2013 Small Forwards Prospects By the Numbers

A week ago, we took a loot at the point guard prospects by the numbers. Now we will see how the small forward prospects grade out based off the numbers provided by hoop-data.com. I excluded Otto Porter from this study as I view him as the best small forward prospect by a considerable margin.

*For Glen Rice Jr, I used his data from his previous year at Georgia Tech.

% of Shots at the Rim

Carrick Felix - 43%

James Ennis - 35%

Solomon Hill - 27%

Robert Covington - 25%

Shabazz Muhammad - 24%

Glen Rice Jr - 21%

Deshaun Thomas - 20%

Adonis Thomas - 18%

FG% at the Rim

Glen Rice Jr - 76%

Deshaun Thomas - 74%

James Ennis - 72%

Carrick Felix - 71%

Shabazz Muhammad - 65%

Robert Covington - 64%

Solomon Hill - 63%

Adonis Thomas - 62%

% Assisted at the Rim

Adonis Thomas - 58%

Shabazz Muhammad - 58%

Carrick Felix - 56%

Deshaun Thomas - 48%

Robert Covington - 44%

James Ennis - 41%

Glen Rice Jr - 34%

Solomon Hill - 14%

% Shots 2-pt Jumpers

Adonis Thomas - 59%

Shabazz Muhammad - 53%

Deshaun Thomas - 45%

Robert Covington - 40%

Glen Rice Jr - 37%

Solomon Hill - 31%

James Ennis - 24%

Carrick Felix - 19%

FG% 2pt Jumpers

Solomon Hill - 40%

Glen Rice Jr - 40%

Adonis Thomas - 39%

Deshaun Thomas - 39%

Shabazz Muhammad - 37%

Carrick Felix - 34%

James Ennis - 31%

Robert Covington - 25%

% 2-pt Jumpers Assisted

Adonis Thomas - 54%
Shabazz Muhammad - 47%
Deshaun Thomas - 43%
Robert Covington - 41%
Carrick Felix - 32%
Solomon Hill - 23%
Glen Rice Jr - 17%

James Ennis - 14%

% of 3-pt Shots

Solomon Hill - 42%
Glen Rice Jr - 42%
James Ennis - 41%
Robert Covington - 38%
Carrick Felix - 37%
Deshaun Thomas - 35%
Adonis Thomas - 24%
Shabazz Muhammad - 23%

3-pt FG%

Solomon Hill - 39%
Carrick Felix - 38%
Robert Covington - 38%
Shabazz Muhammad - 38%
Deshaun Thomas - 35%
Glen Rice Jr - 34%
James Ennis - 33%
Adonis Thomas - 29%

% of 3-pt Shots Assisted

Shabazz Muhammad - 100%
Carrick Felix - 96%
Deshaun Thomas - 96%
Adonis Thomas - 92%
Robert Covington - 87%
Solomon Hill - 82%
James Ennis - 68%
Glen Rice Jr - 68%

Observations

James Ennis - James Ennis stands out in this group as a finisher which comes to no surprise. He's the best athlete among the 8 prospects and his team pushed the ball with every chance they could get. You can tell that his team lacked any kind of halfcourt structure on offense which forced Ennis to create more than he should have to. Even though Ennis isn't a good ball handler, he was forced to create a large amount of his jumpshots. He does have a quick step back jumper move, but that isnt his game. Playing in a halfcourt setting in the NBA will be a big adjustment for him. He doesn't have a mid-range game and relies on circus shots in the lane. He will have to improve his jumper. He hit 3s at a good rate but his release has to get quicker.

Carrick Felix - Felix is the most similar to Ennis and both of their strengths are more on the defensive end. Felix played in a much more structured offense however, which complimented his strengths well. He didn't have to create at all and while he also lacks a middle game, he wasn't put in a situation where he had to score off the dribble. Like Ennis, he is a real solid finisher at the rim. He has also turned himself into a good spot up 3-pt shooter. I view Ennis as a better prospect than Felix because of his athletic edge and added playmaking ability.

Solomon Hill - Hill is one of the worst finishers at the rim in the group, but makes up for it with his polished mid-range game. He has the best floor game of the group and has the most versatile offensive attack. He doesn't have to get all the way to the rim to score. He also tested out as the best shooter in the group by leading in both 2-pt% and 3-pt% while taking a higher volume of 3s than anyone. He's a good spot up shooter but also can get his shot off the dribble.

Glen Rice Jr - The more you look at Glen Rice Jr, the more you see how much the situation at Georgia Tech prevented him from showing his true potential. Rice Jr had to create almost all his shots at Georgia Tech as he was near the bottom in assisted shots in all 3 categories. He was also the best finisher at the rim and in the mid-range area, despite not having the advantage of getting any easy baskets. The one area Rice Jr doesn't show well here is 3-pt shooting, but he might actually be the best shooter out of the 8. He proved this year in the D-League that he has no problem with the NBA 3-pt line.

Shabazz Muhammad - There is a big concern with Shabazz's ability to get to the rim based off these numbers. He was in the bottom half in terms of % of shots at the rim while receiving more assisted plays at the rim than anyone. Considering Shabazz also scored a lot of offensive rebounds, the numbers prove the Muhammad was unable to put the ball on the floor and get all the way to the rim at UCLA. He also seemed incapable of creating room for his jump shots. All of his 3-pt makes were assisted and he trailed only Adonis Thomas in most 2-pt jumpers assisted. His mid-range game, however, does show promise.

Deshaun Thomas - Thomas didn't really standout in any one category. We know he can shoot the ball, but he didn't shoot it at an exceptional clip. And there is a big concern with his ability to get shots off at the next level. A lot of his shots were assisted and he doesn't really have any reliable moves to get his shot up. As a small forward at the next level, he will struggle to shoot over longer defenders due to his lack of quickness and height. He did convert well at the rim in limited attempts, but that isnt his game.

Adonis Thomas - Thomas' numbers at the rim couldn't be any more. Despite shooting less at the rim than anyone and having the highest percentage of his shots assisted, Thomas still was last in converting at the rim. Thats a red flag and very puzzling for someone with his size and athleticism. These numbers scream lack of aggression. He did fair well in the mid-range area, which passes the eye test when watching him as well. Thomas will also need to improve his range as he shot worse from 3 this year than anyone.

Robert Covington - For a guy his size and playing against the competition he did, Covington really didn't show as well at the rim as you'd like to see. More concerning was his FG% on 2-pt jumpers since he projects to be a jump shooter at the next level. He ranked last in that area by a fair margin. Tennessee State needed a guy who could create shots this season and he proved that he struggled in that area. Still, Covington brings a nice combination of athleticism and outside shooting that could eventually get him into the NBA.

After watching more film on each of these prospects and taking a look at them by the numbers, here are my personal revised rankings:

1. Glen Rice Jr (late lottery to mid-first round)
2. Shabazz Muhammad (mid-first round)
3. Solomon Hill (early second round)
4. Adonis Thomas (early second round)
5. James Ennis (second round)
6. Deshaun Thomas (second round)
7. Carrick Felix (second round to undrafted)
8. Robert Covington (second round to undrafted)

Others worth noting: James Southerland, Rodney Williams, Will Clyburn

Upside and Shabazz Muhammad - Its Not An Age Thing

Its been a wild season for Shabazz Muhammad. He started off by injuring his shoulder and missing a month of practice to begin the year. At the same time, he was the victim of a wild goose chase by the NCAA that resulted in him missing the first 3 games of the season. As expected, UCLA and him got off to a rusty start, but the rust never wore off. Both he and UCLA had flashes of greatness, but their season culminated in a Round of 64 loss tonight to Minnesota.

Thats not all that happened today, though. It also turns out that Shabazz Muhammad is a year older than he was believed to be (read the LA Times article here). Shabazz is actually a 20 year old freshman, which sounds bad, but it isn't the real concern. Ben McLemore, Kaleb Tarczewski, Semaj Christon, Jahii Carson, and Anthony Bennett are also 20 year old freshman. Jakarr Sampson will be 20 in a couple of days. Age is just a number and it is less and less relevant the older you get.

But as a high schooler, age does matter. Shabazz made a name for himself by being tabbed as a kid "physically advanced" for his age and molded his game around his strength. Unlike some of the other guys listed, Shabazz received much of his hype because of his advanced build for his age. Its never been his skillset, quickness, or shooting that has drawn an interest in Shabazz. Its been his ability to bully kids his age. Or so we thought they were his age.

This wouldn't be as much of an issue if Shabazz came out this college season and backed up his billing as the top high school recruit in the country against college players. But he didn't. And now that there is an asterisk next to him being the top recruit in his class, its even more of a reason to take this season at face value instead of making excuses for him.

After his injury and suspension, there was a timeframe everyone gave Shabazz to get up to speed. He looked a little slow and rusty and that was expected. But as the season grew on, the same Shabazz from the beginning of the year remained. There he was getting beat off the dribble time and time again and he showed little ability to handle the ball. In terms of passing or making his teammates better, there was none of that. And then there was the fit he threw when Larry Drew II made a game winning shot.

But whether he was 19 or 20, Shabazz was still going to be a top high school recruit and he still did finish second among all NCAA freshman in scoring. His strength is still impressive no matter his age. I do think the age thing makes a difference slightly in terms of his placement in the final high school class rankings, which also takes away a slight amount of hype going into this year. And as far as hype, thats what carried him through much of this season.

Lets forget about the age thing though, thats far from the most important part of the story. Everyone wants to brush off him being a year older and thats fine, sure thats not a huge deal. A good player will be a good player in the end. But its the rest of his background that deserves a second look. The character issues that the LA Times article brings up are more relevant than the age discussion.

To me, his age doesn't limit his upside at all. But the fact that he's been bred to be a NBA player his whole life does. He's had top notch training, coaching, and an environment surrounding him that was designed to help him succeed. His dad made sure he got on the best AAU teams and one of the best high school programs in the country.

He made sure that he was surrounded by players that made him look better. At Bishop Gorman, Shabazz dominated kids with his size and strength while getting plenty of looks in transition. When he went to UCLA, he joined a team with two great unselfish ball handlers, weak rebounding bigs who spread the floor, another incoming freshman who could shoot the lights out, and a coach that caters to his stars. The combination of things helped to hide Shabazz's lack of ball handling skills, outside shooting, and gave him room to operate inside and crash the boards. His coach, Ben Howland, had loss control of previous teams and would let Shabazz do whatever he wanted with no consequences.

With all the elite training he's had and all the high level games he played in high school/AAU, Shabazz has been tested for years. Its not his advanced age that makes his upside more limited, its his advanced background. Shabazz has played in more big games thanks to high school/AAU than most college juniors and seniors. And he's had the correct training, diet, and everything else that NBA players have the whole way through.

Meanwhile, you have a guy like Ben McLemore whose family struggles to put food on the table for him.

You hear questions about McLemore's ability to be a go to guy and people asking why he disappears in big games and forget he's only a freshman. And if you look at McLemore's background you will see that he wasn't a hyped up recruit since his freshman year. He didn't play on a big AAU or high school team until his final season of high school. And even then he still went to a home each night wondering if he would have food to eat. Point is, McLemore is just getting used to all the limelight which shouldn't be a surprise. He's only a freshman. But with all the AAU games and such nowadays, there are freshman that have been built up for college for years. Shabazz is one of them - McLemore is not.

Still through all of that, its been McLemore who has had the better year. McLemore is a guy who was under the radar until late in his high school career. He redshirted at Kansas as he was only a partial qualifier, improved his game even more, and is now at a point where he is a top 5 pick. He's gotten significantly better each of the past 3 or 4 years. The more and more exposure to the game and coaching he is receiving, the better he is getting. Once he gets to the NBA, he will have luxuries of training and dieting that he has never been exposed to that can take his game to an even higher level.

Then you have Shabazz who has been exposed to all of these luxuries for years. He's been considered a top player in his class since he made the varsity team at Bishop Gorman as a freshman. Yet he really hasn't made big strides as a player from year to year. He's still a poor ball handler and his shooting is just now finally starting to get better. His peers have gotten a step closer to him year after year.

I thought it was interesting how they mentioned Shabazz's older sister in the article as well, who signed an endorsement contract in tennis at age 17 and turned pro. She's now 21 and still has advanced any further. She received the same benefits that Shabazz did as a kid and because of this, she appeared to be more prepared at age 17 to turn pro than most kids are her age. But at the same time, she had already received so much professional training as a kid that there just wasn't much upside left. Her parents made sure they squeezed every ounce of talent they could get out of her already.

The same can be said for Shabazz. Just how much more does he have to grow? Just how good is he? Physically, players will continue to catch up to him. Skill-wise, players have already surpassed him. Shabazz's competitiveness, confidence, and will to score will be traits that he can fall back on though. He will always be a great competitor and he will always have a physical edge on players - just not as much as he was when he earned his reputation as the super senior high schooler in the country. 

10 Prospects With The Most To Gain From NCAA Tournament

1. Nate Wolters - For any mid-major prospect, the NCAA tournament presents a great stage to show off exactly what got you in the dance to begin with. For Wolters he gets to do that, while also going up against the best point guard in the country in Michigan's Trey Burke. Its an outstanding opportunity for him and one that will carry great weight on his stock - for better or worse. The only time Wolters has faced NBA level guards in his career so far was last season against Washington (Tony Wroten/Terrence Ross) where all he did was score 34 points en route to a blowout victory. This game will be much tougher for him to get the win, but a win is not necessary to greatly help his stock. One great game against Trey Burke will turn even more NBA scouts into believers. As it stands right now, Wolters is somewhere in the second round mix. A bad game could put him at risk of going undrafted, while a Cinderella-esque performance could get him into the late first round discussion.

2. Michael Carter-Williams - Carter-Williams has had an up and down season. He dominated early against weak competition, only to give in to the pressures of the Big East in conference play. He had a strong Big East tournament however, and looked good up until the final half of play against Louisville. But that half left a bad taste in onlookers mouths and he'll need a good NCAA tournament showing. Its obvious what Michael Carter-Williams can bring physically to the point guard position in terms of uniqueness and playmaking, but it remains to be seen if he can handle the nuances of the game. Syracuse is capable of a final four run and if MCW is the rock in that run, he could cement himself as a lottery pick. Otherwise, he could see himself fall on draft day if no team trusts him enough to pull the trigger early.

3. Marcus Smart - For Smart, this is a chance for him to embellish his story as a winner and a leader. There is no greater stage to show off those kind of traits than in front of a bunch of national media members in search of a feel good story. If Smart loses early on, scouts will spend the next month breaking down tape and questioning his first step, shooting, and explosiveness around the rim. They'll ask if he is really a point guard or just a shooting guard who can create his own shot. A tournament run, however, will make it much easier for evaluators to buy into his reputation as a winner and leader. In a weak draft like this, taking a guy like that could be the safest pick a general manager could make to keep his job.

4. Kelly Olynyk - Olynyk's stock continues to rise as he's basically played college basketball's version of a perfect season. Olynyk has made scoring look easy in the West Coast Conference and has done so at incredible efficiency. Scouts remain split on him though - as some are wary if he can defend and rebound at a NBA level. Getting away from WCC competition and possibly facing a tough Pittsburgh frontcourt in the Round of 32 will give him a chance to silence even more critics. If Gonzaga makes a final four run he will be the main reason and it will mean Olynyk lead them through a South Region that has a lot of tough, physical teams. A chance to face Plumlee/Dieng in the Final Four and possibly Cody Zeller or Jeff Withey in the Finals would be HUGE for him. Right now, Olynyk has enough believers that he could go at the tail end of the lottery, but a Final Four run could place him even higher.

5. Mike Muscala - Bucknell's Mike Muscala has been on NBA radar's all year, but the game against a NBA frontline came against Missouri where he had 25 points and 14 rebounds in a 2 point loss. Since then, Muscala had little trouble navigating his team through the CJ McCollom-less Patriot League. Now Muscala has his toughest test since Missouri in the Butler Bulldogs. Bucknell is the popular upset pick, but they will need Muscala to have a huge game. Andrew Smith could prove to be a tough matchup for Muscala though, as he's a legit 7 footer who moves his feet well. Smith is a finesse center who struggles against physical play inside, but that isn't Muscala's style either. Smith gave Cody Zeller a tough time earlier this year - a similar style player who prefers to face up and use his ball handling skills against slower bigs. Muscala certainly doesn't have the stars aligning for a perfect matchup in this one, but a good showing could vault him into the late first round in a similar way Nikola Vucevic did with USC. At worst, Muscala will hear his name called in the second round.

6. Shabazz Muhammad - With Jordan Adams out, this is now Shabazz's time to shine. The NCAA tournament lights and all the naysayers predicting an upset at the hands of Minnesota are exactly the recipe that Shabazz needs to get going. Expect his competitive nature to takeover against the Gophers and for him to deliver a strong showing whether they win or lose. A tournament run would of course be huge for Shabazz to get back into good graces with scouts, but even a solid performance would be a decent way to go out. Shabazz's stock may be effected more in the coming months as he has a chance to prove how good of an athlete he is and also get in better shape - which would give scouts a reason to give his struggles this season a pass.

7. Gorgui Dieng/Jeff Withey/Mason Plumlee - Three centers, all playing for title contenders, all of whom have a good chance of being first round picks in June. While they have plenty of work already filed into their resume, none of them have truly sold themselves as the real deal. It seems Plumlee is the favorite among most , as he's currently projected to be selected in the lottery. My favorite, however, is Gorgui Dieng, who didn't have a chance to face Plumlee during the early season matchup between their two teams. They very well could meet again and the winner of that game could ultimately go on to face either Jeff Withey or Cody Zeller. However it plays out, I think we will have a better picture of each player's stock once the nets are cut down. Personally, I see Dieng coming out on top and going in the top 20 with Plumlee, while Withey finds a home in the latter part of the first round.

8. Tony Snell - Snell is reportedly serious about entering this draft and is looking to capitalize on some positive momentum he has gained from a strong MWC tournament. Snell's name is just starting to get mentioned in unison for this draft, so scouts will pay special attention to his tournament games to see if he is worth a flier. His intrigue is based on his defensive tools and he could get a chance to defend Solomon Hill and Deshaun Thomas in the South Region. Locking those two down and advancing deep in the tournament would definitely turn some heads. This draft is lacking quality small forwards in the late first round and beyond and Snell could take advantage of that.

9. Spencer Dinwiddie - Apparently Dinwiddie could "test the waters" this year, although testing the waters isn't really a thing anymore. Still, he's been flying under the radar this season as most scouts would expect him to be back in school, but if he does declare he is a guy to consider in the late first round. Dinwiddie will be competing against other scoring guards like Brandon Paul, who he will get the opportunity to shutdown in the Round of 64. Shutting down a senior draft prospect like Paul will help, but he will also have to provide some offense as he's been really struggling from the field as of late. Dinwiddie will have another great opportunity the following round against the Miami backcourt of Shane Larkin and Durand Scott. He is certainly capable of earning some fans over the next few days and once scouts review the tape of this season, I think they will find a player worth late first round consideration.

10. CJ Fair - When talking about Syracuse, you often hear Michael Carter-Williams and James Southerland's names come up right off the bat. And rightfully so, but Fair has been their most consistent performer to date. With Southerland back, Fair has had more room to operate and he's been taking advantage of that by getting plenty of shots off in a variety of ways. He's taken at least 10 shots in every game except one in 2013. He's had mixed results in terms of efficiency, but is more than capable of putting up a string of strong games during the NCAA tournament. Fair has a smooth stroke from the field and an even smoother mid-range game. There aren't many players that can compare to Fair at the college level and he could present some intrigue in the later part of Round 1.

Also look out for Tim Hardaway Jr, Glenn Robinson III, Allen Crabbe, Durand Scott, Steven Adams, Brandon Paul, Matthew Dellavedova, Adriean Payne, Adonis Thomas, and Will Clyburn.

NCAA Tournament Preview - South Region

ROUND OF 64 GAMES TO WATCH

Michigan vs South Dakota State

When Nate Wolters got hurt and missed the Minnesota game earlier this year, scouts had to be worried that they may not get another chance to see Wolters play against top level competition. A matchup against Michigan doesn't only give himself a chance to prove himself against a team full of NBA level athletes, it gives him a chance to go head to head with the best point guard in the country - Trey Burke. This game will be a must watch with all eyes on that matchup, but Michigan also has Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway Jr who need good tournaments to boost their stocks.

Minnesota vs UCLA

With Jordan Adams out, this is a popular upset pick and I'd say Minnesota should've been the favorite with or without Adams. Regardless, Trevor Mbakwe should be able to feast on the Wear twins inside. Mbakwe is 24 years old and will earn his living crashing the offensive glass and being a bull on defense. He's a solid second round pick who can contribute immediately.

UCLA won't go down easy against Minnesota though as long as Shabazz is in the game. Shabazz shares many qualities of NBA superstars with one of them being his competitive nature. This is his time to shine and you know he will have a big game. Shabazz takes everything personally and you know he will be fired up hearing that they are actually the underdog in this one. A big tourney run could get him back in the running for  a top 2-5 overall selection.

ROUND OF 32

Kansas vs North Carolina

Usually you'd see this matchup in the Elite 8 or Final 4, but UNC has struggled for most of the year until deciding to play small ball. This will especially come in handy against Kansas, who has Jeff Withey to minimize drivers and shutdown opponents big men. The Tar Heels will be happy to stay away from him and jack up 3-pt attempts, where they have two guys in Reggie Bullock and PJ Hairston that are capable of catching fire. A key matchup to watch from a draft perspective is Bullock vs Ben McLemore. Bullock is an excellent defender and can earn himself 1st round consideration if he locks him down. McLemore on the other hand, needs to prevent that from happening. With the type defender Bullock is and McLemore's limited off the dribble game, that could be tough.

James McAdoo against Withey will also be good. Withey has decent lateral quickness, but McAdoo can definitely take advantage of him by drawing him away from the basket. McAdoo is overwhelmed by strength but won't have to deal with that against Kansas.

San Diego State vs Georgetown

If the bottom pod goes chalk, which Im not sure it does, it will be interesting to see how Jamaal Franklin can effect the game against Georgetown. Jamaal Franklin is an extremely tough defender and rebounder who plays all over the court and could end up drawing the assignment of Otto Porter. Porter has been one of the hottest draft prospect as of late and seems to be on his way to a top 5 draft selection. Does Porter give Georgetown that superstar they've been missing in recent tournaments? Georgetown always underperforms because they struggle to generate offense and Porter will eventually be called upon to save them in this tournament at least once.

Patric Young and Trevor Mbakwe battling down low in the Florida/Minnesota game would be a sight to see as well. Mbakwe is more of a man now, but he has more than a few years on Young. Both are currently second rounders.

SWEET SIXTEEN/ELITE EIGHT

If Kansas makes it out against UNC and Michigan survives the VCU gauntlet, they will meet in the Sweet Sixteen. At the shooting guard position, Michigan has the veteran in Hardaway Jr going up against Ben McLemore. On the otherside of the coin, freshman Glenn Robinson III will be matched up against Travis Relaford. Hardaway Jr will put pressure on McLemore to defend while Robinson III's impact could be completely diminished by Relaford's defense. Its a good chance for Robinson to step up and prove he can make some plays off the bounce.

At the bottom of the bracket, a Shabazz vs Otto Porter matchup is possible if UCLA defies the odds. Porter could also end up having to be defended by the ultra-athletic Rodney Williams of Minnesota. Williams is another senior who should be a second round pick.

If Porter/Shabazz do face off, the winner could end up facing Ben McLemore in the Elite Eight. That would be quite a run that features three possible top 5 picks.

2013 NBA Mock Draft

1. Charlotte Bobcats - FR Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
2. Washington Wizards - FR Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV
3. Cleveland Cavaliers - SO Cody Zeller, F/C, Indiana
4. Orlando Magic - FR Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State
5. New Orleans Hornets - FR Shabazz Muhammad, G/F, UCLA
6. Phoenix Suns - FR Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
7. Oklahoma City Thunder - FR Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky
8. Sacramento Kings - SO Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown
9. Detroit Pistons - SO Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
10. Minnesota Timberwolves - SR CJ McCollum, G, Lehigh
11. Philadelphia 76ers - SO Alex Len, C, Maryland
12. Dallas Mavericks - 1992 Rudy Gobert, F/C, Cholet
13. Phoenix Suns (from Lakers) - FR Isaiah Austin, PF, Baylor
14. Charlotte Bobcats (from Minnesota) - SO James Michael McAdoo, PF, North Carolina
15. Boston Celtics - FR Alex Poythress, F, Kentucky
16. Atlanta Hawks (from Rockets) - SO Michael Carter-Williams, G, Syracuse
17. Utah Jazz - JR Victor Oladipo, G/F, Indiana
18. Milwaukee Bucks - FR Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan
19. Atlanta Hawks - SR Mason Plumlee, F/C, Duke
20. Brooklyn Nets - SO LeBryan Nash, SF, Oklahoma State
21. Indiana Pacers - JR Kelly Olynyk, PF, Gonzaga
22. Denver Nuggets - SR Jeff Withey, C, Kansas
23. Chicago Bulls - SR Michael Snaer, SG, Florida State
24. Utah Jazz (from Warriors) - JR Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit
25. New York Knicks - 1994 Dario Saric, F, Cibona Zagreb
26. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis) - FR TJ Warren, F, North Carolina State
27. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Miami) - JR Doug McDermott, F, Creighton
28. Los Angeles Clippers - JR Reggie Bullock, G/F, North Carolina
29. Oklahoma City Thunder - JR Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
30. San Antonio Spurs - SO BJ Young, G, Arkansas

31. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Bobcats) - 1993 Sergey Karasev, SF, Triumph Moscow
32. Washington Wizards - SO Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas
33. Cleveland Cavaliers - JR Phil Pressey, PG, Missouri
34. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Magic) - JR Patric Young, F/C, Florida
35. Philadelphia 76ers (from Hornets) - JR Jamaal Franklin, G/F, San Diego State
36. Phoenix Suns - JR CJ Leslie, PF, North Carolina State
37. Memphis Grizzlies (from Toronto) - SO Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G/F, Georgia
38. Sacramento Kings - SR CJ Wilcox, G/F, Washington
39. Detroit Pistons - JR Deshaun Thomas, F, Ohio State
40. Portland Trailblazers (from Minnesota) - SR Richard Howell, F/C, North Carolina State
41. Philadelphia 76ers - SR Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State
42. Dallas Mavericks - SO Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas
43. Los Angeles Lakers - JR Andre Roberson, F, Colorado
44. Denver Nuggets (from Portland) - JR Russ Smith, G, Louisville
45. Portland Trailblazers (from Boston) - SR Brandon Paul, G, Illinois
46. Atlanta Hawks (from Houston) - SR Mike Muscala, F/C, Bucknell
47. Utah Jazz - JR Lorenzo Brown, PG, North Carolina State
48. Milwaukee Bucks - 1991 Bojan Dubljevic, F/C, Valencia
49. Atlanta Hawks - SR Trevor Mbawke, F/C, Minnesota
50. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Brooklyn) - 1992 Lucas Nogueira, C, Estudiantes
51. Indiana Pacers - FR Ricky Ledo, SG, Providence
52. Phoenix Suns (from Denver) - SR Rodney Williams, F, Minnesota
53. Chicago Bulls - JR Tim Hardaway Jr, SG, Michigan
54. Orlando Magic (from Warriors) - 1992 Leo Westermann, PG, Partizan
55. Washington Wizards (from Knicks) - SR Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech
56. Los Angeles Lakers (from Memphis) - SR Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota State
57. Miami Heat - 1991 Nemanja Nedovic, G, Lietuvos Rytas
58. Detroit Pistons (from Clippers) - SR Durand Scott, G, Miami
59. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Thunder) - 1991 Oleksandr Lypovyy, SF, Donetsk
60. San Antonio Spurs - SR Isaiah Canaan, G, Murray State

Not Considered (Assuming they won't delcare):

Steven Adams
Rasheed Sulaimon
Shannon Scott
Montrezl Harrell
Khem Birch
Willie Cauley-Stein
Semaj Christon
Jarnell Stokes
Brandon Ashley
Allen Crabbe
Cory Jefferson
Gary Harris
Kevin Pangos
Dez Wells
LaQuinton Ross
Kaleb Tarczewski
Branden Dawson
CJ Fair

Top Undrafted:

Ryan Kelly
Laurence Bowers
Mike Moser
Elijah Johnson
Jack Cooley
Reggie Johnson
Pierre Jackson
Kenny Kadji
Sean Kilpatrick
Solomon Hill
James Ennis

Shabazz, MCW, and "ABeast" - Plus Today's Games to Watch

Anthony Bennett had another good game against Canisus - he scored 21 points. His jumper has been looking excellent and effortless from 3-pt range. He set screens for teammates in order to get himself open. And in transition, Bennett shined once again - showing the body control of a guard on the break. He had one possession where he brought the ball up the court in transition and stopped on a dime at the free throw line to avoid the charge; hitting a mid-range jumper in the process. The way Bennett moves in the opencourt is the most impressive thing about him.

As for his defense, he did a terrible job of attempting to play help defense. He helped too far off his man, while not actually providing any help defense, and left his man open for wide open 3s. Going into this game, Jordan Heath's career high in 3-pt attempts was 4. He had 4 within the first ten minutes of last night's game and finished with 10 attempts on the night. That was the result of Bennett's lack of feel and urgency on the defensive end.

Shabazz Muhammad had 27 points in 26 minutes against Fresno State. He also had 7 rebounds - all on the offensive end. Its amazing how much better he is on the glass when there is a chance to get two points out of it. Muhammad has proven he has a strong desire to score and will do whatever it takes to make sure he gets his points. Now that he has lost 13 pounds in the last few weeks, we are seeing just how much of an impact he can have on the offensive glass. Its definitely his biggest strength.

Muhammad has gotten comparisons to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist because of his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. I see it more as he is willing to do whatever it takes to score. Kidd-Gilchrist is a guy who can help his team win in a lot more ways. I still haven't been impressed by Muhammad's defense and he doesn't have the playmaking ability of MGK. He will, however, score a lot more points. They are different players.

If I had to compare Muhammad to a NBA player, it would be Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse cleaned up on the glass in college, played tough, wasn't especially quick laterally, and lacked much of a floor game. Stackhouse was able to develop a good jumper and Muhammad has already started to show improvement with his shot. He should end up as a reliable shooting threat.

As for Muhammad's worth, it depends a lot of the team. Remember when Muhammad came back from injury and Jordan Adams wasn't expected to be as much of a factor anymore? Well it turns out, Muhammad actually needs that kind of player. He needs to play in a backcourt with players who can create their own shot and make plays. Muhammad can be a big scorer in the NBA, but he will thrive off of others. You don't want him playing next to a Demar Derozan. You want him focused on working off of the ball and finding a way to get the ball in the hoop. He isn't going to make plays for teammates, but he won't turn the ball over either. He doesn't need the ball to be effective.

In the lottery Toronto and Charlotte would be bad fits because they are already building around wings that aren't big offensive threats.

Yesterday Michael Carter-Williams showed some of the things Ive been concerned about all year and they lost to Temple. This is why I've been saying lets wait until Big East play. I've had a lot of people ask me why I've been so down on MCW and I feel somewhat vindicated after yesterday. Im not overreacting to one bad game here, everyone else has been overreacting to a string of solid games against a very weak schedule. His flaws have been on display all year.

Carter-Williams is very good in transition and has been able to get into the paint and make the simple pass this year. He has racked up a lot of assists and can see over defenses, but its ridiculous to compare his passing ability to Rubio's or Kendall Marshall's. Those guys have an out of this world knowledge of the game and the ability to see things before they happen. Carter-Williams has a good feel for the game, but is nowhere near the point guard either of them are.

Syracuse did much of their damage in transition play as they have all year. Carter-Williams himself is the key in this, as he is great at forcing turnovers and getting out on the break. His long strides and ability to change directions with good body control are key factors. He also does a good job finding ways to get the ball to teammates.

In the halfcourt, Carter-Williams has been very aggressive. Against San Diego State, Carter-Williams relied on his quick first step and a floater to get his points. He didn't go all the way to the rim against them. After that, Cuse has been playing cupcakes whose centers barely rival MCW in length and he has been able to get into the painted area. He still struggled finishing with contact and that was especially evident yesterday against Temple - their toughest opponent since SDSU.

Carter-Williams relies on his terrific first step to create offense in the halfcourt at this point. He has a good feel for the pick and roll game, but is too turnover prone to run it consistent. He has a loose dribble and combined with his height, struggles in the traffic an on ball screen creates. Its also true when he drives into the lane - that combined with his lack of strength is a big concern.

Syracuse's defense has been able to put their players in position to get overrated by NBA scouts. From Hakim Warrick, Jonny Flynn, Donte Greene, Dion Waiters, Wesley Johnson - these guys have all been major disappointments once they've gotten into the NBA. Carter-Williams is making like Waiters on defense this year - showing good anticipation skills and gambling for a lot of steals. He's a huge threat in this area, but how does it translate?

Carter-Williams will have a sizable learning curve to make up for on defense when he gets to the NBA and his predecessors aren't positive examples of success. He does have great tools on this end of the floor, but it doesn't automatically make him a great defender.

All in all, there can't be a more overrated player in the country right now from a NBA Draft perspective. This is a kid who also has character concerns and that came before the shoplifting incident. He is competitive and has a love for the game which is a positive. Yes he was willing to sit on the bench for a full season and didn't transfer despite contemplating it, but why would he transfer? He would have had to sit out a whole season and he knew that he would be starter this year at Cuse. Its hardly a reason to applaud him.

Carter-Williams wasn't even looked at as a point guard until late in his high school career, and even up until this year, has always been considering a combo guard. He has made great strides in learning the point guard position but still has a long way to go. His potential is definitely worth a first round pick this season but the "best point guard prospect in the country" talk needs to stop.

*With the upcoming week lacking in quantity of games, I'll be spreading out more thoughts throughout the week on yesterday's games.*

Games to Watch Today:

St. Mary's at Northern Iowa 2pm
Kennesaw State at Pittsburgh 5pm ESPN3
Indiana State vs San Diego State 5pm ESPNU
Colorado State vs Virginia Tech 11:30pm CBSSN
Arizona vs Miami 11:30pm ESPN2

Recap from Last Night and 12/19/12 Game Preview

In the early games yesterday, there were two top 10 teams squaring off against mid-major programs. It appeared Kansas had the tougher task, facing a good Richmond squad but they blew them out with no problem. It was Winthrop though, that gave Ohio State trouble - and it was a close game up until the final 5 minutes.

Deshaun Thomas was streaky and at one point missed 9 shots in a row. Midway through the second half he got hot and as soon as his long jumper went in, I knew Ohio State was going to start to get a little cushion. Thomas hit 4 jumpers in a row and also a fifth bucket on a tough move inside. The good thing - or bad thing - about Thomas is he never loses confidence in his jumper. After his 9 straight misses, his first make was on a quick contested shot from a step inside the arc - his favorite spot on the floor. His shot selection would make even good players in the country inefficient which is what makes his 48% shooting on the season so impressive.

Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott can make a great pair, especially on defense where they may be the best defending backcourt in the country. On offense. neither of them turn the ball over but neither provides much outside shooting. It is interesting to see that Scott is the main playmaker when they are both in. Craft has not taken the necessary step forward this year in that development.

Ohio State has a lot of depth on the perimeter and no seniors. With Shannon Scott and LaQuinton Ross playing well, it makes me wonder if they can go another season of coming off the bench. Even with Thomas starting at PF, the Buckeyes have a crowded backcourt with Lenzelle Smith, Aaron Craft, and Sam Thompson starting.

Of their 4 highly touted sophomores - Ross, Amir Williams, Thompson, and Scott - none get over 24 minutes a game. It doesn't seem right that they will have to continue to see limited playing time in their junior years if Craft and Thomas stay.

Anyway, this Ohio State team has looked overrated despite all their talent this season. They've come out flat on multiple occasions and have a big test Saturday against Kansas. The Jayhawks have been polar opposites of the Buckeyes - blowing out opponents and thriving off great defense. Ohio State is going to have to defend the 3-pt line better than they did tonight. I think Kansas has the edge even without homecourt in the game, but Ohio State may be able to pull off the win if they win the matchup at point guard. Aaron Craft should be able to give Elijah Johnson a hard time.

In a developing story - this Miami Hurricanes team is pretty good. They are definitely a top 4 ACC team this year and could be as high as #2. They haven't lost since the early season matchup against Florida Golf Coast which was without Durand Scott. Since then, they seem to get better every game as Larkin and Scott learn to play together.

They are tied for the team lead in scoring, but since Durand Scott has been back, he's been their go-to guy. And he should be. He's been great this year at picking his spots and not forcing things. He is a beast physically at getting to the hoop and is a creative finisher. I also have been very impressed with his defense in the early goings. The biggest development may be his 3-pt shot - Scott had pretty much abandoned it the past year for good reason, but is slowing bringing it back. He is 4-6 in his last two games and hit two really tough baskets from behind the arc tonight against Central Florida. The rotation on his shot looks good and he has always been a solid free throw shooter so maybe there is some reason to believe in his range.

Inside Miami has been led by Reggie Johnson, who "slimmed" down a bit over the summer. He may not look any smaller, but he is certainly in better condition. He is able to play extended minutes with high activity. His effort has been great this year and he's been a factor on both sides of the ball. He even is showing touch from outside. What makes Johnson great is how light he is on his feet. But his effort has also been impressive - last night for example, Miami was up nearly 20 with under 2 minutes left yet he was still running the court and diving for loose balls.

Arizona had no problem getting past Oral Roberts and it was good seeing Angelo Chol getting some run in the blowout. Chol looked like a promising player last season, but with three heralded freshman bigs coming in this year, there is just no room for him on the court. And it really sucks for him - he plays really hard and by all accounts is a hard worker. He is active on the glass, moves well, and has nice touch from 15 feet out. Unfortunately, Chol won't be able to play regularly for at least another year, perhaps more.

I flipped back between to night cappers, watching both James Ennis take on UCLA and Allen Crabbe play UC Santa Barbara. UCLA looked good early on, finally showing intensity on defense. They covered the perimeter really well and denied passing lanes. Their intensity faded though and when it did, UCLA's lack of a frontline was exposed by Dan Jennings. Jennings had a career game on his way to 27 points. James Ennis also played well. He showed a flawed jumper yet hit 3-6 from deep. He also was able to drive the lane and show off his explosiveness at the rim. He is able to hang in the air and finish with contact well.

For UCLA, Shabazz Muhammad did a good job defensively. This is a notable improvement. Offensively, he missed 3 dunks but finished with 21 points. He scored in a variety of ways - off steals, in transition, with his leaner in the lane, off offensive rebounds, and from behind the arc. He leaves a lot to be desired from a skill standpoint but manages to get it done.

In the other late game of note, Allen Crabbe finished with 12 points on another poor shooting performance (4-12 from the field). He's not as dynamic as other top scorers in the country but is outstanding moving without the ball. He is a great shooter, but does not settle for the jumpshot. He does a nice job finding soft spots in the defense in the paint for easy jumpers as well as curling around screens. He also does a good job getting out in transition. He does a nice job gathering himself and handling contact in the paint, but his lack of explosion and creativity hurt him.

Games to Watch Today:

Detroit at Alcorn State 3pm (Ray McCallum)
Xavier vs Cincinnati 7pm ESPN2 (Semaj Christon and Sean Kilpatrick)
Illinois State at Dayton 7pm (Jackie Carmichael)
South Dakota State at Belmont 8pm (Nate Wolters)
North Carolina at Texas 9pm ESPN2 (Reggie Bullock, James Michael McAdoo, plus others)
Northern Iowa at UNLV 10pm (Anthony Bennett, Khem Birch)

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.

Introducing Glenn Robinson III

In the biggest game of the night, especially from an NBA draft perspective, Trey Burke led the way with 17 points. Steven Adams only played 10 unspectacular minutes. Hardaway was Michigan's second leading scorer with 16 points for Michigan, who won a close one 67-62.

But Glenn Robinson III will be the biggest mover on my big board after last night. Before last night, I had him ranked 27th. I hadn't seen him enough to feel comfortable moving him higher than that, but I had seen him enough for him to stand out to me.

After a early blocked shot in the first half, I acknowledged on twitter that I probably had him too low. I actually had felt that all along, but there is no sense is rushing things.

But now?

Now, I'm ready to move him up towards the lottery. At this point, finding holes in his game is simply nitpicking. Someone tweeted last night that GRIII is better than Shabazz and I surprisingly couldn't argue. I couldn't point out flaws in Robinson's game. There really aren't even many things to make you have the slightest doubt that he will be a great player.

Part of it may be expectations. Shabazz is expected to save UCLA while all Robinson has to do his pick his spots.

But Robinson has been excellent in that role. He was a late bloomer in high school and analysts questioned his aggressiveness on offense. He wasn't the player who would go off for 40 points like Shabazz. But Robinson was efficient and knew how to play on the offensive end.

And boy is that evident now. Robinson has shown a terrific feel on offense - his awareness and ability to pick his spots is off the charts. Its early, but I have yet to see him out of control or force up a shot. His points come so effortlessly. Everything he does reminds you of a prototypical SF.

Right now, Robinson is shooting 64.5% from the field and hitting 3s at a 50% clip. His jumpshot looks very good and he always displays perfect balance when going up for a shot. He has shown the ability to put it on the floor for one or two dribbles to either side. He's hitting his jumpers at an exceptional rate, as thats where a good percentage of his field goals are coming from.

But only 25% are from long range. Robinson is far from a spot up shooter. He uses his mind to get shit shot attempts. He also does a nice job cutting to the hoop and hitting the offensive glass. His body has come a long way to the point where it is actually a strength. He can finish through contact and has the potential to be a great rebounding wing.

His game is just so mature for his age. And he's only 18.

No need to jump the gun, but as the season goes on Robinson's hype should increase dramatically. His numbers may not stay the way they are, but even a 18 year old SF with a perfect frame and great touch on a top 5 team....

posting a line of 14ppg on over 50% shooting and 40% from 3? With 6 boards per game and a positive A/TO ratio?

There will come a point when more people start to ask what Shabazz can do that Robinson can't. And once that happens, maybe Robinson could even push himself into the top 5.

Honestly, the sky is the limit with this kid.

The Barclay's Curse? Legend Classic Doesn't Live Up to Name

Do not be alarmed. The Legends Classic brought 4 good games of basketball to Barclays Center over the past two days. It was a great showcase of talent and solid field. Indiana ended up living up to their number one ranking while winning an exciting overtime thriller against Georgetown.

But LEGENDS?

This tournament brought us our first look at Shabazz Muhammad, a potential first overall selection. But he struggled along with the rest of the UCLA team.

It also featured Cody Zeller, another contender for the number one position. Indiana took home the trophy, but Zeller looked very human in the process. He struggled to create separation in the post and with his 6-10 wingspan, those shots will end up getting blocked in the NBA.

Neither player took a step towards the "legend" platform. These games only brought up more questions.

Both players had a chance to grab an early lead in the wide open race for the first overall pick. This year is the most open race since the 2006 draft when Andrea Bargnani went first and its looking like it could stay that way.

In recent years, the number one guys all started off with a hot start to drive up the hype train - Davis, Irving, Wall, and Griffin.

I've never looked at Zeller as a great option first overall and figured someone would step up early. So far, that hasnt happened.

There were some quotes from NBA executives after the Monday Night's slate of games at Barclay's that summed up this thinking.

Essentially, scouts think this will be a draft where the top teams would rather have multiple picks later on in the first instead of in the top 5. The choice at number one could depend on which team is picking - different from years past where there has been a consensus best player.

More players could enter the mold for number one. Nerlens Noel is certainly in the discussion, but failed to impress in his college debut, also at Barclay's.

It seems that Barclay's got its NBA team, but is in no hurry to push the next era of superstars to the next level. Perhaps the arena wants to try to delay their NBA dreams a few years, just like their dream of hosting a NBA franchise was delayed.

Call it the Barclay's Curse.

Disclaimer: I don't believe in curses. 

Shabazz makes debut, but the Hoyas Get the Win

The atmosphere was set at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for UCLA, ready to unveil its star recruit Shabazz Muhammad against unranked Georgetown. Shabazz came off the bench for Howland, who has to give a lot of credit to the star recruit for perhaps saving his job, and the crowd creeped towards the edge of their seats to get a look at the future NBA lottery pick.

The script was set for UCLA (favored by 6) to get the win and put themselves back on the map. After the Sports Illustrated article last year, Howland was ready to start a new chapter for UCLA, a chapter that involved high character kids including other prized recruit Kyle Anderson. Georgetown got off to the early lead, but when Shabazz came off the at just under 14 minutes, the lead was only 4. Shabazz came in and pulled up for his first shot - a mid-range jumper - and it went straight through the hoop.

14-12 Georgetown - here comes UCLA.

Georgetown was being outscored in transition and on the break - two indicators that the Bruins could start to pull away. The biggest indicator though, was #15 in blue.

The country didn't know this Georgetown team though. They matched up well with the Bruins, sporting two big wings of their own in Greg Whittington and Otto Porter. The Hoyas play the way the Bruins need to play. They share the basketball and allow their 6-8 versatile forward, Otto Porter, to help facilitate the offense. UCLA, with their own 6-8 point forward in Kyle Anderson, had an up close look how it was done.

Greg Whittington was hot early. He was stepping out and hitting jumpers and gave Shabazz his first "welcome to the NCAA moment". Shabazz had an attempt on the break and went straight at Whittington - only to get hung up in the air as Whittington prevented the shot from getting out of his hands.

It wasn't the last time Shabazz landed on the floor and got in the mix in the painted area. Otto Porter was able to post him up down low for a couple of buckets. Shabazz returned the favor against Georgetown's small Jabril Trawick, hitting a close range turnaround jumper in his face. Shabazz went hard to the hoop each time he had the chance and probably has the bruises to show for it. He attacks the rim with a fearlessness much like a Dwyane Wade.

His debut was viewed as a bit of a disappointment for NBA scouts, but keep in mind he had only had a few days of practice due to a high ankle sprain. He poured in 15 points effortlessly in 25 minutes, showcasing a nice stroke from outside. Muhammad's release is effortless and he doesn't have much extra movement in his shot. He struggled on defense, but covering guys like Otto Porter is a big change from his days in high school. He mainly was beat defending the post.

UCLA has their work cut out for them defensively. This UCLA team shouldn't go the way of teams in the past because their freshman are high character guys, but the defense should be a major concern. When UCLA went to three straight final fours, their defense was top 3 in the nation each year. This years team has work to do to even be average.

For one, its tough to get a group of new players to learn to play cohesive as a team. With a bunch of freshman and transfer Larry Drew, they have to get used to each other. Even then, guys like Adams, Drew, and Anderson aren't good perimeter defenders. And inside, the Wear twins are good post defenders but dont make anyone think twice about driving the lane. Neither does the immobile Josh Smith who defines the phrase "below the rim center". He also defines a waste of potential, but we will save that for a rainy day.

Without that defense, UCLA may have to turn to a higher octane offense and go in a different direction from teams of the past. It seems Howland may already be doing that if the pace of their game today is any indicator. This Bruins team may look to run and it'd certainly be a good fit. Teams of the past played a strict halfcourt style that often limited the teams guards, resulting in them getting overlooked in the NBA Draft.

With a host of good guards this year and a unconventional Kyle Anderson, the Bruins could maximize their potential and hide their defensive holes by running. With Howland's job possibly on the brink, its within the realm to imagine him changing up his style.

As for Georgetown, their famous style is working just fine. I talked about them earlier this season calling them a sleeper, so this game comes as little surprise to me. Porter and Whittington are a special combo that when paired together creates major problems for opponents. The Hoyas can play them at the wing positions and overwhelm the opposition with size on defense and not suffer on offense.

The biggest question with them is their ability to hit the outside shot. Whittington was 1-8 on the year before going 3-4 tonight. His shot looks solid though, and I did see him hit some long 2-pt baskets in his other games. As for Porter, he rarely looks for the jumper but made both of his 3s tonight. He doesn't get off a lot of jumpers and has a slow release, bringing the ball down to his hip before firing.

Porter finished with 18 points and filled up the rest of the stat sheet with steals, blocks, assists, and rebounds. You can't help but to love his game. He is one of the best all around players in college basketball and perhaps the best at contributing to wins in ways other than scoring. This makes him invaluable at the college level and very intriguing at the next level. The NBA doesn't necessarily need guys who can score.

Still, Porter's biggest question will revolve around how he can score at the next level. Porter gets a lot of his baskets off cuts, transition, putbacks, and post up plays. As a small forward, Porter needs to show at least either a jumper or the ability to drive the lane consistently and finish. And his jumper is broken right now.

Porter also is a bit slow on his feet, yet his outstanding feel for the game tends to make up for it. Scouts in general came away impressed with him tonight, but this is just a typical game for Mr. Porter.

The high point man in this game was actually UCLA's Jordan Adams. He's been a pleasant surprise this season and wasn't going to take a back seat to Muhammad tonight. He jacks up shots at a high rate, prompting Jonathan Givony to make a Jordan Hamilton comparison.

Obviously, he probably didn't mean it as a comparison on their games too, but I think Adams is a lot better college player than Hamilton was his freshman year. Hamilton's freshman year consisted of a comical amount of ridiculous 3-pt attempts and not much else.

Adams loves his jumper the same way, but shows a lot more intelligence on both ends of the court. He is a better driver, has good instincts on when to cut, plays tough inside, and seems to really want to win. His body control is worlds better than Hamilton's. He has a great natural touch on his shots and is automatic from the free throw line.

In terms of NBA stock though, his potential is much less intriguing than Hamilton's. He plays below the rim and his body dimensions are very unusual for a shooting guard. Along with being a chucker, Adams has some obstacles to climb over if he wants to be a first round pick anytime soon.