Post by Tigertecz on Dec 9, 2009 13:17:52 GMT -5
The next potential draft classes look stacked. With many big name college and high school players potentially declaring in the next two or three drafts, there will be a lot of rebuilding teams drooling over these prospects.
Here’s an early look at who I believe are the top eight of the potential draftees coming into UOSLR, and what sort of impact they may make throughout their careers.
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This man beast is averaging 43ppg, 18rpg and 7bpg for the Prentiss High School Bulldogs. With a scholarship to join the Arkansas Razorbacks though, it is questionable as to whether or not it would be the right decision to declare straight for the UOSLR Draft. He is dominating at high school level and it’s easy to see why. His strength and size make him a handful for any opposing bigs, and he plays well at both ends of the floor. He is still very raw though, and needs a little more work before he will be a similarly dominant force in the pros. If he polishes his game a little further in college first, he may be able to enter the league and be a really solid double double starter straight away and contribute heavily. Right now he is likely to be a back-up until his game improves but he certainly has the potential to make it at the next level. I wouldn’t say it was out of the question for Big Al to average 25ppg, 11rpg, 2bpg one day. He is likely to challenge for a top 5 selection, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him slip to around 7. If this happens, whoever picks him at 7 will have a steal in my opinion.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C D+ B+ A- C
UOSLR Comparison: Alejandro Camby
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Iggy is a multi-talented swingman who is developing well at the University of Arizona and is the team’s MVP, leading all players in rebounds, assists and steals, earning All-Pac 10 Team selections and an Honorable Mention for being an All-American. He managed to get three triple doubles this season, which is a feat that only Jason Kidd has managed to do in Pac-10 history, proving he can do it all. He is very athletic and will probably enter a few dunk contests in his pro career, but he also stands out defensively. He is a capable passer of the ball and rebounds solidly well for a guard/forward too. Although he can get to the rim with ease, he lacks an effective outside shot to be the traditional swingman that is coveted by many UOSLR GM’s, so he will need to work on that aspect of his game in order to warrant a top 3 selection. He does have a lot of potential though, and with the right training may be able to iron out those kinks and tempt GM’s to take a punt on him. I wouldn’t expect him to fall out of the top 5 in whichever draft he declares in though, as he could be an important impact player at his peak.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C+ B- A C C
UOSLR Comparison: A cross between Dwyane Wade and Joel Montross…
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Melo will challenge for top pick, no question. He is a very talented scorer and a good rebounder for a small forward. Averaging 22.1ppg and 10.0rpg as a Freshman for Syracuse is impressive, and so is his team’s 30-5 record to go with a lovely NCAA title too. He has been described as the best player in college basketball by a mile, and won numerous awards including NCAA Freshman of the Year and selected to be 2nd Team All American already. He has already won the big one at college level, and it would be a natural step for him to declare for the next UOSLR draft. If he decides to stay at college, he may be able to hone his game further, but will surely continue to dominate the competition easily. He may be looking for a new challenge. If he declares for the draft now, I’d say he’d have a 20ppg Rookie Season if he’s the #1 option on his team. No reason to see why he shouldn’t be, as he’s certainly a franchise player. I could see him being one of the league’s best scorer at his peak, and could break the 30ppg mark. He needs to work on his D to become an elite player in UOSLR, and although he can shoot the three, may struggle to ever be a top class 3 point shooter. He’ll do most of his offensive work with his great midrange game.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- A- C+ B+ B C
UOSLR Comparison: Vince Carter mixed in with a little Shareef Abdur Rahim and Larry Johnson
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Chris Bosh dominated in high school, leading Licoln High to a flawless 40-0 record and a USA Today National Championship. He isn’t as dominant at college but he is still developing and scouts love his upside. He has a traditional big man skillset in that he can score inside, defend and rebound, but at the moment is quite raw. He is also quite weak, and at 6’10’’ needs to add a lot more bulk to his 210lb frame in order to make a successful transition in UOSLR. He is competent at most aspects of the game, and will be a double double threat in UOSLR every night. He will need to work on his shotblocking if he is to become an elite big man in this league, but he seems to ooze potential and with the right training sessions should be effective both on D and on offense. He has a decent midrange game for a big man though, and may even see some time at SF if he develops better handling too. Should challenge for a top 3 selection though, even if he declares for the next draft. It may help his stock if he went back to college though and gained some more weight so he can stand up to the pounding that many UOSLR bigs will use in the paint. In his prime, I’d expect him to be able to bring around 22ppg with 12rpg and maybe a couple of blocks if lucky. The sky’s the limit though, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see even better numbers than that.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C+ C A- A- C
UOSLR Comparison: Kevin Garnett without the top tier defensive game, but numbers similar to Luc Longley
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Devin Harris’ Sophomore season at Wisconsin has proved to scouts that he is a very talented guard who utilises his quickness to explode to the rim, splitting defenses and also able to hit jumpers. Although he is not a top class distributor, he can handle the point with few troubles. Maybe he has more of a 2 guard’s game, but will probably be a little undersized to play the 2 at the pro level. Nonetheless, there is no doubting his ability and his potential. He is constantly improving and is a very complete guard. I’d expect him to go in the top 5 for sure, even if all these names declared in the same year, but if they don’t (which is likely) then he’ll certainly challenge for top 3. Bottom line though, this combo guard is lightening quick. With a few kind TC’s he could turn out to be a top 5 guard in UOSLR and put up numbers around the 25ppg mark along with 8apg and 2spg. He’ll need to work on his rebounding though, if he wants to become a top class superstar.
Potential Peak Ratings: B+ B+ B+ A- C C
UOSLR Comparison: A slightly less explosive Harold Miner going to the rim, with the speed and on-court fight of Allen Iverson
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High School Player of the Year, Dwight is a game changer at both ends of the floor. En route to the state title this year, he averaged 25ppg, 18rpg, 8bpg with 3.5apg. Despite being perfectly capable on offense, it is his defense and rebounding ability that is so widely coveted by UOSLR GM’s. And although still raw, he should still be able to come into the pros without going to college and average a double double with a couple of blocks to boot. His potential is excellent, and athletic ability for a big man is superb. Already very tall, but also has a huge vertical that will see him possibly competing in the odd dunk contest or two too. Other than that though, he is a traditional big man, who can score, rebound and block shots well, but is a very poor shooter without much of a passing game. I think he will challenge for the top pick, and in his prime could very realistically reach numbers the likes of 23ppg, 14rpg, 4bpg. I’d say UOSLR GM’s would want to work on his offense, because that’s where he is most raw, but even if he never becomes a 20ppg player, his defensive and rebounding abilities will make him a highly prized asset for any team, and he will probably lead the league in rebounds one day, maybe even blocks too. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to go to college though, and hone his offensive game a bit more. Regardless, as I have already said, he’s likely to challenge for the top pick whenever he declares.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C D A+ A+ C
UOSLR Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo/Alonzo Mourning… much better offensive game than Deke, but not quite as good an offensive game as Zo.
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J-Smoove does two things extremely well – dunk and block shots. Coming out of high school may be a bad idea though, as there are holes in the rest of his game. He hasn’t got the best jumper you’ve ever seen, and is an average passer at best. He can rebound well for a small forward though, and has a sort of athletic big-man’s game, and could probably play either forward position. He is likely to be among the league leaders in blocks one day, and will also probably enter the odd Dunk Contest or two. He’s not exactly a franchise player though, and would be most effectively used as a sidekick to an offensive machine. I love small forwards who can block though, and if his potential holds true, could develop the other aspects of his game and become a true superstar. I’d expect him to be able to average around 18ppg at his peak, which is solid, but nothing special, and maybe have career highs of around 9rpg and 4bpg to boot. He could be a magical player if his offensive game develops beyond just the dunking ability he unquestionably has though. Should battle for a top 5 spot, but if all the players on this list declare, he could drop as far as 7 or 8.
Potential Peak Ratings: A C C A B+ C
UOSLR Comparison: Lionel Simmons with much much better shotblocking ability
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T.J. Ford has accomplished a lot at the College level as he was awarded the Naismith College Player of the Year award and was First Team All American. He is widely regarded as a premier point guard at this level, and is looking to make the move up to the pros. He is a very quick player, who has excellent court vision and the ability to make shots inside too. Scouts are hoping that his potential is high though, because he could become a very dangerous point guard in UOSLR if he improves as expected. The only issue surrounding his development is that he is diagnosed with spinal stenosis. This may hinder his development in the league, but if he is able to overcome this condition and still develop as we all hope, he could be a top tier PG in the league in his prime. With other bright young point guards in his generation though, such as Devin Harris, Shaun Livingston and Sebastien Telfair, he’ll have his work cut out for him, but if his potential is true, there is no reason why he won’t blow by all of them. I expect him to go in the 6-8 range in the draft if all these players declare, otherwise he may go in the top 5, or if a drafting team is desperate for a floor general, may even take him top 3. The only question surrounding him will be his potential… and potential injuries.
Potential Peak Ratings: B B A A- C C
UOSLR Comparison: Sam Cassell
Here’s an early look at who I believe are the top eight of the potential draftees coming into UOSLR, and what sort of impact they may make throughout their careers.
Al Jefferson PF 6'10'' 265 19 B- C- D C+ B+ A
[/u][/center]This man beast is averaging 43ppg, 18rpg and 7bpg for the Prentiss High School Bulldogs. With a scholarship to join the Arkansas Razorbacks though, it is questionable as to whether or not it would be the right decision to declare straight for the UOSLR Draft. He is dominating at high school level and it’s easy to see why. His strength and size make him a handful for any opposing bigs, and he plays well at both ends of the floor. He is still very raw though, and needs a little more work before he will be a similarly dominant force in the pros. If he polishes his game a little further in college first, he may be able to enter the league and be a really solid double double starter straight away and contribute heavily. Right now he is likely to be a back-up until his game improves but he certainly has the potential to make it at the next level. I wouldn’t say it was out of the question for Big Al to average 25ppg, 11rpg, 2bpg one day. He is likely to challenge for a top 5 selection, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him slip to around 7. If this happens, whoever picks him at 7 will have a steal in my opinion.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C D+ B+ A- C
UOSLR Comparison: Alejandro Camby
Andre Iguodala SG 6'6'' 205 20 B C C+ B+ C A
[/u][/center]Iggy is a multi-talented swingman who is developing well at the University of Arizona and is the team’s MVP, leading all players in rebounds, assists and steals, earning All-Pac 10 Team selections and an Honorable Mention for being an All-American. He managed to get three triple doubles this season, which is a feat that only Jason Kidd has managed to do in Pac-10 history, proving he can do it all. He is very athletic and will probably enter a few dunk contests in his pro career, but he also stands out defensively. He is a capable passer of the ball and rebounds solidly well for a guard/forward too. Although he can get to the rim with ease, he lacks an effective outside shot to be the traditional swingman that is coveted by many UOSLR GM’s, so he will need to work on that aspect of his game in order to warrant a top 3 selection. He does have a lot of potential though, and with the right training may be able to iron out those kinks and tempt GM’s to take a punt on him. I wouldn’t expect him to fall out of the top 5 in whichever draft he declares in though, as he could be an important impact player at his peak.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C+ B- A C C
UOSLR Comparison: A cross between Dwyane Wade and Joel Montross…
Carmelo Anthony SF 6'8'' 220 20 B B C C+ B- A
[/u][/center]Melo will challenge for top pick, no question. He is a very talented scorer and a good rebounder for a small forward. Averaging 22.1ppg and 10.0rpg as a Freshman for Syracuse is impressive, and so is his team’s 30-5 record to go with a lovely NCAA title too. He has been described as the best player in college basketball by a mile, and won numerous awards including NCAA Freshman of the Year and selected to be 2nd Team All American already. He has already won the big one at college level, and it would be a natural step for him to declare for the next UOSLR draft. If he decides to stay at college, he may be able to hone his game further, but will surely continue to dominate the competition easily. He may be looking for a new challenge. If he declares for the draft now, I’d say he’d have a 20ppg Rookie Season if he’s the #1 option on his team. No reason to see why he shouldn’t be, as he’s certainly a franchise player. I could see him being one of the league’s best scorer at his peak, and could break the 30ppg mark. He needs to work on his D to become an elite player in UOSLR, and although he can shoot the three, may struggle to ever be a top class 3 point shooter. He’ll do most of his offensive work with his great midrange game.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- A- C+ B+ B C
UOSLR Comparison: Vince Carter mixed in with a little Shareef Abdur Rahim and Larry Johnson
Chris Bosh PF 6'10'' 210 20 B- C C- B- B- A
[/u][/center]Chris Bosh dominated in high school, leading Licoln High to a flawless 40-0 record and a USA Today National Championship. He isn’t as dominant at college but he is still developing and scouts love his upside. He has a traditional big man skillset in that he can score inside, defend and rebound, but at the moment is quite raw. He is also quite weak, and at 6’10’’ needs to add a lot more bulk to his 210lb frame in order to make a successful transition in UOSLR. He is competent at most aspects of the game, and will be a double double threat in UOSLR every night. He will need to work on his shotblocking if he is to become an elite big man in this league, but he seems to ooze potential and with the right training sessions should be effective both on D and on offense. He has a decent midrange game for a big man though, and may even see some time at SF if he develops better handling too. Should challenge for a top 3 selection though, even if he declares for the next draft. It may help his stock if he went back to college though and gained some more weight so he can stand up to the pounding that many UOSLR bigs will use in the paint. In his prime, I’d expect him to be able to bring around 22ppg with 12rpg and maybe a couple of blocks if lucky. The sky’s the limit though, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see even better numbers than that.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C+ C A- A- C
UOSLR Comparison: Kevin Garnett without the top tier defensive game, but numbers similar to Luc Longley
Devin Harris PG 6'3'' 185 21 B- B- B- B- C- A
[/u][/center]Devin Harris’ Sophomore season at Wisconsin has proved to scouts that he is a very talented guard who utilises his quickness to explode to the rim, splitting defenses and also able to hit jumpers. Although he is not a top class distributor, he can handle the point with few troubles. Maybe he has more of a 2 guard’s game, but will probably be a little undersized to play the 2 at the pro level. Nonetheless, there is no doubting his ability and his potential. He is constantly improving and is a very complete guard. I’d expect him to go in the top 5 for sure, even if all these names declared in the same year, but if they don’t (which is likely) then he’ll certainly challenge for top 3. Bottom line though, this combo guard is lightening quick. With a few kind TC’s he could turn out to be a top 5 guard in UOSLR and put up numbers around the 25ppg mark along with 8apg and 2spg. He’ll need to work on his rebounding though, if he wants to become a top class superstar.
Potential Peak Ratings: B+ B+ B+ A- C C
UOSLR Comparison: A slightly less explosive Harold Miner going to the rim, with the speed and on-court fight of Allen Iverson
Dwight Howard PF 6'11'' 240 18 B- C- D+ B- B+ A
[/u][/center]High School Player of the Year, Dwight is a game changer at both ends of the floor. En route to the state title this year, he averaged 25ppg, 18rpg, 8bpg with 3.5apg. Despite being perfectly capable on offense, it is his defense and rebounding ability that is so widely coveted by UOSLR GM’s. And although still raw, he should still be able to come into the pros without going to college and average a double double with a couple of blocks to boot. His potential is excellent, and athletic ability for a big man is superb. Already very tall, but also has a huge vertical that will see him possibly competing in the odd dunk contest or two too. Other than that though, he is a traditional big man, who can score, rebound and block shots well, but is a very poor shooter without much of a passing game. I think he will challenge for the top pick, and in his prime could very realistically reach numbers the likes of 23ppg, 14rpg, 4bpg. I’d say UOSLR GM’s would want to work on his offense, because that’s where he is most raw, but even if he never becomes a 20ppg player, his defensive and rebounding abilities will make him a highly prized asset for any team, and he will probably lead the league in rebounds one day, maybe even blocks too. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to go to college though, and hone his offensive game a bit more. Regardless, as I have already said, he’s likely to challenge for the top pick whenever he declares.
Potential Peak Ratings: A- C D A+ A+ C
UOSLR Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo/Alonzo Mourning… much better offensive game than Deke, but not quite as good an offensive game as Zo.
Josh Smith SF 6'9'' 210 18 B- C C- B C+ A
[/u][/center]J-Smoove does two things extremely well – dunk and block shots. Coming out of high school may be a bad idea though, as there are holes in the rest of his game. He hasn’t got the best jumper you’ve ever seen, and is an average passer at best. He can rebound well for a small forward though, and has a sort of athletic big-man’s game, and could probably play either forward position. He is likely to be among the league leaders in blocks one day, and will also probably enter the odd Dunk Contest or two. He’s not exactly a franchise player though, and would be most effectively used as a sidekick to an offensive machine. I love small forwards who can block though, and if his potential holds true, could develop the other aspects of his game and become a true superstar. I’d expect him to be able to average around 18ppg at his peak, which is solid, but nothing special, and maybe have career highs of around 9rpg and 4bpg to boot. He could be a magical player if his offensive game develops beyond just the dunking ability he unquestionably has though. Should battle for a top 5 spot, but if all the players on this list declare, he could drop as far as 7 or 8.
Potential Peak Ratings: A C C A B+ C
UOSLR Comparison: Lionel Simmons with much much better shotblocking ability
T.J. Ford PG 6'0'' 165 21 B- C B- B- C- A
[/u][/center]T.J. Ford has accomplished a lot at the College level as he was awarded the Naismith College Player of the Year award and was First Team All American. He is widely regarded as a premier point guard at this level, and is looking to make the move up to the pros. He is a very quick player, who has excellent court vision and the ability to make shots inside too. Scouts are hoping that his potential is high though, because he could become a very dangerous point guard in UOSLR if he improves as expected. The only issue surrounding his development is that he is diagnosed with spinal stenosis. This may hinder his development in the league, but if he is able to overcome this condition and still develop as we all hope, he could be a top tier PG in the league in his prime. With other bright young point guards in his generation though, such as Devin Harris, Shaun Livingston and Sebastien Telfair, he’ll have his work cut out for him, but if his potential is true, there is no reason why he won’t blow by all of them. I expect him to go in the 6-8 range in the draft if all these players declare, otherwise he may go in the top 5, or if a drafting team is desperate for a floor general, may even take him top 3. The only question surrounding him will be his potential… and potential injuries.
Potential Peak Ratings: B B A A- C C
UOSLR Comparison: Sam Cassell
