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
Who does Golden State take #7?
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 Warriors roster:
Center
Andris Biedrins
Ronny Turiaf
Power Forward
Anthony Randolph
Jermareo Davidson
Small Forward
Stephen Jackson
Kelenna Azubuike
Brandan Wright
Rob Kurz
Shooting Guard
Corey Maggette
Anthony Morrow
Jamal Crawford
Marco Belinelli
Point Guard
Monta Ellis
CJ Watson
Recent Golden State Draft History:
2008: #14 Anthony Randolph
2007: #18 Marco Belinelli
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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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Tyreke Evans
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/tyrek...profile-166836
College: Memphis
Class: Freshman
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 219lbs
Accolades: All-NCAA West Region Team (09), Honorable Mention All-American - CHN (09), Honorable Mention All-American - AP (09), Freshman of the Year - CHN (09), All-Freshman Team - CHN (09), Freshman of the Year - USBWA (09), High Major Player of the Year - CHN (09), High Major Freshman of the Year - CHN (09), First Team High Major All-Freshman Team - CHN (09), First Team All-C-USA (09), C-USA Tournament MVP (09), C-USA All-Tournament Team (09), C-USA Freshman of the Year (09), C-USA All-Freshman Team (09), First Team All-American - Parade - high school (08), Pennsylvania Player of the Year - high school (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), MVP McDonald’s All-American Game - high school (08), Fourth Team All-American - Parade - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A versatile, high scoring phenom.
Strengths: Big-time scorer. 7’3” wingspan. Athletic. Highly skilled. Versatile - can play in the backcourt or on the wing. Memphis became a better team when he took over at point guard. Can get to the hoop at will - terrific slasher. Good ball-handler. Very good size for the backcourt. Was “the man” for an elite program in college. Uses his quickness and long arms to get lots of steals. Good at getting to the line. Hardworking - good attitude.
Weaknesses: A year older than most other freshman. Inexperienced. Didn’t play in a BCS conference. Poor shooter -needs to improve outside shot to keep defenders honest. Turns over the ball too often. Questionable shot selection. Plays out of control at times. Can he play point guard in the NBA? Off court issue - his cousin shot and killed a man while a passenger in Evans’ vehicle.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top ten to mid first round pick.
Consensus: While Evans’ jump shot needs serious work, he is a very good prospect due to his size, wingspan and skill level. While he should be a good NBA player regardless, if he proves he can be an NBA point guard he’ll be even better.
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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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Stephen Curry
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/steph...profile-163578
College: Davidson
Class: Junior
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185lbs
Accolades: Second Team All-American - AP (08), Fourth Team All-American - CHN (08), Mid-Major Player of the Year - CHN (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American - CHN (08), Wooden All-American (08), NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player (08), NCAA Tournament All-Midwest Regional Team (08), SoCon (Southern Conference) Male Athlete of the Year (08), SoCon Player of the Year (08), First Team All-SoCon (08), SoCon Tournament MVP (08), SoCon All-Tournament First Team (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American - CHN (07), Mid-Major Freshman of the Year - CHN (07), Second Team All-Freshman - CHN (07), Mid-Major All-Freshman - CHN (07), SoCon Freshman of the Year (07), First Team All-SoCon (07), SoCon All-Freshman Team (07), SoCon Tournament MVP (07), SoCon All-Tournament Team (07), USA U-19 National Team (07).
Scouting Report: The deadliest scorer in college basketball.
Strengths: Scoring machine - can get you 30 even on an off night. Can hit shots from anywhere on the floor. Very crafty - finds ways to score. Can hit tough shots with defenders all over him. Proved his junior season that he can run the point on the college level. Great three-point shooter. Shoots for high % from everywhere (FG, FT, 3pt). Very good footwork. Great at moving without the ball. Solid ball handler. Gets tons of steals. Clutch player. Used to double and triple teams. Takes good care of the ball - solid assist to turnover ratio his junior season. Unselfish - good at setting up teammates. Good pedigree - dad Del played 16 years in the NBA.
Weaknesses: Not a standout athlete - not especially quick or a high leaper. Slight build - needs to add strength and muscle. Will be small for the NBA - even for the point guard position. Other than his junior year he played mostly shooting guard in college - can he play the point in the NBA? While Davidson plays a tough non-conference schedule, their competition in the Southern Conference is rather weak.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Lottery pick.
Consensus: One of the great debates of this year’s draft class is how good of a pro Stephen Curry will be. While it is highly doubtful he will be as good in the NBA as he is in college, he has enough tools to have a fighting chance to excel in the NBA. Whether he can play point guard in the NBA might be the biggest determinant as to what kind of career he will have.
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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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DeMar DeRozan
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/demar...profile-165717
College: USC
Class: Freshman
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 220lbs
Accolades: McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), First Team Parade All-American - high school (08), Second Team All-USA - USA Today - high school (08).
Scouting Report: An explosive, athletic swingman.
Strengths: A tremendous athlete. Good wingspan. Very good rebounder for his position, especially offensively. Good body control. Can absorb contact and still score. Explosive leaper. Great at running the break. Good NBA body. Solid defender. Hard worker. Very good mid-range game.
Weaknesses: A year older than other freshmen. No three-point range on his jumper. Still inconsistent. No playmaking abilities - doesn’t get any assists. Still need to improve his ball-handling abilities. Game still is raw - needs more experience.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Having to spend a year in college has uncovered some flaws in DeMar DeRozan’s game. While he is still destined to end up in the NBA, another year in college would do wonders for his game.
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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.
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
Who does Golden State take #7?
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 Warriors roster:
Center
Andris Biedrins
Ronny Turiaf
Power Forward
Anthony Randolph
Jermareo Davidson
Small Forward
Stephen Jackson
Kelenna Azubuike
Brandan Wright
Rob Kurz
Shooting Guard
Corey Maggette
Anthony Morrow
Jamal Crawford
Marco Belinelli
Point Guard
Monta Ellis
CJ Watson
Recent Golden State Draft History:
2008: #14 Anthony Randolph
2007: #18 Marco Belinelli
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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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Tyreke Evans
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/tyrek...profile-166836
College: Memphis
Class: Freshman
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 219lbs
Accolades: All-NCAA West Region Team (09), Honorable Mention All-American - CHN (09), Honorable Mention All-American - AP (09), Freshman of the Year - CHN (09), All-Freshman Team - CHN (09), Freshman of the Year - USBWA (09), High Major Player of the Year - CHN (09), High Major Freshman of the Year - CHN (09), First Team High Major All-Freshman Team - CHN (09), First Team All-C-USA (09), C-USA Tournament MVP (09), C-USA All-Tournament Team (09), C-USA Freshman of the Year (09), C-USA All-Freshman Team (09), First Team All-American - Parade - high school (08), Pennsylvania Player of the Year - high school (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), MVP McDonald’s All-American Game - high school (08), Fourth Team All-American - Parade - high school (07).
Scouting Report: A versatile, high scoring phenom.
Strengths: Big-time scorer. 7’3” wingspan. Athletic. Highly skilled. Versatile - can play in the backcourt or on the wing. Memphis became a better team when he took over at point guard. Can get to the hoop at will - terrific slasher. Good ball-handler. Very good size for the backcourt. Was “the man” for an elite program in college. Uses his quickness and long arms to get lots of steals. Good at getting to the line. Hardworking - good attitude.
Weaknesses: A year older than most other freshman. Inexperienced. Didn’t play in a BCS conference. Poor shooter -needs to improve outside shot to keep defenders honest. Turns over the ball too often. Questionable shot selection. Plays out of control at times. Can he play point guard in the NBA? Off court issue - his cousin shot and killed a man while a passenger in Evans’ vehicle.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top ten to mid first round pick.
Consensus: While Evans’ jump shot needs serious work, he is a very good prospect due to his size, wingspan and skill level. While he should be a good NBA player regardless, if he proves he can be an NBA point guard he’ll be even better.
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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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Stephen Curry
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/steph...profile-163578
College: Davidson
Class: Junior
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 185lbs
Accolades: Second Team All-American - AP (08), Fourth Team All-American - CHN (08), Mid-Major Player of the Year - CHN (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American - CHN (08), Wooden All-American (08), NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player (08), NCAA Tournament All-Midwest Regional Team (08), SoCon (Southern Conference) Male Athlete of the Year (08), SoCon Player of the Year (08), First Team All-SoCon (08), SoCon Tournament MVP (08), SoCon All-Tournament First Team (08), First Team Mid-Major All-American - CHN (07), Mid-Major Freshman of the Year - CHN (07), Second Team All-Freshman - CHN (07), Mid-Major All-Freshman - CHN (07), SoCon Freshman of the Year (07), First Team All-SoCon (07), SoCon All-Freshman Team (07), SoCon Tournament MVP (07), SoCon All-Tournament Team (07), USA U-19 National Team (07).
Scouting Report: The deadliest scorer in college basketball.
Strengths: Scoring machine - can get you 30 even on an off night. Can hit shots from anywhere on the floor. Very crafty - finds ways to score. Can hit tough shots with defenders all over him. Proved his junior season that he can run the point on the college level. Great three-point shooter. Shoots for high % from everywhere (FG, FT, 3pt). Very good footwork. Great at moving without the ball. Solid ball handler. Gets tons of steals. Clutch player. Used to double and triple teams. Takes good care of the ball - solid assist to turnover ratio his junior season. Unselfish - good at setting up teammates. Good pedigree - dad Del played 16 years in the NBA.
Weaknesses: Not a standout athlete - not especially quick or a high leaper. Slight build - needs to add strength and muscle. Will be small for the NBA - even for the point guard position. Other than his junior year he played mostly shooting guard in college - can he play the point in the NBA? While Davidson plays a tough non-conference schedule, their competition in the Southern Conference is rather weak.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Lottery pick.
Consensus: One of the great debates of this year’s draft class is how good of a pro Stephen Curry will be. While it is highly doubtful he will be as good in the NBA as he is in college, he has enough tools to have a fighting chance to excel in the NBA. Whether he can play point guard in the NBA might be the biggest determinant as to what kind of career he will have.
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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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DeMar DeRozan
http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/demar...profile-165717
College: USC
Class: Freshman
Position: SG/SF
Height: 6’7”
Weight: 220lbs
Accolades: McDonald’s All-American - high school (08), First Team Parade All-American - high school (08), Second Team All-USA - USA Today - high school (08).
Scouting Report: An explosive, athletic swingman.
Strengths: A tremendous athlete. Good wingspan. Very good rebounder for his position, especially offensively. Good body control. Can absorb contact and still score. Explosive leaper. Great at running the break. Good NBA body. Solid defender. Hard worker. Very good mid-range game.
Weaknesses: A year older than other freshmen. No three-point range on his jumper. Still inconsistent. No playmaking abilities - doesn’t get any assists. Still need to improve his ball-handling abilities. Game still is raw - needs more experience.
Projected 2009 Draft Range: Mid to late first round pick.
Consensus: Having to spend a year in college has uncovered some flaws in DeMar DeRozan’s game. While he is still destined to end up in the NBA, another year in college would do wonders for his game.
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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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