Scouting Report: Richard Howell

Richard Howell led a solid North Carolina State recruiting class in 2009, a class that also brought in sharpshooter Scott Wood. Howell and Wood helped lay the foundation for a North Carolina State team that enjoyed a rise into the top half of the ACC during his 4 year tenure. After Howell and Wood came in, the Wolfpack brought in an even talented class with more star potential, with the likes of Lorenzo Brown and CJ Leslie joining the team in 2010. The addition of a couple of potential stars allowed Richard Howell to settle into a role as the garbage man, a role that he has crafted into an artform over the years.

"Do what you do the best that you can do it". Thats what Howell has done and it has enabled him to have a good shot at getting drafted this year. Often times Howell was one of the least talented players on the court for the Wolfpack, but found a way to be the most valuable. On a team with plenty of offensive talent, Howell ended up being their second leading scorer this year despite not having any plays ran for him. He was also their best rebounder (all four years), highly efficient, and was actually their leading scorer at one point in the season. Because of how physical and tough he plays, Howell got a little banged up as the season went on and a knee injury slowed him down in the final month of play.

Even though North Carolina State had a disappointing season - they entered the year ranked 6th in preseason polls but ended up losing in the Round of 64 - Howell was the one guy on the team who never disappointed and raised his draft stock through his play this season. He was the one guy whose energy was never questioned as well as the most consistent decision maker.

Playing for a talented North Carolina State team might have been the best thing for him to prepare him for the next level. The role he played at North Carolina State will be very similar to what he will do in the NBA. That is rebound, finish inside, and bring energy and toughness. Howell has plenty of experience playing without the ball in his hands and knows how to impact that game without getting touches. He worked for the ball by attacking the offensive glass. The things he was asked to do - he did them just about as well as anyone could. He excelled in a role and that is very appealing to NBA coaches. All coaches need a lunch pail type guy.

Offensively as a I mentioned, he does his best work on the offensive glass. You have got to make sure you put a body on him because he will be running to the rim every time a shot goes up. He's physical and a solid athlete for his size. He's quicker off his feet than he looks and also moves pretty well. He has good body control in the air and excellent touch and hands on putbacks at the rim.

Often times, Richard Howell will snatch an offensive rebound powerfully in the air and put the ball on the floor with one power dribble to gather himself. He's not necessarily a guy who will just rebound the ball and rise above everyone and dunk on them. He doesn't have that kind of vertical, size, or length. He's quick off the ground, but isnt a high/above the rim leaper.

Constantly bringing the ball down in the NBA may not be as easy as it was in college. But he does do a good job of using his body to create space - more space than even his size would suggest - and seeking out contact. He finishes well for a below the rim player, but will struggle against NBA athletes at the rim.

Howell even has trouble finishing over college players at times, but when he does miss, there is nobody better at chasing down his own shot. He is relentless and knows where to be to get the ball. He attacks the ball and is constantly moving which other college players really struggle with. If Howell doesnt make his first attempt, there is a good shot he will get the ball back and have another opportunity. Thats the level of his motor. It also shows that he is fairly quick off of his feet and can rebound outside of his territory.

From a skilled perspective, Howell isn't necessarily that bad. No, you won't see Howell getting many - if any - touches with his back to the basket. He has good footwork and a nice spin move, but he is better facing up. With his back to the basket, he hasn't shown a hook shot or turnaround jumper to consistently score the ball.

But as a face up player, Howell is pretty good from the high post. He's a turn and face guy when he gets it with his back to the basket. Part of the reason for his decent skill level with the ball may date back to his high school days when he was viewed as a tweener forward. There was talk that he was perhaps too small to play inside. He developed decent handles and has a pretty good first step to the rim.

His handles have improved throughout his college career and has helped him improve his field goal percentage in the process. He is able to now be more aggressive getting to the rim when he gets the ball in the high post. Howell doesn't like to settle for jumpshots anymore and is constantly looking for the highest percentage shot. He is right hand dominant, but is able to spin off the dribble to get defenders off his back. Its very hard to stay in front of a good spin move. He has a strong power dribble and likes to steady himself with a big jumpstop once he gets near the rim. His off the dribble game won't be featured in the NBA, but he does have some skills in this area.

He has enough skills where he should be able to play in the high post area. In addition to his handles, he also has good vision as a passer and a solid jumpshot. If he is able to his from 15 feet consistently - which is possible - he could have a career as a Udonis Haslem type.

Howell also has a good feel of sneaking around in open space to get easy buckets. He also rim runs in transition and gets down the court well for a big, bulky guy. North Carolina State wasn't pick and roll heavy, but Howell looked like a solid option as a pick and pop threat. He also did a good job coming off screens and rolling towards the basket. The jumpstop he has is really valuable to help him gather himself - something that Howell has a habit of doing. Between the jumpstop or one dribble, it seems Howell feels the need to get his legs underneath him before going up for a shot at the rim.

Howell is a high IQ player on the offensive end and most importantly, unselfish and willing to do the dirty work. His IQ carries over on the defensive end too. He is a saavy defender who is able to beat drivers to their spots on the court. He's a guy without a ton of lateral quickness, but is smart enough to get in good position to draw a lot of charges. He is certainly not afraid to give up his body. Howell may struggle against quicker PFs, but did average a steal per game in college. He will be able to hold his own in post defense, although his 8'9.9'' standing reach will make it easy to shoot over him. Howell also isn't a shot blocking threat.

Howell will make his worth on defense as a team defender. He does a very good job covering the pick and roll and recovering to his man. He also can get out and contest the guard if he decides to shoot. Drawing charges and controlling the defensive boards will help him carve out a role as a junkyard dog type guy. Something he is more than OK with doing.

He is the 6th best rebounder in my top 100, trailing only Mike Muscala, Trevor Mbakwe, Jack Cooley, Colton Iverson, and Andre Roberson. Considering Muscala and Iverson are both small school guys, Mbakwe is already 24, and Roberson is more of a combo forward - Howell's numbers look even better.

Overall, Howell isn't a guy who is very flashy or exciting. He doesn't have the same allure to teammates CJ Leslie or Lorenzo Brown who are also in the draft. All of them look like second rounders right now, but Leslie and Brown both could work their way into the first round. For Howell, he just isn't sexy as a first round pick. However, there is reason to believe that Howell will end up being the best North Carolina State player out of this draft. He was arguably their most valuable player this year and showed more improvement year to year than either of the other two. So while everyone may get caught up in the potential of Leslie and Brown, it seems as if Howell is doing a better job of improving himself as a player. Howell is the only one who has already shown that he can play a role in the NBA and excels as a rebounder - the most easily translatable stat from college to the pros. He will be a guy any NBA coach will be happy to have on their team and should most definitely get drafted in the second round.

Scouting Report: Erik Murphy

Coming out of high school, Erick Murphy was a consensus top 50 recruit. He decided to come to Florida where he spent his first two seasons behind Alex Tyus, Vernon Macklin, Chandler Parsons, and Patric Young but his patience paid off. Unlike many players you see today, Murphy didn't transfer when he saw he wouldn't be able to see consistent playing time. He decided to stick it out, build up his strength, and then he was able to play a big role for the Gators in his final two years. 

It was a good choice for his draft stock as well. Florida's offense has produced many pros like Murphy - skilled offensive players who really have a good feel for the game. Florida runs a very pro-style system with lots of movement and spacing, complete with pick and pop scenarios and an inside-out attack. As a stretch forward, Murphy thrived in the offense.

The best part of Murphy's game and obviously his calling card in the NBA will be his ability to stretch the floor. Murphy has a pure stroke from deep and hit 45.3% of his 3-pt attempts in conference play this season. He's very much a pure shooter, but can continue to work to speed up his release. He had games where he simply was unable to miss. He hit 5 3-pters in a game twice and in addition, had a perfect 10-10 field goal night against Wisconsin, many of them coming on jumpers. Along with shooting above 40% from deep each of his three seasons, Murphy also shot above 75% at the free throw line as well.

In Florida's system, Murphy was able to get plenty of good looks from deep. Their offense does a great job of preparing guys for the pros, forcing players to make reads and react. Its a system with a lot of freedom and spacing, running very much like a NBA offense. Its helped plenty of former Gators transition into the NBA as offensive guys. Brad Beal, Matt Bonner, David Lee, Mike Miller, Al Horford, Chandler Parsons, Udonis Haslem, and other prominent names have been able to come in right away and find a fit on offense. There are plenty of shooters and offensively skilled guys that come out of college each year, but Billy Donovan's guys usually come out of school with an edge over most that carries over to the next level. He's seen a lot of his players overachieve for their draft position.

With Patric Young occupying space down low, Murphy was able to play the stretch forward role he will be asked to play in the NBA. Playing alongside three guards who could also shoot, Florida's offense was extremely dangerous and shared the ball well. Murphy was perhaps the most valuable and versatile part of the attack. Murphy forced big men to come out and play them. If they didn't, he would hit the trail 3 with ease. If they did, Murphy could take them off the dribble.

Murphy isn't very quick off the bounce, but he is a good ball handler and uses his body well. His strength and willingness to play physical is an underrated part of his game that helped him get to where he needed to be with the ball in his hands. He has good balance on his drives and is always under control. Murphy doesn't always seek to get all the way to the rim, but if he can just get to the foul line, he usually finds a way to get up a good shot.

A lot of times, that good shot is a hook shot. And almost always, its with his right hand. Murphy has very good footwork and if he gets to the free throw line, he can post up and create a scoring opportunity. He has counter moves in the post and can fake either way multiple times, but his moves are always intended to finish a shot going over his left shoulder. 

While he has propensity to go right, I think Murphy has more of an ability to go to his left than he has shown. Around the basket, he uses his left hand to finish without a problem. His combination of footwork, touch, ability to use both hands, and added strength has made him a very good finisher at the rim in college. 

In the pros, Murphy doesn't have the length or athleticism to finish consistently inside, but its good to see he has other ways to finish. He's not very quick off the floor and lacks foot speed. His wingspan is short at only 6'10.5, but he has a surprisingly high standing reach at 9 feet. With that kind of physical profile, you can't expect Murphy to be anywhere close to effective at the rim as he was in college.

His little right handed hook also won't be as good. In college, Murphy seeked out contact whenhe shot it by going into defenders bodies. It wasn't as graceful of a hook shot as you'd expect from a guy like Murphy. It was more of his only way to get to the foul line. Murphy never was able to get to the line on straight drives from the perimeter or closer in - the fouls he drew were more of the more physical variety.

Despite improved physical play, Murphy will never be one of those tough rebounders down low who can get easy baskets. His toughness shows that he can play and rebound in the NBA - perhaps better than other stretch four candidates like Ryan Kelly and Grant Jerrett, but nothing more.

Luckily for Murphy, his jump shots are often just as good as layups. And he has the makings of a finesse mid-range game as well, complete with a very smooth turnaround jumper. He knows how to square up, use jab steps, and get the defender to pause just long enough to get the shot off. He also is a good passer, especially from the perimeter where he sees the court very well. He makes quick decisions, keeps the ball moving, and does a good job moving without the ball after he passes it. Being a good passer as a stretch 4 is important because you will be expected to pass from the perimeter like a guard a lot and it also helps free yourself up.

Murphy was a mismatch nightmare in college - able to post up smaller defenders and able to take bigger guys off the dribble. In the NBA, he will still be able to provide mismatch problems to a degree. More importantly, he will be able to spread the floor and consistently hit jumpers. He will fare very well as a pick and pop threat and a guy who fits trail threes. 

Defensively, Murphy will be lucky to be average at best due to his lack of lateral quickness and overall athleticism. He will struggle to stay in front of quicker guys, doesn't have the length to contest shots, and will still be weaker than the scoring post players in the league. Murphy is a decent rebound and displays a very good set of hands.

Overall, Murphy looks like the best stretch forward prospect in the second round. He has competition from Ryan Kelly, Grant Jerrett, Kenny Kadji, and other guys likely to go undrafted, but Murphy seems like the most well-rounded and ready to contribute of the group. I also think he is the best shooter of the group - which is perhaps the most important thing. The Florida pedigree won't hurt his draft stock either. Look for him to go somewhere in the second round and potentially have a Matt Bonner-type career in the right situation. 

Scouting Report: Brandon Davies

At one point in time, Brandon Davies was more known for being Jimmer Fredette's teammate and his violation of BYU's honor code. Playing alongside Jimmer, Davies was an afterthought in scouts minds watching BYU games at the time, but has slowly maneuvered himself into potentially being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. He's done so through improvement and an increased role - a role that features him as a rare playmaker and go to guy in the post. If a team is looking for the next Draymond Green in this draft, he's the closest thing to him you will find in terms of style of play. He possesses a true post game, toughness, craftiness, high IQ, good footwork, and a strong passing ability.

Since the season has ended, Davies has seen his stock increase with good showings at both Portsmouth and Chicago. He was the MVP of the event in Portsmouth. The previous two MVPs, Jimmy Butler and Kyle O'Quinn both went on to be drafted. At Chicago, he helped himself by showing more of a faceup game and measuring with legitimate power forward size.

Showing well at these events has been big for Davies because his role is certain to change in the NBA. Its unlikely that Davies will ever be featured as a go to player offensively in the post, so he will have to show that his game can transition to more of a face up threat. He will be used more in pick and roll/pop situations and showing that he can knock down the mid-range jumper consistently will be key. Neither are things that he got to do much of at BYU, although he did fare well shooting jumpers from 15 feet. Davies was even able to hit 5 of 14 college 3-pt attempts this year.

Even though he will need to play a different style in the NBA, Davies post game is far from worthless. For one, seeing him in a featured role has also forced him to become a decision maker. In that aspect, Davies has done a great job making decisions from the post.

Davies also shows plenty of patience in the post and handled the double teams he routinely saw with relative ease. He's an excellent passer from the high post and its not him just simply kicking it out to the open man. He founded cutters consistently, adjusted shots in midair to instead pass to a teammate, and developed all sorts of crafty ways to deliver the ball to teammates.

Davies ability to work hard off the ball is also evident through his post game. He constantly worked for deep position inside and sealed off his defender uses that solid base of his. He seeks out contact and is always looking to put his body on someone. His teammates did a great job rewarding him for his hard work by the way of post entry passes. Unlike most teams nowadays, Davies was able to kick the ball back out of the post, reestablish better position, and be confident that he would get the ball back. He is a natural with his back to the basket and really thrived as the focal point of an inside-outside attack.

In terms of post moves, Davies has them too. He uses his pivot foot as well as anyone and his footwork overall is excellent. He's shown off a little "dream shake", numerous up and under moves, a quick face up move off the bounce, and plenty of other moves. When it comes to having a bag of tricks to go to, Brandon Davies is your man in this draft. He definitely has an old school post game.

He does tend to be overly predictable. While he has plenty of flare, he almost always ends up going over his left shoulder. In college, players are more prone to flail at all the style and fall into Davies' trap. In the NBA, the scouting report will eventually catch up to him to the point where he will need to establish more moves going over his right shoulder. He has shown that he can hit shots with his left hand, he just needs to get more comfortable making moves towards that side of the basket.

Another one of Davies moves is a big time pump fake, one that will draw comparisons to Sam Young's back at Pitt. Once again though, it will be far less effective in the NBA due to scouting reports and smarter players. He does his pump fake with only one hand and it should be obvious that he isn't going to shoot out of that position. Its just a reaction thing, but NBA players will know to look for it and be more disciplined on not biting on it.

Still, that is just one of Davies' crafty moves and its a good example of just how creative he is. Its a big part of his game and some of it certainly will translate and help him in the NBA. With all his hesitation moves, he will be able to at least keep shotblockers at bay. Thats big for Davies because he isnt the most explosive player around the rim. With his strength and moves though, he was able to convert 76% of his shots at the rim - a very high number. Davies understands how to attack shotblockers by going right into their body. He also will do a lot of reverse finishes to use the rim to help shield his shot from getting blocked.

Davies is also able to make quick reads in the post and make some deceptively quick moves to the basket off the bounce. He's a solid ball handler from the power forward spot and while he won't blow by a lot of guys, he does know how to use one or two dribbles effectively to get him a better shot. Davies attacked the rim off of one or two dribbles a lot this year.

His transition to the NBA will actually be similar to Cody Zeller's. Davies too was asked to play around the rim and attack a lot, while showing that he struggled to finish against good athletes. They both showed passing skills, high IQs, and flashed the ability to play more of a stretch forward role when they had the chance. Davies isnt as quick as Zeller, but he is tougher and more skilled with his back to the basket.

Davies is certainly a guy that you have to watch his best games and balance them out by watching his worst games. At this best, he looks unstoppable in the post. But Davies wasn't always facing the greatest competition. When he did, you could really see his struggles finishing inside. Davies still scored plenty against top competition, but was inefficient in two games against Baylor and Gonzaga, as well as Iowa State and Notre Dame (to his credit though, Davies was still able to get to the line against these opponents, something he does very well).

He's also a guy that the more you watch him play, the more you appreciate him simply because he shows more and more creativity each game. Whenever you watch Davies, you are bound to see him bust out a new move or make a pass you usually don't see anyone else make.

Defensively, Davies struggled a lot with foul trouble. He plays the game physically on defense as well and is aggressive, but it ends up taking him out of games too much. Way too much for a star player like Davies. Davies, however, also had to deal with playing behind a very weak perimeter defense that forced BYU to switch to zone defense a lot later in the season. Watching Davies in the zone, you can see just how coordinated he is and how well he understands where to be on defense. He is not the quickest guy laterally, but his coordination will help him hang with quicker power forwards in the league. As will his strong frame and 7'2 wingspan.


He came up with a very high amount of steals for a power forward which is indicates that his athleticism may be a bit underrated. While Davies won't be a playmaker or a intimidating presence on defense, he does project as a solid positional defender as long as he keeps his fouls down.

In terms of rebounding, Davies isn't your typical second round steal at PF who puts up huge rebounding numbers. He did exceed 10 rebounds per 40 minutes each of his past three seasons however. He does a good job rebounding in his area and pulls down the ball with power. He's a guy you can trust to come down with the boards he should. He always boxes out and throws his body to his man and is a great team rebounder, who is more focused on just helping a teammate get the rebounder than simply being out to pad his own stats.

Overall, Davies will need to make a transition offensively in the NBA, but it is something he has already shown he will be able to make if his play at Portsmouth and Chicago are any indication. He seems to be a better shooter than the numbers indicate and his craftiness should translate to the pick and roll game as well. He certainly is already does a good job setting hard screens.

While Davies was a star at BYU, he has great qualities of a role player and should have no problem changing roles - just as Draymond Green did this year for the Warriors. He's unselfish, has a high IQ, plays with energy and toughness, knows how to set up his teammates, and is a high character guy by all accounts. He seems to be willing to do whatever his team needs him to do in order to win. At BYU, it was to be the focal point of the offense out of the post. In the NBA, his role will be more confined, but could be just as important to a playoff team. Right now, Brandon Davies is looking like a solid second round steal with the ability to come in and make an impact right away.

Scouting Report: Jackie Carmichael

Jackie Carmichael entered his senior season with very high expectations as his 21 win Illinois State squad returned mostly the same roster. He spent the summer impressing coaches and scouts alike at the LeBron James Camp with his toughness - leading to plenty of eyes watching him this year.

Illinois State looked poised to give Creighton all the could handle in the MVC, especially after a tough fought loss to Louisville and big early season wins on the road against Drexel and Dayton. Unfortunately for Carmichael and the Redbirds, they began their conference schedule with a 6 game losing streak - essentially eliminating all hopes of securing an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament. As Carmichael's career winds down, it is a perfect time to look back and what he accomplished and assess how his game will translate to the next level.

While playing under first year head coach Dan Muller, Carmichael had his best statistical season yet on a team that looked to push the pace more than past Redbird squads. Carmichael had shown steady improvement year to year and made an especially big jump following his sophomore year, where he improved his numbers across the board as well as raised his field goal percentage from 45% to a 53%.

The reason for Carmichael's improvement last year was his newfound aggressiveness, something coaches had been eager to see out of him all along. Carmichael relegated himself to a jumpshooter in his sophomore year, rendering his solid 6-8 240lb frame almost useless. According to hoop-math.com, Carmichael took only 18% of his shots at the rim during the 2010-2011 season before bringing it up to 44% last year. Attacking the rim was a huge part in his raise in efficiency and he got to the line 8.4 times per 40 minutes.

This season, Carmichael picked up where he left off in his junior year, continuing to be aggressive, and imposing himself as one of the 4 senior leaders of the Redbird team. He raised his point per game up nearly 4 points, but when the pace is adjusted for Dan Muller's new tempo, its roughly closer to a 2 point per game improvement.

Muller's tempo allowed Carmichael to show his hustle more and capitalize on more easy buckets around the rim. Carmichael isn't the most athletically gifted, but runs the court well and with purpose each and every time. He also does a good job getting open and staying ready for a pass at all times. The new offense allowed this part of his game to show a bit more.

First and foremost though, Carmichael is a halfcourt scorer who fared very well in the halfcourt sets ran. After moving outside of his comfort zone in his sophomore year as a jumpshooter, Carmichael took on a more physical role and showed off his post game.

Carmichael does a good job establishing position in the post, moving his feet to keep defenders on his back, and keeping his hands up to call for the ball. He has very soft hands and is able to receive even the toughest passes cleanly. Carmichael's go-to moves in the post are a quick turnaround jumper from either shoulder as well as a little right handed hook shot. In terms of counter moves, Carmichael is still raw in that area although he does have the potential to continue to develop. After all, Carmichael hasn't been focused on playing with his back to the basket until the last two years and in many cases, he hasn't needed a counter move.

Carmichael's feel in the post is still developing as well and he struggles with the double teams that undersized MVC teams throw at him. With a turnover rate at less than a 1:2 ratio, it is easy to say Carmichael has to improve passing out of the post. More accurately, he needs to learn not to panic when double teams come. He can rush into mistakes and also has a problem having the ball swiped from him due to him holding the ball away from his body. At times, he has to learn to accept the double team and get rid of the ball. His turnovers are also high because of his poor ball-handling skills. Whenever Carmichael puts the ball on the floor for more than one dribble, its an adventure where things rarely turn out well.

While double teams have been able to slow Carmichael down, teams that have tried to stop him by fronting him in the post have paid dearly. He has no problem establishing position from that angle and his teammates also deserve credit for getting him the ball for easy lay-ups in these situations. Its very hard to front a guy like Carmichael who is constantly moving and battling for good position.

Carmichael is best used in the pick and roll game, something that both of his coaches at Illinois State took full advantage of. As mentioned, Carmichael is very good in a set offense and has a strong understanding of timing and spacing. He will have no problem adjusting to the playbooks of the NBA and will thrive in the league where pick and roll action is king.

Carmichael understands how valuable the pick and roll can be to free him up on offense - whether it be used to help him establish post position, open jumpers, or shots at the rim. He is constantly moving around on offense screening defenders for his teammates and then floating into open areas looking for the ball. His best attributes in these situations including his feel/awareness/timing/patience, his hands, footwork, and versatile offensive game. He does a fantastic job of always making himself an available target and getting open.

His feel/awareness/timing/patience can be lumped into one category, but it is a huge part of what he is as a player. Carmichael plays like an NBA veteran already in terms of his pace of the game. He glides to spots after setting ball screens, finding weak spots in the defense for jumpers or searching for an undersized defender to put a body on and establish post position. The revelation of the latter, has enabled him to get much deeper post position than in previous season and take advantage of his strong finishing ability inside of ten feet.

His hands are another big asset that allow him to catch balls on the move when rolling towards the basket. He has large hands and a soft touch. He can release the ball rather quick near the rim and also gets of the floor quick given his size. Carmichael loves to go up strong with both hands on the ball, although he is primarly a right-handed dominant finisher. Despite his shortcomings with his left hand, Carmichael still ranks as a good finisher thanks to his strength, touch, and solid explosiveness.

Carmichael's versatility is big and includes his post up game, pick and roll game, and his ability to knock down jumpers. I mentioned his turnaround already. His turnaround right now is best used inside of 10-15 feet. He shoots it better over his left shoulder, but has shown more and more the ability to shoot it in the other direction. He isn't the type of turnaround jumpshooter who takes multiple dribbles, battles for position, and can fake one way or another. Instead, his game is pretty basic that just involves making a quick one dribble move off either shoulder - anything more is asking too much from him.

Carmichael has always had the makings of a solid jumper, but has fallen in love with it too much at times. Obviously during his sophomore year, he shot it way too much. Even now, Carmichael will take contested jumpers just inside the 3-pt line that appear to be slightly out of his range. He is a much more consistent knock down shooter inside of 15-18 feet. Further consistency and expansion of his range will go a long way in his dreams of being a NBA player.

His ability to settle for shots has been frustrating to watch at times, as he has such an imposing physical frame in the MVC. Even his turnaround jumpers in the post leave you instead wanting to see him take it into his man's body strong for a tough finish inside. Nevertheless, his offensive skills are notable.

As I said, Carmichael isn't a good ball handler, but is able to face up for a quick "gather himself" dribble while on his way to the rim for an explosive finish. He uses a convincing pump fake to get his man off balance. That dribble is key for Carmichael who is a much better jumper when he has both feet underneath him than coming off one foot. He isn't the high-flying forward that comes out from the perimeter for tip slams that you see a lot in today's NBA.

From a rebounding standpoint though, that hardly hurts him. Carmichael is a great rebounder who does a good job using his frame to carve out an large area in which every ball within reach seems to be his. His strength, ability to get off the floor, and toughness are all on display here. Carmichael relishes opportunities to do the dirty work and work harder than his opponents. In an interview with Sports Illustrated prior to this season, he was quote saying, "I am the guy who is going to bring his hard hat and lunch pail every single day and just work hard. I feel like thats what gets basketball players to that next level and where they want to be in life. I live by the quote that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard".

Obviously, Jackie Carmichael has a great head on his shoulders and will be a joy in any lockerroom. His work ethic and willingness to do the dirty work will be welcomed by all coaches and he should be able to pack on more muscle on his broad frame.

Defensively, Carmichael will never be a great player, but he can be a solid NBA defender right off the bat. He understands how to move his feet, plays solid pick and roll defense, works hard to deny post position, and has posted an interesting combination of rebounds and steals this year.

A fair amount of those steals have came from either denying post entry passes or aggressive attacking the ball handler in pick and rolls - forcing them to make a rash decision. Carmichael doesn't take defense off, instead constantly battling to deny post position and never falling asleep when he is asked to defend in the pick and roll. His low center of gravity is useful in the post and his upper body should only get stronger. Carmichael is also a team first defender who generally knows when to offer help and when to stay inside to protect the paint.

His aggressive hedges on screens are aided by his solid footwork, although sometimes he is a little slow to get back to his original man. Carmichael has a solid 7 foot wingspan, but doesn't project as a impact shot deterer  and only uses his right hand to contest shots. What he does offer is the ability to slide over in front of defenders and draw charges and Carmichael has already proven himself to be a believable actor in the eyes of refs.

A large amount of Carmichael's fouls on defense come from being to aggressive in battles down low, especially when trying to go over the back for tough rebounds.

Overall, Carmichael has an all-around solid game and is ready to contribute sooner rather than later to the NBA. As a 23 year old, his stock is hurt a bit by his lack of perceived upside, although he does present some intrigue with coming out of a mid-major conference and his offensive ability. Also, the disappointing years of power forwards like James McAdoo and Tony Mitchell have made this PF class rather barren in terms of first round talent that can contribute right away. With those two and Isaiah Austin and Anthony Bennett, you have 4 great talents but none of them appear to have the maturity to contribute to a team right away. Carmichael can. So can guys like Richard Howell and Trevor Mbakwe, but with Carmichael's offensive ability - he presents more of an upside - even if he does turn out to be just a rotational big who rebounds and defends like Howell and Mbakwe project to be.

Carmichael looks to be a solid bet for the late first round at this point, although he doesn't have much room to move much higher on boards. A down year for Illinois State has shifted a lot of potential hype away from him and its unlikely they get a berth in the NCAAs or NIT. Still, look for him to be one of the first seniors called on draft night.