NBA Draft

Blake Griffin: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:56:10 -0500

Blake Griffin

Class: Sophomore

Position: PF

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 251 lbs

Accolades:
First Team All-Big 12 (08), Big 12 All-Freshman Team (08), Second Team All-Freshman – CHN (08), McDonald’s All-American – high school (07), Third Team Parade All-American – high school (07).
Scouting Report:
A big, strong athletic post player with plenty of upside.
Strengths:
Perfect NBA power forward size. Great low post player. Big and strong. Has good hands. Very athletic for his size – won the Powerade Jam Fest at the McDonald’s All-American game in high school. Great spin moves in the post. Scrappy – battles for boards. Able to get out and run the floor. Capable of grabbing a rebound and starting a fast break on his own with the dribble. Great leaping ability – 37 inch vertical. Excellent passer for a big man.
Weaknesses:
Had injuries to both his knees during his freshman collegiate season. Poor free throw shooter - sometimes gets pulled out of late game situations due to it. Doesn’t block many shots. Turns the ball over too much - more turnovers than assists for his collegiate career.
Projected 2009 Draft Range:
Top three pick.
Consensus:
After a great freshman season, and an even better sophomore one, Blake Griffin has positioned himself to be on of the first names called in June‘s draft. While he is still young and his game still needs work, his combo of size, strength, speed, athleticism, jumping ability and nastiness should make him a great NBA player.

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

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

Chase Budinger: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:38:57 -0500

Chase Budinger

College: Arizona

Class: Junior

Position: SG/SF

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 203bs

Accolades:
Third Team All-Pac-10 (08), Second Team Freshman All-American – CHN (07), Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (07), co-MVP McDonald’s All-American Game – high school (06), McDonald’s All-American – high school (07), First Team All-American – Parade – high school (06), MVP Nike Junior World Championship (06).

Scouting Report:
A long-range bomber who can also jump out of the gym.

Strengths:
Incredible leaper – his vertical is apparently over 40 inches. Big-time scorer – put up very good scoring numbers throughout college. Played in one of the toughest conferences around, the Pac-10. Averaged big minutes all three years in school. Amazing athlete – excels in volleyball also. Good outside shooter – good for two to three made three-pointers a game. Solid rebounder for a wing player. Solid passer and ball-handler.

Weaknesses:
Not always aggressive enough. Needs to work on his defense. Can take too many outside shots – shoots almost six three-pointers a game. Inconsistent – can be a streaky scorer. Needs to improve his assist to turnover ratio – had almost as many turnovers as assists.

Projected 2009 Draft Range:
Lottery to mid first round pick.

Consensus:

Chase Budinger has all the tools to be a very good NBA player, despite criticisms of his game in college. However, he needs to improve his defense and become more consistent to fully capitalize on his amazing physical gifts.

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

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

Wayne Ellington: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 09:51:26 -0500

Wayne Ellington

College: North Carolina

Class: Junior

Position: SG

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 200lbs

Accolades:
First Team ACC All-Tournament (08), Second Team All-ACC (08), First Team ACC All-Tournament Team (07), Honorable Mention All-Freshman Team – CHN (07), Second Team USA Today All-American – high school (06), McDonald’s All-American – high school (06).

Scouting Report:
The latest in a long line of explosive Tar Heel shooting guards.

Strengths: Explosive scorer – had nine 20-plus point games his sophomore year. Good three-point shooter – hits about two a game and shoots over 40% from deep. Improved his defense his sophomore season (according to his coach). Great crossover move. Great athlete – can get out and run and has good ups. Gets good extension and lift on his jumper. Very good rebounder for a two-guard. Exceptional free throw shooter. Good rebounder for his position.

Weaknesses:
Will be a bit undersized in the NBA. Not a very good ball-handler. Will need to keep improving his defense for the NBA. Is still inconsistent.

Projected 2009 Draft Range:
Late first round to early second round pick.

Consensus:
With Wayne Ellington’s draft stock all over the board (could be a mid first round pick or could fall into the second round), his best move might be to come back to school for his senior year and be “the man“ for Carolina. With his lack of size, he will have to improve all of his other skills to offset it at the NBA level.

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

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

Omri Casspi: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 11:52:21 -0500

Omri Casspi

Team: Maccabi Tel Aviv

Birth Year: 1988

Position: SF

Height: 6’8”

Weight: 230lbs

Accolades:
Israeli U-16 National Team (03 & 04), Israeli U-18 National Team (04 & 06), Israeli U-20 National Team (07), Israel Senior National Team (08).
Scouting Report:
A long, skinny, yet skilled, Israeli wingman.

Strengths:
Long arms. Strong finisher – can absorb contact and still finish. Feisty/aggressive player. Moves well without the ball. Good athlete – can really run the floor well. Competed in the top league outside of the NBA, the Euroleague, on one of the top teams in the world. Has three-point range on his jumper.

Weaknesses:
Skinny – needs to bulk up. Inexperienced – didn’t consistently play big minutes this season. May have attitude/character issues. Father publicly feuded with Maccabi over son’s playing time in the past. Needs to take better care of the ball – has as many turnovers as assists this season.

Projected 2009 Draft Range:
Mid to late second round pick.

Consensus:
Casspi decision not to enter last year’s draft seems to have paid off, as he looks likely to go in the first round pick next June. His game and body still need plenty of work for the NBA, but he definitely has the potential to make it one day.

Stats: http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=JFO - Euroleague

http://www.bsl.org.il/PlayerPage.asp?PlayerNumber=11&TeamId=58&cYear=2008&lang=en – Israeli League

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

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

Lester Hudson: CollegeHoops.net Interview

Jon Teitel — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:50:00 -0500

10 Questions.. with Tennessee-Martin star Lester Hudson. The senior do-everything guard is a statistical machine who burst onto the D1 scene last year. The reigning OVC Player of the Year is hoping to be a 2009 Lottery pick.

1. How does a 6'3" guard get so many rebounds?

LH. I have a strong desire for the ball, and my wingspan (6'9") helps too. I can also jump a bit, while timing the ball well and figuring out where it is going. I am a shooter, so I know how the ball comes off the rim.

2. What specific part of your game are you most proud of?

LH. I think I am a good all-around player, so no specific part.

3. What do you have left to prove after being named OVC player of the year last season?

LH. I would like to repeat as OVC player of the year, and try to be an AP All-American (1^st-team, specifically). I also want to be a leader to my teammates in the right way: working hard every day, not taking days off, etc. I would also like to win the OVC and win at least 2 games in the NCAA Tournament.

4. What was it like last year when you became the first D-I player to ever record a quadruple-double (25 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals vs. Central Baptist)?

LH. I was just playing my regular game and doing everything as usual, and did not realize I was close to doing that: in fact, I think the only time I had even heard of the term was when David Robinson did it once. My coach (Bret Campbell) was going to take me out towards the end, but the guy on our bench who keeps our stats told him to keep me in, and the rest of the bench told me to get 1 more steal. The guy I was guarding used a crossover a lot, so I just waited for it and then got the steal to finish it off, and then Coach took me out and congratulated me.

5. What impact has Coach Campbell had on you?

LH. Coach Campbell is a great guy, and had a part in everything I am doing. He had a lot to do with last year’s success: he told me I needed a better jump shot to become a complete player, so I worked on my jumper during my redshirt year, and it worked out for me well last year.

6. What were the reasons for your academic problems before you got to Tennessee-Martin?

LH. I was kind of lazy and just did not like school, and I put basketball first before anything else. As I got older, I realized that I had to do the schoolwork in order to play basketball, so I have tried my best to make the best grades I can. I love basketball, and did not like when it was taken away from me because of academics.

7. What happened with the NBA draft last summer?

LH. I wanted to test the draft waters: sometimes you only get one chance to fulfill your dream and play in the NBA. I thought it over some more as the deadline rolled around: everyone told me I would go early in the second round, and the teams that liked me in the first round could not promise to draft me in the first round. Coach Campbell told me that I could come back and definitely get drafted in the second round next year. In the end, I just did not want to leave until it was the way I wanted to: by winning a ring and getting my degree. It is very important for me to graduate I might even start crying when I get my diploma. My family/coaches/friends are very happy for me to have a chance to graduate, and I just feel blessed right now.

8. What do you feel is your best skill?

LH. I am a scorer, but the coaches have told me to play ball. I got noticed for scoring, but the quadruple-double really took it to another level. I think another “skill” I have is just being an all-around player. It is rare for a guard my size to be able to do everything I do: some guys are good shooters or passers, but I try to do it all. If I get drafted, I will play whatever they want me to: I think I can play either the 1 or 2, both now and in the future.

9. What was it like growing up in Memphis?

LH. It was really rough: kids want a lot of things but they cannot always get them, so it is easy to get into bad things like drugs and crime to get some money. However, you can also end up in jail and lose your dream, and I wanted to give myself a chance to play ball, so I am glad I got out of there and am happy with the outcome so far. My mom could not afford to buy me decent shoes, so I had to get cheap shoes, and kids would talk about them when they saw me on the court, so that is one reason why I have stayed strong.

10. Has it been very different this year after not getting to practice with the team this summer due to NBA pre-draft camp?

LH. I did not get to work out like I wanted to, because I had to travel so much for workouts, but I do not think it will affect me too much.

Writers Picks: Random Oddities

CHN — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:25:34 -0500

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CHN writers take a shot at some random predictions and evaluations.. and the results are mostly you'd expect.. with some intriguing exceptions.

	Jeff Borzello March Madness	Jason Brubaker SEC	Jeff Fox NBA Draft

Top Conference	Big East	Big East	Big East
Top Non-BCS League	Atlantic 10	WCC	WCC
Top Non-BCS Team	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Worst BCS Team	Indiana	Colorado	Indiana
1st Coach Fired	Jerry Wainwright (DePaul)	Gary Williams (Maryland)	Norm Roberts (St. John's)
Top Prospect	Blake Griffin	Blake Griffin	BJ Mullens

	Raphielle Johnson Football / Northeast	Kevin McNeill Top 25	Shawn Siegel Head Editor

Top Conference	Big East	Big East	ACC
Top Non-BCS League	Conference USA	WCC	Atlantic 10
Top Non-BCS Team	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Worst BCS Team	Indiana	Northwestern	Oregon State
1st Coach Fired	Leonard Hamilton (FSU)	Pat Knight (Texas Tech)	Norm Roberts (St. John's)
Top Prospect	BJ Mullens	BJ Mullens	BJ Mullens

	Jason Tomassini Top Freshmen	Joel Welser NCAA Preview	Joey Whelan Player Analysis

Top Conference	Big East	Big East	Big East
Top Non-BCS League	WCC	Atlantic 10	WCC
Top Non-BCS Team	Gonzaga	Gonzaga	Gonzaga
Worst BCS Team	Northwestern	Oregon State	Oregon State
1st Coach Fired	Sidney Lowe (NC State)	Norm Roberts (St. John's)	Norm Roberts (St. John's)
Top Prospect	Blake Griffin	Hasheem Thabeet	Blake Griffin

Consensus:

Top Conference = Big East (8 of 9)

Non-BCS League = WCC (5 of 9)

Non-BCS Team = Gonzaga (9 of 9)

Worst BCS Team = Oregon State/Indiana (3 of 9 each)

1st Coach Fired = Norm Roberts (4 of 9)

Top Prospect = BJ Mullins (5 of 9)

Writers Picks: BCS League Champions

NBA: Rookie of the Year Talk

Hoopsworld — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:04:33 -0500

By: Bill Ingram

Blow Up the Wizards

It's amazing how patient the Washington Wizards have been. Whether it's ownership, management, or coaching staff, the Wizards organization has been fairly quiet as they wait for the day when all of their high-dollar stars finally take the court together.

For the third season in a row we have the same storyline dominating pre-season predictions for the Wizards:

"If this team can ever get healthy they could be the best team in the Eastern Conference."

Last season Antawn Jamison was the only star consistently healthy for the Wizards. Caron Butler appeared in only 58 games, while Gilbert Arenas missed all but 13 games of the season. In 2006-07, Arenas actually led the Big Three with 74 games played, while Jamison logged 70 and Butler 63. Clearly those numbers are headed in the wrong direction, and it's finally starting to get to head coach Eddie Jordan.

"That was not NBA basketball out there, it's as simple as that," Jordan said after his team coughed up an overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night. "There were no NBA plays being made out there. We addressed them tonight in the locker room, so I'm going to put a careful eye on our personnel and what we're doing out there. I think the trend is telling me something. I'm trying to be loyal to NBA vets and the continuity theme but I'm growing very impatient with it."

What we're starting to see, unfortunately, is the final stages of the Washington Wizards as currently constructed. Even if you're not a Wizards fan you have to feel for their predicament. You go out and get amazing talent, lock them up long-term, and then never get a chance to see them play together when the games matter most.

Eddie JOrdan and his team have been amazingly patient with the injury process, but at some point you get tired of excuses and start making changes that will put 'W's on the board. It sounds like the Wizards are just about there.

Speaking of Rookie of the Year

In today's Morning Report, Steve Kyler began the Rookie of the Year discussion. Steve's early list includes Derrick Rose, OJ Mayo, Jason Thompson, Michael Beasley, and Rudy Fernandez, and while those are all great names, there's someone you shouldn't sleep on.

He's not putting up "amazing" numbers yet, but in each of the Milwaukee Bucks' three games second round pick Luc Mbah a Moute has shown marked improvement. He scored nine points (4-7 FG) in 19 minutes against the Raptors on opening night, posted a double double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) in 35 minutes against the New York Knicks in their second game, and last night he dropped 17 points and six rebounds on the Wizards, including a couple of huge plays down the stretch. He also nearly hit the game-winner before overtime.

It's early, and there are a lot of names ahead of Luc Mbah a Moute's . . .names easier to say and spell . . .but he's definitely showing us early that he's someone to keep an eye on. There are very few expectations being put on the Bucks, which could mean an ideal situation for a young player to burst onto the NBA scene.

NBA: Final Cuts Include Big Names

Hoopsworld — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:07:32 -0400

By: Eric Pincus

Cuts: A number of interesting prospects didn't make the regular season rosters - most notably the sons of former players.

The LA Lakers cut guard Coby Karl. The New York Kicks let forward Patrick Ewing, Jr. go. Other famous sons out of a job include DJ Strawberry (Houston Rockets - and his father Darryl was obviously a baseball player), T.J. Cummings (Milwaukee Bucks - father Terry) and Dan Grunfeld (Knicks - father Ernie).

Some others waived include Adrian Griffin, Chris Richard, David Harrison, Keith Van Horn, Justin Williams, Nick Fazekas, Smush Parker, Ruben Patterson, Jelani McCoy, Luke Jackson, Salim Stoudamire, Bobby Jones, Jared Jordan, DerMarr Johnson and Darius Miles, but there were plenty more since the start of training camp.

One player was already claimed off waivers, after the Milwaukee Bucks picked up forward Austin Croshere (formerly of the Indiana Pacers).

According to The Charlotte Observer, the Bobcats are expected to pick up recently waived forward Linton Johnson and center/forward Dwayne Jones.

Those who made an opening night roster with a non or partially guaranteed contract - the date to watch for is January 10th, 2009 when anyone still on a team gets locked in for the remainder of the season.

Some of the cut players may land quickly on other rosters but many will have to wait until January. Others may get a look sooner than later. Many will have to wait until January 5th, when 10-day contracts can be signed.