Courtney Lee - NBA Draft Prospects

Numbers: 20.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.8 spg, 2.3 t/o's, 48% FG, 82% FT, 40% 3's

About Him: Courtney Lee played at Pike High School in Indianapolis with the likes of Chris Thomas (Notre Dame), Justin Cage (Missouri, now NFL), and Robert Vaden (Indiana, UAB), but poor grades scared off the big time schools, and Lee wound up at Western Kentucky where he shined for four years. The strongest part of Lee's game is his jumpshot. He is an excellent shooter from deep, making them at a 40% clip this season with range out to the NBA line, but is even better at hitting his jumper off the dribble. He is a good ball handler for his size as well, which allowed him to run the point for the Hilltoppers his sophomore year. He doesn't have the flashy cross over moves, but does not turn the ball over much and has a really tight handle, especially when attacking the basket. He likes driving left even though he is right handed, but can go either direction well. He is not incredibly explosive, but is pretty good at finishing at the rim and absorbing contact, mainly because his frame is NBA ready (6'6", 210lb). He also has developed a floater that he can hit consistently to about 12 feet, and gets it off very quickly. Defensively, WKU played a lot of zone this year, but Lee has all the tools necessary to be a good defender at the next level. He has good lateral quickness and he is strong, but the general consensus is that he will be a good defender because he has good court sense defensively. He also has a knack for getting into the passing lanes (averaging at least 1.5 steals per game).

Comparisons: Keith Bogans, Kevin Martin (stretch)

Bottom Line: One of the things that makes Lee so attractive to scouts is his unselfishness. He is the kind of player that will slide right into a role an accept his spot as a third or fourth option. If he stays aggressive (which has been a problem for him in the past) he can be more. Probably a late first round pick.