jordan hill

2009 NBA Draft: Best Rebounders

CHN — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:20:59 -0700

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects - NBA Team Needs/Capsules - 2010 Draft

2009 NBA Draft Skills Challenge: Best Rebounders

While the 2009 NBA Draft isn't particularly strong at the center position, there's a good amount of power forwards and larger wings who can rebound the ball. The lone exceptional big man is Hasheem Thabeet, and though he isn't a dominating rebounder yet, he can hold is own. The best rebounder is Blake Griffin, the probable #1 pick, and he's followed by the likes of DeJuan Blair and Jordan Hill. Less-heralded prospects like Jeff Adrien, Jon Brockman, and Jeff Pendergraph grabbed a ton of rebounds in college, while wings like Earl Clark and Damion James can do damage on the glass as well.

As part of our NBA Draft Skills Challenge series, CHN experts rank the Best Rebounders in the Draft. Click on player name for profile & scouting report. Our experts rankings will be updated once the official Entry list is finalized.

Jason Brubaker

1) Blake Griffin
2) DeJuan Blair
3) Jordan Hill

4) Hasheem Thabeet
5) Jeff Adrien
6) Tyler Hansbrough
7) Jeff Pendergraph
8) Sam Young

Jeff Fox

1) Blake Griffin
2) DeJuan Blair
3) John Bryant
4) Jon Brockman
5) Luke Harangody
6) Hasheem Thabeet
7) Jordan Hill
8) Diamon Simpson

Jason Hirschorn
1) Blake Griffin
2) Hasheem Thabeet
3) Tyler Hansbrough
4) DeJuan Blair
5) Luke Harangody
6) Jordan Hill
7) Earl Clark
8) Taj Gibson

Raphielle Johnson

1) Blake Griffin
2) DeJuan Blair
3) Jeff Adrien
4) Jordan Hill
5) Tyler Hansbrough
6) Luke Harangody
7) Hasheem Thabeet
8) Jon Brockman

Tim Kemper

1) Blake Griffin
2) DeJuan Blair
3) Jordan Hill
4) Gani Lawal
5) Terrence Williams
6) Earl Clark
7) Hasheem Thabeet
8) Damion James

Shawn Siegel

1) Blake Griffin
2) Hasheem Thabeet

3) Jordan Hill

4) DeJuan Blair

5) BJ Mullens
6) Earl Clark

7) Slava Kravstov
8) Jeff Adrien

Jon Teitel
1) Blake Griffin
2) Hasheem Thabeet
3) Jon Brockman
4) DeJuan Blair
5) Tyler Hansbrough
6) Damion James
7) Chris Johnson
8) Jordan Hill

Jason Tomassini

1) Blake Griffin
2) DeJuan Blair
3) Jordan Hill
4) Hasheem Thabeet
5) James Johnson
6) Earl Clark
7) Gani Lawal
8) Tyreke Evans

NBA Draft Skills Challenge Series

- includes top scorers, rebounders, passers, shot-blockers, and more.

Also see Top Ten Prospects by Position & Top Ten Prospects by Class & Top Ten Prospects By Age.

Budinger, Hill Done at Arizona

Press Release — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:26:20 -0700

TUCSON, Ariz.- University of Arizona men's basketball player Jordan Hill has decided to make himself eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft. Hill has signed with an agent and will not return to the program in 2009-10.

Hill, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound, junior forward from Atlanta, Ga., averaged 18.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game in 34 appearances this year. He shot 53.7 percent (252-of-469) from the field and led the Pac-10 with 20 double-doubles. Hill scored in double figures a team-leading 33 times in 2008-09, including a high of 30 on Jan. 24 vs. Houston, and posted 21 double-figure rebounding games with a high of 22 on Nov. 18 vs. UAB. He had 14 20-point and six 15-rebound games to his credit this season.

Hill received third-team All-American honors from The Sporting News and was an honorable mention All-American pick by the Associated Press. He earned first-team all-Pac-10 and Pac-10 all-Defensive team honors in addition to all-district honors by the USBWA and NABC. Additionally, Hill was among 24 players on the final ballot for the John R. Wooden Award.

He posted season bests in nearly every statistical category as a junior, including minutes played (1,213), field goals (252), field goal attempts (469), free throws (117), free throw attempts (179), rebounds (375), rebounding average (11.0 rpg), assists (50), blocked shots (58), steals (30), points scored (621) and scoring average. Hill is the first Arizona player to average double figures in both points and rebounds in the same season since Larry Demic accomplished the feat in 1978-79 (19.3 ppg/10.3 rpg).

"I just want to thank the fans of Tucson, my coaches and my teammates for all of their support," said Hill. "Playing at Arizona has been a great experience and puts me in the position to move to the next level. It's always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA."

In three seasons at Arizona, Hill averaged 12.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game in 97 career appearances (79 starts). He connected on 57.8 percent of his field goal attempts (494-of-855) in that span, a figure that ranks fifth on the UA career field goal percentage list.

Hill finished his career with 1,208 career points, which ranks 27th on the UA career scoring list with 89 percent of that output coming in the last two seasons (15.8 ppg). He also ranks sixth on the Arizona career blocked shots list with 140 and 10th on the career rebounds list with 763. Furthermore, Hill set a UA single-season record for rebounds (375) in 2008-09, while ranking fifth in field goals, tied for sixth in rebound average, ninth in blocked shots and eighth in minutes played.

The 2009 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

TUCSON, Ariz. - University of Arizona men's basketball player Chase Budinger has decided to make himself eligible for the 2009 NBA Draft. Budinger will not return to the program in 2009-10.

Budinger, a 6-foot-7, 218-pound junior forward from Encinitas, Calif., averaged 18.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game in 35 appearances. He shot 48.0 percent (219-of-456) from the field and 39.9 percent (67-of-168) from three-point range. Budinger ranked among the Pac-10 leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals (1.4 spg), free throw percentage (.801), three-point field goals made (1.9 per game), assist:turnover ratio (1.4:1) and minutes played (37.6). Budinger finished in double figures 31 times this year, including 16 20-point games.

A first-team all-Pac-10 selection, Budinger earned all-District IX honors from the USBWA and second-team all-District 20 kudos from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He averaged 19.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 56.1 percent (23-of-41) from the field during Arizona's three-game NCAA Tournament run.

He posted season bests in nearly every statistical category as a junior, including field goals (219), free throws (125), free throw attempts (156), rebounds (217), assists (118), steals (50), points scored (630) and scoring average. His 1,317 minutes played in 2008-09 are the most in school history for a single season, while his scoring tally equaled the 11th-best figure in UA annals.

"I am so thankful for the fans and alumni at Arizona that have been so supportive of me throughout my time in Tucson," said Budinger. "I'd like to express my appreciation to my coaches and teammates for their support in one of the most important decisions I've ever made."

In three seasons at Arizona, Budinger averaged 17.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 100 career appearances (all starts). He connected on 46.9 percent of his field goal attempts (599-of-1,276) in that span, including 38.3 percent (190-of-496) from three-point range.

Budinger finished his career with 1,697 career points, a figure that ranks 11th on the UA career scoring list. No Wildcat to play three seasons or less has ever tallied more points than Budinger. Additionally, he ranks among the Arizona career leaders in the following statistical categories: scoring average (17.0 ppg/9th), field goal attempts (1,276/9th), three-point field goals (190/6th), three-point field goal attempts (496/5th), and minutes played per game (35.4/2nd).

He was a two-time Associated Press honorable mention All-American (2008 and 2009), a two-time all-Pac-10 honoree (third team 2008/first team 2009), and the 2007 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.

Due to the fact that Budinger went through the NBA Draft evaluation process last season, he is not eligible to return to school. He has indicated that he has signed with an agent.

The 2009 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 24, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

-- www.arizonaathletics.com

Jordan Hill: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:28:19 -0800

Jordan Hill

College: Arizona

Class: Junior

Position: PF

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 235lbs

Accolades: Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 (08), Pac-10 All-Defensive Team (08).

Scouting Report: An athletic, ever-improving power forward.

Strengths: Lots of potential. Game has improved tremendously each year in college. Athletic for a big man. Long wingspan. Mobile. Good at facing the hoop and taking his man off the dribble. Decent face up jumper. Nice jump hooks. Explosive leaper - attacks the rim. Great rebounder - especially on the offensive end. Uses his length and mobility to block and alter shots.

Weaknesses: Will be turning 22-years-old a month after the draft. Still inexperienced - didn’t play organized ball until late in high school. Still a raw player. Needs to bulk up and add strength. Needs to develop more of a power post up game. Has to cut down on his turnovers. Tends to get into foul trouble. Mediocre free throw shooter.

Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top five to top ten pick.

Consensus: Jordan Hill, not considered a big time prospect coming out of high school, is now on the verge of being a NBA lottery pick. If he continues to improve like he has in college, the sky is the limit for him.

Stats: Jordan Hill Stats

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

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CHN's Six-Star Ranking System w/ 2008 Equivalents

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential - Michael Beasley

= Potential NBA All-Star - Derrick Rose

= Consistent NBA Starter - Brook Lopez

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter - Russell Westbrook

= Career Reserve - Roy Hibbert

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man - JR Giddens

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues - Drew Neitzel

NBA: Top 10 Prospect Report

Joey Whelan — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:55:10 -0800

After a hiatus for the holiday season stock watch is back with a look at who is rising and falling in the early part of 2009. Not much has changed at the top of the list, but with conference play getting underway, some names are starting to separate themselves as legitimate prospects.

1. Blake Griffin – Oklahoma (1)

All Griffin has done since we last checked in is record four double-doubles in four games. The real test begins now as Oklahoma opens its Big 12 schedule on Saturday.

2. James Harden – Arizona State (2)

Night in and night out Harden seems to find a different way to contribute to his team. Whether it be the eight rebounds he grabbed against Cal, the ten assists he handed out on the road at Stanford, or the 44% he is shooting from beyond the arc, the talented shooting guard is an all-around threat.

3. Greg Monroe – Georgetown (10)

Monroe makes the biggest jump in this addition of stock watch after getting off to a fantastic start in Big East play. In three games against top ten opponents (UConn, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame), facing three elite frontcourt players, Monroe posted averages of 17.3 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Did we mention that he shot 52.5% from the field and connected on two of three attempts from beyond the arc?

4. Ty Lawson – North Carolina (6)

The Tar Heel speedster continues to be a headache for opposing defenses. Now though, he is showing that he doesn’t need to put up big scoring numbers like he was early on in order to be effective. Sure, Lawson struggled in a loss against BC, but the floor general has an assist to turnover ratio of more than 4 and he is still shooting nearly 50% from three point range.

5. Jordan Hill – Arizona (NA)

Arizona may be struggling (0-2 to start the Pac-10 slate) but Hill’s stock has never been hotter. The junior has four double-doubles in his last five games, including 23 and 11 in a win over Kansas, and two game averages of 17.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in his first two conference games. After two years Hill is finally starting to realize the potential which he has been showing glimpses of since his first day as a Wildcat.

6. Hasheem Thabeet – Connecticut (3)

Thabeet takes a bit of a tumble after struggling in his first two major tests of the season. Foul trouble in a win over Gonzaga limited the big man to just 19 minutes on the floor, while Georgetown held him to just four field goal attempts. On the positive end, Thabeet did have seven blocks in the match up with the Hoyas, and has bounced back since then, posting 13 points and 13 rebounds on Tuesday in a win over West Virginia.

7. Earl Clark – Louisville (4)

Clark falls a few spots because he is still very much an enigma with his consistency, but the talent level is clearly there. Wednesday’s 22 and 9 showing against South Florida is the type of performance that Clark is capable of putting on every night; the same can be said for the 25 and 16 game he had against Ole Miss in December. Then we see stretches where Clark will struggle to put the ball in the hoop like he did right before the new year. Either way, the potential is too enticing to pass up.

8. Stephen Curry – Davidson (7)

Curry still continues to post great scoring numbers but his shooting has been wavering somewhat in recent games. In his last four games he has shot 10-35 from beyond the arc, including 2-12 and 1-8 showings against Purdue and Duke. What has been impressive in these games though have been the rebounding numbers Curry has managed to record, averaging just over seven rebounds during this same stretch.

9. Kyle Singler – Duke (NA)

Singler is in the midst of his best stretch of games this season. He led the Blue Devils to a win over Davidson on Wednesday, and prior to that, nearly recorded a triple-double in Duke’s ACC opener at home against Virginia Tech. It’s nice to see the scoring and rebounding numbers improve, but perhaps the biggest boost to Singler’s stock has been the jump in the assist column, increasing from 1.4 per game as a freshman to 3.6 this year.

10. Gani Lawal – Georgia Tech (NA)

We listed Lawal under our “Rising” section a few weeks ago and now he finds himself cracking the top ten list. The power forward is averaging a double-double on the year and over his last four games has been averaging nearly 18 points and 11 rebounds, including a 15-point, 14-rebound performance in a home win over Georgia.

Dropped Out: Tyreke Evans (5), B.J. Mullens (8), Jrue Holiday (9)

Next in Line: Chase Budinger, Arizona; Demar DeRozan, USC; Tyreke Evans, Memphis; Patrick Mills, Saint Mary’s

Rising

Evan Turner – Ohio State

It was easy to see last season that Evan Turner was going to be a player, it was just a matter of how soon he would develop; it didn’t take long. Turner has emerged as the leader of the Buckeyes this season, proving to be equally dangerous on both ends of the floor. At 6’7” he has good size for the two guard position, and despite attempting a limited number of shots from the perimeter, his 53.8% shooting from beyond the arc shows he has the range to be a threat at the next level. His wingspan has allowed him to be a rebounding force for a backcourt player (he leads the team) and a ball hawk defensively. His 2.4 steals per game is nearly double his freshman total from a year ago.

Falling

A.J. Price – Connecticut

After a stellar finish to his junior year, this was supposed to be Price’s season to step into the All-American picture; not quite. Price has seen a drop in every major statistical category from a year ago, including an eight point drop in shooting percentage and a fifteen point drop in free throw shooting percentage. He looked like he was returning to form with nice showings versus Gonzaga and Georgetown, but in his last two games has scored 4 points total on 1-13 shooting.

Better Arizona Prospect: Chase Budinger or Jordan Hill?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:53:09 -0800