Name:  Acie Law IV
Age:  22
Height:  6-3
Weight:  195
College:  Texas A&M (Sr.)

Strengths/Weaknesses:

The greatest strength in Acie Law IV?s game is his desire to want the ball in crunch time.  It is very difficult to find guys in the NBA who live for the moment and yearn for the opportunity to stick the dagger in the heart of the opposition.  Names like Kobe Bryant, Gilbert Arenas, and Chauncey Billups come to mind when you consider team leaders who put the game on their shoulders and aren?t afraid of failure.  

Aside from his flair for the dramatic, Acie Law is also a very experienced floor leader and capable of playing in any tempo offense.  At 6-3, he is the ideal height to be a defensive pest at point guard and has the length to disrupt passing lanes.  His athleticism is suspect, but he has the ability to shoot from the perimeter, drive the lane, and use a myriad of floaters and bank shots as a creative finisher.  

His ability to involve and create for his teammates is still improving and he is more of a shoot-first point guard, rather than a pure distributor.  Other than that, his only other weaknesses stem from his lack of strength and his moderate athleticism.  While he wont be seen blowing past the competition like a T.J. Ford or a Nate Robinson, he has the talent and creativity to penetrate the paint and finish a la Mark Jackson of decades past.

Marquee Performances:  

Law began his college career at Texas A&M going winless in the Big 12.  That summer he realized that he had to put the team on his shoulders for the remainder of his college career and turned the Aggies into a respected team.  His junior season, he became more of a vocal leader and reached the level of national recognition and stardom when he nailed an 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to defeat Texas.  

His senior season saw him really emerge as a potential lottery pick when he averaged career highs of 18.1 points and 5 assists per game.  He shined in both meetings against Kevin Durant and the Texas Longhorns.  In his first meeting against the longtime rivals, he posted a 21 point, 15 assist night in their 100-88 rout on their home floor.  

However, while Durant?s Longhorns got the best of Law?s Aggies in a 98-96 double-overtime Texas victory, Law was the one who stole the show from the consensus second overall pick.  Law forced both overtimes with 3-pointers.  His first came with 1.1 seconds left in regulation over an outstretched Durant to tie it at 78.  Remarkably, he did it again in the first overtime when he sank another three-pointer with 26 seconds left to knot it at 88.  These two magical threes on the road accounted for only 6 of the season-high 33 points he put up in Austin.

Perhaps more impressive was Law?s game against the Kansas Jayhawks on the road in the second half of the season.  With Kansas ranked 6th in the nation and Texas A&M ranked 8th, Law looked up to see the Aggies down two with the ball in the final minute.  He demanded the ball and went on to score the team?s final five points, including the eventual game winning three-pointer over Brandon Rush with 20 seconds to go.  He led the team with 23 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals en route to the huge upset on the road that pushed the Big 12 South?s all-time record at Kansas? Allen Fieldhouse from 0-31 to 1-31.

Ideal Fit:  

Law could potentially step into many situations and make an immediate impact in the NBA.  The most suitable system for Law to excel in would involve a team that is looking for a leader who isn?t afraid to penetrate and score with the game on the line.  Many teams lack a player with the heart and determination of Acie Law IV.  He would immediately improve teams as a starter for the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets.  Meanwhile, he would also become one of the best backup point guards in the league if he lands with the Los Angeles Clippers, Detroit Pistons, or Miami Heat.  

An ideal fit for the personal development of Acie Law?s game would be if he ended up filling in for the two players he is most often compared to in Sam Cassell of the Clippers and Chauncey Billups of the Pistons.  If he ends up as an understudy to these two aforementioned veterans, he can learn the nuances of the game from their perspective and perfect his game; whereas becoming an immediate starter for the Houston Rockets or Atlanta Hawks would probably stunt his growth as a player if he?s instantly thrown into the fire of a fan base expecting too much.

Best Case:

Sam Cassell: A floor leader who has an uncanny knack for getting the big bucket despite the odds against him.  He will make an impact as a big game performer and winner in the league, and have little trouble moving from team to team with similar winning results.

Worst Case:

Frank Williams: A solid team leader who was able to score at will and carry his team on his back?in college.  Wasn?t athletic enough to play in the pros and his once-gifted scoring touch and lack of fear weren?t utilized to its full potential by his head coach.  

Do you want Acie Law IV on your favorite team?  Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts.  He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments or questions.