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31st January, 2008 - 2:06 pm
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| Current Features |
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SCOOP DU JOUR: 32 Fearless Predictions For The 2011 NFL Draft
The draft is less than a week away. Draft boards from teams are essentially set and are now being carefully guarded. Here are some predictions for what we'll see next week. Some are serious, some are fun, and less than five will probably come to fruition.
TEAM RANKINGS: Euroleague Top 16 Power Rankings
Barcelona, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Maccabi, Madrid and Siena enter the Top 16 phase as likely contenders to win the 2011 Euroleague.
STANDING 10: Non-National Games Of The Week (1/17-1/23)
The Knicks make three appearances this week, along with several from Blake Griffin and the Clippers.
PLAYER RANKINGS: 2010-11 NBA Player Rankings Through Dec. 14th
Now that more than a quarter of the season is in the books, we don't have many aberrations in the player rankings as Pau Gasol, Kevin Love, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and LeBron James comprise the top-five.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn?t overlooking Orlando?
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
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By Christopher Reina
Power Forward. Kansas State
Unlike certain remorseless prolific scorers, Beasley doesn?t excessively force things, and that partly comes from being so conscious of the re-post.
Very explosive in the post, Beasley is NBA-ready to bang and score. He scores at a tremendously effective rate despite the constant collapse of double-teams when he touches the ball. He?ll shoot a turnaround fadeaway jumper if his man sags off, and he?ll dribble into a spin move if his man gets too close. He can finish with his right hand within five feet and has outstanding awareness of where is on the floor.
His catch-and-shoot ability, especially when roving the baseline, is tremendous. He also does a good job of coming off screens, using them to free up his jumper.
Beasley is excellent at finding the vulnerabilities of a defense when he moves without the ball. Even more remarkable is how he always has his hands facing the ball, readying for a pass.
Point Guard. Memphis
Rose is a point guard in the truest sense of the word, with the confidence and swagger to be the leader of a very talented veteran Memphis team.
He creates wide-open shots with his dribble penetration as there is nobody in the world he couldn\'t beat off the dribble.
The biggest concerns on Rose, more than his developing jumpshot in my opinion, is he appears to be a rhythm player at this state of his development and is ineffective when not in rhythm.
Shooting Guard. USC
In an NBA in which very few players can create their own offense, Mayo will be elite.
He creates separation off the dribble to generate space to get his jumper off, but what is more impressive and refined is his knack for preserving his dribble, squaring up in a triple-threat position with purpose and intent. He is able to back defenders up with jab steps, which sets things up for when he does put the ball on the floor, where he is highly imaginative, utilizing a wide array of moves to score.
Though shorter and slightly less athletic than both Jordan and Bryant, Mayo is headed for this type of individual career.
Despite a history of character issues, from every moment I\'ve seen, his on-floor character appears impeccable. He plays the game in a very stoic yet passionate manner.
Point Guard. Arizona
Bayless initially looked like he was a long ways away from being comfortable on the college floor, but that has very quickly disappeared and he has begun showing his amazing promise. What has and will be the most immediately impressive aspect of his game is his extreme elevation on jumpers. It really is extraordinary and makes it possible for the 6-3 guard to be a shooting guard. He is a remarkable shooter off the dribble, but his play without the ball has been an unexpected bonus. He works hard without the ball and comes off screens, catches the ball and shoots in one fluid motion. Because of the elevation, he is able to spot an open teammate while taking the shot and get him the ball for an easy lay-up.
Bayless will likely play more two than point for Arizona, but he is deftly capable of being an NBA point guard. He has excellent vision and draws fouls especially well when he penetrates.
Small Forward. Syracuse
Like Beasley, Greene is a 6-9 combo forward with an excellent inside/outside game. He is a very powerful dunker who attacks the rim, but also shoots the 3-point shot well. He is averaging 18.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, while also blocking 2.3 shots. The biggest thing he needs to work on is shot selection.
Shooting Guard. Indiana
He is unquestionably a pure scorer and is ?basketball athletic,? but will he be able to play the point guard position in the NBA or will he merely be an undersized shooting guard? His ability to create off the dribble is brilliant, but the ease of doing so will decline dramatically for Gordon when taller, more athletic guards defend him.
Center. Texas A&M
As it stands now, Jordan is a long ways away from being an effective professional basketball player, but his size and athleticism show a lot of promise. His motor isn?t as good as you?d like to see from a big like Jordan and is perhaps more of a concern than the severe lack of refinement in his game. For example, he is a 22.2 percent free throw shooter, but his form does not reflect such an appalling rate.
He is quick in transition and has good fundamentals in the post, already doing well to seal defenders. More than any other freshman, there will be a huge difference between the Jordan seen in December and the Jordan seen in March. Playing beside Joseph Jones, a junior with a really nice post game, will surely further his development.
Small Forward. Arizona
Budinger was of course a very good scorer last season as a freshman, but the gains he has made in regards to his ball-handling, defense (particularly help defense) and strength have been substantial. He is a far better all-around player now, though he still has a ways to go to make a sizeable impact when not scoring.
Small Forward. France
With ample athleticism, an absurdly long wingspan and well-developed skills in nearly every aspect of the game, Batum could certainly develop into the best player on an NBA team. The questions regarding his motor and aggressiveness to dominate appear to be his biggest obstacle between being good and being great.
Batum has NBA range on his effective, albeit flawed jumper.
Point Guard. Texas
Augustin is preposterously quick and nimble with the dribble, maintaining it effectively to create shots for himself and teammates with his gunslinger mentality. He would have struggled in the Derek Harper hand-check era, but he should be an effective NBA point guard in the way Tony Parker and Chris Paul have become All-Stars.
Despite being so short, Augustin is able to get shots over taller defenders and also has a superior perimeter shot than the two similar bodies NBA point guards just mentioned.
Power Forward. Kansas
Arthur has a remarkable court awareness as he is almost always in an ideal position on both ends of the floor. He posts with purpose; constantly trying to seal his man and can finish well with either hand. Arthur is also a good passer out of the post and pretty much anywhere else on the floor. His ball-handling does need a great deal of more work.
He is very athletic, sprinting the floor with gusto, beating his man down the floor for easy transition buckets. His jump shot is far from developed, but shows nice promise.
Center. Georgetown
Hibbert continues to be the country\'s premiere center after returning to Georgetown for his senior season. Hibbert\'s excellent ability to pass and even hit game-winning three-pointers have solidified his position in the lottery.
Point Guard. North Carolina
Like Augustin, his height restricts what he can do but his quickness is exceptional. His assist to turnover ratio is still not what it needs to be, but he has greatly improved his field goal percentage. Lawson\'s per 40 FIC easily beats Augustin and Rose.
Power Forward. Stanford
What makes him a special player is offensively, with his excellent touch to pair with his developing post moves.
Power Forward. UCLA
Love is making an immediate impact on a very good UCLA team, but his future as an NBA player does not live up to the hype of his arrival out of high school. Running the full length of the floor is currently a struggle for Love, as his man consistently beats him to the other side. He will use his wide and strong frame to rebound, but his elevation is very lackluster.
Offensively, he seals off defenders and creates space exceptionally well and makes it a priority to catch the ball close to the bucket, allowing him to take those very high percentage shots. Love is also a brilliant passer and this aspect of his game will be one that separates him from other power forwards.
Small Forward. Italy
Gallinari is an improving shooter, but his feel for the lane and ability to handle the ball is exceptional. He would be a top-flight point guard prospect if he were 6-2. He has the ability and confidence to play multiple positions on the NBA level. With such pure instincts, he would fit in on any team, no matter if he improves his athleticism or not.
Point Guard. UCLA
Collison has been a reluctant outside shooter, almost hesitant and lacking of confidence this season and has also sometimes been a second slow with the pass. As always, he is not turnover prone and does well at drawing help defenders in order to free up teammates.
Power Forward. Florida
Speights has been a monster for Florida, breaking out as he has gone from a 5 minute per game player to a 22 minute per game player. He has an amazing 23.0 per 40 FIC this season.
Center. California
Hardin has all the tools of a great defensive big man, but he remains foul prone and has yet to substantially improve his offensive game.
Combo Forward. USC
Jefferson is a long 6-8 who has shown a host of skills that make him an excellent prospect. His offensive game is varied, as he is adept at scoring off the dribble as well as having an effective mid-range jumper. But what is most notable about Jefferson is his tremendously instinctive knack to be perfectly positioned on put-backs. He will have an excellent offensive/defensive rebounding ratio on the NBA level, giving his team many very valuable second chance points.
Power Forward. TAU Vitoria
The Congo native is as fluid and skilled as he is athletic and he appears to have barely hit the surface of his potential. He has excellent touch from a variety of ranges and also glides through the air to block shots.
Power Forward. Arizona
Hill is one of the best rebounders in college basketball, particularly on the offensive end. He gets into space ahead of shots to anticipate put back slams. On the defensive end, he boxes out well by feeling for his man without taking his eyes off the ball. He excels at intercepting passes due to his leaping ability and exceptional hands.
Still raw offensively but Hill\'s array of moves with the ball has improved leaps and bounds since last season and even over the course of this year. Hill has a very nice up and under move but can also dribble into the defender before hitting a turnaround fadeaway shot.
Shooting Guard. North Carolina
Ellington has built upon a very good freshman season where he primarily was a spot-up shooter by showing a vastly improved handle. He is beginning to shoot the mid-range jumper well off the dribble really well and is also doing a better job of moving into open space without the ball. Defensively, he has been more aggressive and is using his long arms to block/alter shots on the perimeter.
Center. Ohio State
He shoots the ball from anywhere with ease, confidence and very good form, especially for such a young 7-footer. Koufos sees the court well but he can?t physically complete some of the passes he recognizes, but that will progress in time. He takes too long to collect himself to finish a dunk, which puts the ball in danger of being blocked. He is a decent athlete and his quick to ball on offensive rebounds, but his lateral movements are unquestionably on the slow side. He easily could be a lottery pick in 2009, but clearly needs more fine-tuning.
Center. Connecticut
Thabeet has improved dramatically in his scoring efficiency from his freshman season.
Power Forward. Alabama
Hendrix has gone from an 18.9 per 40 FIC player to a 23.7 per 40 player as a junior as he has become a stronger rebounder and an even better scorer.
Small Forward. Kansas State
Walker is healthy and playing with so much more poise and confidence than he was earlier in the season. He is extremely explosive and has also been showing a nice perimeter game. As was the case when he was growing up playing beside Mayo, Walker will get a ton of looks from scouts by default playing with Beasley.
Power Forward. Georgetown
Summers has taken a big step from his freshman season, but he still needs to become a more efficient scorer. With his size and feel for all aspects of the game, Summers
Point Guard. Syracuse
Flynn is a fearless freshman who can score and create offense in a variety of ways despite being a small six-footer. He can shoot the 3 and also hit floaters and the mid-range jumper. He would greatly benefit from a sophomore season in college, but he has shown enough already to warrant consideration as a late first rounder in 2008.
Shooting Guard. Mississippi State
Gordon is as strong in traffic as he is left-handed. He is a throwback point guard because of his width and he also has a really nice touch on his perimeter shot.
Second Round
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Power Forward. N.C. State
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Shooting Guard. Tennessee
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Small Forward. California
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Shooting Guard. Texas A&M
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Small Forward. UCLA
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Power Forward. Rider
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Shooting Guard. Kansas
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Power Forward. Louisville
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Power Forward. Memphis
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Center. Vanderbilt
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Small Forward. Pittsburgh
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Point Guard. Memphis
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Small Forward. Louisville
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Power Forward. USC
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Power Forward. Indiana
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Point Guard. Boston College
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Power Forward. Maryland
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Power Forward. Memphis
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Point Guard. Duke
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Shooting Guard. UCLA
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Shooting Guard. Maryland
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Small Forward. Texas
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Shooting Guard. Colorado
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Shooting Guard. Nevada
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Power Forward. North Carolina
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Point Guard. Virginia Commonwealth
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Power Forward. Texas A&M
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Center. Oklahoma
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Combo Guard. Washington State
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Shooting Guard. Oregon
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