When looking at NBA prospects, one of the biggest things that front office personnel look at, besides skill and potential, is whether or not the prospect is a “winner.”  Winners can come in a variety of forms; someone who makes his teammates better or is a leader are great examples.  But what sets them apart is that they know what it takes to win games.  Scoring, rebounding, and all of those areas are great, but there are often little moments within a game that end up being the difference between a win and a loss.  Over the last 4 seasons, Missouri won 107 games and made it to 4 straight NCAA Tournaments, including an appearance in the Elite Eight in 2009.  The member of this year’s Missouri senior class will go down as some of the most decorated in Tigers’ history, led by guard Marcus Denmon.  Denmon, a 2-time First Team All-Big 12 player, was also named as a 2^nd-team Consensus All-American this past season.  While the season didn’t end in the fashion he would have hoped, Denmon has turned his attention to the next step in his career.  A great defender and knockdown shooter, Denmon has the ability to help a NBA team in many ways, and the amount of NBA workouts he has received shows that teams know this as well.  I had the chance to talk to Denmon recently as he was preparing to work out for the San Antonio Spurs.  Here, Denmon discusses his game, what he can bring to the NBA, and more:

Marcus on how his game developed at Missouri:

“I think the biggest way my game developed was in my ability to make my teammates better and improving my work ethic.  Coach (Matt) Zimmerman, who was part of the first staff, really helped me in building good habits.  Things like showing up to the gym early and leaving late, by building those habits, it allowed me to be a better player on the floor.”

Marcus on handling the coaching change before his senior year:

“This was our last year; we (the seniors) wanted it to be a special year for us.  I knew I had to take a big role as a leader.  I was a 2-time team captain, and I knew what it took to win games.  After Coach Haith came in, I wanted to make sure the team kept its winning attitude.”

Marcus on his strengths as a player: 

“I think my biggest strength is my defense.  I have the ability to guard on and off the ball, and either guard position.  I take pride in my defense and look to shut down whoever I am guarding.  I also have the ability to knock down shots consistently.  This is something that should translate well to the NBA game because the spacing should allow me to get some good looks. ”

Marcus on what parts of his game he still wants to improve:

“I may need to run the point in the NBA, so I need to show I can lead a team as the point guard.  I have been working on polishing those skills and still working on other parts of my game.”

Marcus on what role he can fill for a team immediately:

“The things I mentioned already that can translate well to the NBA.  Playing tough defense and knocking down shots.  I can come in and be a player who can defend well night in and night out.  Also, I can space the floor with my shooting ability.  Being able to space the floor well is something you need to be able to do at any level.”

Marcus on going through the Pre-Draft process:

“No matter what people say about where I may be projected or predicted to be picked, I am confident in my abilities.  I go out there and continue to work hard.  You can’t downplay anything you do.  Everything is for keeps out there, so I make sure when I workout for teams, I leave everything I have out on the floor.”

Marcus on having a successful college career in his home state:

“I was very proud of being the hometown kid.  When you accomplish big things in front of your family, friends and supporters, the satisfaction feels good.”

Marcus on what he wants teams and fans to know about him:

“I bring a lot to the table.  Every game and every practice, I leave everything on the floor, always.  I know what it takes to be a winner, and by doing those things constantly, it trickles off on the rest of the team.”

I want to thank Marcus for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA.  Being a leader is never the easiest thing to do, but Marcus took on, and flourished, in the role.  While his teammates all played significant roles, Marcus was the player the team looked to in big situations, and the ability to come up big in those situations is just as important to NBA teams as filling up a stat sheet.   Whatever team picks Marcus on Draft Night is going to look very smart for doing so, and he should be able to help them win very quickly.

Check back this week for more great interviews and scouting reports as we head towards the 2012 NBA Draft.  Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog – for updates, leave your comments below, or feel free to email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The NBA Draft Blog Scouting Report looks at one of the more difficult players to make sense of in this year’s draft – Connecticut’s Jeremy Lamb.  At times, Lamb looks like an unstoppable scorer and at others, he doesn’t look for his shot.  He has the ability to score in a variety of ways, and has also shown to be a decent defender.  Will Lamb’s passive attitude cause teams to pass on him come Draft night?   Let’s take a look at Jeremy Lamb’s game, and see how it could translate to the NBA:

Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut – Sophomore

Guard -  6'5, 179

17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.2 spg, 47.8% FG, 81.0% FT, 33.6% 3FG

Offense

Perimeter Shooting- Lamb has good, consistent form on his jumper – getting square to the basket, a fast, high release, and good follow-through.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the catch or off the dribble, though he needs to watch a tendency to drift forward when shooting off the dribble.  He moves well without the ball and understands how to use screens well to get open.  He does a good job being in shooting position coming off of screens, though he needs to make sure to come of screens quicker and tighter.  Lamb needs to improve his ability to create space for his shot using his dribble, but he is good at using shot fakes to draw his defender in the air or off-balance.  Shot selection has been an issue over his 2 seasons, but he did show improvement in the 2^nd half of last year.

Ballhandling/Penetration- Lamb is a good ballhandler, able to use both hands well, keeping the ball low and safe.  He needs to add some more advanced dribbles to his skill-set.  Right now, everything seems to be done at the same speed.  Adding these will allow him to take his man off the dribble easier at the NBA level.  He does a good job avoiding pressure and can be used as a primary ballhandler if absolutely necessary.  Lamb has shown the ability to get into the lane, usually of a screen or a shot fake.  He has shown the ability to stop and hit the mid or shot-range jumper or take the ball to the basket, and he has the ability to finish with both hands around the basket.  Lamb has good body control in avoiding help defenders, but may need to be more aggressive at the next level looking to score off penetration.

Rebounding/Passing- Though Lamb is rarely in the position to get many offensive rebounds, he has shown the ability to get to his own misses quickly around the basket.  Lamb has very good court vision and does a good job finding open men when he draws help defenders.  He needs to improve his reaction to what he sees and how he throws his passes.  Often he will make great looks, but be slow getting the ball to his teammate, so they can’t make a good play off the pass.  He does a good job not trying to force passes and is quick to get rid of the ball if he can’t make a play.  One play he has been very good at is finding the screener for an open shot when he dribbles off a screen and draws both defenders.  In an offense with a strong mid-range big man, Lamb could make some very good plays.

Free Throw Shooting – Lamb is a good free throw shooter, and should improve as he gets to the line more often.  He played a lot of minutes last season, and it had little effect on how he shot his free throws.  He needs to become more aggressive attacking the rim and drawing contact to get more free throw attempts.

Defense

Perimeter Defense- Lamb is a good on-ball defender, but needs to improve how he defends away from the ball.  On the ball, he positions himself well, gets low and has keeps his feet active and arms out. His lateral movement and foot speed improved through the year, but can still be more consistent, and a bit quicker.  He needs to improve how he handles screens, needing to be more effective getting over screens up top, and not losing his man when he is being run through multiple screens.  Off the ball, he needs to work on his positioning and footwork.  He has problems getting turned around when players make cuts or go through screens.  He needs to do a better job understanding how to beat his man off-ball to spots if he loses them, and learning to play angles.  Also, learning to move laterally and pivoting on changes of direction is important.  He makes a good attempt to close on perimeter shooters, but needs to watch being drawn in the air on shot fakes easily.

Rebounding- Lamb does a good job looking to put a body on offensive players when a shot goes up, though it is rare that he can actually hold somebody off long enough before being moved aside.  When a ball is near him, he needs to do a better job getting after it quickly and securing it before he looks to make a move up court.

Transition

Lamb does a good job in transition, whether he is the one pushing the ball or if he runs one of the wings.  He should look to get the ball up court quicker, but he keeps his head up, and generally makes good decisions about taking it to the basket or giving the ball up.  On the wing, he has the ability to set up and knock down the long jumper, or to take the ball off the pass to the basket.

Summary & Intangibles

Athleticism – High

BB IQ – High

Lamb is definitely an enigma to watch on the court.  At times, he was capable of single-handedly carrying UConn’s offense, and at other times, he would disappear for long stretches and pass up good looks.  He is a very good player though and he has the makings of what could be an NBA style offensive game.  Also, while he has to still make some adjustments in how he plays defense, especially away from the ball, he could be an above average NBA defender at the 2.  Rumblings about his personality and possible fit as a teammate are highly overstated.  His draft range falls somewhere in the 7-14 range, but he is likely to go in the Top 10.  I think he will be one of the lottery rookies with the potential to shine the quickest, and if he decides to bring it every night, he can be a star in the years to come.  If not, he will likely end up being a decent role player.

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The Magic finally have their new General Manager, Rob Hennigan, in place, but still need to settle on a coach.  Also, Hennigan will need to tackle the Dwight Howard saga sooner rather than later.  With point guard Jameer Nelson also no guarantee to come back, the Magic face a critical juncture in their immediate future.  With the 19^th pick in the 1^st round, the Magic certainly aren’t going to find a Howard-level talent, but they can start to put a plan in place to possibly live without him.  Let’s look at some of the possible draft scenarios facing Orlando:

2011-2012 Record – 37-29 (3^rd in Southeast Division, Eastern Conference)

Head Coach – ????

2-year Draft History  

2011 – Justin Harper (2^nd Round – 32^nd – Traded from Cleveland for Orlando’s 2013 and 2014 2^nd Round picks), DeAndre Liggins (2^nd Round – 53^rd)

2010 – Daniel Orton (1^st Round – 29^th), Stanley Robinson (2^nd Round – 59^th)

Returning Players- Dwight Howard (C), Hedo Turkoglu (SF), Jameer Nelson (PG – Player Option), JJ Redick (SG), Glen Davis (PF), Jason Richardson (SG), Chris Duhon (PG), Quentin Richardson (SG), Ryan Anderson (SF – Qualifying Offer), Earl Clark (PF – Player Option), Von Wafer (SG), Ish Smith (PG – Qualifying Offer), Justin Harper (PF), DeAndre Liggins (SG – Qualifying Offer)

Team Needs- Possible replacements for Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, Wings that can attack the basket, Add depth/quality to frontcourt

Position Needs –PG, SF, PF, C

Picks –  #19 (1^st Round, Pick 19)

                #49 (2^nd Round, Pick 19)

NBA Draft Blog Analysis

The Magic finally have their new General Manager, Rob Hennigan, in place, but still need to settle on a coach.  Also, Hennigan will need to tackle the Dwight Howard saga sooner rather than later.  With point guard Jameer Nelson also no guarantee to come back, the Magic face a critical juncture in their immediate future.  With the 19^th pick in the 1^st round, the Magic certainly aren’t going to find a Howard-level talent, but they can start to put a plan in place to possibly live without him.

Obviously, not knowing Howard’s future with the team could put the Magic in position to look for a big man at #18, but the quality isn’t that high.  Arnett Moultrie may be available and he can provide some help with his athleticism on the boards, but he isn’t highly skilled and I don’t project him getting much better.  Fab Melo is a slightly better option, though he is still raw and will need a few years to be a real contributor.  Based on the big men whose value falls here, I pass if I am the Magic.

Another big area of need is wing players who can attack the basket.  While the Magic were the tops in the league in three-pointers made and attempted (as well as 3^rd in %), they were in the bottom 10 in total field goal categories.  A player such as Moe Harkless would be an intriguing pick, though he still needs to develop many parts of his game.  He is aggressive though and can be a major asset around the basket and on offensive rebounds.  Royce White would be a solid option with his ability to attack the basket as well as facilitate for others from the perimeter or high post, but he needs to make many adjustments to defend at the NBA level.  Quincy Miller is similar to Harkless in the lack of development in their games, but he is also an athletic wing who has shown that he can get to the rim, though he prefers to stay on the perimeter.  Not really a great group of options, but Harkless could be worth a serious look based on his potential.

At #49, the Magic will have the chance to add another player who can provide some quality to a very lackluster bench.  They can look to add some toughness and scoring around the basket with Mike Scott or JaMychal Green.  Another option would be too look for another wing scorer such as Kevin Murphy, Kim English, or William Buford.  All would be serious upgrades over the likes of DeAndre Liggins or Von Wafer.

No Guest Analysis

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Last season, at times, Minnesota looked like they were finally coming together as a team.  Kevin Love continued to play at an All-Star level, and Ricky Rubio adjusted to the NBA quicker than most people believed.  Add to that the surprise play of Nikola Pekovic in the 2^nd half of the season and you can see the development of a nice core of players for the Timberwolves.  Then, the injuries hit.  Rubio and Love missed time and there was really no one there to step up.  With New Orleans owning Minnesota’s pick at #10, the Timberwolves won’t have a selection until #18, but they should still be in position to add another quality piece. Let’s look at some of the Timberwolves’ options:

2011-2012 Record – 26-40 (5^th in Northwest Division, Western Conference)

Head Coach – Rick Adelman

2-year Draft History  

2011 – Derrick Williams (1^st Round – 2^nd), Donatas Motiejunas (1^st Round – 20^th – Traded to Houston with Jonny Flynn and a 2012 2^nd Round pick for Brad Miller, the draft rights to 23^rd pick Nikola Mirotic (traded to Chicago for the draft rights to 28^th pick Norris Cole (traded to Miami for the draft rights to 31^st pick Bojan Bogdanovic (traded to the Brooklyn Nets for a 2013 2^nd Round pick and cash)), a 2014 2^nd Round pick and cash), 43^rd pick Malcolm Lee, and cash), 38^th pick Chandler Parsons (traded back to Houston for cash) and a future 1^st round pick.)

2010 – Wesley Johnson (1^st Round – 4^th), Luke Babbitt (1^st Round – 16^th – Traded to Portland with Ryan Gomes for Martell Webster), Trevor Booker (1^st Round – 23^rd – Traded to Washington with 56^th pick Hamady N’Diaye for 30^th pick Lazar Hayward and 35^th pick Nemanja Bjelica), Paulao Prestes (2^nd Round – 45^th)

Returning Players- Martell Webster (SG), Darko Milicic (PF), Kevin Love (PF), Derrick Williams (PF), Nikola Pekovic (C), JJ Barea (PG), Wesley Johnson (SF), Luke Ridnour (PG), Ricky Rubio (PG), Anthony Randolph (SF- Qualifying Offer), Wayne Ellington (SG), Malcolm Lee (SG), Michael Beasley (PF – Qualifying Offer)

Possible Key Additions- Nemanja Bjelica (SF)

Team Needs- Perimeter shooting, Stronger defenders in post and perimeter, Quality backcourt depth, Wings that can attack basket

Position Needs –SG, SF, C

Picks –  #18 (1^st Round, Pick 18 – from Utah)

                #58 (2^nd Round, Pick 28 – from Oklahoma City)

NBA Draft Blog Analysis

With perimeter shooting and defense being weak areas, Terrence Ross could be a player who could step in and contribute immediately in both.  Ross is a very good spot-up shooter, and with Rubio, if healthy, running the offense, the TWolves should be able to cover up the fact that Ross can’t create his own looks.  They can also look to add a young, athletic wing, such as Moe Harkless or Quincy Miller, both of who are still developing, could give Minnesota someone who can attack the basket from the perimeter.  Ross would likely be the best option of these 3 if this is the direction they choose, based on his shooting ability and defense.

Of course, this is Minnesota, and they can go in a completely different direction.  The only position that they likely couldn’t find a value pick at #18 is point guard, so there are options available.  Fab Melo, Andrew Nicholson and Arnett Moultrie may be available options if they want to look to add depth to the frontcourt, or they can look to possibly include this pick in one of the many draft-day deals that David Kahn loves so much.  With that in mind, based on Minnesota’s recent history, I doubt that the #58 pick still belongs to them by the end of draft night.

Guest Analysis – Dave Kelsey (TWolves Blog)

It's unfortunate that Kahn is still running our draft, as it's quickly becoming very apparent that he has no clue as to what the heck he's doing when it comes to judging actual NBA talent. Even though the #18 overall pick isn't historically a pick that one can expect to come in and turn around the fortunes of a franchise immediately, this is an extremely deep draft.  It's possibly the deepest draft in many years. So there is an abundance of talent to be found if one knows where to look.

With all that said, I personally think the Wolves should bundle the #18 pick with someone like Derrick Williams, in an attempt to move up to the top of the draft.  After Anthony Davis, I think the next tier of players #2-#5 all have about an equal chance of becoming future NBA stars, or at the very least, very good NBA core players for many years to come. There have been rumors about the Bobcats looking to move the #2 pick (which makes sense for them.) If the Wolves were to trade up into the Top 5 of the draft, a SG like Bradley Beal or a SF like Michael Kidd-Gilchrist makes a TON of sense for this squad. In fact, they make so much sense that I will guarantee right now that it's not something that ever crosses Kahn's mind. The Wolves have an enormous dearth of wing talent, a problem that has been plaguing the team for the past half-decade. With no exact ETA on Rubio's return from his torn ACL, the Wolves backcourt situation will be a sad state of affairs to start the season.  As the Wolves wing defense has been pitiful (at best!) the past few seasons, an ace defender such as MKG would do wonders for this team. The Wolves have needed an alpha guard that can create his own shot and get buckets in the most desperate of ways as well.  Derrick Williams may or may not have some skills (to be determined), but the fact of the matter is that he just won't ever get meaningful minutes playing behind Kevin Love. Therefore, a stud rookie wing is infinitely more valuable to the Wolves than a backup PF.

If Kahn is asleep at the wheel (still waiting for him to wake up!), there are some options available at #18 for the Wolves.  It's an incredibly deep draft. Moe Harkless, Terrence Jones, Royce White, Jeffery Taylor, Tony Wroten, Doron Lamb... the list goes on and on.  And even though Jae Crowder and Evan Fournier are projected to be going much lower on the various mock drafts, the Wolves don't pick again until pick #58. Since hoping for Kahn to trade back into the draft will only lead to depression and acts of suicide, I would not be opposed to the Wolves selecting one of those two guys at #18 either.

Regardless of what happens, I am hoping against all hope that we don't get treated to another Kahn draft-day-special: which would be drafting any smiley player from Syracuse; or making 68 illogical trades that ultimately lead to Glen Taylor saving 6 million dollars and the Wolves drafting the rights to a 25 year old European player whose name I can't even pretend to pronounce.

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Today, the NBA Draft Blog Scouting Report looks at another underclassman whose decision to enter the draft was highly questionable – Baylor freshman forward, Quincy Miller. Miller has great size for a likely small forward and has shown some skill in the past season, but he still is a long way from being ready to be a real contributor on the NBA level.  How big of a risk will someone take based on his potential?  Let’s take a look at Quincy Miller:

Quincy Miller, Baylor – Freshman

Forward -  6'10, 219

(24.4 mpg) 10.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 44.7% FG, 81.6% FT, 34.8% 3FG

Offense

Perimeter Shooting- Miller’s form on his jumper is good, for the most part.  He gets square to the basket, and gets good arc and rotation on his release.  He needs to watch his release point, which can be inconsistent.  At 6’10, if he keeps his release point high, he will have little issues getting his shot off, even with a slower release time.  He has good range, showing the ability to hit somewhat consistently at 15 feet, and to knock down deeper shots if left open.  He needs to improve his ability to create space for his shot off the dribble or using screens.  He comes too wide off of screens, allowing defenders to stay with him, and his handle will be discussed in-depth below.

Ballhandling/Penetration- While Miller is 6’10, the majority of his game is played on the perimeter, so he really needs to improve his ballhandling skills.  His right hand isn’t bad, though he needs to make sure to keep the ball low and close to his body.  His left hand needs work, especially when making a move to the basket.  He doesn’t have a great first step, so he needs to work on using his dribble and shot fakes to get past his defender.  Once he gets into the lane, he has shown the ability to stop and hit the short to mid-range jumper, as well as finishing in a variety of ways.  I would like to see him be able to finish with his left hand consistently around the left side of the basket, as well as doing a better job being able to draw contact while still getting his shot off.

Rebounding/Passing- Miller has shown some ability on the offensive boards, relying on his length and athleticism to get to missed shots, especially his own, quickly.  His ability to get up and down quickly allows him to also try and keep balls alive that he can’t get to.  However, Miller’s lack of strength allows him to get pushed out of position easily.  Miller is an average passer, but there are some major areas that he needs to improve.  His size on the perimeter allows him to see over the top of defenses, though he needs to make sure to use that to his advantage.  This can be especially useful playing the high post in high-low situations.  Also, while he doesn’t play in the post too often, he still needs to be able to get the ball out quicker if trapped or pressured.

Free Throw Shooting – Miller is a good free throw shooter, but his style of play does not get him to the line often enough.  If he is more aggressive in looking to get to the basket, his ability to hit free throws can translate into many more points.

Defense

Perimeter Defense- Miller is a decent perimeter defender, especially at his size.  He positions himself well on the ball and uses his long arms to make passes difficult.  He has to make sure to try and stay low in his stance, and he needs to work on increasing his foot speed and lateral movement.  He understands the need to try and get over screens, though his footwork still gets him stuck often.  Off the ball, playing a lot of time in a zone defense has helped Miller to understand how to position himself in a way where he can be an effective help defender, though he still needs to react quicker in help situations.  He also makes a good attempt to close on perimeter shooters, though again, he needs to react better.

Rebounding/Blocking- Miller’s lack of strength hurts him significantly on the defensive boards.  Fundamentally, he rebounds well.  He looks to box out and goes strong after the ball, looking to keep it high once he secures it.  The problem is, even when he looks to use his body to get position, he is easily moved off the spot. Miller has the potential to be a much better shot-blocker than he is.  He does a good job extending fully and going straight up after the shot, but he needs to work on his timing.

Transition

Miller is good in transition, showing the ability to run the wings and either take the ball of the pass to the basket, cut straight to the rim and finish, or spot up on the wings and knock down an open jumper.

Post Play

While Miller is not a regular post player, his size will allow him to take advantage of mismatches on the offensive end.  He needs to work on making moves over both shoulders smoothly and with less dribbles.  Also, his lack of strength often leaves him being moved away from the basket on his moves, even where he has a big height advantage.  The good thing is that even when he is moved away, he has very nice touch around the basket, and is length allows him to still get clean looks.

Summary & Intangibles

Athleticism – Very High

BB IQ – Above Average

Miller was able to show flashes of the player he could possibly become during his one year of college, but those moments were not frequent enough for him to justify coming out in this draft.  His size as a player who can play on the perimeter is a huge asset, and he showed little effect on his athleticism after tearing his ACL during his senior year of high school.  His knee may be an issue of concern to some, but Miller has looked like he has recovered well.  There’s no doubt he has some skills, but is still very raw in very important areas, and he certainly could learn to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor.  While his potential will still keep him in the 1^st round, I place his draft value near the middle to end, somewhere in the 18-26 range.  I think he needs to be in a situation where not much is expected of him quickly, and with a coaching staff that can develop his somewhat unique physical talents.

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