Jamie Salbau/Getty Images

Name:  Ben McLemore Age:   20    School: Kansas

Height: 6’5   Weight: 189   Projected Position: SG            

2012-2013 Stats:

15.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 2.1 tpg (32.2 minutes per game)

49.5 FG%, 87.0 FT%, 42.0 3FG%

 63.3 TS%, 58.6 eFG%, 23.2 USG%,

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

McLemore has very good form on his jumper, getting square to the basket, good lift from his legs and has a high, quick release and follow through.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he can be a very good spot-shooter.  He uses pump fakes and jab steps well to create space for his jumper.  McLemore needs to work on using screens and moving without the ball. When using screens he needs to come off them much tighter to give him space, and when he does this, he gets great looks curling and facing up for a quick jumper.  McLemore’s shot selection is generally very good, though he passed up a good amount of shots that he should have taken.  McLemore needs to work on using his dribble to create space for his shot, as well as working on pulling up in the mid-range area to shoot the jumper.    

Penetration

McLemore has a very good first step, and he uses his dribble well to get by his man in isolation.  He is able to get to the basket with either hand, though he will often switch to his right hand once he gets into the lane. When he chooses to attack the basket, he is aggressive and generally keeps good control as he gets into the lane. McLemore needs to do a better job keeping his head up and seeing the court when he gets by his man, especially in the lane area when he runs into the help defenders. He goes strong to the basket, and he has good body control once he is in the air. He is capable of finishing in a variety of ways, including above the rim, where his quick leaping ability makes him tough to stop. McLemore needs to work on attacking the basket off of screens, including coming tighter around the corner to create some separation and being patient to see where he will have room to get to the basket.  Also, he will need to work on building his strength to handle the physical play he will encounter on his way to the basket. 

Ballhandling/Passing

McLemore is an average ballhandler, able to use both hands well.   He has good control and is careful with the ball, keeping the ball low and close to his body, though he is more confident in his right hand than his left, and will often switch to his right when the left would be the better option. He doesn’t use many advanced dribbles, though he has developed a decent crossover to try and create space for his jumper. McLemore needs to work on keeping his head up when he has the ball and looking what the defense is giving him. While not a great passer in general, he has shown that he can be a very good post entry passer from the wing.  

Free Throw Shooting

McLemore is a very good free throw shooter, with a consistent routine leading to a smooth release and follow-through. Where McLemore needs to improve is getting to the free throw line enough to capitalize on his shooting.  Hopefully he will find more opportunities to attack the basket at the NBA level, and he needs to not shy from contact.   

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

McLemore is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, and having good lateral movement.  He reacts well to his man’s movements, though he needs to watch for falling for ball fakes.  McLemore needs to work on navigating through screens, especially not going under the screen when guarding a good shooter.    Off the ball, McLemore generally positions himself well, though his defense here can be inconsistent.  He is capable of denying passing lanes, though he needs to watch for overplaying and getting beat on backdoor cuts.  He also needs to work on navigating through screens off the ball, especially making sure not to get caught in the lane area and not getting turned around and losing his man.  He has average defensive awareness, and he needs to have a better understanding of where his help his and how to lead his man into it off the dribble.  As a help defender, McLemore can be quick to help and his length can cause disruptions, but he needs to work on not reaching if he can’t beat the man to the spot as well as recovering to his man after the ball is stopped. 

Rebounding

McLemore rebounds well for his size, though needs to work on boxing out, relying instead to just use his leaping ability to go after rebounds.  He can be quick after long rebounds and can help a team get started in transition.  You need to watch him on the offensive glass where he has a good nose for the ball charging in from the perimeter and capable of jumping quickly and finishing above the rim.

Transition

McLemore is very good in transition, though he is much better running one of the wings than pushing the ball himself.  He runs the floor quickly and is capable of spotting up behind the 3-point line for the jumper, taking the ball off the pass to the basket, or using his jumping ability to finish off of lobs.  When he is pushing the ball, he can be too focused on what is in front of him and not seeing the full court.

Intangibles/Summary

McLemore showed a lot during his freshman season, especially on the offensive end, but you get the feeling that there is still a lot of undeveloped potential in him.  He is a very good jump shooter, though he will rely on that a bit too much. He needs to use his athleticism to attack the basket more often, though to do so, he will need to continue working on his ballhandling ability. He may be a bit undervalued as a defender, though he needs to be more consistent on that end while also adjusting to the speed of the NBA players. A lot has been made of his not stepping up in big situations or when the team was down, though this has likely been overblown. He can stand to be more aggressive, but that is different than not stepping up. If he meets his potential, I think we are looking at an All-Star caliber player, but even worst-case, we have an NBA starting shooting guard. 

Draft Value:  High 1^st – Early Lottery - #1-5

McLemore may be known as a jump shooter, but he handled himself well in many aspects of Bill Self’s Kansas offense. I don’t think fit will be a major issue with McLemore; he should adjust well to almost any NBA system.

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Name:       Cody Zeller    Age:   20    School: Indiana

Height: 7’0         Weight: 230       Projected Position:         PF/C     

2012-13 Stats:

16.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.3 bpg, 2.3 tpg (29.5 minutes per game)

56.4 FG%, 75.7 FT%, 62.4 TS%

 12.3 OREB%, 18.8 DREB%, 15.8 TREB%, 26.5 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Play/Footwork

Zeller’s post-game is more about skill and finesse rather than power. Zeller does a good job setting position on the low blocks, getting low with a wide base and setting a target to receive a pass.  He is at his best when he can get a quick shot or make a quick move past his defender. He has developed a nice jump hook over either shoulder, as well a solid baseline dropstep which allows him to get to the basket. Where Zeller struggles is when being defended by longer and/or stronger players. He has the athleticism to still make his move, but he needs to work on the strength to finish. Zeller has also looked to combat this by going to a lot more face-up moves, either shooting the short jumper or looking to take his man off the dribble. Zeller’s footwork improved from his freshman year, though at times his movements can be awkward, especially when going to his left hand.

Ballhandling

Zeller is an average ballhandler for his size, doing a good job minimizing the amount of dribbles he takes, and keeping the ball low and shielded from the defender.  He is much more comfortable with his right hand than his left, though the left continues to improve significantly. Zeller seems to still be getting comfortable with his ballhandling when driving from the perimeter, but the improvement over one year has been considerable. 

Shooting

Zeller has very good touch around the basket, and he is capable of finishing with either hand and shoot over either shoulder. Even when close to the basket, Zeller is “shooting” the ball as opposed to throwing it towards the rim in the way many young big men do. Zeller also has the potential to be a legitimate threat from the mid-range area. He does a good job getting square to the basket, has a high release, and good arc and follow-through. Zeller needs to become more comfortable taking his shot in the mid-range area, and not hesitate. With his mechanics, and eventually added strength, there is no reason to doubt that Zeller can become a legitimate threat from 20+ feet.

Rebounding

Zeller has a good nose for the ball in offensive rebounding situations, and he does a good job getting to the spots he needs to, but he needs to get stronger so he can establish position around the basket.  Zeller needs to work on using his lower body to box out and establish leverage.      

Passing Skills

Zeller has very good court vision out of both the high and low posts.  For the most part, he makes strong passes to the perimeter, and on target enough to allow his teammate to get a quick shot off.   Zeller needs to work on anticipating the need to make a pass, especially against double-teams on the low blocks. 

Free Throw Shooting

Zeller is a good free throw shooter, with a consistent routine and form, as well as good follow-through. What is most impressive about Zeller is his ability to draw fouls when he gets the ball around the basket. This past season, Zeller had .75 free throws for every 1 field goal attempt, which is a fantastic amount for a college player, and converting on 75% of those free throws added up to a lot of points for Indiana over the course of a season. While he is still developing strength for the NBA post, he is still capable of getting into the lane and drawing contact. 

Defense

Post Defense

Zeller has always been an above-average post defender, but he has shown that he is capable of being much better.  He positions himself well in the post, and he uses his upper body to put pressure on the offensive player.  He can deny the post when needed, but prefers to on the player’s dominant side, forcing them to go long around him if they want to make a move into the lane.  He needs to work on using his lower body better to anchor his position, and using it to force his man away from the basket.  His footwork has improved, but he can still be a step slow against quicker offensive players, and his lack of foot speed combined with his preference to shadow towards the inside shoulder leaves him susceptible to dropsteps along the baseline.  When his man faces up, he does a good job not coming out too far and making his man have to score from the perimeter.  Zeller does a good job hedging out on high pick-and-rolls, forcing the ballhandler to take a wide path around, though he needs to work on being quicker spotting and recovering to his man after he pops out or rolls to the basket.  In general, Zeller has good defensive awareness, but I would like to see him more vocal and assertive when surveying what the offense is doing from his vantage point.

Perimeter Defense

Zeller doesn’t have the foot speed and lateral quickness to defend smaller, quicker players on the perimeter, but he makes sure to position himself in a way which allows him to prevent getting beat off a first-step while also allowing him to close on perimeter shots.  If he is caught out in space, a decent ballhandler should be able to beat him with a few dribbles, so Zeller will need to work on understanding angles so he can recover if beat on the first step. 

Help Defense/Shot Blocking

Zeller isn’t necessarily known for his ability to block shots, but he has the athletic ability and skill to be a good shot-blocker.  He can be slow to react to shots and the timing of his extension could use some tuning.  He is very good as a weakside and basket help defender, and he uses his length well enough to alter opposing shots.  Zeller also does a good job staying out of foul trouble by not looking to block every shot that comes his way.

Rebounding

Zeller can be very good on the defensive boards, but with added strength, he can be even better.  He is very good at understanding where he should be positioned for rebounds depending on the shot, and he is quick to get to the ball after the miss.  He does a good job going strong after the miss, extending his arms to get the ball up high, and securing it.  However, Zeller needs to do a better job boxing out, especially looking to use his lower body instead of his arms to get position. 

Transition

Zeller runs the floor well on the offensive break and he is capable of getting out in front of the defense and finishing, or coming in as a secondary option.  He goes strong to the rim and can draw contact.  Zeller is very good at creating a target for passes on the break and makes sure to keep his head up looking for the ball.

Summary

The big knock on Zeller was his lack of ability to finish against length, but his skill level more than makes up for it. Zeller is athletic, but needs to build strength. Once he has that combination, he will be able to score in the paint at the NBA level. Until then, Zeller is capable of moving do different spots on the floor, and his ability to see the floor would make him a good option at the high post in some offenses. Defensively, he has work to do, especially on the perimeter, but he has a good understanding and he makes adjustments quickly. And we can’t overlook Zeller’s ability to run the floor; Zeller runs the floor as well or better than any big in this class. Highly skilled, high basketball IQ, and coachable; all make it tough to pass up Zeller if you need a big man.

Draft Value:  Early 1^st Round – Early-Mid Lottery – #3-8

Zeller’s versatility will make him attractive to many teams, and he is skilled enough to play significant minutes immediately. The strength should come as he matures, as well as tightening up on defense, and when they do, he could end up the best big man in this class.

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Photo: Getty Images

Name:  C.J. McCollum      Age:   21    School: Lehigh

Height: 6’3   Weight: 197   Projected Position: PG/SG    

Career Stats:

21.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 spg, 2.4 tpg (32.9 minutes per game)

43.9 FG%, 82.5 FT%, 37.7 3FG%, 1.2:1 A/TO

 56.3 TS%, 50.1 eFG%, 32.4 USG%, 20.1 AST%, 12.3 TOV%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

McCollum has good form on his jumper, though he needs to watch a slight tendency to fade away when he doesn’t need to. He does a good job getting square the basket, gets good lift from his legs and has a good release point and follow through.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he can be an above-average spot-shooter.  He uses his dribble well to create space for his jumper, as well as pump fakes.  McCollum needs to work on using screens and moving without the ball. He needs to make quick, precise movements to get space from his defender, and when using screens he needs to come off them much tighter to give him space.  McCollum doesn’t make many bad shots, though it will be interesting to see how consistent he will be from NBA 3-point range.  McCollum also is very good at finding space off the dribble in the mid-range area, and uses his ability there to draw defender out to go by them.    

Penetration

McCollum has a very good first step, and he uses his dribble well to get by his man in isolation.  He is able to get to the basket with either hand, and is capable of finishing around the basket with either hand. He attacks the basket well, and more importantly, keeps great control as he gets into the lane and the defense. I would like to see McCollum do a better job keeping his head up and seeing the court when he gets by his man, especially in the lane area. He goes strong to the basket, and he has good body control once he is in the air. He is capable of finishing with finesse or above the rim. McCollum should work on adding a short jumper or floater to his shooting repertoire in the lane area, especially since he may not get to the basket as easy in the NBA. McCollum attacks the basket well off of screens, though he can still work on coming tighter around the corner to create some separation.    

Ballhandling/Passing

McCollum is an above-average ballhandler, able to use both hands well and a good number of advanced dribbles, such as a change-of-pace and a solid crossover, to try and lose his man or create space.   He has very good control and is careful with the ball, keeping the ball low and close to his body, though at times he may overestimate how much room he has to try and get by someone.    He is very good going to his left, which makes it tough for a defender to overplay him to one side.  McCollum’s court vision has improved each season he has played, though he seems to prefer the easy pass to trying anything risky with the ball. One area I would like to see him improve as a passer is making reads off of the pick and roll, especially when he comes off the screen. He needs to see all of his options quickly and get rid of the ball if he is looking to pass.

Free Throw Shooting

McCollum is a very good free throw shooter, with a consistent routine leading to a smooth release and follow-through. McCollum has continued to improve in his ability to get into the lane, draw contact and get to the free throw line. With more space to operate at the NBA level, he should find plenty of opportunity to attack the basket and look to draw contact.   

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

McCollum is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, and moving well laterally.  He reacts well to his man’s movements, and he understands angles well to catch up with his man if he gets beat on the first step.  McCollum is capable of guarding either guard position, though he may have some difficulty adjusting to the speed of NBA point guards at first. McCollum is also very good at getting over the top of screens, and understands when he can choose to go under the screen against poor shooters.    Off the ball, McCollum generally positions himself well, though like many college guards, he can get cheating too much towards help position.  He is capable of pressuring the ball or passing lanes, though I would like to see him become capable of being a more physical defender.  He is good at navigating through screens off the ball, especially making sure not to get caught in the lane area.  He has very good defensive awareness, and is a strong leader on the defensive end, especially directing his teammates into position. 

Rebounding

McCollum rebounds well for his size, and he has a good nose for where missed shots are going to go and getting to the spot first.  He needs to work on boxing out, especially preventing offensive players from crashing from the perimeter.  He can be quick after long rebounds and will often use that as an opportunity to push the ball in transition.

Transition

McCollum is very good in transition, and is capable of pushing the ball himself or running one of the wings to either spot up for a jumper or attack the basket.  He is not exceptionally fast, but he knows how to draw transition defenders to him and make a move to go by them.  He generally makes good decisions, though it would be good to see him set up others after drawing the defense on the break.

Intangibles/Summary

Heading into this past season, McCollum was one of the top senior prospects, and was cementing himself as one of the best in college before a foot injury sidelined him after 12 games. The injury may have slowed him a bit after his recovery, but all indications are is that he is 100% healthy. Plus, the traits that make McCollum a special player won’t be affected much by a few months lay off. He is a strong leader, a versatile scorer, and a good defender. He won’t need to take on such a scoring load in the NBA, so he should be able to show more of his ability to distribute. Capable of playing either the 1 or the 2, McCollum will be able to be a contributor from Day 1, and it isn’t far-fetched to say that he may have the biggest impact on his team his rookie season. 

Draft Value:  High 1^st – Early-Mid Lottery - #3-9

There may be a lot of comparisons made between McCollum and Damian Lillard, and some bits are even true. McCollum is more versatile and a better defender though, and could make a similar impact next season.

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Name:  Archie Goodwin       Age:   18    School: Kentucky

Height: 6’5   Weight: 189   Projected Position: SG            

2012-13 Stats:

14.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 3.1 tpg (31.8 minutes per game)

44.0 FG%, 63.7 FT%, 26.6 3FG%

 50.9 TS%, 46.4 eFG%, 27.2 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Goodwin has shown that he can have good form on his jumper, though he needs to find some consistency in how he shoots the ball.  When his form is good, he does a good job getting square the basket, gets good lift from his legs and good follow through.  His release is quick, but his release point is low, leading to some line drive shots. He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he can be an above-average spot-shooter.  He uses his dribble well to create space for his jumper, and he has the size to get good looks at the basket.  Goodwin needs to work on using screens and moving without the ball. He uses a lot of movement to get open, but he doesn’t make quick, precise movements to lose his defender, and when using screens he needs to come off them much tighter to give him space.  Shot selection is a big issue, though experience should improve that.    

Penetration

Goodwin has a very good first step, and he uses his dribble well to get by his man in isolation. He is aggressive going to the basket, but this aggressiveness often gets him in trouble. Goodwin needs to do a better job keeping his head up and seeing the court when he gets by his man, especially in the lane area. He is creative once he gets into the lane, and he is capable of hitting a runner or floater, though he needs to work on his shot selection around the basket, especially when he finds himself stopped by help defenders. Goodwin also needs to work on using screens better to get separation when heading to the basket, mainly coming off tighter and leading his man into the screen, not coming too wide around.    

Ballhandling/Passing

Goodwin is an average ballhandler, able to use both hands and developing some advanced dribbles to keep the defense off balance.   He has average control, keeping the ball low and close to his body, though he does need to watch forcing his dribble through traffic.  He uses a crossover, which he could get a bit lower, to create space to get by his defender, though he will also use it to create space for his jumper.  He started to go more to his left hand later in the season, but he will often bail out and go back to his right when the left would be more appropriate.  Goodwin has decent court vision and he has size to allow him to see the court well. However, he needs to keep his head up and see what’s around him more often, especially when he gets stopped by help defenders in the lane.

Free Throw Shooting

Goodwin is a below average free throw shooter. He has a consistent and smooth routine into the shot, but he has a tendency to release the ball in front of his face, which leads it to have little arc as it go towards the basket. He needs to work on getting his release point higher and with more arc. Where Goodwin excels is his ability to get to the foul line. He is very aggressive going to the basket and does a good job drawing contact. 

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Goodwin is an average on-ball defender. He positions himself well between his man and the basket, and moves well laterally over very short distances, though he is inconsistent with his effort.  Also, he needs to react quicker to his man’s movements and not get caught backpedaling.  He is capable of guarding either guard position. Goodwin needs to do a better job getting over the top of screens against shooters, often choosing to either go under the screen or switching, even giving up at times.    Off the ball, Goodwin generally positions himself well, though he can find himself wandering and watching the ball too much, leading to him losing his man.  When he chooses to pressure the ball or passing lanes, he can be very good in short bursts, using his athleticism to disrupt the ball.  He needs to do a better job anticipating his man’s movements, especially on cuts to the basket.  He needs to work on navigating through screens off the ball, especially getting caught in the lane area, and work on not letting his man get a lot of room to get set for a shot.  He has average defensive awareness, and should work on not getting caught fixating on the ball. 

Rebounding

Goodwin can rebound well for his size, using his speed to get after missed shots.  He needs to work on boxing out and anticipating where the ball will go and getting quickly to the spot.  He can be quick after long rebounds and will often use that as an opportunity to push the ball in transition.

Transition

Goodwin can be very good or very bad in transition. He runs the floor well and when he is running one of the wings he is capable of getting to the basket quick and finishing strong.  As he tightens up his jumper, he could be a legitimate threat from the wing in transition. He is capable of pushing the ball himself in transition, but his decision-making can be poor and he can lose control easily on the way to the basket. He needs to keep his head up and check out all of the options when he has the ball.

Intangibles/Summary

Goodwin is athletic and skilled, but still very raw, especially in understanding the game. He can be a capable of scorer, and his ability to attack the basket and draw fouls is very valuable, but he needs to learn to control and discern when to pick his spots. When he takes the time get set before his jumper, he can be good, but inconsistency and shot selection plague him. He has the physical tools to be a good defender, he just needs to learn and understand his role in the defense better. He’s young and there is time, just don’t expect much immediately. 

Draft Value:  Late 1^st – #22-30

Going later in the Draft to an established team may be a greater benefit to Goodwin. Learning the finer points of the game is essential, similar to Eric Bledsoe a few years back. Still, the raw talent may be worth the 1^st round investment if the team can be patient with him and if Goodwin is willing to be taught.

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So much about the discussion regarding players and the NBA Draft revolves around skill. Yet, so many have similar skills, it becomes more about those who take advantage of the opportunity given to them. You need to want it more than other players you compete against. Not all have that perspective, but throughout your college career, you can come to gain it. Idaho’s Kyle Barone is one who has learned to make the most of the opportunities given to him.

Barone’s game started to transform once he got settled in at Idaho. “I was able to become more of a low-post threat,” said Barone. “The system we ran at Idaho needed me to be able to score from the low block.”

While his overall game continued to improve, it all seemed to come together in Barone’s senior year, when he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds per game while winning WAC Player of the Year. “It was like all of the hard work and determination paid off at last,” said Barone.

What makes Barone’s senior year more impressive was that it was in danger before it even started. A pre-season suspension left Barone in limbo, though he was reinstated before the season started. “It really taught me to be grateful for what you have, because it can all be taken away at any time,” said Barone. “It made me work much harder to be ready, and taught me a big lesson about growing up.”

With college behind him now, Barone is now in Houston working on getting ready to show teams what he is capable of. There is plenty about his game which should be attractive to teams at the next level. “I can score in a variety of ways and can play in multiple spots,” explained Barone. “I have shown that I can shoot the ball well, as well as rebound and guard multiple positions.”

The Draft is less than two months away and Barone is busy working on adding some new dimensions to his game. “I’m really spending time working on my face-up game, and being able to get shots in pick-and-pop situations.”

Barone has already had a chance to see how he measures up against other seniors from taking part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. “It was a new experience for me,” said Barone. “I didn’t get the opportunity to play against a lot of these guys during my college career. It made me really learn how to play off of other players and find ways to score one-on-one.”

He also has a good idea how he can help a team at the next level right away if needed to. “I can be a good shooter at the 4, creating mismatches on the floor,” said Barone. “I can also go out there and rebound and make open shots.”

Barone knows it’s all about making the most of your chances. “All I need is an opportunity to show what I can do,” said Barone. “All I need is a chance and I will do all I can.”

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