Early Entry Winner's and Loser's

So yesterday at 5pm was the deadline for early entry candidates to withdraw their names from the NBA Draft, and for the first time we get to see what the college basketball landscape looks like for next season. So who were Monday's winners and losers.

Early Entry Winners

-The first and most obvious winner is Roy Williams and anyone that dons Tar Heel baby blue. Not only does he get NCAA player of the year Tyler Hansbrough back, but Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Wayne Ellington all decided to withdraw from the draft, which means that North Carolina returns basically the same team that was ranked #1 most of the season and reached the Final Four. Oh yeah, and the Tar Heels added three Mickey D's all-americans. Things are looking good in Chapel Hill.

-Arizona fans finally have something to smile about with Chase Budinger's decision to return to school. It has been a tumultuous offseason for 'Zona fans with the Lute Olson soap opera and the exodus of player's, coaches, and recruits. It's tough to call a team a winner after all of that, but with Nic Wise deciding not to transfer, Jordan Hill coming back, and the addition of (maybe) the best freshman in the country in Brandon Jennings, Budinger's return all of a sudden makes Arizona look much more competitive.

-With Jeremy Pargo's decision to come back, Gonzaga looks like they are a top 10 team. Last year's player of the year in the WCC was the only player that could really create offensively for the 'Zags, and when you put him with Matt Bouldin, Austin Daye (look for him to have a breakout sophomore season), and the shrooms-less Josh Heytvelt, that is a pretty formidable core.

-Sure, John Calipari lost Derrick Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts to the draft, but everyone knew that Rose was a one-and-done player. He also got Antonio Anderson and Robert Dozier back and has a very good recruiting class coming in, led by Tyreke Evans. Memphis should have no problem plowing through C-USA again this year.

-Alabama lost Richard Hendrix, but they get Ronald Steele (and what's left of his knees) and Alonzo Gee back, which could be enough to win the weak SEC West.

Early Entry Losers

-It's a good thing that Bill Self got that championship, because graduation and early entry devastated his roster. Not only does he lose seniors Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun, and Darnell Jackson, but Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush, and Mario Chalmers are decided to leave school early. That leaves Self with Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich to defend the title.

-UCLA also lost a lot. Kevin Love wasn't a surprise. Neither was Russell Westbrook. But Luc Richard Mbah a Moute was - a lot of people believe he won't even get drafted. The Bruins did get a bit of luck with Josh Shipp and Darren Collison deciding to return for their senior years, and they do have a great recruiting class coming in led by Jrue Holiday, but the loss of those three will be a lot to overcome.

-West Virginia is still going to be a very good team and maybe even challenge for the Big East title, but imagine how good they could have been with Joe Alexander. OK, so it wasn't much of a surprise that Alexander left, especially with how well he has performed in his workouts and at the combine, but still, with him Huggy Bear would have had a chance to win a title.

-Michael Beasley had 32 and 24 in his first game on a college campus, and from that point forward pretty much everyone expected him to leave. But the loss of Bill Walker really hurt, as K-State is now left without a go to scorer. 

Continue reading...

Early Entrees to the NBA Draft

Here is the final list of player's who have declared for the draft and who have decided to withdraw their name's from the draft. Click on the player's name for analysis.

Going Pro

Joe Alexander, West Virginia
Ryan Anderson, California
Darrell Arthur, Kansas
DJ Augustin, Texas
Jerryd Bayless, Arizona
Michael Beasley, Kansas State
Keith Brumbaugh, Hillsborough CC
Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
CJ Giles, Oregon State
Eric Gordon, Indiana
Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State
Donte Greene, Syracuse
Kalen Grimes, Missouri
Richard Hendrix, Alabama
JJ Hickson, NC State
George Hill, IUPUI
Shawn James, Duquense
Davon Jefferson, USC
Deandre Jordan, Texas A&M
Kosta Koufos, Ohio State
Brook Lopez, Stanford
Robin Lopez, Stanford
Kevin Love, UCLA
OJ Mayo, USC
JaVale McGee, Nevada
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA
Kojo Mensah, Duquense
Trent Plaisted, BYU
Anthony Randolph, LSU
Derrick Rose, Memphis
Brandon Rush, Kansas
Marreese Speights, Florida
Bill Walker, Kansas State
Russell Westbrook, UCLA


Declared, but withdrawn
AJ Abrams, Texas
Josh Akognon, Cal St. Fullerton
Antonio Anderson, Memphis
Chase Budinger, Arizona
Derrick Caracter, Louisville
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
Josh Carter, Texas A&M
Lee Cummard, BYU
Robert Dozier, Memphis
Wayne Ellington, UNC
Alonzo Gee, Alabama
Danny Green, UNC
Lester Hudson, UT-Martin
Stefon Jackson, UTEP
Ty Lawson, UNC
Leo Lyons, Missouri
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga
Josh Shipp, UCLA
Ronald Steele, Alabama
John Riek, Prep School
Robert Vaden, UAB


Coming Back
Earl Clark, Louisville
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
James Harden, Arizona State
Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State
Tyrese Rice, Boston College
Tyler Smith, Tennessee
Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Sam Young, Pittsburgh


Seniors
Pat Calathes, St. Joseph's
Joe Crawford, Kentucky
Will Daniels, Rhode Island
Joey Dorsey, Memphis
Charron Fisher, Niagara
Shan Foster, Vanderbilt
JR Giddens, New Mexico
James Gist, Maryland
Kentrell Gransberry, South Florida
DeVon Hardin, California
Roy Hibbert, Georgetown
Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky
David Padgett, Louisville
Brian Roberts, Dayton
Richard Roby, Colorado
Sean Singletary, Virginia
Jason Thompson, Rider
Kyle Weaver, Washington State
DJ White, Indiana. Continue reading...

NBA Draft Decision Deadline Passes

So the 5 pm deadline has come and gone, and the NBA Draft class and 2008-2009 college basketball rosters are now finally official. So who is going and who is staying.

Returning to School:

The UNC trio of Ty Lawson, Danny Green, and Wayne Ellington all decided to return to school. Everyone expected Green and Ellington to come back, but Budinger's return is a bit of a surprise.

The only other real surprise was Chase Budinger's decision to return to Arizona, who was projected as a mid-first rounder. Many reports over the last week or so said that Budinger was leaning towards staying in the draft.

The other players returning to school are Cal St. Fullerton's Josh Akognon, Texas's AJ Abrams, Alabama's Ronald Steele, Memphis's Robert Dozier, UAB's Robert Vaden, and Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo.


Staying in the Draft:

The biggest surprise was Bill Walker, who decided to stay in the draft despite injuring his knee this weekend. Since Walker was unable to complete the workout at Golden State, the only teams that Walker worked out for were Toronto (17th) and Detroit (29th). Did he get a guarantee from one of them?

Another surprise was the decision by UCLA's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to remain in the draft. Mbah a Moute is 6'6" defensive stopper that played power forward for the Bruins but projects as a three in the league. Right now he looks borderline to be drafted, but could have worked his way into a first round pick in 2009.

West Virginia's Joe Alexander, Kansas's Mario Chalmers, and Florida's Marreese Speights are all expected to be first rounders, and all three decided to remain in the draft. Alabama's Richard Hendrix, NC State's JJ Hickson, and Cal's Ryan Anderson are borderline first-round picks, but decided not to return. This was probably a good decision for Hendrix and Anderson, who both had great performances on the season and probably would not help themselves much by returning. Hickson, on the other hand, probably would have been a lottery pick in 2009, but decided to take his chances this year.

Mississippi State's Jamont Gordon was all but gone when he declared, but IUPUI's George Hill was up in the air. He is projected all over the board, even at the end of the first found by some. He signed with an agent on Saturday, which means he likely got a guarantee from someone that he wouldn't drop too far into the second round. Continue reading...

6/15 - Some Links, Some News

-On Sunday, Golden State hosted a huge workout with 17 NBA teams represented and 24 players projects in the late-first to early-second round present. Jonathan Givony of Draft Express gives some great feedback from the workout. The biggest piece of news from that workout was that Bill Walker injured his right knee during the three-man weave drill and was unable to participate. Reportedly, he only suffered a partial tear of his meniscus and there was no damage to the ACL, but combined with his history of knee problems, it still may be enough to scare away teams. Walker also only worked out for Toronto (17th) and Detroit (29th), so unless he receives a guarantee from one of them, he may be returning to K-State.

Courtney Lee, Richard Hendrix, and Brandon Rush all helped their stock with excellent performances. Lee looks like he is headed to Orlando (22nd), while Pheonix (15th) really likes Rush (although it has been reported that both Seattle and Cleveland are interested in Rush and may try to move up to Portland's pick (13th). Hendrix has been working out well through out the entire process, and should be a steal if he falls to the second round.

-Yesterday I looked at all of the college guys still on the fence concerning the NBA Draft, but one player I didn't consider was Danilo Gallinari. Several sources, including Chad Ford, reported this. According to Ford

One international player could make some serious noise at the deadline on Monday. Over the weekend, several sources said Italy's Danilo Gallinari might withdraw from the draft despite his projection as a lottery pick. According to sources from two teams, Gallinari's American agent, Arn Tellem, is telling teams that if he doesn't have a guarantee by Monday from a team drafting in the top 10, he'll withdraw.

Tellem denied the rumors on Sunday evening, telling ESPN.com via text message that Gallinari is "staying in the draft."

Gallinari wants to play in one of the bigger markets and would most likely like to avoid a situation similar to Yi Jianlian last year. He also has a legitimate shot to be the first pick of the 2009 draft.

Another interesting situation in this draft is that due to the current rookie salary caps and the weak dollar, it is becoming more profitable for international players to remain overseas (i.e. Fran Velazquez in 2005 or Tiago Splitter in 2007). As a result, there is more of an incentive to wait until the second round to pick these guys so as to avoid the salary cap and pay these players an amount close to what they would receive overseas.

-A couple players are still dealing with maturity issues. Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports takes another look at the Michael Beasley saga. Beasley has never been in trouble with the law,and although he attended five high schools, many of the changes were not the result of behavioral problems. He left one school because it was made up of primarily rich, white kids. He went to Oak Hill because of their tradition as a basketball program, but left for a prep school because there were issues over the amount of high school eligibility he had remaining. Goodman spoke to just about every coach Beasley has ever played for, and every account was glowing - he is a hard worker, great listener, and very coachable, but he is just a goof ball. Is that really worse than a Ron Artest or a Stephen Jackson?

DeAndre Jordan is another guy who is trying to prove he is mentally ready for the league. Apparently it is not the work ethic or talent that is scaring some teams off, it is his emotional and mental make-up. Jordan has a tendency to get too down on himself when things are not going well, which makes him a very inconsistent performer. Thus far, his workout performance has been consistent with this season's performance - inconsistent. Some think he may have played his way out of the lottery and even showed up to his interviews in shorts and a t-shirt.

Draft Express has also reported that Jordan and JaVale McGee have been outplayed by lower-rated prospects Alexis Ajinca and Roy Hibbert.

Two players we haven’t heard great things about from their workouts so far as DeAndre Jordan and JaVale McGee. Both have reportedly been outplayed by lower rated prospects such as Alexis Ajinca (in Charlotte) and Roy Hibbert. Jordan has not impressed anyone by showing up for his job interview (what this is essentially) in a t-shirt and shorts while players such as Hibbert and Courtney Lee arrived prepared to get down to business in a suit and tie. Jordan, in the words of one scout "could drop right out of the lottery" if he isn't careful, based off the way he's been working out. Hibbert on the other hand has gotten some strong reviews from teams who have seen him so far, as he appears to be in excellent shape and is reminding people why he was considered a lock for the lottery just a year ago, running the floor well (better than his peers), finishing with either hand around the basket, and shooting the ball better than expected from outside. Not surprisingly, the 21-year old Georgetown product has been extremely impressive off the court as well—which is an underrated element in this process.

Continue reading...

Who is still on the fence?

On Thursday, Marreese Speights announced that he is going to sign with an agent and keep his name in the NBA Draft, meaning that there are now 21 players who are still undecided as to their basketball future. Here is a look at each player still on the fence.

AJ Abrams: Abrams currently is projected as a mid-second round pick at best. He wasn't even invited to the pre-draft camp. Abrams probably should head back to Texas to prove that he can handle point guard responsibilities.

Josh Akognon: Akognon started his career at Washington State before transferring to Cal St. Fullerton. He is unlikely to be drafted, but there are reports that he is going to keep his name in the draft regardless of where he is projected to be picked.

Joe Alexander: Alexander is all but gone. He is a lottery pick, and may go in the top 10 thanks to his phenomenal athleticism, shooting ability, and great finish to the season. But he loves playing for the Huggy Bear and has said that he would love to return to WVU to try and win a title.

Ryan Anderson: Anderson has taken this whole draft process in a very unique way. Most players have an agent on tap that they go to for advice and will sign with if they go pro, but he has done this all on his own. He has one of the toughest decisions as he may sneak into the back of the first round. But he could come back and go much higher next year if he can put together another great offensive season. He is probably gone if he gets a guarantee from a team at the end of the first or beginning of the second round.

Chase Budinger: Budinger is probably gone as he is a first round lock, probably headed for the 18-24 range. If he returns, he will be able to play for Lute Olson, be the first offensive option, and probably improve his draft status for next year. But with all the upheaval (losing assistant coaches, recruits decommitting, transfers) at Arizona, Budinger is probably gone.

Mario Chalmers: All signs indicate that Chalmers is going to keep his name in the draft. He has had some great workouts and his name has been going up the draft board. He is probably going to go somewhere in the late first round.

Lee Cummard: Cummard wasn't invited to the pre-draft camp, and although he has gotten a few workouts with NBA teams, he probably needs to go back to BYU.

Robert Dozier: Dozier traveled to China with the conference USA all-star team which seemed to be a sign that he would be coming back, but he returned to the states to go through workouts with NBA teams. He has a chance to go in the second round, but is probably better served returning to school.

Wayne Ellington: It is going to be tough for Ellington to find a first round guarantee, and he said earlier in the process that in order for him to leave he needed to be a first round lock. He probably should head back to UNC for another season.

Jamont Gordon: When Gordon declared for the draft, everyone, including the Mississippi State coaching state assumed that he would not be returning to campus. He probably won't be a first rounder, but is all but gone anyway.

Danny Green: It looks like Green is leaning towards returning to UNC. He has been beat up during the entire draft process, and hasn't done enough to earn a first round guarantee. If he comes back, he might be able to prove himself a first rounder next year. But Green has said that his family needs to money, so he may be gone anyway.

Richard Hendrix: Hendrix looks like he will be a second round pick, although his performance at the combine may have made someone take a gamble on this year's Paul Millsap. He has said that he is ok with being a second round pick, so look for him to stay in the draft.

JJ Hickson: It looks like Hickson is gone. He is being advised by the same agent that Speights just signed with, and the expectation is that he will not be returning. He is a possible first rounder.

George Hill: Hill is looking to get a first round or early second round guarantee before he signs with an agent. There is a good chance that he could be picked that early, so its not a stretch that he won't be returning to IUPUI. The were reports late Saturday that Hill had already signed with an agent.

Lester Hudson: It does not look like Hudson is going to get drafted and Hudson has said that he is fine with returning to UT-Martin. But he is almost 24 years old, so age may play as much of a factor in his decision as anything.

Ty Lawson: There were reports that Lawson had received a guarantee from Denver at number 20 (his cutoff - he said he would come back if he was going lower than 20th), but that was before his ankle injury, his DUI arrest, and him missing the workout in Denver. Lawson still looks like he will be a first rounder, and is probably gone.

Luc Richard Mbah A Moute: Mbah a Moute is a great defender and had some good workouts this last week. But he is not a first rounder and may not even be a lock for the second rounder. If he can get a guarantee that he will go early enough in the second that he can earn a roster spot, he may leave. If not, he will return and could earn a first round spot in the 2009 draft.

Jeremy Pargo: Pargo is not a first round pick, and has been sliding on draft boards due to poor shooting and poor decision making. His decision will come down to whether or not he wants to take the risk of being a second round pick. His brother, Jannero, did it and has found a niche as a scorer off the bench for the Hornets.

Ronald Steele: Steele probably won't be drafted this year, mainly because he didn't play due to a knee injury and has had those same knee problems throughout his career. There have already been reports that he is coming back, but he diffused those weeks ago.

Robert Vaden: Vaden is a great shooter, and showed that in all of his workouts. His size is the biggest problem - he is more of a 3 than a 2 but is only 6'5". Like many guys in his spot, he isn't a first rounder, but if he can get a guarantee for an early second round pick, he may leave.

Bill Walker: Walker looks like he is a late first rounder at this point, and that will probably be enough to keep him in the draft. He was projected as a possible top 5 pick last year before his knee injury, so that may be enough for a team to take a chance on him. Continue reading...

The Hoosier Implosion Continues

Yesterday, Jordan Crawford, one of two returning scholarship players for the Hoosiers, announced his intentions to transfer from the school. This leaves Indiana with seldom used senior Kyle Taber (11 mpg) and walk-on Brent Finkelmeier (two points and 11 minutes ALL SEASON) as the only two returners. And the NCAA hasn't even levied their punishment from Sampson's violations.

Although I do have to tip my hat to new coach Tom Crean for not allowing Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis, who were kicked off the team after Sampson was fired, back, but there has been few cases where a team has been liquified in the way Indiana has. Tulane's point-shaving scandal? Maybe. But the team was disbanded. The Baylor murder case? Possibly. But murder is a lot more serious than some illegal phone calls to recruits. The only thing close is the Kentucky recruiting scandal that forced Eddie Sutton out of a job. But even there, Rick Pitino came in with the two leading scorers coming back and four future Wildcat legends.

The bottom line is that Crean is going to have a helluva time trying to build up that program - even one with the storied tradition of the Hoosiers and Alumni Hall. It will be years before Indiana is going to be back atop the Big Ten, even with their recruiting class and incoming transfers (Jeremiah Rivers carrying a team? Please). Maybe that Marquette job isn't looking too bad after all. Continue reading...

Kevin Love to Michael Beasly - Full Court Alley Oop

This is unbelievable. I wonder how many times they had to try this, but given his outlet passing ability, I doubt it was many. (h/t Rush The Court)

Continue reading...

6/11 - Some Links, Some News

-I'm sure anyone who follows any level of basketball has heard about disgraced referee Tim Donaghy's claims that the NBA ordered officials to alter the outcome of games during the playoffs. My initial reaction to this story was 'how can the NBA fix their playoff games?' I know people talk about it all the time (most notably the fans/players/coaches/writers of any team that blows a series or has a tough loss), but to the idea that this ACTUALLY occurs boggled my mind. Forget steroids. Forget spygate. Forget losing a season to a lockout. If this is (proved to be) true, the NBA will never recover. The league has done some amazing things recently to rebuild their image of a league of thugs (even surviving last year's Donaghy scandal) culminating in the perfect NBA Finals matchup - Boston and LA - which will revive the memories of the glory days of this league. Another scandal of this magnitude (which was conveniently released on a game day during the Finals) would be the end of my, and probably many others, following of the NBA.

After thinking about it for a while, it all seemed too calculated. He just so happened to make the filing on an NBA Finals game day, which also happened to follow a game two in which the officiating was heavily scrutinized. As David Stern said, Donaghy is a desperate convicted felon trying to do anything he can to reduce his sentence (he is facing 25 years). So what does he do? He picks two of the most controversial and highly publicized incidences of questionable officiating in the playoffs and says that the NBA and the referees rigged the games for better ratings. If that were true, would the NBA have ever allowed San Antonio to play in the Finals? Or Detroit? What about the two playing each other? Wasn't that considered the most boring Finals ever? And how come there was no mention of the Miami-Dallas series? It just doesn't add up.

UPDATE: This True Hoop article, an interview with a guy that makes his living off of betting NBA games, is an absolute must read.

-Enough with the NBA. Basketball Prospectus put together a nice list of possible second round gems. I'm pretty high on the first three guys on this list, and I think all of them will eventually be starters in the league.

-Andy Katz wrote an article on how the Lopez twins are preparing for the draft. While they seem like they are both a bit out there (comic books?), they are pretty funny. I loved this exchange:

But when it came time to talk about missing each other when they get separated, they couldn't resist reverting back to their good-natured ribbing.

"My biggest fear is that he'll be out of the league in two years," Brook said of Robin, laughing. Robin responded, "My biggest fear for you in the NBA is … it's that someone won't make sure your alarm clock is working."

"I won't miss him sleeping on my floor, the whole year -- terrible," Brook said.

"I won't miss your terrible taste in TV. I can't stand 'Sex and the City,'" Robin said.

I wonder if Brook liked the movie...

-It may be more apparent now why Tyler Hansbrough decided to return to UNC for his senior season. Not only is he going to break all sorts of records at UNC and get a degree in the process, but he also has plenty of "fans" there (The Big Lead said that the girl on his lap is a UNC cheerleader). Nice pull T. Enjoy it while it lasts - chicks don't dig NBDL players (kidding, kidding).



-Touching a little more on the OJ Mayo scandal, Michael Weintreb of Espn's Page 2 wrote about how cheating in college sports has evolved since the 80's.

-Apparently, the Garden is trying to get the NCAA tournament to start playing games there again. 1961 was the last time MSG hosted a game, but they hope that a $500 million renovation will allow them to get the East Regional Final in 2012. Continue reading...

Mayo to Miami?

As Chad Ford reported, it is looking more and more likely that the Heat want to use the second pick on OJ Mayo. For weeks, Mayo has been in Chicago working out, and becoming fast friends, with Dwayne Wade. He was also the first player to work out with the Heat, which by all accounts was a very impressive work out. He shot well, dominated workout partner Tyrone Brazelton in 1-on-1, and finished some impressive dunks on alley-oop drills that the Heat ran him through.

Mayo may be the most NBA-ready player in the draft skill-wise, and also seems like a perfect fit with Wade in the backcourt. Both have the ability to play the point and the two, which would allow them trade-off initiating the offense and being the main scoring option. The biggest question right now is what Miami will do with the second pick. According to Ford

If the Heat decide they prefer Mayo to Beasley, the big question will be what to do at draft time. The most obvious choice is to take Mayo with the No. 2 pick, but given how much Beasley is wanted, the Heat should be able to get some serious offers for the No. 2 pick.

Both the Minnesota Timberwolves (No. 3) and the Seattle SuperSonics (No. 4) would love to move up to No. 2. But sources say neither the Wolves nor the Sonics have anything the Heat really covet, assuming the teams wouldn't include Kevin Durant, Al Jefferson or Jeff Green in a deal.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the most obvious trade partner. As noted last week, an offer of the No. 5 pick, Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry in exchange for the No. 2 pick would be very tempting to the Heat. They also likely could pawn off Mark Blount as part of the deal.

But there's no guarantee Mayo would be available at No. 5. While neither the Wolves nor the Sonics seem keyed into Mayo at the moment, they have been talking to other teams about trading their picks. To name just two teams, the Knicks and the Clippers would love to move up in the draft to get Mayo.

Whatever the Heat decide to do, it is clear that it is becoming a three-horse race at the top of the draft. Continue reading...

Why Ty Lawson is an Idiot, and other NBA Draft News

-Ty Lawson is an idiot. He was one of the only players with a shot to be a first round pick that played in the NBA Pre-Draft camp, and he had such a good performance in his first game that he all-but locked-up a spot in the first round and didn't play the rest of the week. Draft Express reported that

talk continues to circulate that the Denver Nuggets have promised to select Ty Lawson with the 20th pick later this month. Lawson pulled out of the NBA pre-draft camp after just one day, citing a hip pointer, but was seen shooting around and looking absolutely fine just a few hours before he was supposed to play. He stated that if he were to be projected to be drafted outside the top-20, he will return to North Carolina, making the Nuggets precisely his cut-off point.

Less than a week after the camp concluded, Lawson got pulled over for violating the town's noise ordinance by playing music too loud from his car, and was subsequently arrested for driving while impaired. Driving drunk and risking a DWI (or worse) is always a dumb thing, especially when your possible future employer (the Denver Nuggets) are currently dealing with image problems as a result of their league-leading tattoo-per-player average and maturity problems, as well as Carmelo Anthony's April DUI. The last thing the Nuggets want to do is further alienate an already frustrated fan base.

Note: In Lawson's defense, he actually was behaving pretty responsibly. He only blew a 0.03, but the fact that he is under 21 meant that he got charged with driving after consuming alcohol. Still pretty dumb, but not as bad as the headlines made it out to be.

There are conflicting reports over what happened with the work out Lawson had scheduled with Denver this weekend. Hoopsworld reported that the team canceled the workout as a result of the arrest. The Denver Post reported that Lawson skipped the workout on his own, and that George Karl was surprised when he was not there. The UNC athletic department released a statement saying that it was a miscommunication and that the Heels simply called the wrong number. Whatever the reason, Lawson did not work out for the Nuggets, while Mario Chalmers did and impressed Karl with his defense. Lawson still seems like a better fit for the Nuggets, but they may not want to take the risk on him. Nice going Ty.

-Speaking of Chalmers, it looks like he will be staying in the draft, although he has yet to sign with an agent.

Other players look like they are leaning towards staying in the draft:
-JJ Hickson has said he is in the draft to stay, which may not be the smartest decision for someone that is not a first round lock, but is a potential 2009 lottery pick.
-Jamont Gordon has said that he is in the draft to stay, even if he is going to slip into the second round and has to fight for a roster spot.
-Marreese Speights has said he is most likely leaving school, and many reports also have Chase Budinger staying in the draft as well. Both are expected to be first rounders.
-Ronald Steele and Danny Green are both leaning towards coming back, although they are waiting to go through workouts until they make their decisions. Green has been beat up during this offseason (elbow, wrist, ankle and hip injuries) while Steele is trying to prove that his knees are healthy.
-Darrell Arthur will sign with an agent, which is probably a good thing for him even is he wasn't a potential lottery pick because of the spreading rumors about his eligibility and faked high school grades. Continue reading...

Jumping Through Hoops: The Bol Kong Story

This article was in the New York Times yesterday about Bol Kong, a Sudanese national living in the Canadian province British Columbia who led Douglas College to the Canadian college basketball championship. His team also played exhibition games against Boise State and Marquette, two NCAA tournament teams, and apparently he was scoring at will against them. So much so that schools in the northwest like Washington State, Boise State, Idaho, and Gonzaga became interested in him. The Zags even offered him a scholarship.

Now the problem that arises here is that Kong, a 6'7" shooting guard, is from Sudan, which is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism. Kong, now 20, has lived in Canada since he was 7, but never established citizenship there. As a result, he has been denied a visa to study in the US three times, and may never qualify for entry.

Now, I don't want to get into a political argument here, but I believe that our government limiting the number of immigrants from certain countries that sponsor terrorism is probably a pretty good law to have. But to a certain point. I also believe that people should not be allowed to skirt the rules just because they are exceptional athletes, but, again, only to a certain point. This kid has been living with his family in Canada for the last 13 years, and just because his parents did not foresee immigration problems and kept their Sudanese citizenship, our country is going to keep him from getting an education and pursuing a career in basketball? Is that really the spirit of the law?

Regardless, Kong seems like he has a pretty good head on his shoulders.

If this effort fails, Kong said, he will give up. “Then I’m just going to say, You know what, forget it. I’ve tried enough,” he said. “I’m just going to finish my career here in Canada.”

This youtube documentary tells you more about this kid.

Continue reading...

Stephen A. Smith talking sense?

Anyone reading this post will most likely know who Stephen A. Smith is - the brash screamer that covers NBA and College basketball for ESPN. For the most part, it seems like Stephen A. is generally disliked. Once you get past the yelling and some of the nonsensical babble, he actually has a very interesting perspective on certain issues. Where most sports writers view certain issues, especially those dealing with race and class, with an elitist, holier-than-thou attitude, SAS looks at these issues from the athletes or the kids perspective - when he writes, he writes from the point of view of the people involved.

Yes, there are times where he comes off sounding ignorant and flat out idiotic, and the fact that he believes volume makes him correct makes me want to slap him. But he still has a very interesting point of view. He wrote a column for espn.com looking at OJ Mayo and the money that he was given before and while attending USC.

As I wrote yesterday, I completely agree with Stephen A. here. First of all, if the rules are followed correctly, everyone in college sports is getting paid - from the coaches, to the sponsors, to the schools, to the agents, to the merchandise vendors, even the writers. Everyone EXCEPT for the people actually responsible for generating the revenue - the athletes themselves. I know that they are supposed to be compensated with a scholarship and an education, but you think an education is what they want? Does an education put cash in their pockets?

For every other profession, when you are in college you can get an internship, or something along those lines, that will pay you and help train you for your future. With sports, you can't. It's not like Darren Collison can say "I'm going back to school, but I'm interning with the LA Lakers this summer". Sure, he can go work out with them, but he's won't be making any money off of it, whereas talented summer interns for law firms and financial brokerages get paid. Why can't a college athlete make money off of their talents?

The bottom line is that these guys are going to school to be trained, educated, and prepared for their future profession - the NBA, NFL, MLB, whatever it is. It's the same for regular students. If you're a finance major, are you going to take a biology class? And if you do, are you going to really pay any attention to it? I'm not saying that these athletes should be allowed to major in basketball or that they shouldn't be educated in anything else, but sooner or later people need to realize that for some folks, sports IS THEIR JOB. It's how they are going to put food on the table. It's what is going to keep a roof over their head.

The NCAA will never be able to combat the runners for agents, because these kids are always going to be seen as a meal ticket for someone. So why not allow it? They deserve to make something off of all the revenue they create, right? What if they said that an athlete could get paid a certain amount, maybe a couple hundred a week, have them file formal tax returns, get the government involved, the whole nine yards. The problem with the current system is that once the player's leave school, the only punishment that can be handed down is the forfeiture of all that season's games (see Chris Webber or Marcus Camby). If the government gets involved and taxes need to be filed, wouldn't increase the incentive not to take extra money? You would either be caught when you filed the returns or would have to lie on them, which (believe it or not) is actually a crime.

I don't know, maybe that wouldn't do anything. It was just a thought. But my point is, does it really matter if OJ Mayo makes a few thousand off his basketball ability while still an "amateur". He's going to be making millions off it in a few months anyway. Continue reading...

6/5 - Some Links, Some News

-Apparently, USC was not OJ Mayo's first choice of colleges. According to Kansas State assistant coach Brad Underwood, Mayo was all but begging then-coach Bob Huggins to play for him at K-State because of their close ties (both are from West Virginia). Now, Huggy Bear has always had a reputation as a guy that barely skirted the legal side of recruiting, not to mention the 27% graduation rate and frequent run-ins with the law that his players had at Cincinnati. But if he wouldn't touch Mayo because "he would never pass", you have to think that Mayo was into some kind of dirt, which begs the question - what was Tim Floyd thinking?

To be honest, I could care less if these big-time athletes are getting paid. Yea, I know, it ruins the integrity of the game and these guys are supposed to be amateurs, but think about how much money they generate through ticket sales, merchandise sales, tv contracts, and apparel sponsorships. If these guys are getting a little extra coin on the side, is it really that big of a deal? Shouldn't they be getting something anyway?

-Jim Calhoun has amassed 773 career wins, but it is his still-undefeated record against cancer that is more impressive. Calhoun was found to have skin cancer on his neck and successfully had a lump removed, the second time he beat skin cancer. In 2003 he was treated for prostate cancer, but doctors say that it is unrelated. As a Huskies fan, I am hoping for the best for Jimmy C and a speedy recovery, not only because I adore the man but also so my Huskies don't end up going the way of Arizona.

-Louisville center Clarence Holloway's basketball career is over after being diagnosed with Marfan's Syndrome. Marfan's syndrome has something to do with an enlargement of the heart, which is never a good thing. On a side note, Holloway had a stress fracture his senior year in high school and didn't play many games, which may have saved his life (he hasn't actually played since his junior year in high school in 2006). Hopefully, Holloway will use the scholarship he still has at Louisville and get his degree.

-I'm getting pretty sick of hearing about Beasley's maturity issues (even I myself am a guilty party). When it comes down to it, Beasley has a right to be immature - he turned 19 years old in January. Think about what most people do when they are 19 and college freshman. Would a bunch of frat boys signing their names all over school be any surprise to anyone? Just because he is a phenomenal basketball talent does not mean he doesn't go through the same growing pains of anyone else. He has some very interesting quotes in this Miami Herald blog article:

"I just turned 19 years old in January," Beasley said. "How mature do you want me to be? I’m still a kid. I’m not 20 yet. I’m not legal. I can vote, but that’s about it. On the basketball side of things, I’m 30 years old. Off the court, I don’t know how old y’all want me to be. Do you want me to act 25? 30? 40?. I’m 19. I’m a kid. I’m going to live my life. I’m going to mess up. I don’t know as much as you do or him. I’m learning day by day. I hear a lot about character issues. But I’ve yet to hear what those character issues are. Until I hear somebody tell me, I don’t feel the need to change."

Hopefully he will figure it out, but despite his antics, he seems like a pretty good guy.

-It has been well reported that Derrick Rose's brothers insulated him from the agents, runners, and everything else that corrupts the young basketball phenoms. But the one person they allowed to talk to him was 34 year old William Wesley aka Worldwide Wes, confidant to many NBA stars, including LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson, and more. (if you don't know about this guy, read his wikipedia page). Wes has strong connections to John Calipari and the Memphis basketball program, and many have speculated that he is the reason that Rose ended up there. So if the Rose family kept Derrick so close, why would they let William Wesley in? I don't know, but TrueHoop's Henry Abbott has a very interesting piece on the whole situation.

-As if things weren't bad enough at Maryland, they are now hemorrhaging players. Guard Tyree Evans, an oft-troubled, 23 year old former blue chip recruit, decided not to attend (read was not let into) Maryland and center Gus Gilchrist left his second ACC school in two years. The Terps also lost anther recruit in Bobby Maze and freshman Shane Walker.

Maryland isn't the only school losing transfers. Big East members UConn (Doug Wiggins to UMass and Curtis Kelly) and Georgetown (Vernon Macklin to Florida and Jeremiah Rivers to Indiana) both had two players transfer out. On the other side of the revolving door, Notre Dame, after already adding the other Hansbrough (Ben from Mississippi State), just signed Purdue transfer Scott Martin.

Other notable transfers:
-Former California Mr. BasketballTaylor King is transferring from Duke to Villanova.
-Third team All-Big Ten guard Tony Freeman is transferring from Iowa to Southern Illinois.
-Wesley Johnson of Iowa State is transferring out of the school.
-Malcolm Grant is transferring from Villanova to Miami.
-Dwaine Williams is leaving Providence and heading to the worst major college team in the country, Oregon State.
-Kentucky's Derrick Jasper is transferring out. Continue reading...

NBA Draft Official Measurements and Combine Test Results

So the NBA today released the official heights, weights, verticals, etc. of all the players invited to the pre-draft camp in Orlando. Check them out below. Thanks to Rush The Court, the top five (highest or fastest) in each category is shaded in green and the bottom five (lowest or slowest) are shaded in orange.



The picture is fairly small, but for a sortable database check out Draft Express.

The following players were not measured because they chose not to attend the pre-draft camp (mainly because they were not selected as one of the elite 15): Chase Budinger, Arizona; Mario Chalmers, Kansas; Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis; Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State; Roy Hibbert, Georgetown; JJ Hickson, NC State; Kosta Koufos, Ohio State; Robin Lopez, Stanford; Marreese Speights, Florida; Bill Walker, Kansas State; Kyle Weaver, Washington State; DJ White, Indiana.


SOME THOUGHTS ON THE COMBINE

Sometimes Player's Shrink - It's a right of passage in basketball for a player to be listed taller than they actually are, but some player's were listed much taller than they were measured at the combine. Here are some of the highlights (keep in mind that you should add an inch or so to height without shoes):

Joey Dorsey, Memphis: Listed at 6'9", actually 6'6.25". This is bad news for Dorsey, especially when you consider that he has officially lost his mind. The only thing keeping in the discussion as even a second round pick is his length (7'1.25" wingspan, 8'11" reach).

Davon Jefferson, USC: Listed at 6'8", actually 6'5.25". Jefferson was already one of the disappointments of the Draft Camp after sleep walking through his three games, but the combine may have put him out of the draft. Not only is he only 6'6" with shoes, but he is out of shape, weak (two bench press reps at 185lbs), and fat (12% body fat).

DJ Augustin, Texas: Listed at 6'0", actually 5'10". Ok, well this isn't that bad (he is 5'11.5" in shoes), but it is the fact that Augustin is actually that small (and weak, he only got up two reps on the bench). Will he be able to guard someone like a Jason Kidd or Baron Davis? This won't hurt Augustin as much, because he can flat out play and is athletic (35" vert, good times on the lane agility and 3/4 court sprint), but his draft position may slide a bit.

Kevin Love, UCLA: Listed at 6'10", actually 6'7.75" (but 6'9.5" in shoes). Well, he's not tall enough to play center in the NBA, which most people knew already. But the combine may have actually helped Love. He was able to showcase his strength (18 bench reps) and better-than-advertised athleticism (35" vert and excellent times in the lane agility and 3/4 court sprints). 12.9% body fat and 255lbs are still higher than he, or scouts, want to see.

Michael Beasley, Kansas State and Derrick Rose, Memphis: Listed at 6'10" and 6'3", actually 6'7" and 6'1.5". Neither of these height measurements should effect how Beasley and Rose are projected as pro's. Beasley's length (7'0.25", 8'11"), strength, and athleticism were all very good, as well as the fact that he projects as more of a Carmelo Anthony-like small forward with his skill-set. Rose may be a bit shorter than the Jason Kidd comparisons he has been getting, but his off the charts athleticism (40 inch max vert, 3.05 3/4 court sprint) will more than make up for that.

Jerryd Bayless, Arizona and Donte Greene, Syracuse: 6'3.5" wingspan and 6'10" wingspan. It's not so much that Bayless is actually shorter than he was listed (infact, with shoes on he is actually taller than some of his listings), but with that small of a wingspan, doubts concerning his ability to defend NBA point guards can only grow. Same with Donte Greene, although with his height (6'8.25") and future position (small forward) it is less of a problem because he will still be longer than a lot of people he will face.


Sometimes Guys Are REALLY Athletic - Obviously, everyone here is going to be a great athlete - otherwise they wouldn't be getting looked at for the NBA. But these guys, when you combine speed, jumping, quickness and strength, are about as athletic as they come.

Joe Alexander, West Virginia: 38.5" max vert, 2.99 3/4 court sprint (2nd fastest), 24 bench press reps (2nd most). Combine all that with great length, and he is the prototypical NBA small forward. Right now he looks like he may move past Anthony Randolph and Danilo Gallinari and end up the first small forward taken.

Eric Gordon, Indiana: 40" vert, 15 bench reps, 3.01 (3rd best) 3/4 court sprint, 10.81 (7th best) land agility. He also has a wingspan of 6'9' for a guy that measured in at 6'2". These are all good signs for Gordon, who's draft position could climb as a result. Russell Westbrook put up very similar numbers (and apparently looked phenomenal in the workouts sessions he had during the camp).

OJ Mayo, USC>: 41" vert. Mayo may have silenced some of the people that doubted his athleticism by posting the second highest vert. He sprint and agility times were average (both falling just outside the top ten) and he has relatively short arms (6'6" wingspan, 6'3.25" height).

Richard Hendrix, Alabama: 10.62 lane agility (3rd fastest). His vert (28") and sprint (3.27) were not superb, but he has outstanding length for someone a shade under 6'7" (7'3" wingspan, 9'0" reach, great for an NBA power forward).


Other Notables

High Flyers: Patrick Ewing Jr. of Georgetown checked in with a 42" inch vert. That's insane. Deron Washington of Virginia Tech and Bryce Taylor of Oregon also posted 40+ verts.

Tall-Boys and Long Arms: Brook Lopez is not one of the players with an inflated height, checking in at 6'11.25", with JaVale McGee right behind him at 6'11". DeAndre Jordan was measured at 6'9.75". All three had a wingspan of 7'6". Shawn James of Duquense, who stands only 6'7.75", has a wingspan of 7'5" and a reach of 9'3". John Riek, who had been listed at 7'2", was measured at 6'10.5" but had a wingspan of 7'8.5" and a (unconfirmed) reach of 9'10".

Keith Brumbaugh: Brumbaugh may have played his way out of the draft. He is not athletic, weak, and did not show much in the way of skills while playing at the camp. Too bad, he was a pretty good story and seems like he turned himself around. Continue reading...

Top 5 Center Prospects

This year's class of centers probably has the least star power and the least potential out of any position. As the saying goes "you can't teach height" which means that a lot of centers will get picked higher than their skills may warrant simply based on the fact that noone wants to pass on the next Amare Stoudamire or (more likely) a Brad Miller-type player later on in the draft. Click on the player's name for more in depth analysis.

1. Brook Lopez, Stanford: Lopez sits atop this list despite not having a huge upside (and a poor performance in the NBA Pre-Draft camp workouts). Not an overly athletic player, Lopez is a very good defender on the block and has an effective array of moves in the post. He does a lot of things well on the court and plays with intensity and a bit of a mean streak. He probably will never be a star in the NBA, but could end up being a center in the Brendon Haywood mold for years to come. His draft status has fluctuated, and he could end up going anywhere from 3-11 without surprising anyone.

2t. JaVale McGee, Nevada and DeAndre Jordon, Texas A&M: A lot of people will say that this ranking is too high, both players are way too risky, or that 7-footers with this potential almost never pan out. And to be honest, I tend to agree with all of that. But, as this list is the top PROSPECTS in this draft, and both of these players have the physical tools to be somewhere between Amare Stoudemire and Andrew Bynum, they need to be put up here. With the exception of Jordan being a lefty and McGee being a righty, both of these guys are pretty much the same player. They are long, athletic, and can run the floor, but are very raw on both ends of the floor (Jordan is a much better defender, although that is more a result of the horrendous defense McGee plays than Jordan's prowess). Unless a team falls in love with them during workouts, both should end up somewhere in the middle of the first round.

4. Robin Lopez, Stanford: Robin is the lesser prospect of team Lopez, although he still projects to be an effective NBA player. What he has going for him is that he is more athletic than Brook (both in quickness and jumping ability), and is a very active player. He blocks shots, gets offensive rebounds, runs the floor, and plays aggressive defense. His problem is that he does not have much polish on his offensive game and can get bullied in the post. He probably drops to the late teens or early twenties, but should end up providing a Joakim Noah or Anderson Varejao type spark to whatever team picks him (which could be a very useful pick given that at that range of the draft, the team he goes too will be a playoff team looking to fill a role).

5. Kosta Koufos, Ohio State: Koufos had a pretty productive freshman season, but has some glaring weaknesses in his game. He has a nice jumpshot with 20-foot range and a solid post game, but in the post he can only go to his right. There were times during the season when defenders would completely over play him to that side, and he would still try to force the ball right. Besides that, he has a pretty good feel for the game offensively, but he tends to be too passive. His shooting touch has drawn him comparisons to Mehmut Okur and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but he has a way to go before he's as good as either of those two.

Honorable Mention: DeVon Hardin, California; Roy Hibbert, Georgetown; Ante Tomic, Croatia. Continue reading...

Top 5 Power Forward Prospects

The 2008 class of power forwards is loaded at the top, with three or four likely lottery picks in the group (depending on how you classify Anthony Randolph - I have him as a small forward). Regardless, even after you get passed that first group, there is still a good amount of talent, and four or five other players could sneak into the end of the first round with impressive workouts. Click on the player's name for more in-depth analysis.

1. Michael Beasley, Kansas State: Beasley may be the most talented player in this year's draft, but it looks like he will drop to the second pick (much like Kevin Durant did last year). There isn't much Beasley can't do on the court. He can score facing a defender up or backing him down, is a great rebounder, has unbelievable hands, is essentially ambidextrous, and has enough ball-handling ability to lead a fast break. He also apparently has developed his jump-shot so that he is deadly from the NBA three point line. The biggest question with Beasley has always been character and work ethic issues - does he want to be great?

2. Kevin Love, UCLA: Love is an interesting case. Skill-wise, he is very talented. He can shoot out to about twenty feet, is an excellent passer (especially on outlet passes), doesn't turn the ball over, has good moves in the post, and has an excellent feel for the game and basketball IQ. The problem is that he is not very athletic - at all - and has dealt with injury and weight problems in the past. But word is that Love had already dropped some weight heading into the pre-draft camp and was in the best shape he has ever been during his work outs. He may never develop into a star, but he is too talented to not be a solid NBA player.

3. Darrell Arthur, Kansas: Arthur is also an intriguing prospect. He is a great athlete - explosive, quick with quick feet, and can run the floor - and performed great during his workouts at the pre-draft camp. He also showed off a much improved jump shot, consistently hitting shots out to about 18 feet. He has a good back-to-the-basket game (and a very good turn-around jumper) and is stronger than his 215lb frame would lead you to believe. He has been moving up the draft boards (he looks like a lock for the lottery now, and could climb into the top 10), but how good Arthur becomes depends on how good he wants to be.

4. Jason Thompson, Rider: Thompson played in the MAAC, which means that the phenomenal numbers he put up the last two seasons must be taken with a grain of salt, but he did go against two players on this list and had two of his better games - 24 and 17 against Michael Beasley and 24 and 15 against JJ Hickson. Thompson has a complete game, but does not really excel at anything. He's an average athlete, has a good post-up game (but can't really go left), is a pretty good shooter, a below-average defender, etc. But his combination of size and ability (think Juwan Howard) should allow him to hang around the league for a while

5t. JJ Hickson, NC State and Richard Hendrix, Alabama: Both of these guys are good enough to be contributors in the NBA, but in very different ways. Hickson has much more potential that Hendrix given his athleticism and length, but is very raw and pretty much survived on his natural ability this season. Hendrix on the other hand has a pretty developed game and is incredibly strong (especially at establishing position on the block), but his lack of athleticism, size, and his tremendous bulk (he is 6'8", 250lb) gives him a ceiling somewhere around a Paul Millsap.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Anderson, Cal; Serge Ibaka, Congo; Marreese Speights, Florida; DJ White, Indiana. Continue reading...

Top 5 Small Forward Prospects

Many of the best small forward prospects fall into the combo-forward category in the mold of a Shawn Marion or (to a lesser degree) Tyrus Thomas. There isn't much star power in this group, but a solid number of players that could have long careers as role players. As always, click on the player's name for more in-depth analysis.

1. Danilo Gallinari, Armani Jeans Milano (Italy): Gallo is a typical Euro player in that he is tall and has a greater stroke. But as a player, he can do much more. He does not have the quickest first step, but effectively uses fakes to get his defender off balance. His game is very similar to fellow Euro Hedo Turkoglu. His handle is better than average, and he is able to take the ball coast-to-coast. He still needs to add some strength to his frame (6'9", 210lb), but still looks to be a lock as a top 10 pick.

2. Anthony Randolph, LSU: Randolph is another one of those guys with scary NBA potential - 6'11", lefty, athletic, perimeter skills, great scoring instincts. He still needs to add some muscle and some weight, and his skills are still raw, but he has already shown the ability to put the ball in the basket. This year, he was at his best when he would face a defender up from about fifteen feet and use his quickness, and his jumpshot and post game could still use some work. He will probably end up somewhere between a Lamar Odom and a Demarr Johnson (pre-neck injury).

3. Joe Alexander, West Virginia: Already a solid lottery pick prospect, Alexander has been supremely impressive in his workouts, showing off outstanding athleticism (see the picture). Everyone already knows about his versatile game - he can post-up smaller players and take bigger players on the perimeter. He has the potential to be an all-star down the road.

4. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis: CDR has proven that he has the ability to score in a variety of ways, and you can't play for John Calipari for three years with being a solid defender. He is not a fantastic shooter, and is not the best athlete, but he is a smart player and could definitely provide scoring and hustle off the bench for any team. That is probably the role he is best suited for in the NBA.

5. Bill Walker, Kansas State: Walker is a bit of a risky pick. He has already had multiple knee injuries and surgeries, and is a bit of a head case (he was prone to picking up tech's, had some games that he went O-fer, and at times appeared to quit on his team). But coming out of high school he was a top-5 recruit, and has reportedly lost some weight and improved his athleticism close to the point that it was in high school.

Honorable Mention: Nicolas Batum, France; Keith Brumbaugh, Hillsbrough CC; Donte Greene, Syracuse. Continue reading...

Top 5 Shooting Guard Prospects

This year's crop of shooting guards is average at best. Only OJ Mayo, and potentially Eric Gordon, look like they have the chance to be stars in the league. But there are a good number of guys with the potential to be solid role players or big-time shooters off the bench. For the two-guards, I rated them more on the likelihood that they will have long, successful careers as opposed to the higher risk prospects with more upside. Click on the player's name for more in-depth analysis.

1. OJ Mayo, USC: A lot of people have Mayo listed as a point guard, but I think he is going to be more of a scoring guard in the NBA, even if he does end up bringing the ball up the court (think Gilbert Arenas). He doesn't quite have the quickness or explosiveness of Arenas, but he is as good of a shooter and maybe a better playmaker. He can come off of screens and knock down shots off of the catch just as well as he can off of the dribble. His handle is better than average, but could still use some improvement. He has shot up draft boards recently, to the point where it looks like he could even go third to the T'Wolves.

2. Eric Gordon, Indiana: Gordon had an up-and-down freshman year. He started off looking like a top 5 pick, but mailed in the end of the season after Kelvin Sampson lost his job. Still, Gordon's skill set is pretty impressive. He is strong and explosive, and has range well beyond the NBA three. He can hit just about any shot he wants. He is a little short for a prototypical NBA two, but his athleticism, strength, and range should make up for that. He probably will end up being a Ben Gordon type scorer.

3. Chase Budinger, Arizona: Budinger is an interesting case. His best asset is probably his intangibles - he has a great work ethic and is a smart player, especially on the offensive end. He makes good decisions, is a solid passer, and is excellent at reading screens. He also is a very good shooter, with excellent hops and a high release point. He still struggles when he's forced into an isolation situation, but his improving ball-handling means that this area could develop. He probably isn't going to be a star in the NBA, mainly because he is a bit passive, which is perfect for a third option. He projects as a Mike Dunleavy or Brent Barry type player.

4. Shan Foster, Vanderbilt: This ranking is a lot higher than other rankings I've seen, but I am very high on Foster. He is an unbelievable three-point shooter, and his awkward shot means he has a very high release point, especially when you consider his height (6'6") and long arms. He is also another one of those guys with a great work ethic. He is a little less skilled than Budinger, but is a better shooter with unbelievable range and a knack for being able to hit tough shots from beyond the NBA line, even with a hand in his face. He had a better senior year than either Jason Kapono and Kyle Korver, and is a better athlete than either of those two. Look for him to follow in the footsteps of those two.

5. Brandon Rush, Kansas: Rush is projects as a very good role player off the bench in the league. He is a good defender, a great athlete, and a dead-eye three-point shooter, especially when he gets his feet set and has a good look at the rim. He doesn't really have the make-up of a star, which is probably better for him because he is not talented enough to be one. He makes good decisions and seems to be the type of guy that could slide right into any system, play some defense and knock down open three's. What team couldn't use a guy like that?

Honorable Mention: Wayne Ellington, UNC; Danny Green, UNC; Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky. Continue reading...