Nikola Mirotic, SF Serbia (6-10, 225) Age: 20
Strengths: Smart, crafty forward. Skilled offensive player with deep jump shot range and quick first step. Very good shot fake. High basketball IQ. Very good passer and ball handler, point forward potential. Good lateral quickness and strong defensive potential.
Weaknesses: Needs to bulk up. Not an explosive athlete or particularly long. Just and average rebounder. Could require a big buyout to play in the NBA next season.
NBA Comparison: Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets
Draft Projection: Late lottery to mid first round
Season Stats (in Euroleague): 14.6 mpg, 7.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.5 bpg, 53%/85%/44% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Top Prospect Profiles: Kenneth Faried
Kenneth Faried, PF Morehead State Sr. (6-8, 225) Age: 21
Strengths: Long arms, big time athlete. The best rebounder in college basketball. Very good shot blocker. Really runs the floor well. Awesome motor, constantly hustling. Great mobility, potential lockdown defender.
Weaknesses: Undersized. Raw on the offensive end. May never be much of a scoring threat. Needs to add strength.
NBA Comparison: Dennis Rodman
Draft Projection: Late lottery to mid-first
Season Stats: 34.7 mpg, 17.3 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 2.3 bpg, 62%/58%/NA (FG/FT/3P)
Strengths: Long arms, big time athlete. The best rebounder in college basketball. Very good shot blocker. Really runs the floor well. Awesome motor, constantly hustling. Great mobility, potential lockdown defender.
Weaknesses: Undersized. Raw on the offensive end. May never be much of a scoring threat. Needs to add strength.
NBA Comparison: Dennis Rodman
Draft Projection: Late lottery to mid-first
Season Stats: 34.7 mpg, 17.3 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.9 spg, 2.3 bpg, 62%/58%/NA (FG/FT/3P)
Top Prospect Profiles: Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard, SF San Diego State So. (6-7, 225) 19
Strengths: NBA body and athleticism. Great length and huge hands. Explosive athlete. Excellent rebounder. Really high motor. Strong in the paint. Good passer. Steadily, if slowly, improving three point shooter.
Weaknesses: Still a raw offensive player. Can fall in love with his jumpshot. A tweener? Doesn't draw a ton of fouls. Would like to see him block more shots. Not the shutdown defender you'd expect.
NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace, Trailblazers
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 32.6 mpg, 15.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, 44%/76%/29%
Strengths: NBA body and athleticism. Great length and huge hands. Explosive athlete. Excellent rebounder. Really high motor. Strong in the paint. Good passer. Steadily, if slowly, improving three point shooter.
Weaknesses: Still a raw offensive player. Can fall in love with his jumpshot. A tweener? Doesn't draw a ton of fouls. Would like to see him block more shots. Not the shutdown defender you'd expect.
NBA Comparison: Gerald Wallace, Trailblazers
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 32.6 mpg, 15.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.6 bpg, 44%/76%/29%
Top Prospect Profiles: Alec Burks
Alec Burks, SG Colorado So. (6-6, 195) Age: 19
Strengths: Really good slasher, penetrates easily. Natural scorer always in attack mode. Can finish explosively or craftily in the paint. Really good frame, prototypical 2 guard size. Draws a ton of fouls and converts at a high rate. Good rebounder for his size. Excels with the ball in his hands, good passer, can play a little point guard. Tools to be a lockdown defender.
Weaknesses: Three point shooting needs work, streaky at best. Needs to gain 10-15 pounds of muscle. Doesn't move well without the ball and doesn't always play with a high motor.
NBA Comparison: Corey Maggette, Bucks
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 31.4 mpg, 20.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.3 bpg, 47%/82%/29% (FG/FT/3P)
Strengths: Really good slasher, penetrates easily. Natural scorer always in attack mode. Can finish explosively or craftily in the paint. Really good frame, prototypical 2 guard size. Draws a ton of fouls and converts at a high rate. Good rebounder for his size. Excels with the ball in his hands, good passer, can play a little point guard. Tools to be a lockdown defender.
Weaknesses: Three point shooting needs work, streaky at best. Needs to gain 10-15 pounds of muscle. Doesn't move well without the ball and doesn't always play with a high motor.
NBA Comparison: Corey Maggette, Bucks
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 31.4 mpg, 20.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.3 bpg, 47%/82%/29% (FG/FT/3P)
Top Prospect Profiles: Donatas Motiejunas
Donatas Motiejunas, PF Lithuania (7-0, 220) Age: 20
Strengths: Athletic big man with great height, frame. Very skilled. Versatile scorer can shoot, post, and handle. Great footwork in the post with a soft touch. Very good passer with tremendous IQ. Huge offensive upside. Experience against top level European competition.
Weaknesses: Needs to add a lot of strength. Not a good rebounder. Gets pushed around a lot. Inconsistent motor. Bad body language at times.
NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani, Raptors
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats (in Italian Lega A): 24.6 mpg, 12.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.4 bpg, 55%/73%/45% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Strengths: Athletic big man with great height, frame. Very skilled. Versatile scorer can shoot, post, and handle. Great footwork in the post with a soft touch. Very good passer with tremendous IQ. Huge offensive upside. Experience against top level European competition.
Weaknesses: Needs to add a lot of strength. Not a good rebounder. Gets pushed around a lot. Inconsistent motor. Bad body language at times.
NBA Comparison: Andrea Bargnani, Raptors
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats (in Italian Lega A): 24.6 mpg, 12.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.4 bpg, 55%/73%/45% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Top Prospect Profiles: Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker, PG UCONN Jr. (6-1, 170) Age: 20
Strengths: Super quick, athletic point guard. Excellent body control. Penetrates at will. Good court vision, can find teammates. Versatile, crafty scorer. Improving jump shooter with solid shot. Draws fouls. Very good defender. Big time player, hits huge shots. Not afraid of any situation.
Weaknesses: Probably closer to 5-10. Not a pure point guard. Not always an efficient scorer. Size can be a problem against power guards. Can he consistently finish in the NBA at his weight?
NBA Comparison: Ty Lawson, Nuggets
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 37.6 mpg, 23.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 43%/82%/33% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Strengths: Super quick, athletic point guard. Excellent body control. Penetrates at will. Good court vision, can find teammates. Versatile, crafty scorer. Improving jump shooter with solid shot. Draws fouls. Very good defender. Big time player, hits huge shots. Not afraid of any situation.
Weaknesses: Probably closer to 5-10. Not a pure point guard. Not always an efficient scorer. Size can be a problem against power guards. Can he consistently finish in the NBA at his weight?
NBA Comparison: Ty Lawson, Nuggets
Draft Projection: Lottery
Season Stats: 37.6 mpg, 23.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.9 spg, 0.2 bpg, 43%/82%/33% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Friday, April 15, 2011
Top Prospect Profiles: Terrence Jones
Terrence Jones, SF Kentucky Fr. (6-8, 225)
Strengths: Prototypical NBA wing with height, length, bulk and athleticism. Versatile scorer can shoot, post, and handle like a guard. Great, intelligent passer. Very good rebounder, really goes up and gets the ball. Big, strong hands. Really gets up off the floor quickly. Picks up a lot of steals and blocks. Closes out quickly on shooters.
Weaknesses: Played out of position in college. Doesn't always play to his abilities. Jumpshot is just ok, needs work. Not a great free throw shooter. A little immature, poor body language, gets frustrated sometimes. Needs to play with more fire sometimes. Inconsistent.
NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom, Lakers
Draft Projections: Lottery
Season Stats: 31.5 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.9 bpg, 44%/65%/33% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
Strengths: Prototypical NBA wing with height, length, bulk and athleticism. Versatile scorer can shoot, post, and handle like a guard. Great, intelligent passer. Very good rebounder, really goes up and gets the ball. Big, strong hands. Really gets up off the floor quickly. Picks up a lot of steals and blocks. Closes out quickly on shooters.
Weaknesses: Played out of position in college. Doesn't always play to his abilities. Jumpshot is just ok, needs work. Not a great free throw shooter. A little immature, poor body language, gets frustrated sometimes. Needs to play with more fire sometimes. Inconsistent.
NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom, Lakers
Draft Projections: Lottery
Season Stats: 31.5 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.9 bpg, 44%/65%/33% (FG/FT/3P)
Highlights
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