Monday, July 16, 2012

USA West Prospect Report

Stevie Clark - Clark played a lot of minutes for the West team and I really don't understand why. He played 38 minutes in the overtime game against Lithuania while going 2-12 from the field and 1-7 from deep. The worst part is Clark is a pure shooter and doesnt offer much else. Dont get me wrong, I really like Clark's character. He has turned himself into the player he is today through countless hours in the gym and may be the biggest basketball fan on any USA team. But when he isn't on from the field, he isnt an effective player. Hes an undersized SG right now. I was standing right next to him and he was maybe an inch taller than me which would put him at 6'1''. Clark is definitely not a serious NBA prospect right now. I dont like to count anyone out in the future, but without being a point guard or having great athleticism or size, the shot is all he has to fall back on. And he is going to need more than that.

Justin Jackson - Jackson was another shooter who didnt get it going from beyond the arc on Saturday, a common theme for USA ballers. Jackson did look good out there though, with his sleek frame, long arms, and fluid athleticism. He didnt even have to shoot, you could assume by looking at him that he could light it up from deep. Jackson didnt get any 3-pt shots off this game, partly due to him playing PF most of the time. I overheard his coach telling Jackson to set picks for the ball handler to set up pick and pop opportunities, but when he got the ball, the defender took away the though and Jackson had enough faith in his driving game to take what they gave him. Thats a good sign - hes not strictly a shooter. He has good touch inside and can finish with his length. He isn't too creative or an explosive finisher, but he is plenty good enough to keep teams honest. Jackson does lack strength and it is a bit alarming that he had zero rebounds in 30+ minutes. That needs to improve and he isn't much of a playmaker. If/when he goes to the NBA though, he is mainly going to be asked to make shots. I think he can do that very well. He can probably enter the draft at any stage and go in the first round simply because of his length/size and shooting ability. He's a nice player who I wish I got to see when he was on from deep.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright - Didnt get to see much of the class of 2014 youngster. Perhaps the coach wanted to let his older players get most of the minutes. When he was in the game, he played off the ball. Not much else to report on him. Disappointing because I was really looking forward to see him run the point, but there is always next year for him.

Marcus Lee - Lee was very impressive. He was the tallest player for the West and probably the tallest on any USA roster. He played very smart and his offensive game is showing signs of life. I loved how he would get rebounds and keep the ball above his head. Not many bigs his age have the presence of mind to do that. Even a guy like Bobby Portis who I liked, would put the ball on the floor after a board. Lee understands his limitations and sticks to what he does best. Hes a smart, energy player right now but has a ton of upside. He also passed well. The seven block shots werent too shabby either, easily the most explosive big man in Alexandria. Lee is going to be very fun to watch in college and has lottery potential. He needs to put on weight badly and is a bit of an enigma, but I mean that in the best way possible.

Kennedy Meeks - The West played 5 guys over 30 minutes so it was tough to evaluate the rest of their team. Meeks only saw 11 minutes of action. He is a big dude, or kid might fit better. He looks young and super chunky. There have been lots of guys his size head to big schools though, that have gotten in shape so Im not too worried about that. He is a post player, offensive first guy, who can pass out of the post and score with solid moves. He struggled a bit passing the ball Saturday, but it was a real small sample size. If he were to able make the NBA, it wouldnt be in the next few years.

SinDarius Thornwell - Thornwell was a beast and one of the best players at the event. Id feel comfortable saying he had the best game out of anyone on Saturday. Thornwell was in straight attack mode, having no problem getting to the rim. He lived up to the scouting report I wrote in the preview, but I feel obligated to mention how strongly he crashed the boards. That was the most impressive thing to me. He grabbed 13 boards and his motor was always running. His toughness on the glass translates directly to his toughness finishing inside. He does both so well. There is no reason why he can't be a good NBA player when he decides to head to the draft.

Nigel Williams-Goss - I dont see what all the hype is about Williams-Goss. He isn't a true point guard, although he was more conscious at the position than some other guys at the event. He was inefficient, shooting 5-15, because he only has average athleticism and had trouble getting to the basket and finishing. An average point guard mixed with average athleticism isn't too intriguing when you are looking at him from a NBA prospective. He is also just an average shooter and not a spectacular ball handler. His size and consistency looks to be the two best things he has going for him. Williams-Goss should turn into a good college player, but his NBA future looks a little dim. Washington has been churning out guards lately, so lets give him some time to develop farther in colllege. He at least is a willing passer.

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