Jordan Theodore is heading to Turkey fresh off his senior year at Seton Hall, a school that saw him progressively get better, cultivating in him averaging 16.1 points and 6.6 assists in 2011-12. He played for a Seton Hall team that went through some tough times during his stint there - from the firing of controversial head coach Bobby Gonzalez to the dismissal of two of his teammates - but Theodore was a mature and steady presence throughout his entire career.
Theodore is someone you can rely upon to run your team and be a leader. He is a prototypical pass first point guard and understands that will be his role in the professional game. At Seton Hall, he showed the ability to run the pick and roll very well, creating plays for both him and his teammates. He has good quickness and flawless handle with either handle and is able to change up speeds, setting himself up for a solid mid-range jumper. During his senior year, he was 8th in the entire NCAA in assists.
Theodore didn't get many looks for the NBA, but he did attend the Portsmouth Invitational (a scouting event for college seniors) and the group workouts held at the New Jersey Nets' facility (he was a last second invite there). The reviews he received were fairly positive, but the bottom line is Theodore can blend in too much out there. He is too small and lacks great explosiveness, part of the reason his FG% is consistently low, while also lacking great range on his outside shot. He does have a decent 6'4'' wingspan and a mature, well developed body that has made him a solid rebounder and defender.
Overall, Theodore will make his teammates around him better and provide a calming presence among his team. He was never able to be a great winner in college, but he certainly has the qualities to lead a good team with quality players around him. His pick and roll game will excel in the Turkish Basketball League.
Being the fifth starter of a North Carolina lineup (after Strickland went down) that saw the other 4 members all get drafted in the first round, Bullock was a lot of the times the forgotten man, but he didn't seem to mind. He proved to be a good role player, complimenting star Harrison Barnes on the wing by providing defense and outside shooting. He beat out incoming McDonald's All-American PJ Hairston for the minutes not because he was a better scorer - he is not - but because of everything else he does.
Bullock's offense last year was very simple. 5 of his 7.6 shot attempts per game were 3-pt shots. It is safe to say that at least one other shot attempt a game came in transition thanks to Kendall Marshall and the Tar Heels uptempo offense. So that leaves Bullock with maybe one shot he created per game. And thats generous because Marshall could have created some of those looks too. Plus he averaged nearly 2 offensive rebounds per game so there was a chance for putbacks.
Oh look, its Reggie Bullock shooting a 3
This doesn't mean Bullock was completely worthless on offense. Not at all. Bullock isn't a good creator or ball handler, but he didn't have to be on this team so he focused on the little things. He would set screens, crash the boards, occupy the foul line area, and keep the floor spread with the threat of his jumper. Bullock struggles to string together multiple dribbles in line to the rim, but he had a tendency to take two dribbles and stop. This doesn't sound good, but he found a surprising amount of cutters doing this, showing off a nice passing ability. It seemed every time he did this he would set up a teammate with a nice feed. Now his assist numbers weren't impressive (only 2 per 40 minutes pace adjusted), but that isn't because he isn't a smart and good passer. Thats due to the fact that he struggles to create and he also rarely passes while dribbling. He always has to gather himself, partly because he can dribble with his head down. When he is looking up though, he does a great job of seeing the floor.
Bullock will never be a great dribbler, its too much to ask at this point, but he can become good enough to take advantage of his court vision and basketball IQ. Also, he showed a solid mid-range game and floater in high school and I would expect him to start showing these skills more next year. Last year he showed a very small sample of these moves, and also a pull up jumper that looked as efficient as his spot up jumper. He can go a few dribbles to his right and pull up without a problem, but don't expect him to go into isolation mode to create room for a shot.
This stuff isn't necessarily a death sentence in the NBA. Not everyone needs to be a shot creator. Bullock does create many second chance opportunities just by rebounding the ball and hustling for loose balls. He has already shown he knows how to be a secondary type player and he showed the willingness to do it. Bullock has good intangibles and solid character. He's a guy who likes to laugh and joke around, although he may innocently slip up from time to time like when he said Coach K looks like a rat.
Reggie fit in quite well with his teammates and enjoyed every minute of it
His shooting is something Bullock will have to continue to show consistency with. His freshman year, he shot under 30% from 3 and 13-23 from the line. However, nobody was surprised when Bullock shot 38% from 3 last year with more attempts, and upped his free throw shooting to 72%. Bullock is more of the 38% shooter for sure and he has deep range and nice form on his shot as well. His free throws are bad, but he hardly gets to the line to begin with. That could be why he has never been a good foul shooter as last year he went to the line 0.8 times per game! That was by far the worst mark among rotational wings in college basketball (20+ minutes a game). Even Deividas Dulkys more than doubled that rate.
His lack of ball handling skills really pigeon hole him into the small forward spot - he is not a shooting guard by any stretch of the imagination. On defense though, Bullock has been asked to guard virtually every position except center and has done so successfully. He has a nice frame and a 6'8.5'' wingspan, but his tenacity and effort is what really sets him apart. He pressures the ball and takes away 3-pt chances and has good, but not elite lateral quickness. Bullock isn't going to be a lockdown defender, but he is a very good defender in college basketball and that should carry over to the next level. He also rebounds the ball well and plays good help defense.
Overall, Bullock is what he is. I think a lot of people are expecting that Bullock will take a big leap this year and become more of a scorer. His points are obviously going to go up, but it will be PJ Hairston who becomes the go-to scorer on the wing - not Bullock. Hairston is a lot more of a natural shot creator while Bullock can help out, while still concentrating on doing the little things. If you have high expectations for Bullock this year, you may end up disappointed, resulting in you downing him as a prospect. But if you accept what he is and focus on what he does well, you will see why he can be a nice role player in the NBA. Bullock doesn't have star potential and may not even be a sure fire first rounder, but as a basketball player, he is someone that you wouldn't mind having in your rotation.
Leslie had a rough freshman year and it showed in his body language
It seems like we have been waiting forever for CJ Leslie to turn into the dominating force he has the potential to be, but in reality, he is just coming off of his sophomore season. And if you look at the numbers during the final stretch, Leslie might have quietly already become the polarizing star we hoped for.
First off, Leslie isn't even a year removed from his "old self". The player who would sulk during practices, play selfish basketball, give up and down effort, and distance himself from those around him. The guy who didn't show up to his very first class of college. The CJ who Mark Gottfried aimed to change. He sought out to improve his body language, engage him in the game, and hold him accountable for his level of play.
Leslie was a different player at the second half of last year, helping lead the Pack to the NCAA tournament
Gottfried has been able to turn Leslie around, but it hasn't been an overnight process. You can tell Leslie is a lot more comfortable now at NC State, which is the reason he cites in coming back for his junior year. He likes where he is at now. He calls North Carolina State his "comfort zone". But what happens when he has to go to the next level? If he gets a coach he doesn't like? If things aren't going good for him? It is hard to say that he wouldn't revert back to the old CJ Leslie. In the NBA, he is going to be expected to practice hard, play games with energy, and be consistent for 82 games. Nobody will be holding his hand. Its a concern that NBA personnel will have to pry at during the interview process and this upcoming season.
At the end of last season though, everything was going good for NC State and himself. This year you can expect the same with a team that is one of the favorites to win the ACC. This year won't answer some of the questions about his ability to handle adversity and play hard at all times.
The way he performed at the end of last year though, averaging 18.3 points and 9 rebounds per game, showed what his potential is all about. CJ Leslie may be the best athlete in college basketball. He's a ridiculous leaper, very long and rangy, and has great coordination for a man his size.
His game thrives in transition. He runs the court very well for easy baskets and can also handle it coast to coast himself. He patterns his game after Kevin Garnett and offensively, there are a lot of similarities.
His form certainly needs some refining, but notice the KG-esque lean
He also operates in the halfcourt like his idol. He likes to get the ball around the foul line extended area and face up like a guard. He can go in isolation mode from this area, using risky crossovers in crowded areas to create room, in effort to get to the hoop or shoot a jumper. In this respect, CJ Leslie makes things too difficult for himself as the added flare is not necessary. Leslie is such a special athlete that his first step and explosiveness is enough to get by college power forwards. There is no need to overdribble. He also makes his shots more difficult. He has plenty of size and lift on his jumper that he can get if off over anyone, yet he chooses to crossover defenders and shoot off balance fadeaways way too much. He takes too many long 2-pters in general, but getting rid of the habit to fadeaway like KG does, should make him more efficient.
Efficiency is one area that Leslie can struggle from. He doesn't have the best shot selection or a power post game inside. His only post moves rely on his quickness. He shot 43% from the field his freshman year but did a great job getting above 50% last season (one thing he did was cut out nearly 2/3rds of his 3-pt attempts from the year before). And in his last 11 games, he was even better. Still, when projecting him to the NBA, he needs a more defined offensive skillset. He can't rely on long jumpers and pure athleticism around the rim completely. It has been shown time and time again to be a death sentence for athletic power forwards. Also, his turnovers have not improved at all. Leslie tries to make too many plays and can be wild with his dribble. Finding a in-between game would be a great help. Right now he has the long jumper and the drive to the hoop. A little one handed floater or hook shot would make him very tough to defend.
Leslie getting low and exercising his tremendous first step
For a big man, Leslie is very slithery. He can turn corners and drive by defenders while slipping through small cracks in the defense. He does a good job of using his body and absorbing contact as well. He shows excellent body control at the rim, much more control than he shows on drives, and gets a lot of "and-1" opportunities. His athleticism is obvious a big key in his ability to finish, but he doesn't strictly rely on that.
His footwork leaves a lot to be desired and he travels way too much, but he does have one reliable basic move in the post. He likes to get deep position and quickly turn the corner over his left shoulder and finish with a reverse lay-up. Its simple, yet very effective. Farther away from the hoop near the baseline Leslie can start facing up and then use a pump fake or spin move to get close to the hoop with his back towards the basket. From there, he is pretty much money.
In his sophomore season, Gottfried gave Leslie a lot more freedom than he had in Lowe's offense. Leslie wasn't just a transition and putback guy anymore, he was able to create his own offense and he responded positively. Gottfried and Leslie are developing a good relationship. You could see Leslie get more and more confident in his skills as the season went on, ultimately having the mindset that nobody could stop him. And for the most part, that was true. In those last 11 games, he scored 14 or more points 10 times.
His offensive game needs a lot of refining, toning down, reshaping, and improvement but he has the tools to work with. He can develop a more consistent jumper. He can add some counter moves and more strength to his post game. He can pick his spots better. He can do all of this stuff, but its going to take a lot of work and a good coach. Leslie will never be the smartest player on offense, but he can eventually be good scorer and show decent efficiency.
Defensively, he needs similar work. He puts himself in bad position to defend the post by gambling for steals on entry passes. He trusts his ability to get a steal more than his ability to get a stop defending man to man in the post. He also stands too upright, shows wavering effort, and poor fundamentals. With more consistent effort, Leslie can be a solid defender. He definitely can make big time plays out that end - thanks to block shots, steals, and the ability to come up with the ball and start the break himself. He's a playmaker on the defense end more than he is a reliable man to man defender.
Overall, Leslie possessing insane physical gifts that give him the ability to dominate college competition even without a polished game. He has great lateral quickness, is a quick and explosive leaper, and runs the court as well as anyone. He is a good straight line driver even though his handles are shaky when trying to do anything more than that, which prohibits him from starting his drives out by the 3-pt line. His shot is still a work in progress, but his tendency to take terrible jumpers his freshman year was toned down to the point where he became more consistent and focused more on his post game.
Moving forward, you can expect Leslie to continue to "wow" you while leaving you wanting more. His character, playing style, effort level, and work ethic will all be obstacles in that could prevent him from going in the lottery. This season Leslie's goals should be to play with 100% effort on defense, cut down his turnovers, and expand his post game. That will be his best shot in getting him to the lottery.
Height: 6'0''
Wingspan: 6'3''
Weight: 178lbs
Bday: 2/17/91
Team: Missouri
Class of 2014
A young Pressey rocking a different looking. Truly defining how to "get low"
Coming into his sophomore season at Missouri, Pressey had full control of the point guard position and his game in almost every statistical category. His shooting from all areas of the floor improved, his assists and rebounds went up, he cut down the turnovers and fouls, and nearly doubled his attempts at the free throw line. Most importantly, Pressey was the leader for one of the best teams in a country and a team that was known for unselfishness and excellent chemistry. Pressey had great teammates around him, but he embodied all positive characteristics and did a great job making plays for the other three guards on the court.
Let's ignore Pressey's size at first and examine his college game. Right now, he may be the most talented returning college basketball player and he's still only going to be a junior. It is high praise, but very much earned. Pressey played entire games last year where he was virtually perfect. He defended the entire court, made terrific passes, hit his jumpers, and controlled the tempo. Lots of times it seemed like he could do whatever he wanted out there.
His unselfish play and understanding of the pick and roll offense are two things that bode well for him when projecting his NBA future. Pressey always looks pass first. He can dominate a game without taking a shot and will if you let him. He takes advantage of Mizzou's uptempo offense for assists, but also know how to operate in the halfcourt. In the pick and roll offense, he is deadly. He is so small that he is able to split defenders and he changes speeds perfectly. He can move around into the lane at half speed, just because of the threat of his blow-by potential. He has a good feel for where defenders are playing him and uses his small frame as well as he can when he has a defender on his back after driving off a pick. When he is doing his damage in the lane, he is almost always under control. The only issue with Pressey in the pick and roll is his own ability to finish.
Pressey displaying a NBA "arm bar"
Pressey shot just under 43% from the floor last year, which was actually up from his freshman number of 38.7%. While Pressey has a smooth stroke in the mid-range area, his 2-pt percentage is hurt by his play amongst bigs. Pressey takes a lot of difficult shots inside thanks to his shortcomings in the height department. Instead of using a classic floater, Pressey ends up in tough spots where he is 10 feet away from the hoop and trying to push the ball to the rim with a defender on his inside. He is a crafty guy and a great athlete, but he isn't very explosive. Not in a Nate Robinson kind of way where you are going to see him dunking. He's more along the lines of a DJ Augustin type athlete. He's going to have to bulk up quite a bit so he can deal with contact and develop a more reliable floater. I know the floater should be no problem for a guy with his touch, he just needs to do a better job of positioning himself inside.
In transition, Pressey normally has no problem finishing. When he gets rolling to the basket, he is way too quick for defenders to be able to set their feet and draw a charge or block his shot without fouling. Most of his free throw attempts come off these situations. Pressey's passing is also a big factor here as he is one of the best at delivering good passes to his teammates on the run. Pressey is great in transition and has had plenty of practice in these situations at Missouri.
Shooting wise, I think he is better than the numbers say he was. He has deep range and is able to pull up from anywhere on the court. He can shoot off the dribble and create enough space to shoot the ball. He reminds me a bit of Isaiah Thomas from Washington with the way he can size up his defenders from the top of the key or shoot off the pick and roll. Pressey was shooting 28% from 3-pt range last year on February 15th, but finished the season on a 22-40 hot streak where he displayed complete confidence in his shot.
Another thing to note is Pressey's crossover which is absolutely ridiculous. Its a video game crossover that can take him 5 feet in any direction in a heartbeat. Overall, he does a great job changing directions and he completely dices up defenses. As I said before, Pressey looks unstoppable a lot of times in the college game. In terms of everything he can control, not much more can be asked of him.
Before we touch on his defense, we have to acknowledge his size now. Pressey was measured at 6 ft tall in shoes with just a 6'3'' wingspan at the 2012 Deron Williams Skills Camp. The year before, he was under 6 feet with just a 6'1 wingspan. The numbers can vary a bit. Either way he is really undersized, but a 6'1 wingspan is particularly troublesome. Trey Burke is around the same height as Pressey, but Burke has a better frame and a few extra inches on his wingspan. That is the reason why Burke is considered a better prospect.
Nobody can say Pressey doesn't lay it all on the line. There are countless hustle pics off Pressey on Google Images
In terms of lateral quickness, Pressey has it and he's very agile to boot. Defensively, he really turned it up at the end of the year and played good defense against the likes of Pierre Jackson, Myck Kabongo, and Tyshawn Taylor. He has great closing speed, defends out to halfcourt, and does a good job closing passing lanes and getting steals. Pressey isn't a gambler perse, but can bait the opposition into throwing passes. He does a great job chasing his man around screens and getting interceptions there. He can be bullied and shot over, but Pressey has plenty of heart and pride on defense. Too much to be a complete non-factor.
I doubted Isaiah Thomas last year who had similar measurables last year and he has since proven me wrong. I'm still not sure how good of a player Thomas really is as he put up those numbers of the Kings and I didn't get a chance to watch him much, but he definitely is an NBA player. And I can say with certainty that Pressey as a sophomore was a better played than Thomas was as a senior in college. Pressey has always been a natural point guard while Thomas was much more of a scoring guard until the second half of his senior year.
One thing Thomas did well that Pressey can mimic is the pick and roll game. Thomas had the deep jumper to keep defenses honest as well and similarly used screens to get into the lane. They both show a lot of heart, character, and love for the game. You can never count out players with the kind of work ethics they possess. One area where Thomas has the advantage is his build, where he is a bit stronger. Thomas was a better finisher at the rim because of that and slightly better explosiveness. Still, Thomas never ran the point like Pressey can.
Pressey is the kind of player a general manager or coach can fall in love with. A guy who can make a coach feel that despite his size, he can be their point guard and allow the coach to have complete faith in his decision making. He will have detractors that say he isn't worth even a late first round pick, but there will be a at least a few that will look for him in the first round. I'll admit, I could probably be swooned over by Pressey in interviews and group scrimmages. He's been said to be the best point guard at all the camps he's played in, but still doesn't get as much attention due to his size. With a potential player of the year campaign on the horizon, the topic of his size will continue to be the biggest component that needs to be figured out in his transition to the NBA. He has everything else working for him.
After being named a McDonald's All-American, Ray McCallum decided to go the mid-major route in order to play for his father, who bears his same name. Playing at a smaller school has failed to give McCallum the kind of exposure to generate tons of hype, but make no mistake about it, McCallum has done a great job in his time for the Detroit Titans. He is coming off a first team All-Conference season where he finished strong to earn conference tournament MVP while leading his team to the NCAA tournament. This year, he should be the favorite to take home Horizon League Player of the Year honors.
While only completing two years so far, McCallum appears to have already mastered the college game. No he isn't dominating, but he generally has complete control of the game and handles his job of point guard in a professional matter. He is a vocal leader for the Titans as well as leading by example, exuding tremendous effort on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.
Offensively, McCallum has a good feel for the game and executes a lot of his offense out of the pick and roll. The majority of his team's possessions are ran out of this set which is good practice for a point guard who is looking to make the jump to the NBA. In pick and rolls, McCallum is very effective driving to the hoop - to either side - and shows off a nice crossover and steady ball handling skills. While not a terrific athlete, McCallum is quick and able to break down defenders and is surprisingly strong around the rim. He does a good job of changing speeds, splitting defenders, and has a sneaky quick burst. Once he gets going, he can weave through the lane. His craftiness between the 3-pt arc and the lane isn't amongst the elite, but it is a good compliment to his first step and finishing ability. He is an explosive leaper with a good frame to handle contact. While he has a short wingspan (6'3''), he does a great job of finishing plays in a number of different ways. In this matter, his game is very advanced. He shows off the Euro step, pump fakes, up and unders, scoop lay-ups....you name it, McCallum has incorporated it into his game. He has the looks of a guy who will be able to score in the lane in the NBA, despite his short limbs.
One thing that is admirable about McCallum is that he doesn't get a lot of easy baskets. He earns his baskets in the halfcourt setting by getting to the hoop. He doesn't score much of threes and from the games I saw, his team didn't run as much as the year before (I could be wrong about that, but regardless, McCallum is one of the better halfcourt point guards Ive evaluated).
As a point guard, McCallum has the leadership ability down pact. He is also unselfish, although he does have to do more creating at the mid-major level. At the Adidas Nations though, he reportedly played very unselfishly which is no surprise. His dad was a big time scorer, but his son has more qualities of a son of a coach rather than a son of an elite scorer. When McCallum has the ball in his hands, there is a sense of calm. He is a good ball handler and runs the team like its his own. He takes good care of the ball, and did an even better job of that in his sophomore year despite increased work load. He also shown noticeable improvement in other areas of his game such as shooting and halfcourt offense which is a good sign of a strong work ethic.
As a passer, McCallum has a high basketball IQ and understanding of the game, but has some work to do. He isn't a special creator at this point, but there is no question that he is a point guard. At this level, McCallum's passing may suffer due to the fact that his teammates can't handle some of his bullet passes. Its up to a point guard to put his teammates in positions where they know they can make a play though, but I do expect McCallum to look like a better passer at the next level.
McCallum is a streaky shooter who uses too much wrist action on his jumper. He made the same amount of threes per game as his freshman year, but shot more than one more per game, bringing his 3-pt average down to 24% his sophomore season. His game doesn't revolve around his shot at all though, and I believe he can get away with just being an average shooter. The good news is his free throw percentage went up to 76%, which is important considering his game is based on penetration. He shows flashes of a mid-range jumper and can make some unorthodox shots as well, which is a good sign. Once inside the 3-pt lines, McCallum is a gamer who has a good understanding of finding a way to get a quality shot off.
Defensively, McCallum is terrific at the college level. He plays with great intensity, pressures the ball, and makes sure everyone else is playing up to par as well. He shows solid awareness and does a good job on the glass. His length is below average, but he has good lateral quickness and gets a decent amount of steals for a player who stays at home on defense. He is also able to be physical and definitely knows the importance of defense. His dad has to be proud of the way his son plays. He is well-coached.
McCallum's physical profile has drawn some concerns, mainly to his already mentioned 6'3'' wingspan. Looking at DraftExpress's measurement history tool, guys who have similar measurements (height, weight, wingspan) to McCallum are players like Will Conroy, Jordan Taylor, Scott Machado, and Jeremy Lin. With McCallum's good lateral quickness, leaping ability, and good frame I don't think this will be a huge factor. He definitely would be a better prospect with a 6'9'' wingspan, but its not a deal breaker. He has better physical attributes than all the players listed above and also still has room to grow strength wise which I think he will. Ultimately, I think McCallum can be one of the more physically tough point guards in the NBA.
Anyway, there are successful point guards who had similar measurements but lacked a solid frame (McCallum weighed in at 190lb this summer at the Deron Williams camp, up 3 pounds from last year). Jordan Farmar, Darren Collison, Luke Ridnour, and Jameer Nelson all boast less then attractive physical specs.
In terms of draft stock, McCallum falls into a group of 4-5 point guards who could go anywhere from mid-first to the second round. I think he looks like a solid first rounder right now and should end of declaring. He doesn't have much more to gain from college as he already plays with the maturity of a senior and a new voice other than his father could further progress his game. Its been a special time for father and son at Detroit, but McCallum is ready to be pushed into a more uncomfortable atmosphere and take on his next challenge.
Isaiah Canaan has been busy all summer, going from skill camp to skill camp and ending his summer tour at the Adidas Nations. While he received some negative reviews from scouts, just the fact that Canaan is in the position he is should be considered a Cinderella story.
Canaan dealth with hurricane Katrina first hand and ended up lightly recruited, choosing to head north and play for OVC member Murray State. At under 6 feet tall and not exceptionally athletic, Canaan is the type of player who can easily slip through the cracks of the big time schools. Falling to Murray State has turned out to be much more of a blessing than a curse for Canaan however.
For one, Canaan has been able to put the Racers on the map. They were already a competitive school, but with Canaan at the helm they have become a force to be reckon with - outlasting the entire NCAA in consecutive wins to start the season. Canaan's ultra-competitiveness, heart, and determination to prove everyone wrong has been the driving force behind the Racer's success.
Canaan is a point guard, but mainly in terms of bringing the ball up. When the ball is in hands though, make no mistake that he is looking to score. Canaan is an attacker. The defense always has to be aware of him as he can pull up from anywhere on the court or barrel his way into the lane.
The biggest and most translatable attribute of his game is definitely his shooting. He has a super quick shot and more than half of his shot attempts were from behind the arc. His range is unlimited and he is comfortable with shooting off the dribble or in spot up situations.
He does very well in pick and roll situations, something that he will also have a chance to do in the NBA. His confidence and aggressiveness forces you to be ready for a 3-pt attempt around picks, but Canaan also drives to the rim without hesitation. He is very good with both hands and has a good crossover to boot. His strong frame allows him to get into the lane and handle contact, although he still struggles finishing amongst the bigs.
His struggle to finish is a major concern that goes back to his small vertical stature. At only 6 feet and lacking vertical explosion, Canaan needs to find ways to aid his scoring around the rim. Right now he just isn't shifty or crafty enough. He takes too much contact since he can't move his body well enough and sees his shot blocked too many times.
While Canaan thrives in the pick and roll game, it is strictly due to his scoring prowess. The combination of his shooting, driving, and confidence is lethal at this level, but he rarely creates for teammates out of the set. Canaan has acknowledged this summer that he needs to do a better job changing speeds, as he was told by Deron Williams and Chris Paul, and that is certainly part of the problem. More so, though, is his mentality. Canaan has been a scorer all his life and has never been a pass first guy. Even at the Adidas Nations, where he was surrounded by talent, Canaan looked awful in the role of playmaker. He had 3 assists to 19 turnovers and from what I heard, the numbers didn't lie.
Having one of the worst camps out of all college players have put a damper on his first round buzz. It is looking more and more like Canaan is an undersized scorer who will have a real big jump to make if he wants to play point guard. There could be a role for a terrific shooter like Canaan who fights and plays with great confidence. Shooting is valued and when guys like Andrew Goudelock can make it, Canaan can as well.
Athletically, we know he is short. What he does offer is great strength - he has big calves and a strong upper body. He also has a decent wingspan that does help compensate for his height a bit. In terms of speed and quickness, Canaan is nothing special, but with his good ball handling skills, he is able to make quick and speedy moves. His crossover helps him change directions very quick and he doesn't get out of control as much as you would except. Canaan is an average leaper and his lateral quickness is average as well. Defensively, I do think he plays with good intensity and awareness. He can be a best when he wants to, but the lateral quickness does limit his effectiveness. He hasn't faced many big named point guards in college and the fact that he has struggled against good summer competition (many younger than him) is worrisome.
One more thing I should mention is his mid-range game, which has shown signs of being good. His pure scoring instincts are present here, but the lack of changing speeds presents him from consistently getting good looks from this range. At this point, Canaan really doesn't need a great mid-range game, but it will be important in the NBA.
Canaan can find a spot in the NBA. This summer has hurt him, but watching tape, I saw one of the best shooters in the country and a guy with a chip on his shoulder. He is a competitor, a winner, and someone who will continue to work hard for your team. He doesn't possess much upside, even if he miraculously gained point guard skills (which would put him in the Jameer Nelson range), but he could be a nice combination of an Andrew Goudelock and Charles Jenkins. Thats a high second round pick type, not a first rounder.
I wanted to give a scouting report of Covington and the best way to truly access his game in my opinion is to compare him against Granger, who reminds me a ton of Covington. Using DraftExpress's college scouting report of Granger, I'll breakdown how they are similar and also the differences that could prevent Covington from achieving the same success.
"Granger has a prototypical body for an NBA small forward. He has good size and strength at 6-8, 225 pounds, a solid wingspan and very solid athletic ability. He is smart and smooth, but very physical, and has fantastic footwork to go along with an excellent (and very quick) vertical leap."
Robert Covington came out of high school at a paltry 190 pounds but has gained 30 pounds in the last three season, bringing him up to 225 pounds. His frame doesn't look much different than Granger's. Both of them are built really solid and by the time Covington is drafted, he should have no problem being near Granger's combine weight. Covington is also listed at 6'9'', slightly taller than Granger and possesses a nice wingspan. I'd consider both to be similar athletes - very solid and smooth yet not freakish. But their combination of size, athleticism, and coordination make them a rare catch.
Granger might have been more physical, as he was more of a post player in his first few seasons before transferring to New Mexico State, but Covington is no softy. He never hesitates to put a body on someone. Definitely no concern there at small forward - he is above average if anything. He also has good footwork from the perimeter, threatening the offense with multiple potential moves with the ball. Again, his footwork doesn't touch Granger's in the post as Covington doesn't operate from the post much, but thats not completely relevant when discussing small forwards.
Covington is a quick leaper as well and he averaged 1.7 blocks per 40 minutes (pace adjusted as always) to prove it. In Granger's junior season, he had 1.8 rejections per game.
"What makes Granger an especially intriguing player for playoff teams who are picking in the 2nd half of the 1st round (15-30) is the fact that he is so versatile. He can score from anywhere on the floor, create his own shot, defend, rebound, block shots, come up with steals, and pass very well."
I could have very easily wrote that last quote word for word while switching Granger for Covington. Versatility is the name of both of their games. The are stat sheet stuffers - guys who can average 2 steals and blocks a game while getting rebounds and covering both perimeter and post players. Covington has no problem getting his shot up anywhere on the court, possessing a good crossover and the balance to rise and shoot off the dribble. He is a very smooth shooter who can hit the mid-range jumper and come off screens to hit 3s. He also can drive and finish at the hoop.
"Granger is a team player, he's extremely competitive and unselfish and only cares about one thing, and that's winning games. He had numerous opportunities to pad his stats and show off for the many NBA scouts who have made the trip to Albuquerque this year, but has shown absolutely no interest in doing so. He has a good court demeanor and plays the game calm, but very confident. In terms of character everyone agrees that Granger is the type of player and person an NBA team can feel comfortable investing money in. He's very smart on and off the court. Granger does not take many bad shots, which is especially impressive if you consider that his team usually needs him to score in bundles to win. Most star players who play for smaller schools don't shoot a great percentage from the field, but Granger is sitting at a very solid 53% on the year."
Covington has been able to lead Tennessee State to their first winning season since 1995-96 and their first 20 win season in 20 years. If it wasn't for Murray State's big season, they would have been dancing in March. Covington has been a big part in turning around an abysmal program. He has definitely proven he is a winner. In terms of unselfishness, that fits Covington as well. In fact, it would be nice if he was more aggressive. He doesn't force anything or show off to scouts either. In the three games against Murray State, which were the most attended by NBA personnel, Covington shot above 50% in each of them. He always takes good shots and plays with a similar demeanor as Granger. As a fellow star player at a small school, Covington joins Granger on the rare list of players that shoot a good percentage from the field - shooting 53% as well. How about that?
"He is a very good passer with nice court vision and a knack for putting the ball exactly where his teammates like it, especially when it comes to feeding the post. He prefers to make the simple pass, but can also throw up good lob passes for the alleyoop dunk. At times he can be a little too unselfish even, making the extra pass when his team would clearly benefit from him trying to use his skills to take over the game. This is a borderline strength/weakness on the NBA level, though, especially considering what his role on the floor will be."
Here I would say there is a bit of a discrepancy. Covington's passing isn't anything Id write home about. He's a solid passer, but from what Ive seen, not to the extend that DraftExpress described Granger. His unselfishness can be a positive in the same way Granger's is in the NBA, though. Makes him a good complimentary wing.
"Defensively, his team plays a lot of zone, but he shows excellent potential in this area in the rare opportunity he gets to guard the other team's star player. New Mexico wisely saves his energy for the offensive end where they need him more, and therefore can not afford to get in foul trouble either. When he does get to play the type of tough man to man defense he seems to enjoy, though, he really shines. His combination of strength, length, athletic ability, intensity, determination and excellent footwork give him the potential to be a very good defender on the NBA level once he is fully unleashed. These same skills along with his good hands and the ability to elevate quickly off the floor also make him a very good rebounder as well, pulling down nine rebounds or more 17 times so far this season. He is also a terrific shotblocker on the college level thanks to his wingspan and excellent leaping ability, but also has very nice timing to really intimidate and alter shots at the rim. He rotates well and possesses a solid understanding of where to place himself in a zone defense, while also showing good leadership skills in directing his teammates on this side of the floor. He anticipates well and knows how to get in the passing lanes, coming up with many steals and igniting the fast break."
Covington faces the same problem of playing a lot of zone, but at times in big games, such as against Murray State, he was the guy they trusted to cover Isaiah Canaan. He definitely has a good feel on the defensive end and makes a lot of plays happen and his versatility is never a negative. He's a great college defender who should be a fine perimeter defender in the NBA. While Granger was raved about in this section defensively, he never became an elite defender so I would say they are in the same wavelength here. Granger's physical tools are slightly better, but its pretty close across the board.
"Offensively, he has a wide variety of skills he can use to score, although none of them can be considered too polished right now. He likes to use his strength and footwork to back his man down towards the basket, finishing in a variety of ways (spin moves, around the hoop thanks to his wingspan. He can put the ball on the floor and take the ball strong to the basket, finishing with contact if necessary. His range has improved dramatically over the years, a testament to his work ethic, going from hitting 9 threes in his first two seasons at a 24% clip to shooting 44% from behind the arc on over three attempts per game. He has very good mechanics and a high release on his jump shot. He is also pretty solid from the line at 74% and possesses a decent mid-range game."
This is where Covington's more perimeter oriented play in college helps him out. While Granger had the advantage in the post, Covington has had more time to adjust to playing small forward. There has never been a question about Covington's shot, as he is an excellent shooter, especially with his feet set. He is very smooth running around screens and has a quick trigger. Granger's high release is true for Covington as well. For Granger, he quickly turned into this kind of player when he went to the NBA, so while Covington seemingly had the edge in college, I think he'd be happy being able to do the things Granger can do shooting wise in the NBA. And with his range and ability to get his shot off, he should have no problem being a threat from deep. From the free throw line, Covington was slightly better but failed to get to the line as much.
In terms of taking the ball to the hoop, Covington has shown that ability consistently although there are some questions. He is comfortable with taking the ball to the rim, but lacks the ball handling abilities to fully take advantage of it. Right now, he has the confidence and picks his spots well, but improvement is a must. With his size and mid-range game it doesn't need to be great, he just gets the ball stripped to much at this point. He also needs to work on keeping the ball higher and more protected when driving. His left hand isn't far behind his right hand though, as he had no reservations driving either direction.
Granger's two main weaknesses revolved around his inexperience on the perimeter -
Most of Granger's weaknesses stem from the fact that he was played in the post for most of his collegiate career. His main one is his ball-handling, which will need serious work for him to become a shot-creating threat in the NBA. His left hand is particularly weak, as most everything of what he does off the dribble tends to be with his right. This hurts his slashing ability, as his first step isn't lightning quick as it is.
Granger's perimeter shooting has always been a big concern, but he has worked extremely hard to improve his range and become more consistent in this area. He didn't take a large amount of 3 pointers this year (averaging about 1.5 makes per game) so he will likely have to show that his jump shot is solid in workouts, especially when it comes to shooting off the dribble."
We've touched on these subjects already, but Covington's first step isn't great either. Both did cover some ground on their steps though and could bait the defender with jab steps and the threat of the jumper. Covington may actually have had a better left hand than Granger at this point in time.
Granger became the shooting type and thats where I expect Covington to follow in Granger's footsteps. They took slightly different paths in college as Granger was forced into the post more, but I believe their skillsets ultimately could wind up the same. As you can see in the two pictures, both have a little lean on their jumpers that make it impossible to contest. Being able to get your shot off whenever while being a very high percentage shooter is a recipe for success. Especially when you can fill the stat sheet in other categories as well and play unselfish basketball.
Two small school guys, both wearing number 33, and both were heavily slept on following their junior seasons. I am a firm believer that Covington could surge into the first round like Granger and become a top 20 pick. Becoming an all-star player is a bigger limb to walk out on, but if Covington has a Granger-esque work ethic it is plausible. Either way, Covington is way underrated right now. He is possibly the best senior in the nation.
