« Publishing Schedule: Late June/Early July | Main | (Atlantic 10): NBA Draft Preview (Part 2) »
(Atlantic 10) NBA Draft Preview - Part 1
By Guest | June 25, 2008
By: Regular Guest Contributor, Ian Nolan; along with CCT Staff
Thursday night in New York City, the lives of 60 basketball players from around the nation, and world, will be changed forever. For NBA and college basketball fans alike, the names Derrick Rose (Memphis), Michael Beasley (Kansas State) and O.J. Mayo (USC) are the year’s Holy Trinity of the draft. After these three names are called, however, the debate is on as to who will shake hands with Commissioner Stern.
Waiting for their names to be called along with hundreds of other players will be a few graduates from the Atlantic 10 Conference. Below is Part 1 of an A-10 NBA Draft Preview, examining three of six players with draft hopes from the conference. Part 2 will follow tomorrow.
Will Daniels, Forward- University of Rhode Island
Daniels enjoyed a fine senior season as a Ram, averaging over 18 points per game while pulling down 6.5 rebounds. Equally as important, his NBA Draft potential soared in 2007-08, aided in-part by Rhode Island’s sprint out of the gates, which garnered national attention… and coverage for Daniels. Various mock drafts have Daniels slotted anywhere from being selected in the mid-second round to remaining undrafted.
Daniels possesses great size for a small forward (6′8″, 225 lbs.) and is a tremendous athlete, perhaps minus only great quickness. He worked hard in the weight room while at Rhode Island and filled out considerably by the time he reached his senior season. His broad shouldered frame allows him to finish in the lane after drawing contact, and he is developing his overall perimeter skill set to increase his versatility and allow him to play on the wing at the next level. Daniels should be able create mismatches in the post by exploiting his physical advantage over smaller forwards. He is adept at going baseline and is not afraid to shoot, and knock down, the mid-range jumper.
The former Ram will have to develop defensively; while he has decent quickness, Daniels often found himself in foul trouble in college, registering more than three fouls in twenty-four contests last season. This was mostly due to Daniels having a tendency to reach at times (although some of his foul issues were also a result of being whistled for charges). In any event, he’ll need to place a premium on improving his lateral quickness to enable him to guard quicker, smaller forwards.
There’s also room for Daniels to improve his shot, but while most scouting reports will point to the decrease in Daniels’ three-point shooting percentage last season, the drop-off had more to do with shot selection and the necessity for Daniels to carry the Rams at times than it did with some sudden, phantom shooting hitch. His shot has never been beautiful, but it’s always been effective.
Prediction: Drafted
Gary Forbes, Guard/Forward- University of Massachusetts
Forbes did everything he possibly could to vault himself into the NBA Draft conversation with his play this past season. The senior was second in the league in scoring (19.4) and pulled down 7.5 rebounds a game. Forbes was named the league’s most valuable player, led his team to the N.I.T Final and now hopes to make an NBA roster.
Forbes performed very well at both pre-draft camps, so his stock has certainly risen since he walked off the floor at Madison Square Garden in a loss to Ohio State. He is a terrific scorer, has tremendous length and has shown an excellent feel for the game. He scored at least 20 points 18 different times this past season, a testament to his consistency and intensity. At just a shade under 6′5″, Gary has good size for a shooting guard in the NBA, and his ball handling skills are above average for a two guard. Finally, he is a solid free-throw shooter (an area he improved significantly throughout college).
There are some defensive concerns about Forbes. He does not possess incredible quickness and, as a result, he’ll need to rely on his basketball smarts to compensate for not having that gift of quickness which is bestowed upon many at the next level. He also must improve his consistency shooting the ball. Last season, he shot just 29% from downtown, a number that may create some apprehension in those looking to draft him as an off-guard. Although he can get to the rim and finish off the dribble, NBA teams will want to see Forbes develop his jump shot in the future to keep defenders honest.
While Forbes is probably not a lock to be drafted, it would be a surprise if his name was not called in the mid to late second round.
Prediction: Drafted
Stanley Burrell, Guard- Xavier University
In a group of great 2007-08 Atlantic 10 seniors, there may be none more accomplished than Stanley Burrell. The 6′3 guard has been a part of an Elite Eight season, scored over 1,600 points, played in a school record 132 games, and gained recognition from fans around the league and country as a sound fundamental player and mature floor leader. Burrell carved his name into the Xavier record books as well as the minds and hearts of fans with his inspired play and tremendous intensity.
Now, Burrell hopes to trade his Musketeer jersey for that of a professional team; preferably, one of the NBA variety.
Stanley Burrell is known around college basketball circles for his great defense at the guard position. He was named the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year and also named to the A-10 Third Team for the second consecutive season. He has accumulated several other defensive accolades, and NBA scouts certainly have taken note of his ability to lock-down an opponent. In a league that seems to lack great on-ball defenders, Burrell hopes to get a look from a team in need of a good point defender.
Offensively, he shot 38% from three over his career, so his shooting ability is something that could aid him as he tries to transition into a full-fledged point guard. Burrell also has a good handle and good quickness, which he uses to break his man off the dribble.
At 6′3″, Burrell does not have the size to play the two guard in the NBA, so he must prove he can handle the ball and the point. He was able to show this some at the Portsmouth Invitational (13 assists in one game), but teams will need an opportunity to fully evaluate and determine if Burrell has the ball handling ability, floor-general vision and basketball I.Q to man that position at the next level.
Although he does many things well, Burrell is not lightning quick, not a great scorer and not a proven distributor (despite registering 140 assists last season). Ultimately, Stanley is likely too much of a “tweener” to have a legitimate chance of being drafted. He is about three inches too small to play the two guard, and is not proven enough to be drafted at the point.
Prediction: Not Drafted
Topics: Guest Columns |
June 25th, 2008 at 8:43 am
Ian,
I would like you to meet a friend of mine. His name is Josh Duncan. He played basketball at Xavier, a small Jesuit university located in Ohio’s Miami Valley.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:45 am
OK, so it does say “Part 1″. I will give you that.