NBA Draft Profiles: Malcolm Lee, UCLA

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Stats: 13.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 29.5% 3PT

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'5", 200 lb
• Official: 6'4" (no shoes), 6'5.5" (with shoes), 6'9.75" (wingspan), 8'5.5" (reach), 198 lb

Strengths: Lee's best attribute as an NBA prospect is his potential to be a defender at the next level. He's almost 6'6" in shoes with a wingspan of nearly 6'10". He's also a terrific athlete that has spent three years playing in a system that is renowned for producing quality defenders on the perimeter. What sets Lee apart from other prospects at this position is his ability to defend at the point and at the two. Offensively, Lee was stifled a bit in Howland's grind-it-out, slowed down system. He's at his best when he can get out and run the floor. He makes plays in transition and has the size and athleticism to finish in the lane. His three point shooting numbers are low, but much of that is weighed down due to his struggles shooting off the dribble. He actually rates as a fairly decent catch-and-shoot player, which is what his role will be in the NBA. It also should be noted that guys like Russell Westbrook, Arron Afflalo, and Jrue Holiday have proven to be successful NBA players despite having major question marks when they left UCLA.

Weaknesses: At first glance, Lee appears to be a player without a position. While he has been better in workouts leading up to the draft, nothing about the time he spent at UCLA makes him appear to be a point guard prospect at the next level. He's not a great distributor and he doesn't have the instincts that you look for in a point guard. The other issue with Lee is his shot selection and his ability to shoot. He really struggles when he is forced to shoot off the dribble, and while he has improved in catch-and-shoot situations, he probably is never going to be considered a knock-down jump shooter.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Gary Neal meets George Hill. Tough to really peg a good example, but like hybrid of San Antonio Spurs George Hill and Gary Neal. Hill has speed and pure scoring ability as a back up PG, but isn’t a great creator for his teammates at this point. Neal is a shot maker who thrives on his own within the team game, and while he doesn’t blow anyone away, he’s solid. If you merged the talents, Lee could be a product that gets buckets and makes plays, but he’s not going to offer a whole lot as a player who can run the show.


• Worst Case Scenario: Mustafa Shakur. The former Arizona PG has great size and similar type game as Lee, but has struggled to stick in the league as a pure PG for a team. Has been largely a second unit guy struggling to make a roster, and Lee might end up if a similar situation if he can’t make the adjustment or pick his ability to distribute or struggles to score at the 2.

Outlook: History is on Lee's side. One of the major criticisms of Ben Howland at UCLA is that he brings in top level talent that under performs collegiately. And while that may be true, its also true that the numbers get skewed due to the pace that Howland wants his team to play. The Bruins are a defensive oriented team, which is why players like Russell Westbrook, Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday, and Arron Afflalo all had the same question marks when they left Westwood for the league. But if you look at what those four players have accomplished in the NBA, its clear that Howland is doing something right. His players may not be putting up gaudy numbers in college, but they are successful in the NBA, as all four were starters on teams that made the playoffs this year. Lee is going to have to accept a role in the NBA. He will likely never be a big time scorer, as he is limited as a jump shooter and creator with the dribble. But he's got terrific size, length, and athleticism for his position, which combined with the defensive background he has coming out of UCLA makes him an ideal prospect as a lockdown defender. He has already had some impressive workouts with NBA teams, and if he continues he may crack the first round. As it stands, it appears as if Lee will end up getting taken in the second round, but if he can improve his ability on the offensive end of the floor, he may be able to carve out a career at the next level.

Draft Range: Late 1st to Early 2nd Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "What do Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, Darren Collison and Arron Afflalo have in common? They were UCLA guards who didn't appear to be great NBA prospects at first glance (Westbrook may have been the exception, but not for everyone) who have gone on to have excellent careers in the NBA. All four were starters on playoff teams this season despite their youth. Here's a prediction: Lee will continue that hot streak for UCLA. Lee was a top-rated prospect coming out of high school but struggled to dominate in college. While he's earned a rep as an elite perimeter defender, his offensive game has been a work in progress."


• Draft Express: "it's clear that Lee is a talented player with some potential to build on, as he's still only 20 years old and possesses all of the physical attributes that scouts covet. His undefined position and role, and lack production in his third season at UCLA are definitely concerns that scouts will have to consider though. His experiment at the point didn't lead to much success last year, and he doesn't seem to have the instincts or decision making skills to ever be a pure point guard. And while he's become more efficient on catch-and-shoot opportunities, he still doesn't project to be a big-time shooter or scorer on the wing."


• Swish Scout: "Matchup nightmare on defense for a PG with his combination of size, length, and lateral quickness that could make him a tough perimeter defender in the NBA. Lee has some fine scoring prowess and an aggressive attack mode with a game full of potential, but Malcolm is a ‘shoot first’ PG that hasn’t proven himself as a true point man or distributor during his time at UCLA."

Highlights:


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Who made the wrong early entry decision?: Hollis Thompson should withdraw from the draft

Hollis Thompson's decision to enter the 2011 NBA Draft was a bit of a surprise to all involved.

And its only partly because the 6'7" sophomore averaged just 8.6 ppg and 4.4 rpg this past season.

Thompson is a talented player. He's a small forward with NBA length and athleticism. He is a very good shooter from the perimeter and has shown flashes of being able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. The problem? Thompson has never had the opportunity to showcase his ability on the offensive end of the floor.

This past season, Thompson spent the first half of the year starting at the four with Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Jason Clark logging the majority of the perimeter minutes. Midway through the year, Nate Lubick slid into the starting lineup and Thompson became Georgetown head coach John Thompson III's hired gun off the bench.


There were reports that Thompson was unhappy with that role, which is why he declared for the draft and considered transferring out of Georgetown.

That makes absolutely no sense.

You see, Freeman and Wright both graduate this spring, as does starting center Julian Vaughn. With Vee Sanford transferring out of the program, that means that Thompson, along with Clark, will be the featured scorer in JT III's offensive next season, likely taking over Freeman's role as resident long-range assassin. And with Nate Lubick, Henry Sims, and Jerelle Benimon returning up front -- and a loaded group of freshmen bigs, headlined by top-30 recruit Otto Porter -- back court minutes will readily available.

Thompson showed flashes of being an all-Big East caliber player last year. He had 18 points and nine boards in a win over NC State. He went for 16 points and seven boards against St. John's. And he average 16.0 ppg on 17-26 shooting in the Hoyas final three games, including a 26 point, seven rebound outburst in Georgetown's loss to VCU in the first round of the tournament.

Thompson has a chance to show the country -- and the NBA GM's -- just how good he can be next season.

He should withdraw from the NBA Draft.

Who else made the wrong early entry decision?

• Ashton Gibbs, Pitt: Entered the draft, no agent
  
  There are conflicting reports about what Gibbs is planning to do, likely the result of Gibbs and his family having conflicting emotions about the decision. Its obvious that Gibbs wants to -- or is, at the least, trying to convince agents and GM's that he wants to -- become a pro. But the bottom line is that he just isn't an NBA player right now. He's a 6'1" shooter that is a step slow and can't jump all that high. But he is a great college player, and having the chance to prove he can create off the dribble should help his standing as a draft prospect.


• Malcolm Lee, UCLA: Entered the draft, signed agent
  
  Lee seems like he was just done being a college student. That is the only explanation for a player that has a chance of going undrafted to remain in the draft. Lee showed some flashes of being a productive scorer this season and he is a terrific defender, but he averaged just 2.0 apg this season and shot 29.5% from beyond the arc. The physical talent is there, but another season in Westwood -- playing for a team that would likely have been the cream of the Pac-10 crop with him -- to develop his all-around offensive game would have helped his stock.


• Jereme Richmond, Illinois: Entered the draft, signed agent
  
  Richmond may not have had much of a choice in this situation. Assuming he did, he probably could have used another season of seasoning. Its certainly not an issue of potential. He's an athletic, 6'8" combo forward that can do a lot of different things on a basketball court. He's got the makings of being a terrific all-around player one day. This issue is that some of his off-the-court problems make it seem like he may not ever live up to that potential. He missed a few practices and a game in the middle of the season and was suspended at the end of the season by Bruce Weber. He needs another season to develop as an adult and a professional, not necessarily as a basketball player.


• Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt: Returned to school
  
  I don't generally like to criticize a player for staying in school. Taylor is going to earn his degree and get a chance to play with guys like Fetsus Ezeli and John Jenkins for another season on a top ten team. That said, Taylor would have been somewhere in the late lottery or mid-first round of this draft. In a loaded 2012 draft, he'll likely go late in the first round. He may drop even more if he doesn't show improvement in his perimeter skill set.

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Expect to see more players like Travis Leslie and Malcolm Lee stay in the draft

Georgia's Travis Leslie and UCLA's Malcolm Lee are the latest underclassmen to make a decision on their basketball playing future.

But unlike lottery locks Perry Jones and Jared Sullinger, Leslie and Lee, both juniors, signed with agents on Tuesday. They are, for better or for worse, no longer college basketball players.

"After talking it over with my family, I have decided that I will forgo my senior year and enter into the NBA Draft," Leslie said in a statement. "I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game. Last but not least, I'd like to thank the Georgia fans for their support over the past three years."

The 6'4" wing forward, who averaged 14.4 ppg and 7.2 rpg as a junior, is currently considered a borderline first round pick. He's one of the best athletes in the draft, but he's a bit undersized for his natural position as a small forward and he lacks the perimeter skills to be a two-guard.

Lee's statement was much of the same: "After speaking to my family, I have carefully weighed all of my options, and at this time, I have decided to hire an agent and withdraw from my classes. My three years at UCLA were the best time of my life. I will miss my teammates, coaches, faculty, friends and all of the great fans at UCLA. I have had a lot of fun being a Bruin and I appreciate everything Coach [Ben] Howland has done for me. I am very proud to be a Bruin and I will always call this place home. My dream has always been to play in the NBA and I think that this is the best time for me to try and make that a reality."

The difference, however, lies in Lee's potential as a professional.

He's an excellent defensive player and has the size (6'5") and the frame (210 lb) to matchup with NBA two-guards and the quickness to defend point guards. The questions lie is his skill set and understanding of the game. He can score, but he's not an NBA level penetrator or spot-up shooter. Lee lacks a position on the offensive end of the floor, and his lack of production doesn't bode well. (To be fair, those were the same knocks that Jrue Holiday and Russell Westbrook had coming out of UCLA.)

Leslie's decision to hire an agent was much less of a surprise than Lee's, and as such, Lee's decision was questioned by folks on twitter.

And while we can all question the intelligence in squandering a final year of collegiate eligibility to chase an NBA dream, we should get used to it. Because over the coming two weeks, there will likely be a number of other "questionable" draft decisions.

The 2011 draft is one of the weakest in recent memory, especially when looking at the players coming from the college ranks. Five of the top ten in the Draft Express mock draft never played any college basketball. With the number of lottery picks and first rounders that are returning to school, it only strengthens what already appeared to be a loaded 2012 draft class.

For prospects that have borderline first round pick kind of talent, leaving this year ends up being the better option. While they may get a chunk of their 2011 guaranteed salary eaten up by the NBA's lockout, at least they will have that guaranteed contract. That may not be the case next season.

A strong draft means more talent will be available late in the first round and into the second round. But it also means that kids that would have had a chance to make some guaranteed money if they left this season will be stuck trying to play their way onto a team.

You can question the decisions that Leslie and Lee made if you like.

But be prepared to see more "questionable" decisions made before the May 8th deadline to withdraw from the draft.
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Injuries out west

Most people spent the final minutes before the Tip-Off Marathon tipped off with Miami and Memphis watching UCLA outlast Pepperdine.

What you might have missed after you changed the channel was an injury to Bruin guard Malcolm Lee.

Lee sprained his ankle late in UCLA's win. X-ray's on the ankle came back negative, but Ben Howland said that Lee will be out for tonight's game with Pacific because he couldn't walk on it.

The rest of this post can be read at Beyond the Arc.

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2009-2010 Team Preview: UCLA Bruins

2008-2009 Record: 26-9, 13-5 Pac-10 (2nd)

Key Losses: Darren Collison (14.4 ppg, 4.7 apg), Josh Shipp (14.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg), Alfred Aboya (9.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Jrue Holiday (8.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.7 apg)

Key Returners: Nikola Dragovic (9.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg), Malcolm Lee (3.2 ppg), Jerime Anderson (2.3 ppg), Drew Gordon (3.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg)

Newcomers: Tyler Honeycutt, Reeves Nelson, Mike Moser, Anthony Stover, Brendan Lane

Nikola Dragovic will double as the Bruins leading scorer and best perimeter shooter.
(photo credit: life.com)

We are less than a week into practice, and the young UCLA Bruins are already beat up. Malcolm Lee has a concussion, James Keefe injured his shoulder, Drew Gordon sprained a knee ligament, Brendan Lane sprained his ankle, Mike Moser and Tyler Honeycutt have bad backs, and Jerime Anderson re-injured an ailing groin. Even Ben Howland had an off-season appendectomy. Luckily for Howland, none of these injuries are season-ending, so by the end of the year the Bruins should be at full strength.

UCLA lost a ton of talent, experience, and leadership from last season's team, but that doesn't mean that the Bruins cupboard will be bare. Howland's last two recruiting classes have been loaded, with nine of the ten guys coming into the program being rated as four or five star recruits by Rivals.

The kid getting the most off-season attention is Malcolm Lee. Lee played limited minutes last season as he was buried beneath Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Jrue Holiday. But many pundits, including myself, are predicting a break out season from the sophomore. Lee is a Russell Westbrook clone. Still very raw on the offensive end of the court, Lee will be a play maker on the defensive end. He is long (6'5" two-guard) and an explosive athlete that is a lock down defender and a terror in the passing lanes. Lee excels in the open court, and while he may not be the perfect fit for the grind-it-out style that Howland likes to play, Lee is a dynamic enough talent that he should be able to thrive in any system. Don't be surprised when he becomes a first-team all Pac-10 performer.

Joining Lee is the back court will be Jerime Anderson. Anderson was limited to garbage minutes as a freshman, but it was easy to see some potential as a point guard. Anderson understands how to run a team. He isn't as great scorer or a great athlete, but he is a crafty point guard that uses an array of fakes to get by his man. He understands things like offensive spacing and help side defense, which will go a long way to making him fit in Ben Howland's system. While he didn't seem like the best creator during his freshman season, he earned that reputation in high school, so it will be interesting to see what he can do when he plays major minutes. The biggest issue with Anderson last season was his body - although he is 6'3", Anderson dealt with a lack of strength that caused hm to be pushed around, especially on the defensive end. But a year with the UCLA strength training staff should help solve that problem.

Depth is going to be the biggest issue for the Bruin's back court. After Lee and Anderson, there really isn't another guy that can handle the ball. Michael Roll will see a good deal of time, but he is far from a point or even a combo guard. There isn't much Roll does on the offensive end besides shoot. While he is quite good at that (51.5% from deep), UCLA is going to need him to expand his game this season.

Two freshman will also contribute minutes on the perimeter. Tyler Honeycutt and Mike Moser are two fairly similar players. Moser is probably the better defender at this point. 6'8" and athletic enough to defend the one through the four, Moser is one of the more underrated recruits in the country. Part of the reason is that his offensive game has yet to really catch up to his effectiveness of the defensive end of the floor, but that defensive ability should make get him minutes in Howland's rotation. Honeycutt, who is coming off of a slight fracture to his lower back suffered over the summer, was considered by some to be the most talented and versatile recruit on the west coast. Standing 6'9", Honeycutt can play on the perimeter and in the post, although his frame may be too slight at this point to contribute major minutes inside. He attacks the glass, he blocks shots, he can play the perimeter and create shots for teammates, and he has three point range. The biggest knock on him is his aggressiveness - will he be tough enough to handle major college basketball? If he wants to play for Ben Howland, he will have to be.

The star in the making in Howland's front court is Drew Gordon. Gordon saw limited minutes during the '08-'09 season, but, as the case with Lee and Anderson, did show the potential to become an above-average player in the Pac-10. Gordon is a big, strong, and athletic kid, checking in at 6'9" and 240 lbs. While he did not show much of an offensive game in the few touches he got last season (although, he has a nice little jump hook with his right hand), what Gordon did show was an excellent motor and aggressiveness going to the glass - he averaged 3.4 rpg in just over 10 mpg. He had 17 foot range coming out of high school, and if he can develop a bit more of a presence on the offensive end, Gordon could turn into a guy capable of posting near a double-double on a nightly basis.

Senior Nikola Dragovic will likely be the other starter in the front court. Dragovic is a big body, standing 6'9", but his biggest strength is his ability to shoot and score from the perimeter. He was an excellent pick-and-pop guy last year with Collison, and should be again this season with Anderson. His ability to shoot makes it all the more important for Gordon to become a low-post scoring threat. With Dragovic keeping the floor spread, Gordon will have plenty of room to operate. James Keefe, another senior, will also be counted on to provide minutes up front. He is out for at least another month with a shoulder injury, however.

While Keefe is injured, freshmen Brendan Lane and Reeves Nelson will have a chance to prove their mettle as rotational players. Nelson might be the best fit. While he is not a great shooter or scorer, Nelson is an excellent athlete (although some reports have said that added muscle and a couple ankle injuries have tempered his explosiveness) that will bring energy to the table for the Bruins. Nelson is also a crafty player, with the ability to pass and handle the ball. Lane is more of a back-to-the-basket player. Where Gordon's game is based on strength and athleticism, Lane is more of a finesse guy. He is long with a nice touch and some decent post moves, but until he puts on weight and strength to his 6'9" frame, he is going to struggle to stay in the rotation.

The biggest question mark is J'Mison Morgan. He was a top 25 recruit coming out of high school, but attitude problems and a lock of motivation and work ethic kept him out of the UCLA line-up. If he can overcome that (and an off-season knee surgery), Morgan is big, talented center.

Outlook: The Bruins are young, inexperienced, and injured. That is not a good combination. But they are a talented group. Defensively, they should still be just as tough as they have been since Howland arrived. The issue is going to be offensively. Baskets were hard to come by at times during Collison and Shipp's reign in Westwood, and now those two are gone. Can anyone on UCLA step up and be a reliable scorer? There is a lot of promise, but there are also a lot of question marks as none of the guys projected to be "stars" saw many minutes last year. If those kids prove they are worthy of the hype, UCLA may finish in the top three in the Pac-10. If no one does, well, UCLA may still be in the top three as the Pac-10 is way down this season. While I think the Bruins are still going to reach the tournament, they are probably still a year away from being a Final Four contender.
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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Breakout Players

Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.

Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.

Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a break out year in 2009-2010?

Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line. Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.

Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.
(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)

Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style. With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.

Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points. A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.

Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East. With that came the growing pains - at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start. The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it - which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury). If he can become the player he was as a freshman - attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending - Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.

Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
(photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)

Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country. But back court play will only get you so far during the season. Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play. The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.

Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the off-season, and it isn't hard to see why - the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft. Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a play maker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.

Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?

Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie. Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.

Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague. Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.

Ashton Gibbs, Pttsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back. Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon). Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and play maker.

William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year. Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Dunigan, Oregon
Paul George, Fresno State
Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga
Terrence Jennings, Louisville
Larry Sanders, VCU
Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt
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