Finally, just hours before the NBA Draft, and I am ready to provide Version 1 of my NBA Mock Draft.  This is not based on what I, or others, have heard.  This is solely based on what would be the best move for each team.  

1.     New Orleans – Anthony Davis, Freshman, PF, Kentucky

Davis will give the Hornets an instant boost on the defensive end, and as he matures, should develop into a legitimate offensive threat out to 15-18 feet.  Even bigger, the addition of Davis could boost New Orleans as a high-profile destination for future big-name free agents who want to play with him.

2.    Charlotte – Thomas Robinson, Junior, PF, Kansas

While the Bobcats could use players at almost any position, Robinson is the player most ready in this range to come in and produce at a high-level quickly.  Pairing Robinson with Bismack Biyombo will allow him to focus more on helping Charlotte on the offensive end more to start.

3.    Washington – Bradley Beal, Freshman, SG, Florida

Contrary to his one year college shooting percentages, Beal is one of the top shooters in this draft and should show it with John Wall opening up space on the floor for him.  A solid defender and ballhandler already, look for Beal to be the real future star in Washington.

4.    Cleveland – Harrison Barnes, Sophomore, SF, North Carolina

Barnes will provide an instant offensive threat to pair with Kyrie Irving out on the perimeter, and his ability to score with his jumper or at the basket will make him a tough match-up for many defenders, and will also make it tough for defenses to key on Irving.

5.    Sacramento – Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Freshman, SF, Kentucky

Kidd-Gilchrist will be a nice addition to a developing Kings’ team and his ability to defend on the perimeter should be able to take some pressure off of DeMarcus Cousins to act as a help defender too often.  In a few years, he may develop into a legitimate NBA offensive threat.

6.    Portland (from Brooklyn) – Damian Lillard, Junior, PG, Weber State

With Portland seriously in need of point guard help, they will reach a bit to take Lillard here.  More scorer than distributor, Lillard will need to show that he can be effective as both without being the team’s primary option.

7.    Golden State – Tyler Zeller, Senior, C, North Carolina

With Andrew Bogut coming off of an injury, and Jeremy Tyler and Andris Biedrins as possible backups, the Warriors look to take the more polished of the 1^st round big men in Zeller.  Zeller’s rebounding and ability to get out in transition should  be a big lift for the Warriors.

8.    Toronto – Austin Rivers, Freshman, SG, Duke

With likely first choice Lillard off the board, the Raptors turn to Rivers, who should provide a scoring lift to the anemic Toronto offense.  With Jonas Valanciunas likely to be here next season, the Raptors look for backcourt help and Rivers could eventually become their future point guard.

9.    Detroit – John Henson, Junior, PF, North Carolina

With Zeller gone, but Drummond possibly still available, the Pistons will go for the known quantity, who has also been one of their main targets since the beginning.  The combination of Henson and Greg Monroe will instantly become one of the more formidable in the Eastern Conference, and should be a solid foundation for the Pistons to add new pieces around.

10.    New Orleans (from Minnesota) – Andre Drummond, Freshman, C, Connecticut

Though there are obviously other areas the Hornets could look to fill, having Drummond fall to them here is too much for them to pass up on.  The combination of Davis and Drummond could be the best in the NBA 3 or 4 years down the road – assuming Drummond develops as he should.

11.    Portland – Meyers Leonard, Sophomore, C, Illinois

Having found their point guard for the future at #6 with Lillard, the Blazers turn their attention to their hole in the middle and take the best available option, legit seven-footer Leonard.  While raw, with the right coaching, Leonard can turn into a long-time contributor.

12.    Houston (from Milwaukee) – Jeremy Lamb, Sophomore, SG, Connecticut

With Leonard, Zeller and Drummond all gone, the Rockets turn to the best available option on the board.  Lamb could be the replacement for the one-dimensional Kevin Martin and should help the Rockets on the offensive end fairly quickly.

13.    Phoenix – Dion Waiters, Sophomore, SG, Syracuse

Despite all of the smokescreens being thrown around, Waiters falls down to the top of his actual draft value.  With Phoenix looking for help at almost every position, Waiters will be able to fill in nicely in the backcourt rotation immediately.

14.    Milwaukee (from Houston) – Terrence Ross, Sophomore, SG, Washington

Having traded back to the end of the lottery, Milwaukee took themselves out of the running for one of the big men they covet, but they can get the knockdown shooter they also need.  With Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, Ross should be able to get the right spacing he needs to get his shot off.

15.    Philadelphia – Perry Jones III, Sophomore, PF, Baylor

With Elton Brand’s Sixer career coming near its end, the ultra-talented, but raw, Jones may be the type of risk worth the 15^th pick.  With the correct coaching, Jones could become a dominant player on both ends of the floor, and even at his floor, he will still be a valuable contributor.

16.    Houston (from New York) – Kendall Marshall, Sophomore, PG, North Carolina

The Rockets are assuming that Goran Dragic won’t be back, and Kyle Lowry is being dangled as trade bait, so the need is there for a point guard, and Marshall may be the best pure point in the class.  Whatever the Rockets look like next year, Marshall will make the team better.

17.    Dallas – Moe Harkless, Freshman, SF, St. John’s

A year removed from their championship, Dallas is desperately in need of some young talent, and Harkless certainly fills that need.  Very athletic, with the ability to play inside and out, Harkless could be one of the best in this class 10 years down the road.

18.    Houston (from Utah via Minnesota) – Terrence Jones, Sophomore, PF, Kentucky

This could turn out to be one of the best value picks in the draft, and the Houston culture plus Kevin McHale may be what Jones needs to fulfill his potential.  Immediately, he will give the Rockets the toughness at the power forward position that Scola lacks.

19.    Orlando – Royce White, Junior, PF, Iowa State

With the Dwight Howard, plus coaching, situations still up in the air, the maturity of White should be exactly the kind of thing that new GM Rob Hennigan needs to start off his new position.  White is not great at anything in particular, but he is good at many, and should be a valuable addition whether Howard is there or not.

20.    Denver – Arnett Moultrie, Junior, PF, Mississippi State

Athletic big man Moultrie should fit in very well with the Denver style of play, and his lack of any real post skills shouldn’t hinder him in the Nuggets’ offense (see Kenneth Faried.)  If Moultrie and Faried are on the floor, what the team lacks in skill, will be made up with lots of rebounding and athletic play.

21.    Boston – Jared Sullinger, Sophomore, PF, Ohio State

Back issue or not, Sullinger is the most skilled big man in this class, and if, as I assume, the issue is manageable, Sullinger will be the steal of this draft.  He will be an instant upgrade for the Celtics in the low post.

22.    Boston (from LA Clippers) – Andrew Nicholson, Senior, PF, St. Bonaventure

Yes, they just took Sullinger the pick before, but Nicholson is too much of a talent to pass up.  He has a better ability than Sullinger to step out and play in the high post or perimeter, so it would even be possible to play them both together.  Too much value to pass up here.

23.    Atlanta – Jeff Taylor, Senior, SF, Vanderbilt

Taylor will be an instant upgrade defensively for the Hawks, plus will give them some additional shooting power from the perimeter.  A smart player, Taylor will adapt well to any offense and be a major asset going forward.

24.    Cleveland (from LA Lakers) – Fab Melo, Sophomore, C, Syracuse

When Anderson Varejao is who you have in the middle, you need to upgrade the center position.  While Melo will still need time to develop, he will provide a solid big man presence immediately.

25.    Memphis – Quincy Miller, Freshman, SF, Baylor

Miller’s decision to go pro may have been one of the worst in this draft, Memphis could still take the risk on the athletic, but raw, Miller.  At 6’10, Miller could create all kinds of mismatch problems for opponents, but there will still be concerns about whether his knee will hold up long term.

26.    Indiana – Draymond Green, Senior, PF, Michigan State

Not many ways you can go wrong by picking the multi-talented Green here.  He should be able to provide rebounding and passing off the bench to start, while also being the kind of player who can pick up scoring when needed.

27.    Miami – Festus Ezeli, Senior, C, Vanderbilt

A solid center that is an upgrade over anyone they have at the position now.  His toughness and ability to bang in the post should make the NBA Champions even a better team next season.

28.    Oklahoma City – Will Barton, Sophomore, SF, Memphis

A solid, low-risk pick here for the Thunder.  Barton still needs time to develop, both his game and physically, and will have at least a year to do so behind James Harden.  His development could help make the decision on Harden’s future in Oklahoma.

29.    Chicago – Evan Fournier, SF, Poitiers (France)

Not a bad player right now at 19 years old, Fournier still needs to develop his perimeter game and toughness to be a legitimate NBA player.  Still, there is a good risk/reward ratio for the Bulls taking him in this spot.

30.    Golden State (from San Antonio) – Marquis Teague, Freshman, PG, Kentucky

The Warriors add a solid long-term addition to the guard rotation, especially with Stephen Curry’s injury history.  Teague is far from ready for the NBA, but the Warriors could hope they don’t need him for more than spot minutes each game as he matures.

ROUND 2 Picks

31. Charlotte – John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

32. Washington – Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas

33. Cleveland – Doron Lamb, SG, Kentucky

34. Cleveland (from New Orleans) – Tony Wroten, PG, Washington

35. Golden State (from Brooklyn) – Darius Miller, SF, Kentucky

36. Sacramento – Jared Cunningham, SG, Oregon State

37. Toronto – Kostas Papanikolaou, SF, Olympiakos (Greece)

38. Denver – Scott Machado, PG, Iona

39. Detroit – Miles Plumlee, C, Duke

40. Portland (from Minnesota) – Jae Crowder, SF, Marquette

41. Portland – Kim English, SG, Missouri

42. Milwaukee – Drew Gordon, PF, New Mexico

43. Atlanta (from Phoenix) – Orlando Johnson, SG, UCSB

44. Detroit (from Houston) – Bernard James, PF, Florida State

45. Philadelphia – Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State

46. New Orleans (from Dallas via Washington) – Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette

47. Utah – Kevin Jones, PF, West Virginia

48. New York – Kevin Murphy, SG, Tennessee Tech

49. Orlando – Mike Scott, PF, Virginia

50. Denver – Tomas Satoransky, PG/SG, Sevilla

51. Boston  - William Buford, SG, Ohio State

52. Golden State (from Atlanta) – JaMychal Green, PF, Alabama

53. Los Angeles Clippers – Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M

54. Philadelphia (from Memphis) – Tu Holloway, PG, Xavier

55. Dallas (from LA Lakers) – Kris Joseph, SF, Syracuse

56. Toronto (from Indiana) – Quincy Acy, PF, Baylor

57. Brooklyn (from Miami) – Henry Sims, C, Georgetown

58. Minnesota (from Oklahoma City) – Furkin Aldemar, PF, Galtasaray

59. San Antonio – Olek Czyz, SF, Nevada

60. Los Angeles Lakers – Hollis Thompson, SG/SF, Georgetown

 

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When it comes to the NBA Draft, there is such a disproportionate amount of attention paid to numbers and various statistics.  At times, I will find myself start to fall into that trap, but then a player steps out of their college system, and show a lot more to their game than you could have imagined.  Sometimes, the things that teams are really looking for can’t be quantified, or there are teams that feel they can take a player and add the tools they need to be a successful pro.  Duke’s Miles Plumlee falls into all of these categories.  The numbers he put up rarely wowed anyone, but the team was winning and he was a major part of it.  He did a lot of the dirty work, such as setting screens and battling in the post, while more heralded teammates fed off of that and put up numbers that did impress.  Again, I was a guilty as anyone in often downplaying or flat out not recognizing what Plumlee did for that team.  I was wrong.  Third, Fourth, Fifth looks at his film, and you can see how just a small movement or play or his part was the difference in a play being successful.  Not that everything was great to watch, but Plumlee knows exactly what he needs to do to fix it.  I had the chance to talk to Plumlee recently as he was leaving Minnesota after his last pre-NBA Draft workout.  Here, Plumlee discusses his game, playing at Duke, the pre-Draft process, and more:

Miles on how his game developed at Duke:

“I probably developed the most with the physical part of the game, especially playing in the paint.  I came to college liking to play up high, facing the basket, so I had to learn to play as more of a back-to-the-basket post player.”

 

Miles on the influence of Coach Mike Krzyzewski:

“Coach Krzyzewski has been a huge influence to me, especially on the court.  He instilled in me how hard you had to work to play that level, and also how to compete and fight every time you are out there.”

Miles on having two brothers (Mason and Marshall) on the same team with him:

“I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better than having them there with me and it is something I will never forget.”

Miles on season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to Lehigh:

“Of course it was disappointing, and I hope that that one game is not how I am remembered at Duke.  You just have to move past it and know that brighter days are still ahead.”

Miles on his strengths as a player: 

“I would say my biggest strengths are how hard I play and my athleticism.  Being as big as athletic as I am for my size makes me unique in this draft, so I just need to keep working hard and show what I am capable of doing.”

 

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

“I need to be able to have a more consistent jumper when I am facing the basket, and definitely want to extend my range on it.  Also, I will need to make the usual adjustments players have to make when going to the NBA.  It is a faster and more physical game.”

 

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

“I can come in and rebound, defend, and use my athleticism to finish around the basket.  I can be a very good complimentary player who can fit into most systems.”

 

Miles on going through the Pre-Draft process:

“The whole process was definitely strenuous, especially all of the traveling from city to city.  But It was a great experience and I can look back and say I made it through and accomplished what I wanted to.  Now I am just excited for Draft night.”

 

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

“I am a low risk, high reward player.  My athleticism sets me apart from others my size.  I am coachable, want to come in and work hard, and have a lot to offer any team that picks me.”

I want to thank Miles for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA.  Miles is the perfect example of how little numbers mean when teams are looking at a player as a possible prospect.  Chances are, Miles could have gone to another school and played in another system where he could have put up bigger numbers.  Instead, he took the opportunity to play for one of the best coaches ever and did whatever Coach Krzyzewski needed him to do to help the team.  It is all going to pay off for him tomorrow, and after speaking to Miles, he knows there is still a lot of work ahead, but he seems very ready to tackle it.

 

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.

 

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Every year, there is a player whose name doesn’t start to get mentioned until it comes to individual team workouts.  Usually it is because they are from a smaller school, and they come into the workouts and outplay the players who are projected to be drafted.  This pre-draft season, the player whose name I have heard pop up the most in this regard is Boston University’s Darryl Partin.  Partin, a 6’6 point guard who spent two years at BU after transferring from LaSalle, capped off an excellent senior season by being named America East Player of the Year and AP Honorable Mention All-American.  Now, given the chance to work out against some bigger name guards in the draft, Partin has already impressed personnel from the Celtics (who worked him out twice) and Clippers, and was preparing to see some other teams.  I had the chance to talk to Partin recently about his game, the workout process, being from a smaller conference, and more:

Darryl on how his game developed in college:

“I matured a lot as a player.  Definitely, I matured physically. I was 6’6 and real skinny when I got to college, so I needed to bulk up.  Plus playing with some great players taught me a lot.  When I got to LaSalle, I was playing the 1 behind Rodney Green, who was also a big point guard.  It helped me a lot playing behind him.  ”

 

Darryl on his strengths as a player: 

“I think my biggest strengths are getting to the rim, and making reads off of the pick and roll.  The NBA is all about the pick and roll, so I think my ability to know how to run it well has helped me.”

 

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

“I have been working on improving my ability to catch and shoot from NBA 3-point range.  I have also been working on improving on the defensive end, especially improving how to keep my man in front of me.  The speed at the NBA level will be an adjustment for me.”

 

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

“I think I definitely can come in right away and help defensively.  I can guard the 1 through 3, and I am a smart player who understands the game very well.  Also, as a 6’6 guard, I can provide a team with some versatility.”

Darryl on going through the Pre-Draft process:

“The process has been very exciting to me and something I have looked forward to for a long time.  It gave me the chance to go against some great players and also let teams see what I could bring to their team.”

 

Darryl on whether he felt overlooked playing in the America East:

“In some ways I did.  It’s a very different game playing in the smaller conference.  The game is very guard-dominant; you don’t have the real big men you have at a lot of bigger schools.  So it is tough to get noticed unless you can win a game against a big name team or get into the NCAA Tournament.”

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

“I am a very hard-working player.  I am not a problem, on or off the court.  I can be a great teammate and locker room guy.  There is no difference between me and a lot of guys who are projected to be drafted, and I am ready to step onto the court and prove it.  I will definitely be playing with a chip on my shoulder.”

I want to thank Darryl for his time and I wish him the best of luck as he looks to fulfill his dream of getting to the NBA.  Though college fans, especially in the Northeast, may have known some about Darryl, the impression he is making on NBA teams is beyond what any of them could have expected.  He is a unique player and that is very appealing to many teams, and as he pointed out, his versatility makes him even more so.  Even better, when you talk to Darryl, you really get a sense that he understands what work needs to be done, and he isn’t going to back down from it.  Darryl is certainly a player you need to keep your eye on throughout the summer and into training camps, because even if he doesn’t happen to hear his name called tomorrow night, it won’t be the last we hear of him.

 

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.

 

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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.

 

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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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