NBA Draft Prospects: Paul George, Fresno State

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Stats: 16.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.2 spg, 3.2 t/o's, 35.3% 3PT

Size:

• Listed: 6'9", 215 lb, 20 yrs old
• Combine: 6'8 3/4" (with shoes), 214 lb, 6'11 1/4" (wingspan)
  

About Him: There may not be a "hotter" prospect right now than Paul George. Its not hard to see why. The kid has a fantastic set of tools and unlimited upside. Almost 6'9" in shoes, George is a pure wing and a fantastic athlete. His game is based around his jump shot, which his height and athleticism allows him to get off at will. As a freshman, he shot almost 45% from three, and while that number dropped to 36% last season, that drop can be attributed to George forcing quite a few shots playing in an undisciplined system.

George's size, athleticism, and the fact that he has the skills of a perimeter player -- jump shot, handle, etc. -- makes him intriguing on film. In workouts, those tools make GM's salivate. Its not often that you see players with that size flashing handle, knocking down mid-range and three point jumpers effortlessly. Once considered a potential first round pick, George has worked his way into the back end of the lottery and could very well be the second wing taken in the draft after Wesley Johnson.

The problem is that George really hasn't proven himself in games. Fresno State was not a good basketball team last season -- sub-.500 in the WAC -- and George played like it. His numbers were impressive -- 17 points, 7 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals -- but the way he got those numbers did not scream superstar. He forced a lot of shots, especially from the perimeter, and he committed quite a few turnovers. To be fair, George faced defenses keyed at stopping him, but that doesn't change the fact that he needs to continue to develop his ability to get by his defender, change direction with the dribble when he is forced, and handling the ball in transition. That's why the scouting report on George was to force him to put the ball on the floor.

Defensively, George has all the tools to become a pesky defender. His length on the perimeter will cause smaller players problems. He has quick hands and excellent anticipation, which is why he was able to average over 2 spg. He's quick and he's explosive. But he simply didn't put in the effort on the defensive end. He was lazy, he didn't get through screens, he slacked off jump shooters.

Perhaps the biggest knock on George is his work ethic and intensity. Does he truly love the game? Is he willing to put in the work to fulfill his potential? Is he going to play hard against NBA competition? With his tools and skill set, hard work is the only thing between him and stardom.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: The comparison to a T-Mac, in his prime, is easy. 6'8", athletic, perimeter oriented, good shooter. Defensively, he can be a Trevor Ariza/Trenton Hassell kind of talent. T-Mac on one end, Trevor Ariza on the other. That's a pretty damn good basketball player. Rudy Gay with a jump shot or a more athletic Danny Granger are also good comparisons.
  
• Worst Case Scenario: The likelihood of George reaching that potential is probably the same as him being out of the league in five years. Is he the next Dermarr Johnson? I think a career path similar to Dorell Wright may be the most likely.
  

Outlook: George was a late bloomer. He didn't get serious about playing organized basketball until his sophomore year in high school, and it wasn't until the Pump Brothers discovered him and teamed him with Jrue Holiday and Malcolm Lee in AAU ball that he realized hit potential as a player. Still, George was not a huge recruit coming out of high school, electing to go to Fresno State because of the chance to be a feature player right away. The problem is that the Fresno coaches then allowed him to do basically whatever he wanted, as there was not much else on that roster than George.

Long story short, George has not received a ton of coaching. Given the right system and the right coaching staff, its easy to see George fulfilling his potential. From what I've read, he's shown quite the work ethic since the season ended, and his development from a no name recruit to a lottery pick is striking. I don't think he will end up being the second coming of T-Mac, but I think that one day he can end up being a starter and 15-18 ppg scorer.

Highlights: