BasslineSpin.com basketball blog by Bobby Gerould

 

June 2, 2009 ...Let me start by giving major credit to DraftExpress.com for posting the results of the physical testing at the NBA Combine. If you like the NBA Draft—you MUST read DraftExpress. OK - with that written—I will say that I have not read anybody else's comments yet about the testing results. I wanted to read them first and make MY OWN notes without the prejudice that accompanies looking at the results after you have read somebody else’s synopsis. After thorough analysis of all the measuring and testing - and with all things considered I am listing the following players as the best, most NBA ready athletes in the draft (not taking skill into account): 1. DaJuan Summers - Now if someone can turn this kid into a basket attacker that gets to the FT line, he might be a baller. But shouldn’t he already be doing that?  2. Derrick Brown - Strength and large wingspan give him the tools to defend SF’s well.  3. Hasheem Thabeet - Simply for his reach and wingspan. 4. Dante Cunningham -  I’m not sold on him as an NBA PF. 5. Jeff Pendergraph - Another guy I’m not sold on. 6. Damion James - I really believe James is a top-15 talent if he can put it all together. He clocked the second quickest time in the 3/4 court sprint - as a Small Forward! 7. Jeff Teague - He is NOT a PG - but he can wreak havoc with his scoring. 8. Blake Griffin - He had a little more body fat than I expected (8.2%) but what he does with his 250 lbs. is impressive. 9. Terrence Williams - Low body fat and big time leaping ability helped him land in the top ten. I actually think Williams best position in the NBA may be PG. 10. James Harden - He ranked in the top ten in strength, vertical jump, and speed. 11. Tyler Hansbrough - Strong and in the top 15 in wingspan. 12. Rodrigue Beaubois - He scored the second highest vert. and the third fastest time in the defensive slide drill. 13. Toney Douglas - Douglas was the fastest man at the combine but his lack of size hurts his overall rating here. 14. Gerald Henderson - He had the least amount of body fat (4.4%). 15. Jerel McNeal - Good times in the agility, and vertical jumping combined with a low body fat earn McNeal the last spot in the top 15. ...I don’t put much stock into any of this testing but that doesn’t mean some of the results aren’t interesting. * Brown of Xavier benched 185 lbs. 20 times to rank third among 50 players tested. I had no idea he was THAT strong. *How about little 166 lb. Darren Collison putting that bar up nine times or twice more than 221 lb. Tyreke Evans? * Jonny Flynn had the highest maximum vertical jump at 40” but he was surprisingly average in the 3/4 court sprint. *Henderson is known for his high-flying act but his 35” max. vert. was only 18th (tie). *Body fat results: lowest and in best shape - Henderson 4.4%, Teague 4.5%, Marcus Thornton and Cunningham 4.8%, DeMar DeRozan and Sam Young 4.9%. * Highest body fat: A.J. Price 12.4%, DeJuan Blair and James Johnson 12%, Luke Harangody 11.2%, Josh Heytvelt 10.8%. …*Fastest in the three-quarter court sprint? Douglas 3.03. The top ten: Douglas, James 3.09, Collison 3.10, Jodie Meeks 3.10, Patrick Mills 3.10, Ty Lawson 3.12, Brown 3.13, Harden 3.13, Henderson 3.14, and Pendergraph 3.14. *Ten Slowest: Austin Daye 3.55, Greivis Vasquez 3.48, Young 3.45 (that shocks me), B.J. Mullens 3.45, Blair 3.45, Taj Gibson 3.41, Heytvelt 3.38, Earl Clark 3.35, Gani Lawal 3.34, Harangody 3.33. …*DeRozan had the fifth slowest time in the defensive slide drill.  Evans had the sixth slowest time. The slowest overall was Jordan Hill. *The fastest times in that drill belonged to Jack McClinton, Collison, Beaubois, McNeal, and Douglas.

May 31, 2009 ...Food for thought. Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports that Ty Lawson’s stock is falling in the NBA Draft. I again have to ask why? And how? Said Ford, “Lawson continues to take a little bit of a beating. His small stature and so-so performance in the combine didn't help dispel a growing chorus of scouts who seem to feel that his game won't translate to the pros.”  Let’s address the ‘small stature’ first. Lawson measured 6’0.5” with shoes. His standing reach is 7’10.5”. Flashback to 2005 where Chris Paul measured 6’1” with shoes and a standing reach of 7’9” (or an inch and a half shorter than Lawson). Btw—Paul weighed 178 lbs while Lawson has a thicker—more sturdy frame at 197 lbs. As for his ‘so-so performance’? C’mon. We are talking about practice man. The combine did not allow for scrimmaging. Lawson’s strong suit is his decision making. There are no decisions being made in a drill where no one guards you. Just for giggles - let’s compare Paul’s efficiency rating at Wake Forest with Lawson’s career efficiency at North Carolina. Paul was at .562 and Lawson is at .611. Paul was the better scorer but Lawson posted better shooting numbers at 52% FG over a three year span. Lawson, per minute, has better assist numbers too. And Lawson’s college assist-to-turnover ratio is better than Chris Paul’s was.

May 28, 2009 ...Why would any team DRAFT Brandon Jennings? You think this kid—one year removed from wearing Kanye West style glasses as a high school Senior is ready to lead a bad NBA team? His numbers from Europe, where he played this year, are not good. In nearly 800 minutes this season—he is shooting 38% FG. He is not getting to the FT line either (only 62 attempts). By the time (if ever) he gets good he will be on his second contract. So why draft a guy like that? You say, “Derrick Rose did it as a kid one year removed from high school.” I say—Brandon Jennings ain’t no Derrick Rose. ...On the other side of the hype machine is Paulo Prestes of Brazil who is getting virtually no-love from anyone. I think he is a first round talent. ...I like Lester Hudson too.

 

May 27, 2009  ...So— tell me again why Paul Harris of Syracuse was not even invited to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp. Here is my case for him. I will start by conceding that he was snuffed like Charles Smith on repeated point-blank field goal attempts this season. I also see that his offensive game is lacking a pure stroke from the perimeter. But what about what he CAN do? He played forward for the `Cuse but can easily guard NBA Shooting Guards due to his fantastic overall athleticism. He is lb. for lb. the strongest kid I saw play in the NCAA and he will immediately make any team tougher. He rebounds at a high rate and is a great open-court finisher. He makes fairly good decisions with nearly an assist for every turnover. He is a hard worker.  His perimeter shot has improved with time and his 72% FT numbers for his career suggest he is not as poor a shooter as his critics claim him to be. I could have been describing Dahntay Jones who is presently playing meaningful minutes in the Conference Finals. Paul Harris needed to be invited to the NBA Pre Draft Camp.