May 07, 2013 6:29 PM EDT 
Before Alex Len underwent surgery on his left ankle last week, the Maryland center and his agent contemplated holding off the procedure, trying to play through the stress fracture in pre-draft workouts and pushing for the No. 1 spot in June’s NBA draft. They eventually decided to stabilize Len’s injury and his future.
Teams won’t have the opportunity to watch Len work out now, and that is the part that disappoints him. In the mind of Len’s agent, had the 19-year-old participated in drills – and matchups against other big men – leading up to the draft, Len could have been the No. 1 pick.
“If he had a chance to work out, I truly believe he could have moved up and gone No. 1,” agent Michael Lelchitski told RealGM. “But people have been watching Alex closely for years and they know about his potential – not just next season, but two, three years into the future.”
Len showed tremendous growth in his second season at Maryland and played like the potential No. 1 pick at times. For most prospects, losing the draft process would put a dent in their standing, but scouts have kept an eye on Len ever since he played in the Ukraine, as one NBA executive said at Maryland’s win over Northwestern in late November.
Still, the timing of surgery on Len’s ankle came weeks before a combine that could have separated him from other potential lottery picks. This is a critical time for all prospects, in a draft void of Nerlens Noel’s availability.
Ultimately, Len was wise not to jeopardize his future for a short-term gain. And most of all, he knew he could have challenged his ankle to perform in workouts, but then this stress injury promised to linger and leave him needing surgery anyway.
“That would have put him behind the eight ball,” Lelchitski said.
Len will soon begin light workouts on the court, where he will be monitored closely to ensure that he isn’t overworking the ankle. With surgery, Lelchitski said, Len fortified his complete health for his pro team come training camp. At 7-foot-1, Len has a chance to become a talented NBA center, but he understands he needs to improve his game and strengthen for the pros.
An ankle injury put Len out of workouts, possibly out of the running for the No. 1 pick, but he still will “definitely” sit down to conduct pre-draft interviews with teams, Lelchitski said. Len has been speaking English for just over a year, and yet this will be a chance to sell his character and demeanor to organizations.
“Alex will be all about full disclosure,” Lelchitski said. “This will give these teams a great opportunity to get to know him.”
Mar 23, 2013 1:52 PM EDT 
While the NCAA Tournament has cachet all its own, one way of looking at the Tournament is through the lens of the NBA. While the lottery guys get plenty of buzz leading into the Tourney, I like to spend more time on the players on more middling teams for the first few days since it is less likely that their teams survive long enough to evaluate them further.
On that note, here is the day-by-day:
Saturday
Headline game(s):
Michigan vs. VCU (12:15 PM Eastern)- Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Glenn Robinson III battling Shaka Smart’s fit-inducing system makes this both the most watchable and the most interesting prospect game of Saturday.
Michigan State vs. Memphis (2:45 PM Eastern)- Gary Harris and Adreian Payne going against Memphis’ collection of high level athletes. DJ Stephens gets another chance to show what he can do after an eye-opening first round block party.
Other games to watch:
Gonzaga vs. Wichita State (8:40 PM Eastern)- Considering how well the Shockers played against Pitt, this one should be a tough test for Kelly Olynyk and the Zags.
Syracuse vs. Cal (9:40 PM Eastern)- The two main prospects in this game (Michael Carter-Williams for Syracuse and Allen Crabbe for Cal) will each have challenges on offense in this one. However, that should be exactly the right crucible to improve the draft stock if one or both of them can put together a good all-around game.
Sunday
Headline game:
Kansas vs. North Carolina (5:15 PM Eastern)- The game on the weekend with the most prospect star power. Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey (who had a very nice opening round) try to move on against the UNC talents. McLemore in particular will have a challenge because the Tar Heels have quality defensive talent on the perimeter that will make scoring more difficult than usual.
Other games to watch:
Indiana vs. Temple (2:45 PM Eastern)- Two of the only remaining top ten players left here (Zeller and Oladipo), which warrants inclusion on the list.
Miami vs. Illinois (8:40 PM Eastern)- One of the best Point Guard matchups of the entire Tournament as Brandon Paul and Shane Larkin go at it. Paul could not pick a better game to resuscitate his draft stock than this one.
Duke vs. Creighton (9:40 PM Eastern)- Plenty of potential NBA players in this one, especially after a nice little game from Doug McDermott on Friday. A nice showcase on offense and defense for Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly, and McDermott, three often-discussed players who still have to prove themselves in terms of the draft.
San Diego State vs. Florida Gulf Coast (7:10 PM Eastern)- Jamaal Franklin tries to do what Otto Porter and Georgetown could not: beat this year’s Giant Killers. FGCU’s surprising level of athletic talent will force the talented SG and who knows, potentially they have some underscouted NBA talent of their own… Mar 21, 2013 12:32 PM EDT 
While the NCAA Tournament has cachet all its own, one way of looking at the Tournament is through the lens of the NBA. While the lottery guys get plenty of buzz leading into the Tourney, I like to spend more time on the players on more middling teams for the first few days since it is less likely that their teams survive long enough to evaluate them further.
On that note, here is the day-by-day:
Thursday
Headline games:
Pittsburgh vs. Wichita State (1:40 PM Eastern)- This game makes the list primarily because of Steven Adams. The big man from New Zealand has not produced as much as many of us hoped during the season but has the chance to show his potential this weekend. The Shockers rebound well enough to challenge him and I am intrigued by Carl Hall.
Memphis vs. St. Mary’s (2:45 PM Eastern)- While Memphis has a slew of intriguing athletic question marks (Adonis Thomas, Joe Johnson and DJ Stephens are just three of them), St. Mary’s has Matthew Dellavedova. Matthew stands out as an unusual draft prospect because of his age (22) and subpar athleticism for his position but has the shooting stroke and basketball IQ to stick in the league longer than expected. We will learn a ton about everyone in this game.
Other games to watch:
Syracuse vs. Montana (9:57 PM Eastern)- Michael Carter-Williams vs. Will Cherry. My bet is that one of them will massively help his draft stock in this game.
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (4:40 PM Eastern)- Marcus Smart will have his hands full with future prospect Dominic Artis. We’ll see how Le’Bryan Nash handles the spotlight as well.
Michigan vs. South Dakota State (7:15 PM Eastern)- Senior sensation Nate Wolters gets the chance to show his value against a Michigan team full of potential NBA players (Trey Burke, Glenn Robinson III, and Tim Hardaway Jr among them).
UNLV vs. Cal (7:27 PM Eastern)- Anthony Bennett and Allen Crabbe will be the headliners but I am focused on how UNLV matches up on defense.
Friday
Headline game:
UCLA vs. Minnesota (9:57 PM Eastern)- After the injury to Jordan Adams, this could be our only chance to see lottery pick Shabazz Muhammad in the Tourney. Kyle Anderson, Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams are three other likely pros worth keeping an eye on.
Other games to watch:
Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss (12:40 PM Eastern)- Marshall Henderson. That is all.
North Carolina vs. Villanova (7:20 PM Eastern)- Despite deeply disappointing this season, UNC has plenty of NBA talent in the form of James Michael McAdoo, Reggie Bullock and PJ Hariston. Each of those guys needs to make an impression over the next few weeks in order to rehabilitate their stock.
Creighton vs. Cincinnati (2:45 PM Eastern)- One of the best potential tests for Doug McDermott makes this one particularly fascinating.
San Diego State vs. Oklahoma (9:20 PM Eastern)- Jamaal Franklin has been underappreciated by the national college hoops media but has a chance to make his own statement on the opening weekend. If the Aztecs can get past Oklahoma, a potentially star-making meeting with Georgetown looms.
Shabazz Muhammad, Marshall Henderson, James McAdoo, UCLA Bruins, Pittsburgh Panthers, Wichita State Shockers, Memphis Tigers, Saint Mary's Gaels, UNLV Runnin' Rebels, California Golden Bears, Syracuse Orange, Montana Grizzlies, Oregon Ducks, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Minnesota Gophers, Wisconsin Badgers, Ole Miss Rebels, North Carolina Tar Heels, Villanova Wildcats, Creighton Bluejays, Cincinnati Bearcats, San Diego State Aztecs, Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Tournament, NCAA, NBA, NBA NBA Draft, NBA Draft General Jan 03, 2013 Marcus Smart plays with a poise uncharacteristic of most freshmen just acclimating themselves to the college level. He has a great motor and works extremely hard on both ends of the floor. His basketball IQ is highly advanced relative to his age, and his body is strong enough to compete at the highest level. Dec 31, 2012 Anthony Bennett exhibits considerable promise as a faceup post player who can step out and hit from the mid range. With that said, Bennett has a lot of room for growth on the defensive end. Dec 24, 2012 Shabazz Muhammad projects as a high energy slasher with a developing mid and long range game. As the season progresses, look for him to improve considerably and become one of the nation’s most un-guardable weapons, not to mention a surefire top-5 NBA draft pick. Dec 22, 2012 If Nerlens Noel can continue to progress in his understanding of basketball and improve his skillset along the way, he could actualize his potential and become a top player from the 2013 draft class. He does have a long way to go before he can make an impact in the NBA though. Dec 21, 2012 Archie Goodwin projects as an athletic slasher with arguably the highest upside in the 2013 draft. He must continue to learn how to play without the ball in his hands, as he struggles using screens effectively. Nov 28, 2012 Maryland's Alex Len promises to evolve as the year wears on, and he has tools that simply don’t come natural for seven-footers these days: A soft 14-to-18-foot touch, being a willing post player, running the floor smoothly and, mostly, there is no teaching this size and length. Jun 28, 2012 Center represents the position of greatest need for nearly half the NBA, while power forward isn't the top priority for a single team. Jun 28, 2012 Austin Rivers' comparison to Tony Parker, Andre Drummond living with his mother, Anthony Davis ready to defend either frontcourt position, Dion Waiters' Philly swag, Damian Lillard in the Oakland point guard succession and Meyers Leonard's admired predecessors. Jun 27, 2012 While he doesn't regret trading away their lottery pick, Billy King contends there are offers on the table to improve the Nets' draft position and land an impact player for the right price. Jun 27, 2012 Polling the Green Room candidates to determine who they think will be the second best player of the class, the rise of skinny guys, a new Harrison Barnes and which team workout was the toughest. Jun 27, 2012 Perry Jones, a soft-spoken and unselfish player, didn’t dominate that many collegiate games; therefore, the reasoning goes, he’s too “soft” to be an effective NBA contributor. As a result, a player with top of the lottery talent has slipped into the middle of the 1st round in many projected drafts. Jun 19, 2012 John Jenkins is one of the best shooters in the 2012 NBA Draft, but is hoping teams see his potential in other aspects of the game. May 31, 2012 The Blazers were the second biggest winners from the lottery, as they now own the sixth and 11th selections and have a wealth of options at their disposal. Here we outline several strategies. May 24, 2012 The 76ers are one win from the Eastern Conference Finals, but going from “good” to “great” is the hardest jump to make in the NBA and they don’t have the personnel to do it. Here's why drafting Evan Turner instead of Cousins, Favors or Monroe in 2010 was their 'big' missed opportunity. Apr 03, 2012 Maalik Wayns made a surprising decision to declare for the 2012 NBA Draft. Here is why his basketball career would benefit from returning to Villanova for his senior season. Mar 26, 2012 All the extra exposure Harrison Barnes has received has only served to magnify his flaws as a player, and there’s a very good chance he will end up regretting his decision to return to school for his sophomore season. Mar 12, 2012 Kentucky and North Carolina played a thriller on Dec. 2nd and are setup to meet again in a national championship game filled with future NBA players if there are no stumbles along the way. Older Blog Posts » |
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