Post by kobe24 on Oct 8, 2009 17:36:38 GMT -5
Top 10 Prospects in the 2001 UOSLR Draft
Every year there a new class of young men enter the UOSLR Draft in hopes of fulfilling their life-long dream of becoming an UOSLR Star. These guys have every GM drooling over them. This draft is headlined by two International Superstars, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. But there is also a few great talents coming straight out of highschool. I will break down the top 10 players in this year's draft. *Note this is NOT a mock draft*.
#6 Gerald Wallace - Alabama
SF, 6’7’’ 215
19 years old
Analysis:
Wallace may have a slight advantage over a few of the guys I listed before him, while Wallace is still only 19, he did go to Alabama for a year of college ball, which I think helped him out a lot. Wallace could have just came out of high school and been an amazing atheletic type of prospect that you would take in the late first round. But he worked on his jumper a lot while at Alabama and improved it tremendously. I mean he is never going to be known as a threat from outside, but now atleast you have to respect his mid range shot. Wallace is a like lot Richardson in terms of atheltic ability. His sheer atheletic ability makes him an excellent defender. I could definitely see him winning multiple Defensive Player of the Year Awards in his carer. He hustles on every play, which coaches love to here from their scouts. He is also a great rebounder for only being 6'7''. The offense should catch on because the guy has all the potential in the world, which will make it hard to pass up on him.
Wallace is really the definition of raw talent. With some good teaching he should be able to grow into a great player though. He definitely needs to work on his jump shot, a lot. He is careless at times with the ball and struggles to hit FTs, two things many GMs wont like. He has the physical ability just not the basketball ability at this point.
Pro Outlook
Wallace shot a measly 18% from the 3 pt line in college and 57% from the FT line. I expect those numbers to improve a bit of course but still they will be very low numbers for a small forward. He also averaged over 2 turnovers per game which is unacceptable for a player type like he is. The positives were him averaging over a block and steal per game, while also averaging 6 rebounds per game in only 22 minutes per game. I expect pretty much all of those numbers to translate to UOSLR. You know what you get with this guy every night, great defense and rebounding, but below average shooting and decision making. If he can ever develop a solid shot and learn to make better decisions then everyone else needs to look out.
Early Projection:
Wallace will probably be the last guy under 20 years old considered in the top 5. I think he will go in the top 10, somewhere around 6-8. Anytime you can pick up a guy who can get you close to two steals per game and two blocks per game then it is a good move.
#7 Joe Johnson - Arkansas
SF, 6’8’’ 225
20 years old
Analysis:
When we look back at this draft a few years later, I think Joe Johnson will be the best scorer to come out of it. The only reason he falls to #7 is because he is a bit older then some of the guys and his defense is very shaky. Johnson was a magnificent scorer during his time at Arkansas averaging over 15 points per game while shooting over 40% from the three point line. Johnson played SF in college, but will most likely be converted to SG in UOSLR where his size will give him a great advantage over most other shooting guards. He isnt only a shooter though, he has a great first step and can find his way into the lane rather easily against most guys. Very good mechanics as a shooter aswell, you know he is the real deal as a scorer when you watch him play. He is also a very good passer and because of his size, an above average rebounder. He could also find himself playing PG some because of his great skill set.
Sort of like Gasol, JJ doesnt really show a killer instinct like the great ones do when they smell blood. He doesnt play with much emotion, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at. Can also be pretty inconsistent at times as well.
Pro Outlook
JJ will be a great scorer at the next level, that is almost guaranteed. And while some question his defense, I think moving him to SG will really benefit him since the reason he struggles against most small forwards is because he isnt that strong. Johnson will be a very versatile player if you can play him at the point. He will go out and get you 20+ points per game on any given night throughout his career. I dont really see him being the type of guy who can come in and turn a franchise around himself, so he will definitely need some help.
Early Projection:
Pretty much a lock to be in the top 10 because of his scoring ability. I really think he is better suited to play defense at the shooting guard position, so his defense shouldnt worry to many GMs that much.
#8 Eddie Griffin - Seton Hall
PF, 6’9’’ 220
18 Years old
Analysis:
Griffin is only 18 years old, even though he played a year of college at Seton Hall, in which he dominated. He put up 18 points per game, 11 rebounds per game and 4 blocks per game. He is only listed at 6'9'' but he is an explosive athlete. Plays a bit like Johnson, very relaxed. His shot blocking is outstanding for his height, he lead the nation as a freshman. Like Chandler, he has all the tools to be a great defender. But unlike Chandler, Griffin is a versatile scorer. He can bang inside or step out and hit a midrange jumper. Also a very good rebounder, though his atheletic ability alone wont guarantee him 11 rebounds per game in this league.
No real glaring holes in Griffin's game, the only issues seem to be off the court. He has gotten in fights with teammates in the past and his coaches say he is disrepectful at times. UOSLR coaches wont take that type of attitude, so he better nip that in the bud real fast.
Pro Outlook:
I like this guy as a pro, he should continue growing for a few more years, maybe get to 6'11'' or so. That would really be great as that is really the only thing holding him back from being great besides his attitude. If he doesnt grow, some GMs could play him at SF, which I think would work as he starts to develop a three point shot. That would definitely be a lethal lineup if you could manage to put him at SF, with his amazing shot blocking. Should turn the ball over less since he wont be the focal point of an offense in the beginnings of his career atleast.
Early Projection:
Even though he is young, his game is already farther along then some of the other guys in this draft, so he may not have the potential as some of the other 18 year olds, but his versatility, among other things will make him a top 10 pick.
#9 Richard Jefferson - Arizona
SF, 6’7’’ 222
21 Years old
Analysis:
Another very good athelete here, Jefferson is basically the SF/SG version of Griffin. He is a very good defender, averaging close to a block and a steal per game at Arizona. Not a very good scorer, mostly because he is still perfecting his shot. A very good dunker, you will see him above the rim a lot in his career. Wont see him shoot a lot, which is good I guess since he knows that isnt a strong part of his game. You will mostly see him catching an easy pass for the dunk or driving his defender to the hoop. While Wallace will put up the impressive numbers, Jefferson will completely shut you down. A decent passer and rebounder, good enough to make it as a small forward atleast.
Ugly shot right now, he is at a difficult point where its hard to completely change your shot, but he needs to if he wants it to get better. Streaky shooter beyond 15 feet. Averaged three turnovers per game in college, which looks very ugly.
Pro Outlook
Still a very raw player even though he is 21 years old. He should continue getting better and better as his career goes on. I think RJ could be a late bloomer or a bust. Its hard to guage how this guy's game will translate, but I guess that could be said about a lot of these other guys aswell since they rely mostly on their atheltic ability. He will be a very efficient player off the bench his first few years, but if he is forced to start early on, I think he will struggle.
Early Prediction:
Late lotto is where I see him ending up, buts its hard to tell since all these guys are so close in talent. It will just depend on what the GM likes more. Sticking by what I said, I think he will be labeled as a steal since he will go late lotto-mid first round and I think he will end up being better than some of these other lotto players.
#10 Shane Battier - Duke
SF, 6’8’’ 220
22 Years old
Analysis:
Battier's stat line as a senior at Duke was amazing. 20 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg along with great shooting numbers. I dont know if you can have a better season than that. Battier is obviously the best player in this draft, right now, but since he has basically peaked in college, I dont see many GMs taking a chance on him. Nonetheless Battier is a great defender, should win a few Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career. Battier is a very, very smart player which is a big reason why he has so much success. Very fundamentaly sound, the perfect team player if you will.
He was a good scorer in college, but he doesnt really have the 'it' factor to be a good scorer at the next level since his play offensively doesnt really translate to the next level. Not very atheletic at all, but his smarts make up for it.
Pro Outlook:
Will be a very good role player throughout his career. Dont really see him getting worse or better as time goes on, which can be good or bad. Will help a winning team right away if one of those teams can somehow nab him. As a starter he might average 15 points per game, but I dont see that happening, he will average around 10 points per game for his career. But defensively he will be great.
Early Projection:
Hmm its tough to guage where Battier will go, if a winning team has a lotto I could easily see them picking Shane to help them win. Otherwise, Im not so sure if these losing teams want to take a chance on a guy who probably wont improve much.
Other noteables:
Joseph Forte - Great scorer, but lacks size, defense and rebounding.
Zach Randolph - Another nice scorer, but also is lacking in size and defense.
Raul Lopez - Late entry into the draft, not many people know much about him, but he is a very good player and will be a steal for sure.
Vladimir Radmanovic - Great size and a good shooter, not much else to him though.
Troy Murphy - Great skill set, he can do a bit of everything, but because of his age he may slide a bit.
Kwame Brown - One of the best high school prospects coming out, but as he started working out for teams, his stock has dropped.
Jamaal Tinsley - The most polished PG in the draft, but understandably so, he is also the oldest player in the draft.
Trenton Hassell - Another very polished player that can help a team right away more so than some of these other guys, but he has also spent 4 years in college.
Every year there a new class of young men enter the UOSLR Draft in hopes of fulfilling their life-long dream of becoming an UOSLR Star. These guys have every GM drooling over them. This draft is headlined by two International Superstars, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. But there is also a few great talents coming straight out of highschool. I will break down the top 10 players in this year's draft. *Note this is NOT a mock draft*.
#6 Gerald Wallace - Alabama
SF, 6’7’’ 215
19 years old
Analysis:
Wallace may have a slight advantage over a few of the guys I listed before him, while Wallace is still only 19, he did go to Alabama for a year of college ball, which I think helped him out a lot. Wallace could have just came out of high school and been an amazing atheletic type of prospect that you would take in the late first round. But he worked on his jumper a lot while at Alabama and improved it tremendously. I mean he is never going to be known as a threat from outside, but now atleast you have to respect his mid range shot. Wallace is a like lot Richardson in terms of atheltic ability. His sheer atheletic ability makes him an excellent defender. I could definitely see him winning multiple Defensive Player of the Year Awards in his carer. He hustles on every play, which coaches love to here from their scouts. He is also a great rebounder for only being 6'7''. The offense should catch on because the guy has all the potential in the world, which will make it hard to pass up on him.
Wallace is really the definition of raw talent. With some good teaching he should be able to grow into a great player though. He definitely needs to work on his jump shot, a lot. He is careless at times with the ball and struggles to hit FTs, two things many GMs wont like. He has the physical ability just not the basketball ability at this point.
Pro Outlook
Wallace shot a measly 18% from the 3 pt line in college and 57% from the FT line. I expect those numbers to improve a bit of course but still they will be very low numbers for a small forward. He also averaged over 2 turnovers per game which is unacceptable for a player type like he is. The positives were him averaging over a block and steal per game, while also averaging 6 rebounds per game in only 22 minutes per game. I expect pretty much all of those numbers to translate to UOSLR. You know what you get with this guy every night, great defense and rebounding, but below average shooting and decision making. If he can ever develop a solid shot and learn to make better decisions then everyone else needs to look out.
Early Projection:
Wallace will probably be the last guy under 20 years old considered in the top 5. I think he will go in the top 10, somewhere around 6-8. Anytime you can pick up a guy who can get you close to two steals per game and two blocks per game then it is a good move.
#7 Joe Johnson - Arkansas
SF, 6’8’’ 225
20 years old
Analysis:
When we look back at this draft a few years later, I think Joe Johnson will be the best scorer to come out of it. The only reason he falls to #7 is because he is a bit older then some of the guys and his defense is very shaky. Johnson was a magnificent scorer during his time at Arkansas averaging over 15 points per game while shooting over 40% from the three point line. Johnson played SF in college, but will most likely be converted to SG in UOSLR where his size will give him a great advantage over most other shooting guards. He isnt only a shooter though, he has a great first step and can find his way into the lane rather easily against most guys. Very good mechanics as a shooter aswell, you know he is the real deal as a scorer when you watch him play. He is also a very good passer and because of his size, an above average rebounder. He could also find himself playing PG some because of his great skill set.
Sort of like Gasol, JJ doesnt really show a killer instinct like the great ones do when they smell blood. He doesnt play with much emotion, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at. Can also be pretty inconsistent at times as well.
Pro Outlook
JJ will be a great scorer at the next level, that is almost guaranteed. And while some question his defense, I think moving him to SG will really benefit him since the reason he struggles against most small forwards is because he isnt that strong. Johnson will be a very versatile player if you can play him at the point. He will go out and get you 20+ points per game on any given night throughout his career. I dont really see him being the type of guy who can come in and turn a franchise around himself, so he will definitely need some help.
Early Projection:
Pretty much a lock to be in the top 10 because of his scoring ability. I really think he is better suited to play defense at the shooting guard position, so his defense shouldnt worry to many GMs that much.
#8 Eddie Griffin - Seton Hall
PF, 6’9’’ 220
18 Years old
Analysis:
Griffin is only 18 years old, even though he played a year of college at Seton Hall, in which he dominated. He put up 18 points per game, 11 rebounds per game and 4 blocks per game. He is only listed at 6'9'' but he is an explosive athlete. Plays a bit like Johnson, very relaxed. His shot blocking is outstanding for his height, he lead the nation as a freshman. Like Chandler, he has all the tools to be a great defender. But unlike Chandler, Griffin is a versatile scorer. He can bang inside or step out and hit a midrange jumper. Also a very good rebounder, though his atheletic ability alone wont guarantee him 11 rebounds per game in this league.
No real glaring holes in Griffin's game, the only issues seem to be off the court. He has gotten in fights with teammates in the past and his coaches say he is disrepectful at times. UOSLR coaches wont take that type of attitude, so he better nip that in the bud real fast.
Pro Outlook:
I like this guy as a pro, he should continue growing for a few more years, maybe get to 6'11'' or so. That would really be great as that is really the only thing holding him back from being great besides his attitude. If he doesnt grow, some GMs could play him at SF, which I think would work as he starts to develop a three point shot. That would definitely be a lethal lineup if you could manage to put him at SF, with his amazing shot blocking. Should turn the ball over less since he wont be the focal point of an offense in the beginnings of his career atleast.
Early Projection:
Even though he is young, his game is already farther along then some of the other guys in this draft, so he may not have the potential as some of the other 18 year olds, but his versatility, among other things will make him a top 10 pick.
#9 Richard Jefferson - Arizona
SF, 6’7’’ 222
21 Years old
Analysis:
Another very good athelete here, Jefferson is basically the SF/SG version of Griffin. He is a very good defender, averaging close to a block and a steal per game at Arizona. Not a very good scorer, mostly because he is still perfecting his shot. A very good dunker, you will see him above the rim a lot in his career. Wont see him shoot a lot, which is good I guess since he knows that isnt a strong part of his game. You will mostly see him catching an easy pass for the dunk or driving his defender to the hoop. While Wallace will put up the impressive numbers, Jefferson will completely shut you down. A decent passer and rebounder, good enough to make it as a small forward atleast.
Ugly shot right now, he is at a difficult point where its hard to completely change your shot, but he needs to if he wants it to get better. Streaky shooter beyond 15 feet. Averaged three turnovers per game in college, which looks very ugly.
Pro Outlook
Still a very raw player even though he is 21 years old. He should continue getting better and better as his career goes on. I think RJ could be a late bloomer or a bust. Its hard to guage how this guy's game will translate, but I guess that could be said about a lot of these other guys aswell since they rely mostly on their atheltic ability. He will be a very efficient player off the bench his first few years, but if he is forced to start early on, I think he will struggle.
Early Prediction:
Late lotto is where I see him ending up, buts its hard to tell since all these guys are so close in talent. It will just depend on what the GM likes more. Sticking by what I said, I think he will be labeled as a steal since he will go late lotto-mid first round and I think he will end up being better than some of these other lotto players.
#10 Shane Battier - Duke
SF, 6’8’’ 220
22 Years old
Analysis:
Battier's stat line as a senior at Duke was amazing. 20 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg along with great shooting numbers. I dont know if you can have a better season than that. Battier is obviously the best player in this draft, right now, but since he has basically peaked in college, I dont see many GMs taking a chance on him. Nonetheless Battier is a great defender, should win a few Defensive Player of the Year awards in his career. Battier is a very, very smart player which is a big reason why he has so much success. Very fundamentaly sound, the perfect team player if you will.
He was a good scorer in college, but he doesnt really have the 'it' factor to be a good scorer at the next level since his play offensively doesnt really translate to the next level. Not very atheletic at all, but his smarts make up for it.
Pro Outlook:
Will be a very good role player throughout his career. Dont really see him getting worse or better as time goes on, which can be good or bad. Will help a winning team right away if one of those teams can somehow nab him. As a starter he might average 15 points per game, but I dont see that happening, he will average around 10 points per game for his career. But defensively he will be great.
Early Projection:
Hmm its tough to guage where Battier will go, if a winning team has a lotto I could easily see them picking Shane to help them win. Otherwise, Im not so sure if these losing teams want to take a chance on a guy who probably wont improve much.
Other noteables:
Joseph Forte - Great scorer, but lacks size, defense and rebounding.
Zach Randolph - Another nice scorer, but also is lacking in size and defense.
Raul Lopez - Late entry into the draft, not many people know much about him, but he is a very good player and will be a steal for sure.
Vladimir Radmanovic - Great size and a good shooter, not much else to him though.
Troy Murphy - Great skill set, he can do a bit of everything, but because of his age he may slide a bit.
Kwame Brown - One of the best high school prospects coming out, but as he started working out for teams, his stock has dropped.
Jamaal Tinsley - The most polished PG in the draft, but understandably so, he is also the oldest player in the draft.
Trenton Hassell - Another very polished player that can help a team right away more so than some of these other guys, but he has also spent 4 years in college.
