2013 Shooting Guard Prospects By The Numbers + Rankings

% of Shots at the Rim

BJ Young - 46%

Archie Goodwin - 45%

Jamaal Franklin - 29%

Michael Snaer - 25%

Reggie Bullock - 23%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 21%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 21%

Allen Crabbe - 19%

Tony Snell - 18%

Brandon Paul - 18%

FG% at the Rim

Tim Hardaway Jr - 71%

Allen Crabbe - 71%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 70%

BJ Young - 69%

Reggie Bullock - 68%

Archie Goodwin - 65%

Brandon Paul - 64%

Michael Snaer - 62%

Jamaal Franklin - 61%

Tony Snell - 53%

% Assisted at the Rim

Reggie Bullock - 56%

Jamaal Franklin - 54%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 48%

Allen Crabbe - 45%

Tony Snell - 43%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 39%

BJ Young - 35%

Archie Goodwin - 29%

Michael Snaer - 28%

Brandon Paul - 24%

Analysis: These numbers are very disappointing for a guy like Tony Snell. Even though he will be asked to be a 3 and D guy at the next level, his strength and toughness is a concern. His play at the rim isn't encouraging in that regard. His biggest competition as a 3 and D guy, Reggie Bullock, posted respectable numbers here even though he may be the worse of the bunch in terms of driving all the way to the rim.

For the non-shooters of the group - Archie Goodwin and BJ Young - they both were unsurprisingly at the top of the first category. Their games right now revolve around getting to the rim and they have a great natural ability at doing it. They both create a lot of their shots at the rim and finish at a very solid rate when you factor in how much of these drives they are creating through traffic. Game film backs up their ability to get to the rim and I believe they might be the two best natural slashers in the draft. The rest of their game is what holds them back right now.

Michael Snaer's numbers look similar to Jamaal Franklin's, although Franklin has a lot more of his buckets at the rim assisted. Snaer's splits look more like a slasher than a shooter, even though he is a solid jump shooter. It shows how much of a role change Snaer was forced to play this season. He was asked to be a creator and slasher with the ball in his hands and that dropped his overall FG%. He continues to be one of the most underrated players in this draft and I don't believe there is a great gap between him and Franklin. As of now, it looks like Franklin will cost you a first round pick while Snaer may slip to the end of the second round.

For an athletic guy, Brandon Paul didn't get to the rim much nor did he end up on the receiving end of a lot of assists. He's a guy who needs to ball in his hands to be effective and likes to settle for jumpshots. For a streaky shooter who shot less than 33% from 3-pt range these last 2 years, thats not very good.

Hardaway Jr, Crabbe, and Caldwell-Pope all did fairly well in this area which holds true to the belief that they are currently the three most well rounded SGs in the group.

% of Shots 2-pt Jumpers

Allen Crabbe - 43%

Archie Goodwin - 37%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 36%

Jamaal Franklin - 35%

Tony Snell - 34%

Michael Snaer - 31%

Brandon Paul - 30%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 26%

BJ Young - 25%

Reggie Bullock - 20%

FG% on 2-pt Jumpers

Allen Crabbe - 45%

Tony Snell - 43%

Reggie Bullock - 38%

Brandon Paul - 38%

Jamaal Franklin - 37%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 36%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 35%

Michael Snaer - 31%

Archie Goodwin - 27%

BJ Young - 25%

% of Assisted 2-pt Jumpers

Tony Snell - 52%

Reggie Bullock - 46%

Allen Crabbe - 44%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 41%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 28%

Jamaal Franklin - 26%

Archie Goodwin - 20%

BJ Young - 20%

Michael Snaer - 6%

Brandon Paul - 6%

Once again, Archie Goodwin and BJ Young are on a different playing field than the rest. They are both just so raw as shooters and decision makers that even with all their talent, they will need a few years in the D-League before contributing. While they both have intriguing potential, its real hard to justify considering picking them in the first round. The second round, where there is no risk, is perfectly fair game to take them over other prospects however.

The biggest standout in this area is Allen Crabbe, who I believe is the best overall player in this bunch. Not only does he shoot the highest percentage of his shots from the mid-range area, he also makes the highest percentage. In the NBA, that will only be magnified more.

Brandon Paul and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are both guys that did OK in this category, but their mid-range game is comprised of a lot of long 2-pt pull up jumpshots. There isn't a whole lot of savvyness to their play inside the arc.

Hardaway Jr and Franklin both take a good amount of their shots in the mid-range area and they create a lot of them as well. These two guys play like veterans inside the arc and have a knack for throwing opponents off balance. Franklin scores by getting to the line, while Hardaway has more of a finesse game working to his advantage.

Snell and Bullock had the highest percentage of their jumpers assisted, which goes right along with the kind of players they are. Don't look for them to create many of their own shots, although Snell has more potential in this area.

Snaer's mid-range game has always been poor, which is surprising given his skills and feel for the game. The fact that a player who generally should be an off guard only had 6% of his mid-range shots assisted, though again speaks for how tough of a role he was put in this year.

% of Shots 3-pters

Reggie Bullock - 58%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 52%

Brandon Paul - 52%

Tony Snell - 48%

Michael Snaer - 45%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 43%

Allen Crabbe - 38%

Jamaal Franklin - 37%

BJ Young - 28%

Archie Goodwin - 18%

3-pt FG%

Reggie Bullock - 43%

Tony Snell - 39%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 38%

Michael Snaer - 38%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 37%

Allen Crabbe - 34%

Brandon Paul - 33%

Archie Goodwin - 27%

Jamaal Franklin - 26%

BJ Young - 24%

% of Assisted 3-pters

Reggie Bullock - 94%

Tim Hardaway Jr - 90%

Allen Crabbe - 88%

Tony Snell - 85%

BJ Young - 76%

Archie Goodwin - 71%

Michael Snaer - 67%

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 61%

Jamaal Franklin - 57%

Brandon Paul - 57%

By now I dont think I need to point out the differences between Goodwin/Young and the rest of the group, but at least Goodwin kept his 3-pt shots to a minimum. Young, however, took way too many threes.

You can say the same thing for Franklin, who took about the same percentage of 3s are Allen Crabbe. Thats just a lot of bad shots by Franklin and its not like he was the only offensive option on his team. His team was able to create good looks when they got into their offense.

You especially don't want to see Franklin creating so many of those shots - his amount of assisted jumpers tied Paul for the lowest. One thing you can notice is that Paul, Franklin, and Snaer all shot worse from three this year than in previous seasons. That appears to be because they took a lot of low percentage shots. I think all three are better shooters than their numbers this year show.

Caldwell-Pope had to create a lot of his jumpers as well, but it was in a little different way. KCP came off screens a lot and took one or two dribbles which took away assists, but it still doesn't show that he is able to create his own 3-pt shot. For the difficulty level and the amount of shots he took however, he did shoot a very respectable percentage.

Bullock and Snell both did a lot of what they will be doing in the pros in college. They shot a lot from deep, hit a lot, and didn't create much. They are spot up shooters and seem to be pretty good in that role.

Its amazing how much better Hardaway Jr has gotten throughout his career as a spot up shooter. He's even gotten better throughout the season as he shot 40% in conference play (last year in Big Ten play he shot 26%).

Crabbe only ranks as a middle of the road scorer, but its impressive how much his game has involved. Last year 51% of his shots were from beyond the arc. This season its at a modest 38%. Im not worried about his shooting at all - he always been a shooter and seemed to just suffer from fatigue at the end of the year. Im actually more encouraged by his numbers because he showed the ability to adapt and has developed a complete offensive repertoire now.

SG Rankings

1. Ben McLemore (top 5)

2. Victor Oladipo (top 10)

3. Allen Crabbe (late lottery to mid first)

4. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (mid to late first)

5. Reggie Bullock (late first)

6. Jamaal Franklin (late first to early second)

7. Tim Hardaway (late first to early second)

8. Tony Snell (late first to early second)

9. Michael Snaer (early to mid second)

10. Brandon Paul (mid to late second)

The first 5 in my rankings are pretty firmly set in that order. Im not a huge fan of KCP, but he has too much potential to put him below the rest of the players who project as role players. Of the role guys, Bullock is my favorite and I believe he would be perfect on a playoff team picking towards the end of the first round.

The guys ranked 6-8 are all fairly equal in my book and I could flop opinions on them depending on the day. But they are all different kind of players and it really just depends on the system fit. 

I left out Archie Goodwin, BJ Young, and Ricky Ledo from my list for a reason. They are so far away from contributing, I'm not sure if any of them are worth a first round pick. They will all likely be at the end of their first contract before they actually start seeing some of their potential. Its also hard to rank these guys with the rest because they are kind of on a different playing field. If they first 5 guys are off the board and we are in the second round, I think they are all fair game to be picked above the guys 6-8 on the list. They are a big risk, but in the second round, there really isn't much downside. As for which of the three I would prefer to role the dice on - Archie Goodwin would be my target. Ledo may have the most potential, but he's a huge unknown.

Five Biggest Myths of the 2013 NBA Draft

Statement #1: Otto Porter only just started shooting well this year.

A lot of people think Otto Porter's shooting is a fluke because only shot 22% from 3-pt range his freshman season. While that is reasonable, people are missing how great Porter was shooting mid-range jumpers his first season. Porter didn't play AAU and the 3-pt ball wasn't stressed to him as much as most kids. Instead, shooting mechanics were a priority and his are very consistent. According to hoop-math.com, Porter shot an outstanding 51% on 2-pt jumpers last season. This season he worked to extend his range back a few feet which resulted him him taking twice as many threes while making 42.2% of them. Porter will have to adjust even farther to the NBA line, but make no mistake that he can shoot the ball. His situation from year one to two is a lot like a young power hitter who didn't hit a lot of homers his first season, but had a lot of doubles. You know the power is there, it was just shown in a different way.

Statement #2: Cody Zeller will be a major reliability on defense

News flash: Today's NBA is different from the NBA from a decade or two ago. Being a big, strong post defender isn't priority number one for your defensive bigs. NBA bigs mobility and basketball IQ are tested more than ever now and Zeller measures strongly in both facets of the game. Zeller was very good defending in space at Indiana and did a great job hedging on screens. He beats players to spots on the floor to pick up charges, doesn't foul a lot, and has a good motor. While he isn't a big shot blocking deterrent at the rim, he will be great guarding finesse bigs and power forwards. He's not a center and should be paired with a defender who can compliment him with shotblocking ability.

Statement #3: Anthony Bennett has a polished offensive game

This is also false. Anthony Bennett has all the tools to have a very diverse and polished offensive game, but he didn't show it in college. His play in the halfcourt mainly consistent of him drifting around the perimeter and hitting jump shots - which he is very good at. Bennett showed glimpses of his offensive gifts in transition by taking the ball the length of the court, but he was much less aggressive in the halfcourt. Bennett didn't score often from the post nor did he ever show the ability to take defenders off the perimeter. Both of these things that Bennett has the tools to do, but he still has to show it on the court. His offensive game has a lot of potential, but let's not anoint him great at anything yet.

Statement #4: CJ McCollum is the next Damian Lillard

The success of Damian Lillard and the timely rise to stardom of Steph Curry has created a perfect storm for CJ McCollum. While I have always had him in the top ten, he doesn't have the same potential as either of the aforementioned players. However, the success of both players will have a positive effect on his draft stock and it should. You can't ignore how well the last two high scoring lottery picks from small schools has fared and McCollum has a pretty high floor. He's a cerebral kid on and off the court and can flat out score the ball. He's a very hard worker and seems destined to carve out a scoring role off the bench at the very least.

Statement #5: Jamaal Franklin has the potential to be an All-Star

The role that Jamaal Franklin will play at the next level seems to be far from a consensus. People see athleticism and creativeness on offense and automatically relate it to a high upside. Truth is, Franklin is a streaky shooter who possesses average ball handling ability and decision making. That severely limits his upside on offense. He's not a guy you want making plays for you in the NBA. However, Franklin is a tough player who gets after it on defense with great instincts. A coach will need to be able to tone down his offensive game, but if Franklin is willing, he can become a good NBA defender. He'll be able to spark the offensive at times too, but that won't be his game. Franklin's character has both been questioned and praised by onlookers, but it sounds like he's just a guy whose competitiveness has been directed the wrong way at times. Early word out of workouts is that Franklin has been a big time positive presence cheering on fellow prospects. Thats a great sign.

Defense is the Best Recipe for NBA Rookies

As a rookie, defense is the key to getting on the court. This holds even more true for second rounders as their offensive talent usually isn't good enough to offset anything lacking on the other end of the court. If you are looking for second rounders to in their rookie season, the best option year in and year out has been to go with the best defenders and rebounders. Kawhi Leonard and Kenneth Faried were two of the bigger surprises of last year's rookie crop and earned their minutes with their toughness, motor, and ability to do the little things. Both players played key minutes on playoff teams even though they were selected outside of the lottery.

The 2012 Draft featured some excellent defensive players at the top of the draft - Anthony Davis, Andre Drummond, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - and all 3 of them are logging big minutes already for their current clubs. Davis and Drummond find themselves in the thick of the rookie of the year race, right behind Portland' Damian Lillard.

Its important to note some of the lesser touted rookies getting minutes this year - Kyle Singler, Jae Crowder, Jeff Taylor, and Festus Ezeli join Drummond, Davis, and MGK in the top 20 in minutes played amongst rookies. Festus Ezeli was the highest draft pick of the group, going to the Warriors with the last pick of the first round. All of these guys entered the NBA with experience, a defensive background, a reputation for improving, and a high motor.

Bernard James has earned his way into the Mavericks rotation and is averaging 16 minutes per game this month. John Henson has shown glimpses for the Bucks this year in a deep frontcourt and was a big key in their rotation in January. Dion Waiters sports the second high Drtg among rookies and receives starter minutes in the process.

The only guy with a better Drtg than Waiters among rookies is DeQuan Jones - a complete afterthought in the draft and proof that defense is the best way to earn a spot in the league. Even Tyler Zeller, Waiter's teammate, has earned minutes because of his defense.

Only 4 top 20 picks have averaged less than 12 minutes per game this season - Kendall Marshall, Terrence Jones, Evan Fournier, Jeremy Lamb, and Royce White. All had questions about their defense and/or energy coming into the draft. Marshall only has average athleticism and struggles to stay in front of his man. Terrence Jones is a tweener who struggled to grasp the concept of team defense at Kentucky. Fournier is offensive minded. Jeremy Lamb faced questions of complacency and whether he was intense enough. Royce White's defense has always been the biggest question mark with his game.

So what guys in this year's draft can you expect to see playing regular minutes from the start? And what top guys may need more time?

Among lottery picks, there are quite a few that are still learning how to defense - most notably some of the big men. The importance of defense for a big is even greater than a perimeter player so thats why guys like Alex Len, Anthony Bennett, Isaiah Austin, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kelly Olynyk may struggle to get regular playing time right off the bat.

Some of the freshman perimeter players will also struggle as they will be asked for the first time in their careers to defend without any mental lapses. The NBA constantly runs defenders through screens and asks that you defend tough and with energy. You have to be willing and able to chase your man. For guys like Alex Poythress, Archie Goodwin, Shabazz Muhammad, and Glenn Robinson III this could prevent these potential top 20 selections from getting as many minutes as their talent suggests they should. They have the physical tools - but heart, toughness, and motor are the keys to defending in the NBA.

Not all freshman are created equal though - Marcus Smart is one freshman who can come in and defend right away. Smart can be a leader on defense vocally. He already treats defense with importance and has a strong NBA ready frame as well. Smart's versatility will also be helpful - a key in a league that revolves around creating mismatches. Smart can guard both guard positions and his strength will even allow him to at least put up a fight against some forwards. Above anything, Smart has that heart, toughness, and motor that others lack. His only weakness may be him trying to be too perfect which results in him getting shook out of his shoes an odd amount of times for such a strong defender. Smart's lateral quickness isn't great either, but he has tremendous anticipation skills.

Two other top 10 wings will be able to jump in and play 20+ minutes right way for whatever team that drafts them. Otto Porter is one. He has the versatility that is ever so important and also the smarts. Helpside defense is huge in the NBA where one guy is never enough to contain the opponent's top players. Having a cohesive 5 man group on defense that understands where they need to be at all times on the court is huge and Porter won't miss a beat in that regard. He isn't especially quick laterally, but his anticipation skills and length make him more of a valuable team defender than lockdown guy.

Speaking of lockdown guys, the other wing that will warrant major minutes from the get-go is Victor Oladipo. Oladipo has the biggest motor in this draft and outstanding physical tools to go with it. He's a guy that can shutdown an opponent's best player and would relish the opportunity to do so. Oladipo is an extremely hard worker and nobody would ever question his heart or toughness. His understanding of the game has come a long way since his high school days at Dematha - as he would admit himself.

In terms of big men, Nerlens Noel is obviously going to be the biggest difference maker. But a guy like Cody Zeller will prove invaluable to teams. Zeller won't make many plays seemingly - but he will stop many positive plays from happening for the other team. He has a great understanding of team defense and moves his feet really well. Zeller is listed as a center, but he may be best off playing the power forward position role in the NBA where his ability to defend away from the basket will be best utilized. When people think of him as a center, they automatically assume he's a bad defender because of his T-rex arms and lack of explosive leaping ability. If you ask him to play the role of power forward though, his strengths will be maximized as opposed to his weaknesses.

Besides the big men already mentioned, Mason Plumlee is generally thought of as the next best one. I would disagree, but he shouldn't have a hard time finding minutes as a fourth big in his rookie season. Hailing from Duke, he already has been well-coached of the nuances of defending. I don't think he has a great defensive upside though as I see him as a bit of a tweener. Plumlee doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend PFs while at the same time, isn't an imposing shot blocking threat that centers are expected to be nowadays. He would have better lateral quickness than an average center or better shotblocking skills than your average power forward, but as he is in between those positions, it is kind of a moot point.

I actually like both Gorgui Dieng and Jeff Withey more in terms of defensive potential. Withey is obviously intriguing because of how well he blocks shots and even more miraculously - doesnt foul. The transition as a NBA defender won't be as seamless as some would assume though for the Kansas big. Withey relies too much on his shot blocking abilities in college and hasn't shown enough strength in the post or hedging ability on screens. NBA defensive specialists all usually exhibit a certain kind of toughness and edge to them that Jeff Withey just hasn't shown up to this point. Withey has more of the laidback west coast personality to him and that should be of concern to scouts.

Dieng though, has anchored Louisville's top defense under the tutelage of Rick Pitino. He has great length and mobility and has been a vocal leader on that end of the court. Dieng, in my opinion, will be more ready than both Plumlee and Withey in terms of defense his rookie year.

Now for guys that may not be household names yet, but could be key rotational players for your favorite NBA team at this time next year. These guys won't be top 20 picks, but they could very well be playing more of a role than your team's first selection in the draft.

Jamaal Franklin - When you talk about toughness and heart, Jamaal Franklin definitely fits the description. And he also has that certain edge to him where he welcomes the challenge of shutting down an opponent. Franklin earned his stripes last year defending power forwards inside and learned to be the best rebounding guard in the nation. He does a good job fighting through screens and actively thinking of the best way to navigate through traffic in the paint. Franklin's natural instincts are also top notch and his footwork on defense looks like that of a cornerback. Franklin plays very much like a football player and actually wanted to go to Florida to play college football.

Michael Snaer - Snaer is the next plus defender coming out of Florida State, already well-schooled on the nuances of defense. Following in the footsteps of Chris Singleton, Bernard James, Toney Douglas, and Al Thornton these guys all were playing sooner than later. In fact, Douglas, Singleton, and Thornton all received over 19 minutes a game their rookie years before seeing their playing time taper off in subsequent years. If that doesn't tell you about the importance of defense for rookies as well as the job Hamilton does coaching them up, then nothing will. Anyway, Snaer has good physical tools and plays smart. He can defend both guard positions, rebounds well, and is a leader.

Richard Howell - Nothing says toughness like Richard Howell. On a team filled with talented players, Howell  may be one of the least talented but also the most productive. He is a force on the glass and a bull defending the post. There are tough power forwards taken in the second round year after year that end up being steals and Richard Howell fits that mold this season.

Patric Young - Young has been touted as a lottery to mid-first round pick in each of his first two years at Florida in large part due to his physique. Young still has that same strong build in his junior year, but his offensive game has yet to show progress. That has caused his stock to drop into the second round territory where he could now be a steal. If nothing else, Young can give a team 10-15 minutes of strong defense. He has strong hands, moves his feet well, and picks up a fair amount of steals for a center. He will be able to guard a variety of big men and can make an impact within his first year.

Reggie Bullock - The ultimate role player, Bullock thrived his sophomore season at UNC as a gritty glue guy. He hustled to gain UNC extra possessions, crashed the glass, and often guarded the opposing team's best player. Bullock played with fire and did a good job keeping players in front of him and contesting shots with his length. Bullock may not be a lockdown guy at the next level, but he should be what we'd call a "plus"
defender where he will offer more than an average NBA defender.

Trevor Mbakwe - Mbakwe is very old for his class, much like Bernard James last year, and because of that will be expected to earn his draft selection right away. Not to worry, Mbakwe won't need any time in the summer to get his body beefened up for the NBA. Mbakwe already has a very strong base and rebounds well. He is gaining his explosiveness back from ACL surgery in 2012 and is starting to look like his former self. Mbakwe offers more to the table with his rebounding than his defense, but his toughness will be welcomed in both areas.

Rodney Williams - Rodney Williams may be too far behind offensively to contribute right away in the NBA, but there is no doubt he has all the defensive tools to eventually carve out a role. Williams is an outstanding athlete with the ability to leap out of the gym and has shown off his leaping ability more often this year. His motor has ran low at times in the past, but ever since he was moved to the power forward slot late last season, he has made a bigger impact. Williams still has room to learn in terms of defensive rotations and his motor still runs cold at times. In a weak small forward class though, he offers some hope for a team in need of an athletic forward.

Cory Jefferson - Jefferson is another power type who has constantly played for energy even while playing for a underperforming Baylor team. He came onto the scene this year after playing behind the likes of Perry Jones, Quincy Acy, and Quincy Miller last year and showed that he wasn't just sitting in idle during his time on the bench. He has a great motor and is a great run and jump athlete as well. Jefferson is comfortable guarding away from the basket and showcases his physical tools on every possession. He is a strong shotblocker at the rim and has done a nice job in the weight room to improve his body.

Which Shooting Guard Will Rise to the Top of The Pack?

There are quite a few upperclassmen shooting guards in this years draft class, mostly juniors, who could look to declare for the draft. The deciding factor may be whether they get a first round guarantee or not and as of now - it seems they all have some hope to cling onto. There is room for at least another shooting guard prospect to rise up the board and into the mid to late first round area. Right now, Jamaal Franklin appears to be the favorite but these 5 other players could all very likely declare for the draft and challenge for supremacy.

(Numbers in parenthesis are where each player is ranked on DraftExpress.com and Chad Ford's Big Board)

JR Tim Hardaway Jr (DX: 62, CF: 59)

What He Does Best?

Among the group, Hardaway Jr is the best at putting the ball on the floor and making plays in the paint. He is best with the ball in his hands and the freedom to create. Hardaway Jr is very creative getting his shots off inside the arc, can hang in the air, and has nice touch at the rim. His crossover is not as good as his dad's, but is another strength of his game, and he is able to get shots off after creating space with the move. Playing for one of the best teams in the country won't hurt his stock.

What He Needs to Improve?

Hardaway Jr is one of the more ball dominant players of this group and makes his biggest impact with the ball in his hands. He goes one on one too often, dribbles the ball way too much, and has been an inconsistent spot up shooter. And for all his dribbling, an average of only 4 free throws per 40 minutes and the lowest assist percentage in this group, doesn't look good. Up until this year, he looked like a streaky spot up shooter at best, but he is shooting over 40% from 3 this year. His 73% FT shooting suggest that this may be a fluke and there is little doubt that he is one of the worst spot up shooters in this group. Hardaway Jr also needs to make a bigger impact off the ball and on the defensive end.

JR Allen Crabbe (DX:48, CF:38)

What He Does Best?

Crabbe does an excellent job moving without the ball, seemingly gliding to his spots and working hard throughout the entire game. He has a knack for getting open even though Cal's offense revolves around him and Justin Cobbs as much as any offense revolves around two players. Crabbe does most of his work before he gets the ball in his hands and doesn't just move around screens to set up outside shots - he is equally as good finding seams in the painted area for easy floaters. Because of this, Crabbe has improved his 2-pt% this year and is one of the most efficient scorers of this group despite a "down year" shooting the ball. In the past two years, he has shot just at 40% from deep and over 80% at the line. He's proven himself as a consistent and pure shooter throughout his 3 years in Berkeley.

What He Needs To Improve?

As mentioned, Crabbe does much of his work before he gets the ball so he doesn't flash the same kind of ability to create shots that a guy like Tim Hardaway Jr does. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing since he moves so well without the ball and the NBA needs more guys like that. Crabbe also isn't very explosive getting to the rim and struggles to get all the way to the cup - although he shoots 76% at the rim - better than any other wing in this study. Crabbe is a solid defender and rebounds well, but doesn't project as anything special on defense.

JR CJ Wilcox (DX: 49, CF: 41)

What He Does Best?

Wilcox has been a shooter from the moment he stepped on campus and is the only guy in this group who has shot over 40% from 3 in each of his years in college. Wilcox started off as a spot up shooter - playing off the likes of Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten, and Isaiah Thomas - so he is very use to the role that will be asked of him in the NBA. He also has great length for a wing (with a 6-8 wingspan) and is the best shotblocker among these 6 prospects.  Through hardwork, Wilcox has transformed his game into more than just a shooter and is now able to function as the focal point of the Huskies offense - taking 29.5% of their shots while on the floor.

What He Needs to Improve?

Only Reggie Bullock gets to the line less among this group. While he has stepped up his overall offensive game, Wilcox still projects as just a jump shooter at the next level. He gets to the rim less than any other player looked at, although his length allows him to finish well in limited opportunities. And in terms of operating off the basketball, he is nowhere near the level that Allen Crabbe is at. Wilcox usually coasts around screens with zero urgency to get open and has been held to under 15 points in each of his last 5 games. Currently his team  has lost 6 of their last 7 and he has failed to step up and stop the skid. A large part of this may be attributed to a stress fracture he suffered in early January. but it doesn't look like Wilcox will have another chance this year to show what he can do when completely healthy.

JR Jamaal Franklin (DX: 23, CF: 19)

What He Does Best?

The simple answer is rebounding. Franklin is by far the best rebounder of the group and has grown his craft by acting as San Diego State's power forward much of the time on defense. Franklin as a football background and it is evident in his toughness, competitiveness, and instincts. He is an explosive leaper and is the best shotblocker listed besides CJ Wilcox. Franklin treats defense as very important and takes on the challenge of covering the oppositions best player. On the offense end, Franklin is aggressive and thrives in transition. He is a explosive finisher and a good playmaker for his teammates. He does the best job at drawing fouls out of this group - showing an array of old man moves to get his defender off balance. Franklin's work ethic and coachability has often been praised by the coaching staff.

What He Needs to Improve?

Franklin is the least efficient player in this overview and the most turnover prove. He is an outlier in terms of shooting - as he shoots just 26% from behind the arc this season. Franklin's offense is more predicated around heart, assertiveness, and athleticism than any particular skills. He has a good crossover to get by defenders, but his overall handle is sloppy and out of control in the paint. His shooting is incredibly streaky. Franklin is a good passer, but has a poor A/TO ratio because he tries to do too much on the offensive side of things. He also has some character red flags in the past and needs to continue to keep his aggression channeled towards basketball.

JR Reggie Bullock (DX: 50, CF: 43)

What He Does Best?

Bullock has improved immensely as a shooter to become the most efficient scorer and highest percentage shooter amongst the group. He is shooting over 43% from the arc and nearly 90% from the free throw line. Bullock is the ultimate role player and gets his team extra possessions through his work on the offensive glass and diving for loose balls. He is the best offensive rebounder of the group by a fair margin. Bullock also is very intense of the defense end and has the potential to be a very good defender in the NBA with the ability to cover both wing positions. His assist to turnover ratio is double of any other player compared here.

What He Needs to Improve?

Part of the reason why Bullock has such a good assist to turnover ratio is he doesn't attempt to make many plays off the bounce. His scoring efforts come off offensive rebounds, transition opportunities, and jumpers. That is what makes him an ultimate glue guy, but at the same time very much limits him. This year, North Carolina has needed a guy to handle to scoring load and Bullock has been unable to deliver anything different than in prior years. He is what he is as an offensive player. Bullock's possession % ranks him last among the 6 player field. His free throw rate also puts him at the bottom of the list.

SO Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (DX: 38, CF: 36)

What He Does Best?

At only 20 years old, Caldwell-Pope is easily the youngest player that we are going to look at. His team has struggled mightily during his stay, although they've been starting to play better as the young guys mature. Caldwell-Pope is actually one of the more experienced guys on the team and has had a lot of pressure as basically their only scoring option. He is a dead-eye shooter who is always ready to get his shot off and has athleticism to go along with it. Caldwell-Pope has a good first step and can pull up off a couple of dribbles going in either direction. He is very good with this type of mid-range jumper and is a good finisher at the rim. In fact, his 2-pt% is the highest amongst all 6 players we looked at. It is fairly safe to say that Kentavious is the most talented offensive player in this group. On the defensive end, Caldwell-Pope generally shows a lot of energy in defending and going after rebounds.

What He Needs to Improve?

For Caldwell-Pope, a lot of it is between the ears. He makes a lot of "freshman mistakes" still and puts up contested jumpers early in the shot clock. On his current team, you can live with that though. More concerning is his defense. Not his effort, but his understanding of positions and help defense. Caldwell-Pope is the guy who face guards you in middle school and annoys you to know end. He can shut you out of the game, but be completely oblivious to what is going on around him. Because of his style, he is prone to losing his man on cuts to the rim and he gets ran through a lot of screens. He has trouble understanding the relation between the ball and his man - something that comes naturally to most players - but for him you can tell it is something that he is constantly trying to figure out where he should be.

Offensively, he has a poor handle and struggles to make moves with a defender nearby. He relies purely on his quick first step. He isn't able to attack pick and roll - resulting in many teams blitzing him. He gets himself stuck in double teams and isn't a very good passer. He is able to get to the rim on straight line drives due to his explosiveness, but lacks any creativity to his game. He also needs to learn how to play off the ball to take advantage of his gifts.

SR Michael Snaer (DX: 53, CF: 100)

What He Does Best?

Snaer came out of high school as an All-American and has now spent four years learning defense from Leonard Hamilton. Needless to say, Snaer is a great defender who has the physical attributes along with the proper schooling to be ready to contribute ready away at the next level. He is a leader on the floor and understands the game at an advanced level. Along with the defensive expectations, Snaer has also had a lot of responsibility on the offense end of the table, especially with Ian Miller battling injuries all season long. Still, Snaer is shooting nearly 40% from 3 and over 80% from the line - something he has done each of the past two season. Snaer also racks up more assists than anyone not named Jamaal Franklin as he is often asked to be the primary playmaker as well as scorer for his team. Snaer has been able to show an all-around offensive game. He's shown the shooting, playmaking, ball handling, and leadership that make him arguably the most well rounded player we've looked at. On top of that, Snaer may be the most clutch performer in college basketball with 3 buzzer beaters this season alone to his credit.

What He Needs to Improve?

Snaer's team is in a down year with quite a few key players leaving and his numbers have dipped quite a bit as well. He trails only Jamaal Franklin when it comes to TS% while also turning it over as much as any other player besides Franklin. The difference between him and Franklin's FG% is Snaer actually can shoot from deep - where he is struggling, oddly enough, is from the mid-range area. According to hoop-math.com, he has connected on just 22% of all 2-pt jumpers. Another thing to look at though, is just 8% of the jumpers have been assisted which speaks to how much he is expected to have the ball in his hands and make plays for himself. His 2-pt % on jumper is the worst it has been in his career. Leonard Hamilton is an expert on defense, but his offense has always lagged behind and you can chalk up many of Snaer's inefficiencies to lack of offensive structure. His high turnovers also are a result on him having to do entirely too much. Snaer isn't a guy you'd generally associate as an inefficient player - he is very smooth, smart, and makes good decision with the ball - but he's been asked to do way too much this year and point guard is not his natural position.

Conclusion:

If you were to ask me who'd I'd pick first out of this group, it would be either Michael Snaer or Allen Crabbe. Right now, it seems that Jamaal Franklin is currently the favorite to be selected in that mid-first round area all these players are vying for, but I don't see much upside to his game. Snaer is a better defender, shooter, ball handler, and has a better background with no character issues. Franklin is limited by his decision making, shooting, and ball handling on offense and while his athletic highlights give the notion that he has a high upside, it is tough to overcome his shortcomings.

In looking for a shooter, Crabbe presents the most intriguing combination of saavy without the ball to go along with his ability to shoot. He isn't the defender than Reggie Bullock is, but has much more potential as a scorer.

Tim Hardaway Jr does have some upside and it is hard to count him out, but Im not sure how his style will translate to wins. His shooting still seems like somewhat of a fluke and his defense doesn't effect games. He is a guy who needs the ball in his hands and while he can put up points in the NBA, will he contribute to winning?

As for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and CJ Wilcox, Caldwell-Pope still has a long way to go in terms of learning the game. As of now, his natural feel for the game isn't very promising when looking at his future. Returning to Georgia for another season will be his best bet unless he gets a first round promise. CJ Wilcox on the otherhand, is what he is at this point and doesn't present much intrigue. He can make it in the NBA as a shooter, but there are plenty of guys out there like him that all need to find the right opportunity to succeed.

My Rankings:

1. Allen Crabbe
2. Michael Snaer
3. Reggie Bullock
4. Jamaal Franklin
5. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
6. CJ Wilcox

Out of the Mix:

Early in the season, it looked like Sean Kilpatrick had a horse in this race but he's fallen off as the season goes on. His power dribbling style doesn't translate well to the NBA and his shot hasn't been as automatic as it appeared before. He's a junior with athletic limitations.

Diamond Head Classic Recap

Over the Christmas break, the college basketball schedule was carried by the 8 team field out in Hawaii. Arizona highlighted the field and ended up taking home the trophy, but not before the battled San Diego State in a heated championship match. The Miami Hurricanes also were in the field.

Jamaal Franklin - I zeroed in on Franklin on defense during the tournament and came away impressed. He brings great intensity to that end of the floor and takes on the challenge of locking down the oppositions best player. Franklin is a tough competitor with good anticipation skills. He is always thinking out there on defense and attempting to read what the offense is doing in order to get an edge. Since he was on the opposition's best player most of the time, he had to run through a lot of screens and he looked for the best routes to take around them. He can get caught up in screens as he isn't the biggest guy, but he does have good strength for his frame. He looks like a cornerback on defense the way he stays on his toes and he actually hoped to go to the University of Florida as a wide receiver. It is obvious he has a football background. One concern is he has probably already done plenty of weight training throughout his career  and still lacks a impressive frame. There may not be much room for him to grow physically.

Offensively, Franklin has an old man's game and uses ball fakes and hesitations to his advantage. He plays with the referees in mind, always trying to draw a foul. He can also take his man into the post, where he is solid as long as he remembers to keep his pivot foot in place. He's a streaky shooter with improving form, but is having a bad year from behind the arc. He forces up a lot of bad outside shots. Franklin also is able to get all the way to the rim with explosive dunks thanks to his quick first step and shiftiness. His ability to get to the basket comes at a cost though - Franklin will turn it over a lot as well. The turnovers comes from his high, long dribbles and his lack of control going to the rim. He seems to get called for at least one charge a game.

Franklin was a problem child growing up and has learned to channel that energy on the basketball court. He still shows maturity issues at times - he picked up a DUI and flipped off fans last year. After a freshman season stuck behind Kawhi Leonard, he actually considered leaving SDSU for the draft. Instead, he learned for Leonard's work ethic and has transformed himself into a tireless worker.

Solomon Hill - Hill took away MVP honors for the event, showing an impressive all around game. He really stepped up in Arizona's lone close game against San Diego State and scored 21 big points. Him and Franklin battled much of the game.

Solomon Hill's improvement has been impressive over his stay at Arizona. His ball handling is now an apparent strength and at times he looks like a point forward on the court. With Arizona's freshman bigs coming in, he's become a pure perimeter player. He can weave his way through defenders, but he is slow at changing directions and is best when he just puts his head down and gets to the rim. His versatility in the post and on the perimeter make him a matchup nightmare in college. His jumper is also solid but he doesn't rely on it.

For Arizona's freshman, none of them look ready for the NBA Draft. But I'd say they came to the right place in order to prep for it. Arizona's staff has helped guys like Hill, Derrick Williams, and Kevin Parrom make big jumps. These guys just haven't gotten better at what they do - they all added skills they didn't have before. Ashley, Jarrett, and Tarczewski all have NBA potential and should be able to maximize their draft stock as a Wildcat.

For Miami, they were disappointing simply because Reggie Johnson was unable to play and Durand Scott suffered an ankle injury early on against Arizona. It slowed him down noticeably in the final two games and caused him to shoot a poor percentage. Scott and Miami were in line for a potential statement week in Hawaii, but instead came away with more doubters and more excuses.

Legit excuses, but excuses nonetheless. Their short bench has proven to be a major factor already with their injuries. First against Florida Gulf Coast without Scott and now in Hawaii. They have looked great when everyone has been healthy, but when one guy goes down, they are prone to losing to anyone. There is no doubt in my mind this is a NCAA tournament team that could make a Sweet 16 run, but they need to get there first. The pressure is on them as ACC play starts.

Shabazz Muhammad vs Jamaal Franklin

In a battle against dynamic shooting guards, the elder Jamaal Franklin came out on top of the highly touted Shabazz Muhammad. Experience prevailed over youth in the game as well, as UCLA fell to San Diego State 78-69. UCLA hung with SDSU through the first half, but the Aztecs got hot from deep to bury UCLA in the second half. Franklin finished with 28 points and Shabazz had 16.

This was my second look at Franklin this year. The first time was on a boat against Syracuse's 2-3 zone which wasn't an ideal situation to scout him. Franklin struggled badly to get anything going in that game and had a lot of bad turnovers. Last night, Franklin had a much easier time against UCLA's version of the 2-3 zone, as one would expect.

Early on Franklin acted as a facilitator and did a nice job getting his teammates involved with some quality finds. His teammates didn't help him out much by converting (Franklin finished with only 3 assists), but his 1/2 A/TO ratio doesn't illustrate how he played. In fact, this was one of the best games I've seen Franklin play. He was under control for the most part and played with a lot of fire.

He got hot at the end of the 1st half from 3 and ended up looking for his own shot more in the second half. He chucked quite a few 3s in the final 20 minutes, but nothing out of his role. SDSU needs him to be an aggressive scorer. Franklin cooled off quickly from 3 though, and finished 3-10 from deep on the night.

The rest of Franklin's game consisted of him taking advantage of defenders closing out on him for the 3 and him driving past them. Franklin doesn't have the surest handles in traffic and turns it over a fair amount. He's a guy who could benefit from learning to slow his game down, but probably won't ever get there. He definitely has the capabilities to make spectacular plays throughout the game.

Franklin could be a good player at the next level if he isn't asked to do too much. He is a great athlete, can shoot the ball, create his shot a bit, and finish in transition. He also has good court vision but can be careless passing the ball.

He's a guy who could give a coach headaches, but from all reports, Coach Fisher loves coaching him and raves about his work ethic. His competitiveness and intensity was certainly on display last night and he took on the challenge of defending Shabazz Muhammad. Franklin is a guy who carries a chip on his shoulder and you could tell he wanted to prove that he is the better player.

For one night, he was.

Shabazz struggled for most of the game, despite finishing with 16 points. Jamaal Franklin has a problem with always driving left and its a similarity Shabazz shares as well. Shabazz has had to work very hard for his points this year. He's been forced to run the court in transition and try to muscle shots up in the post instead of creating his offense from the halfcourt on the perimeter.

Part of this is because he is rushing things. Another part is him trying to be too perfect. A bigger part may be that Shabazz just isn't that skilled. The only thing Shabazz has proven to do very well at this point is bully smaller guards.

When you have the athletic ability that Shabazz has, you can slow the game down and force players to play at your pace. You don't need to make hasty decisions as soon as the ball to catch the defense out of position. Shabazz needs to take his time more, measure the defense up in triple threat position, and plan how to attack. He should be able to drive by defenders in isolation sets. If he can't, then it is time to re-evaluate his pro potential.

We aren't at that point yet.

Shabazz looked very average through most of the game, but in the final couple of minutes he finally started to attack from the perimeter. He hit a jumper coming off a screen. He got all the way to the basket. He broke a defender down for a nice floater. That floater is something that he showed off multiple times in the game. He has good touch on it and gets it off quickly - almost flicking it at the basket.

Defensively, Shabazz is still struggling. He looks off balance in his defense stance and was beaten lateral on a few occasions.

Player to Monitor

There was a freshman point forward in this game who has potential to be a first rounder and his name isn't Kyle Anderson. While Anderson has looked like a 4 year player this whole season - looking even slower than advertised and not making enough plays to make up for it - Winston Shepard has looked like a solid prospect.

Shepard can cover multiple positions well (unlike Anderson who can't cover any) and really played great defense last night. He also got the offense into some sets and looked like a potential leader down the road. I like how he can get into the lane and maintain control. He can dribble it in the mid-range area where his height allows him to see over bigs to make easy passes to teammates or take a short jumper himself. Shepard needs his production to come along and he should be in school for at least another year or two, but in my opinion, he's a better prospect than Anderson.

CJ, Cuse Sail Past San Diego State

Carter-Williams has the floater down, rushes his moves, can get outta control. posted up. can get the floater whenever with his height advantage and quick first step

Fair playing SF - 3 jumpers, good body control, hands contact well

Franklin sloppy. really had a problem handling the ball and making good decisions under pressure. handling in traffic. he built hype over the summer with his play in summer leagues but we are seeing how he plays when actual defense is being played. this isnt playground but, this is shipyard ball. some good passes. weird situation as PF vs 2-3. overpenetrates

triche looking quicker, changing speeds, using body

A game on a naval ship finally came to completion yesterday, with Syracuse upending San Diego State 62-49. It never really was close, but San Diego State was at a disadvantage. They had to shoot into the sun in the first half and managed to only score 19 points without connecting on a three. Between the two teams they combined to shoot 2-22 from behind the arc. Syracuse was able to abandon the three ball, only taking four the entire game, but SDSU - facing the 2/3 zone didn't have the same luxury. The chucked 18 threes as its really the only hope to beat the Orange. By the time the second half rolled around, San Diego State was in panick mode and they were unable to put together a run. They lost by 13, but were done by more much of the second half.

One would say their loss may have been unFAIR, but I'd credit CJ FAIR for providing a scoring threat for the Orange from the get-go. Fair has made the transition to full time small forward this year and showed off an improved jumper - hitting 3 long jumpers, including Cuse's only 3 - in the first half. He finished with 17 points on 7-15 shooting. His ball handling skills are iffy although Fair possesses solid creativeness and body control in the lane. You can still tell he operated from inside the arc much of his career. His jumper is also slow. The biggest problem for Fair's draft stock is his ability to cover the perimeter. Many Cuse wings struggle with a transition to the NBA because of defense, and it will be even harder for Fair since he's already a tweener and lacks good lateral quickness. He's talented and has great physical attributes, but he has an uphill battle to climb with his draft stock.

The matchup to watch was at the guard positions between Michael Carter-Williams and Jamaal Franklin. They didn't battle head to head unfortunately, but they mirror each other in the way they play. Franklin came out of the gate rusty and committed three early turnovers. Things never got much better for him and he finished with 7 giveaways on the night. Franklin is a guy who plays power forward for San Diego State but is a shooting guard at the next level. Up against the 2-3, he was expected to be the facilitator in the middle. This didn't happen though, partly due to him and also because of their lack of shooting threats outside. Franklin was bothered all night by tight defense and couldn't control the ball in a crowd. He built hype over the summer with his highlights and domination in summer leagues - games that suit his style well. However when actual defense is being played, Franklin has questionable handle and even more questionable decision making. This was a tough situation for him.

Carter-Williams also has a tendency to play out of control. This was his first game receiving starter minutes after he rode the bench last year. He was asked to lead the offense much of the game, despite playing with senior Brandon Triche and he was able to make some plays. Carter-Williams has a very quick and long first step that enables him to get into the lane at will. He also has nice touch on his floater which he can get off against any point guard that tries to guard him. That shot will always be there for him. He also can take advantage of his size in the post which he tried to do once yesterday, but to no avail. He played this game out of control and tried to hurry his ball handling moves. He finished with 17 points before fouling out while also turning it over as much as he assisted teammates (4) and getting 5 steals. He will be near the top of the charts in steals this season.

The last guy who stood out was Brandon Triche who finally looks healthy heading into his senior year. Triche was much quicker than usual, finished with both hands, and used his strength to his advantage. He was aggressive getting to the rim. If his in-between game improves, he could end up getting draft in the second round. Lots of good point guards this year.

Because We Cant Wait for College Basketball Season

I am incredibly antsy for this college basketball season to start. It has been a long offseason that has been  aided by watching old games, but I am ready to see the kind of strides teams and players have made during the summer. I am ready to fill up my DVR to max capacity, watch as many games as possible every night, bombard your twitter feeds with live-tweets, and update this site with brand new content. I just really want to get the ball rolling to where there will be tons of new information each and every week, if not everyday. I am simply unable to contain myself from pouring over the schedule and pinpointing early season matchups that I will be sure to break down. Starting with November 9th, the first day of the season, there are plenty of interesting games. The first night will be no warm up, we will be jumping in head first.

Starting at 5:30, we have Michigan State taking on Connecticut. The main storyline here will be the new face on the sideline, Kevin Ollie, but this is also a chance to see some new faces. Two years ago, I remember watching freshman Jeremy Lamb playing in his first game and hopped on his bandwagon right away. This year it could be one of two freshman shooting guards breaking out - Omar Calhoun of UConn or Gary Harris at Michigan State. Both figure to play key roles in their teams game plans from day one.

It will also be our first chance to see Keith Appling this year. He will be expected to become a playmaker for the Spartans, something he didn't do much of last year. Early returns will be telling for Appling.

In UConn's backcourt, Napier will likely slide over to play more shooting guard this year as Ryan Boatright will be a starter from day one. Napier got off to a good start last year, looking like a draftable player, but faded with the rest of the UConn squad, many believe partly due to his inconsistent play and leadership. Both guards are very talented while having a disadvantage size wise. We will see if Kevin Ollie's knowledge of the point guard position wears off on them.

The final matchup to pinpoint is DeAndre Daniels against Branden Dawson. A battle between two highly touted recruits heading into their sophomore years, Dawson definitely has the physical edge. He could end up dominating if Daniels didn't spend time in the weight room this summer. We will see if Daniels is able to capitalize on Dawson's average lateral quickness and drive to the hoop, I would certainly like to see him more assertive.

Once 7pm strikes, it is time to exercise the remote and make sure your DVR is cleared for another wild season of basketball. Syracuse plays San Diego State, Ohio State faces Marquette, and we get our first looks at both North Carolina and Duke.

San Diego State is lead by star guard Jamaal Franklin, who actually played forward last season for them and with the other 3 starting guards returning, figures to again. It will be interesting to see how the athletically gifted Franklin is able to attack the Cuse 2-3 zone. He's a decent 3-pt shooter, but what I will be looking for is how he facilitates the ball at the top of the key and attacks the zone under control. He has a load of talent and skill to build on if he puts it all together. He has been showing out in open gyms all summer.

For Syracuse, I am really looking forward to seeing Michael Carter-Williams. His passing ability in the few minutes he had last year drew my attention and his size is intriguing. He is a combo guard who needs to find a niche scoring the ball and definitely has the potential to do so. There were questions about him being able to ride the bench all of last year, but he did so without fussing to the media, so now it is his turn to prove he can play.

CJ Fair might have been the most underrated player on last year's team and returns in a bigger role. In the NBA, he is a tweener, but he deserves more recognition at this level. With Joseph moving on, Fair might even get a chance to show off his budding perimeter skills, although a move to full time small forward doesn't appear to be in the cards.

It will be interesting to see how the frontcourt rotation plays out. There may be some small forward minutes available, but for the most part it will be Fair, Sutherland, Coleman, Christmas, and Keita splitting time. Sutherland has proven to be a solid role player deserving of minutes. Christmas was highly touted (although not by me) while under-performing, but it is almost expected he will be handed minutes this year. Keita is solid, but unspectacular - a guy they wouldn't mind keeping on the bench. Coleman is the wildcard who could end up starting on riding the bench most of the year. It depends on what kind of shape he is in. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

In the Marquette and Ohio State game, two of the peskiest defenders in college basketball take the stage in Aaron Craft and Vander Blue. Craft is more of a lockdown guy while Blue uses his athleticism is jump passing lanes and make plays when Marquette goes to the press. Offensively they both need a lot of work, but Craft is much more of a lead guard and leader. Blue will get more of a chance to show some skills with Johnson-Odom gone, but Junior Cadougan should be the main distributor. So far in Blue's career, he hasn't shown the necessary leadership or IQ needed to play the lead guard position.

It will also be interesting to see how Trent Lockett fits into Buzz Williams' system - a system that is night and day to the one Herb Sendek ran at Arizona State.

For Ohio State, there is plenty of NBA talent and simply seeing who gets the minutes will be intriguing. Deshaun Thomas will be the star, but Amir Williams, LaQuinton Ross, and Shannon Scott all have great potential despite hardly playing last season. We will get a good idea of who has stepped up to claim the available minutes left by Sullinger and Buford.

The next wave of games start at 8pm with Georgetown and Florida. Both teams lost its share of talent, but have future first rounders on their hands. Otto Porter is expected to make a big jump from last year and it will be interesting to see how he handles the expectations. He was the perfect role player last year and I like him in that role. This season he will have more pressure on him to score, but it is not what he does best.

For Florida's Patric Young, it is time he earns his reputation and starts dominating inside. His efficiency was good last year, but he remained in the backseat as an offensive player and has yet to be as intimidating as he looks. It is a make or break season for him.

Kenny Boynton had a somewhat make or break year last year and responded positively. Now with the backcourt in his hands again after Beal and Walker left, he needs to show he can continue to be efficient and lead the Gators to a high seed in the NCAA tournament. As a combo guard, he has to go above and beyond to prove himself to NBA scouts.

For the most overlooked game of the day by casual fans, North Texas and Creighton square off at 8:05. At first glance, it is just a battle of two solid mid-majors. But North Texas has projected lottery pick Tony Mitchell and Creighton counters will Doug McDermott, a player of the year candidate. Their games are extremely different - one based on athleticism, the other based on perimeter skills - but they both get it done on the court. A rare high profile game for these two, this game will be packed with NBA scouts and hold more of an impact on a players stock than any other game of the day.

At 8:30, we get to see Kentucky's new team debut as well as the Barclay's Center. They will be facing Maryland, who has Alex Len and a rapidly improving Nick Faust to boast.

It will be UK's freshman first impression on many and Alex Len has a big chance to turn some heads if he can take advantage of Nerlen Noel's lack of fundamentals. Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress are two guys I am looking forward to see playing here more than even Noel or Len. Both have lottery potential.

While those games are digesting, wait until 10pm when Lehigh takes on Baylor. CJ McCollom will have a chance for another big performance against a top team and Isaiah Austin will make his debut. Austin is raw, but talented. He has lottery potential, but we should be able to tell early if he will need another year at Baylor to make a huge impact. McCollom will be going up against a some experienced guards from Baylor, including the ultra-athletic Pierre Jackson so it should be a good test.

To cap off the night into the morning hours, check out UCLA play for the first time at 11pm. If everything goes as planned, it will be Shabazz Muhammad's first game as well. Its a insignificant game against Indiana State, but it will just be interesting to see who is playing and how they all look. What kind of shape is Joshua Smith in?