Here is how the Pacer Digest NBA Draft has played out so far, with the number of votes the player received as well as total votes.
1. Toronto ------ LaMarcus Aldridge ---- 16 of 48
2. Chicago ------ Tyrus Thomas -------- 22 of 39
With the 3rd pick, the Charlotte Bobcats
Player info provided by NBADraft.net http://www.nbadraft.net/index.asp
Centers
Patrick O'Bryant 7-0, 250 So.
Strengths: Classic late bloomer ... Bigman with excellent upside ... Huge frame with extremely long arms (likely close to 7-6 wingspan) ... Very good agility for a 7 footer, light on his feet ... Not afraid of contact, good strength and improving rapidly ... Runs the court and moves very well, also quick getting into transition ... Should be able to carry another 20-30 pounds ... Great shot blocker, doesn't get overzealous. Can block a lot of shots without jumping ... Excellent rebounder ... Has good touch on his shot, solid free throw shooter ... Works hard to establish position under the basket ... Has developed some solid post moves ... Displays good footwork ... Has a very good turnaround jump hook ... Soft hands on rebounds ...
Weaknesses: Needs to get bigger, stronger, tougher ... Still growing into his body, gets banged around due to lack of body strength, but he's working hard in the weight room to improve upon it and showing great progress ... Bigmen take the longest to develop ... He's still getting used to his body and learning what he's capable of ... Body balance is weak, will improve in time with added strength ... Not a tremendous leaper, but above average for a 7 footer ... Must get nastier on the court, develop a killer instinct
Saer Sene 7-0, 235 1986
Strengths: An absolutely jaw dropping physical specimen with his combination of size, length, strength, athleticism and mobility ... Very disruptive defensively and rebounds the ball well ... Has a 7'8" wingspan making him a force as a shot blocker ... Already getting playing time at the Senior level for Pepinster and getting decent minutes and stats ... Runs the floor well ... Great hands, has no problems catching the ball or rebounding ... Extremely agile, he can fall down on the court like a cat, not heavily like most big man ... Very coach-able and a hard working kid ...
Weaknesses: Still doesn't have much offensive game to speak of ... Only began playing basketball in 2003 so he's still learning the game ... Must continue working hard to maximize his great potential
Aaron Gray 7-0, 270 Jr.
Strengths: Late bloomer who showed incredible improvement in his junior season ... At 7-0, 270 pounds, Gray has tremendous size and strength ... Rebounds the ball very well, his best attribute ... Also has above average passing ability ... Has developed some effective moves in near the basket ... Through hard work has shown excellent progress in his body, mobility and game ... Shows solid fundamentals and good mechanics shooting the ball ... Free throw shooting stll just average but showing steady improvement ... Uses his body well to create shots, enjoys contact. Has good toughness ... Plays to his strengths rebounding and scoring on put backs ...
Weaknesses: Lacks great agility and body control ... Struggles coordinating his feet on drives to the basket and in transition ... Lacks great touch and range on his shot. FG% far below where it needs to be for a center ... Turnover prove, doesn't have great ability to protect the basketball ... Slow foot speed and lateral quickness ... Plays better in the half court set ... Not a big leaper ... Struggles offensively against athletic shot blockers ... Decent shot blocker due to his size, but does not get great lift, and wont be a huge shot blocker on the next level
Power Forwards
Andrea Bargnani 6-11, 240 1985
Strengths:Good foot work, soft hands even if he's not particularly strong ... A fast player with very quick feet and first step for such a big guy, runs well in the fast break ... Shoots it quickly, with solid release and is also a great catch and shoot player ... Good one on one player who prefers to face the basket ... Bouncy, and will get up multiple times off two feet ... Good shot blocker ... Played an average of 12 minutes per game this season (2004-05) ... Generally impacts game tempo in a positive way when he's on the floor ... Makes plays.
Weaknesses: Needs to develop more body strength for the NBA, as he can be moved off the block. His strength has really gotten better in the past year, but he still has aways to go... Still very new to the game having played at the professional level for only two seasons ... Missed parts of the 2004-05 season due to illnesses ... Excellent shot mechanics, but could use more arc on his shot ... Favors his right hand, and needs to be a better back to basket offensive player ... Indecisive passer at times, but employs proper tecnique ... With no Italian players in the NBA, it could hurt him slightly in scouts minds ... Emotional player, he needs more experience in order to gain more confidence.
Cedric Simmons 6-10, 233 So.
Strengths: Talented bigman with great length and fluidity ... Tremendous shot blocker due to his huge wingspan (7'4") and quick leaping ability ... Disruptive and active defensively ... Has the size to play center and power forward on the next level ... Uses back to the basket post moves and is showing great progress in his ability to score posting up ... Has developed an effective jump hook ... Displays solid toughness inside. Does not shy away from contact ... Plays hard, good energy ... Terrific rebounder due to his long arms and leaping ability ... Has great hands ... Very fast in the open court, great transition player ... Tremendous feet, his foot speed allows him to rebound out of position and cover a lot of ground defensively ... His body is on it's way. When he adds another 10-15 pounds, he's going to be very tough to contend with inside ... Attacks the basket well ... Has good touch around the basket ... Solid free throw shooter who showed great improvement from his freshman year ... Still very raw, but has great upside and a willingness to work hard to improve ... Vision and passing skills are above average for a post ...
Weaknesses: Still developing offensively ... Lacks great range and a consistent jump shot from any distance ... Offensive game is still a work in progress ... Shows excellent flashes, but lacks any real go-to moves ... Strength is not a major issue, but he should get stronger to become more effective inside on the next level ... Consistency will improve with experience ... Not a great ball handler. Lacks a real face the basket game, but has the shooting touch to add 12-15 foot jumpshot ... His court sense and feel for the game can improve.
Sheldon Williams 6-9, 250 Sr.
Strengths: Burly power forward with a no nonsense approach ... Great experience, 4 years at Duke has given him a strong foundation with a great skill level and solid fundamentals ... Hard worker who has developed a reputation as a great kid ... Extremely strong body ... Deceptively quick and athletic ... Sticks to playing in the post, where he dominates on the NCAA level ... Tremendous wingspan allows him to play like a 7 footer ... A real defensive presence, a shot blocker who won national defensive player of the year as a junior ... Averages close to 4 blocks per game as a senior ... Should be able to guard centers in the NBA ... Great rebounding ability, boxes out well ... Understands how to defend, has become disciplined (blocks a ton of shots without fouling out very often) ... Range on his jumpshot has shown improvement through hard work, along with his free throw shooting ... Fairly consistent out to 12-15 feet ... Posts up well and uses his strength well to score ... His post moves have really developed well in his 4 years at Duke, including hooks and drop steps ... Touch around the basket is good and converts well after contact ...
Weaknesses: Rigid. Williams lacks great fluidity running the floor, his movements could be described as stiff or mechanical ... Lacks the ability to improvise much in the open floor: catching and dribbling/passing before a shot, he's a lot more comfortable with set plays or crashing the glass ... Offensive game may be limited on next level due to lack of spontaneity (the Duke computer chip in his head runs best in half court set) ... Lacks great vision or passing ability ... His body is very rigid partly due to his muscle mass ... High school incident not considered indicative of his true character, especially after Duke retained his scholarship. He's been a model citizen ever since (accusation) and comes from strong family background ... Has given up a number of big games to post players as a senior, partly due to Duke's perimeter defensive approach
Small Forwards
Adam Morrison 6-8, 220 Jr.
Strengths: A special talent ... Old school right down to the stripes on the socks ... Like a coach on the floor ... Incredibly competitive ... The game comes very easily to him ... A great player in the half court ... Can create offense for himself or others ... Really excels with the ball in his hands at the top of the key ... Very good scorer with complete offensive repertoire ... Effortless shooting stroke ... Has great anticipation and basketball understanding ... Great intangibles, competes and inspires others to play hard ... Hard worker ... Plays with great intensity and aggressiveness ... Fundamentally solid, does all the little things to help his team win ... A true competitor. Will not back down from anyone ... Wants to take the big shot ... Sees the floor well, and is creative finding teammates for baskets ... Catches and shoots, or can shoot on the move ... Great at moving without the ball ... Finds a way to score against better athletes ... Great leadership ability ...
Weaknesses: Not especially gifted athletically ... Lacks great foot speed getting out into transition ... Runs decent, but needs a head of steam ...Better hand speed than foot speed ... Leaping ability is average ... Plays hard on defense but lacks great lateral quickness ... Lack of a great first step will make it harder to get shots off against superior athletes
Rudy Gay 6-8, 220 So.
Strengths: Run and jump athlete who finishes well above the rim ... High flyer ... Very versatile... Does everything well ... Complete offensive arsenal... Can hit the mid range jumper... Excellent at slashing to the hoop... Accurate passer who is very unselfish... Does the majority of his damage in the post ... Very strong and stays active throughout the game ... Very tough to defend... Doesn’t get pushed around down low ... Runs the floor well ... Tough on the boards... Has a passion for the game ... Works harder than everyone else on the court ... A coach’s dream player ... Will most likely play on the wing at the next level ... Has great potential.
Weaknesses: Ball handling could stand to improve ... Must gain maturity ... Develop physically ... His glaring weaknesses are his inexperience and his handle. His handle has improved dramatically but learning that phase late has slowed him moderately ... He will be star with some college seasoning ... He has only really been coached for a year and a half now so if UConn can get 2 years out of him he will be one of the baddest things to come out of college since Tim Duncan
Rodney Carney 6-7, 205 Sr.
Strengths: Highlight reel waiting to happen ... One of the most athletic players in all of college basketball … Jump shot has improved ... Big upside… Long and lean … Very versatile… Great elevation on jumper which is nearly impossible to block… Confident… Good poise … Pesky defender … Blankets defenders with his long arms and quick feet… Anticipates well and plays the passing lanes for steals ... Really gets up and grabs rebounds … Excellent speed and quickness …
Weaknesses: Needs to add strength, put time in the weight room and bulk up some ... Can be prone to taking bad shots at times … Forces shots … Must become better at handling the ball and creating offense for himself ... Settles with the outside shot instead of trying to get something easier … Lacks great vision and passing ability ... Needs to shoot with more consistency… Can be too reliant on his athleticism ... Needs to get a little tougher on the court ... Too right hand dependent, needs to become better at handling with his left hand
Shooting Guards
Brandon Roy 6-5, 195 Sr.
Strengths: Roy is a no nonsense 2-guard with excellent all around skills ... Very cerebral player, makes excellent decisions. Understands the game ... Very polished, great experience with four years at Washington under his belt ... An excellent shooter who steps up in big situations. Hit a number of huge shots at the end of games this year ... Has worked hard on his outside shot which has improved each year ... Great competitor ... Excellent ball handler with the ability to create shots for himself and others ... His midrange game is relatively impressive and his range has really improved this year ... Really stepped up in his senior year assuming a leadership role and taking over as the go to player for the Huskies ... Has spent time at the point guard position this year, and played admirably ... Not afraid to take the ball inside. Utilizes the spin move in the paint well ... Good free throw shooter at 81% ... Has great composure and confidence. Never gets rattled ... Good one on one skills with the ability to shoot off the dribble and get by his man to the basket ...
Weaknesses: Does everything very well but nothing out of this world ... On the small side. Lacks tremendous size and length at just 6-5 and average wing span ... A good athlete, but nothing extraordinary. Not a great leaper or thunderous dunker ... Lacks great body strength. His body is solid but not overpowering ... Foot speed and quickness is strong but wont stand out on the next level ... Defensively he is just average giving solid effort, but lacks the foot speed to be a lock down defender
J.J. Redick 6-4, 190 Sr.
Strengths: One of the purest shooters anywhere ... Redick has a beautiful outside stroke that creates fear in the eyes of opponents ... He possesses incredible range and routinely takes shots well beyond the three point line. He's a player that you simply can't leave open anywhere within the area code of the basket ... He has also added a deadly mid range game to his repertoire, with the ability to create shots for himself with ball fakes and the dribble drive … Unbelievable at rolling off screens and hitting the open J ... Redick has picture perfect form, a lightning quick release and gets great elevation on his shot. He is also automatic from the free throw line ... Has a killer instinct and seems to step his game up in clutch situations ... Never appears tired, has great conditioning and work ethic ...
Weaknesses: Doesn't have great size or athleticism for the 2 at the next level ... He doesn't possess the ball handling or passing skills to run the point … He can be streaky at times, but he's on more often than not … His defense will also need work as he lacks both size and strength ... Must prove he can score against elite level athletes ... Not a freak athlete, but his quickness and agility is better than it looks
Ronnie Brewer 6-7, 217 Jr.
Strengths: 2 guard with great versatility ... Very intriguing because of his ability to run the show from the point guard position ... Has good leadership abilities ... Creates well off the dribble with a quick first step ... Elevates his teammates play with his passing ability ... Excellent vision, creating easy baskets for open teammates ... Thoroughbred type of athlete, very strong frame, think legs, extremely fast in the open floor ... Long arms and quick hands make him a defensive nightmare ... Great rebounder at the guard position ... Aggressive defender ... Anticipates passes well and forces a ton of steals with his on ball pressure ... Has range out to college three with good accuracy ... Has a great feel for the game which comes from being around basketball his whole life ...
Weaknesses: A childhood water slide accident left him with a small bone protruding from his triceps area which has created an abnormal shooting form ... Not a great spot up shooter, makes most of his shots moving towards the basket, a rhythm shooter ... Much quicker than he is athletic, wont wow you with monster dunks, but not a bad leaper ... Mostly effective with the ball in his hands, so some feel he must dominate the ball to be effective
Point Guards
Randy Foye 6-3, 205 Sr.
Strengths: Talented lead guard ... Has persevered through a rough upbringing (losing both parents young) and shows great hunger and toughness because of it ... Excellent one on one player ... Has a bag of tricks offensively with crossovers and AND1 type moves ... Uses change of direction well to get his defenders off balance ... Plays well in an open court game with great speed and body control ... Handles the ball effortlessly ... Strong finisher capable of taking the ball all the way to the rack in traffic ... Very strong body able to physically overpower opponents ... Picture perfect high release and high arc on his shot ... Hard worker, his outside shot has shown steady improvement ... Capable of big time scoring outbursts ... Adept at shooting with just an inch of daylight ...Strong defender, very aggressive looking for steals on the ball and on passes ... Great leadership ability ... Excellent maturity ... Has excellent size/strength for the point guard position ... Quality free throw shooter ...
Weaknesses: Some consider him more of a combo than a true point guard ... Isn't a natural at setting the table and running the show as a point guard but has shown improvement in that area ... With Lowry playing the point, some of his deficiencies are covered up ... His passing ability is decent, but not great for a point guard ... Can be too aggressive at times offensively forcing bad shots ... Aggressiveness defensively can lead to foul problems, he can also get caught gambling for steals
Marcus Williams 6-2, 200 Jr.
Strengths: Williams has improved tremendously since his freshman year when he veraged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 31 minutes/game ... He has a great "feel" for the game, something he didn't show freshman year ... A tremendous passer who led the entire nation in assists per game at 8.1 ... He controls the tempo of the game as well as any guard in the Big East ... He displays a good right hand, finishing fairly well on drives with it, though he is naturally left-handed ... His three-point shooting percentage rose over 20% last season to a respectable 40% ... He's a threat from the outside now which allows him to penetrate and dish or finish more often ... When big men challenge him in the paint, he uses a crafty floater/tear drop type of shot that he has really perfected ... He is practically unstoppable in the open court because his decision making is so quick and precise ... Whether it is pulling up for the jumper if his man plays off him or hitting a wing player filling the lane, Williams makes the appropriate decision ... He has a killer crossover that he uses to get by his man on the perimeter and is athletic, getting good lift on his jumper ... Defensively he does a good job staying in front of his man and limiting drives, he averages 1.1 stl/game …Williams was productive as a freshman where he average 4.3/game assists in only 14 minutes/game.
Weaknesses: One of the main things Williams needs to work on is his turnovers ... Though he makes the right decision on the break, oftentimes he turns the ball over after drive in the lane while trying to feed teammates ... Actually needs to be more selfish at times, especially late in games when teammates are struggling ... Some of the bigger concerns with Williams is his off the court behavior. He only played in 16 games as a freshmen for failing to qualify academically and missed playing in UConn's championship run. Also, more recently, Williams and fellow UConn guard A.J. Price allegedly stole 10 laptop computers from UConn dorm rooms. There could be serious repercussions from such allegations ... Williams needs to keep his focus on basketball if he is going to continue to become the star player that he showed the potential to become last season.
Mardy Collins 6-6, 205 Sr.
Strengths: At 6-6 he's got the ability to run the show from the point guard position ... Very smooth offensive abilities ... Plays a controlled game, doesn't try to be too flashy or make spectacular plays, keeps it simple and effective ... Excellent vision and passing ... Shooting mechanics and fundamentals are very good ... Good ball handler ... Long arms help out with closing passing lanes and getting to the rim ... Good defender coming out of the Temple system which emphasizes defense ... Excellent at anticipating passes, ball hawking style ... Great team player, excellent versatility ... Extremely durable player, plays almost 40 minutes every game, and rarely if ever misses a start.
Weaknesses: Never a bigtime scorer, although the Temple system limits him somewhat in that regard ... Shooting %s have never been great from outside, although these numbers get hurt by collapsing defenses and forced shots taken with the shot clock running low ... Lacks a very athletic body, especially on appearance ... Not a very physical player, should use his size advantage better offensively ... Not a huge leaper, lacks great explosiveness or a devastating first step ... Upside is decent, but not off the charts ... One of those guys who is solid in a number of areas, but fails to stand out in any one area ... Must become better at moving without the ball, can be a little too ball dependant ... Free throw shooting is below average
1. Toronto ------ LaMarcus Aldridge ---- 16 of 48
2. Chicago ------ Tyrus Thomas -------- 22 of 39
With the 3rd pick, the Charlotte Bobcats
Player info provided by NBADraft.net http://www.nbadraft.net/index.asp
Centers
Patrick O'Bryant 7-0, 250 So.
Strengths: Classic late bloomer ... Bigman with excellent upside ... Huge frame with extremely long arms (likely close to 7-6 wingspan) ... Very good agility for a 7 footer, light on his feet ... Not afraid of contact, good strength and improving rapidly ... Runs the court and moves very well, also quick getting into transition ... Should be able to carry another 20-30 pounds ... Great shot blocker, doesn't get overzealous. Can block a lot of shots without jumping ... Excellent rebounder ... Has good touch on his shot, solid free throw shooter ... Works hard to establish position under the basket ... Has developed some solid post moves ... Displays good footwork ... Has a very good turnaround jump hook ... Soft hands on rebounds ...
Weaknesses: Needs to get bigger, stronger, tougher ... Still growing into his body, gets banged around due to lack of body strength, but he's working hard in the weight room to improve upon it and showing great progress ... Bigmen take the longest to develop ... He's still getting used to his body and learning what he's capable of ... Body balance is weak, will improve in time with added strength ... Not a tremendous leaper, but above average for a 7 footer ... Must get nastier on the court, develop a killer instinct
Saer Sene 7-0, 235 1986
Strengths: An absolutely jaw dropping physical specimen with his combination of size, length, strength, athleticism and mobility ... Very disruptive defensively and rebounds the ball well ... Has a 7'8" wingspan making him a force as a shot blocker ... Already getting playing time at the Senior level for Pepinster and getting decent minutes and stats ... Runs the floor well ... Great hands, has no problems catching the ball or rebounding ... Extremely agile, he can fall down on the court like a cat, not heavily like most big man ... Very coach-able and a hard working kid ...
Weaknesses: Still doesn't have much offensive game to speak of ... Only began playing basketball in 2003 so he's still learning the game ... Must continue working hard to maximize his great potential
Aaron Gray 7-0, 270 Jr.
Strengths: Late bloomer who showed incredible improvement in his junior season ... At 7-0, 270 pounds, Gray has tremendous size and strength ... Rebounds the ball very well, his best attribute ... Also has above average passing ability ... Has developed some effective moves in near the basket ... Through hard work has shown excellent progress in his body, mobility and game ... Shows solid fundamentals and good mechanics shooting the ball ... Free throw shooting stll just average but showing steady improvement ... Uses his body well to create shots, enjoys contact. Has good toughness ... Plays to his strengths rebounding and scoring on put backs ...
Weaknesses: Lacks great agility and body control ... Struggles coordinating his feet on drives to the basket and in transition ... Lacks great touch and range on his shot. FG% far below where it needs to be for a center ... Turnover prove, doesn't have great ability to protect the basketball ... Slow foot speed and lateral quickness ... Plays better in the half court set ... Not a big leaper ... Struggles offensively against athletic shot blockers ... Decent shot blocker due to his size, but does not get great lift, and wont be a huge shot blocker on the next level
Power Forwards
Andrea Bargnani 6-11, 240 1985
Strengths:Good foot work, soft hands even if he's not particularly strong ... A fast player with very quick feet and first step for such a big guy, runs well in the fast break ... Shoots it quickly, with solid release and is also a great catch and shoot player ... Good one on one player who prefers to face the basket ... Bouncy, and will get up multiple times off two feet ... Good shot blocker ... Played an average of 12 minutes per game this season (2004-05) ... Generally impacts game tempo in a positive way when he's on the floor ... Makes plays.
Weaknesses: Needs to develop more body strength for the NBA, as he can be moved off the block. His strength has really gotten better in the past year, but he still has aways to go... Still very new to the game having played at the professional level for only two seasons ... Missed parts of the 2004-05 season due to illnesses ... Excellent shot mechanics, but could use more arc on his shot ... Favors his right hand, and needs to be a better back to basket offensive player ... Indecisive passer at times, but employs proper tecnique ... With no Italian players in the NBA, it could hurt him slightly in scouts minds ... Emotional player, he needs more experience in order to gain more confidence.
Cedric Simmons 6-10, 233 So.
Strengths: Talented bigman with great length and fluidity ... Tremendous shot blocker due to his huge wingspan (7'4") and quick leaping ability ... Disruptive and active defensively ... Has the size to play center and power forward on the next level ... Uses back to the basket post moves and is showing great progress in his ability to score posting up ... Has developed an effective jump hook ... Displays solid toughness inside. Does not shy away from contact ... Plays hard, good energy ... Terrific rebounder due to his long arms and leaping ability ... Has great hands ... Very fast in the open court, great transition player ... Tremendous feet, his foot speed allows him to rebound out of position and cover a lot of ground defensively ... His body is on it's way. When he adds another 10-15 pounds, he's going to be very tough to contend with inside ... Attacks the basket well ... Has good touch around the basket ... Solid free throw shooter who showed great improvement from his freshman year ... Still very raw, but has great upside and a willingness to work hard to improve ... Vision and passing skills are above average for a post ...
Weaknesses: Still developing offensively ... Lacks great range and a consistent jump shot from any distance ... Offensive game is still a work in progress ... Shows excellent flashes, but lacks any real go-to moves ... Strength is not a major issue, but he should get stronger to become more effective inside on the next level ... Consistency will improve with experience ... Not a great ball handler. Lacks a real face the basket game, but has the shooting touch to add 12-15 foot jumpshot ... His court sense and feel for the game can improve.
Sheldon Williams 6-9, 250 Sr.
Strengths: Burly power forward with a no nonsense approach ... Great experience, 4 years at Duke has given him a strong foundation with a great skill level and solid fundamentals ... Hard worker who has developed a reputation as a great kid ... Extremely strong body ... Deceptively quick and athletic ... Sticks to playing in the post, where he dominates on the NCAA level ... Tremendous wingspan allows him to play like a 7 footer ... A real defensive presence, a shot blocker who won national defensive player of the year as a junior ... Averages close to 4 blocks per game as a senior ... Should be able to guard centers in the NBA ... Great rebounding ability, boxes out well ... Understands how to defend, has become disciplined (blocks a ton of shots without fouling out very often) ... Range on his jumpshot has shown improvement through hard work, along with his free throw shooting ... Fairly consistent out to 12-15 feet ... Posts up well and uses his strength well to score ... His post moves have really developed well in his 4 years at Duke, including hooks and drop steps ... Touch around the basket is good and converts well after contact ...
Weaknesses: Rigid. Williams lacks great fluidity running the floor, his movements could be described as stiff or mechanical ... Lacks the ability to improvise much in the open floor: catching and dribbling/passing before a shot, he's a lot more comfortable with set plays or crashing the glass ... Offensive game may be limited on next level due to lack of spontaneity (the Duke computer chip in his head runs best in half court set) ... Lacks great vision or passing ability ... His body is very rigid partly due to his muscle mass ... High school incident not considered indicative of his true character, especially after Duke retained his scholarship. He's been a model citizen ever since (accusation) and comes from strong family background ... Has given up a number of big games to post players as a senior, partly due to Duke's perimeter defensive approach
Small Forwards
Adam Morrison 6-8, 220 Jr.
Strengths: A special talent ... Old school right down to the stripes on the socks ... Like a coach on the floor ... Incredibly competitive ... The game comes very easily to him ... A great player in the half court ... Can create offense for himself or others ... Really excels with the ball in his hands at the top of the key ... Very good scorer with complete offensive repertoire ... Effortless shooting stroke ... Has great anticipation and basketball understanding ... Great intangibles, competes and inspires others to play hard ... Hard worker ... Plays with great intensity and aggressiveness ... Fundamentally solid, does all the little things to help his team win ... A true competitor. Will not back down from anyone ... Wants to take the big shot ... Sees the floor well, and is creative finding teammates for baskets ... Catches and shoots, or can shoot on the move ... Great at moving without the ball ... Finds a way to score against better athletes ... Great leadership ability ...
Weaknesses: Not especially gifted athletically ... Lacks great foot speed getting out into transition ... Runs decent, but needs a head of steam ...Better hand speed than foot speed ... Leaping ability is average ... Plays hard on defense but lacks great lateral quickness ... Lack of a great first step will make it harder to get shots off against superior athletes
Rudy Gay 6-8, 220 So.
Strengths: Run and jump athlete who finishes well above the rim ... High flyer ... Very versatile... Does everything well ... Complete offensive arsenal... Can hit the mid range jumper... Excellent at slashing to the hoop... Accurate passer who is very unselfish... Does the majority of his damage in the post ... Very strong and stays active throughout the game ... Very tough to defend... Doesn’t get pushed around down low ... Runs the floor well ... Tough on the boards... Has a passion for the game ... Works harder than everyone else on the court ... A coach’s dream player ... Will most likely play on the wing at the next level ... Has great potential.
Weaknesses: Ball handling could stand to improve ... Must gain maturity ... Develop physically ... His glaring weaknesses are his inexperience and his handle. His handle has improved dramatically but learning that phase late has slowed him moderately ... He will be star with some college seasoning ... He has only really been coached for a year and a half now so if UConn can get 2 years out of him he will be one of the baddest things to come out of college since Tim Duncan
Rodney Carney 6-7, 205 Sr.
Strengths: Highlight reel waiting to happen ... One of the most athletic players in all of college basketball … Jump shot has improved ... Big upside… Long and lean … Very versatile… Great elevation on jumper which is nearly impossible to block… Confident… Good poise … Pesky defender … Blankets defenders with his long arms and quick feet… Anticipates well and plays the passing lanes for steals ... Really gets up and grabs rebounds … Excellent speed and quickness …
Weaknesses: Needs to add strength, put time in the weight room and bulk up some ... Can be prone to taking bad shots at times … Forces shots … Must become better at handling the ball and creating offense for himself ... Settles with the outside shot instead of trying to get something easier … Lacks great vision and passing ability ... Needs to shoot with more consistency… Can be too reliant on his athleticism ... Needs to get a little tougher on the court ... Too right hand dependent, needs to become better at handling with his left hand
Shooting Guards
Brandon Roy 6-5, 195 Sr.
Strengths: Roy is a no nonsense 2-guard with excellent all around skills ... Very cerebral player, makes excellent decisions. Understands the game ... Very polished, great experience with four years at Washington under his belt ... An excellent shooter who steps up in big situations. Hit a number of huge shots at the end of games this year ... Has worked hard on his outside shot which has improved each year ... Great competitor ... Excellent ball handler with the ability to create shots for himself and others ... His midrange game is relatively impressive and his range has really improved this year ... Really stepped up in his senior year assuming a leadership role and taking over as the go to player for the Huskies ... Has spent time at the point guard position this year, and played admirably ... Not afraid to take the ball inside. Utilizes the spin move in the paint well ... Good free throw shooter at 81% ... Has great composure and confidence. Never gets rattled ... Good one on one skills with the ability to shoot off the dribble and get by his man to the basket ...
Weaknesses: Does everything very well but nothing out of this world ... On the small side. Lacks tremendous size and length at just 6-5 and average wing span ... A good athlete, but nothing extraordinary. Not a great leaper or thunderous dunker ... Lacks great body strength. His body is solid but not overpowering ... Foot speed and quickness is strong but wont stand out on the next level ... Defensively he is just average giving solid effort, but lacks the foot speed to be a lock down defender
J.J. Redick 6-4, 190 Sr.
Strengths: One of the purest shooters anywhere ... Redick has a beautiful outside stroke that creates fear in the eyes of opponents ... He possesses incredible range and routinely takes shots well beyond the three point line. He's a player that you simply can't leave open anywhere within the area code of the basket ... He has also added a deadly mid range game to his repertoire, with the ability to create shots for himself with ball fakes and the dribble drive … Unbelievable at rolling off screens and hitting the open J ... Redick has picture perfect form, a lightning quick release and gets great elevation on his shot. He is also automatic from the free throw line ... Has a killer instinct and seems to step his game up in clutch situations ... Never appears tired, has great conditioning and work ethic ...
Weaknesses: Doesn't have great size or athleticism for the 2 at the next level ... He doesn't possess the ball handling or passing skills to run the point … He can be streaky at times, but he's on more often than not … His defense will also need work as he lacks both size and strength ... Must prove he can score against elite level athletes ... Not a freak athlete, but his quickness and agility is better than it looks
Ronnie Brewer 6-7, 217 Jr.
Strengths: 2 guard with great versatility ... Very intriguing because of his ability to run the show from the point guard position ... Has good leadership abilities ... Creates well off the dribble with a quick first step ... Elevates his teammates play with his passing ability ... Excellent vision, creating easy baskets for open teammates ... Thoroughbred type of athlete, very strong frame, think legs, extremely fast in the open floor ... Long arms and quick hands make him a defensive nightmare ... Great rebounder at the guard position ... Aggressive defender ... Anticipates passes well and forces a ton of steals with his on ball pressure ... Has range out to college three with good accuracy ... Has a great feel for the game which comes from being around basketball his whole life ...
Weaknesses: A childhood water slide accident left him with a small bone protruding from his triceps area which has created an abnormal shooting form ... Not a great spot up shooter, makes most of his shots moving towards the basket, a rhythm shooter ... Much quicker than he is athletic, wont wow you with monster dunks, but not a bad leaper ... Mostly effective with the ball in his hands, so some feel he must dominate the ball to be effective
Point Guards
Randy Foye 6-3, 205 Sr.
Strengths: Talented lead guard ... Has persevered through a rough upbringing (losing both parents young) and shows great hunger and toughness because of it ... Excellent one on one player ... Has a bag of tricks offensively with crossovers and AND1 type moves ... Uses change of direction well to get his defenders off balance ... Plays well in an open court game with great speed and body control ... Handles the ball effortlessly ... Strong finisher capable of taking the ball all the way to the rack in traffic ... Very strong body able to physically overpower opponents ... Picture perfect high release and high arc on his shot ... Hard worker, his outside shot has shown steady improvement ... Capable of big time scoring outbursts ... Adept at shooting with just an inch of daylight ...Strong defender, very aggressive looking for steals on the ball and on passes ... Great leadership ability ... Excellent maturity ... Has excellent size/strength for the point guard position ... Quality free throw shooter ...
Weaknesses: Some consider him more of a combo than a true point guard ... Isn't a natural at setting the table and running the show as a point guard but has shown improvement in that area ... With Lowry playing the point, some of his deficiencies are covered up ... His passing ability is decent, but not great for a point guard ... Can be too aggressive at times offensively forcing bad shots ... Aggressiveness defensively can lead to foul problems, he can also get caught gambling for steals
Marcus Williams 6-2, 200 Jr.
Strengths: Williams has improved tremendously since his freshman year when he veraged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 31 minutes/game ... He has a great "feel" for the game, something he didn't show freshman year ... A tremendous passer who led the entire nation in assists per game at 8.1 ... He controls the tempo of the game as well as any guard in the Big East ... He displays a good right hand, finishing fairly well on drives with it, though he is naturally left-handed ... His three-point shooting percentage rose over 20% last season to a respectable 40% ... He's a threat from the outside now which allows him to penetrate and dish or finish more often ... When big men challenge him in the paint, he uses a crafty floater/tear drop type of shot that he has really perfected ... He is practically unstoppable in the open court because his decision making is so quick and precise ... Whether it is pulling up for the jumper if his man plays off him or hitting a wing player filling the lane, Williams makes the appropriate decision ... He has a killer crossover that he uses to get by his man on the perimeter and is athletic, getting good lift on his jumper ... Defensively he does a good job staying in front of his man and limiting drives, he averages 1.1 stl/game …Williams was productive as a freshman where he average 4.3/game assists in only 14 minutes/game.
Weaknesses: One of the main things Williams needs to work on is his turnovers ... Though he makes the right decision on the break, oftentimes he turns the ball over after drive in the lane while trying to feed teammates ... Actually needs to be more selfish at times, especially late in games when teammates are struggling ... Some of the bigger concerns with Williams is his off the court behavior. He only played in 16 games as a freshmen for failing to qualify academically and missed playing in UConn's championship run. Also, more recently, Williams and fellow UConn guard A.J. Price allegedly stole 10 laptop computers from UConn dorm rooms. There could be serious repercussions from such allegations ... Williams needs to keep his focus on basketball if he is going to continue to become the star player that he showed the potential to become last season.
Mardy Collins 6-6, 205 Sr.
Strengths: At 6-6 he's got the ability to run the show from the point guard position ... Very smooth offensive abilities ... Plays a controlled game, doesn't try to be too flashy or make spectacular plays, keeps it simple and effective ... Excellent vision and passing ... Shooting mechanics and fundamentals are very good ... Good ball handler ... Long arms help out with closing passing lanes and getting to the rim ... Good defender coming out of the Temple system which emphasizes defense ... Excellent at anticipating passes, ball hawking style ... Great team player, excellent versatility ... Extremely durable player, plays almost 40 minutes every game, and rarely if ever misses a start.
Weaknesses: Never a bigtime scorer, although the Temple system limits him somewhat in that regard ... Shooting %s have never been great from outside, although these numbers get hurt by collapsing defenses and forced shots taken with the shot clock running low ... Lacks a very athletic body, especially on appearance ... Not a very physical player, should use his size advantage better offensively ... Not a huge leaper, lacks great explosiveness or a devastating first step ... Upside is decent, but not off the charts ... One of those guys who is solid in a number of areas, but fails to stand out in any one area ... Must become better at moving without the ball, can be a little too ball dependant ... Free throw shooting is below average
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