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Off the court, White suffers from a well-documented anxiety disorder that’s triggered, in part, by a fear of flying. White actually had his grandfather drive him from Ames, Iowa, to Louisville, Ky., to avoid an incident. How that affects him at the next level is anyone’s guess … but it is an issue that will be addressed even before the draft. NBA teams will want to interview him and administer tests, as well as have him visit. Most draft prospects are on planes every other day flying from city to city.

White did a lot to improve his stock this week and will get a serious look from NBA teams in the mid to late first round. But he’s going to have to shine in the draft workout process. Given how far he’s come already, it’s hard not to root for him.

To go along with his perimeter skills, White is also very comfortable operating in the post, showing the same unselfishness and willingness to find his teammates for open looks, while also being able to create baskets for himself. He displays excellent footwork, with the ability to back his man down or face him up, utilizing spin moves and his quick feet to get to the basket, where he then uses his strong body, soft touch, and excellent body control to finish at the rim.

West Des Moines Patch:

White is a high risk/high reward prospect if there ever was one … His development will have to be handled very carefully by whichever team drafts him … If he’s selected by a team that is willing to both be patient and let him play to his strengths, then he very well could be the steal of the draft.

Royce is not only a one-of-a-kind talent, but is also the most engaging and genuine young man I’ve worked with in my five years coaching in the league.

I’ve had the opportunity to coach some great players and people such as Wes Johnson (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Harrison Barnes (North Carolina), among many others. These players were impressive people in various ways but, other than Josh Young from Drake, Royce was the first person to truly engage with the fans in the stands and individual kids who looked up to him – not just in conversations about basketball but anything.

What is the best thing Royce White does for his team?

Jeremiah Davis (follow him on Twitter) is the sports editor for The Iowa State Daily, Iowa State’s student newspaper:

Royce White presents skills and abilities unlike almost any other college player in the country. His ability to affect the game from all parts of the floor are made evident by his leading the Cyclones in points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals during his one season at Iowa State. He excelled when distributing the ball as much as when he took it to the hoop, and seemed more excited and eager to have his teammates involved than himself. More than anything else, though, is White’s strength. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in both upper body and leg strength. He showed against the likes of Andre Drummond, Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis that he can overpower guys with greater size and length, which bodes well for him at the next level.

Previously

April 23rd, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Bradley Beal

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, freshman guard from Florida
Key Stats: 14.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals per game, 45 percent shooting, 34 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Top five

Why I like this guy

The Pistons are a longshot to pick in the top five of this year’s draft, but that rightly hasn’t stopped fans from playing out ‘what-if’ scenarios with guys like Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Andre Drummond landing on the Pistons in their heads. One consensus top five guy who Pistons fans haven’t talked much about, thought, is Beal, simply because as a shooting guard, he plays a position where the Pistons seem to have some depth.

But, to repeat a question I asked in the Jeremy Lamb profile, what if the Pistons are in a position to draft and Beal is the best player on the board? Do you reach for a more limited big or do you just take the best player, in this unlikely scenario Beal, and figure out what to do with Brandon Knight or Rodney Stuckey later? Stuckey had a really good second half of the season before falling off a bit late. Knight had a rookie season that was rough around the edges, but still one that I’d describe as having more ups than downs and he obviously has some impressive physical abilities that he’s yet to fully figure out how to unleash yet. I like both players and I assume the Pistons do too, but that doesn’t mean they should necessarily consider themselves set at either guard spot. Beal has the potential to be a really special shooting guard.

Pros for the Pistons

Interestingly, there are parts of Beal’s game that remind me some of Stuckey. Beal, as just a freshman, is already built like a tank, similar to how Stuckey came into the league. Knight came in after his freshman season clearly needing to get stronger in his upper body, but Beal will have no such adjustments to make. Like Stuckey, he’s also a pretty good rebounder for a guard. Offensively, he’s probably more advanced at his age than Stuckey was at a comparable age because Beal can not only penetrate and finish, he has range out to the 3-point line. Stuckey’s jumper, as we all know, has been a work in progress much of his career, and this is really the first season where he’s shown he’s comfortable taking the 3-pointer that teams always give him.

If the Pistons ended up with Beal, it could also be the second straight year they end up with one of the draft’s youngest players. Beal doesn’t turn 19 until the day of this year’s draft. As we saw with Knight, giving a 19-year-old a big role off the bat can lead to some erratic play, but at the same time, it would be pretty cool for any team to be able to say they have two dynamic guards who aren’t even 21 yet.

The obvious issue is that taking a player like Beal would mean the Pistons have to figure out what to do with their guard rotation. The good news, if he’s amenable to it, is that Stuckey can be effective at either guard spot. The Pistons have a player in Ben Gordon who may or may not be a part of their long-term future. If they find a way to rid themselves of his contract, they could shift Stuckey to the third guard role, give him all of the backup minutes at both spots and although he may not be starting, he’d be getting plenty of time on the court and, until Knight and/or Beal develops, still be the best guard on the team. Stuckey off the bench would also be a nice tool for Lawrence Frank to have. As we saw this season, Frank gave young building blocks Knight and Greg Monroe a lot of leeway, but occasionally if their energy/defense/focus dropped too much, he didn’t hesitate to bench them. With Stuckey pushing both young guards, Frank would have a capable veteran on his bench who would gladly take their minutes and play productively at either spot.

Cons for the Pistons

Jumping up in the draft is great and all, and landing a player with Beal’s upside would definitely benefit the Pistons, but for the second straight draft, it would mean they neglected the roster’s most glaring weakness, the frontcourt. That’s not necessarily a horrible thing — I’m a big supporter of the best player available regardless of position philosophy in most cases. But because of their cap situation (they won’t have cap room even if they amnesty a big contract) and because their big money veterans aren’t exactly highly sought after trade commodities right now, the draft is the best route to land an impact big. Unfortunately, it also relies on who teams in front of them take. Big men are needed on just about every team, so the Pistons could find themselves in a spot where the best bigs are all gone.

As for Beal’s weaknesses, he’s kind of similar to Knight last year. Like Knight, Beal was a highly prized high school recruit. Like Knight, he had an inconsistent freshman season. Like Knight, his draft stock is based much more on tantalizing potential rather than proven effectiveness at the college level. I’m not saying any of those things should make the Pistons not consider Beal, but with a player on the roster in Knight who is already similar developmentally, adding another player who needs a lot of minutes and a lot of freedom to overcome mistakes probably wouldn’t be the optimum goal they’d have coming out of this draft.

What others are saying

The only real concern scouts have about Beal is his depressed shooting numbers from this season. Billed as a lights out, Ray Allen-type shooter coming out of his school, Beal shot just 34 percent from 3 this season. Some scouts attribute that to Beal playing out of position all season and never really getting much in the way of spot up 3s. Others believe it’s a fluke. However, if Beal isn’t as good of a shooter as he’s been billed, his value in the league will go down.

Beal is generally a good decision maker, showing excellent maturity making the extra pass to an open shooter on the perimeter or feeding his big men inside the post, never looking rushed or flustered, which is impressive considering his age and lack of experience. He’s obviously earned the trust of his coaching staff, as he leads the team in minutes played, despite being surrounded by a host of guards who are significantly older than him.

Beal is a solid prospect with good ability on offense … His jump shot is outstanding, his ability to score off the bounce from mid-range is also great, he’s got a pretty good body for a young SG, and he’s a strong defender too … He’s not a tremendous athlete or ball-handler though, and thus struggles some as a finisher and slasher, but he does have great upside as an off-ball scorer at the SG spot.

ESPN.com:

Brandon, the pleaser and eldest child, starred at both of his parents’ sports. Good enough to score 1,000 points on the basketball court, he also caught a team-best 34 passes from his tight end position in high school.

What is the best thing Bradley Beal does for his team?

Matt Watts (follow him on Twitter) is the sports editor for The Independent Florida Alligator, Florida’s student newspaper:

Quite simply: Everything. The maturity and talent of Brad Beal at 18 years old is seriously uncanny. As a freshman at Florida, he started all 37 games while leading the team in minutes played and finishing second in scoring (14.8 ppg). At 6-foot-4, Beal was even the Gators best rebounder on a team that includes 6-foot-9 center Patric Young, who scouts have pegged as a lottery pick since his junior year of high school. He can do it all, and he’s willing to do whatever is asked of him. From creating his own shot, finishing at the rim or defending the opposition’s best player, Beal is up to the task. While some mention Beal and Ray Allen in the same breath, Beal will have to seriously improve his outside shot at the next level to invoke comparisons to the perennial 20-point scorer. He shot just less than 34 percent from beyond the arc on 186 attempts in his only season as a Gator. However, if there’s one true similarity between the two other than the tangible attributes it’s killer instinct. During the Gators’ tournament run that fell one game shy of the Final Four, Beal averaged 16.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists on 53 percent shooting including 46 percent from long range.

Previously

April 20th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Tu Holloway

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-0, 190 pounds, senior point guard from Xavier
Key Stats: 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals per game, 43 percent shooting, 35 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Second round
Hickory High Similarity Score

Why I like this guy

Much like Iona’s Scott Machado, Holloway represents a possible find for a team looking for a backup point guard in the second round. Now, Holloway is not the shooter or passer Machado is and isn’t quite as big, but he’s been a tough playmaker who grew into a very good college player at Xavier. Depending on what the Pistons do with their backup guards in the offseason, they could be looking to add some depth at point guard in the second round, and Holloway would definitely be a player who could fit that bill if he’s around when they pick.

Pros for the Pistons

Holloway might be a little on the small side, but he’s extremely tough. He is unafraid to take contact and got to the line eight times per game over the last two seasons. Once at the line, he hits nearly 90 percent of his free throws.

If the Pistons move Will Bynum in a trade, Holloway could step in and fill in that trademark Bynum role of playing fast, with energy and attacking the basket and finishing against bigger players. Plus, he has a little more range on his jumper than Bynum and, at least collegiately, he was a better defensive player.

Cons for the Pistons

Holloway is a good passer, particularly on the move, but he’s not what anyone would call a pass-first point guard. He’s accustomed to looking for his own offense, and with two fast, athletic, shoot-first guards ahead of him in Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey, Holloway’s skillset might duplicate what is already on the roster.

Plus, if Ben Gordon is still around next season, the Pistons’ backups would have the same problem they currently do: a Holloway-Gordon reserve combo is really small just like the Bynum-Gordon combo is. A player like Machado, for example, is both a little big bigger and is more of a pass-first, traditional point. I think that’s the type of player the Pistons would look for first if they do scour the market for a backup guard.

What others are saying

High scoring combo guard

Super quick first step

Excellent penetrator and finisher

Good court vision, can play the point full time

Good defender

Defensively, Holloway has been excellent in man-to-man defense this season, showing great fundamentals and a high activity level. He gets right up into his man, moves his feet well, and does a good job using his hands to contest shots and make steals. His size is somewhat concerning projecting to the next level, and he will also be at a quickness disadvantage against elite guards, but his tools are solid enough here and he should be able to be an effective man defender if he continues showing the same commitment.

Banners on the Parkway:

As Tu Holloway goes, so goes Xavier. This season’s been a rollercoaster ride for both. There’s no denying Holloway’s confidence or his scoring ability. With a solid jumper and knack for cutting to the hoop, he’s a threat to drop 20+ points every time he hits the floor. But his decision making and distribution skills have been shaky at times and he was also the lightening rod who essentially started the Xavier-Cinci brawl. Holloway is most likely a mid-to-late second round pick.

Unwilling to follow the storyline of the talented headcase, Tu hit the gym between his freshman and sophomore years, putting up over 25,000 jumpshots.

What is the best thing Tu Holloway does for his team?

Brad D. (follow him on Twitter) writes about Xavier for Banners on the Parkway, SB Nation’s Xavier site:

The best thing Tu Holloway does for his team is win. Holloway’s teammates at Xavier referred to him as Mariano Rivera because of his penchant for last minute heroics. That stems from Tu’s absolute fearlessness in late game situations. Even when Xavier had Jordan Crawford, Tu had the ball at closing time. There is no shot he won’t take, and make, late in a game. Ask Purdue, Vandy, UC, Dayton (twice), or Seton Hall what he can do. Even in Tu’s last college game he scored seven points in 15 seconds to nearly bring X back against Baylor.

Tu couples that fearlessness with unbelievable determination. Stories of him hoisting 25,000+ shots during the offseason or shooting late into the night after games are common around campus. Tu may not have the most talent ever, but he will not be outworked.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 1 Comment

April 19th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Terrence Jones

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, sophomore forward from Kentucky
Key Stats: 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 blocks per game, 50 percent shooting, 33 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Lottery to mid first round

Why I like this guy

The Pistons play two guards in Brandon Knight and Rodney Stuckey who aren’t natural pass-first players. They have one unselfish big man in Greg Monroe who is an excellent passer. Pairing him with another great passing big man in Jones could make the Pistons a pretty fun team to watch.

Pros for the Pistons

On the checklist of things the Pistons need in their frontcourt, Jones hits a lot of those marks — he’s big, he’s athletic, he can block shots. He’s not the traditional back-to-the-basket big man with those skills the Pistons covet, he’s more of a hybrid with a mix of small and power forward skills. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the Pistons don’t have a clear answer for the future at either position. If they’re picking late in the lottery from prospects who are more limited, at least Jones would have two possible positions they could try him at to see which he’d be best suited to play as a pro. Other late lottery prospects who have similar upside limitations basically only have one natural position, so if they can’t prove to be a starting caliber player at that spot, you don’t get a chance to see if they’d be more comfortable at another position.

Cons for the Pistons

I think it’s pretty clear the Pistons would rather not add another player whose position is somewhat a question into the mix. Austin Daye, Jonas Jerebko, Knight and Stuckey all fit that description to some extent — guys who can be effective at multiple spots, but not necessarily at any one spot full-time.

Jones also had consistency problems his sophomore season and regressed some from where he was as a freshman. That’s partially due to the makeup of Kentucky’s team drastically changing around him and impacting his role, but the Pistons have expressed a commitment to players with high energy levels who give consistent effort each game, and fair or not, that has been a criticism of Jones at times.

What others are saying

Sixteen months ago, after a torrid start to his freshman year, forward Terrence Jones was being mentioned as a potential top-five pick as well. His stock has since dropped considerably, but his strong play in the NCAA tournament has piqued the interest of scouts again. Jones is one of the most well-rounded prospects in the draft, has all of the physical tools to succeed, and when he’s on, he looks like a potential All-Star.

For Jones, the question marks are consistency and maturity. He can disappear for long stretches. Calipari has sometimes struggled to get him to play hard all of the time. Teams don’t always like his body language on the court. All of those issues seem to have lessened over the course of the past month. If teams are convinced those issues are over, he could go even higher than we currently have him ranked. We have him at No. 8 on our Big Board and going No. 12 to the Milwaukee Bucks in our Lottery Mock Draft.

When projecting Jones to the next level, there are many opinions on how he could best be utilized and what position he should play, as he seems to be stuck between small forward and power forward. He could probably get away with playing either spot depending on the team, style of play, and the personnel around him.

Kentucky Sports Radio:

Length, lateral mobility and quickness off the deck make him a versatile force on the defensive end and on both backboards … Instant fast break potential with his ability to handle and push the rock in transition.

He’s coming off a very strong finish to the season after his draft stock plummeted earlier in the year. The way he played in the tournament is fresh on scout’s minds and he should capitalize on that and keep it rolling through camps.

What is the best thing Terrence Jones does for his team?

Aaron Smith (follow him on Twitter) is the UK basketball beat writer for The Kentucky Kernel, UK’s student newspaper:

Terrence Jones provides a highly desirable and hard-to-find skill set in a forward. He’s a versatile scorer, able to drive from the perimeter or post up in the paint. He can defend on the wing or the interior. And he can rebound well when he’s asked. Jones has to work on playing with a more consistent effort, but the tools are there for an NBA team to work with.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 12 Comments

April 18th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Jeremy Lamb

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, sophomore guard from UConn
Key Stats: 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals per game, 48 percent shooting, 34 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Lottery

Why I like this guy

Big, defensive minded two guards who can shoot and don’t need to dominate the ball to be effective are a commodity in the NBA these days — think Arron Afflalo or Eric Gordon. I don’t know that he’ll get to their level, but Lamb is in their mold. He’s a lanky 6-foot-5, athletic, has range on his jumper and he’s a potential defensive stopper. In other words, he’s a prototypical new breed NBA shooting guard.

Pros for the Pistons

I don’t mean this as an affront to Brandon Knight necessarily, but Rodney Stuckey is still the best point guard on the Pistons roster. I’m a believer in Knight’s work ethic, I think he has upside, but the Pistons aren’t in a position to draft for need. Their need is exceptional players. If the Pistons end up picking near the bottom of the lottery, there’s a chance that Lamb could be a better option than reaching for a limited big man. Knight has yet to establish himself as even an average starting PG production-wise, Stuckey is at the very least average (and perhaps more dynamic in Lawrence Frank’s offense) as a full-time PG and Lamb could be the best available when the Pistons pick, depending on who goes where before. So, if a such a far-fetched scenario plays out, would the Pistons take a guard in the lottery?

A Lamb-Stuckey backcourt would be intriguing simply because of the size they’d have and matchup problems they’d create. As an effective player off the ball, Lamb could help both Stuckey and Greg Monroe by either stretching the floor with his spot-up shooting or by making sharp cuts to the basket and using his strong finishing ability. And as a team that is supposedly recommitting to a defensive philosophy under Lawrence Frank, a Stuckey-Lamb combo has the potential to be lockdown defensively if both guys commit to that end of the floor.

I hope the Pistons aren’t in a scenario where the best player available when they pick happens to be a guard, but it’s still a scenario fans should think about just in case it happens. And if it did happen, Lamb is the type of player I wouldn’t mind the Pistons adding, even if it did require some other roster shuffling.

Cons for the Pistons

There are definite problems to the scenario above. Namely, what to do with Knight? Opinions on him and his actual ceiling vary more widely than any young player I can remember recently. He has definite positive qualities that he brings, along with some weaknesses — despite technically being the ‘shooting’ guard, Stuckey still handles the ball and initiates the offense more than Knight and turns it over far less.

The question really boils down to whether Lamb at shooting guard is an upgrade over Knight at point guard? I don’t have a good answer to that question. If the Pistons believe Lamb is better and take him, that will be two straight lotteries where they’ve ignored a glaring need up front and drafted a player at a position where they have some roster depth. I’m not sure Detroit is willing to do that.

As for Lamb’s weaknesses, the one thing I’d be concerned about is the fact that his 3-point shooting declined from a good 37 percent mark last year to a more pedestrian 34 percent this year.

I think Lamb’s defensive capability makes him a fit with the Pistons and what they’re trying to build. Whether they’d consider him depends on how much faith they have that Knight-Stuckey is the long-term solution as the starting backcourt.

What others are saying

The Good: Lamb is a super lanky wing player who can score from just about anywhere on the floor. He’s mastered the art of the midrange game and is equally adept at putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket.

The Bad: He’s struggled with the role of alpha dog in the absence of Kemba Walker. Occasionally he shows the ability to take over games, but he can also just disappear. He too could use a few more pounds on that frame.

The Upside: Lamb’s draft stock got a huge bump in the NCAA tournament last year. He’s struggled — a little — to live up to the hype his freshman performance created, but he’s still a very good NBA prospect.

Defensively, Lamb has the physical tools to excel, as he has good lateral quickness and instincts and is able to utilize his tremendous wingspan to cause havoc on the ball and in the passing lanes. His energy on this end looked very inconsistent this season, however, not displaying the competitiveness, fundamentals and attention to detail that will likely be demanded from him at the NBA level, particularly off the ball.

UConn By The Numbers:

Lamb’s ability to make plays off the dribble, his late blooming status, physical and athletic tools, potential on D, and versatility has made him a hot name in scouting circles and among NBA execs…There will be a lot of eyes on him this upcoming season to see how he performs in a completely different role and with all-everything G Kemba Walker off to the NBA … Despite not coming home with gold, his play in the U19 World Championships in Riga, Latvia was extremely encouraging.

Unlike last season where UConn’s most prolific scorer (Kemba Walker) started possessions with the ball in his hand, Jeremy Lamb requires a functioning offense to get his points. Where Walker could create his own shots and shots for others, Lamb gets his shots in the flow of the offense. I think this, as much as anything, has contributed to the awkward offensive interaction between Lamb, Shabazz Napier and the rest of the team. Lamb should be the team’s go-to-guy, but struggles to create for himself and needs a competent team offense to score.

What is the best thing Jeremy Lamb does for his team?

Matt McDonough (follow him on Twitter) is the UConn basketball beat writer for The Daily Campus, UConn’s student newspaper:

Jeremy Lamb will be in the NBA for a long time to come. Although he would most likely be best suited as a role player on a contender, Lamb is a valuable scoring option to have on any team. His incredible length and work ethic makes his potential very attractive. After two years at UConn, he was more than ready to make the jump to the NBA. As a freshman, he progressed into arguably the second-best player on the team behind Kemba Walker. At times during the Huskies’ postseason run to a Big East and NCAA national championship, Walker deferred to Lamb on offense, even during clutch moments. Lamb is a cool character who shows little emotion and keeps his game-face on and off the court. As exhibited at times during his sophomore campaign, Lamb is not a vocal leader who will take charge of a locker room. Home-schooled during his youth, Lamb is a quiet, reserved player that lets his game speak for itself.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 31 Comments

April 17th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Kevin Jones

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-8, 260 pounds, senior forward from West Virginia
Key Stats: 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks per game, 51 percent shooting, 27 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Late first round to second round
Hickory High Similarity Score

Why I like this guy

I’m a sucker for great high school basketball powerhouse programs and Jones is from one of the best in the country in Mount Vernon, NY. Current Piston Ben Gordon is also a Mount Vernon alum.

Jones also declared for last year’s draft, didn’t hire an agent, ultimately returned to school and improved across the board as a senior, a testament to his work ethic.

Pros for the Pistons

Joe Dumars has been big on adding character guys, particularly with his second round picks, since, well … forever, I guess. Jones would be another hard-working, high caliber character guy. Combined with his strength, the Pistons’ need for frontcourt depth and his rebounding ability, that might be enough for him to make the roster as a second round pick.

The Pistons are currently toying with sliding Jonas Jerebko over to small forward more. If they like his fit there and decide to play him more minutes at the three next season, they might look for a hustling, energy guy up front, and Jones, with his offensive rebounding ability, could be able to fill that role. He also has a versatile offensive game that includes crafty moves around the basket and the ability to step out and hit a perimeter jumper. He’s also a good defensive player. He’s strong enough to hold position in the post and moves his feet well for a man his size.

Cons for the Pistons

Like seemingly all big men who work on and develop a perimeter jumper, Jones occasionally uses his too much. The more comfortable he’s become with the 3-pointer, the more he’s take. Unfortunately, that has caused his 3-point percentage to drop significantly — 40 percent as a sophomore, 30 percent as a junior and 27 percent as a senior. Now, Jones did improve virtually every other facet of his game, so occasionally shooting too many threes in college isn’t a huge deal, but the Pistons already have a few players who love their 3-point shot a bit more than they should.

Jones also isn’t elite in the athleticism department, and that seems to be a priority for the Pistons up front since Greg Monroe isn’t one either.

What others are saying

For the first three years of his college career, Jones has been a borderline NBA prospect known for his motor, offensive rebounding and ability to stretch the defense with his jumper.

Jones’ lack of size combined with a game that is decidedly below the rim have kept him on the margins for the past two seasons. But with his increased willingness to go inside and prove that he can score and rebound over bigger and more athletic defenders (Baylor’s front line is as long and as athletic as they come), Jones may yet find his way onto an NBA roster.

Jones has tremendous hands and great touch around the basket with either hand, and does a very good job of finding seams in the defense. He’s also turned himself into an excellent rebounder, as his 4.8 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted is one of the better marks in our database, and he converts them at an excellent clip.

He does a good job of crashing the boards at every opportunity, fighting for position early and with a quick second jump, and has the aforementioned good touch around the basket. These two traits more than anything are extremely positive traits to possess when he makes the transition at the next level to less of a featured role.

Jones leads the Big East both in scoring and rebounding, and has been the most consistent player in the conference throughout his senior year, and he’s the leading candidate to win POY … While it took him three years to come around, he’s increased his rebounding rate dramatically, which will be needed if he wants to play regular rotational minutes…There will be plenty of teams in the market for an active interior presence who can step out and knock down 20 footers, and considering his low risk/low reward status, late first round to early second seems like a reasonable landing range.

Sheridan Hoops:

Coming from “Money Earnin’ Mount Vernon” and West Virginia, Jones certainly has the pedigree to make it in the NBA.

Coached by Bob Cimmino, Mount Vernon High has produced NBA players Ben Gordon, Gus Williams, Ray Williams, Earl Tatum and brothers Scooter and Rodney McCray.

West Virginia, meanwhile, has recently churned out Da’Sean Butler, the No. 42 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, and Devin Ebanks, the No. 43 pick.

What is the best thing Kevin Jones does for his team?

Michael Carvelli (follow him on Twitter) is the sports editor for The Daily Athenaeum (Twitter), West Virginia’s student newspaper:

KJ was the definition of consistency this season at West Virginia. It seemed like every night, he wouldn’t do anything that stood out in your mind as spectacular in any way, but when you looked at the box score at the end of the game he would end up in the neighborhood of 20 points and 10 rebounds. He’s shown throughout his career at WVU that he does whatever he has to do to give his team the best chance to win and his game has progressed a ton since he first stepped foot on campus as a freshman. This year, he became known as one of the nation’s elite rebounders – which is something he has excelled in for the last four years. At the next level his size might be an issue because he’s not as big as your prototypical NBA power forward. But he’s developed his midrange game (which is what NBA scouts told him to improve on when he tested the waters last year) enough to where he can help teams at the next level and if you know how to rebound, it doesn’t matter how big you are, you’re going to find a way to get to the ball. And that’s something KJ knows how to do very well.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 3 Comments

April 13th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Darius Johnson-Odom

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, senior guard from Marquette
Key Stats: 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 45 percent shooting, 39 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Second round

Why I like this guy

This exchange in an interview with ESPN’s Jason King sold me:

King: If you had a day off and could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?

Johnson-Odom: I’d probably go get some shots up in a nice place, probably somewhere like L.A., where I could go walk the beach or something.

King: You’d still go to the gym and shoot on your vacation?

Johnson-Odom: There are no days off. I don’t believe in that.

#LovesTheGame. Draft him.

Pros for the Pistons

Aside from the work ethic mentioned above, Johnson-Odom is one of the fastest guards in the country. Maybe the fastest. He’s an absolute blur on the court. On top of that, he’s a very good 3-point shooter (40 percent for his three-year career at Marquette). He’s also one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball.

The Pistons need depth in their backcourt, they need players who are athletically gifted and willing defenders and they need players who can make 3-pointers and stretch the floor. Johnson-Odom hits all of those points and he could be available when the Pistons pick with one of their second round picks.

Cons for the Pistons

I’m obviously an advocate for the Pistons seriously upgrading their guard spot. With the exception of Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight, I wouldn’t be that heartbroken if every other guard on the roster was new next year. The problem, of course, is that they do have two players under contract in Ben Gordon and Will Bynum. So unless the Pistons can move one or both of those guys, it would be hard for a second rounder like Johnson-Odom to come in and push for minutes right away.

What others are saying

Fran Fraschilla:

First of all, Johnson-Odom’s mental approach, I believe, comes from being an obscure national recruit after one season in junior college and it carries over to how he approaches the game. His mentality of toughness along with his combination of strength and quickness makes him an outstanding defender.

Where Johnson-Odom has made the most progress is as a shooter is off the dribble. His 0.93 points per shot off the dribble represents a solid improvement off the 0.688 number he posted last year, and he looks significantly more comfortable with pull up and step back jumpers, which he didn’t consistently show earlier in his career.

While he’s unlikely to create off the dribble at the next level quite as much as he currently is asked to, having that skill set in his arsenal represents an advantage over many of his contemporaries.

He’s simply been the man for one of most dangerous teams in the country. DJO scored a season low and a team high 17 points in a bold win at Wisconsin, knocking down big-time shots in baller fashion. Johnson-Odom showed off his pretty step back jumper, an attractive asset to have when it comes to evaluating prospects. His ability to score off the dribble and excel as a spot up shooter help offset some of the concerns over his size and lack of position. He’s been a model of consistency, averaging 19.8 points on 57% shooting from the floor and 46% from downtown. With Marquette quietly playing some of the best ball in the country, DJO should see a rise in national press as one of the more gifted seniors in the game.

What is the best thing Darius Johnson-Odom does for his team?

Brewtown Andy (follow him on Twitter) writes for Anonymous Eagle, SB Nation’s Marquette blog:

I see DJO’s speed and his ability to alter it as his best attribute. Sport Science did a feature on him back in December, and it does a great job of showing his full court speed. But he excels in half court speed as well. DJO uses a quick release on his very accurate three point shot to keep a defender honest and that leads to a speed advantage on the dribble as well. He’s shown an aptitude for getting a quick first step on his first defender, then slowing down to cause help defenders to over pursue, and then re-accelerate to the rim once he’s seen where they’re going. Combine all that with an NBA-ready body, DJO presents an interesting draft possibility for many teams.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 6 Comments

April 11th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Arnett Moultrie

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-11, 230 pounds, junior forward from Mississippi State
Key Stats: 15.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, .8 blocks per game, 55 percent shooting
Projected: Late first/early second round

Why I like this guy

Pistons fans who made it through the dysfunction of last season should be able to appreciate Arnett Moultrie’s experience this year. Moultrie was a key player in an often chaotic environment at Mississippi State who occasionally became frustrated with the lack of commitment teammates were showing. Earlier this season, here’s what he told the Clarion-Ledger:

“I see how they come up here and say how bad they want to win and how bad they want to go to the Final Four,” said Moultrie, “but everybody doesn’t work as hard as they say, with as bad as they want to win.”

Moultrie also said some members of the team had ‘different agendas.’ That sounds strikingly like Detroit’s locker room last season. But the good news is, the Pistons’ mature young players like Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko learned an important lesson about how to be above the fray last year and were better for it this year. Moultrie, who by most accounts is a mature and hard-working kid, hopefully gained similar things from his sometimes frustrating experience this year.

Pros for the Pistons

He’s big, athletic, works hard and rebounds. The Pistons need all of those things. The thing that stands out the most is his improvement from his sophomore to junior year (he played at UTEP as a sophomore before transferring to MSU, where he had to sit out a year per transfer rules).

His shooting percentage jumped from 48 to 55 percent. His turnover rate declined from 20 percent to 17 percent even though he was touching the ball more and had a bigger role offensively at Mississippi State. His defensive rebounding percentage jumped from 17 percent to nearly 22 percent. His offensive rebounding percentage went up from 8 to 12 percent. His true shooting percentage jumped from 52 percent to 60 percent.

If Moultrie somehow hangs around until the Pistons are picking early in the second round, he’s exactly the type of improving, hard-working prospect they should consider with that pick.

Cons for the Pistons

The one thing I didn’t mention above that the Pistons are in dire need of: shot blocking. Moultrie, despite his length and athleticism, doesn’t block many (.8 per game).

He’s not a back-to-the-basket big man, either. That issue is less of a concern for the Pistons though, since Monroe will handle much of the work in the paint offensively.

The Pistons would clearly like to add a shot blocker, but if one isn’t there when they’re picking in the second round, Moultrie at least has the physical tools to potentially develop that skill down the road if he’s committed to improving his defense.

What others are saying

Moultrie looks like an NBA lottery prospect at first glance — he’s long, athletic, super bouncy and coming off a terrific season, averaging 16.4 ppg and 10.5 rpg. However, Mississippi State’s dramatic crash at the end of the season, along with concerns about problems Moultrie had at UTEP, are giving scouts pause. Right now he’s expected to go somewhere in the mid-to-late first round.

On the defensive end, Moultrie has progressed significantly from his time at UTEP, looking much better from a fundamentals standpoint both in the post and on the perimeter. Defending down low, Moultrie shows decent understanding of leverage and using his forearm to hold his position, while also doing a good job getting his hands up to contest shots with his length. Unfortunately, Moultrie is still lacking in strength and is prone to being backed down by bigger opponents, also lacking a bit of toughness at times, shying away from contact.

High-level athlete combo forward with excellent size and length. Versatile offensive skill set to score inside/outside (16.5 PPG). Could be seen as being big enough to play center in today’s NBA. He possesses rare agility at 6’11 in tandem with a hunger for activity and relentless motor. Runs the court like a guard, with a fluid gait and long, easy strides. Nightmare matchup for opponents on the interior due to explosive quickness and elevation. Extraordinarily nimble and quick mover in the paint. He has added strength and bulk (225 to 240) without losing that calling card explosiveness. Uses his athleticism to earn high percentage looks (58%), elevating above defenders. Displays a deft touch and equally adept at finishing with his left hand.

Sports Illustrated:

he guy who really matters in Mississippi State’s frontcourt — the one whom Arizona coach Sean Miller called the Bulldogs’ “difference-maker” — is Arnett Moultrie. Friday night at Madison Square Garden was a very nice one for Moultrie, who had 19 points (on 8 of 9 shooting) and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes, and was named the tournament’s MVP. He booted up his cell phone afterwards and was bombarded with texts — most of them congratulating him about something other than the game. “They’re telling me ‘Happy Birthday,’” he said. “I turned 21 today.”

Miner Rush:

In order for him to succeed, he has to figure out if he wants to commit to being a post player or wing. He’s proven that he can’t be both. If he wants to play outside, he needs to improve his perimeter defense and shooting. If he plays inside, he has to add muscle to his frame and develop some post moves.

What is the best thing Arnett Moultrie does for his team?

Brandon Marcello (follow him on Twitter) is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion-Ledger:

Arnett Moultrie’s motor is always running and will fit into an offensive system which allows the forwards to run and create scoring opportunities. He’s a great face-up shooter and forward who can attack seams and the backboard, though he struggles when his back is facing the basket. His needs to develop his moves in the post but his ability to rebound — 18 double-doubles in his only season at Mississippi State — shows the desire and raw talent that so many NBA general managers will want to craft and mold into a great player.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 5 Comments

April 10th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Damian Lillard

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, junior guard from Weber State
Key Stats: 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals per game, 41 percent shooting, 40 percent 3-point shooting
Projected: Lottery
Hickory High Similarity Score

Why I like this guy

Every year, it seems, I get overly giddy about super efficient under-the-radar guards. Last year, my guard of choice was Hofstra’s Charles Jenkins, who the Warriors took in the second round (and, if you haven’t noticed, he’s been playing pretty well the last few weeks since he started getting minutes after the Monta Ellis trade and Steph Curry injury issues). The year before that, I really liked South Florida’s Dominique Jones, who just got buckets, although that hasn’t really translated to the NBA (although his choice in tattoos is first rate).

This year, I’ve become a huge Damian Lillard fan, although it’s a stretch to call him under the radar anymore. Despite playing at Weber State, Lillard has become one of the top overall prospects in the draft. He’s a big point guard who can score off the dribble and who also shoots a great percentage for a guard. I love high efficiency guards, and few are more efficient than Lillard.

Pros for the Pistons

With Rodney Stuckey shifting to shooting guard, the Pistons don’t have a point guard on their roster who can consistently get his own shot off the dribble or on a pull-up. Lillard is not quite as big or strong as Stuckey, but he has been adept in college at getting to the line (eight free throw attempts per game this season). On top of that, he’s a natural shooter. Stuckey has worked to extend his range and that has finally paid off with better perimeter shooting this season, but he’s clearly more comfortable attacking the basket and opposing defenses clearly would rather have him shooting than driving right at their defense. With Lillard, he’s comfortable doing both. His shooting would be really valuable next to Stuckey and he and Stuckey would give the Pistons two guards who could potentially put opposing defenders in a lot of foul trouble with their physical styles.

Cons for the Pistons

Oh, I’m sorry … I forgot about Brandon Knight there for a second. Oops. The Pistons are already invested in developing a young point guard. Knight is a little younger than Lillard, but he also was not close to as polished a player entering the league as Lillard will be. Knight’s most NBA-ready element he’s shown this season has been his good long-range jumper. Like Lillard will have to learn as well, Knight is still trying to grasp running a NBA offense and transitioning into always looking for his own shot first into a player who sometimes looks for his own offense and sometimes sets up others. I like Lillard. I don’t know if he’ll be better than Knight or not. The one case that could be made is that Dumars has always shown an inclination to take who his personnel evaluators believe to be the best player/prospect available, even if it doesn’t fill an immediate need. That’s why he somewhat surprisingly grabbed Knight last year despite an obvious need for a big man. If the Pistons are picking near the bottom of the lottery again, there is a slight chance that the best player on the board when they pick could be Lillard. Not all of the big name big men have declared yet (notably, ~~Cody Zeller~~ Edit: Zeller is reportedly staying and Andre Drummond have not made their intentions known), so there’s at least a slim chance that the bigs and the wings (Harrison Barnes, Perry Jones) could be gone. Dumars’ philosophy has always been to grab the player he believes is the best prospect available. If that’s Lillard, though, I would be surprised if he did that considering their investment in Knight.

What others are saying

Lillard is the highest-ranked prospect on our Big Board to not make it to the tournament. Luckily for him, he packed the house with NBA scouts for the Big Sky final against Montana and didn’t disappoint. Lillard had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. With the exception of a weird stretch at the start of the second half where he disappeared for a few minutes, Lillard was in attack mode all night and showed off his strengths attacking the rim. When we moved him into the lottery in mid-February, there were still plenty of skeptics. Interestingly, a few weeks later, very few scouts or GMs remain unconvinced. Virtually every source I speak with has Lillard ranked as a lottery pick. The Jazz and Suns are obvious landing spots for him come draft night. Unless he really disappoints during workouts, I think Lillard is going to go high.

The large emphasis of the pick-and-roll game in today’s NBA bodes well for Lillard, as he’s shown to be very effective as the ball-handler in pick-and-roll situations. His ability to smoothly pull up off the dribble from deep range makes it difficult for his defenders to go underneath the screen, while his burst off the dribble allows him to turn the corner quickly and get into the paint.

Lillard does a good job of playing at different speeds and is capable of driving in either direction, which keeps defenders on their heels and helps him get to the free throw line at a very strong rate. Once there, he knocks down an excellent 90% of his attempts.

Lillard has NBA talent, but like most mid-major prospects, he hasn’t proved that he can consistently produce against elite-level talent … A team looking for a scoring point guard could be willing to roll the dice on him, perhaps as soon as the mid/late-lottery

Salt Lake Tribune:

He’s been everything you could ask for in a college basketball player: a team leader, dedicated worker and good student.

Standard-Examiner:

“Anything good that has happened to Damian, for Damian, is because he’s worked for it,” Weber State coach Randy Rahe said Tuesday. “Nothing’s been handed to this guy. He’s a self-made player, he’s a self-made person, and that’s why he’s going to be successful. I really believe that’s what’s going to separate him throughout this (draft) process.

“He’s got the talent, but he’s got the intangibles that it takes to be very, very successful, and we know that’s going to happen.”

What is the best thing Damian Lillard does for his team?

Jonathan Reed (follow him on Twitter) writes for Big Sky Bball:

It is hard to pick out one thing that Damian Lillard does best, because he does it all offensively. I thought he was the best point guard in America last year, and the numbers backed that claim up. He has unlimited range (41% 3PT), gets to the line as well as anyone (and shoots 89% when he gets there), and can get to the rim off the dribble. He is a good passer that looks to get his teammates involved, and takes great care of the basketball, as he had a low turnover rate despite dominating the ball for Weber State. Simply put, he can do it all on the offensive side of the ball, and will contribute there in a multitude of ways. He is an average defender, but has the physical tools to improve in that area.

Previously

By Patrick Hayes • Posted in Draft Dreams, Draft Dreams 2012 • 8 Comments

April 5th, 2012

Detroit Pistons #DraftDreams: Yancy Gates

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Info

Measurables: 6-foot-9, 290 pounds, senior power forward from Cincinnati
Key Stats: 12.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, .9 blocks per game, 47 percent shooting
Projected: Second round
Hickory High Similarity Score

Why I like this guy

I’m a sucker for redemption stories, and Gates has one. He was a key participant in an ugly brawl between Cincinnati and Xavier early in the college season. He was suspended for his part in that brawl. But what I admired about Gates was his ability to honestly and emotionally take responsibility for what he did. From USA Today:

Yancy Gates said he feared his career as a Cincinnati basketball player would be over when he watched video replays of the melee that prematurely ended Saturday’s basketball game against Xavier.

“Never to wear the jersey again,” he said Monday during an unscripted news conference at which the school’s four suspended players apologized for their roles in the fight. Referees ended the game, won by host Xavier 76-53, after the fight broke out with 9.4 seconds left.

Gates’ emotion in the video that accompanies that link is real. He made a mistake, but I respect that he had the ability to admit he was wrong and that’s not the type of person he is.

Pros for the Pistons

The Pistons need toughness inside, and Gates certainly has that. He’s also already got the prototypical game of a reserve NBA big man. He can rebound a little, he can move his feet and take a charge, he’s strong enough to not give up post position, he can run the floor and finish and he can knock down a 15-footer. The Pistons got good value out of another Cincinnati big man, Jason Maxiell, late in the first round. Gates isn’t the explosive athlete Maxiell is, but if he’s available when the Pistons are picking late in the second round, he’s worth a look to add some depth to the frontcourt.

Plus, Gates is a very good offensive rebounder. The Pistons have two other guys who are solid on the offensive glass in Greg Monroe and Jonas Jerebko. Another active big who can get them extra possessions through activity on the offensive boards would never hurt.

Cons for the Pistons

Gates shares a not-so-great distinction with Maxiell too: he’s sometimes struggled with his conditioning. That might not be as big an issue for Gates as it was for Maxiell. Gates is bigger and has a more reliable jumper whereas Maxiell is undersized and relies much more on athleticism, but it’s still something teams interested in drafting Gates will be wary of.

He also doesn’t have much of a back-to-the-basket game and sometimes shoots too many jumpshots.

What others are saying

Big physical player

Terrific offensive rebounder

Strong and physical in the paint

Good athlete who runs the floor

Can knock down an open jumper from midrange