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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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| NBA | |
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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2008 NBA Draft Prospects: 11-20 By Ron Jumper I’ve given my top 10 prospects, which I’m sure surprised you since I’m much different than the rest of the draft publications and media outlets. However, it will take 3-5 years to know who was right so it is kind of pointless to debate for now. Here is the second installment of prospect rankings: 2008 Prospects 11-20: 11. PF Jason Thompson, Rider Thompson is unique, in that he slipped under the radar as a 6’6” lanky senior out of high school. Now, at 6’10” 250, he is a man among boys in the MAAC. He has a wonderful all-around game and skill set. I also like his feel for the game, as he moves well on the floor whether it be in the post or on the perimeter. He averaged 20 points and 12 boards, plus his jumpshot extends out to the college 3-point line. My best comparison would be David West of the New Orleans Hornets. 12. C Nathan Jawai, Australia I have already talked about him extensively in my international prospects article, but there is just so much to like about Jawai. His size (6’10” 285) makes him unique when you consider how athletic he is. He shoots 66% from the free throw line and has an ever-developing post game. I just think he will be a very good player in the coming years. 13. SF Joe Alexander, West Virginia Armed with NBA athleticism and a true jumpshot, Alexander is just a little bit better prospect than Chase Budinger. We’ll get to Budinger in just a little bit, but back to Alexander. At 6’8” 230, he has great size for an NBA small forward and nice ball handling skills to go with his jumpshot. The biggest question has to be whether he can defend at the NBA level, which is what he will have to sell to NBA teams to solidify himself in the lottery. 14. PF/C Marreese Speights, Florida Some may wonder why I have Speights ahead of the likes of Darrell Arthus and Roy Hibbert, as they had more colorful college careers. None the less, I look at his size at 6’10” 245 and wingspan first, then I look at the impressive Per 40 numbers (23.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks). I see tremendous upside that I don’t see in the remaining big men. 15. SF Danilo Gallinari, Italy I’ve already talked at length about Gallinari, so I won’t repeat it all. I’ll just say I don’t have him as a top ten prospect like everyone else does simply because his upside isn’t as high as the prospects I have ranked ahead of him. He is relatively safe because of his skill set and basketball IQ, but it is just unlikely he develops into a big time NBA player that makes All-Star games. 16. SG Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis Here is where I find scouting to be an inexact science. How can Douglas-Roberts be ranked towards the end of the first round when Rose is in consideration for the top pick? Both are extremely skilled and athletic for their positions, while also having great size and strength. They also have unorthodox styles that we aren’t accustomed to seeing. I think Rose is a better prospect than Douglas-Roberts, but to say one is a franchise player and the other is on the border for the first round is just simply not accurate. 17. PF Darrell Arthur, Kansas I like Arthur’s game and skill set a lot, as he is very talented. I just have two concerns: his size (only 6’9” 215) and his aggressiveness, as he seems to disappear for stretches at a time. I don’t think he has that killer instinct needed to be a big time player in the NBA. He will be the classic example of a talented youngster that looks great in flashes but can’t seem to put it together for entire games or over the course of a season. 18. SG Chase Budinger, Arizona Budinger is as good a shooter as there is anywhere, it is just that he lacks the intangibles to do much else at the next level. He doesn’t have that quick first step in order to create separation in isolation situations. His height is a positive and his high release makes it likely that he will have no trouble getting his shot off at the NBA level. However, just don’t expect him to do a lot else. 19. SG Nicolas Batum, France A classic high risk-high reward prospect, Batum is an exceptional athlete. He has great length and ability, it is just like I have said before that he doesn’t have the highest basketball IQ. 20. PG D.J. Augustin, Texas Augustin is one of the only pure point guards in this draft. He isn’t a combo guard like Rose, Gordon, Mayo, Bayless, and Westbrook. Because of need, Augustin could be taken much higher. However, that doesn’t make me rank him above players that he isn’t better than. I love his game and I admire his studious approach, as he patterns his game after Steve Nash. None the less, he is still undersized and not a high percentage shooter. May 30, 2008 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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