Name:  Erick Green    Age:  21  School: Virginia Tech

Height: 6’3    Weight: 185  Projected Position:  PG/SG  

2012-13 Stats (As of  2/25/13):

25.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 2.0 tpg (36.3 minutes per game)

47.5 FG%, 82.4 FT%, 37.5 3FG%, 2:1 A/TO

59.0 TS%, 52.7 eFG%, 32.3 USG%, 29.3 AST%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Green is an average perimeter shooter.  He does a good job getting square to the basket, with a high release point and having good arc and follow-through.  He can hit from long-range when he has space, but he doesn’t have great strength, so he has to get more lift from his legs making his shot release a bit slow behind the 3-point line.  He is a good mid-range shooter with the ability to hit off the dribble or coming off of screens.  He moves well without the ball and comes tight off of screens ready to shoot.  He uses his dribble well to create space and if you backpedal on him, he is quick to stop and rise up quick for the short or mid-range jumper.  Green does a good job going straight up for his jumper off the dribble, making sure not to float.  He doesn’t force many bad jumpers, but because he takes extra time from long-range, defenders can close quicker on him, forcing him to try and adjust. 

Penetration

Green is very good at getting into the lane off the dribble.  He doesn’t have a great first step, but he uses screens very well, coming off tight and accelerating around the corner.  Green is also very good at beating defenders who try to hedge on him on high screens, either beating them around the corner or stepping through and splitting the defenders.  He has good body control when he gets into the lane, and he can weave his way through the defense, or if given room, pull up for the short jumper or floater.  He isn’t going to overpower going to the basket, but he doesn’t shy away from contact, actually looking to draw it. Green likes to attack the basket coming off screens going to his left knowing that many defenders will be drawn to stopping him to his strong right.  He is creative around the basket and can finish in a variety of ways, though he needs to be careful of over-penetrating and getting caught with few options other than a forced shot in traffic.     

Ballhandling

Green is a good ballhandler, able to use both hands well and doing a very good job protecting the ball.   He has a good crossover and a strong change of pace dribble to allow him to create space and get the defender off-balance.  He handles pressure well and is very creative getting away from pressure, using spin moves and step-throughs.  He reads defenders well and will look to move based on what they give him.      

Passing Skills

Green has above-average court vision and can be a good passer.  Green keeps his head up, especially when going to the basket and has a good knack for knowing where his teammates will be open.  He has to watch over-penetrating in the lane and getting caught without a good passing option.  He sees the court well when coming off of screens, and if Virginia Tech ran more pick-and-roll plays, he would likely make good reads.  For the most part, he makes good, hard passes which his teammates can use to make a play quickly. 

Free Throw Shooting

Green is a good free throw shooter with a consistent routine at the line.  He has an odd motion, stopping for a split second at the top of his motion before he releases the ball, but it doesn’t seem to affect his shot much.  Green can be aggressive going to the basket and it shows in the number of free throw attempts he gets every game – He’s averaging almost 9 attempts per game, and gets 1 free throw for every 2 shot attempts.   

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Green is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, staying low and moving well laterally.  He is capable of pressuring the ballhandler, but prefers to keep them at arm’s length, and looking for an opportunity to use his quick hands to create a turnover.   Green needs to do a better job getting over the top of screens against shooters, he will bail out. Also, Green needs to watch being forced to play on his heels and backpedaling when his man is aggressive with the ball.  Green needs to learn to stand his ground and force him to a side.   Off the ball, Paul generally positions himself well, though he can be caught cheating a bit too much towards the lane.  He does a good job looking to jump or disrupt passing lanes but needs to watch falling for pass fakes.   He does a good job navigating through screens off the ball, not letting his man get a lot of room and finding ways to get through screens in the lane area.  He picks his spots well when he looks to step into the lane and help or to double-team in certain instances.  He has good defensive awareness, and does a good job tracking his man and the action away from him.  He has stepped up as a leader and can be seen directing his teammates on the defensive end.

Rebounding

Green rebounds well for his size, doing a strong job anticipating missed shots and looking to beat people to the spot, especially on longer rebounds.  He is not going to get involved in the physical battle, but pick his spots where he can swoop in and grab the rebound in space.  An added bonus when he gets the rebound is he is quick to grab the ball and head up court quickly looking to get the team out in transition.

Transition

Green is very good in transition, both pushing the ball up court himself and running the wings.  As the ballhandler on the break, Paul gets the ball up court quickly, stays in control, and looks to get an open space for his shot.  He is very good at getting the defender backpedaling and pulling up for the mid-range jumper.  If the defender comes up on him, he is aggressive looking to get to the basket and finish strong, absorbing contact if needed.  One area he can improve is his ability to draw the defense and find open teammates.

Intangibles/Summary

Enough can’t be said about the job Green has done stepping up as the leader of a young team in a program going through a transition.  He has been patient with his teammates and he has thrived being the target of opposing defenses.  It can be easy to overlook this on a team with a losing record, but it I can’t imagine how bad it would have been without him.  He isn’t a natural point guard, but he has shown he is capable of handling the position while scoring in a variety of ways. He is a good defender who could probably even be better if he didn’t exert so much energy on offense. 

Draft Value:  Late 1^st - Early 2^nd – #26-34

Green has continued to improve each year he has been in college, taking on more responsibilities and adding new wrinkles to his game.  He is mature and understands the game well, and should continue to learn wherever he happens to play.  He may need some time to learn more about running the point at the NBA level, but he can still provide some scoring if given the chance.  Developing strength will be important as he will want to be a perimeter threat at the NBA level.

Leave your comments below, or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Name:   Rodney Williams, Jr.   Age:   21   School: Minnesota

Height: 6’7    Weight: 200       Projected Position:    F             

2012-13 Stats (As of 2/22/13):

10.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.6 tpg (27.9 minutes per game)

49.5 FG%, 65.9 FT%, 24.2 3FG%, 54.4 TS%, 51.4 eFG%

9.7 OREB%, 11.5 DREB%, 10.7 TREB%, 12.0 AST%, 21.2 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Williams has the potential to be a good perimeter shooter, though he rarely looks for his jumper and even then he has to be wide open.  He has good form, a high release point and good follow-through, though he tends to jump forward a few feet on long jumpers when he probably doesn’t need to.  The end result is a lot of shots that miss long.  Williams uses screens well, but he needs to learn to shoot his jumper coming off of them.  The same goes for shooting off the dribble.  He needs to get confidence in his jumper or defenders at the next level will lay off of him, taking away his penetration ability.

Rebounding

Williams does a good job on the offensive glass, using his athleticism to beat defenders to ball, usually by out-leaping them.  He has very good body control and does a very good job finding paths from the perimeter to the basket to go after missed shots.  His leaping ability also allows him to corral rebounds up high and finish at the basket.  He doesn’t have the strength to battle for offensive rebounds, so he needs to pick his spots wisely.

Post Play/Footwork

Williams has spent a lot of his college career playing as an undersized 4 in Minnesota’s offense.  While he will likely be out on the perimeter more at the next level, it has left with him with a unique skill set which he can employ in certain matchups.  He does a good job getting position in the post, getting low and wide and setting a target for the pass.  He likes to face up out of the post and look to beat his man off the dribble to the basket.  He prefers to go to his right to the basket, so if he starts with his left, he will look to make a spin move to open up to his right where he can then finish.  If he is given a little bit of space, he will elevate and try to finish above the rim.  His back-to-the basket game has improved some, showing the ability to make a quick move to the lane over either shoulder, though he still will look to finish with his right hand.  He is a good screener on the perimeter, and he is a solid option rolling to the basket or slipping the screen.         

Penetration/Ballhandling

Williams is an average ballhandler, able to use both hands, but preferring to go to his right. He does a good job limiting the amount of ballhandling he does, using a few dribbles and long strides to get to the basket.  He doesn’t have a great first step, but he uses jab steps well to create space.  Shot-fakes don’t do as well, as he has yet to show he can be a consistent threat with his jumper.  When he gets by his defender, he will likely go straight to the rim, and he uses good body control to try and avoid help defenders.  He can be a strong finisher when he has space, but instead of finishing through contact, he tries to avoid it and ends up putting up off-balance shots.  He is capable of going to either side off the dribble, but will always try to go right if it is available. 

Free Throw Shooting

Williams is a below-average free throw shooter, though he doesn’t get to the line enough to make any impact.  He should be able to improve his stroke from the line, though his release his different from his jumper release.  On free throws, his release is rushed and a bit flat, and he needs to remember to shoot up above the rim and not at the rim.  While he doesn’t get to the line often, part of that has to do with the limited shots attempts he gets, averaging about 8 shot attempts a game, and about 3.5 free throws per game.    

Defense

Perimeter Defense

Williams is an above-average on-ball defender, getting good position, staying low and keeping his arms and feet active.  He has good lateral movement and is able to pick up ballhandlers far out on the perimeter.  He needs to do a better job getting over screens on the perimeter, especially not going under screens against good shooters.  Off-the-ball, Williams needs to work on his positioning a bit, not cheating so far to help, especially against teams that move the ball well.  He reacts well to his man’s movements, and he does a good job calling out his man’s screens.  His length allows him to close well on shooters, even if he gives up some space, though he needs to learn to read shot fakes better and stay on the ground.

Post Defense

Williams is a good post defender for his size.  He is physical and uses his body well to try and force players away from the basket.  He moves his feet well, and does a good job reacting and moving laterally to cut off any moves to the basket.  He doesn’t have a very strong body and can still be backed down by larger post players.   Williams hedges well in pick-and-roll situations and he uses his foot speed and long arms to disrupt any passes from the perimeter.         

Help Defense/Shot Blocking

Williams anticipates well when he needs to slide over and help, though he can sometimes be too aggressive.  He is a good shot blocker, when he is in position, and his leaping ability gives him the chance to alter shots even if he can’t get there to block them.  He times his blocks well, though he needs to watch that he goes straight up and avoids body contact.

Rebounding

Williams is a solid rebounder, though he relies on his athleticism more than technique to get to missed shots.  He does a good job tracking shots and is quick off the ground going after the miss.  He secures the ball up high and clears out space well.  He needs to work on being more physical and using his body to clear space before going after the shot, as stronger players uses their body to get him easily out of position.    

Transition

Williams is very good in transition, whether pushing the ball himself if he has space, or running one of the lanes.  He makes strong cuts to the basket from the wing and is able to catch and finish high passes around the basket.  He isn’t as good if he gets the ball on the perimeter, where he has to rely on his ballhandling to get to the rim.  When he gets space on the break, he can be one of the most spectacular finishers at the rim in all of college basketball.

Intangibles/Summary

For a senior, I still think Williams has a good amount of potential, only because he has been misused and part of a stagnant offense which doesn’t play to his abilities.  A good athlete, who can finish at the basket in a variety of ways, Williams also has developed some post skills which would allow him to possibly take other small forwards around the basket.  He is capable of guarding 3 positions and could play at different tempos.  He will need to find confidence, and do some fine-tuning, on his jumper, but it is certainly fixable.  He is a versatile player who can allow a coach to employ different personnel schemes.  

Draft Value:  2^nd Round – Early-Middle 2^nd – #38-45

Williams has the raw ability that is certainly worth a risk early in the 2^nd round.  At worst, he is capable defender and a decent offensive threat below the foul line.  With work, he can be a versatile offensive threat capable of guarding athletic wings.

Leave your comments below, or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Name:   Richard Howell   Age:   22   School: North Carolina State

Height: 6’8         Weight: 257       Projected Position:         PF          

2012-13 Stats (As of 2/18/13):

13.2 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.6 tpg (31.4 minutes per game)

57.0 FG%, 65.6 FT%, 58.9 TS%, 57.0 eFG%

15.3 OREB%, 23.3 DREB%, 19.7 TREB%, 20.4 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Play/Footwork

Howell has improved as low post presence, though he still needs a lot of work.  He uses his body well establish position on the block, and he gets his hands out to give his teammate a target.  He prefers to set up on the left block and make moves over his left shoulder with his right hand.  He is good at using his body to force his way towards the basket and not many defenders can force him out wide.  He has good touch around the rim and has developed a nice mini-hook with his right hand which he can hit from out to about 6 feet.  He is capable of finishing with either hand around the basket, though he doesn’t finish above the rim often.  He likes to face up out of the low post and is capable of hitting the short jumper or driving strong to the rim.  He likes to go to his right hand, so if you take away his right when he faces up, he will usually settle for the short jumper. Howell is a strong screener out of the post, though he needs to work on rolling to the basket better, including opening up to the ball, when he sets a high screen.  Howell also does a good job using his big body to seal off defenders in the lane to create room for his teammates to get to the basket.          

Ballhandling

Howell is an average ballhandler at best, and when he goes to his left hand, he is below average. He does a good job limiting the amount of ballhandling he actually does, and not forcing plays with his weaker hand.  He prefers a few power dribbles in the post area, but he is capable of making the occasional drive from the perimeter, though he has to make sure he keeps his head up when he does this.     

Perimeter Shooting

Howell has improved his shooting ability from the perimeter, but the shot mechanics are far from ideal.  He does a good job squaring to the basket and getting lift from his legs, but his release point is slightly low causing his shots to come out without much arc.  He has follows through well and that helps the shot somewhat, but his shot leaves little margin for error.  He has consistent range out to about 15 feet, and he has become a good enough shooter that post players have to come out and defend him.  He uses jab steps and fakes well to try and get defenders off balance.

Rebounding

Howell is an excellent offensive rebounder, anticipating missed shots well and using his big body to get good position for the rebound.  He controls the ball well, and often secures it, though he needs to watch a tendency to bring the ball low.  He may force some bad 2^nd chance shots once he has the offensive rebound, and he has to work on looking to draw and shoot through contact, especially with his strength.  While Howell isn’t a high leaper, he is quick off the ground, and he works hard to at least get a hand on shots he can’t get to right away.

Passing Skills

Howell has decent good vision when he has the ball, both in the low post and on the perimeter.  He has done a better job anticipating double teams in the post, and finds open teammates with quick, strong, catchable passes.  He has good awareness and can find cutters and shooters on the weakside.

Free Throw Shooting

Howell is a below-average free throw shooter, with the same issues discussed above with his perimeter shooting.  Howell’s release is slightly low and it leads to his shots having a line drive quality with little arc.  You can he see by the amount of shots, both makes and misses, that hit the front of the rim.  More alarming is how little he gets to the free throw line for someone who gets the large majority of his shots around the basket.  He will rush shots in close avoiding contact rather than drawing, and finishing through, any contact.  He isn’t much of a leaper and many defenders look to block his shots, so simple shot fakes should lead to more than almost 4 attempts per game he gets now. 

Defense

Post Defense

Howell has developed into a solid post defender.  He is physical and uses his lower body well to force his man away from the baskets.  He keeps a wide base, forcing any post moves to go wide around him.  His footwork and foot speed aren’t great, but he makes up for it by playing physical and looking to deny the post when he gets a chance.  He does a good job forcing post moves towards the lane and the help defenders.  Because Howell likes to try and force the player towards the lane, he has become susceptible to quick moves along the baseline area, such as a quick dropstep, and he doesn’t have the foot speed to really prevent it.  Howell is also not very good at pick-and-roll defense, having issues of not getting out to hedge quick enough, or getting caught too long on the perimeter after the ballhandler gets around him.         

Perimeter Defense

Howell is an average perimeter defender, though he tries to avoid coming too far out on his man.  He positions himself well, allowing him to close on a jump shot when needed but not getting so close to allow him to be beat.  He has below average lateral movement and foot speed, though he has improved and has learned to find angles to cut off penetration.    

Help Defense/Shot Blocking

Howell anticipates well when he needs to slide over and help, though he can be a step or two slow to get over at times.  He is not a very good shot blocker, having issues with timing, leaping ability, and choosing the right spots to attempt a block.  What Howell is good at is fouling hard and not letting players who get to the rim get a good shot off, making them go to the free throw line to get their points.

Rebounding

Howell is a very good to great defensive rebounder and it starts with him using his body well to seal off some space.  He always looks to put a body on someone and he does a very good job keeping his man pinned behind him before he goes for the ball.  He uses his lower body well to force offensive players to have to go over the top of him to try and get the ball.  He does a good job going strong after the ball and securing it with strong hands.  He clears out his area well once he has secured the ball and waits for his ballhandlers to get open before he makes the outlet pass.  One area where Howell can improve is anticipating where the missed shot is going go and getting to the spot quickly to clear space.    

Transition

Howell isn’t very fast, but he does get up and down the floor well for his size.  He isn’t going to get out ahead on the break often, but he is a very good option as a trailer, especially if he finds an opening down the middle of the lane.  When given the space, he will always go up and finish strong.

Intangibles/Summary

Howell is a very good role player, and he makes the most out of his opportunities when gets the ball.  He is rarely the focus of the NC State offense, but he goes out and creates his own opportunities.  He understands his teammates well and he tailors his play to make them better.  Blessed with a wide body, he uses it well to create space and get on the boards.  His improved confidence on the offensive end forces post defenders to play him honestly, and occasionally force teams to look to double him.  He is a team guy who plays with a lot of energy, and there have been more than a few games where the team needed to rely on his energy. 

Draft Value:  2^nd Round – Mid 2^nd – #42-50

Howell will never be more than a role player at the next level, but he could easily excel in a role as a backup power forward who just needs to go out, defend and crash the boards.  He doesn’t require the ball to contribute, and he will create his own opportunities when they are there within the flow of the offense.  Some of his offensive skills still need some fine tuning, but he should be able to contribute fairly quickly off the bench.

Leave your comments below, or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Name:  Solomon Hill   Age:   21   School: Arizona

Height: 6’7   Weight: 220   Projected Position:  SF          

2012-13 Stats (As of  2/15/13):

13.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.0 tpg (33.0 minutes per game)

46.2 FG%, 77.2 FT%, 39.3 3FG%, 59.1 TS%, 55.0 eFG%

21.1 USG%, 7.1 ORB%, 12.4 DREB%, 9.8 TRB%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Hill has continued to improve his jumper throughout his time in Arizona.  He does a good job getting square to the basket, elevates quickly, and has a smooth, high release.  Hill is capable of hitting his jumper off the dribble as well as coming off of screens, though he needs to work on coming off the screens tighter and ready to shoot.  He has range out to the college 3-point line, and with some work, should be able to hit the NBA 3 with some consistency.  Hill needs to work on making sure he stays square and doesn’t float when taking his jumper of the dribble.  Hill also needs to work on creating space for his jumper with his dribble.  Also he needs to watch a tendency to rush his shot when he doesn’t have a great look at the basket.

Post Offense

Hill’s time at the power forward position allowed him to develop a decent post offensive game, with the ability to make a move over either shoulder, with good footwork, and able to finish with either hand.  He has the ability to face up and hit the short jumper or make a quick move to the basket against bigger defenders.     

Penetration

Hill is a capable penetrator, able to attack off the screen or in isolation with the right matchup.  He does a good job catching the ball and getting into triple-threat position, and he uses ball-fakes and jab steps well to create space.  He doesn’t have a great first step, but he uses his size and strength to force his way into the lane.  He is able to finish with either hand and in a variety of ways, around the basket, can finish above the rim, and is capable of finishing through contact.  He has good body control and he does a good job avoiding help defenders.  He has shown that he can hit the mid-range jumper off the dribble once past the defender, though he has to watch a tendency to float on his shot.  Hill uses screens well to get into the lane, and he has actually shown that he can make good passes off of his penetration, though not consistently.    

Ballhandling

Hill is an average ballhandler, able to use both hands, though he doesn’t look to go to his left often.   He has good control, keeps the ball low and close to his body. Hill is not going to overdribble often, and likes to use his dribbles to make power moves to the rim, or short bursts to get open in the mid-range area.  He needs to continue to work on developing dribbles that will allow him to create space on the perimeter, as well as getting a stronger left hand.    

Passing Skills

Hill has good court vision and awareness, and he uses his size well to make passes over the top of the defense.  His passes are strong, but catchable, and he is a very good post-entry passer for a forward.  He needs to work on keeping his head up when he penetrates and look for openings provided by the help defense.

Free Throw Shooting

Hill is an above-average free throw shooter, with a consistent routine, smooth shooting motion and follow-through.  Where Hill needs to improve is looking to get to the line more often, averaging less than 4 attempts per game.  He has been relying more on his jumper, and combined with the presence of Arizona’s freshman big men, Hill isn’t looking to get into the lane as much.  When he does attack, he goes strong to the basket and has the body to absorb contact and finish his shot.   

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Hill is a good on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, staying relatively low and moving well laterally.  He uses his body well and can play physical when needed.  He is capable of guarding multiple positions.  Hill pressures the ball surprisingly well for his size, and he does a good job being active with his arms without fouling.  Hill needs to learn to work through screens better when his man has the ball, especially getting over the top of the screen when his man is a capable perimeter shooter.    Off the ball, Hill positions himself well, putting himself in an area where he can get to his man and help around the lane if needed.  He doesn’t look to jump or disrupt passing lanes often, but he can pressure off the ball for short spans of time.  He anticipates his man’s movements well and he reacts well to cuts and fakes.  He does a good job navigating through screens off the ball, not letting his man get a lot of room to get set for a shot.  He picks his spots well when he looks to step into the lane and help or to double-team in certain instances.  He has good defensive awareness, and does a good job tracking his man and the action away from him.  He establishes position quickly as a help defender and is not afraid to take a charge against anyone.  Hill can be seen directing the freshman big men during the action when there is a lot of offensive movement.

Rebounding

Hill is capable of being a strong rebounder, doing a good job tracking missed shots and getting into position.  He uses his body well to establish position and he goes quickly after the ball.  He boxes out well, getting wide and using his lower body to shield the offense from getting to the ball.  He has strong hands and secures the ball well before looking to get the ball out to a teammate.

Transition

Hill runs the floor well in transition, capable of running the wings and spotting up for the jumper or taking the ball strong to the basket.  Though not always pretty, Hill has also shown that he can push the ball himself on the break, usually looking to finish on his own.  Hill is also a strong transition defender, directing teammates and looking to stop the ball out on the perimeter and forcing the ballhandler to make a play.

Intangibles/Summary

Hill is clearly a case of the sum being greater than the individual parts.  He is not excellent in any one area, but he is capable of filling multiple roles and working in many diverse sets.  With Arizona bringing in a group of young big men this season, Hill has been able to play more at his natural small forward position, though his experience at the power forward position has provided him with a skill set different than many of his wing counterparts.  He has taken on a leadership role with his young team and has found ways to be productive while working within the Arizona offense.  His ability to score in a variety of ways along with his ability to guard multiple positions well could provide him the opportunity he needs to show his value to more than a few NBA teams.

Draft Value:  Middle 2^nd – #42-50

There may not be much upside to Hill’s game at this stage, but he is one of the more versatile seniors in this year’s class.  Taking on multiple roles and showing his leadership abilities only adds to his total package as a player.  He is definitely worth a 2^nd round selection and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a team’s opening day roster come the fall.

Leave your comments below, or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Name:  Jackie Carmichael   Age:   22   School: Illinois State

Height: 6’9   Weight: 240  Projected Position:         PF          

2012-13 Stats (As of  2/10/13):

18.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 2.5 tpg (30.2 minutes per game)

54.0 FG%, 70.0 FT%, 57.8 TS%, 54.1 eFG%

9.7 OREB%, 24.6 DREB%, 17.2 TREB%, 7.0 BLK%, 29.5 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Play/Footwork

Carmichael is very efficient in the low, mid, and high posts, and can score in a variety of ways.  He has developed a solid mini-hook after a dribble or two off the low block, as well as a strong up-and-under if the help defense closes on him. He uses a dropstep well, especially if he sees the double-team coming from the topside.  Finally, Carmichael is very good at facing up smoothly out of the low and mid post and hitting the jumper.  He has excellent touch around the rim, and he does a good job using his body to clear space to allow him to get to the basket.  Carmichael is comfortable going over either shoulder, though he needs to use his lower body well to anchor position.  He does a good job keeping his hands out to receive the pass, and has become much more adept at receiving passes over the top, especially when posting in the middle of the lane.  While he has developed a series of go to moves, his footwork isn’t great when he is pressured, and he can be forced into turnovers.  He needs to remain patient and see what the defense gives him.  Carmichael is very good at using shot fakes to get defenders in the air, and he is very capable of drawing, and finishing, though contact.  He is a very good screener on the perimeter and he rolls well to the basket, releasing quickly and having his eyes on the ballhandler ready for the pass.

Ballhandling

Carmichael is an average ballhandler for his size, doing a good job looking to minimize his dribbles, and shielding the ball by keeping it low and close to his body.  He is much more comfortable with his right hand than his left, and you really don’t want him taking more than 2-3 dribbles when being guarded. He has improved his use of one power dribble to get to the rim around the basket, but he needs to be aware of help defenders.  Outside of 10 feet, he isn’t much of a threat using his dribble and he prefers to avoid it.

Shooting

Carmichael is a good spot-up shooter, and is capable of hitting from 15-17 feet consistently.  He squares well to the basket, has a good release point and follow-through.  His size allows him to shoot over most defenders, and if not, he uses a jab step well to create space.  He understands spacing in pick-and-pop situations and he is a good option here, who should only get better.  Closer to the rim, Carmichael has good touch in close and is capable of finishing with finesse or strong at the rim.  He uses both hands well, though he prefers to find ways to finish around the basket with his right. 

Rebounding

Carmichael is a good offensive rebounder when he is settled in around the low blocks.  He uses his length well to tip balls to himself or to teammates, and when he gets the ball he secures it well.  Carmichael needs to look to use his body better to get position instead of relying on his upper body and long arms.  Also, because Carmichael is often used away from the basket on shots and screens, he isn’t in optimal position to get offensive boards.     

Passing Skills

Carmichael has average court vision, especially out of the low post. He makes strong passes to the perimeter, and on target enough to allow his teammate to get a quick shot off.  Carmichael needs to work is on anticipating the need to make a pass, especially against double-teams on the low blocks.  He should also work on being able to spot weak-side cutters for easy shots around the basket.

Free Throw Shooting

Carmichael is a decent free throw shooter, but he should, and could, be much better.  He is a smooth routine and stroke, with good follow-through and arc.  Carmichael needs to avoid looking to change his shot after a miss, especially rushing 2^nd shots.  He would probably get to the line a lot more, but he takes less than half his shots around the post area, leading to less contact and chances to get to the line.  Still, when he does get the ball in the low post, he does a great job drawing contact and getting a good shot off.

Defense

Post Defense

Carmichael positions himself well in the post, and he uses his upper body to put pressure on the offensive player.  He does a good job battling for position for the upper leg, and he uses his long arms to deny the post.  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.  His lack of foot speed is helped somewhat by his ability to get wide and force players to go wide.  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.  Carmichael needs to work on hedging more effectively on pick-and-rolls and forcing the ballhandler to take a wide path around. Generally, Carmichael has good defensive awareness, and you can see him throughout the game directing his teammates from the back of the defense.

Perimeter Defense

Carmichael doesn’t have the foot speed and lateral quickness to defend smaller, quicker players on the perimeter, but he compensates by positioning himself well while also working to force any penetration towards the help defense.  Carmichael reacts well to his man’s movements, and he does a good job not falling for ball and shot fakes.  He uses his length well to close on shooters and it allows him to cover ground quickly. 

Help Defense/Shot Blocking

Carmichael has good defensive awareness and has become a much better as a weakside and basket help defender, and he uses his length well enough to alter opposing shots.  He has done a good job not picking up fouls by staying grounded on shot-fakes. He is a quick hands and he has the ability to block or strip the ball low instead of being forced off the ground.  Carmichael positions himself well off the ball to allow him to slide or step over to help when needed.

Rebounding

Carmichael can be very good on the defensive boards, but he can be even better.  He is very good at tracking the shot as it goes up and looking to get to a spot to allow him to get the rebound.  He does a good job going strong after the miss, extending his arms to get the ball up high, and securing it.  He does look to box out often, but he should work on using the lower body to clear out space.  Carmichael is also very good at tipping the ball to keep it alive so he or a teammate can try and secure it.  

Transition

Carmichael doesn’t look to get out in transition often, though he can cover a lot of ground quickly if he makes the effort.  As a team, Illinois State doesn’t look to push the ball as a general rule.  With greater consistency, Carmichael could be a good option for trailer jumper in transition.  When he does get out on the break, he has good hands and good body control to finish at the basket.

Summary/Intangibles

Carmichael is a skilled low-post player who is very comfortable playing in the mid-range area.  He has a variety of ways to score in the post, his footwork has improved, and he doesn’t take very many bad shots.  He is a much better post defender than perimeter defender, but he has good awareness and understanding how to play different players.  He is capable of being a strong rebounder on either end of the floor, and he has the strength to play a physical game.  He should look to be more aggressive, and he needs to work on attacking the basket from the mid-range area. 

Draft Value:  Late 1^st Round– #20-27

With some work on the defensive end, Carmichael is ready to play at the NBA level.  He makes the most of his touches and can used in a variety of spots on the floor.  He plays much bigger than he is in the post, and could defend bigger players if absolutely needed to.  He would be a strong pick-up for a halfcourt dominant offense that likes to use their forwards in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations.

Leave your comments below, or email me – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog