NBA Draft Talk: Seven players who have helped their status with excellent play in the first two rounds of the tourney
Blake Griffin of Oklahoma has solidified his status at easily the best player available in the 2009 NBA Draft with an outstanding first two games. I still feel he is a Tim Duncan type of center/power forward hybrid who should be an incredible pro. The only question about him is how good he will be at the next level: Hall of Famer or simply All Star?
Cole Aldrich, an awkward looking center for defending national champion Kansas had a triple double against Dayton on Sunday, and looks like a lottery lock whenever he decides to come out. The sophomore appears ungainly at first glance, but he is a terrificly coordinated big man with excellent foul shooting skill and the ability to block a ton of shots. The best center Kansas has had since Wilt Chamberlain.
Terrance Williams saved his top seeded Louisville team yesterday afternoon against underdog Siena by scoring 25 points and leading his team to a close win. Williams is someone who has gotten better each year in school and now, as a senior, appears to be draftable in the late teens or early 20's of the draft. He has enough size to a play small forward at the next level, which is important because I don't see him being able to defend quicker shooting guards. Louisville remains the favorite to win the title, largely due to T-Will.
Tyreke Evans looked completely lost on Memphis squad early in the year. This 6-7 perimeter hybrid came in as the most sought after recruit in the country, but left me scratching my head after watching him play a few games on the wing for the Tigers. John Calipari moved Evans to the point midseason and he and Memphis have not lost since. Evans has moved into lottery territory as a near Magic-sized point guard who still needs to define his jump shot. It's awkward: held high, behind the head, with a release point that needs refinement, but everything else is there for this great young talent. I see him going in the top six or seven in the draft.
Sam Young is clearly the best NBA prospect on the East's number one seeded Pitt Panthers. He is small forward sized at about 6-6, but may need to play the 2 guard at the NBA level. What he can do is catch and shoot as well as anyone in college right now, and is also a great finisher on the break. Has a great athletic body whose only question mark concerns his ability to handle the ball. I love this player, though he may have to wait until #15 or so to hear his name called.
Gerald Henderson has gone from a possible late first rounder to a lottery lock this year. He has gotten better in each of his three years at Duke, and now looks like a certain top ten pick should he leave. Clearly, the youngster can create off the dribble, a requisite skill for any NBA two guard. A skilled shooter and passer with great size and wingspan. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about his game and pedigree, as he is the offspring of former NBAer Gerald Henderson (who back in 1984 allowed the Celtics to win their 15th NBA title with a late game steal of a James Worthy pass in the Finals at the old Boston Garden). It is possible that, in the years to come, that Henderson may be known as the second best player in the NBA Draft of 2009.
Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn is the best and most irreplaceable player on my pick to reach the championship game out of the East/South bracket. The Cuse has two of everything except at the point, where Flynn plays the entire game sometimes. As he goes, so goes Syracuse. Flynn's NBA potential is held back by his short stature. He is only about 6 feet tall, though solidly built. I look at him going later that the 15th pick, but he can shoot and score at the NBA level. A very good prospect.
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James Harden of Arizona State may have killed off any chance he had of being the second player taken, as had been rumored for a while. He was passive against Syracuse zone defense, and played poorly in A-St's first rounder against Temple. He has the size and skill to be a star at the next level, but when a great player defers to less talented teammates in his team's two biggest games of the year, red flags should be going up around the league. I still see him as a lottery pick, but like Duke's Henderson and Memphis' Evans a lot more at this point at the guard position.
With Wake Forest's collapse and first round exit, it looks like there is no possibility of their guard, 6-2 Jeff Teague, going in the lottery. His teammate, Al-Farouq Aminu, is also an excellent prospect. The problem with these lottery type talents is Wake's head coach Dino Guadio, who is clearly in over his head as head man of the most talented team in the country. Wake reached number one midseason after winning their first 16 games, went into a foreseeable slump, and then Gaudio panicked, taking the ball and point guard responsibilities out of super talent Teague's hands and giving them to a far inferior teammate. Wake remained in a slump for the rest of the year. I thought that Teague might possibly be the second player taken in the draft when he was tearing it up at midseason, as Derrick Rose's number one selection last year showed how valuable point guards are in the NBA. It may be best, though, with the situation at Wake, for both Teague and Aminu to go pro and take their lumps and less money, rather than go back to a deteriorating situation at Wake.
DeJaun Blair, center for Pitt, may be the best rebounder in the college game, but he is not a top flight NBA player right now and probably ever with his lack of perimeter game. The man just can't shoot the ball outside of three feet away from the basket, and any team that selects him better have a lot of shooters to make up for him. I love him as a college player, and he may lead Pitt to a national championship, but I would avoid him in the NBA Draft whenever he declares.
Greg Monroe played on the worst Georgetown team in some time this year. At 6-10 and highly skilled, the lefthander was looked at as a lottery lock at midseason, but now, due to the Hoyas collapse, he faces a tough decision: stay or go. John Thompson III put junior Jeff Green into the lottery three years ago after a Final Four run so if I were advising Monroe I'd tell him to stay a year or two more if he can financially, and see if he can regain his status. He, despite a thin frame and narrow shoulders, has the ability if he can add 20 pounds of muscle, to be Chris Both playalike at the next level, which would be worth a top five pick in 2010.
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Intriguing Talents No One Is Talking About --
Danny Green, wing player for North Carolina, has a future in the NBA in my opinion. It is said that the last man to hold Michael Jordan under 20 was Coach Dean Smith, and I wonder if a similar thing will be said about Roy Williams when Green's name comes up ten years from now. Green is about 6-7 with a good body, can shoot with range, handles the ball well, and has, I think, a lot more NBA potential than his teammate Tyler Hansbrough. Well worth a late first round pick.
Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga's 6-10 talent, possesses all the skills of a top notch NBA power forward. If his head is screwed on right, Heytvelt can be a player at the next level and worth a 20-something pick. The question about him, of course, remains his head: what will money and fame do to a guy with a history of drug abuse and indiscretions? Inside knowledge and interviews with the young man will be key as to where he gets drafted. If he is honest and appears mature, he can make a lot of money, especially if Gonazaga can beat North Carolina in the sub-regionals this week. Green, Hansbrough, Heytvelt, and Gonzaga soph big man Austin Daye going at it will be closely followed by NBA scouts.
Tyler Hansbrough of UNC is a former NCAA POY, but absolutely no one thinks he can be a star at the next level. Count me in on that. I wrote a post at midseason saying Hansbrough is a better bet than the likes of BJ Mullens of Ohio State to be a good pro, but I have seen the light and admit I was wrong: Mullens is a far superior talent AT THE NEXT LEVEL. Mullens disappears at times but is highly skilled and athletic. Hansbrough is a beast at the college level and plays with constant intensity, but he is rooted to the floor at all times and will have his shot blocked next year so many times he will probably develop a complex. I have a ton of respect for how hard he works, but the man just does not get up in the air. His only hope is to watch a lot of film of New Orleans Hornet David West, another former NCAA POY who went from post player to perimeter shooter at the next level, quite successfully.
Jerel McNeal, shooting guard for Marquetter, put up extraordinary numbers for a terrific program, but it doesn't look like scouts are in love with his game. I am not sure. He is about 6-3, so he's not real big. He shoots well but doesn't appear adept at creating his shot off the dribble, as he takes a lot of catch and shoots. This guy could be a star or a bust. Well worth a look in the later stages of the first round.
Hasheem Thabeet will be among the most talked about NBA prospects when he declares following the college season. He is 7 foot but has narrow shoulders. He is a great athlete but one who plays on the floor a lot. He does not possess a go to move right now, but will that continue? Hard to know where to stand on this great shotblocker. The obvious comparison is Dikembe Motumbo, who has had a great though not Hall of Fame worthy NBA career. I don't see Thabeet being that good because of his frame and his lack of offensive polish after three years at the preeminent program for developing NBA players. He is a better version of Samuel Dalembert, and that is not worthy of a top ten pick. He will go early in the lottery as UConn may just win the whole thing, but I don't see him being a great pro. In fact UConn may not have a top notch NBA talent on their entire roster despite being one of the three or four best teams.
Cole Aldrich, an awkward looking center for defending national champion Kansas had a triple double against Dayton on Sunday, and looks like a lottery lock whenever he decides to come out. The sophomore appears ungainly at first glance, but he is a terrificly coordinated big man with excellent foul shooting skill and the ability to block a ton of shots. The best center Kansas has had since Wilt Chamberlain.
Terrance Williams saved his top seeded Louisville team yesterday afternoon against underdog Siena by scoring 25 points and leading his team to a close win. Williams is someone who has gotten better each year in school and now, as a senior, appears to be draftable in the late teens or early 20's of the draft. He has enough size to a play small forward at the next level, which is important because I don't see him being able to defend quicker shooting guards. Louisville remains the favorite to win the title, largely due to T-Will.
Tyreke Evans looked completely lost on Memphis squad early in the year. This 6-7 perimeter hybrid came in as the most sought after recruit in the country, but left me scratching my head after watching him play a few games on the wing for the Tigers. John Calipari moved Evans to the point midseason and he and Memphis have not lost since. Evans has moved into lottery territory as a near Magic-sized point guard who still needs to define his jump shot. It's awkward: held high, behind the head, with a release point that needs refinement, but everything else is there for this great young talent. I see him going in the top six or seven in the draft.
Sam Young is clearly the best NBA prospect on the East's number one seeded Pitt Panthers. He is small forward sized at about 6-6, but may need to play the 2 guard at the NBA level. What he can do is catch and shoot as well as anyone in college right now, and is also a great finisher on the break. Has a great athletic body whose only question mark concerns his ability to handle the ball. I love this player, though he may have to wait until #15 or so to hear his name called.
Gerald Henderson has gone from a possible late first rounder to a lottery lock this year. He has gotten better in each of his three years at Duke, and now looks like a certain top ten pick should he leave. Clearly, the youngster can create off the dribble, a requisite skill for any NBA two guard. A skilled shooter and passer with great size and wingspan. There is absolutely nothing to dislike about his game and pedigree, as he is the offspring of former NBAer Gerald Henderson (who back in 1984 allowed the Celtics to win their 15th NBA title with a late game steal of a James Worthy pass in the Finals at the old Boston Garden). It is possible that, in the years to come, that Henderson may be known as the second best player in the NBA Draft of 2009.
Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn is the best and most irreplaceable player on my pick to reach the championship game out of the East/South bracket. The Cuse has two of everything except at the point, where Flynn plays the entire game sometimes. As he goes, so goes Syracuse. Flynn's NBA potential is held back by his short stature. He is only about 6 feet tall, though solidly built. I look at him going later that the 15th pick, but he can shoot and score at the NBA level. A very good prospect.
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James Harden of Arizona State may have killed off any chance he had of being the second player taken, as had been rumored for a while. He was passive against Syracuse zone defense, and played poorly in A-St's first rounder against Temple. He has the size and skill to be a star at the next level, but when a great player defers to less talented teammates in his team's two biggest games of the year, red flags should be going up around the league. I still see him as a lottery pick, but like Duke's Henderson and Memphis' Evans a lot more at this point at the guard position.
With Wake Forest's collapse and first round exit, it looks like there is no possibility of their guard, 6-2 Jeff Teague, going in the lottery. His teammate, Al-Farouq Aminu, is also an excellent prospect. The problem with these lottery type talents is Wake's head coach Dino Guadio, who is clearly in over his head as head man of the most talented team in the country. Wake reached number one midseason after winning their first 16 games, went into a foreseeable slump, and then Gaudio panicked, taking the ball and point guard responsibilities out of super talent Teague's hands and giving them to a far inferior teammate. Wake remained in a slump for the rest of the year. I thought that Teague might possibly be the second player taken in the draft when he was tearing it up at midseason, as Derrick Rose's number one selection last year showed how valuable point guards are in the NBA. It may be best, though, with the situation at Wake, for both Teague and Aminu to go pro and take their lumps and less money, rather than go back to a deteriorating situation at Wake.
DeJaun Blair, center for Pitt, may be the best rebounder in the college game, but he is not a top flight NBA player right now and probably ever with his lack of perimeter game. The man just can't shoot the ball outside of three feet away from the basket, and any team that selects him better have a lot of shooters to make up for him. I love him as a college player, and he may lead Pitt to a national championship, but I would avoid him in the NBA Draft whenever he declares.
Greg Monroe played on the worst Georgetown team in some time this year. At 6-10 and highly skilled, the lefthander was looked at as a lottery lock at midseason, but now, due to the Hoyas collapse, he faces a tough decision: stay or go. John Thompson III put junior Jeff Green into the lottery three years ago after a Final Four run so if I were advising Monroe I'd tell him to stay a year or two more if he can financially, and see if he can regain his status. He, despite a thin frame and narrow shoulders, has the ability if he can add 20 pounds of muscle, to be Chris Both playalike at the next level, which would be worth a top five pick in 2010.
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Intriguing Talents No One Is Talking About --
Danny Green, wing player for North Carolina, has a future in the NBA in my opinion. It is said that the last man to hold Michael Jordan under 20 was Coach Dean Smith, and I wonder if a similar thing will be said about Roy Williams when Green's name comes up ten years from now. Green is about 6-7 with a good body, can shoot with range, handles the ball well, and has, I think, a lot more NBA potential than his teammate Tyler Hansbrough. Well worth a late first round pick.
Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga's 6-10 talent, possesses all the skills of a top notch NBA power forward. If his head is screwed on right, Heytvelt can be a player at the next level and worth a 20-something pick. The question about him, of course, remains his head: what will money and fame do to a guy with a history of drug abuse and indiscretions? Inside knowledge and interviews with the young man will be key as to where he gets drafted. If he is honest and appears mature, he can make a lot of money, especially if Gonazaga can beat North Carolina in the sub-regionals this week. Green, Hansbrough, Heytvelt, and Gonzaga soph big man Austin Daye going at it will be closely followed by NBA scouts.
Tyler Hansbrough of UNC is a former NCAA POY, but absolutely no one thinks he can be a star at the next level. Count me in on that. I wrote a post at midseason saying Hansbrough is a better bet than the likes of BJ Mullens of Ohio State to be a good pro, but I have seen the light and admit I was wrong: Mullens is a far superior talent AT THE NEXT LEVEL. Mullens disappears at times but is highly skilled and athletic. Hansbrough is a beast at the college level and plays with constant intensity, but he is rooted to the floor at all times and will have his shot blocked next year so many times he will probably develop a complex. I have a ton of respect for how hard he works, but the man just does not get up in the air. His only hope is to watch a lot of film of New Orleans Hornet David West, another former NCAA POY who went from post player to perimeter shooter at the next level, quite successfully.
Jerel McNeal, shooting guard for Marquetter, put up extraordinary numbers for a terrific program, but it doesn't look like scouts are in love with his game. I am not sure. He is about 6-3, so he's not real big. He shoots well but doesn't appear adept at creating his shot off the dribble, as he takes a lot of catch and shoots. This guy could be a star or a bust. Well worth a look in the later stages of the first round.
Hasheem Thabeet will be among the most talked about NBA prospects when he declares following the college season. He is 7 foot but has narrow shoulders. He is a great athlete but one who plays on the floor a lot. He does not possess a go to move right now, but will that continue? Hard to know where to stand on this great shotblocker. The obvious comparison is Dikembe Motumbo, who has had a great though not Hall of Fame worthy NBA career. I don't see Thabeet being that good because of his frame and his lack of offensive polish after three years at the preeminent program for developing NBA players. He is a better version of Samuel Dalembert, and that is not worthy of a top ten pick. He will go early in the lottery as UConn may just win the whole thing, but I don't see him being a great pro. In fact UConn may not have a top notch NBA talent on their entire roster despite being one of the three or four best teams.
posted by joe sweeney at 2:32 AM
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