Ryan Anderson - NBA Draft Prospects

Numbers: 21.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 49% FG, 87% FT, 41% 3's, 1.9 3pg

About Him: Just a sophomore, Ryan Anderson emerged as one of the premier offensive players in the country. On the perimeter, he is deadly - he shot 41% from three this year. He has a high release and NBA range, but he tends to fall in love with his jumper - he shot almost five three's per game. He is deceptively quick on the perimeter, and has enough ball handling ability that he can go by bigger defenders. On the block it is a different story. He has a pretty strong base which allows him to establish position, but he doesn't seem comfortable playing with his back to the basket, which can result in poor decision making. His biggest question mark is his defense. He is big/strong enough and smart enough to hold his own on the block against an NBA power forward, but he does not have very quick feet and will struggle to defend quicker players, especially on the perimeter.

Comparisons: Austin Croshere, Mehmut Okur (stretch)

Bottom Line: He really only has one NBA-ready skill - his jump shot - and as most teams are not looking for three-point shooting out of their fours, he is not a lock for a 1st round pick. Probably smart for him to come back for another year.