From Courtside

Reports: Lance Stephenson to Cincinnati

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:21:00 +0000

Could it finally be over? According to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, the Lance Stephenson sweepstakes have finally come to an end, with late entry Cincinnati snagging the coveted superstar. Coveted might be the wrong word, as Lance has seen college after college pull their scholarship offers. Colleges deciding to rescind their offers to Lance stem from concerns over his pending sexual assault case and eligibility issues related to a tour of the Under Armour facility (by CEO and Maryland Booster Kevin Plank) while on an official visit to the University of Maryland, as well as BornReady.tv – a website that followed Lance around like he was P.Diddy invading the Playboy Mansion.

It’s time. Having watched Stephenson, AKA ‘Born Ready’ very closely for the past 4 years and seeing a high school career that includes 4 straight PSAL championships and becoming the all time leading scorer in NY state, it’s time for Lance to move on with his career. He’s dominated the high school ranks, ever since he garnered national attention following a battle with OJ Mayo at ABCD camp, as just an 8th grader. It was that moment that Lance made it known that he was taking Sebastian Telfair’s thrown, as the next king of NY.

As is the case with every superstar that comes through NY, the media builds you up to knock you down and Lance is no different. There’s no debating the fact that Lance Stephenson is not a saint. In fact, he might have the worst body language of any player in the history of high school basketball, in part because his high school coach doesn’t exactly believe in discipline, but also because Lance just doesn’t get it yet. But to be fair to Lance, he has also received his shake of unjust press.

There were times as a Sophomore and Junior that I watched Lance play and I thought NBA superstar, as long as he makes the right decisions and gets the mentoring he needs to head down the right path. It was only two summers ago, that I watched Stephenson dominate Tyreke Evans (4th pick), DeMar DeRozan (9th pick) and every other player that tried to check him at the Rucker Park for the Elite 24. There were also high school games where I felt like I was watching a man among boys on the court. Imagine, LeBron decided to play in the D-League this year, that’s what it must have felt like for Lance.

Unfortunately, this past season Lance has bulked up to a point where he looks slower and much less athletic on the court. He didn’t look dominate in primetime games and his first step was not nearly as explosive as it has in the past. His ability to get above the rim has never been his strong suit, but the new weight he’s put on has made it much more apparent.

With his decision to head to Cincinnati to play his college ball, there is a multitude of pros and cons associated with this choice. But the biggest pro, is that he’s able to get away from all the distractions associated with being home in NYC. He’s going to have many challenges ahead, but the fate of his career will lie in his hands. With all of his skills, it would be a shame to see it go to waste.

There’s no doubt, we’ll all be watching.

2009 NBA Mock Draft

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:18:00 +0000

2009 NBA Mock Draft - 1st Round

1) Clippers – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
2) Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
3) Thunder – James Harden, Arizona St.
4) Kings – Ricky Rubio, DKV Joventut
5) Timberwolves – Stephen Curry, Davidson
6) Timberwolves – Tyreke Evans, Memphis
7) Warriors – Jordan Hill, Arizona
8) Knicks – Jrue Holiday, UCLA
9) Raptors – Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
10) Bucks – Terrance Williams, Louisville
11) Nets - Gerald Henderson, Nets
12) Bobcats – Earl Clark, Louisville
13) Pacers – Brandon Jennings, Lottomatica Roma
14) Suns – DeMar DeRozan, USC
15) Pistons – BJ Mullens, Ohio State
16) Bulls – James Johnson, Wake Forest
17) 76ers – Ty Lawson, North Carolina
18) Timberwolves - DeJuan Blair, Pitt
19) Hawks – Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
20) Jazz – Omri Casspi, Maccabi Tel Aviv
21) Hornets – Chase Budinger, Arizona
22) Trailblazers – Eric Maynor, VCU
23) Kings – DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
24) Mavericks – Sam Young, Pitt
25) Thunder – Darren Collison, UCLA
26) Bulls – Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
27) Grizzlies – DeMarre Carrol, Missouri
28) Timberwolves – Austin Daye, Gonzaga
29) Lakers – Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
30) Cavaliers – Patrick Mills, St Mary’s

* A few things to keep in mind
- This obviously doesnt take into account any draft day trades, as there are plenty of rumors currently circulating...i.e. Knicks moving up.
- This is a prediction, not what I would do

In the Spotlight: Patrick Patterson

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Patrick Patterson

Position: Power Forward

Ht: 6-8, Wt: 235

Hometown: Huntington, WV
Class: Sophomore
College: Kentucky
DOB: 3-14-89

Strengths

Works very hard to seal his defender and establish low position on the block… Takes high percentage shots - shoots 62% from the floor.
Very strong – impressive physical stature
Tremendous wingspan - 7’2 --– helps to offset his height, which is smaller than a prototype 4.
Very good athlete with great bounce off the floor
Soft hands
Shoots a high percentage from the free throw line for a big – 78%
Good motor – very aggressive / active on the court
Appears to still have a lot of growth left in his game… room to further develop. Patterson is far from a finished product.
Getting more adept with his right jump hook (his go-to move), which utilizes his soft touch around the rim and quick bounce off his feet.
Quick to the ball – shows good reaction time.
Solid rebounder – gets in good position, boxes out, uses his length and bounce.
Good timing on the defensive end – blocks / alters quite a few shots
Possess the physical components to defend at the next level (length, athleticism, mobility, strength)...aside from height.

Weaknesses

Undersized 4 for the NBA level
Needs to further develop his offensive repertoire in the post and become more proficient with his back to the basket…He won’t be able to rely so much on establishing very low position, as his game advances.
More effective in the post when he turns to his left shoulder as opposed to his right. He rarely utilizes his left hand around the rim.
Mid range jumper – He needs to show the ability to step outside and knock down a jump shot… considering his nice touch at the line, this should be an area that he really dedicates himself and shows results.
Has a tendency to play behind the defense in the offensive sets, making it tough to feed him the ball… lets the opposition front him, making for a tough entry pass.
Lacks the versatility to play the 3 – does all his damage in the paint.

Overall

The reality is that if Patrick Patterson were 2 inches taller, he would be a much more intriguing prospect…but he’s not. At 6’8, Patterson is someone that is able to use his aggressive style and athleticism to overpower the opposition at the college level. He’s extremely effective at using his body to establish low position, which leads to easy baskets around the rim. Unfortunately, this style of play won’t translate as easily in the NBA.

In order to remain efficient, Patterson needs to expand his offensive skill set. At this point Patterson hasn’t shown the ability to step outside the paint area and play facing the basket, or defend the 3. He also has a nice shooting form, but you’d never know it, because he very rarely shoots the mid range jumper. To overcome being an undersized 4 at the next level, it is imperative that he’s able to knock down a jump shot with consistency.

On the bright side, Patterson is extremely mobile and he’s blessed with many intangibles that make you believe he’s capable of adjusting his game, to produce in the NBA. He’s still raw and with his brute force and athletic ability, there’s has a lot of growth left in his game.

I’d like to see Patterson give it one more year at the college level, but he’s likely to enter the draft. If he does come out, I’d consider selecting Patrick Patterson in the #18 - #24 range.

In the Spotlight: Ty Lawson

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Ty Lawson
Position: Point Guard
Ht: 5-11, Wt: 195
Hometown: Clinton, Md.
College: UNC
Class: Junior
DOB: 11/3/87

Strengths:

Great Floor General – Pass first point guard that shows good leadership skills.
Winner… He’s consistently won in both HS and College (Granted he’s had superb talent around him.)
Unselfish, keeps everyone involved in the offense.
Pushes the tempo… Excels in transition playing a fast paced, open court game.
Good court vision – sees the floor well
With his combination of speed and ball-handling, he makes it very tough for opposing teams to apply full-court pressure.
Extremely fast end to end
Solid upper body strength
Pesky on the ball defender that does a good job pressuring the opposing point guard the full length of the court.
Quick hands that enable him to create turnovers – averaging 2.3 SPG

Weaknesses:

Size - Listed at 5’11, his lack of height and wingspan will create a big challenge for Lawson at the next level.
Doesn’t have a true mid-range game -- Relies heavily on getting to the basket in transition, or taking 3’s.
Lawson gets limited elevation on his jump shot.
Not a great shooter (although much improved) – he lacks consistency from the perimeter to keep the defense honest. For his size, Lawson needs to be a terrific shooter and he isn’t.
Needs to become more effective playing in the half-court set.
Defensively, he struggles fighting over screens and he has a tendency to just go under picks, giving the opposition too much separation.
Lawson needs to increase his level of effort defensively.
Gambles too much on the defensive end.

Overall:

Ty Lawson is a great college point guard on a great college team. Not to take away from Lawson’s abilities, but it’s much easier to look good when you’re surrounded by tremendous talent and you’re blowing out your opponents. With that said, you have to like that he’s consistently produced winning results throughout his entire career.

Lawson’s speed in the open court and his ability to create transition opportunities for his team are outstanding. He sees the floor well, plays an unselfish style and he gets his teammates the ball in position to score.

Lawson is a pretty good athlete that’s capable of elevating, but he shoots more of a set shot and doesn’t take advantage of his ability to get up. At 5’11 and with a low release point, Lawson is going to face challenges getting his shot off at the next level.

With that said, I’m not as worried about Lawson’s mechanics as I am with his consistency. He’s shown terrific improvement over the past 2 seasons, which his %’s clearly reflect, but he’s still not at the level he needs to be, as a shooter. Until he becomes a more potent outside shooter, defenses in the NBA will be able to sag back and go under screens, which will take away Lawson’s effectiveness.

Defensively, Lawson is at a disadvantage with his height and length, right off the bat. He needs to exert more energy on the defensive end and do a better job of shutting down penetration. In addition, learning to fight over screens will be crucial to his development, because if he allows the opposition to get that much space in the NBA, opposing guards will destroy him from the outside.

At the next level, Lawson has the ability to become a serviceable backup point guard and a guy that brings energy off the bench. Despite the buzz, I would have to think real hard before I selected Lawson with a 1st round pick... to me he is an early 2nd round selection.

In the Spotlight: Cole Aldrich

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:15:00 +0000

Cole Aldrich
Position: Center

Ht: 6-11, Wt: 245

Hometown: Bloomington, MN

College: Kansas
Class: Sophomore

DOB: 10/31/88

Strengths:

Exerts tremendous effort
Has really improved his footwork in the low post.
He’s begun to develop a low post game, especially a turn around jump hook, which is his go-to move.
Well Schooled Player – Understands where he needs to be, in order to be effective on both ends of the court.
Tremendous shot blocker – Comes over from the weak side to contest – shows great timing.
Great rebounder – Consistently boxes his man out and uses his long arms to extend for the ball.
After securing rebounds, Aldrich demonstrates good footwork pivoting and throwing crisp outlet pass.
Runs hard on both ends of the floor.

Weaknesses:

Physically weak; lacks toughness – He’s pushed around too easily in the paint.
Must become more assertive on the floor… Aldrich needs to fight harder to establish position in the low post and develop an ‘attack’ mentality.
Offensively, his game isn’t fluid – his low post moves need to become 2nd nature.
Very unconventional, slow developing shot… His release point is above the back side of his head …He has to work on refining his form and becoming a more consistent mid-range shooter.
Not very explosive off the floor
Very limited lateral quickness – He has a tough time guarding quicker players that can take him off the dribble.
Slow foot speed which makes it very difficult to come out to contest shots away from the basket. He’s going to really struggle guarding 4 and 5’s that can hit the mid range jump shot.

Overall:

Cole Aldrich is not a player that is going to get anyone out of their seats with his ferocious style of play or explosiveness off the ground. Rather he’s a productive player that has shown a great propensity to improve in all aspects of his game and will play hard on both ends of the floor.

Right now, Aldrich’s two greatest strengths are his rebounding prowess and excellent timing blocking shots. He has a great understanding of how to rebound, as he gets his body in position to use his tremendous length to extend for the ball.

Offensively, he’s really improved his footwork on the block and his ability to score around the basket. He will never become a focal point at the next level, but he definitely needs to be accounted for.

Defensively is where I see Aldrich encountering his biggest challenge in the NBA. With limited foot speed and lateral quickness, defending much more athletic 4’s is going to be very difficult. Aldrich also struggles to contest jump shots, when he’s forced to come out of his comfort zone, which is within 10 feet of the basket.

The other big hurdle that Aldrich will have to overcome is his physical toughness. Adding more muscle has definitely helped in this area, but it’s more his mentality that’s the problem. His natural demeanor is way too timid on the court.

The bottom line is that Aldrich’s limited athleticism and toughness will present a major problem, as he transitions to the next level. For that reason, if he enters this year’s draft, I would wait until the 15th pick of the 1st round before I consider selecting Cole Aldrich.

In the Spotlight: Scottie Reynolds

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:14:00 +0000

Scottie Reynolds
Position: Point Guard
Ht: 6’2 Wt: 190
Hometown: Herndon, Va.
College: Villanova
Class: Junior
DOB: 10/10/1987

Strengths

Capable of putting up big scoring numbers.
Demonstrates range on his jump shot that extends out to the NBA 3 point line.
Understands how to read the defense and use screens to get separation… He comes tight off screens with his body in position to shoot.
Crafty offensive player that utilizes his body effectively in the paint and finds ways to get his shot off.
Does a good job pushing the ball and leading the break
Great free throw shooter
Battle tested in college – He’s gotten it done since his freshman year, logging big minutes and putting up solid numbers.

Weaknesses

Naturally looks for his own offense, rather than creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Doesn’t possess NBA level quickness or speed
Not a gifted athlete… Doesn’t have the explosiveness or leaping ability to finish at the rim.
Doesn’t see the floor particularly well for a point guard
Has limited elevation on his jumper…Shoots more of a set shot
Lateral quickness, foot speed is in issue when defending on the ball.

Overall

Scottie Reynolds is a very good college point guard. He’s consistently produced since his freshman season, putting up big numbers in an offense that’s built for him to score. He can shoot from deep, he’s crafty at finding ways to get his shots off and he’s able to go off for big scoring outbursts on any given night.

Now although he’s been able to get it done in college, it’s a much different scenario at the next level. As a point guard, with a scoring mentality and without real court vision, the challenge becomes even greater.

Reynolds doesn’t have the athleticism, explosiveness off his feet, speed in the open court, and leaping ability around the rim or on his jump shot. He also lacks the quickness and foot speed to play man-to-man defense against NBA 1’s.

The bottom line is that Reynolds doesn’t have the physical tools or natural skills necessary to transition to become an NBA point guard. Whether he enters the draft this year, or next, I wouldn’t select Reynolds.

In the Spotlight: Gerald Henderson

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:14:00 +0000

Gerald Henderson
Position: Shooting Guard
Ht: 6-4, Wt: 215
Hometown: Merion, Pa
College: Duke
Class: Junior

DOB: 12/9/87

Strengths

Superb athlete with exceptional leaping ability.
Moves well off the ball – slashes hard to the basket and he’s able to pick up buckets cutting to the hoop.
Very aggressive... he gets after it on both ends of the floor.
Shows toughness and a competitive spirit.
Plays well in an up-tempo environment – gets out in transition, fills the lane and can finish on the break.
Good rebounder for a guard– primarily because of his athleticism, but he’s willing to mix it up and use his strength to bang with the bigs.
Great defensive instincts – he reacts quickly, anticipates passes, and generates turnovers by getting his hands in the passing lanes.
Terrific on the ball defender… With quickness, lateral mobility, and strength.
Good help defender who has a knack for blocking shots, created from coming over from the weakside.
Hustles back on D in transition and often times will be seen using his speed to track someone down.

Weaknesses

Really has to work on improving his ball handling… especially his left.
Doesn’t excel at creating his own offense… his 1-on-1 moves can use improving
Shooting - Has shown great improvement as a spot up shooter – but still has a long way to go.
Not as comfortable when shooting off the dribble…it’s going to require a lot of hardwork to get were he needs to be.
At 6’4 his size for an NBA 2 guard is a concern…but it’s somewhat neutralized by his strength and athleticism.

Overall

There are some things that can’t be taught and freakish athleticism is one of those things. Henderson has that athletic ability and he’s naturally gifted in many areas… He’s strong, fast in the open court, explosive around the rim and he can absolutely jump out of the gym.

With that said, Henderson has to really work on his offensive game because he isn’t a natural scorer. Henderson’s jumper is much improved this season, but it’s still not where it needs to be, especially off the dribble. He needs to continue improving his consistency from the outside, including a quicker release in a more fluid motion.

The other aspect of his game that Henderson needs to get better is his ball handling, primarily his left. If he’s able to develop his handle and begin to create his own offense, he’ll be a much tougher player to defend and it will allow him to use his athleticism more effectively.

Defensively, Henderson has a very complete skill set. His on the ball defense is very strong (excellent lateral quickness), he’s able to get in the passing lanes with great anticipation / instincts, and he is a terrific weak side defender who gets up to contest / block shots. He also hustles back in transition to prevent fast break opportunities.

Overall, Henderson is a good kid that shows tremendous effort and plays hard on both ends of the floor. He’s only a Junior, but if he decides to enter the upcoming draft, he deserves consideration towards the end of the lottery, middle of the first round.

In the Spotlight: Dante Cunningham

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Dante Cunningham
Position: Power Forward
Ht: 6-8, Wt: 230
Hometown: Silver Springs, MD
College: Villanova
Class: Senior
Age: 04/22/87

Strengths

Very muscular physical stature – no body fat.
Fundamentally sound, well schooled player.
Great rebounder – Always boxes his man out, seals off his opponent and gets himself in position to secure the rebound… Relentless attitude on the glass.
Cuts hard to the basket
Sets solid on the ball screens
Plays pick and pop basketball - Adept at getting himself in open position.
Well conditioned – runs hard on both ends of the floor and rarely shows fatigue
Demonstrates range on his jump shot that extends out to 15 feet
Terrific help defender – Understands how to defend within the team concept / Very physical, gets his body in position to stop penetration / take the contact (draw charge)

Weaknesses

Listed at 6’8 (very generous) which is a huge concern – He would be an undersized 4 at the next level.
Although he has a well defined physique, he needs to fill out and put on 10 - 15 more lbs.
Very robotic – Not a lot of fluidity to his game
Lacks efficiency when he’s forced to create his own offense … Doesn’t have a true low post or face up game. Lacks the back to the basket skills or the ability to take his man off the dribble.
Needs to become more consistent with his mid-range jump shot… (He has to become a great shooter)

Overall

Dante Cunningham is a player that maximizes his talent. He gets the most out of his skills and thus he’s evolved into a very productive college player.

In watching Cunningham, he comes from the same mold of a player like Charles Oakley. He understands his role on the team, he’s a relentless rebounder, plays with a lot of toughness, and he excels on the defensive side of the ball. The offense will never run through him, but he can get scrappy buckets around the rim.

It’s critical that Cunningham continues to improve his consistency from the outside. Right now, he’s a good shooter, but he needs to be lights out. If he can manage to develop a more consistent mid range jumper, the way Oakley did over his career that would greatly improve his chances of finding a home in the NBA.

The other thing that scares me about Cunningham is his size. He’s listed at 6’8, but when watching him on the court, he appears shorter than that. He also needs to continue filling out his frame, with more muscle mass, so that he can fight to prevent opposing 4’s from establishing position on the block. He’s going to need all the height and power he can get – otherwise his strength (defending) will be negated at the next level.

Overall, Cunningham is going to have a tough time sticking on an NBA roster. However, he’s worth a look late in the 2nd round, with the slim chance of earning a spot on an offensive oriented team that could use his defensive toughness and rebounding prowess.

In the Spotlight: Earl Clark

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Earl Clark
Position: Small Forward

Ht: 6-9, Wt: 220

Hometown: Plainfield, N.J.

College: Louisville

Class: Junior

Age: 1/17/88

Strengths

NBA ready body with tremendous length… muscular 6’9, 220lbs
Match-up nightmare for opposing teams… Inside / Outside player - Very versatile with the ability to step out past the three point line, or post up smaller defenders.
Gifted athlete – good vertical, long strides when he runs, gets out in transition.
Solid rebounder - With a combination of knowing how to establish position, size, athleticism, and length.
He’s able to play a point forward role in the half-court set– Using his size and length to see over the defense and set the offense at the top of the key.
Capable ball handler that’s able to grab a rebound and start the break.
Demonstrates great body control when he penetrates to the basket.
Very fundamental passer - throws crisp passes.
Soft hands
Uses his incredible length to block shots, create deflections

Weaknesses

Too reliant on his shot – Rather than settling from the outside, he needs to post up, or take the ball to the basket with more regularity.
Has to develop more consistency with his jump shot… A minor mechanical adjustment might be required, as his release point is slightly to the right side with too much of his left hand, creating sidespin.
Needs to improve his ability to shoot off the dribble… Being able to create off the bounce and knock down a jump shot will make Clark a much tougher player to defend.
At times he has a very nonchalant demeanor… He needs to show the killer instinct and play with greater intensity.
Inconsistency – Clark has stretches, even games, in which he’s not very involved offensively.
Lacks Physical Toughness - Despite having a very muscular build, Clark gets pushed around too much. He needs to get tougher and utilize his body more effectively.
Needs to learn to play to his strengths
Defensively he has a tendency to defend standing straight up and not get in stance… He needs to keep his feet moving and stay focused, if he’s going to defend the 3 at the next level. He has room to improve his foot speed as well.

Overall

Earl Clark is extremely talented and posses a wide array of skills. He has an NBA ready body, with unbelievable length and versatility. He’s a match-up terror for opposing teams with his ability to post up, step outside, or penetrate to the basket. He can rebound the ball and he has extremely long strides when he gets out in transition filling the break.

The major issue that I have with Clark is his desire to be the best. There are some players that have the killer instinct, and with Clark I’m just not sure that he does. Similar to Tim Thomas, there isn’t much Clark can’t do on the court, but if you don’t have the toughness and aspiration to be the best, you won’t come close to tapping into your potential (like Thomas). Clark’s so gifted and if he’s able to develop the desire to match his skill set, it can propel him to great things.

Clark also needs to work on not only improving his consistency from the outside, but not relying so much on his jump shot. As he continues to improve his footwork on the block and develop low post moves, I think we’ll see him posting up with more frequency.

Overall, Clark has the skill set of a lottery selection, but he doesn’t produce like one. This season, with higher expectations and a much larger role, Clark hasn’t stepped up and shown the ability to rise to the occasion. If he elects to enter the draft this year, which seems extremely likely, I’d be very hesitant to select Clark with a lottery pick…to me he’s a good pick between (#15 - #24)

In the Spotlight: Greg Monroe

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Greg Monroe
Position: Center
Ht: 6-11, Wt: 250
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
College: Georgetown
Class: Freshman
Age: 06/04/90

Strengths

Plays well within the team concept / flow of offense.
Good touch from the outside, with range that extends to 17 feet.
Great Passer from the high post
Comfortable facing the basket – Has the package (passes, shoots, cuts)
Understands how to play pick and roll basketball.
Soft Hands
Pretty lefty jump hook which is his go to move, when he gets the ball in the post.
Runs the floor well
Mature beyond his years… Appears to be very coachable.
Defensively, he shows well on the pick and roll… He understands how to hedge out to prevent penetration.
Defensive Presence – blocks / contests shots

Weaknesses

Very methodical, slow developing jumper
Not very explosive / quick
Needs to get stronger / improve his upper body strength
Heavily favors going left… When he puts the ball on the floor – it’s left.
More adept when facing the basket… Needs to develop his post up game.
Can go through stretches in which he’s not involved in the offensive flow… Needs to maintain his focus and intensity.

Overall

At only 18, Greg Monroe is a very complete ball player. He plays well within the team concept, he’s versatile, and he’s most dangerous with the ball in his hands at the high post. When facing the basket Monroe makes smart decisions, as he has the complete package, in that he can take his man off the dribble (going left), shoot from about 17 feet and in (although slow release), and he’s a very good passer for a big.

There’s a lot to like about Monroe’s immediate impact on the college basketball level, but his game relies more on fundamentals than athleticism, so he’s a player that would benefit by staying in college for at least 2 years. This will allow him to continue working on improving his strength, particularly upper body, as well as his ability use his right hand, both in the post and dribbling right. Lastly, his jumper is very advanced for a 6’11 freshman, but he can still improve his consistency from the outside, which will make him a very tough guard at the 4 or 5.

Overall, I can see Monroe developing into a solid contributor for a team at the NBA level, but definitely not an All-Star caliber player. If he comes out, I’d consider Greg Monroe around the #17 – 25 pick.

In the Spotlight: Hasheem Thabeet

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:02:00 +0000

Hasheem Thabeet
Position: Center

Ht: 7-3, Wt: 263

Hometown: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

College: UConn

Class: Junior

Age: 02/16/87

Strengths

Incredible size and presence on the court – A rare package of coordination and athleticism for a 7’3 frame.
Tremendous shot blocker… Does a great job rotating off his man, protecting the basket and contesting shots.
Has shown unbelievable improvement in all facets of his game since entering college.
Offensive skills are evolving… Has started to demonstrate a jump hook which he uses effectively against shorter defenders.
Good form at the free throw line
Sufficient hands
Explosive leaper – quick off his feet

Weaknesses

Still very raw / unpolished – learning the game… He’s only been playing basketball for the past few years
Needs to add some low post moves to his offensive arsenal… He’s developing a jump hook, but right now, he gets his baskets through dunks thanks to guard penetration and offensive rebound putbacks.
Must improve his ability to establish position on the block – Thabeet needs to work on sealing his defender on his back and holding position…creating easier entry pass opportunities.
His feet drag while running up court.
Needs to improve his upper body strength which will help him fend off contact when attacking the basket… He must take the ball up stronger.
Has to improve passing out of the post, especially when he sees double teams.
Struggles moving his feet defensively and guarding on the perimeter… Thabeet is exploited when guarding players that play facing the basket, as he lacks the lateral mobility to keep his man in front of him. It’s also an issue when defending the pick and roll.
Defensively, Thabeet has a tendency to rely too much on his incredible athleticism… He has to fight defensively to prevent the man he’s guarding from establishing low position.

Overall

It’s very rare to find a player with Hasheem Thabeet’s physical stature and athleticism. He’s improved his skill set immensely, both offensively and defensively, since entering UConn 3 years ago and he has a lot of growth left in his game.

Defensively, Thabeet is a game changer who’s shown the ability to contest anything around the hoop. He has an enormous wingspan, rotates off his man and demonstrates great timing when he elevates. His aptitude to defend within the team concept is tremendous, but he still must improve his on the ball defense.

Offensively, his skills are way behind his abilities defensively, as he needs to improve his footwork and add moves to his offensive arsenal. It’s a work in progress, as he’s started to develop a jump hook around the basket and become more adept at finishing with his left hand. At this point, Thabeet is able to get his buckets by finishing off of penetration, and put backs on offense rebounds.

Thabeet still relies heavily on his athleticism, which for his size is incredible, but there are things that work in college that wont work in the NBA. For example, allowing the player he’s guarding to establish low position, because he’s confident that he’ll block their shot. Or not sealing his man and boxing out, knowing that he’ll grab the rebound because of his length and vertical leap. These are habits that will need to be broken.

Overall, Thabeet is a top 7 pick. As his skills continue to evolve, Thabeet can become a player that can control the paint defensively and be an option on the offensive end (not the focal point) at the next level.

In the Spotlight: Jonny Flynn

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:44:00 +0000

Jonny Flynn
Position: Point Guard
Ht: 6’0 Wt: 180
Hometown: Niagara Falls, NY
College: Syracuse
Class: Sophomore
Age: 10/28/89

Strengths

Great combination of speed and bounce
Terrific with the ball in his hands… Once he gets the outlet pass, he’s off... Excels leading the break.
Extremely fast end to end – Does a great job changing speeds and turning it into high gear.
Composed floor general - Very poised demeanor
Good court vision; sees the floor well.
Despite being small in stature, he has good strength to fend off contact and finish in traffic
Has a toughness and swagger to his game… He really believes in himself
Above average 3-point shooter… Great elevation on his jump shot.
Plays major minutes and rarely appears tired throughout (*Syracuse plays zone D)
Active hands defensively

Weaknesses

Relies heavily on taking 3’s and really favors straightaway… Needs to develop a mid-range game and expand his shot selection.
Listed at 6’0 – probably closer to 5’10
In some situations, he’d be better off passing the ball upcourt to create a transition opportunity…At times, he overdribbles, which prevents a fast break chance.
Can become more effective in the pick and roll by attacking the basket with greater consistency – as opposed to using the screen and settling for a jump shot.
Takes some tough, contested, low-percentage shots.

Overall

Jonny Flynn is a confident point guard that does a great job changing speeds and getting into the open court. He knows how to control the tempo of the game and he has NBA range on his jump shot. He’s also the leader of the Syracuse team, as you see his teammates rely on him to set the offense, as a true point guard should.

Now although he’s shown the ability to break down the defense, he relies too much on the deep 3 (straightaway). He’s also listed at 6’0 (translation 5’10), which will present challenges at the next level shooting over taller defenders and finishing around the rim. Luckily for Flynn, he can jump out of the gym, which helps to offset his small stature.

Defensively, Syracuse primarily plays in a zone, so it’s tough to gauge his on the ball defensive abilities. Flynn is very active in the zone and does a good job keeping his feet / hands moving and creating turnovers. He also has the foot speed and quickness to make you believe he can become an NBA level defensive player, but it’s still to be determined.

Overall, Flynn is an intriguing prospect with a lot of upside. He’s a tremendous athlete that should be able to step in and give a team productive minutes right away. At this point, I’d look real close at Flynn in the middle of the 1st round. With his much improved play thus far this season, he has a great opportunity to move up the draft boards.

In the Spotlight: Paul Harris

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:22:00 +0000

Paul Harris
Position: Small Forward

Ht: 6-5, Wt: 230

Hometown: Niagara Falls, NY

College: Syracuse

Class: Junior

Age: 10/15/86

Strengths

Strong build… Well defined, very muscular physique
Impressive athlete with good combination of power, length and explosion.
Great rebounder for his size – attacks the glass. Paul doesn’t wait for the ball to come down, he goes and gets it. He gets himself in good position and explodes to the highest point.
Tenacious man to man defender. He plays very physical, in your face, on the ball defense. He has good lateral quickness and moves his feet well.
Superb team defender – Rotates well and gets his body in position to help stop penetration. He gives up his body and will take the contact.
Plays with high energy – A competitor who wants to win and gives maximum effort every night.
Very active on both ends of the court. Offensively, he’s a slasher that will get scrappy buckets – (put backs off glass, cuts in offense)… Moves well off the ball. Defensively, he’s always moving, talking, banging.
Plays well when he gets out in transition, filling the wing and finishing on the break.

Weaknesses

Offensively, Paul’s game is 12 feet and in.
Needs to improve his jump shot. He has a high release point, doesn’t get enough ark and the bottom line is that he can’t consistently hit a jump shot.
He’s 6’5 but his skills are of someone 6’9, which will limit him at the next level.
Struggles creating off the dribble – Needs to expand his game to include beating his man off the dribble and creating scoring opportunities for himself and teammates.

Overall

If there’s a loose ball and 10 guys go after it and Paul Harris is one of those 10, he’s coming out with the ball. That epitomizes his game. He’s tenacious, he’s aggressive, he’s a competitor, and he’s willing to give himself up to get the ‘W’.

His greatest strength is his ability to defend. Although Syracuse primarily plays zone, when they do go man, Harris takes on the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best player. He’s able to use his quickness, length and strength to keep his man in front of him. He also has great defensive instincts and understands how to play team defense. He has all the physical attributes to play defense at the NBA level.

Offensively, is where Harris is limited. At 6’5, he plays like a power forward, and lacks the skills of a shooting guard / small forward, which he’ll need at the NBA level. The primary issue is his inability to shoot with consistency. His jumper has been a work in progress since Paul entered college 3 years ago and it still is nowhere near an NBA level.

Overall, Paul does so many things on the court that make him valuable and make him a winner. The problem is that at 6’5 he is going to need to play the 2 in the NBA and with some major holes in his offensive repertoire, he’s not going to be able to stick on a roster. He’s worth a look in the late 2nd round, with hope that he could develop into a lock down defender (ala Bruce Bowen), but unless he can hit the jumper, there wont be an NBA future for him.

In the Spotlight: Tyreke Evans (updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:44:00 +0000

Tyreke Evans

Position: Point Guard / 2 Guard

Ht: 6-4, Wt: 195

Hometown: Aston, PA

College: Memphis
Class: Freshman

Age: 10/19/89

Strengths

Possesses incredible ball handling skills… Great cross over dribble which he’s equally comfortable going left or right with.
Has the ability to freeze his defender with a hard dribble, that he uses to get space for a pull up jumper (if the D sags back) or blow past the defense (if they tighten up).
Demonstrates good body control when he gets into the lane.
Plays with an attacking style, consistently penetrating to the basket and putting pressure on the opposition.
Has a scorer’s mentality, always looking to keep pouring it on. He’s capable of going off for big scoring numbers.
Excels when he’s in transition, primarily leading the break, but he’s effective filling the wing as well.
Very long arms, active hands defensively.

Weaknesses

Lacks the athletic ability to get above the rim, or elevate on his jump shot. Tyreke does not have the leaping ability which he’ll need as his game looks to advance to higher levels.
Needs to repair his shooting form. It’s ugly, inconsistent and he has a slow release. Tyreke also tends to drift back rather than rising straight up on his jumper.
Has to improve playing off the ball. Tyreke is at his best when he is isolated one-on-one, but he really struggles moving without the ball and finding other ways to score / be effective.
Laid back demeanor – not the assertive type: i.e. get after the loose balls, give your buddy up to take the charge, etc.
Has a tendency to over-dribble when he wants to get to the basket.
Needs to get better defensively. He has to get more committed on the defensive side of the ball and improve his foot speed. His on the ball defense is sub par right now.
Shot selection is questionable – as he continues to mature he’ll improve the balance between when to create for others vs. when to look for his own shot.

Overall

Tyreke is blessed with a ton of skills. He is very advanced with the ball in his hands, he has a wide array of moves, tremendous penetration ability and he knows how to get to the bucket. He’s a natural scorer with a mentality to keep pouring it on, with the capability to go off for big scoring numbers.

With all of his talent and skills, I’d like to see Tyreke be more active on the court… crashing the glass, locking up his defender, pursuing loose balls etc.

Tyreke is also not extremely athletic. He can get to the basket, but he doesn’t elevate at an NBA level. He can use his long arms to get in the passing lanes, but he lacks the lateral quickness to keep his man in front of him. He can get past his defender with his dribbling abilities / moves, but he won’t be blazing past any defenders with his speed.

In the Spotlight: Robert Vaden

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Robert Vaden
Position: 2-Guard / Small Forward
Ht: 6-5, Wt: 210
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
College: UAB
Class: Senior
Age: 3/3/85

Strengths:

Very complete, poised player who does a little bit of everything.
Heady player who can fill many roles on the offensive end – play 1, 2, 3
Great range on his jump shot
Does a great job using screens to get free… can knock it down on a catch-and-shoot, or off the bounce.
Crafty player with good court vision… Has the ability to get into the paint and find the open man.
Strong build – can hold his own physically
Understands how to play team defense - Not the best on the ball defender, but does a great job rotating from the weakside to help out defensively

Weaknesses:

Settles for 3’s way too much rather than taking the ball to the bucket.
Not very athletic… Lacks NBA level leaping ability / explosiveness
Limited quickness – going to struggle taking his man off the dribble at the next level
More of a streak shooter, that could improve his consistency from 3 point range… Robert would benefit from taking some mid-range jumpers to keep the defense honest.
Heavily favors dribbling with his right hand… needs to improve his ball handling with his left.
Doesn’t have the hang-time to finish consistently in traffic.
He’s already 23, so there isn’t going to be much growth in his game (sat out 1 yr to transfer).

Overall:

Robert is a very complete player, who does everything well, but nothing spectacular. He won’t blow you away with his speed, quickness, or athletic ability, but he has a ton of skills that make him a very efficient player. He has good range, court vision, he hits the glass inside and he has the ability to get hot in a hurry.

On the defensive side of the ball, because Robert has limited lateral quickness, he’s not a terrific on the ball defender. He does however, do a nice job rotating over from the weakside, to play solid team defense.

Robert’s really at his best with the ball in his hands, playing a point forward role, which allows him to make the decisions and control the offensive flow. He’s used to being the best player on whatever team he’s played, which clearly won’t be the case as his game matures to the next level.

In order for Robert to find a niche in the NBA, I’d like to see him become a more consistent jump shooter (right now he’s more of a streak shooter), improve his penetration abilities (work on his left hand dribble), and even improve his on the ball defense.

Right now, Robert’s worth a look in the mid 2nd round, but I think he’ll have trouble sticking, unless a team lacks depth at the 2/3 position.

In the Spotlight: Stephen Curry

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:05:00 +0000

Stephen Curry
Position: Point Guard / 2 Guard
Ht: 6-2, Wt: 190
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
College: Davidson
Class: Junior
Age: 3/14/88

Strengths:

Pure shooter. Quick release, great range and great form.
Moves well without the ball… he comes tight off screens, cuts hard and find ways to get free from the defense.
Despite having to do all the heavy lifting against major D-1 teams, he’s in great shape and rarely appears tired throughout.
Deceptive ball handling skills with a much improved left to right cross over, behind the back dribble, and lefty in and out move. He’s developed into an elite ball handler.
Polished step back move which he uses to create space to get off his jump shot up.
Automatic from the foul line.
Above average Court Vision
Quick hands – pesky defender that creates turnovers (steals)
Clutch - seems to relish the big moments and taking the big shots
Natural – Has a good feel for the game… has a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Weaknesses:

Needs to get stronger and add more muscle
Naturally a 2-guard, who will need to continue improving his point guard skills and playmaking for others.
Can improve his ability to breakdown the defense, get into the paint and finish at the rim.
Limited athletically – Lacks NBA level explosiveness.
Doesn’t have experience playing on a team in which he’s not relied on to do everything.

Overall:

Stephen Curry is a pure shooter. He has a quick release, he moves well without the ball, and he has a knack for finding creases in the defense to free himself. He’s also demonstrated the ability to carry a team, showing up in big games and hitting big shots.

With all of the success Curry has had in college, it’s a much different situation when you’re “the man” on the team, with the offense built for you and your teammates relying on you to carry the load… as opposed to being part of the offense, which will be the case at the next level. It’s a major adjustment, but because of Curry’s natural feel for the game, it’s one he’ll be able to tackle.

As Curry transitions from college to the pro level, he will need to continue to improve at the point guard position. At 6’2, Curry is a natural 2-guard, who’s at his best when he’s looking to get himself going, but because of his size he’ll need to be able to play the point in the pro’s. Curry’s made a drastic improvement from his sophomore to his junior year taking his opponents off the dribble and getting his teammates easy buckets, but it’s still an area that he can really improve.

Curry can hold his own athletically, but he is not a superb athlete, which will present a challenge in the NBA. He’s found ways to compensate, but his limited explosiveness make it tough at the NBA level when you are competing against elite level point guards every night.

He also needs to get stronger which will help in many areas, primarily fighting over screens on the defensive end.

Overall, Curry’s a gifted basketball player, with a ton of potential. In the right system, that takes advantage of his natural abilities, Curry can become a key piece of a winning team down the line. I’d look real close at Curry around the 7th – 12th selection of the 1st round.

Elite 24: 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:36:00 +0000

I ventured up to Harlem last week to check out the Elite 24. The Elite 24 takes place at Rucker Park and it's the only high school game that features the top 24 ball players, regardless of class. As is the case with every All-Star game, there isn't much defense being played and the ball doesn't exactly move on the offensive end.

With that being said, alot of talent made it's way to Harlem and I kept my eye on a a few guys that are expecting to make it to the NBA in a few years... Lance Stephenson (updated) and John Wall - Spotlights below:

In the Spotlight: Lance Stephenson (updated)

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:21:00 +0000

Lance Stephenson
Position: Shooting Guard / Small Forward
Ht: 6-6
Wt: 220

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Class: Senior
College Options: Memphis, Texas, Kansas, USC, St. John’s
Age: 9/05/90

Strengths

At 6’6, 220lbs, Lance is physically advanced with a very muscular build.
Extremely versatile on both ends of the court. Lance posses the handle which allows him to play the point, the shooting touch to play the wing, and the strength to finish inside. Defensively, he has the flexibility to guard the 1 – 3 depending on match ups.
Scorer - Has the ability to completely dominate on the offensive end.
Great one-on-one skills, with an array of moves to take his man off the dribble… Exceptional cross-over (both left to right and right to left), hesitation move, and right in-and-out dribble.
Lance really knows how to finish around the rim, as he's able to use both his left and right hand to finish.
Fierce Competitor with a drive to be the best. Lance really flourishes when he's playing against other elite players. He always rises to the challenge and never shies away from guarding the opposition’s best player.
When Lance gets into the paint, he has a tendency to spin, as he's very adept at using his body to fend off his defender.
Very Pure Shooter with great form – He has the range to hit from deep 3, but also the mid range game to hit from foul line and in.
Further along in his development when shooting off the bounce.
Sees the floor well – As he begins to play with players closer to his skill level, his passing abilities will hopefully be showcased with more frequency.
Very confident player – Has a real swagger to his game. Lance can hold his own athletically, with the power to compliment.

Weaknesses

Body language and maturity are real concerns - When things aren’t going well his immaturity shows as he pouts and point’s fingers… show’s disgust.
Needs to be careful that as he adds more muscle mass, it doesn’t inhibit his agility or mobility on the court.
Has a tendency to over dribble when he wants to break down his man, play to the crowd and make a statement… Needs to make a move and explode.
Lance has to work on getting himself into position so that he can knock down the jumper off the pass. He’s more comfortable shooting off the dribble, than spotting up.
He has to work on getting back on defense after he misses a shot, or turns the ball over. He has a tendency to compound a missed shot, by taking a few swipes for the ball to try and regain possession, rather than sprinting back.
Needs to get more committed on the defensive end. Lance tends to leak out to half-court looking to start the break. He also has to work on keeping his feet moving defensively and not just focus on the man he’s guarding, but also helping out on the weak side.
Lance can get up, but he’s not an extremely high riser.
Lance isn’t the most well spoken, polished kid off the court.

Overall

Lance is an extremely talented ball player and watching him play you can see how easily the game comes to him. Offensively, he has the ability to completely dominate the game, with his ability to score. He can take you off the dribble, shoot from deep, slash to the hoop, get out in transition, etc. Defensively, he needs to get better, but much of the improvement is about commitment and understanding, which will be demanded of him at the college level.

In the past year, Lance has bulked up and already has an NBA body. One thing he needs to be cautious of is that as he adds more muscle to his frame, it doesn’t affect his quickness, or explosiveness on the court. Finding the right balance will be crucial to his development.

The thing about Lance that’s been well publicized is his immaturity. He needs to become a player that teammates want to play with. He’s so much more advanced than his teammates at the HS level that he tends to show them up, when they fail to catch a pass, or convert on an easy assist opportunity. He needs to grow up on and off the court and act mature enough to handle becoming a future star.

This emotion that Lance plays with isn’t entirely a bad thing. If he’s able to channel this ‘fire’ the right way, it can be converted into a positive. With the right coaching, mentoring, and direction, Lance has a chance to be special. But it will depend on his willingness to be coached and his ability to change, that will determine his fate. Lance has to stay focused, keep practicing and not get complacent beating up on inferior competition.

The great thing about Lance is that he wants it. He has the drive, desire, and hunger to be the best.

In terms of NBA potential, there is no question it’s there. Plan to keep a close eye on Lance at the college level, where he should make a major impact.

In the Spotlight: John Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:57:00 +0000

John Wall

Position: Point Guard

Ht: 6-3

Wt: 175

Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Class: Senior
College Options: Baylor, Kansas, Kentucky, Memphis, NC State, etc

Strengths

Extremely fast with the ball in his hands… Gets up and down the court in a hurry, leading the fast break.
Does a great job changing directions, keeping his defender off balance and on his heels.
ATHLETE – He can flat out fly and he finishes well with both hands around the rim. He can really elevate and flush it down.
Has a real knack for getting into the paint and penetrating past his defender.
Great cross over dribble (both left to right and right to left)
Shows a real burst when he accelerates; he’s able to turn it into another gear and leave his defender behind.
Very solid left hesitation move that he uses to freeze his defender before he explodes left.
At his best in the open court, but showed signs that he’s able to orchestrate and run the half-court offense as well
Great court vision.
Super quick with nimble feet
Long Arms

Weaknesses

Very flat jump shot that needs improving - His form needs some work… He has to be able to hit the mid range jumper and step out passed the three point line…Neither of which, John can do with consistency right now.
Needs to be more assertive and go to the ball, not wait for his teammates to bring it to him.
Played zero defense and didn’t work hard on the defensive end of the court. (it was an all-star game)
John will definitely benefit from a year in college because he needs to add muscle. His natural build is of a thin frame; however John needs to add muscle to his upper body.

Player Comparison: Reminds me of Jamal Crawford…both his handle and frame; however John is a much more natural point guard.

Overall

There isn’t a doubt in my mind that John Wall has what it takes to be a solid NBA player. He can fly up the court with the ball in his hands and he’s phenomenal leading the break. He has great court vision and he doesn’t mind giving up the rock, or he can emphatically throw it down with either hand. His speed and quickness are evident, and he does a great job changing speeds and getting to the bucket.

It is imperative that John becomes a more consistent outside shooter. He needs to be able to knock down the jumper off the bounce and off the pass, which he’s unable to do right now. He also needs to improve his range, which will force the defense to play up on him, not sag back, making it easier for him to penetrate to the bucket. John also needs to commit himself to the defensive end and take pride in shutting down the opposition. He has great foot speed, but there were plenty of times that his feet were glued to the ground and thus he was beaten off the dribble.

The bottom line is that John has all the physical tools, talent and athleticism that will translate as his game progresses to the collegiate level and ultimately the pros. Look for him to be a one-and-done college player before entering the draft.

*Based off seeing John play at Elite 24 -8/22

Tyreke Evans to Memphis

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:35:00 +0000

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone given Tyreke Evans close ties to William “Worldwide” Wesley and Wes’s close relationship with Memphis Coach John Calipari. People have been speculating about this decision for months and now it’s official. Evans a three-time Pennsylvania AP player of the year and MVP of the McDonald All-American game has selected the Memphis Tigers, to play his collegiate ball.

Evans averaged 29 pts, 8 rebs and 6 assists this past season as a Sr. guard at American Christian in Pennsylvania. Tyreke was also mulling offers from Villanova and Texas before selecting the Tigers. "It wasn't an easy decision," Evans said. "It's time for me to be a man. I need a little time away from my family and I wanted to get away. I like Memphis' system. I like what Coach Call does and I think he will help me get to the next level."

Make no mistake about it… Tyreke is not going to Memphis to further his education. His goal is to be one and done. But for anyone that is expecting the next coming of Derrick Rose, understand now that Tyreke is not even close to the athlete or point guard of the electric D. Rose. In fact, if it wasn’t for this year’s Senior class being a down year, Tyreke wouldn’t have garnered all the accolades that came his way. He is a tremendous scorer and a superb talent, but Tyreke has a long way to go before he can even contemplate a jump to the pro-level.

His brother Reggie, has somewhat of a different view as to the type of player Memphis is getting, "CDR and Derrick put together a hell of a tandem, but I think 'Reke is both of them in one," Reggie Evans said. "He's Derrick handling the ball, and he's CDR with his scoring ability. All he needs is a little help around him. They could make another run at it."

Not quite, but we’ll see…

For more on Tyreke Evans

In the Spotlight: Derrick Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:01:00 +0000

Position: Point Guard
Ht: 6-4, Wt: 200
Hometown: Chicago, IL

Class: Freshman

College: Memphis

Age: October 4th, 1988

Strengths

Great size, strength and build for the pg position
Outstanding in the open court – Rose is about as fast as you can get end-to-end with the ball in your hands.
Explosive leaper who can throw down highlight dunks.
Combine his leaping ability with his uncanny hang time and Rose is exceptional finishing around the rim and in traffic.
Superb quickness
Great foot speed, solid on the ball defender… He has all the tools to be a phenomenal defensive player.
Excellent rebounder for a pg, which enables Rose to turn and start the fast break – He’s always looking to run.
Very strong handle – comfortable going left and right – with a particularly strong in and out move with the left hand.
Unselfish – always looks to give up the ball
Team player – despite receiving all the hype coming into college, Rose really showed that he just wanted to be another member of the team.

Weaknesses

Doesn’t have the “I want to be the man” mentality – thus shying away down the stretch
Needs to work on being more effective playing in a half-court game
Shot needs refinement – slight mechanical adjustments might be needed, but definitely has the ability to develop into a consistent outside threat.
Despite having all of the tools to be a phenomenal defensive player, Rose needs to exert more energy on the defensive side of the ball – not have lapses where he lets his man penetrate past him.
Needs polishing off the court

Rose is the complete package. He has an NBA body, speed, quickness, athletic ability and he plays point guard the right way. Like Jason Kidd, the moment Rose gets the ball in his hands, he is looking to create a fast break opportunity even if it doesn’t seem like one is available. He is very unselfish and teammates love playing with him because of his style of play and unselfishness.

Rose prefers to blend in with the guys like another member of the team, rather than being ‘the man,’ which is both a good thing and a bad thing. He needs to develop that killer instinct at the end of games, where he realizes ‘I am the guy and it’s time to take over on certain occasions,’ but it may just not be in him.

To this point in his career, Rose has been able to dominate on his athleticism alone, but as he transitions to the pro-level; Rose will need to further advance his half-court game. He needs to be able to knock down the jumper on a more consistent basis, both spot shooting and pull up jumpers off the bounce. He also has to get more effective at running the pick and roll in a half court set and avoid picking up his dribble and getting trapped away from the basket.

With that being said, Rose has star potential at the next level.

Blueprint to Defeat the Cavs

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:35:00 +0000

For anyone who thought the Cavs got better following the deadline deal to acquire Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West, they should spend a few minutes watching Thursday nights Cavs, Wizards game. In fact, every coach in the NBA should watch the game to understand how to defend the Cavs.

The Wizards made life impossible for LeBron on the offensive end last night. Due to the offensive deficiencies of Ben Wallace, Washington was able to rotate Wallace’s defender (in this case Jamison) off of him and double team LeBron each time he looked to make a move. It was border line embarrassing that a former All-Star is that inept offensively that an NBA team could pay so little attention to their offensive game, but it worked to perfection.

With LeBron worrying about how to blow past two defenders and Washington making it so difficult for LBJ to get into the paint, the Wizards took advantage. On the rare occasions when LeBron penetrated and settled for dishing off to Wallace, Big Ben was just looking for the closest guy to kick the ball back out too. With range that doesn’t extend past the dotted lines, Wallace provides little threat for the opposition.

The +/- numbers even validate this claim: Wallace was the only starter that the Cavs lost points, while he was on the court… Wallace -6 and the second closest starter was +3.

With Zydrunas Ilgauskas out with an injury and Drew Gooden now playing for Chicago, the Cavs are currently without a big man who can knock down the medium range shot. The Cavs might have added bigger names to their roster with the deadline trades, but there is no way they became a better team.

LeBron has big shoulders, but with Big Ben bringing him down, it could prove to be too much of a load to carry.

MJ's on a Different Level

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:18:00 +0000

When an athlete or celebrity walks into a party, it adds some excitement for a minute or two and then it quickly wears off.

But when MJ shows up, people just stare in astonishment. It’s even funny to see how star struck other celebrities get when MJ enters the building.

Michael Bivins has the details of his encounter with MJ down at All-Star weekend:

Another Night, Another Embarrassment

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:51:00 +0000

With 19 seconds left in the 4th quarter and the score tied, did you ever wonder what goes on in the NY Knicks team huddle? Here it is:

I guess the Knicks players didn’t miss each other too much over the All-Star break.

But don’t worry… According to Zach Randolph everything is fine, “It was a misunderstanding. Nate and I talked about it."

Whew…I got nervous for a second.

Oh yeah, and the Knicks lost by 40 tonight to the 76ers. But hey, I’m sure its fine.

Prior to hiring a new GM, James Dolan should make sure to read this article:

Selecting a General Manager

I’ll even sum it up for you: Great player doesn’t translate to great executive. Call me!

All-Star Game: A Few Bullets

noreply@blogger.com (Jordan Brett) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:31:00 +0000

LeBron is on a level above everyone else. Even though it’s the All-Star game, LBJ still shines a tad brighter.
For anybody that doesn’t think Kobe Bryant is furious that his All-Star game PPG average took a hit, well than, you just don’t know Kobe.
D-Wade is really hitting the commercial circuit. It’s an honor to make Charles Fav-5, but there’s only so much Wade I can take during timeouts.
Part of what makes the All-Star game so exciting for the players is the opportunity to play with stars from different teams. The Pistons All-Stars (Rasheed, Chauncy and Richard Hamilton) can’t enjoy being considered a trio; always having to be inserted into the game together.
Yao Ming needs to freshen up. With 19 Billion people from China tuning in to see their beloved star, the Big Fella forgot to shave his neck. You got to go one way or the other Yao Ming!
Rasheed just doesn’t care. The guy took 5 shots, 4 of which were lefty.
Every time I watch Dwight Howard, I get more mesmerized with what he’s able to do on the basketball court. He’s the complete package.
The East won by 6, but they were outscored by 20 when Richard Hamilton was on the court. Not a great stat for Richard.
Am I the only person that feels like every time the ball is in Jason Kidd’s hands, something good happens? He should be mandatory at All-Star games.