The PD NBA Draft:
1. Blake Griffin --------- Los Angeles
2. Ricky Rubio ---------- Memphis
3. Hasheem Thabeet --- Oklahoma City
4. Brandon Jennings ---- Sacramento
5. Jordon Hill ----------- Washington
6. James Harden -------- Minnesota
7. Tyreke Evans -------- Golden State
8. Stephen Curry ------- New York
9. DeMar DeRozan ------ Toronto
Who does Milwaukee take 10th?
Here is their current roster, draft history & a few options for the pick.
I will be adding more options as the draft gets past the first couple selections.
Write in votes will be an option for the length of the draft.
Here's the current Bucks roster:
Center
Andrew Bogut
Francisco Elson
Dan Gadzuric
Power Forward
Charlie Villanueva
Malik Allen
Small Forward
Richard Jefferson
Luc Richards Mbah a Moute
Joe Alexander
Shooting Guard
Michael Redd
Charlie Bell
Keith Bogans
Salim Stoudamire
Point Guard
Luke Ridnour
Ramon Sessions
Damon Jones
Recent Bucks Draft History:
2008: #8 Joe Alexander
2007: #6 Yi Jianlian
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Earl Clark
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/earl-...profile-164280
College: Louisville
Class: Junior
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 220lbs
Accolades: NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (06), Fourth Team Parade All-American - high school (06).
Scouting Report: A versatile inside/outside threat.
Strengths: Great size for a small forward. Has the ability to play in the post or out on the wing. Very athletic. Great leaping ability. Long wingpsan. Great at slashing to the hoop. Can drive by defenders with either hand. Capable of posting up and scoring with his back to the basket. Good defender. Great rebounder. Great shot blocker for a forward. Has three-point range on jumper.
Weaknesses: Still inconsistent. Needs to become more consistent and a bigger threat from three-point range. Turns the ball over too much. Never was a huge scorer in college.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top ten pick.
Consensus: Earl Clark has all the makings of a solid, perhaps sometimes spectacular, NBA player. His size, athleticism and skill package make him a special prospect.
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Ty Lawson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/ty-la...-profile-42337
College: North Carolina
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 195bs
Accolades: Honorable Mention All-ACC (08), First Team ACC All-Tournament Team (07), ACC All-Freshman Team (07), Third Team CHN All-Freshman Team (07), First Team USA Today All-American – high school (06), McDonald’s All-American – high school (06), First Team Parade All-American – high school (06), MVP World Juniors Tournament (05).
Scouting Report: An undersized, lightning quick point guard.
Strengths: Blazing speed – will normally be the fastest guy on the floor. Can beat the other team up the floor on fast breaks or beat his man off the dribble in the half court. Excellent passer and distributor of the ball. Takes very good care of the basketball – had a 2.57 assist to turnover ratio his freshman year and 2.36 his sophomore year. Great court vision. Very poised despite his lack of experience. Very strong build. Shoots for an extremely high percentage for a point guard – 50% his freshman year, 51.5% this past year. Decent rebounder for a sub-six footer. Gets his share of steals.
Weaknesses: Very short for the NBA. Can hit the three but will need to hit it more consistently in the NBA. Still young and inexperienced for a point guard – only averaged about 25 minutes a game both years in college and missed games his sophomore year due to injury.
Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid first round to early second round pick.
Consensus: Lawson’s been a dynamic player at every level he has competed at so far and his poise, court vision and speed will translate well to the NBA. However the learning curve in the NBA for an undersized, inexperienced point guard is a steep one.
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Gerald Henderson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/geral...profile-164284
College: Duke
Class: Junior
Position: SG
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 215lbs
Accolades: McDonald’s All-American - high school (06), Second Team Parade All-American - high school (05).
Scouting Report: An experienced, athletic shooting guard.
Strengths: Very athletic. Strong defender. Quick player. Good mid-range shooter. Good at slashing to the hoop. Good genes - dad played 13 seasons in the NBA. Strong physique. Explosive leaper - attacks the rim. Long wingspan. Very experienced - played for one of the top coaches in the world in one of the top conferences in college. Strong physique. Tough player. Showed ability to be a clutch player in last season’s NCAA tournament. Good shot blocker for a wing player - led Duke in blocks his sophomore year. Solid rebounder for a guard. Has three-point range.
Weaknesses: Will be undersized for the NBA. Very inconsistent. Never been a big-time scorer in college. Never proved he could be “the man” for Duke. Mediocre free throw shooter (much improved his junior year though). A decent ball-handler but it still needs more work. Needs to become more of a long-range threat - doesn’t hit too many threes.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Despite having a solid collegiate career, Gerald Henderson has to be considered a bit of a disappointment. However, he has all the tools you’d want in a NBA prospect and with some more development of his game he should stay employed in the League for years to come.
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Jonny Flynn
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jonny...profile-166837
College: Syracuse
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 186lbs
Accolades: All-NCAA South Region (09), Third Team All-American - CHN (09), Honorable Mention All-American - AP (09), Second Team All-Big East (09), Big East Tournament MVP (09), Big East All-Tournament Team (09), Big East co-Rookie of the Year (08), Big East All-Rookie Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Big East (08), Third Team All-Freshman - CHN (08), USA U-19 National Team (07), Mr. Basketball - New York - high school (07), Second Team All-American - Parade - high school (07), McDonald’s All-American - high school (07), USA U-19 National Team (06).
Scouting Report: An explosive, fast, scoring point guard.
Strengths: Great athlete. Explosive. Fast. Strong build. Good leaper. Very good ball-handler. Good conditioning - played huge minutes in college. Big time scorer capable of explosive outbursts. Can score on his own and also set up teammates. Can get to the rim at will and finish strong. Good playmaker. Good body control. Good and drawing fouls and converting at the line. Great at slashing and kicking the ball out to open teammates.
Weaknesses: Questionable shot selection. Takes too many three-pointers. Undersized for the NBA. Turns the ball over too often. Doesn’t shoot for a good % for a guard (especially from long range). Wear and tear from playing huge minutes in college? Needs to improve his decision-making. Still young for a point guard. Played almost exclusively zone defense in college - can he defend NBA point guards one-on-one?
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid first round pick.
Consensus: Jonny Flynn has the makings to be a starting NBA point guard for a long time. While he isn’t quite ready yet - his outside shot and decision-making need work - the potential is clearly there.
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Jrue Holiday
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jrue-...a-draft-166942
College: UCLA
Class: Freshman
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 180lbs
Accolades: Pac 10 All-Freshman Team (09), Honorable Mention All-Freshman - CHN (09), Gatorade National Player of the Year - high school (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), First Team Parade All-American - high school (08), Third Team Parade All-American - high school (07), Gatorade California Player of the Year - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A highly skilled combo guard.
Strengths: Versatile - can play either backcourt positions. Long arms. Smart player. Tough defender. Capable of scoring or creating for teammates. Great size for a point guard. Solid rebounder. Fast and quick. Good passer. Nice court vision.
Weaknesses: Needs to improve his jumper. Too small for a NBA 2-guard but also not a true point guard. Inexperienced. Didn’t get to showcase his skills in UCLA’s system. Needs to prove he can run the point guard spot on a permanent basis. Not an off-the-charts athlete.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Regardless of how frustrated Jrue Holiday is with UCLA’s system, he needs to go back to school for his sophomore year. If he can prove that he can be a full-time point guard next season he will be a guaranteed lottery pick in 2010.
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DeJuan Blair
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/dejua...profile-165713
College: Pittsburgh
Class: Sophomore
Position: PF
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 265lbs
Accolades: Honorable Mention Freshman All-American - CHN (08), Big East co-Rookie of the Year (08), Big East All-Rookie Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Big East (08), Pennsylvania State Player of the Year - AP - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A beast in the paint.
Strengths: Huge wingspan - 7’2”. Very physical and strong player. Clears a lot of space out in the paint, both on offense and defense. Uses his strength and long arms to score over taller defenders. Good hook shot. Fantastic rebounder - snatches rebounds with two hands. Overpowers defenders in the post. Variety of low-post moves with both hands. Very good footwork. Capable of dominating a game.
Weaknesses: Very undersized for the post in the NBA. Not much of a leaper. Needs a lot of work on defense. Doesn’t block nearly enough shots for a player with his wingspan. Can get into foul trouble. Very inconsistent.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: DeJuan Blair was proven to be one of the most dominant players in college this year. However, his lack of athleticism and height are big time negatives in terms of the NBA. Still, undersized power forwards are making a bit of a comeback in the NBA nowadays, so he probably will stick around the League.
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Terrence Williams
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/terre...profile-163583
College: Louisville
Class: Senior
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 215lbs
Accolades: Second Team All-Big East (08), Second Team All-Big East (07), Big East All-Tournament Team (07).
Scouting Report: An experienced, versatile, athletic wing player.
Strengths: Very athletic. Great body - NBA physique. Can create off the dribble for himself or for teammates. Good shooting technique - lots of elevation. Versatile player - can play out on the wing or in the post. Can score with his back to the basket. Has three-point range on his jumper. Exceptional rebounder for his position. Fantastic set-up man - racks up tons of assists. Experienced - played big minutes all four years in college.
Weaknesses: Horrible shooter - horrendous shooting % from the field, the charity stripe and the three-point line. Never been a big-time scorer in college. Inconsistent.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late second round pick.
Consensus: Terrence Williams has a nice skills package and physical attributes that will serve him well in the NBA. However, until he proves he can knock down shots consistently he projects to be nothing more than a role player at best.
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James Johnson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/james...profile-165716
College: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
Position: PF/SF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 245lbs
Accolades: Third Team All-ACC (08), ACC All-Freshman Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Freshman Team - CHN (08).
Scouting Report: A versatile, athletic combo forward.
Strengths: Very athletic, strong & tough - practiced martial arts his whole life. Versatile - can play multiple positions. Able to take his man off the dribble. Can hit the face-up jumper. Able to absorb contact and still score. Good wingspan. Very good size for the NBA. Explosive leaper. Good shot blocker. Gets plenty of steals.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent. Foul prone. Needs to work on his post moves. Still inexperienced - hasn’t been playing organized basketball for very long. Not good at drawing fouls. His game didn’t progress much from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Is already 22-years-old.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Late first round pick.
Consensus: No doubt James Johnson has a future in the NBA. His combination of skills and size are rare, but the fact that he is already 22-years-old and hasn’t shown great improvements over his two years in college are red flags.
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Jeff Teague
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jeff-...profile-165007
College: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 180lbs
Accolades: ACC All-Freshman Team (08).
Scouting Report: One of the breakout stars of the 08/09 college season.
Strengths: Explosive off the dribble - can get by his man, split double teams. Good at getting shot off over defenders off the dribble (floaters, acrobatic shots). Aggressive - always looking to attack on offense and defense. Killer crossover. Very quick hands on defense - gets tons of steals. Explosive scorer. Good body control. Extremely fast player. Great three-point shooter. Good experience - played two years of big minutes in the ACC
Weaknesses: Small for the NBA - needs to get bigger/stronger. Isn’t a true point guard - spends a lot of his time at the shooting guard spot. Will be too small for the off guard position in the NBA. Needs the ball to be effective. Forces passes. Really needs to cut down on turnovers - has as many turnovers as assists for his career. Is a year older than most other sophomores.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Lottery pick.
Consensus: Jeff Teague probably has the most improved draft stock among this year’s prospects. However, he really could use another year in college to prove he can run the point in the NBA.
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Tyler Hansbrough
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/story...ansbrough40616
College: North Carolina
Class: Senior
Position: PF
Height: 6”9”
Weight: 250lbs
Accolades: National Player of the Year - multiple sources (08), First Team All-American - multiple sources (08), ACC Player of the Year (08), ACC Tournament MVP (08), NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player (08), NCAA All-East Regional Team (08), ACC Male Athlete of the Year (08), First Team All-ACC (08), First Team All-American - multiple sources (07), Second Team All-American - multiple sources (07), First Team All-ACC (07), NCAA All-East Regional Team (07), First Team All-American – multiple sources (06), Third Team All-American – multiple sources (06), National Freshman of the Year – multiple sources (06), ACC Rookie of the Year (06), First Team All-ACC (06), Gatorade Player of the Year – Missouri – high school (05), McDonald’s All-American – high school (05), Parade All-American – high school (05).
Scouting Report: Great low post scorer and rebounder who is extremely intense.
Strengths: Very intense competitor – nickname is “Psycho T”. Big time scorer in a big time conference – the ACC. Very good rebounder. Very physically strong down low – a man among boys. Well polished game and mature player. Gets to the free throw line regularly (about eight times per game for his college career thus far) and shoots for a good percentage while at the line (about 73%). Plays for one of the top colleges for producing NBA talent. Very experienced. Steadily improving outside shot - worked very hard on his three-point shooting this past off-season.
Weaknesses: Not very athletic – not super quick and not a great leaper. May have trouble defending the bigger, more athletic power forwards that the NBA possesses. May be a little short for the power forward spot in the NBA – may only be 6’8”. Age - will be 24-years-old at the start of next NBA season.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Late first round pick.
Consensus: Hansbrough’s intensity and effort will definitely transfer over to the NBA with him. However, he needs to get quicker and more athletic (if that is even possible) to become as dominant in the NBA as he is in college.
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Austin Daye
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/austi...profile-165711
College: Gonzaga
Class: Sophomore
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6’11”
Weight: 200lbs
Accolades: Honorable Mention All-WCC (08), WCC All-Freshman Team (08), First Team High-Major All-Freshman - CHN (08).
Scouting Report: A long, athletic small forward with great skills.
Strengths: Highly skilled player. Tremendous height for a small forward. Long arms. Great shot blocker. Nice looking jump shot. Very good three-point shooter. Can put the ball on the floor. Very athletic for his size. Great rebounder for a small forward. Good genes - dad played in the NBA.
Weaknesses: Way too thin and weak for the NBA. Injured his knee last off season. Inconsistent. Foul prone. Turns the ball over too much. Not known as a good defender (other than blocking shots).
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid first round pick.
Consensus: Austin Daye’s skill package, housed inside his 6’11” frame, have NBA scouts intrigued. However, his lack of physical strength and knee injury have to be of concern. He should probably return to the ‘Zags for his junior year and work on getting stronger.
1. Blake Griffin --------- Los Angeles
2. Ricky Rubio ---------- Memphis
3. Hasheem Thabeet --- Oklahoma City
4. Brandon Jennings ---- Sacramento
5. Jordon Hill ----------- Washington
6. James Harden -------- Minnesota
7. Tyreke Evans -------- Golden State
8. Stephen Curry ------- New York
9. DeMar DeRozan ------ Toronto
Who does Milwaukee take 10th?
Here is their current roster, draft history & a few options for the pick.
I will be adding more options as the draft gets past the first couple selections.
Write in votes will be an option for the length of the draft.
Here's the current Bucks roster:
Center
Andrew Bogut
Francisco Elson
Dan Gadzuric
Power Forward
Charlie Villanueva
Malik Allen
Small Forward
Richard Jefferson
Luc Richards Mbah a Moute
Joe Alexander
Shooting Guard
Michael Redd
Charlie Bell
Keith Bogans
Salim Stoudamire
Point Guard
Luke Ridnour
Ramon Sessions
Damon Jones
Recent Bucks Draft History:
2008: #8 Joe Alexander
2007: #6 Yi Jianlian
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Earl Clark
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/earl-...profile-164280
College: Louisville
Class: Junior
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 220lbs
Accolades: NCAA East Region All-Tournament Team (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (06), Fourth Team Parade All-American - high school (06).
Scouting Report: A versatile inside/outside threat.
Strengths: Great size for a small forward. Has the ability to play in the post or out on the wing. Very athletic. Great leaping ability. Long wingpsan. Great at slashing to the hoop. Can drive by defenders with either hand. Capable of posting up and scoring with his back to the basket. Good defender. Great rebounder. Great shot blocker for a forward. Has three-point range on jumper.
Weaknesses: Still inconsistent. Needs to become more consistent and a bigger threat from three-point range. Turns the ball over too much. Never was a huge scorer in college.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top ten pick.
Consensus: Earl Clark has all the makings of a solid, perhaps sometimes spectacular, NBA player. His size, athleticism and skill package make him a special prospect.
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Ty Lawson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/ty-la...-profile-42337
College: North Carolina
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 195bs
Accolades: Honorable Mention All-ACC (08), First Team ACC All-Tournament Team (07), ACC All-Freshman Team (07), Third Team CHN All-Freshman Team (07), First Team USA Today All-American – high school (06), McDonald’s All-American – high school (06), First Team Parade All-American – high school (06), MVP World Juniors Tournament (05).
Scouting Report: An undersized, lightning quick point guard.
Strengths: Blazing speed – will normally be the fastest guy on the floor. Can beat the other team up the floor on fast breaks or beat his man off the dribble in the half court. Excellent passer and distributor of the ball. Takes very good care of the basketball – had a 2.57 assist to turnover ratio his freshman year and 2.36 his sophomore year. Great court vision. Very poised despite his lack of experience. Very strong build. Shoots for an extremely high percentage for a point guard – 50% his freshman year, 51.5% this past year. Decent rebounder for a sub-six footer. Gets his share of steals.
Weaknesses: Very short for the NBA. Can hit the three but will need to hit it more consistently in the NBA. Still young and inexperienced for a point guard – only averaged about 25 minutes a game both years in college and missed games his sophomore year due to injury.
Projected 2008 Draft Range: Mid first round to early second round pick.
Consensus: Lawson’s been a dynamic player at every level he has competed at so far and his poise, court vision and speed will translate well to the NBA. However the learning curve in the NBA for an undersized, inexperienced point guard is a steep one.
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Gerald Henderson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/geral...profile-164284
College: Duke
Class: Junior
Position: SG
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 215lbs
Accolades: McDonald’s All-American - high school (06), Second Team Parade All-American - high school (05).
Scouting Report: An experienced, athletic shooting guard.
Strengths: Very athletic. Strong defender. Quick player. Good mid-range shooter. Good at slashing to the hoop. Good genes - dad played 13 seasons in the NBA. Strong physique. Explosive leaper - attacks the rim. Long wingspan. Very experienced - played for one of the top coaches in the world in one of the top conferences in college. Strong physique. Tough player. Showed ability to be a clutch player in last season’s NCAA tournament. Good shot blocker for a wing player - led Duke in blocks his sophomore year. Solid rebounder for a guard. Has three-point range.
Weaknesses: Will be undersized for the NBA. Very inconsistent. Never been a big-time scorer in college. Never proved he could be “the man” for Duke. Mediocre free throw shooter (much improved his junior year though). A decent ball-handler but it still needs more work. Needs to become more of a long-range threat - doesn’t hit too many threes.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Despite having a solid collegiate career, Gerald Henderson has to be considered a bit of a disappointment. However, he has all the tools you’d want in a NBA prospect and with some more development of his game he should stay employed in the League for years to come.
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Jonny Flynn
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jonny...profile-166837
College: Syracuse
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 186lbs
Accolades: All-NCAA South Region (09), Third Team All-American - CHN (09), Honorable Mention All-American - AP (09), Second Team All-Big East (09), Big East Tournament MVP (09), Big East All-Tournament Team (09), Big East co-Rookie of the Year (08), Big East All-Rookie Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Big East (08), Third Team All-Freshman - CHN (08), USA U-19 National Team (07), Mr. Basketball - New York - high school (07), Second Team All-American - Parade - high school (07), McDonald’s All-American - high school (07), USA U-19 National Team (06).
Scouting Report: An explosive, fast, scoring point guard.
Strengths: Great athlete. Explosive. Fast. Strong build. Good leaper. Very good ball-handler. Good conditioning - played huge minutes in college. Big time scorer capable of explosive outbursts. Can score on his own and also set up teammates. Can get to the rim at will and finish strong. Good playmaker. Good body control. Good and drawing fouls and converting at the line. Great at slashing and kicking the ball out to open teammates.
Weaknesses: Questionable shot selection. Takes too many three-pointers. Undersized for the NBA. Turns the ball over too often. Doesn’t shoot for a good % for a guard (especially from long range). Wear and tear from playing huge minutes in college? Needs to improve his decision-making. Still young for a point guard. Played almost exclusively zone defense in college - can he defend NBA point guards one-on-one?
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid first round pick.
Consensus: Jonny Flynn has the makings to be a starting NBA point guard for a long time. While he isn’t quite ready yet - his outside shot and decision-making need work - the potential is clearly there.
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Jrue Holiday
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jrue-...a-draft-166942
College: UCLA
Class: Freshman
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 180lbs
Accolades: Pac 10 All-Freshman Team (09), Honorable Mention All-Freshman - CHN (09), Gatorade National Player of the Year - high school (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), First Team Parade All-American - high school (08), Third Team Parade All-American - high school (07), Gatorade California Player of the Year - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A highly skilled combo guard.
Strengths: Versatile - can play either backcourt positions. Long arms. Smart player. Tough defender. Capable of scoring or creating for teammates. Great size for a point guard. Solid rebounder. Fast and quick. Good passer. Nice court vision.
Weaknesses: Needs to improve his jumper. Too small for a NBA 2-guard but also not a true point guard. Inexperienced. Didn’t get to showcase his skills in UCLA’s system. Needs to prove he can run the point guard spot on a permanent basis. Not an off-the-charts athlete.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Regardless of how frustrated Jrue Holiday is with UCLA’s system, he needs to go back to school for his sophomore year. If he can prove that he can be a full-time point guard next season he will be a guaranteed lottery pick in 2010.
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DeJuan Blair
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/dejua...profile-165713
College: Pittsburgh
Class: Sophomore
Position: PF
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 265lbs
Accolades: Honorable Mention Freshman All-American - CHN (08), Big East co-Rookie of the Year (08), Big East All-Rookie Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Big East (08), Pennsylvania State Player of the Year - AP - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A beast in the paint.
Strengths: Huge wingspan - 7’2”. Very physical and strong player. Clears a lot of space out in the paint, both on offense and defense. Uses his strength and long arms to score over taller defenders. Good hook shot. Fantastic rebounder - snatches rebounds with two hands. Overpowers defenders in the post. Variety of low-post moves with both hands. Very good footwork. Capable of dominating a game.
Weaknesses: Very undersized for the post in the NBA. Not much of a leaper. Needs a lot of work on defense. Doesn’t block nearly enough shots for a player with his wingspan. Can get into foul trouble. Very inconsistent.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: DeJuan Blair was proven to be one of the most dominant players in college this year. However, his lack of athleticism and height are big time negatives in terms of the NBA. Still, undersized power forwards are making a bit of a comeback in the NBA nowadays, so he probably will stick around the League.
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Terrence Williams
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/terre...profile-163583
College: Louisville
Class: Senior
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 215lbs
Accolades: Second Team All-Big East (08), Second Team All-Big East (07), Big East All-Tournament Team (07).
Scouting Report: An experienced, versatile, athletic wing player.
Strengths: Very athletic. Great body - NBA physique. Can create off the dribble for himself or for teammates. Good shooting technique - lots of elevation. Versatile player - can play out on the wing or in the post. Can score with his back to the basket. Has three-point range on his jumper. Exceptional rebounder for his position. Fantastic set-up man - racks up tons of assists. Experienced - played big minutes all four years in college.
Weaknesses: Horrible shooter - horrendous shooting % from the field, the charity stripe and the three-point line. Never been a big-time scorer in college. Inconsistent.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late second round pick.
Consensus: Terrence Williams has a nice skills package and physical attributes that will serve him well in the NBA. However, until he proves he can knock down shots consistently he projects to be nothing more than a role player at best.
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James Johnson
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/james...profile-165716
College: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
Position: PF/SF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 245lbs
Accolades: Third Team All-ACC (08), ACC All-Freshman Team (08), Honorable Mention All-Freshman Team - CHN (08).
Scouting Report: A versatile, athletic combo forward.
Strengths: Very athletic, strong & tough - practiced martial arts his whole life. Versatile - can play multiple positions. Able to take his man off the dribble. Can hit the face-up jumper. Able to absorb contact and still score. Good wingspan. Very good size for the NBA. Explosive leaper. Good shot blocker. Gets plenty of steals.
Weaknesses: Inconsistent. Foul prone. Needs to work on his post moves. Still inexperienced - hasn’t been playing organized basketball for very long. Not good at drawing fouls. His game didn’t progress much from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Is already 22-years-old.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Late first round pick.
Consensus: No doubt James Johnson has a future in the NBA. His combination of skills and size are rare, but the fact that he is already 22-years-old and hasn’t shown great improvements over his two years in college are red flags.
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Jeff Teague
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/jeff-...profile-165007
College: Wake Forest
Class: Sophomore
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 180lbs
Accolades: ACC All-Freshman Team (08).
Scouting Report: One of the breakout stars of the 08/09 college season.
Strengths: Explosive off the dribble - can get by his man, split double teams. Good at getting shot off over defenders off the dribble (floaters, acrobatic shots). Aggressive - always looking to attack on offense and defense. Killer crossover. Very quick hands on defense - gets tons of steals. Explosive scorer. Good body control. Extremely fast player. Great three-point shooter. Good experience - played two years of big minutes in the ACC
Weaknesses: Small for the NBA - needs to get bigger/stronger. Isn’t a true point guard - spends a lot of his time at the shooting guard spot. Will be too small for the off guard position in the NBA. Needs the ball to be effective. Forces passes. Really needs to cut down on turnovers - has as many turnovers as assists for his career. Is a year older than most other sophomores.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Lottery pick.
Consensus: Jeff Teague probably has the most improved draft stock among this year’s prospects. However, he really could use another year in college to prove he can run the point in the NBA.
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Tyler Hansbrough
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/story...ansbrough40616
College: North Carolina
Class: Senior
Position: PF
Height: 6”9”
Weight: 250lbs
Accolades: National Player of the Year - multiple sources (08), First Team All-American - multiple sources (08), ACC Player of the Year (08), ACC Tournament MVP (08), NCAA East Regional Most Outstanding Player (08), NCAA All-East Regional Team (08), ACC Male Athlete of the Year (08), First Team All-ACC (08), First Team All-American - multiple sources (07), Second Team All-American - multiple sources (07), First Team All-ACC (07), NCAA All-East Regional Team (07), First Team All-American – multiple sources (06), Third Team All-American – multiple sources (06), National Freshman of the Year – multiple sources (06), ACC Rookie of the Year (06), First Team All-ACC (06), Gatorade Player of the Year – Missouri – high school (05), McDonald’s All-American – high school (05), Parade All-American – high school (05).
Scouting Report: Great low post scorer and rebounder who is extremely intense.
Strengths: Very intense competitor – nickname is “Psycho T”. Big time scorer in a big time conference – the ACC. Very good rebounder. Very physically strong down low – a man among boys. Well polished game and mature player. Gets to the free throw line regularly (about eight times per game for his college career thus far) and shoots for a good percentage while at the line (about 73%). Plays for one of the top colleges for producing NBA talent. Very experienced. Steadily improving outside shot - worked very hard on his three-point shooting this past off-season.
Weaknesses: Not very athletic – not super quick and not a great leaper. May have trouble defending the bigger, more athletic power forwards that the NBA possesses. May be a little short for the power forward spot in the NBA – may only be 6’8”. Age - will be 24-years-old at the start of next NBA season.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Late first round pick.
Consensus: Hansbrough’s intensity and effort will definitely transfer over to the NBA with him. However, he needs to get quicker and more athletic (if that is even possible) to become as dominant in the NBA as he is in college.
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Austin Daye
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/austi...profile-165711
College: Gonzaga
Class: Sophomore
Position: SF/PF
Height: 6’11”
Weight: 200lbs
Accolades: Honorable Mention All-WCC (08), WCC All-Freshman Team (08), First Team High-Major All-Freshman - CHN (08).
Scouting Report: A long, athletic small forward with great skills.
Strengths: Highly skilled player. Tremendous height for a small forward. Long arms. Great shot blocker. Nice looking jump shot. Very good three-point shooter. Can put the ball on the floor. Very athletic for his size. Great rebounder for a small forward. Good genes - dad played in the NBA.
Weaknesses: Way too thin and weak for the NBA. Injured his knee last off season. Inconsistent. Foul prone. Turns the ball over too much. Not known as a good defender (other than blocking shots).
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid first round pick.
Consensus: Austin Daye’s skill package, housed inside his 6’11” frame, have NBA scouts intrigued. However, his lack of physical strength and knee injury have to be of concern. He should probably return to the ‘Zags for his junior year and work on getting stronger.
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