooting specialist in the NBA.

Marko Lekic 6-11 264 PF KK Atlas Int. 1985--Had a couple of nice camps and seems to be looking to make the jump. Bruising PF with a NBA body, with strength and skills. Nice athlete for a Euro, runs the floor well. Lacks experience.

Tang Zhengdong 7-1 286 C China 1984--Big body, loves to play inside; utilizes his wide and strong frame well. Uses his size to punish defenders and plays almost exclusively in the paint; gets good position in the block and has a soft touch around the basket. Good post moves and decent footwork, punishes small defenders in the paint, with a nice hook shot and turnaround J. Can step and shoot up to 15-ft., and uses the glass well on his shots. Has decent box-out skills, using technique/strength over athleticism for his rebounds. Can throw his body around and take up space in the paint. Decent passing ability and can set up some strong screens. Makes good decisions in the court, rarely forces the action--just fundamentally sound with a high basketball IQ. However, just horribly slow and unathletic. Lacks quickness, leaping ability and explosiveness. Plays below the rim; finds it hard to dunk unless wide open. Totally ineffective in transition game, too slow in fastbreaks. Lacks lateral quickness against NBA bigs, and normally resorts to fouling after he's continually beaten off the dribble. Pitiful shotblocking ability with his lack of physical tools, and is extremely foul prone. Can stand to lose some weight to improve conditioning, and will be a defensive liability in the NBA. Quite turnover prone in the post. Like Mengke Bateer, finding a place as a lower-tier player in the NBA will even be a struggle.

Carl Krauser 6-2 200 PG Pittsburgh Sr.-- Streetball legend who has improved a lot this season; nicknamed "Black Magic". Extremely talented ballhandler and that is easily one of his biggest assets. Creative dribbler and knows all the little tricks to get to the hoop and get his shot off; also has a nice floater in the paint. Very crafty and a strong finisher to the hoop; not afraid of contact and physically a well-built PG. Effective rebounder because of that and can overpower PGs, whether through rebounding or posting them up through sheer desire. When he is focused, can really orchestrate the offense well; just a gifted passer and can make passes most other PGs can't make. Very creative with the ball in his hands and usually finds openings in the post/fastbreak, with spectacular fashion. Very good at using his first step to attack the basket, and kick it back out to the shooter. Plays the game at high speed and is just dangerous at the open court. Also effective at defense and can be a tenacious defender when he wants to be; good feet, very intense on the ball and can get into the passing lane for steals. Also strong and has a solid wingspan helping him there; big strong hands make it hard for opponents to steal the ball away from him; this is also how he gets steals/pick up loose balls. What could really set him apart though is that he's an emotional leader; a true competitor and always wants to win. Confident player and has a certain swagger/aura around him; communicates well with teammates and gets in their face when they make mistakes. Plays like a Bronx NYC PG, really, and it shows. Although he has improved his three point shot, he is still a streaky three point shooter and might have trouble adjusting to the NBA line. Technique is not so good, sometimes looks like he's throwing the ball rather than shooting it. Form is awkward because he angles his elbow outward; doesn't look like it goes in after he releases it. Lacks an in-between game as well, doesn't seem to utilize it. Sometimes tries to do too much in terms of his scoring, taking bad shots and just not being an effective/true PG. Sometimes tries to be too flashy and make high risk plays for the sake of SportsCenter, but really lacks controlling the tempo and making simple plays like the pick and roll; doesn't really excel at that. Teams may think him as careless and one who can't run a half-court offense. Has exceptional ballhandling skills but might get complacent and create careless turnovers. Can make some plays his team just doesn't need because he always tries to go for the impressive play. Overall focus is a concern because he seems to turn it on and off, on when his team needs it the most; especially shown in the tourney and that's why his team was wildly inconsistent throughout the year and lost to pitiful teams like Bucknell in the tourney. As of now, it seems like only his ballhandling is appealing to the NBA; his age (23 yrs. old) is about 3 years older than the typical junior, so how much more mature can he get? Scouts are not high on that. Not the quickest/fastest guard around; doesn't run the court that well, only has average (or even slightly below average) athletic ability and seems to lack some explosiveness.

James Augustine 6-10 235 PF Illinois Sr.--Has always displayed a tantalizing mix of skill and size, but even with a beautiful jump hook and size to get paint position, he hasn't become a dominant scorer yet. Might tend to play on the passive side, or it could be because he played with three talented guards during his three past seasons. Needs to step it up to have a NBA future.

Costas Vasiliadis 6-6 200 SG Greece 1984--A great scorer and leader of his team; deadly shooter from three point land and possesses a quick/accurate release. Quick feet allow for good penetration skills. Has good rebounding skills and good passion/long arms for the game, helping him get some steals. Athletic, gives 100% each game. Good passer even when double-teamed; good understanding for the game and just fundamentally sound. Shooting selection and defense are major problems; streaky shooter, can be extremely hot or extremely cold any given night, and this is mainly due to shot selection. Not always interested in playing focused defense; prefers to score despite getting steals, even though he defends bigger players better than smaller ones. Lacks strength. In terms of scoring mainly uses the screens/passes from his teammates; doesn't have good enough dribbling ability to create his own shot. Doesn't penetrate enough. Could blossom in an NBA team in the right situation. A poor man's Gordan Giricek?

Daniel Horton 6-3 205 PG Michigan Sr.--Has been a big disappointment ever since his freshman year, when he took the Big Ten by storm and had many thinking that he needed to just play under control to be a 1st rounder. Had displayed the strength, athleticism and shooting of a lead guard in his freshman year. However, his game has gone the other direction--decision making and shooting (although he was never a good shooter to begin with) has generally gotten worse. Not a clutch player anymore either. Last season he was marred with injuries and off-the-court issues. Still has a NBA body though and can make an impact as long as he stays on the court, but he needs to return to freshman form just to jump back into the draft picture. The next Chris Thomas--anyway, one of the more up-and-down prospects in recent memory.

Brandon Bowman 6-8 220 SF Georgetown Sr.--Athletic player who will likely be quicker and taller than any player a team puts on him. Very long and lanky player whose main forte is probably his defensive skills; with long arms he can steal the ball and even block shots fairly well. Decent rebounder and scorer. Perimeter and ballhandling skills need work, and has been quite turnover prone in the past. Has been relegated to role player on his team, has virtually no chance to be drafted.

Tim Smith 5-9 155 PG East Tennessee St. Sr.--An incredibly fast PG with lightning quick speed. Plays his best in the open court style of game with his nifty passes and good scoring skills. Reacts well with his game style before opposing defenders notice, and has an extremely quick release on his shot. Good floater from mid-range. Tends to drift to the left when shooting, and doesn't have much elevation when shooting. On defense, gambles too much for the steal but his lack of height will always backfire on him in the NBA defense. Had a huge slump as a sophomore with inconsistencies. Turnover prone.

Toney Douglas 6-1 180 PG Florida St. So. (ineligible this year)--Undersized SG with a very nice scoring game, and pretty good rebounder, which is good for a freshman. Passing ability, especially for his size, needs a lot of work. Played SG when his dad wanted him to play the PG slot. But would probably stay at college for another year. Will regret using his draft card this early. Transferred from Auburn to Florida State.

Mike Hall 6-8 202 SF George Washington Sr.--Fundamentally sound PF who plays unselfishly. Great technique, knows how to play the game. Gets the most out of his abilities, coaches even love him, despite the fact that he isn't overly explosive or a physically imposing player. Good perimeter shooter, ballhandler, and is a terrific rebounder. Waits for the shots to come to him; however, lacks aggressiveness. Limits turnovers extremely well. Lacks lift to react quickly enough and so is a mediocre shotblocker. Not really an NBA prospect; likely to go undrafted.

Luka Bogdanovic 6-9 215 SF (Yugoslavia) 1985—A fundamentally sound player with great shooting touch. Hits the three pointer and mid-range shot with accuracy. Solid ballhandling and passing skills with good basketball instincts. Ideal build for a SF. Mediocre athletic ability at best—struggles from “White Man’s Disease.� Lacks quickness and speed for defense; lacks a first step and shot creation on offense. Will have to use his skills and instincts to succeed in the NBA. Dropped out of the draft last year.

Bryan Hopkins 5-11 195 PG SMU Sr.--Athletic but undersized PG who comes from a relatively unknown school. Nice build for a PG, great first step, quick off the dribble. Has been playing a bit under the radar. Gets a good amount of steals (led conference in steals for three consecutive seasons) and is an explosive scorer, but his playmaking and shooting skills are below average. Needs to limit his turnovers because he tries to do too much. Very talented, should come back to school because of the PG depth in this year's draft. Top recruit out of HS. (Thanks USC/Lakers for info). Has decided to stay in school.

Armein Kirkland 6-8 205 SG-SF Cincinnati Sr.--Extremely versatile guard who can play the 1-3 spots in the NBA, with his excellent ballhandling and athletic ability. Shows fairly good instincts to the PG position, even. Very intriguing prospect but didn't have the type of breakout year just yet. Decent outside shooter but can certainly improve. There are attitude concerns, as in college he's been in the coach's doghouse at times; likely using his draft card while he still can. Questionable shot selection, is not always the best decision maker and defensive intensity is not always consistent. Questionable body language. Out for the season, virtually no chance to be drafted.

Miguel Marriaga 6-9 230 PF/C Duros De Lara International 1984--Good shotblocker, rebounder, and can score some. Raw though. Thinks he's ready though.

Paulius Jankunas 6-8 240 PF Lithuania 1984--Solid PF playing for a strong European team; left-handed and fairly mobile, with some athleticism (good for a European), a fighting attitude and a nice set of skills. Often looks for his points in the low post, with nice footwork and uses his body/elbows well, along with good spin moves and footspeed to take advantage of his opponent. Has a semi-hook shot he can use with both hands; has potential to make his post game a go-to skill. Also has a jumper, solid from mid-range distances and up to the international three point line, and which can be his biggest scoring threat at times. Doesn't have the best mechanics (open angle when he releases the ball) but quite effective; can't be mistaken for a shooter either. Can put the ball on the floor with his left hand, and can pass from both the low and high posts. His visual impact tends to fool the viewer--looks worse than he, but he normally gets the job done, making up for his lack of strength, athleticism (for an NBA'er) and defense. Smart in positioning, doesn't fear contact, and his offensive instincts help make him a pretty good rebounder. Makes few mistakes; his game reactions/style resembles that of a veteran. However, he just lacks potential. Has his game in the right place, with attitude and skills, but he's undersized to play NBA PF, and he cannot play SF; athleticism doesn't make up for it. Not quick and nothing special about his vertical; limitations NBA-wise are painfully evident on the court. Not skilled in taking opponents off the dribble, doesn't really have any slashing moves in his arsenal. Only survives due to his intelligence/fundamentals on defense. Suffers against quicker/more ahtletic PFs, with only average lateral quickness and the fact that he is not intimidating in the paint. Needs to bulk up a bit for the NBA. Martynas Andriuskevicius's teammate. Had a bad season, likely pulls out.

Keith Brumbaugh 6-8 200 PF Oklahoma St. Fr.--Not ready for the NBA. Averaged 30 pts., 12 rebs. and 5 asts. as a HS Senior. Doesn't have much separating him from the other SFs in this draft class, and hasn't even proven himself in HS All-star games. Pretty nice stroke and athleticism thoug, horrible defender. Declaring was a huge mistake; being undecided for college was worse. Pretty raw player.

Martin Iti 6-10 240 C New Mexico Jr. (ineligible this year)--Great determination and aggressive post game. Good height. Very foul prone and raw, tries to block every shot. Seemed to have bad favors with scouts concerning his height (he was 4 inches shorter than his listed height) after entering the draft last year. Should pull out of this year's draft. Transferred from Charlotte to New Mexico.

Zhu Fangyu 6-7 220 SF (China) 1983--The best wing player of all of Asia. Athletic and skilled SF with a lot of fundamentals; rarity coming out of China because the majority of them are paint players. Unlike other Chinese players plays aggressively and intensely. Quick and good release on his three pointer. Main offensive weapon is the jumper--showing good mechanics and deep range, can even make it off the dribble but prefers the static shot. Can put the ball on the floor and attack the basket; has some handles, and a decent first step; likes to take advantage of unfavorable situations for his defenders. Can make the hustle play; great confidence and motivation. Most of his passes are of the drive-and-dish selection. Has nice lateral movement defensively and this shouldn't be much of a concern at the next level. A bit streaky even in his "comfortable" shots though; hardly gets himself open and has problems creating his own shot against good defenders. Ballhandling skills could use some improvement; his use of the left hand could use some work; so his slashing ability is somewhat limited and he turns the ball over sometimes due to this. Off-the-ball movement might include wavering around the perimeter a bit too much. Not too quick and explosive to take advantage of his matchup; this EXTREMELY limits his penetration abilities, especially at the next level. Needs the ball in his hands to be effective, and this shows especially on D; his team D is especially poor when this doesn't occur, his intensity level decreases considerably and looks passive; this even shows at rebounding, which is poor for his height. Hard to picture how he would be like in the NBA, really, unless he develops his spot-up shot more; doesn't have the best potential and he doesn't really fill a specific role in the league. Has some Olympic experience but was inconsistent there; stock dropped a bit.

Cedric Bozeman 6-6 197 PG UCLA Sr.--Really has no chance of making it to the league. Has good size for a PG though, with adequate playmaking skills. Spectacular court vision and runs the floor well. Good on-the-ball defender. But just has one of the most hideous jumpers in college for his position. Shoots 22% from threes and 55% from the FT line. Can't even shoot, it's even worse than Shaq and Marcus Moore. Very inconsistent and lacks speed to defend quick PGs. Injury prone and has not really shown signs of improvement at UCLA. Definition of a b-u-s-t. Staying in UCLA for another year after his injuries.

Sun Ming-Ming 7-9 360 C Da Qing (China) 1983--Probably needs a year and a half to develop, most likely in the NBA, and has enormous upside and is an intriguing prospect. Can be the tallest player if he makes the league; can dunk without leaving the floor. Freakishly tall with a solid frame, good lower body strength/decent upper body strength. Can be a shotblocking presence solely due to his height; huge hands. Soft touch on his jumper extending out to 15-ft; shoots free throws better than most bigs. Has come to America to hone his skills/get drafted; working hard to improve his game. Has a good shooting touch and decent feel for the game. However, doesn't get up and down the court well and doesn't have good lift off the floor. EXTREMELY slow, horribly unathletic and uncoordinated, runs the floor like a tortoise (couldn't even make the Chinese team due to his speed). Atrocious footwork/coordination in the post, looks like he could trip himself. Lacks mobility/leaping ability so he cannot rebound unless the ball comes to him. 12 inch Vertical leap--pathetic. Might never become a good shotblocker due to his slow reactions and lack of lift; defensive liability against more agile/quicker bigs. Lacks stamina to play more than 2-3 mins. at a time; still learning fundamentals.

Michael Thompson 6-10 250 Northwestern Sr.--Big and mobile to be effective in college, but has displayed talent when he averaged double figures in 13 consecutive games. However, due to playing time, transfer, academics, and injuries, he hasn't even played a full season despite being a senior. Also needs to add significant polish to his game to be ready for the NBA. Horrible rebounder and horrible free throw shooter. Has left Northwestern, he's out of the draft picture.

UPDATES:

7.3.05--Thread started
7.12.05--Updated--Shelden Williams
7.12.05--Updated--Paul Davis
7.15.05--Thread rearranged to fit 1st/2nd rounders
7.15.05--Updated--James White
7.15.05--Added--Guillermo Diaz
7.15.05--Added--Rajon Rondo
7.15.05--Added--Ronnie Brewer
7.15.05--Added--Mardy Collins
7.16.05--Added--Bobby Jones
7.16.05--Added--Brandon Roy
7.18.05--Added--JJ Redick
7.18.05--Added--Taquan Dean
7.18.05--Added--Gerry McNamara
7.20.05--Added--Marcus Williams
7.20.05--Added--Shannon Brown
7.20.05--Added--Taj Gray
7.21.05--Added--Vincent Grier
8.5.05--Added--Sergio Rodriguez
8.5.05--Added--Marco Belinelli
8.31.05--Added--Tang Zhengdong
8.31.05--Added--Costas Vasiliadis
8.31.05--Added--Matias Sandes
9.02.05--Added--Justin Gray
9.11.05--Added--Ivan Chiriaev
9.11.05--Added--Viktor Keirou
9.11.05--Added--Craig Smith
9.11.05--Added--Yemi Nicholson
9.14.05--Added--Juan Palacios
9.14.05--Added--Matt Haryasz
9.14.05--Added--Nik-Caner Medley
9.16.05--Added--Maurice Ager
9.16.05--Added--Nick Fazekas
9.24.05--Added--Josh McRoberts
10.14.05--Updated--Maurice Ager
10.14.05--Updated--Shannon Brown
10.14.05--Updated--Dee Brown
10.14.05--Updated--Brandon Bowman
10.14.05--Added--James Augustine
10.14.05--Added--Terrence Dials
10.14.05--Added--Michael Thompson
10.14.05--Added--Jeff Horner
10.14.05--Added--Daniel Horton
1.15.06--Updated--Ronnie Brewer
1.15.06--Updated--Shawne Williams
1.15.06--Updated--Taj Gray
1.15.06--Updated--Josh Boone
1.15.06--Updated--Mardy Collins
1.15.06--Updated--Nick Fazekas
1.15.06--Updated--Marcus Vinicius
1.15.06--Updated--Nemanja Aleksandrov
1.15.06--Updated--Taquan Dean
1.15.06--Updated--Nik-Caner Medley
1.15.06--Updated--Mock draft

Next update: Player profiles--Randy Foye, Tyrus Thomas, Paul Millsap, Richard Roby

Showtime.Revival.05 wrote:dont know his plans on declaring or not, but jordan farmar is a damn good prospect too

I was thinking the same thing too. He just needs to mature physically.

How about Jordan Farmar of UCLA?

I see the reason you did not put him in the list. I don't see him leaving until maybe his junior year. Chances are that he stays all four years in Westwood. He seems to love the campus.

ckermott wrote:We should have traded our lottery picks for one next year, Josh Boone would be far and away the best option for us!

Next year? If people thought this year's draft was weak, next year's will be weaker.

jsm0331 wrote:

ckermott wrote:We should have traded our lottery picks for one next year, Josh Boone would be far and away the best option for us!

Next year? If people thought this year's draft was weak, next year's will be weaker.

ya 100%. This years draft was not the best but one of the deepest. Next year there will be more bigmen but a lot of them will be bust in the NBA. I smell it coming.

Where the hell is the "Spanish Magician" Sergio Rodriquez on that list? That guy has to be ranked as the second most sought after prospect in next years draft after Rudy Gay. Have you guys seen him play? This guy has some of the best court vision of a guard I have seen in years. He is perfect for the L.A. scene as he thrives on the no-look pass . Why is Sergio not on that list? He's one of my favorite Point Guard prospects in years

What about Walton, Cook, Slava and George? Maybe they can become NBAer?

What about Greg Oden?

LaLaKeRz4lIfE wrote:What about Greg Oden?

He won't be 19 and won't be able to enter next year's draft,

Sun Ming-Ming 7-9 360 C Da Qing (China) 1983--Probably needs a year and a half to develop, most likely in the NBA, and has enormous upside and is an intriguing prospect. Can be the tallest player if he makes the league; can dunk without leaving the floor. Freakishly tall with a solid frame, good lower body strength/decent upper body strength. Can be a shotblocking presence solely due to his height; huge hands. Soft touch on his jumper extending out to 15-ft; shoots free throws better than most bigs. Has come to America to hone his skills/get drafted; working hard to improve his game. Has a good shooting touch and decent feel for the game. However, doesn't get up and down the court well and doesn't have good lift off the floor. EXTREMELY slow, horribly unathletic and uncoordinated, runs the floor like a tortoise (couldn't even make the Chinese team due to his speed). Atrocious footwork/coordination in the post, looks like he could trip himself. Lacks mobility/leaping ability so he cannot rebound unless the ball comes to him. 12 inch Vertical leap--pathetic. Might never become a good shotblocker due to his slow reactions and lack of lift; defensive liability against more agile/quicker bigs. Lacks stamina to play more than 2-3 mins. at a time; still learning fundamentals of game, hasn't played much organized ball. Limited handles and passing skills; looks lost on the court. Needs a lot of time and improvement to make an NBA impact; might have future injuries because he is so big. Slow/awkward release on jumper. Possibly the tallest person in the planet. Has worked out with quite a lot of teams.

plennt does not know where that came from. plennt knows there are taller people ON (not in) earth(but not many). plennt thinks there are a lot of contridictions in that analysis of Sun Ming Ming- but still good job!

rydjorker121 wrote:Andrea Bargnani 6-10 225 PF (Italy) 1985--Has the physical attributes/raw skills to be the next Euro star big man. Tall (7 feet), fluid athlete, runs the floor well, has a nice first step and is a decent leaper. A hugely versatile forward with a great feel for his offensive game. Has a very complete outside game, handles the ball well and has a great stroke from anywhere in the court-- with a quick and high release. Catches and shoots well, beats opposition off the dribble to attack the basket, or pull up for a sweet J. Has nice coordination and quickness and this alone sets him apart from other 7-footers, and really from the rest of the pack. Can be a future matchup nightmare in the mold of Dirk Nowitzki, in the near future. Showed great flashes, played well against the Americans even. Always in the flow of the offense, and even showed personality and creativity in tough shots. Active defender thanks to his quick feet, does his best against opposing bigs; has some shotblocking ability. Doesn't expose his team defensively much. Can shoot from the outside, complete fastbreaks or utilize post moves. Runs the floor well. . Mid-range and free throw shooting are very sound. Very coachable. However, needs to improve his upper body strength, which will help for rebounding and defense. Mentally he's not ready; takes a lot of jumpers. Might be a "tweener" between SF and PF, and has some weaknesses defensively. Lacks bulk and hasn't really matured in terms of his body. Might not finish well around the basket in the NBA due to his bad use of the off hand and his lack of strength. Can't guard NBA SFs. Still learning the game, needs time.

There's only one Dirk, and will only be one Dirk.

Gabriel Pruitt is a better NBA prospect than Jordan Farmar is

UsC/LaKeRs wrote:Gabriel Pruitt is a better NBA prospect than Jordan Farmar is

thanks I needed a good laugh.

thats not to say Pruitt doesnt have a bright future in the NBA, but he isnt even close to Jordan.

I think Diaz from Miami has a chance to be in there.

I loved the write up on one of my favorite players, Carl Krauser.

Great job!

rydjorker121 wrote:Sun Ming-Ming 7-9 360 C Da Qing (China) 1983--Probably needs a year and a half to develop, most likely in the NBA, and has enormous upside and is an intriguing prospect. Can be the tallest player if he makes the league; can dunk without leaving the floor. Freakishly tall with a solid frame, good lower body strength/decent upper body strength. Can be a shotblocking presence solely due to his height; huge hands. Soft touch on his jumper extending out to 15-ft; shoots free throws better than most bigs. Has come to America to hone his skills/get drafted; working hard to improve his game. Has a good shooting touch and decent feel for the game. However, doesn't get up and down the court well and doesn't have good lift off the floor. EXTREMELY slow, horribly unathletic and uncoordinated, runs the floor like a tortoise (couldn't even make the Chinese team due to his speed). Atrocious footwork/coordination in the post, looks like he could trip himself. Lacks mobility/leaping ability so he cannot rebound unless the ball comes to him. 12 inch Vertical leap--pathetic. Might never become a good shotblocker due to his slow reactions and lack of lift; defensive liability against more agile/quicker bigs. Lacks stamina to play more than 2-3 mins. at a time; still learning fundamen

12 inch vertical leap!! This guy is going to be dunked sooo much.

I wish we can some how get Ronnie Brewer, he is the perfect fit for the tri.
Everytime I go to a game to see him play he gets like 18,8 and 8(I live in Arkansas).He is going to be a good player one day,Like Ron Harper in his prime

I am going out on a limb here and say Dee Brown and JJ Reddick are going to make it to the NBA.

Rudy Gay reminds me a lot of Michael Finely.

Hopefully we can land a big man next season, with Miami's pick.

Maybe we fall into a top 10 lottery pick, and can get Williams or Boone. Wouldn't surprise me if Kwame, Mihm, Kobe, or Odom goes down.

Sheldon Williams or Josh Boone would be my picks.

UCLAbadfish wrote:

UsC/LaKeRs wrote:Gabriel Pruitt is a better NBA prospect than Jordan Farmar is

thanks I needed a good laugh.

thats not to say Pruitt doesnt have a bright future in the NBA, but he isnt even close to Jordan.

Thanks - I needed a good laugh from you. I think Farmar and Pruitt have similar bright futures, but I think Pruitt's is brighter. Watch what he does these next two years now that he actually has a coach.

quitkthanx wrote:

UCLAbadfish wrote:

UsC/LaKeRs wrote:Gabriel Pruitt is a better NBA prospect than Jordan Farmar is

thanks I needed a good laugh.

thats not to say Pruitt doesnt have a bright future in the NBA, but he isnt even close to Jordan.

Thanks - I needed a good laugh from you. I think Farmar and Pruitt have similar bright futures, but I think Pruitt's is brighter. Watch what he does these next two years now that he actually has a coach.

i'm sorry but Jordan Farmar is one of the best floor generals in the country. UCLA has one of the best backcourts in the nation in Farmar and Afflalo. Pruitt is probably the better scorer, but Jordan is by far the better PG.

lakerfan32 wrote:

quitkthanx wrote:

UCLAbadfish wrote:

UsC/LaKeRs wrote:Gabriel Pruitt is a better NBA prospect than Jordan Farmar is

thanks I needed a good laugh.

thats not to say Pruitt doesnt have a bright future in the NBA, but he isnt even close to Jordan.

Thanks - I needed a good laugh from you. I think Farmar and Pruitt have similar bright futures, but I think Pruitt's is brighter. Watch what he does these next two years now that he actually has a coach.

i'm sorry but Jordan Farmar is one of the best floor generals in the country. UCLA has one of the best backcourts in the nation in Farmar and Afflalo. Pruitt is probably the better scorer, but Jordan is by far the better PG.

Pruitt has quickness, height, and athletic tools--the prototypical slashing/shooting PG that most teams look for in this new generation. Jordan Farmar is more "old school"--very fundamental, a wizard with the ball, probably the best pure passer to enter the Pac-10 since Jason Kidd. That being said though, Farmar lacks athleticism, good defensive ability, and NBA quickness to an extent, as well as real good shooting ability. Farmar's really of the Deron Williams mold; although he was impressive especially with his passing ability, he made a lot of mistakes regarding turnovers, which is acceptable for a freshman who got thrown into the fire though. I still think that Pruitt was more impressive last year though--in such a bottom-dwelling team, he emerged and showed that he had many NBA-ready physical tools and game. Pruitt's ranked higher in mock drafts for 2007 than Farmar, although both are undisputed 1st rounders.