NBA Draft Profiles: Chris Singleton, Florida State

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Stats: 13.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 1.5 spg, 1.2 apg, 2.2 t/o's, 36.8% 3PT

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'9", 230 lb
• Official: 6'7.75" (no shoes), 6'9" (with shoes), 7'1" (wingspan), 8'7.5" (reach), 230 lb

Strengths: Defense, defense, defense. Singleton may very well be the best all around defensive player in this draft class. He's a legitimate 6'9" in shoes with a wingspan of over seven feet. He's a terrific athlete, with lateral quickness and explosiveness, which means that he will be able to defend multiple positions at the next level. His length and anticipation make him a terror in the passing lanes and a shot blocking presence around the rim. Singleton also rebounds the ball well. On the defensive end of the floor, there is not much that Singleton isn't capable of doing. He's not quite the athlete that Josh Smith is, but he has the potential to be the same kind of defensive playmaker.

Weaknesses: Offense, offense, offense. Right now, Singleton cannot do anything at the NBA level on the offensive end of the floor. His most dangerous weapon on this end is probably his jump shot right now. He's an above average standstill shooter, a guy that can spread the floor with his ability to hit an NBA three ball. That jumper deteriorates, however, when he is forced to shoot off the dribble. Singleton takes far too many pull-up jumpers, as well. With his size, length, and athleticism, he should be getting to the rim and finishing with authority, but for whatever reason he hasn't shown that ability at Florida State. Singleton has shown a better post game this year, taking advantage of his size at the three. That is something that should prove to be a weapon for him at the next level.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Josh Smith or Trevor Ariza. This depends on how well Singleton's offensive arsenal comes around. Can he eventually be a 15-18 ppg scorer in the NBA? He has the physical tools to do so.


• Worst Case Scenario: James Posey. Posey has made a career out of being a very capable standstill three point shooter and a lock down defender at the other end of the court. Right now, Singleton is capable of making an NBA roster and doing just that.

Outlook: Singleton is going to be able to defend at the next level. There is almost no question about that. He's got everything a player needs to be a versatile, lockdown defender, and that defense will be enough to help him find a roster spot. But just how good Singleton ends up being will be determined by how well he develops on the offensive end of the floor. He never proved to be a go-to offensive threat at Florida State, although he did deal with a broken foot that caused him to miss two months as a junior. He likely won't ever turn into a big-time, go-to scorer. He's just not wired that way, which is fine. He doesn't need to be. What he does need to be able to do is be a complimentary scorer, the kind of guy that can knock down an open three pointer, create against a close out, and score in the post when he has a mismatch. If he can do that -- becoming a 10-12 ppg scorer that shoots 40% from deep -- he will have a long career in the NBA.

Draft Range: Late Lottery to Mid 1st Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "The question for Singleton has always been: Can he score enough to make him a lottery pick? Singleton averaged just 13 ppg as a junior and shot just 43 percent from the field. Florida State's inept, grind it out offense can be blamed for some of his woes. The last two summers Singleton looked much better at the summer camps than he did for the Seminoles. But some of it is on Singleton. While he's improved in virtually every aspect of his game offensively, he still needs to be more consistent."


• Draft Express: "With his terrific size, length, lateral quickness and intensity, Singleton puts tremendous pressure on the ball and is an absolute menace in passing lanes. He gets his team tons of extra possessions every game with his ability to collect rebounds, blocks and steals, and is the type of player who would have no problem guarding multiple positions at the NBA level —be it face-up 4's, shot-creating wings, back-to-the-basket forwards, or even switching out onto quicker guards on the perimeter (if that's how his coach elects to defend the pick-and-roll). This type of versatility makes him extremely attractive in today's NBA."


• Swish Scout: "Gifted defensive playmaker who can be a shutdown NBA defender with his instincts and versatility to guard multiple positions. Singleton doesn’t have great offensive skills, but makes due with his transitional finishes and spotty jumper."

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