A few weeks until the first games of the college basketball season, and the road to the 2013 NBA Draft has begun.  It’s time to start my look at this year’s sophomore class and give some brief notes on areas where they need to show improvement to maximize their appeal to the NBA if they choose to leave school.

(You can read previous entries here: Senior Watch List, Junior Watch List)

Remember, these are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out during the season.   Some of these players are already pro candidates, while others will clearly need more time.  These are not all-inclusive and just meant as a brief primer for those who want to track draft prospects throughout the season.

Cody Zeller, Indiana, Forward/Center, 7’0, 240

15.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.4 spg, 1.2 bpg, 62.3 FG%, 75.5 FT%

Zeller proved to be the missing piece in Tom Crean’s return of the Indiana program to its place among the nations’ best.  Zeller is a highly-skilled big man with a number of ways to score around the basket.  He has very good footwork and hands in the post and a soft touch.  He has very good instincts on the offensive glass and can get 2^nd chance shots off quickly.  He understands court spacing well and is runs the pick-and-roll as well as any college big man.  Similar to his brother Tyler, Zeller also runs the court well in transition and can finish on the break.   On the defensive end, Zeller works hard to deny post entries and positions himself well.  He does a good job hedging on the pick-and-roll and uses his length to make passes difficult.

What he needs to show this season: Without improvement, Zeller is still the best big man in college basketball, but with an eye on the NBA, there are some steps he needs to take to become more versatile.  Getting stronger is a must, and it looks like he has bulked up some heading into this season.  Defending the post, he needs to work on using his lower body better to force players off the blocks.  Also, he needs to work on reacting better as a help defender in the lane and around the basket.  On the offensive end, Zeller needs to start to incorporate a face-up game out of the post, including improving his ballhandling to go by his man and working on a consistent mid-range jumper.

Trey Burke, Michigan, Guard, 6’1, 190

14.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.6 apg, 43.3 FG%, 74.4 FT%, 34.8 3FG%, 1.66:1 A/TO

There was talk that Burke was considering a jump to the NBA last season and you can read my scouting report from that time which is relevant heading into this season.

What he needs to show this season:  Again, the scouting report covers most of it, but some key areas where he needs to improve are his on-ball defense, especially lateral movement, and making quicker reads on offense.

Tony Mitchell, North Texas, Forward, 6’8, 235

(23 games) 14.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 56.7 FG%, 73.9 FT%, 43.9 3FG% (41 attempts)

Mitchell is well-known as one of the most athletic players in college basketball, but he brings a good deal more in his game.  He has great rebounding instincts, gets in position quickly and goes strong after the missed shot.  He reacts well as a help defender and challenges almost every shot, including on the perimeter.  On the offensive end, he uses his body well to get position in the post and is able to score with his body to the basket or facing up.  He is quick to the basket and can finish as strong as anyone in college.  He has the ability to hit the mid-range jumper consistently and has shown that he can hit the open 3.

What he needs to show this season: Mitchell did not join his team until the 2^nd semester last season, in time for the Sun Belt conference schedule, but he did not play against any really strong teams.  Mitchell needs to show that he can physically dominate the game against stronger competition.  On the defensive end, he needs to work on the fundamentals of good defense.  In the post, he needs to not stand straight up, even if it does help him block shots.  He gets backed down too easily by mediocre post players and high-level players will score at will against him.  Also, he needs to work on his footwork and positioning on the perimeter.  He needs to understand that he can’t try and block every shot.  It is very easy to get him in the air with a pump fake, and he has to be more aware of when he will be goaltending.  On the offensive end, Mitchell needs to work on polishing the skills he has already.  His footwork, ballhandling, and passing can all be improved, and he needs to work on bringing the release point of his jumper up higher if he plans on being able to get shots off around defenders.

B.J. Young, Arkansas, Guard, 6’3, 180

15.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 50.4 FG%, 74.3 FT, 41.3 3FG%

Young had a very good freshman season, and he seems to be a great fit in Coach Mike Anderson’s up-tempo system.  Young has great speed, is a very good ballhandler, and can break down most defenders off the dribble.  He has a crossover that is very hard to stop and he gets into the lane very quickly.  He has good body control and can finish at the basket or with a floater.  He has a quick release and good range as a spot-up shooter.  He can control the pace of the game and he has good court vision.  On the defensive side, Young uses his quickness well when he pressures the ball and he plays passing lanes well.  Young is very good in the open court, either pushing the ball or running one of the wings.

What he needs to show this season: Young needs to do a better job getting his passes to his teammates where they can make a play off of them.  Also, he needs to make a better job making reads off of screens instead of always looking to the basket.  When he gets into the lane, he needs to not shy away from contact as much and look to draw more fouls.  Young should also improve his ability to hit the mid-range jumper and using his dribble to create space for his shot.  Defensively, Young needs to work on his awareness and his lateral movement.  Also, he needs to do a better job getting through screens.

Chasson Randle, Stanford, Guard, 6’1, 180

13.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.1 spg, 44.0 FG%, 76.1 FT%, 44.0 3FG%

Randle’s strong freshman season was an integral part of how Stanford was able to win the NIT Tournament.  Randle was an excellent perimeter shooter, having excellent range and a quick release.  He is a good ballhandler, uses screens well to get into the lane and finds ways to finish at the rim.  He does a good job drawing defenders and finding open teammates, and he is very good in a two-man game with his post players.  Randle is an average defender, positioning himself well and being quick to react as a help defender.

What he needs to show this season: With Aaron Bright handling a lot of the playmaking duties, Randle does not get a lot of chances to show the skills he needs to have at the NBA level.  While having Randle playing off the ball is a luxury for Stanford, he will need to show his ability as a playmaker and running the offense.  As mentioned, he is a good spot-up shooter, but he needs to work on being able to hit his jumper off of screens and off the dribble.  With defenders needing to cover him tightly on the perimeter, Randle should be able to use his dribble to create space and hit his jumper.  As a defender, he needs to work on his on-ball defense, improving his lateral movement and getting over screens.  Stanford seems to switch on screens automatically in most cases, but he won’t have that luxury at the next level.

LeDontae Henton, Providence, Forward, 6’6, 215

14.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 45.4 FG%, 70.6 FT%, 39.3 3FG%

Henton had a very impressive freshman season, especially considering that he was playing almost a full game every night (37.2 minutes per game).  Henton is very athletic and runs the floor well.  He is a strong finisher in transition and is able to finish with both hands around the basket.  He plays much bigger than his size, and he uses his body and length well to guard bigger players.  He goes strong after rebounds and is very quick after misses on the offensive end.  Henton is able to score both inside and out, and he does a good job filling open spots created by Vincent Council’s penetration.  He has good range on his spot-up jumper and his confidence in it seemed to improve during the course of the season.

What he needs to show this season: Henton needs to take the next step with his offensive skill-set – improving his ballhandling and working on taking defenders off the dribble to the basket.  Also, he needs to work on hitting his jumper off the dribble and using ball and shot fakes to draw defenders in the air.  He can improve his free throw shooting and he can certainly work on drawing more contact.  Defensively, Henton needs to work on his perimeter defense, both on and off the ball.  He needs to be aware of his positioning, especially when he is on a shooter, and improving his lateral movement.  He uses his athleticism well to get rebounds, but I would like to see him be more physical in clearing space and getting position.

Check back soon as I finish my look at the seniors, as well as some more from the junior  and sophomore classes.  Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog and leave your comments below or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

JUNIOR WATCH LIST

Here is a list of juniors I will be tracking throughout the season.  The list is still a work-in-progress and more names will be added in the upcoming weeks.  Each name is linked to their pre-season preview and as full scouting reports, interviews, and other mentions are made throughout the year, you will find the links to them here as well.

De'Mon Brooks - Davidson - Forward

Alec Brown – Wisconsin- Green Bay – Center

Reggie Bullock – North Carolina – Guard

Deonte Burton – Nevada – Guard

Aaron Craft - Ohio State - Guard 

Gorgui Dieng – Louisville – Center

C.J. Fair – Syracuse – Forward

Joe Jackson – Memphis – Guard

Sean Kilpatrick - Cincinnati - Guard 

C.J. Leslie – North Carolina State – Forward

Ray McCallum – Detroit – Guard

Doug McDermott – Creighton – Forward

Cleveland Melvin – DePaul – Forward

Daniel Miller - Georgia Tech - Center

Mike Moser - UNLV - Forward 

Shabazz Napier – Connecticut – Guard

Phil Pressey – Missouri – Guard

Andre Roberson – Colorado – Forward

Devon Saddler – Delaware – Guard

Joshua Smith – UCLA – Center

Deshaun Thomas – Ohio State – Forward

CJ Wilcox - Washington - Guard 

Patric Young – Florida – Forward

Trey Ziegler – Pittsburgh - Guard

SENIOR WATCH LIST

Here is a list of seniors I will be tracking throughout the season.  The list is still a work-in-progress and more names will be added in the upcoming weeks.  Each name is linked to their pre-season preview and as full scouting reports, interviews, and other mentions are made throughout the year, you will find the links to them here as well.

O.D. Anosike – Siena – Forward

Julian Boyd – Long Island Univ. – Forward

Kenny Boynton – Florida – Guard

Isaiah Canaan – Murray State – Guard

Jackie Carmichael – Illinois State – Forward

Will Cherry – Montana – Guard

Jack Cooley – Notre Dame – Forward

D.J. Cooper – Ohio Univ. – Guard

Vincent Council – Providence – Guard

Robert Covington – Tennessee State – Forward

Drew Crawford – Northwestern – Guard

Seth Curry – Duke – Guard

Ed Daniel – Murray State – Forward

Matthew Dellavedova – St. Mary’s – Guard

Jud Dillard – Tennessee Tech – Guard

Kevin Dillard – Dayton – Guard

Gregory Echinique – Creighton – Center

Tim Frazier – Penn State – Guard

Abdul Gaddy – Washington – Guard

Erick Green – Virginia Tech – Guard

C.J. Harris – Wake Forest – Guard

Elias Harris – Gonzaga – Guard

Solomon Hill – Arizona – Forward

Richard Howell – North Carolina State – Forward

Jordan Hulls – Indiana – Guard

Pierre Jackson – Baylor – Guard

Elijah Johnson – Kansas – Guard

Kerron Johnson – Belmont – Guard

Reggie Johnson – Miami – Guard

Lamont “Momo” Jones – Iona – Guard

Ryan Kelly – Duke – Forward

Mark Lyons – Arizona – Guard

Zeke Marshall – Akron – Center

Jeronne Maymon – Tennessee – Forward

Trevor Mbakwe – Minnesota – Forward

C.J. McCollum – Lehigh – Guard

Rodney McGruder – Kansas State – Guard

Brock Motum – Washington State – Forward

Erik Murphy – Florida – Forward

Mike Muscala – Bucknell – Forward

Alex Oriakhi – Missouri – Forward/Center

Brandon Paul – Illinois – Guard

Steven Pledger – Oklahoma – Guard

Mason Plumlee – Duke – Forward

D.J. Seeley – Cal State Fullerton – Guard

E.J. Singler – Oregon – Forward

Peyton Siva – Louisville – Guard

Michael Snaer – Florida State – Guard

Dexter Strickland – North Carolina – Guard

Chase Tapely – San Diego State – Guard

Christian Watford – Indiana – Forward

Rodney Williams – Minnesota – Forward

Jeff Withey – Kansas – Center

Nate Wolters – South Dakota State – Guard

Tray Woodall – Pittsburgh – Guard

Cashmere Wright – Cincinnati - Guard

Khalif Wyatt – Temple – Guard

Mouphtaou Yarou – Villanova - Center


 

College basketball season is closing in and the Road to the 2013 NBA Draft has begun.  It’s time to continue my look at this year’s senior class and some brief notes on areas where they need to show improvement to maximize their value to teams at the next level.

(You can read previous entries here:  Part I; Part II; Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, Part IX)

Remember, these are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out during the season.  These are not all-inclusive and just meant as a brief primer for those who want to track draft prospects throughout the season.

Rodney McGruder, Kansas State, Guard, 6’4, 205

15.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 46.2 FG%, 80.2 FT%, 38.5 3FG%

McGruder emerged as one of the Big 12’s best scorers last season, using a good combination of penetration and perimeter shooting to keep defenses off-balance.   McGruder does a great job using his first step to get by the defender and into the lane where he has a very good runner/floater.  He is a solid spot-up shooter on the perimeter with good range.  McGruder has a solid body and, with the right matchups, can work in the post against other 2’s.  He does a good job moving without the ball, looking for openings in the defense.  On defense, McGruder is an excellent on and off-ball defender.  He denies passing lanes well and he always keeps good position.  He is a strong defensive rebounder for his size and uses his body well to get position.

What he needs to show this season: McGruder is a good free throw shooter and should look to get to the line more often.  He has the ability to get into the lane and draw contact, but will often settle for the runner/floater.  McGruder has to also work on using his dribble to create space for his jumper, as well as hitting his shot off the dribble.  He would also create space by coming tighter off of screens.  McGruder does a good job getting into the lane and drawing help defenders, he should work on his vision and passing skills to get his teammates some easy shots.

Brock Motum, Washington State, Forward, 6’10, 245

18.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.6 apg, 55.4 FG%, 73.8 FT%, 39.7 3FG%

Motum, the Pac-12’s leading scorer last season, presents as a tough mismatch for a lot of teams.   Motum is a versatile offensive threat, able to play in the post or on the perimeter.  He has good footwork, has nice touch around the rim, and is able to finish in a variety of ways.  Motum is also able to face-up and drive to the basket, or step out and hit the mid or long-range jumper.  He is an option as a pick-and-roll or a pick-and-pop player, and he also does a good job drawing fouls.

What he needs to show this season: Motum has many issues on the defensive side of the court.  He needs to be more physical when playing against other big men, especially learning to hold his position and use his lower body.  As good as his footwork is on the offensive end, he doesn’t react well or smoothly on the defensive side.  As a rebounder, he needs to do a better job getting position and going strong after the ball.  When guarding on the perimeter and on the pick-and-roll, he needs to do a better job with his lateral movement and his positioning.  On the offensive end, Motum needs to do a better job reacting to pressure and getting rid of the ball quicker.  Also, he needs to watch a tendency to bring his dribble up to high, leading to him being stripped.

Chase Tapely, San Diego State, Guard, 6’3, 195

15.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 spg, 45.5 FG%, 72.3 FT%, 43.3 3FG%, 1.4:1 A/TO

Tapely has been an integral part of San Diego State’s emergence as a national basketball power.  He can score in a variety of ways, including a fantastic mid-range jumper off the dribble or coming off of screens.   He has very good range on his spot-up jumper, and can hit the 3 in the halfcourt or transition.  He is a solid ball-handler and can attack off the dribble from a variety of spots.  Tapely has good court awareness and understands spacing well.  He can be a solid defender, especially when pressuring the ball.  One of Tapely’s best traits is his desire to want the ball in his hands when the game is on the line. 

What he needs to show this season:  At the next level, Tapely will probably have his best shot playing the point guard position.  He will need to show the ability to be a playmaker, making good reads of screens, and make good passes off of penetration.   With Xavier Thames as the primary ballhandler and playmaker, Tapely may not have the opportunity he needs, but should have his chances.  He needs to do a better job going strong to the basket, not shying away from contact, and looking to get to free throw line.    On the defensive side, Tapely needs to do a better job off the ball, especially with his positioning and getting over screens.  He can be too quick to commit to helping leaving his man open on the perimeter.

Tray Woodall, Pittsburgh, Guard, 6’0, 190

11.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.9 apg, 43.5 FG%, 81.0 FT%, 38.6 3FG%, 1.9:1 A/TO

Woodall bounced back from a 3-week injury layoff during the season to be one of the few bright spots in Pittsburgh’s season.  Woodall is a very good ballhandler and uses his dribble well to break down the defense.  He sees the court well and is a solid passer, getting the ball to his teammates in position where they can make a play.  He understands and can make quick reads off of the pick-and-roll, and he does a good job drawing the defense and hitting an open teammate.  He does a good job pushing the ball in transition, where he has the ability to dish the ball, take it to the basket, or pull up for the jumper.  He is a good spot-up shooter, and has shown that he can hit his jumper off the bounce.  Woodall can be a good defender, having good speed and good lateral movement.

What he needs to show this season: Woodall is a solid all-around point guard, but he needs to do a better job in traffic.  Before he makes a move to the basket or into the lane, he needs to be more aware of where his options are going to be instead of looking for someone once he gets stopped.   On the defensive end, he needs to react better, both on and off the ball, and work harder on getting over screens on the perimeter.

Steven Pledger, Oklahoma, Guard, 6’4, 224

16.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 45.9 FG%, 83.3 FT%, 41.6 3FG%

Pledger emerged as a legitimate offensive threat under Lon Kruger last season.  He has a very good mid-range jumper, which he can hit off the dribble or off a screen.  He has a strong body which he uses to muscle smaller defenders to get into the lane where he can finish with a short jumper or floater.  He uses ball fakes well to get defenders off-balance and create space for his jumper.  When he gets to the free-throw line, he is a very good shooter.  He has very good range on his jumper and you can’t afford to give him any room behind the 3-point line.  He sees the court well and can make some good passes off of the pick-and-roll.  Pledger is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well and having good lateral movement.  He closes well on shooters and does a good job hustling out to open men.

What he needs to show this season: Pledger needs to do a better job moving without the ball, making quick cuts and coming tight off of screens.  He doesn’t react well to pressure defense and needs to work on protecting the ball.  Pledger should look to be more aggressive attacking the basket, especially when he gets a step on his man.  Defensively, Pledger needs to do a better job getting through screens and not relying on switches as much.  Also, he needs to do a better job off the ball, watching his positioning and reacting better to his man’s movements.

Check back soon as the previews continue with the last of the senior class, another group of juniors, and the start of the sophomores.  Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog and leave your comments below or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About a month until the first games of the college basketball season, and the road to the 2013 NBA Draft has begun.  It’s time to start my look at this year’s junior class and give some brief notes on areas where they need to show improvement to maximize their appeal to the NBA if they choose to leave school.

(You can read previous entries here: Juniors - Part I, Part 2)

Remember, these are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out during the season.   Some of these players are already pro candidates, while others will clearly need a senior season.  These are not all-inclusive and just meant as a brief primer for those who want to track draft prospects throughout the season.

Joshua Smith, UCLA, Center, 6’10, 305

9.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 57.4 FG%, 59.0 FT%, 16.6 mpg

Last season was another frustrating one for Smith and UCLA.  Conditioning issues limited Smith’s time on the court, but at times you saw just enough to want to see Smith more.  Smith can use his huge body well to get position in the post, and when he gets the ball deep, there aren’t many who will stop him.  He has good footwork for his size and excellent touch around the basket.  He can be a good passer out of the post and he does a good job sealing off his man for his teammates to attack the lane.

What he needs to show this season: Conditioning and consistency continue to hound Smith.  He played at least 25 minutes only twice last season, and usually was good for only 15-17 minutes per game.  While he shows good footwork on offense, he doesn’t move well on the defensive end at all.  He is the first 300 pound player who I’ve seen get backed down easily in the post and when he gets beat he will commit silly fouls, sending him to the bench.  Between his lack of conditioning and these other missteps, Smith never gets into any kind of rhythm on the floor, leaving him to contribute very little.  Smith needs to start showing a commitment to the game and to his team by getting into shape enough to be a regular contributor.

CJ Leslie, North Carolina State, Forward, 6’9, 200

14.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.6 bpg, 52.5 FG%, 59.6 FT%, 28.6 3FG%

Leslie is a top-level athlete with great speed and quick leaping ability.  He is an offensive threat in the lane or in transition, and he is aggressive attacking the basket.  He is very strong getting the ball in the high or low post and making a quick move to the rim.  He does a good job getting after missed shots on the offensive glass.  In transition, Leslie runs the wings well and can finish off the dribble or the lob pass.  Defensively, Leslie does a good job challenging shots around the rim and getting quickly to missed shots that are around him.

What he needs to show this season:  Leslie relies heavily on his athleticism to make an impact on both ends.  He needs to work on improving his skills in almost all areas.  He will need to play more out on the perimeter at the next level, so Leslie needs to improve both his ballhandling skills and consistency on his jumper.  While he will still get some points around the basket and in transition, he doesn’t have the body to compete in the post at the NBA level.  On the defensive end, Leslie needs to have better court awareness – he has a tendency to fixate on the movement of the ball, but not pay attention to his man, who finds himself open for easy points.  He relies on his leaping ability to get to rebounds, but he needs to work on using his body to create space and establish position.  I have seen some reports claim that Leslie doesn’t always play hard, which couldn’t be further from the case.  There are a lot of instances where he just doesn’t know what he should be doing, especially on offense.  When on defense, he is passable when on the ball, but it’s the lack of awareness that does him in. Focus and consistency will be keys for him this year.

Alec Brown, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Center, 7’1, 225

13.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.9 bpg, 45.6 FG%, 77.1 FT%, 21.1 3FG%

Brown has emerged as one of the best big men in the country.   He is able to score from the post or the perimeter, and he runs the floor well for his size.  He has developed a few go-to moves in the post, is able to use both hands, and he is solid as a passer or a shooter in the high post.  When Brown faces up in the post, his ability to draw out defenders and hit the jumper makes him dangerous.  On defense, Brown has very good awareness and positions himself well.  He is a solid help defender and has very good timing when looking to block shots.  He is very good at blocking shots to his teammates allowing the team to get out on the break.  His footwork on both ends of the court has improved, and he does well at getting out on the pick-and-roll.

What he needs to show this season: Brown’ slender frame makes it tough for him to hold his position on the blocks on both ends of the floor.  He needs to develop both his upper and lower body strength, though he does a good job using his long arms to deny the post when he can’t hold his spot.  Strength will also allow him to establish position better when looking to rebound.  Brown’s mid-range jumper is good, so he should continue to work on consistency and expanding his range out a bit further.    Defensively, Brown needs to continue working on his footwork and his lateral movement.

Trey Ziegler, Pittsburgh, Guard, 6’5, 203

(At Central Michigan) 15.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 46.2 FG%, 49.5 FT%, 28.9 3FG%

Ziegler spent his first 2 seasons playing for his father at Central Michigan, before transferring to Pittsburgh after his dad was fired.  For reasons not known, he was granted a waiver to play immediately.  Ziegler will give the Panthers a capable scorer on the wing.  Athletic with a solid body, Ziegler attacks the basket from strong from all angles and can finish through contact.  He is a decent ballhandler and handles pressure well.  He has a good understanding of court spacing and finds holes in the defense to penetrate.  Ziegler has the ability to post up and other shooting guards and is creative in finding ways to score around the basket.  On defense, Ziegler is a good on-ball defender and can guard multiple positions.  He moves his feet well and does a good job getting over screens on the perimeter.  He rebounds well for his size, anticipating where the miss will go and getting in good position to get the ball.  In transition, Ziegler is capable of pushing the ball himself or running one of the lanes.

What he needs to show this season: Shooting consistency is a major issue for Ziegler.  His jumper has very little arc and he has trouble getting clean looks to get it off.  When he is open and can get set, he can hit his shot, but he has trouble shooting off the dribble or with defenders around him.  He has the same flat shot on his free throws, which is a major detriment to someone who gets to the line as often as he does.  Ziegler also needs to work on his vision and passing skills.  He can be so aggressive and narrow-sighted attacking the basket that when he gets stopped he doesn’t know what to do with the ball.  Understanding where the help defense is coming from and where an open man will be are important parts of his development.

Phil Pressey, Missouri, Guard, 5’11, 175

10.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.4 apg, 2.1 spg, 43.0 FG%, 77.5 FT%, 36.5 3FG%, 2.6:1 A/TO

Pressey may be the most exciting guard to watch in college basketball.  He has fantastic speed and is an excellent ballhandler.  He can break down his man off the dribble to get into the lane or come quickly off a screen.  He has a very good crossover dribble which leaves many defenders watching him go by them.  Pressey is a good shooter when he has space and time, and he has done well using screens to give him room and a clean look.  His court vision is outstanding and he does a very good job finding open teammates all over the court.  He is an above average on-ball defender, positioning himself well and using his quick hands and feet to force the ballhandler into giving up the ball.  Pressey can be a blur in the open court and does a good job getting out in front of the defense and finishing.  If he gets picked up, he knows where his teammates are and hits them for easy baskets.

What he needs to show this season: With the ease that Pressey can get into the lane, he needs to become a better scorer, especially working on his short jumper and floater.  He is too small to go up against next level big men, so he will need to be more creative in finding ways to score.  This will also be the first season Pressey has played with a big man who understands the pick-and-roll like Alex Oriakhi.  If Missouri decides to implement the big man rolling to the basket off the screen, Pressey will need to be able to make the correct reads.  While Pressey uses screens well to get room for his jumper, he needs to show that he can use his dribble as well to create space and get the shot off.  Also, teams were able to find a weakness in Pressey last season if they had a defender who was quick enough to pressure him.  Pressey will need to do a better job making decisions when being pressured.  On the defensive side, Pressey uses his speed well to defend, but he needs to work on his lateral movement.  He tends to chase his man which leads to Pressey getting caught in screens or forcing needless switches on defense.

CJ Fair, Syracuse, Forward, 6’8, 215

8.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.1 spg, 46.5 FG%, 74.7 FT%, 26.1 3FG%

Athletic and long, Fair should have a much bigger role this year with the departures of Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters.  On defense, Fair does a good job in the back of the zone, covering a lot of ground, reacting well to cutters, and playing good help-side defense.  He uses his length and leaping ability well to rebound on both ends of the court, and to challenge shots.  On offense, Fair does a good job hitting openings in the defense and going to the basket hard.  His longs strides allow him to get to the rim quickly and he can finish in a variety of ways.  He runs the floor well and can finish strong in transition.

What he needs to show this season: Fair has gotten a lot of his offense by hitting open spaces created by the guards.  The next step will be for Fair to create his offensive opportunities.  To do this, Fair will need to become a much better ballhandler and a more consistent shooter.  Fair has good length and good footwork and he can use it to create scoring opportunities in the post if needed.  On the defensive end, Fair will need show that the defensive traits he uses in the zone will translate to playing man defense.

Check back soon as I finish my look at the seniors, as well as some more from the junior class.  Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog and leave your comments below or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.