NBA Draft Profiles: Trey Thompkins, Georgia

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Stats: 16.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.1 spg, 31.1 3PT%

Age: 21, junior

Size:

• Listed: 6'10", 240 lb
• Official: 6'8.5" (no shoes), 6'9.75" (with shoes), 7'1" (wingspan), 8'11.5" (reach), 239 lb

Strengths: Thompkins is an intriguing prospect due to his size and versatility. He's just a shade under 6'10" in shoes with a wingspan over seven feet. He has a solid, if developing, back-to-the-basket game and a soft touch around the basket, but what makes him unique is his ability to step out on the perimeter and knock down a perimeter jumper. Thompkins also is a threat as a face-up four man with a decent mid-range game. There is a lot to like about his potential as a scorer at the next level.

Weaknesses: Thompkins is, at best, an average athlete by NBA standards. He lacks vertical explosiveness and isn't going to beat anyone with his quickness. While he can make up for that offensively with his good footwork and ability to shoot from the perimeter, that lack of elite athleticism is a bigger concern on the defensive end. He will struggle to defend on the perimeter and also seems to be a bit apathetic battling in the post. He gives up position inside, something you don't like to see out of a kid with his size, and he doesn't project as a shot-blocking threat. Thompkins is also turnover prone, which, when combined with the season-long shooting slump he had in 2010-2011, makes Thompkins even more of a question mark. Conditioning is another issue, although some of that can be blamed on injuries that he battled.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Ryan Anderson. Two players with size, physical play, great range, and limited athleticism. Very similar type games stylistically, which bodes well for Trey. He should fit in on a team that’s willing to let him play immediately like the Magic have done with Anderson. Troy Murphy is another comparison I've seen that seems to fit.


• Worst Case Scenario: Brian Cook. While Thompkins had a bit of a disappointing season shooting the ball, the shot is still there. That ability to step out on the perimeter and stretch the defense is what is going to get him drafted. But if the rest of his game doesn't come along, Thompkins is going to have a tough time finding a permanent role in the league.

Outlook: Thompkins had a stellar sophomore season, one that had him mentioned as a potential Preseason Player of the Year in the SEC and projected as a mid-first rounder, possibly even a lottery pick. But a high-ankle sprain late in the preseason forced him to miss the first three games of the year and may have bothered him for much of the first half of the season. As a result, his production, his efficiency, and (most importantly) his shooting percentages all dropped from his sophomore to junior season, and thus the hype that Thompkins had coming into the season dulled. There are a myriad of question marks surrounding Thompkins, but two really stand out. The biggest issue is going to be his conditioning and, to steal a phrase from Jimmy Dykes, his 'want-to'. Throughout his collegiate career, Thompkins had some pudge on him. Dropping 10 pounds and streamlining his body likely wouldn't hurt him from a strength standpoint, but it could help his explosiveness and athleticism, an area that he is lacking. Getting into better shape might allow him to play harder during the course of a game, as he seemed to tire during the season, at times catching his breath on the defensive end of the floor. The other issue is that Thompkins does a lot well, but he doesn't have a singular, NBA ready talent. The one skill that was arguable -- his perimeter shooting -- took a major hit this year.

Draft Range: Late 1st to Early 2nd

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "A smooth, versatile forward who can play both inside and out, Thompkins never quite bounced back from an offseason injury -- his numbers were down across the board. If he did one thing at an elite level, he'd be a lottery pick. More likely, he goes late in the first round."


• Draft Express: "Overall, Thompkins still has some intriguing qualities with his high skill level for a big man and his potential as a scorer on the block. His shooting woes have been disappointing though, and he'll need to prove through the end of the season or in workouts that he's a much better shooter than what we've seen from his so far this season. Big men with his feel, touch, and skill level aren't easy to come by, but the questions about his motor and consistency will have to be looked into deeper by teams to find out whether or not he's a guy who will ever reach his full potential."


• Swish Scout: "Developing post player with a legit inside-out game and instinctive defensive playmaking skills with his solid size and length. Thompkins is limited by athleticism, a raw back to basket game, and turnover problems prevent him from being an elite prospect."

Highlights:


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Conference Play Primer: The SEC

Favorite: Kentucky Wildcats

Its hard to believe it, but the Wildcats may actually be a better team this season than they were last year, and last year they were a No. 1 seed, reached the Elite 8, and sent five players to the first round of the NBA Draft. While some will say it is a result of Brandon Knight, Doron Lamb, and particularly Terrence Jones living up to the hype they had coming in, the real reason that Kentucky is morphing into a legitimate contender for a No. 1 seed again this March is the play of Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins. Harrellson is turning into this year's Brian Zoubek, an unheralded senior center that develops into a monster on the glass and around the rim defensively. He's already averaging 9.4 rpg (4.0 offensively and a 17.0 OR%) and 1.6 bpg, and the past three games he's scored in double figures. Liggins has become a stopper defensively, capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. Calipari's rotation really only goes about seven deep at most, but those six or seven guys know there roles and understand where their shots are supposed to come from, which is why they are playing as well as anyone in the country right now.


Player of the Year: Brandon Knight, Kentucky

If its not Brandon Knight, its probably Terrence Jones. But seeing as I've already waxed poetic about Kentucky, let's talk about Trey Thompkins here. Thompkins is flying a bit under the radar right now considering he is averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Why? Because they aren't exactly the numbers we expected this season. That, in large part, is due to the ankle injury Thompkins suffered before the season even started. He missed the first three games of the season, then labored through the Old Spice Classic, scoring just 13 points against both Notre Dame (in double overtime) and Temple. Since that trip to Orlando, however, Thompkins has played well against Georgia's best competition. He had 20 points and 9 boards in a two point win over UAB. He had 21 points and 6 boards (and a very strong second half) in a 73-72 win at Georgia Tech. More recently, on New Year's Eve, Thompkins had his best game of the season with 26 points and 7 boards. Next up? Kentucky. On Saturday. I think this young man is ready for league play.

All-Conference Team:

• G: Erving Walker, Florida: 13.9 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.1% 3PT
  
• G: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt: 17.8 ppg, 37.5% 3PT
  
• F: Tobias Harris, Tennessee: 15.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg
  
• F: Terrence Jones, Kentucky: 17.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg
  
• C: Trey Thompkins, Georgia: 17.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg

Biggest Surprise: Tennessee Volunteers

This is what we call hitting both ends of the spectrum. The Vols started out the season so well, picking up wins against Villanova and Pitt and climbing all the way up to No. 7 in the polls. Then something happened. Depending on where you look or who you ask, the Vols stopped playing defense the way then can, they stopped getting the ball inside, they stopped attacking the basket, and/or Scotty Hopson stopped being a leader. Whatever the case, Tennessee has been terrible lately, losing four of their last six (to Oakland, Charlotte, USC, and Charleston) while barely hanging on to beat Belmont and UT-Martin. With the SEC season looming and Bruce Pear's suspension coming up, we may not have hit bottom yet. I can't remember the last time I saw a swing this drastic happen this quickly.


Biggest Disappointment: The SEC West

Its a joke. It really is. Alabama (Alabama?!?) is the highest rated team in Kenpom's projections. They are 8-6. The team that was supposed to be the favorite, Mississippi State, is losing players left and right and just sold any ounce of good will they had left nationally when rick Stansbury decided to allow Renardo Sidney back on the team. Ole Miss had that happen over the summer, when Murphy Holloway and Eniel Polynice both packed their bags. Overall, the division's record is 52-32. As of this moment, Kenpom is predicting the SEC West to go 6-30 against the SEC East this season. Just for fun, here's a list of some of the team's that a member of SEC West has lost to this season:

UNC-Asheville, Samford, Campbell, Jacksonville, Presbyterian, St. Peter's, Nicholl's State, Coastal Carolina, North Texas, Florida Atlantic, East Tennessee State, Rice, Wichita State, Hawaii, Colorado State, UAB, Iowa, Miami FL, UVa, Rutgers, South Florida

That is nothing short of atrocious.

Teams to keep an eye on:

• Florida: The Gators were my pick to win the conference in the preseason. And while I'm not quite ready to jump back onto that bandwagon, I think this team is a bit better than they are being given credit for right now. Sure, the loss to Jacksonville is ugly and Kenny Boynton and Alex Tyus have disappointed. But Erving Walker looks like he may finally be on the verge of grasping what it means to be a point guard and what a good shot is. Chandler Parsons, Vernon Macklin, and Scottie Wilbekin are all above average SEC players. Coming off of impressive wins at Xavier and over Rhode Island at home, the Gators may have flipped the switch.
• Vanderbilt: I like Vanderbilt. They have bigger, more physical, and more athletic than they were last season. Jeff Taylor and John Jenkins are both special talents. The problem with the Commodores is that they don't have a creator. Taylor is still an athlete more than a basketball player, Jenkins relies too heavily on his jump shot being created for him, and their big guys aren't really much more than big, strong, athletes. How good Brad Tinsley is this season will be the deciding factor on whether Vandy is a tournament team, or a team that is a threat to make a run.
  

Teams to write off:

• South Carolina: I have really like what I have seen from Bruce Ellington. He has a chance to be a special player. The rest of this group? Ehh. Not so much.
• Everyone else: Seriously.
  

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Trey Thompkins will miss at least one game

Georgia is headed into their second season under head coach Mark Fox with fairly lofty expectations.

The Bulldogs bring back much of their roster from last season, and while the wins over Illinois, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Florida put this squad on the nation's radar, this is still a group that won just 14 games last season. No one is predicting an SEC title, but an NCAA Tournament berth would not come as a surprise.

That is, however, is potential SEC player of the year Trey Thompkins is able to get healthy. From Jeff Goodman's blog:

To read the rest of this post, head over to Beyond the Arc.

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