NBA Draft Profiles: Jordan Hamilton, Texas

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Stats: 18.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 44.0% FG, 38.5% 3PT

Age: 20, sophomore

Size:

• Listed: 6'8", 230 lb
• Official: 6'6.75" (no shoes), 6'8.5" (with shoes), 6'9.5" (wingspan), 8'8" (reach), 228 lb

Strengths: When their NBA careers are all said and done, Hamilton may end up being the best scorer to come out of the 2011 draft class. He is the prototype for what NBA teams look for. He's a terrific spot-up shooter with the NBA three point line well inside his range. He has a knack for hitting tough, off-balance pull-ups and runners. And when he gets it going, Hamilton is capable of reeling off eight or ten points in the span of a couple of minutes. Hamilton has also developed an improved post game -- complete with a jump hook! -- and is very good at coming off of off-the-ball screens. There are aspects of his offensive arsenal that do need a bit of improvement -- he is far from what you would consider a quality ball-handler and his shooting ability off of the dribble needs work -- but at his size (he measured out at over 6'8" in shoes) with his length and his ability to score on the perimeter, Hamilton has the tools to one day be a very, very dangerous weapon in the NBA.

Weaknesses: While Hamilton projects as a potent NBA scorer, he appears to be headed down quite the opposite road as a defender. To put it nicely, Hamilton struggles on the defensive end of the floor. To put it bluntly, I may be able to beat him off the dribble. He's not all that tough, he's not all that strong, he lacks lateral quickness, and he just doesn't seem to have that desire to shut down his man. We've heard of bad decision makers offensively. Hamilton is a bad decision maker defensively. He bits on pump fakes, he gambles on trying to jump passing lanes, and he reaches in instead of moving his feet. Hamilton's offensive repertoire can fill out eventually. Defense is a mentality, and Hamilton may never be a good defender.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Stephen Jackson is a solid comparison, as is a less-athletic Ricky Davis. Both Davis and Jackson were terrific scorers in the NBA, maxing out as over 20 ppg. Neither of them, however, really bought into the concept of being an all-around player, however. Hamilton may end up being a 20 ppg scorer at the next level.


• Worst Case Scenario: Wally Sczcerbiak at the end of his career. If Hamilton doesn't improve his ability to defend, he is going to struggle to find consistent minutes. His ability to shoot and his knack for scoring will always be there, but if he truly wants to become a first option in the NBA, he is going to need to provide a team with more than just points.

Outlook: Heading into his sophomore season at Texas, everyone knew that Hamilton could score. The problem he had as a freshman was his inability to separate what was a good shot from what was a bad shot and his lack of acceptance for being the third or fourth option offensively. Hamilton is always going to be a player that takes bad shots because he can make them. Whoever he ends up playing for at the next level is going to have to accept that. An off-balance runner for Hamilton is a 15 foot pull-up for another player. The acceptance of his role is going to be another issue. Unless he can drastically improve his ability to shoot off the dribble, his effectiveness as a slasher, and how well he finishes around the rim, Hamilton may not ever become a primary scoring option in the NBA. He may average 15-18 ppg, but it will be as a complimentary player. Can he handle not shooting every other time down the floor? Defensively, the biggest reason that Hamilton needs to improve is so that he can defend NBA two-guards. If he is forced to play the three in the NBA because of defensive matchups, it is going to be detrimental to the size advantage that Hamilton will have on the offensive end of the floor.

Draft Range: Mid to Late 1st Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "NBA scouts have always loved his talent. They believe he's one of the few guys in this draft who could average 20 ppg in the NBA. He measured well for a small forward (6-8 with an 8-8 standing reach) and I'm told he was very good in interviews. If teams feel confident that he'll mature and quit taking crazy shots, he's a very interesting prospect who could go as high as the Kings at No. 7. The Bobcats, Warriors, Suns and Rockets also have major interest."


• Draft Express: "Even though he has the offensive skills to operate as a shooting guard in the NBA, his defensive shortcomings could very well push him to the 3, where he isn't quite as dangerous a mismatch. All in all, Hamilton is clearly a big time offensive talent with a game that is probably better suited for the more wide-open style of the NBA. The superior spacing and faster pace of the professional game will make his shooting and overall scoring ability stand out even more. If he wants to reach his full potential, though, he must improve his mentality on both ends of the floor."


• Swish Scout: "Protégé NBA scorer who is a very good shooter and creator off the dribble in addition to superb offensive awareness. Despite his skills, Hamilton forces too many shots and can appear overly selfish, getting too caught up in scoring during stretches of games and can disappear in the big moments too."

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