The NBA Draft Blog Conference Season Previews continue with a look at one of the toughest conferences in the country – the Big East. As always, there is plenty of talent, but a 16 team conference takes its toll on the members come February and March. As usual, Pitt and Georgetown will be near the top, as will Marquette. Cincinnati will look to make a leap this season, while UConn and Notre Dame could be in for a tough time early on. DePaul is rebuilding, while Louisville will look to get back near the top under Rick Pitino. Here is Part I of the Big East.

 

Cincinnati

 

The Good: Coach Mick Cronin’s squad lost its 2 top players from last season and will most likely be a much better team. Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn will be missed, but the voids will be filled by a variety of players who are ready to show what they can do. This year’s group will be led by big man Yancy Gates, who will be debuting a new, slimmer look. Gates has very good size and uses his body well. Around the rim, he has improved his footwork and his finishing skills. He needs to become a better rebounder for his size, and hopefully will be able to go after balls quicker with less weight on him. It will be important for him to play aggressive this season for the Bearcats to get the most out of him. Gates will be joined in the frontcourt by fellow returning starters Rashad Bishop and Ibrahima Thomas. Bishop is a solid swingman, who showed an improved jumper last season. He is also a good defender who can guard multiple positions. Thomas is a long, lean, athletic forward who is very good at altering shots and using his athleticism to grab offensive boards. Cashmere Wright takes over for Vaughn at the point and has the potential to be one of the best point guards in the Big East. He has a great first step and can get out in transition or take his man off the dribble. He sees the court well and his decision-making improved as the season went on. He needs to improve finishing at the basket and becoming consistent with his jumper. This season will also be the debut of Sean Kilpatrick, a smooth combo-guard who is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court. Hopefully he has improved his defense during his redshirt season. Freshman Justin Jackson will provide another strong option in the post. He is a great athlete and very active around the basket. He runs the court well, though he needs to improve his ballhandling and his jumper.

 

The Not-So-Good: Perimeter shooting, especially from behind the 3 point line, will need to be improved. There is also a need for a go-to guy, with both Vaughn and Stephenson gone. Wright has the attitude and demeanor to fill this role, though it is yet to be seen if he can hit the shots when it matters. Also, outside of Gates, there isn’t much post production. Freshman Kelvin Gaines is talented, though raw and will be hard-pressed to contribute immediately.

 

The Question Mark: Can Gates take the next step in his progress to become a dominant big man? Gates made great progress last season, though he seemed to be a step slow at times and lacked that aggressive streak which the best big men have. This season he has lost some weight, and gained some muscle and speed. Look for him to be one of the best big men in the Big East.

 

What Will March Bring?: Losing Stephenson and Vaughn is going to be a blessing in disguise for this team. I expect Gates to make the jump that everyone anticipates, and the addition of Kilpatrick to the backcourt will be big. This is a 20 win team and should be in the Top 7 in the Big East. I expect them to be in the NCAA barring a horrible end of the season collapse.

 

Connecticut

 

The Good: Though off-court distractions have seemed to take their toll on Coach Calhoun and the Husky program, UConn will still field a talented team, including potential All-American Kemba Walker. Walker is the engine that makes the team run, one of the fastest point guards on the break you will ever see. He definitely improved his control from his freshman year to sophomore year, and I expect to see the same improvement in his junior year. We already knew about his court vision, but the second half of last season saw him pick up a bigger share of the scoring load. With a more talented team around him this season, I wouldn’t look for much improvement in his scoring numbers, but a nice drop in his turnovers. As is usually the case, UConn will have a heralded group of freshman, any of the group capable of being a freshman superstar. Michael Bradley, Roscoe Smith, Shabazz Napier, Tyler Olander and Jeremy Lamb are all capable of playing major minutes right away for the Huskies. Smith is a future star and combines the best attributes of the now-gone Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson. He is a great athlete, can take the ball to the basket or step back and hit the three, and he handles the ball well for his size. Once he adds some muscle to his frame, he could be one of the conference’s top scorers. Bradley has good size, but is raw and needs to grow into his body. He is skilled for his size and can stretch the defense with his perimeter ability. Defensively, he is active, but isn’t strong enough to effectively guard big men. Napier is the heir apparent to Walker, though he is a much stronger scorer than the current leader. A year of learning under Walker should help teach Napier the nuances of running a pro-style offense. If Calhoun chooses to play them together, he can have his team pressure and run for long periods of time. Lamb will provide the Huskies with the perimeter threat that they seemed to be missing the last few seasons. He still needs to develop as a defender, but he has extremely long arms and can be disruptive on the perimeter. Of the returnees, Alex Oriahki will hopefully show some improvement in his offensive skills this season. He is a strong presence in the paint and a solid rebounder.

 

The Not-So-Good: This is a very young team, with Kemba Walker being the sole player expected to be a major contributor who is not a freshman or sophomore. There will be a lot of growing pains, though the Huskies are lucky to have the experience of Walker at the point, which should cut down on some mistakes. The sudden loss of Ater Majok before the season was a major blow to a team which needed some solid interior play this season. Oriahki is still very raw on offense and Bradley needs to develop more strength to be a factor in the post. Of course, there are the questions stemming from NCAA investigations and what Coach Calhoun knew about the transgressions which will continue to hover over the program.

 

The Question Mark: This is the same issue that we discussed with Tennessee last week – how are the NCAA allegations going to affect the program and Coach Calhoun? While all players or coaches associated with the allegations are gone, the people of the state of Connecticut have seemed at times to grow tiresome of this type of news. It will be imperative for the Calhoun and the Huskies to leave it all out on the court every night to rally the fan base around the program.

 

What Will March Bring?: As I said, there is a lot of talent, but it is young and I think it would be best to temper expectations. They have enough here for a 20-22 win team, though the Big East season may be a tad rough for them. Most likely a 8-10^th place finish and on the outside of the Tournament this season. If Walker chooses to leave after this year, he will be one of the top point guards in the draft and should go in the late 1^st round.

 

 

DePaul

 

The Good: Another team hit hard by graduation and early defections, DePaul is looking to rebuild under new coach Oliver Purnell. Will Walker and Mac Koshwal accounted for almost half of the team’s points last year, but look for Purnell to install a more up-tempo system to take advantage of the team’s athleticism. The players to watch from this year’s team are all freshmen – Moses Morgan, Cleveland Melvin, and Brandon Young. Morgan is a scorer, does a great job getting to the basket, has a decent mid-range game, and is active on the boards. He will need to improve his defense, and work hard on adding muscle, but he has the ability to be the Blue Demons’ top scorer right away. Young has good size for a point guard at 6’3, does a good job running a half-court offense and can push the ball in transition. He needs to work on cutting down his mistakes, especially his tendency to be a bit slow in his decision-making. Defensively, he does a good job, though his effort can be inconsistent. Melvin is a long, athletic forward, who plays much better at this stage with his back to the basket, though his long-term future will probably be on the perimeter. Watch for him to slowly transition to working on the perimeter as Purnell brings in bigger players to fill the front line positions. Of the returnees, Mike Stovall and Eric Wallace both have the ability to score in a variety of ways and will provide leadership under the new coach.

 

The Not-So-Good: The loss of Koshwal is going to be tough, especially as he was starting o come into his own as a player. Krys Faber played decently in limited time last season, but he will need to make a big leap this year to provide some semblance of a post game for the Blue Demons. Perimeter shooting, especially from 18 feet out hampered DePaul last season and unless one of the young players comes out of the gate firing this season, it will continue to be a sore spot. Defensively, Purnell prefers to pressure the ball, though he may not have the athletes to play defense the way he wants. Jeremiah Kelly at the point guard position plays well in spurts, though is inconsistent on both sides of the ball.

 

The Question Mark: How will the players from the previous regime adjust to Coach Purnell’s no-nonsense approach? Purnell has a reputation from making a lot out of little talent-wise, and that is owed to his approach mixing discipline and effort. While Jerry Wainwright was a good coach, he often lost his players, and brought in guys who weren’t exactly the best fit. One thing is for sure, if the holdovers don’t give Purnell what he wants, he will not hesitate to keep them off the court.

 

What Will March Bring?: I would be stunned in the Blue Demons don’t finish 15^th or 16^th in the Big East, though they should be able to break the 10 win mark this season. 12-14 wins overall seems like the ceiling for this group.

 

 

Georgetown

 

The Good: The Hoyas’ season came to a shocking end in March with a First Round NCAA loss to Ohio. On top of that, Greg Monroe took his all-around skills to the NBA; yet the Hoyas are still in good shape coming into the season. Led by the guard trio of Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Jason Clark, the Hoyas have a variety of ways to score and will continue to play extremely tough defense. Wright did a great job last year stepping up as a leader of the team, while also improving almost every part of his game. The biggest flaw in his game is that he lacks the speed of a lot of the point guards he plays against, though he is stronger than most. With the lack of a solid post presence other than Julian Vaughn, Wright will need to become more aggressive looking to score. Freeman is a great perimeter shooter, and he has the ability to shoot off the dribble or off a screen. He is also extremely strong and can muscle his way to the basket to score. Defensively, he is an average on-ball defender, but needs to become better away from the ball. Clark is a fantastic defender, who showed some flashes of very good offensive skills last season. A much improved shooter, I expect him to become much more of a scorer this season. A good athlete, Clark should look to get to the basket more often instead of settling for jumpers. Vaughn will be the muscle in the middle, and he showed steady improvement last season, especially in his ability to operate in Coach Thompson’s offense. Freshmen Nate Lubick, Moses Abraham and Markel Starks will provide depth along with sophomore Hollis Thompson.

 

The Not-So-Good: Monroe is a huge loss in the middle, as not only did he have the ability to play inside and out, but he was one of the premier passers in the country, perfectly suited for the Hoya offense. Vaughn is more of a banger, and while Lubick has a similar skill-set, he needs time to develop. Defensively, the team was very inconsistent last season, as evident in the loss to Ohio. By the time the players made the proper adjustments to shooters, it was too late. Clark and Wright will need to be more aggressive on the perimeter this season, which should also help the Hoyas get out and run.

 

The Question Mark: How efficient will the Georgetown offense be without Monroe as the focal point? While Monroe wasn’t the top scorer on the team and certainly didn’t take an excessive amount of shots, the offense did run through him in the high post. The best part about Coach Thompson’s offense is the flexibility it provides, and it should be adjusted accordingly with the emphasis on the perimeter. Look for Freeman to also get more chances in the post when he has a size mismatch against a smaller guard.

 

What Will March Bring?: This team is most likely in the Top 5 in the Big East, and if the defense holds, could finish 1 or 2. Look for them to get over last year’s first round exit, and win a game or two in the NCAA Tournament. Freeman and Wright are both potential draft picks next season – Freeman as early as the late first round and Wright in the mid to late second. Vaughn should also get a few looks in NBA training camps for his strength in the post.

 

 

Louisville

 

The Good: First, Coach Rick Pitino’s personal scandal may be behind him at this point and should not have much of an effect on this year’s team. While he lost team leader Edgar Sosa and enigmatic Samardo Samuels, he has a solid group of athletes who should be able to play the full-court style Pitino prefers. Returning in the frontcourt are two players who have yet to live up to their potential – Jared Swopshire and Terrence Jennings. Swopshire has great length and showed a good ability to get after rebounds in spurts. He runs the court well, though his shot is very inconsistent and he often shies away from contact. Jennings is a strong defender and rebounder, though his offensive game has not developed as many would have liked. He needs to become much more consistent when he gets the ball with his back to the basket, as he has the size to get some good looks. Peyton Siva should take over for Sosa at the point, and he will need to get over the inconsistency of his freshman season. Siva has good speed, handles the ball well and can push it up court. He didn’t look to shoot much last season, but should be more comfortable this season looking for shots. Defensively, he moves well on the ball, though he needs to improve his handling of screens. Kyle Kuric gives the team a decent shooter on the outside while playing his heart out each time he steps on the court. Gorgui Deng was just declared eligible last week, but will give the Cardinals a much needed defensive presence in the paint, though I don’t expect much from him on offense.

 

The Not-So-Good: Shooting was a problem last season, and unless some players made some improvements over the summer, it could be rough again. Outside of Kuric and Mike Marra, there isn’t much in terms of long-distance shooters who can stretch the court. Defensively, the team had way too many lapses to play the style of ball that Coach Pitino wants. It will be a back-to-basics approach with this group, even if it means sacrificing some of the pace.

 

The Question Mark: Is there anyone in this group who will take their game to the next level this season? Jennings has the most talent, though he has showed very little of it yet. Pitino will need to get on him early and often to get the most out of him this season. If he does make that leap, he has the ability to be a dominant big man – but that is a huge “if” right now.

 

What Will March Bring?: It is going to be a tough season for Coach Pitino and it will take its toll. 15 or 16 wins would be about right for this group and certainly in that 10-13 range in the Big East.

 

 

Marquette

 

The Good: Team leader Lazar Hayward has moved on to the NBA, but Buzz Williams will still have a very competitive team this season. Darius Johnson-Odom will be the go-to guy this season, and last year he showed a good ability to score in bunches. He does a good job getting into the lane with an excellent first step, and was almost a 50% 3pt shooter last season. The main concern will be seeing how he handles being the leader of this team after a few seasons with Hayward, Jerel McNeal, Wes Mathews and Dominic James. Heralded freshman Vander Blue is the other Golden Eagle to keep an eye on. Blue has shown the ability to score, handle the ball and plays tough defense. If he learns the ins and outs of Coach Williams offense early on, he can be counted on for some big games for Marquette. Senior Jimmy Butler has the talent to be the all-around player that Hayward was. Butler can score inside, is a strong rebounder and plays tough defense. If he can start knocking down from 18 feet + this season, it could be a very special year for him. There is also solid depth on the wings with Dwight Buycks, Erik Williams and freshmen Jamail Jones and Jae Crowder. Williams should take a major leap this season with more playing time.

 

The Not-So-Good: This a solid team top to bottom, but the lack of size in the middle could be a problem. It will be important for the perimeter defense to step up and pressure the ball, or for Williams to find creative ways to clog the middle. The lack of a solid big man will also make perimeter scoring more important, so shot selection and consistency will need to be improved.

 

The Question Mark: How will Johnson-Odom handle leadership of the Golden Eagles? The one key to the last few Marquette teams has been strong leadership. Johnson-Odom has the ability to be the next leader, but it will be important for him to step up and take that role over instead of settling for being leader in name only. He will have help, as Butler has experience and is known for playing hard every night, but in the end, how the season goes will fall on Johnson-Odom.

 

What Will March Bring?: Most likely a Top 5 or 6 Big East Team – probably 22-25 wins and a solid NCAA seed. Butler has the potential to play his way into the NBA Draft, as Hayward did last season, though most likely mid-second round. Blue is a legitimate Big East Rookie of the Year candidate and should play to those expectations.

 

 

Notre Dame

 

The Good: With Luke Harangody finally of to the NBA, Mike Brey will rely on Tim Abromaitis and Ben Hansbrough to guide the Irish back to the NCAA Tournament next March. Abromaitis is an excellent shooter, but will need to be a much bigger force on the boards to help alleviate the loss of Harangody. Hopefully he has added some muscle in the off-season. Hansbrough plays the game like his brother, taking no possessions off and doing whatever the team needs to win. While he doesn’t to any one thing very well, he is good at a lot of little things. Unless someone steps up to be a post presence, Hansbrough may need to get used to shooting with a hand in his face. He does have a quick release and good range, so he may be able to help stretch defenses, though I would expect him to spend more time running the offense. Tyrone Nash will start the season as the main big man though he is undersized and will need to spend most of his energy guarding bigger and stronger players. Freshman shooting guard Jerian Grant goes strong to the hoop, though he needs to add some muscle to his frame to be able to finish in the Big East. He can help push the ball in transition, and plays tough defense out on the wings.

 

The Not-So-Good: The Irish roster looks familiar with undersized big men playing in the post, big wings who can shoot the ball and solid, but unspectacular, point guard play. Nash, Tom Knight and Carelton Scott will need to work the boards as hard as Harangody did to keep the Irish in games, especially if the long ball isn’t falling. This is also not the most athletic group in the conference, and can be severely outmanned against up-tempo squads. Coach Brey will need to scheme ways to get his shooters open looks consistently.

 

The Question Mark: Who will pick up Harangody’s production in points and rebounds? This is a tough question, and in the immediate future, it may take 3 or 4 guys to put up his same numbers. Even more a challenge is the instimidation factor that Harangody gave the Irish, with teams knowing he will be going hard after every rebound on both ends of the floor. Right now, there doesn’t look to be a player with that potential.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: The Irish will be hard pressed to break the Top 8 in the conference this season, and will likely not be heading to the NCAA Tournament. As with all ND shooters, Abromaitis will most likely get a look from some NBA teams looking for big men who can shoot from 3.

 

 

Pittsburgh

 

The Good: No coach gets more out of his players than Jamie Dixon. Expect this season to be no different. Led by Ashton Gibbs, the Panthers will battle every night against any team. Gibbs exploded on the Big East scene last season, averaging almost 16 points a game, up from 4 the year before. He has good range on his jumper, an effective first step, and is not afraid to take a hit on his way to the basket. Gilbert Brown will also be back to provide scoring and rebounding support. Brown has the ability to hit the perimeter jumper and is very effective grabbing a scoring off of offensive rebounds. He is very athletic and uses it well on the defensive end. Dante Taylor should have a breakout sophomore season to become one of the better big men in the Big East. He has a wide body, good footwork, and makes quick, powerful moves in the post. On defense, I would like to see him be more aggressive, especially contesting shots. The guy who is the glue to the Pitt team, and easily their most valuable player, is Brad Wanamaker. A tough shooting guard with the ability to hit from long and mid-range, Wanamaker is also very good defender, rebounder, and has excellent court-vision. Gary McGhee always seems to save his best games for big occasions and should be a force on the boards again this season. A talented group of hard-playing freshmen should provide excellent depth for Coach Dixon. Wings JJ Moore and Cameron Wright, and point guard Isaiah Epps will all gain valuable minutes this season and will be prepared to step up when they need to.

 

The Not-So-Good: Taylor will need to make the same leap DeJuan Blair made in his second season to give the Panthers the interior scoring threat they need in their methodical offense. Also, the lack of a true point guard can hurt the Panthers, especially since their offense relies on precision. The team has a good group of passers and they know how to get good looks, but the lack of a true point guard leader can cause some problems, especially against pressure defense.

 

The Question Mark: There aren’t many on this team, and the season will come down to how Taylor progresses in his second season which was already discussed above. The other thing to watch for is the continued development of Gibbs, especially when it comes to his shot selection. At times, he tried to do way too much when better options were available.

 

What Will March Bring?: It will be a major surprise if Pitt doesn’t finish in the Top 2 or 3 in the Big East, and grab a top 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Dixon’s squad will always be a danger come March and to see them in the Elite 8 or Final 4 won’t surprise many.

 

 

That wraps up Part 1 of the Big East preview. Make sure to check back tomorrow for Part II – with looks at Providence, Rutgers, St Johns, Seton Hall, South Florida, Syracuse, Villanova and West Virginia. As always, leave your comments, feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and follow NBA Draft Blog on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

 

no comments

 

The NBA Draft Blog Preview of the SEC continues with Part II and a look at some teams that have attracted a lot of attention this off-season. Tennessee will be in the spotlight this season, but for all the wrong reasons; Mississippi State somehow has Dee Bost back, and we will finally get the debut of Renardo Sidney, though neither will be available at the start of the season. Vanderbilt will be a solid squad with a potential star in Jeff Taylor, while South Carolina, Ole Miss and LSU will struggle, but have promising times on the horizon.

If you missed Part I (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky), Click Here.

 

 

LSU

 

 

The Good: Trent Johnson enters his third year at the helm of LSU and is looking to rebound from last season’s misstep. Leading scorers Tasmin Mitchell and Bo Spencer are gone, but a solid group of returnees combined with a fantastic freshmen class will give fans a reason to be optimistic. Junior forward Storm Warren provides toughness and leadership in the frontcourt. Warren showed a great ability to finish around the rim last season, while using his strength to overpower people on the boards. Defensively, he is often guarding bigger players, so he needs to learn to use his body to force them away from the basket. Also returning in the frontcourt is center Garrett Green, who provides good size, but really needs to step up his rebounding and scoring this season. Backcourt returnees include Chris Bass and Aaron Dotson. Bass did a very good job distributing the ball, though he needs to step up a bit with his scoring production. The key to this season is the stellar freshman class – guards Ralston Turner and Andre Stringer, and forwards Jalen Courtney and Matt Derenbecker. Both Turner and Stronger will bring some much needed scoring to the backcourt. Turner can take the ball to the basket and finish strong, or knock down 15 footers consistently. He needs to become more consistent from 3 to be a major threat, though he can hit the shot while open. Stringer has the ability and attitude to be a leader from Day 1. A good shooter who can also get into the lane easily, Stringer can be a catalyst on both ends of the floor. Courtney plays much bigger than he is, though he still needs to put on some muscle to compete at this level. Derenbecker is a great all-around player who can stretch the floor with his shooting or work out of the high post with excellent passing ability.

 

The Not-So-Good: This team was plagued by horrendous shooting last season, and the freshmen will need to step up immediately to improve this. Post play, outside of Warren, is also a major area that needs improvement. Green has shown the ability to score and rebound, he just seems to disappear when he is on the court. The freshmen will be counted on for major minutes this season, and there will be growing pains associated with this.

 

The Question Mark: I wanted to make this about 7’2 walk-on band member Andrew Del Piero, but I am still not sure what is going on here. Instead, the major question for me is does it make sense for Johnson to turn the team over to the freshmen from the get go? They may be the 4 most talented players on the team, outside of Warren, and combined with Iowa State transfer Justin Hamilton and 2011 freshman Johnny O’Bryant, the Tigers will be able to make a major move in the SEC. These 4 freshmen receiving the bulk of the minutes could prove to be huge next year and beyond.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: This team is still a work in progress and I don’t think you can expect much more than last season’s 11 wins. I think 14 may be the ceiling, but watch for the Tigers to continue to improve.

 

 

Mississippi

 

 

The Good: Coach Andy Kennedy will be missing some key players from last season’s team, but he still has some pieces in place to make things difficult for fellow SEC teams. All-SEC guard Chris Warren is back and will lead the way for the Rebels. Warren doesn’t have great size, but does a great job getting into the lane and drawing the defense. He also has the ability to consistently hit the 3. Defensively, he has quick hands and feet, though his size can work to his disadvantage. Zach Graham is a big shooting guard who will attempt to replace Terrico White. Graham isn’t the slasher or passer that White was, though he has the ability to hit from mid-range and long-range consistently. Returning in the frontcourt are forwards Reginald Buckner and Terrance Henry. Buckner showed the ability to rebound well, though he needs to work on his defensive positioning. Henry has good size, and last season showed the ability to play in the post or step out to the perimeter and hit the jumper. The addition of freshman powerhouse Demarco Cox will take pressure off of Henry to play down low as much and allow him to draw big men out to the perimeter. Cox is a huge presence in the middle and he knows how to use his big body. He has solid footwork and a nice touch around the rim, though he tends to try and use his power all the time. Defensively, he needs to work on his positioning on the blocks, but he has the strength to keep people away from the basket. Fellow freshman Dendrecous Nelson gives a solid backup to Warren who can help keep the team’s pace.

 

The Not-So-Good: Replacing Terrico White, Eniel Polynice and Murphy Holloway is a tough task, especially because White and Polynice both has the ability to run the offense which let Warren focus more on scoring. Without these proven options around him, there is a possibility that Warren may try to force the issue. Bench scoring will be important, especially with a lot of young players there. Frontcourt depth may become an issue, especially if Cox has the foul problems that most freshmen bigs seem to have.

 

The Question Mark: What will be the impact of Indiana transfer Nick Williams? Williams had a solid freshman season at Indiana, showing the ability to score in a variety of ways while also showing a good knack for rebounding and passing. He has a very similar skill-set to Terrico White, and there is a chance that he may try to live up to White’s numbers as soon as he steps on the court. It will be important for Williams to ease himself into the offense and let the game come to him. If he does this, he can be the perfect compliment to Warren in the backcourt.

What Will March Bring?: I think it will be tough to match last season’s 24 wins. I am thinking 18-20 is the ceiling for this group, and they could be a solid bubble team if they pick up an upset or two in the SEC. Warren could be a 2^nd round pick next season if he shows the ability to play as a true point.

 

 

Mississippi State

 

The Good: When Coach Rick Stansbury will have his full team, the Bulldogs have the potential to be a dangerous squad in the SEC. It will start with the long-awaited debut of Renardo Sidney, who sat out last season with eligibility issues. Sidney has great size, uses his body well in the post, has good footwork and can finish strong or with finesse. He is a strong rebounder and shot-blocker and could be a tough guy to make post moves on. Ravern Johnson is a big guard who has the ability to stretch defenses with his long-range jumper. He needs to do a better job putting the ball on the floor, as he has a size advantage over most other guards. Point guard Dee Bost will become eligible during the SEC season, and his eligibility will be a huge boost for Stansbury’s squad. Bost is skilled at pushing the ball, is good at getting the ball into the post and has the ability to knock down the 3. Defensively, he can be a strong on-ball defender, though his effort can be inconsistent. Kodi Augustus is a strong swingman, is very effective scoring in traffic and does a good job drawing contact. Big man John Riek is a very good shot-blocker, though is still very raw on both ends of the floor.

 

The Not-So-Good: Obviously, there is a going to be some difficulty integrating newcomers after the season starts. Sidney will miss some games to start the season and Bost will miss the first half of the season. The remaining players will need to do what they can to keep the Bulldogs competitive in the games where they aren’t there. Also, Sidney has not played competitively in over a year and will certainly go through growing pains as he adjusts. Bench depth could be an issue as there is not many players with significant experience backing up key positions.

 

The Question Mark: Who will run the team in Bost’s absence? Junior college transfer Brian Bryant is a good scorer, though it is yet to be seen how he handles running the offense. Sophomores Charles Parker and Baxter Price showed little last season, but may need to step up this season, especially on the defensive end. Whoever it is, it will be tough to replace Bost’s skill-set and experience.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: This will definitely be a tale of two seasons – with Bost and without. With him, this is one of the Top 4 teams in the SEC, and for Stansbury’s sake, let’s hope his re-emergence goes smoothly. If it does, they can win 20-23 games and pick up a 4-6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. If Sidney comes out for the next draft, he could go as high as late lottery, though mid-first round seems likely. Bost will get a look in the mid-to-late 2^nd round.

 

 

South Carolina

 

 

The Good: Things will look a little different for Darrin Horn’s Gamecocks this season with the loss of leading scorers Devan Downey and Dominique Archie, but Horn has done a great job attracting talent to South Carolina and there should be little drop off in terms of wins over the next few seasons. Two starters return from last season – forwards Sam Muldrow and Lakeem Jackson. Muldrow is a strong defender and rebounder, who also has the ability to score in traffic. He showed that he could step outside the lane and hit the mid-range jumper, though he needs to become more consistent. Jackson is a talented swingman, has the ability to guard multiple positions and should be able to increase his scoring load this season. He needs to become a much better shooter, though he is athletic enough to get to the basket. Ramon Galloway will return in the backcourt, though he will need to become much better at distributing the ball. He will have competition in freshman Bruce Ellington, a slasher who can also hit from long-range. He still needs to learn to control the tempo, but he has the potential to be a very good point guard. Two other freshmen will help solidify the frontcourt. Damontre Harris is a good defender, using his length well to alter and block shots. Offensively, he is still a work in progress, though he runs the floor well and can finish strong. RJ Slawson is still growing into his body, though he has some good moves in the post given his lack of strength. Once he adds some muscle, he will be a very good offensive option for the Gamecocks.

 

The Not-So-Good: Replacing your 4 leasing scorers is always a tough task, especially a prolific leader in Downey. The backcourt is going to go through some growing pains as players learn to adjust to their new roles. Perimeter shooting needs to become more consistent in order to open up the lane for the big men to work. Defensively, Ellington may need to become the type of defender who forces turnovers to allow the team to get easy baskets in transition.

 

The Question Mark: Where will the scoring come from? This is a group that is going to need to create easy baskets, especially off of turnovers and in transition. The team is athletic enough to force the tempo, though whether they are skilled enough is yet to be seen. Muldrow and Jackson will need to carry the team as much as possible early on, especially while the freshmen get their bearings.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: This group is probably no better than a .500 team this season, though the next few years should see them back above 20 wins.

 

 

Tennessee

 

 

The Good: The Volunteers overcame a tumultuous early part of the season to come within 2 points of making the Final Four. Now they will need to overcome the loss of team leaders Wayne Chism and J.P. Prince to find similar success this season. The team leader this season will undoubtedly be Scotty Hopson. Hopson, a junior shooting guard, has great size, long arms, and great leaping ability. He has the ability to shoot from three and has a nice first step to take his man off the dribble. One area where he needs to improve is working without the ball, especially coming clean off of screens. Defensively, he is an above average defender who uses his long arms well to disrupt passing lanes. I also expect big things out of Brian Williams this season. The senior is a massive presence in the middle and has improved steadily since coming to Tennessee. He has good instincts around the rim and goes hard after the ball. More should be expected of him on the offensive end this season, and he will need to become more aggressive getting position. Freshmen Tobias Harris and Jordan McRae will provide an offensive spark off the bench. Harris has the ability to play both inside and out, is a good offensive rebounder and plays well without the ball. Defensively, he will need to improve his agility to cover on the perimeter. McRae is a great scorer, especially in transition, though he will need to get much stronger to play regular minutes at the NCAA level. Melvin Goins, Cameron Tatum, and Sylar McBee provide experience and depth in the backcourt.

 

The Not-So-Good: The loss of Chism is big, as he provided major help to Williams on the boards, as well as being a team leader. The depth in the post is lacking, with the only real depth behind Williams is Renaldo Woolridge, who is talented but lacks the muscle of Williams.

 

The Question Mark: The major question here is the status of Coach Bruce Pearl, who has admitted to NCAA violations and is currently coaching without a contract. This is the kind of distraction that doesn’t bode well for the Volunteers, as questions will be popping up continuously through the season, no matter how well they play. Hopefully, everything is out and on the table, and the team can try to move on, but if one more indiscretion comes out, this season is over, as well as Pearl’s career.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: There is talent here, though the internal distractions could prove to be too much. My best guess is 18-20 wins, and a team left on the bubble at Tournament time. Hopson has NBA potential, and he can do a lot to bolster his stock this season, as can Williams.

 

 

Vanderbilt

 

The Good: AJ Ogilvie and Jermaine Beal are gone from last year’s NCAA tournament team, but Coach Kevin Stallings has plenty of talent to keep the Commodores on the winning track. Jeff Taylor will have his chance to shine. A small forward with the ability to hit from mid-range and take the ball strong to the hoop, Taylor has added the necessary muscle this off-season to allow him to muscle his way to the basket when needed. Defensively, he needs to work on his on-ball defense as he tends to leave his man too much room to operate on the perimeter. Three-point bomber John Jenkins will need to adjust to a starting role this season and more focused attention from opposing defenses. I hope to see him become more versatile on offense by going to the basket more and getting to the line. Freshman Rod Odom has the ability to provide a post presence with good footwork, a solid body and good touch around the rim. Brad Tinsley will look to replace Beal as the team’s playmaker, and he showed good ability to get into the lane and draw the defense to him last season. If not, freshman Kyle Fuller will be waiting for his chance to show what he can do. Andre Walker has excellent athletic ability and is a very underrated passer. If he plays in the high post he can be another playmaker for the Commodores.

 

 

 

The Not-So-Good: Olgivie was a skilled big man and replacing him will be a tough task. It will fall on Festus Ezeli and freshman Josh Henderson to make up for his production. Henderson has the potential to be a very strong player, though he needs to add some bulk to his frame. He is a good athlete and has excellent hands and footwork. He will help long-term, but I wouldn’t expect a lot this season.

 

The Question Mark: Taylor becomes the go-to guy this season, but is he ready to handle it? Taylor has tremendous poise and showed tremendous growth last season. While I am confident he can handle the role, I am concerned that he may try to do much without a player like Beal to set things up. By the time the SEC season rolls around, he should be comfortable and will be one of the league’s best players.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: Last season’s 24 wins may be stretch, but I can easily see 20 and another NCAA Tournament bid, especially if they run through their non-conference schedule. Taylor will have first round potential next season, though another year may do him well. Odom could be the league’s best freshman who doesn’t play in Kentucky.

 

 

That wraps up the SEC preview. Make sure to check back tomorrow for Part I of the Big East Preview. As always, leave your comments, feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and follow NBA Draft Blog on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

 

no comments

 

The NBA Draft Blog Conference Season Previews continue with a look at one of the top groups of talent in the nation – the SEC. Florida and Kentucky are both loaded with talent and are capable of a Final Four run, Alabama is looking stronger under Anthony Grant, Tony Barbee is looking to rebuild Auburn and Arkansas is a year away from potentially being a force again.

 

 

Alabama

 

The Good: Coach Anthony Grant has done a nice job putting the pieces together to help get the Crimson Tide back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. Star Mikhail Torrance is gone, but Coach Grant does have JaMychal Green back. Green is a fantastic athlete, though he is still developing as a basketball player. He has done a good job turning himself into a post player, but to play in the NBA he will need to develop a perimeter game, or at least the ability to step out and hit a 15 foot jumper. He has great shot-blocking instincts and has the athletic ability to defend on the perimeter. He will be joined by small forward Tony Mitchell in the frontcourt. Mitchell was a heralded prospect coming to Alabama and they will need him to step up and show more this season. He is a good athlete and has done a good job adding muscle to his frame. He has a good first step, has the ability to beat his player in space, and can finish strong at the rim. He really needs to improve his mid and long range jumpers, as well as working without the ball. Defensively, he does a great job rebounding for his size, uses his athleticism well to keep his man in front of him and to alter shots. Guard Andrew Steele will be back after missing his sophomore season to injury. An excellent perimeter defender, Steele is very strong and can guard either guard position. He also has the ability to play either position on offense, though he needs to improve his jumper to be considered a legitimate threat at the 2. Freshman Trevor Releford and senior Senario Hillman will likely round out the backcourt, with both men capable of scoring and defending, though both need to work on their decision-making and passing. Senior Charvez Davis and Freshman Charles Hankerson provide legitimate perimeter threats to help spread the floor for Green and Mitchell.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: The loss of Justin Knox to graduation leaves the frontcourt a bit thin depth-wise. Freshmen Jason Carter and Carl Engstrom both will need some time to improve their strength to contribute, especially on the defensive end. The loss of Torrance also leaves a void in that “go-to” player in close games. Mitchell could be that guy if his effort level improves, as he is the best player they have at creating his own shot. Defensively, the guards need to provide better on-ball defense and not hope that Green will bail them out if their man gets by them.

 

 

The Question Mark: With a large amount of talented guards, who will be the odd-man out? Releford is probably the team’s best playmaker as a freshman, though Steele is a much better defender. Davis and Hankerson are their best shooters, but Hillman provides leadership. Coach Grant is going to need to find the right balance among this group to maximize their capabilities.

 

What Will March Bring?: This team should be better than last year’s 17 wins, though the development of Green and Mitchell, along with the freshmen, will be vital. I am guessing they get between 20 and 23 wins and a NCAA Tournament bid this season. Green could be a first rounder next season if he continues to develop on the offensive end.

 

 

Arkansas

 

 

The Good: Coach John Pelphrey is entering his fourth season and he really needs to show some progress this season, especially with a very good class coming in next season. Team leaders Courtney Fortson and Mike Washington are gone, but Pelphrey has a veteran squad back, and this may be a case of addition by subtraction for the Razorbacks. The two main scoring options will be Rotnei Clark and Marshawn Powell. Clark is an undersized shooting guard, but he has tremendous range and a lightning quick release. He is excellent moving without the ball looking for good looks at the basket. Unfortunately, that is the bulk of his game. Powell has the ability to score both inside and out, can put the ball on the floor and does a great job getting out in transition. He is also a strong help defender, though he needs to be more consistent guarding on the perimeter. He uses his length well to get to rebounds against taller players. Jemal Farmer is an efficient swingman. He isn’t a great scorer, but he plays smart and is a tough defender. There is some good depth in the backcourt with Marcus Britt and Julysses Nobles, along with freshmen Mardracus Wade and Rickey Scott. Michael Sanchez is returning from injury and should provide excellent rebounding and post defense.

 

The Not-So-Good: There is very little depth behind Sanchez in the post, and even he is undersized. Delvon Johnson and Junior College transfer Marvell Waithe will provide some size, but both need to improve their strength and toughness to battle in the post. With Fortson gone, the Razorbacks will need one of the guards to step up and run the offense. Nobles is a good distributor, though he is not the scorer that Fortson was. As a whole, the team is very athletic, though at points last season, their execution and effort left a lot to be desired.

 

The Question Mark: How good can Marshawn Powell be? Powell is a tremendous talent, and in time, could be one of the top players in the country. He still needs to become more aggressive when he has the ball – he settles for long range jumpers too often. The 12-18 foot shot is one he can score a lot off of, he just needs to work on it. Defensively, aggressiveness again is something he needs to be more of. He has the potential to be very disruptive, especially on the perimeter. That being said, if he keeps his effort levels consistently high, he should have a fantastic season.

 

What Will March Bring?: With an experienced group, they should be better than last year’s 14 wins. I am guessing 18 or so, and a very slim chance of making the NCAA Tournament.

 

 

Auburn

 

The Good: New coach Tony Barbee is looking to bring the same success to Auburn that he did to UTEP. Most of last season’s leaders are gone, so Barbee will have a near clean slate in rebuilding the program. Guard Frankie Sullivan is the lone returning starter from last season. Sullivan is a quick combo guard, with the ability to get into the lane and finding ways to score. He also showed a much improved long-range jumper last season. Earnest Ross is a guard with good size who had some good performances in limited minutes last season. Freshmen Allen Payne and Josh Langford are 2 athletic wings who will bring some much needed scoring to the Tigers. Freshman point guard Chris Denson will help push the ball up the floor for Barbee and can be the pressure defender needed to cause turnovers. Junior College transfer Adrian Forbes will provide some much needed toughness and athleticism to an undermanned frontline.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: Barbee is basically starting from scratch here, so it will take a few recruiting classes to get the talent up to SEC levels. He has brought 4 solid players in for his first class, but they will not be enough to make up for the last few years right away. Size will be a major issue, and in turn, rebounding could be a concern for this team.

 

 

The Question Mark: There really are so many at this point that it isn't fair to single out one at this time.  It really boils down to whether Barbee is the man to turn this program around?  He has shown that he can recruit and his players play hard for him.  That is as good a start as Auburn fans can hope for.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: Not much for this group – I am guessing 12-14 wins at most – last place in the SEC West. But next season should see a big leap forward.

 

 

Florida

 

 

The Good: After winning back-to-back National Championships, Coach Billy Donovan’s Gators have gone through a couple of subpar seasons. Don’t expect the same to happen this season, as this team is good enough to make some serious waves. Five returning starters, plus a ver deep group of newcomers, make Florida the pre-season SEC favorite. Returning in the backcourt are Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton. Walker is small, but extremely quick, and is very good in both the halfcourt and transition. He is a great first step allowing him to breakdown defenses and has surprising range on his jumper. Defensively, he can supply constant pressure on the ball, though his size can be a disadvantage against larger guards. Boynton is a true scorer, though he seemed to have trouble at times last season getting good looks at the basket. An improved jumper will go a long way to showing how talented he really is. Chandler Parsons is a reliable swingman who can score in the post or the perimeter. He is deceivingly quick and is very good operating in open space. Alex Tyus and Vernon Macklin are both extremely tough in the post and very efficient when they get their hands on the ball. Tyus is a strong post defender, though he is still a work in progress as an offensive presence. Macklin has yet to show the real potential he seemed to have in high school, though he is a very physical presence and has improved his ability to score along the baseline. Freshman Patric Young is a kid with an NBA-ready body. He is extremely athletic and skilled on both ends of the floor, though he will need to improve his offense when operating in the post. Freshman Casey Prather is a natural fit for Coach Donovan’s system, playing tough defense and running the court extremely well. Erik Murphy and freshman Cody Larson will provide excellent depth up front.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: At first glance, there isn’t much to harp on with this group, though the problems of last season – inconsistency and poor shot selection – will need to disappear this season for the Gators to live up to their potential. .

 

The Question Mark: Can Patric Young live up to the hype? The Florida program has been raving about Young since he showed up on campus, both as a player and a person. After 2 disappointing seasons, many fans are looking at Young as the missing piece to point the Gators back towards another Championship. He is that good, with physical and mental maturity way above most freshmen. Florida better hope they win quickly with him, because chances are he won’t be around long.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: The Gators are the frontrunners for the SEC Championship and certainly have an inside track on a very high seed in the NCAA Tournament. 27-30 wins is a real possibility, with Elite 8 potential. Young is a certain first rounder if he comes out next year, and Parsons, Tyus and Macklin will all have a shot of going in the 2^nd round of the draft.

 

 

 

Georgia

 

 

The Good: Coach Mark Fox has slowly been righting the Georgia program, and this is the year we should see a major breakthrough. Led by future lottery pick Trey Thompkins and shooting guard Travis Leslie, the Bulldogs will be contenders for the SEC title and most likely a NCAA team. Thompkins is dominant in the post, has great footwork and uses his body to get great position on the blocks. With a soft touch and the ability to finish strong, there will not be many in the country who can stop him. Leslie is very strong for a guard and he does a good job muscling his way to the basket. He has a good mid-range jumper, but he needs to be more confident with his long-range shooting. Also, he has to become better working without the ball, coming cleaner off of screens and sharper cuts to the rim. Freshman Marcus Thorton should be a major contributor immediately on the wing. A fantastic athlete with the ability to play on the perimeter or around the basket, Thorton should be able to show his scoring ability against the average defense of the SEC. He will need to improve his defense, especially guarding on the perimeter. Dustin Ware is a capable ballhandler and on-ball defender, with the cause turnovers and push the ball quickly up court. Jeremy Price and Chris Barnes are physical players in the post, providing excellent rebounding and defense.

 

The Not-So-Good: The bench is not particularly deep, especially in the backcourt. Vincent Williams and junior college transfer Sherrard Brantley should provide some help, though neither are capable of more than some spot minutes. 3 point shooting will need to be improved especially with the attention that Thompkins will command down low. Perimeter defense is also an area of concern. The guards will need to do a much better job of not allowing the opposition into the lane.

 

The Question Mark: How will Thompkins handle the pressure now that he has become nationally known? Thompkins was able to build his name with little fanfare outside of the southeast. Now after a big season and a summer playing with the US Select Team, fans are expecting huge things. The best part about Thompkins’ game is that he doesn’t force things, he makes his plays within the flow of the game and he doesn’t get frustrated when things aren’t going right. He can conceivably be a 20-10 guy this season and that’s with teams looking to smother him.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: The Bulldogs should do well in the SEC this season, and are probably looking at 20-22 wins. A NCAA Tournament appearance is likely, though it may not be more than a quick appearance. Thompkins is most likely a lottery pick when he comes out.

 

 

Kentucky

 

 

The Good: Another year, another elite recruiting class for John Calipari. And, like last year’s group, don’t expect many of these players to stick around long. Led by potential lottery picks Terrence Jones, Brandon Knight, and Doron Lamb, this Wildcat team will show more of the same as last year’s group, but without the leadership of a player like Patrick Patterson. Knight has incredible speed and can score in a variety of ways, including being the deep threat that the Wildcats need. He has the ability to be a lockdown defender, though his effort can be inconsistent. Jones is a stretch 4, with the ability to play in the post or move out and hit 15-footers. Defensively, he uses his body well in the post and he has quick hands to deflect balls. Lamb is another solid scorer and will be extremely effective in transitions with a variety of ways to finish. He has a great first step and can knock down jumpers consistently. Eloy Vargas is an athletic big man who runs the floor very well. He has the ability to play inside and out, though his consistency is an issue. Defensively, he needs to get stronger and improve his lateral quickness. Two returnees, Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins, are capable wings who both have the ability to stretch the floor.

 

The Not-So-Good: The point guard spot behind Knight is untested, and I am not sure anyone other than Calipari knows what he would do without Knight. This is a young team, and that was a problem that plagued last year’s group with inconsistent play in the second half of the season. Chances are you will see the same this year. And as always, is Calipari a coach who can win the whole thing. No one denies his recruiting and motivational capabilities, but his players rarely improve under him and I am not sure I would want him calling the shots with a big game on the line.

 

The Question Mark: When will we see Enes Kanter? Kanter is the difference maker for this team, a highly skilled big man who knows how to make plays. He can score all over the court and is a very skilled passer. Defensively, he still needs to improve his positioning, but that will come with experience. However, with his eligibility in question, no one has a clue when he will take the court for the Wildcats.

What Will March Bring?: With Kanter, this is a team with Final Four potential. Without, this is still a 25-28 win team and a group capable of a deep tournament run. Knight, Jones, Lamb, and Kanter could all be first rounder next year if they go pro, with Kanter a potential Top 5 pick.

 

 

That is Part 1 of our look at the Sec. Make sure to check back tomorrow for Part II of the SEC Preview, including looks at Tennessee, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. As always, leave your comments, feel free to contact me at ed (at) nbadraftblog.com, and follow NBA Draft Blog on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

 

 

 

The NBA Draft Blog Conference Previews continue with Part II of our look at the Pac 10. If you haven’t checked out Part I yet (Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, and Oregon State), click here.

 

In Part II, we take a look at two of the best in the conference – Stanford and Washington, a rebuilding power in UCLA, a sleeper squad in Washington State, and a USC program looking to recover from the damage Tim Floyd caused.

 

Stanford

 

The Good: Add Stanford to the list of teams here who lost their leading scorer, though life without Landry Fields will not be that bad for the Cardinal. Jeremy Green is an excellent long-range shooter with consistent form and a quick release. He needs to improve his first step to the basket and should add some muscle to allow him to take a few shots on his way. He is a very good defender, and can guard either guard position if needed. Without Fields, I am interested in seeing how Green handles being the focus of the defense. Another player who can be a difference maker is freshman Dwight Powell, a long, lean shot blocker. He has good footwork for his size (6’10) and has a soft touch around the rim. He will need to work hard at adding some bulk to play in the post. He will be especially hindered on the defensive end where he is just not strong enough yet to keep players out of the lane, though his shot-blocking ability may make them think twice. He will be joined in the frontcourt by returning starter Jack Trotter, a big man who works effectively in the high post with his strong passing skills and good court vision. Jarrett Mann is a capable point guard, doing a good job running the offense and pressuring the ball. He is not much of a scoring threat, but he can finish when he gets into the lane. Freshman Anthony Brown may be a year or so away from becoming an impact player, he has the scoring skills to demand immediate playing time. Once he bulks up and can finish strong, he will be a monster scorer in the Pac 10.

 

The Not-So-Good: Perimeter shooting, aside from Green, will be an issue. The Freshman Brown will provide some help, but they will need him to step up consistently to take pressure off of Green. Another potential issue is the lack of a bruising big man – the Cardinal’s group is skilled but lacking toughness. Powell can be intimidating though he still lacks the toughness to be a defensive force. Trotter is a battler, and freshmen John Gage and Stefan Nastic will provide some depth down low.

 

The Question Mark: Can Green become the go-to guy with Landry Fields gone? Green put up very good scoring numbers last season, but he often found himself with good shots from the attention Fields drew. As I said earlier, Green will need to improve his moves to the basket, especially his first step, if he wants to become the multi-faceted scorer that the Cardinal need him to be.

 

What Will March Bring?: Coach Dawkins has a young team, but they are very talented and should pick up some quality wins along the way. Most likely 22-25 wins and a NCAA Tournament bid for this group – 2^nd in the Pac 10.

 

UCLA

 

The Good: After a run of Final Four appearances under Ben Howland, the Bruins have stalled the last couple of years. I think this year that they will find their way back into the Tournament once again. Malcom Lee can play either guard position, though he is still much more effective in the open court rather than the halfcourt. He does a good job breaking down defenders, though his shot selection can use work, as well as his jumper. He is a good defender, especially pressuring the ball, but his effort can be consistent. Reeves Nelson had a successful freshman year, and will provide some much needed toughness down low. I would like to see him expand his offensive game out to 10-12 feet this season. On the defensive end, he needs to be more aggressive, especially going after rebounds and contesting shots.  Tyler Honeycutt is an athletic swingman with a great first step and the ability to finish strong.  He plays tough defense and can guard multiple positions.  Freshman Josh Smith is a monster for an 18 yr old at 6’10, 305 pounds. If he can control his weight and improve his conditioning, he can be one of the top big men in the country. He is extremely skilled on offense, using his body well to shield defenders, good hands and a nice touch. He needs to develop more moves in the post, but he seems to adjust quickly. Defensively, he moves well for his size, but his lack of leaping ability doesn’t make him a huge block threat. Tyler Lamb, a freshman shooting guard, has the ability to be a game changer eventually for the Bruins. He can score and defend, plays well in both fast-paced and slower offenses, and is a good rebounder for a guard. He will need to add some strength to get to the basket, and become more consistent with his jumper. Jerime Anderson is a solid point guard who provides good experience at the position.

 

The Not-So-Good: One of the reasons the results haven’t been up to par recently was inconsistent play, especially on the defensive end. The addition of Smith should give them the anchor they need in the middle to allow the perimeter players to pressure the ball. The frontcourt is thin behind Smith, and inexperienced. They will be in much better shape next season when the Wear twins become eligible. The loss of Michael Roll behind the three-point line is big, and Lee will need to become a better perimeter shooter. Lamb and fellow freshman Matt Carlino also will need to show that they can consistently hit the long-range jumper.

 

The Question Mark: What can UCLA expect out of Josh Smith this season? Smith is a huge presence, and just him being out on the court is a huge upgrade for the Bruins. However, the adjustment to the rigors of the NCAA level may be tough unless he loses weight. His stamina will most likely limit him to a maximum of 20 minutes for at least the first half of the season. Though in those 20 minutes, he can be capable of excellent production on both ends of the floor. No matter how much he plays, the Bruins are a better team with him on the floor.

 

What Will March Bring?: I think the Bruins become one of the first beneficiaries of the expansion to 68 teams in the NCAA Tournament. They are probably a 18-20 win team, with a couple of big wins and Josh Smith has a great chance at being Pac-10 Freshman of the Year if he can stay on the court.

 

 

USC

 

The Good: Coach Kevin O’Neill is still in the process of rebuilding the program after the debacle that was Tim Floyd. He will have some talent this season, though it is mostly young and untested. There are 2 returning starters to help school the new players – Alex Stepheson and Nikola Vucevic. Stepheson is a strong post defender and excellent rebounder. While he isn’t particularly skilled on offense, he does have the ability to finish in traffic. Vucevic is a good post scorer and has the ability to step out to 15 feet and knock down the jumper. He also uses his length well to rebound and alter shots. Three newcomers will help add some much needed talent to the backcourt. Freshmen Bryce Jones and Maurice Jones should provide the Trojans with stability in the backcourt for the next few years. Bryce Jones is at his best in transition, though he does have excellent slashing ability in the halfcourt. He needs to become a more consistent perimeter shooter. Maurice Jones is a lightning quick point guard with fantastic athletic ability. He is near unstoppable in transition and does a good job getting to the rim and finishing. The third newcomer may be the best - Fordham transfer Jio Fontan. Fontan, who will be eligible for the 2^nd semester, is an excellent all-around guard, with the ability to penetrate, score and make excellent decisions. From the moment he gets on the court, he should control the Trojans offense and play tough ball defense.

 

The Not-So-Good: Scoring was at a premium for this team last season, and losing leading scorer Dwight Lewis doesn’t help matters. Perimeter shooting, especially three-point range, could be the biggest weakness. One of the guards will need to provide at least the hint of a threat from outside to help keep the defense honest. Free-throw shooting was also a problem last season, though some of the culprits are now gone. There are also depth issues in the frontcourt behind Stepheson and Vucevic. Freshman Curtis Washington could provide some minutes, though he is still a work-in-progress on both ends of the floor.

 

The Question Mark: Will O’Neill be able to rebuild this program? The damage caused by Tim Floyd’s lack of oversight and the OJ Mayo scandal were a serious blow to a program which was on its way up. Enter O’Neill, who’s no-nonsense approach will not be for everyone, but it should produce a program which is judged on wins and losses and not on bad press. That being said, it will be at least a few years, maybe more, before we see the USC program back near the top of the conference.

 

What Will March Bring?: Another rough season for the Trojans, though with some additional talent, O’Neill may be on the right track here. Most likely 12-15 wins at most this year.

 

 

Washington

 

The Good: While last year’s team leader, Quincy Pondexter, has moved on to the NBA, there is plenty to still be excited about for Huskies fans. Guards Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy are back for Washington, as well as forward Justin Holiday. Thomas, who is listed at a generous 5’9, finds ways to get to the rim and can be dangerous in the open court. Of course, his lack of size makes it tough for him to operate on the perimeter, but he can nail the open jumper. Gaddy did not have the freshman year that many expected out of him, especially shooting-wise. I expect him to be much more confident on the court this season and to show more of the Gaddy we saw in high school. Defensively, both players do a good job pressuring the ball, but are susceptible to perimeter shooters. Holiday is an excellent defender and rebounder who uses his long arms to disrupt shots and passing lanes. Freshman Terrence Ross could provide a spark for the team on offense, though he needs to work on getting stronger. He will provide excellent scoring from the wing, including great range on his jumper. Venoy Overton provides excellent depth in the backcourt and is capable of guarding multiple positions.

 

The Not-So-Good: There is not a lot of depth in the frontcourt. Senior Matt Bryan-Amaning does a decent job, though undersized in the post. He will be joined by Junior College transfer Aziz N’Diaye will provide a solid presence in the middle, especially on the defensive end. Any offensive production they will get will be a bonus at this stage. After those two, there isn’t much to get excited about. The pace will be critical for this team, as the guards are much better in transition than they are in half-court sets. Thomas and Gaddy will need to be instigators on both ends of the floor.

 

The Question Mark: Who will step up as a leader in Pondexter’s place. Pondexter showed as a senior that he would do whatever he could to help his team win, and now that onus will fall on Thomas. Thomas is incredibly brash, but he can provide tough defense and big shots when needed. What he needs to do is make sure that his effort level is consistently high to keep his teammates behind him.

 

What Will March Bring?: The Huskies are the favorites to win the Pac-10 and I would be surprised if they didn’t win it. They are most likely a 23-25 win team and should get a good NCAA Tournament seed, though how far they get depends on the maturation of Thomas and Gaddy.

 

 

Washington State

 

The Good: Head Coach Ken Bone returns an experienced starting group who will provide a tough match-up to most teams in the conference. Junior Klay Thompson is one of the conference’s best and provides the Cougars with the ability to score anywhere on the court. He is also a tough defender and showed the ability to guard multiple positions. Reggie Moore is an excellent distributor and can also get into the lane and finish. Defensively, he is a solid on-ball defender, though he sometimes loses his man easily off of screens. DeAngelo Casto is a strong presence in the post on both ends of the floor. He has good hands and can finish in traffic, though he does need to improve his free throw shooting. Marcus Capers is a strong defender and provides another solid ballhandler in the backcourt. The bench should get some solid minutes out of Brock Motum and Charlie Enquist, along with newcomers Patrick Simon and Faisal Aden.

 

The Not-So-Good: The main issue the team had last season was a lot of times they went through stretches where they just seemed to watch Thompson do what he does and the focus just didn’t seem to be there. The defensive intensity needs to become more of a priority this season, especially around the lane, where the Cougars are undersized. Road games were a problem last season, but I am expecting an improvement with this experienced group.

 

The Question Mark: How much better can Klay Thompson get? Thompson showed last season that he could be both a jump shooter and a slasher. If he can become more consistent from 3, he will be tough for any defender to stop. He showed his toughness last season, often finding himself guarding players around he post and holding his own. The important thing is his attitude – he wants to keep getting better and he will.

 

What Will March Bring?: I like this team a lot, and they are legit post player away from being a dangerous team. However, that lack of a true post presence may come back to bite them. They will definitely improve over last season’s win totals – 20 sounds about right for this group and they will certainly be in contention for a NCAA Tournament bid. Thompson is a mid-late first rounder if he comes out next season.

 

 

That wraps up our look at the Pac 10. Make sure to check back tomorrow for Part I of the SEC Preview, including looks at Florida and Kentucky. As always, leave your comments, feel free to contact me, and follow NBA Draft Blog on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

 

no comments

 

 

 

The NBA Draft Blog Conference Season Previews continue with a look at a conference that has gone through some rough times recently – the Pac 10. With long-time stalwarts Arizona and UCLA having atypical seasons, it was up to Washington to show the nation that the conference still had talent. This year though, Arizona and UCLA are both improved, Stanford and Washington still have talent, as does Arizona State. Rebuilding is going on at USC, Cal and Oregon, while Oregon State and Washington State are going to be tough teams to play.

Part I will look at Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon and Oregon State.

 

 

Arizona

 

The Good: Coach Sean Miller has been tasked with one of the toughest jobs in college basketball – rebuilding the storied Arizona program. His first season, as expected, was full of many ups and downs, but things will look much better this season, and in the foreseeable future. This season, Miller returns 4 out of 5 starters, including sophomore stud Derrick Williams. Williams is a very strong and athletic forward, with excellent post and finishing skills. While he mainly operates around the rim, look for him to start to stretch his game a bit with a short-to-mid-range jumper. He is an excellent rebounder, though he is still picking up defensive skills he needs to improve, such as not falling for head fakes and standing his ground in the post. Shooting guard Kyle Fogg is the one of the Wildcats’ main perimeter threats, along with forward Jamelle Horne, and is a good perimeter defender. Look for him to show some more playmaking skills this year with the departure of Nic Wise. Horne is another athletic forward who can create shots and has a nice stroke from 3. He does a great job on the defensive end, anticipating shots and passes, and grabbing boards and blocking shots. Solomon Hill is the fourth returnee and he is an effective slasher and rebounder, with the ability to finish in traffic. Lamont Jones will most likely take over Wise’s point guard spot and should do what he does best, creating plays and breaking down defenses. The bench has good depth with Brandon Lavender and Kyryl Natyazkho putting in solid minutes last season. They will be joined by newcomers Daniel Bejarano, Jesse Perry, and Jordin Mayes. Bejarano will give the Wildcats another shooter to help stretch defenses.

 

The Not-So-Good: This is still a young team, with 1 senior and a few juniors. It will be extremely telling if we see this group making the same mistakes they made last season. Post play can be an issue against teams with strong, and big, front lines. The only 2 players taller than 6’8 are Natayazhko and Alex Jacobson, neither who are strong post defenders. Finally, losing an experienced point guard like Nic Wise leaves the Wildcats with inexperience at the position. The pressure will be on Jones to show immediately that he can control the offense for the team.

 

The Question Mark: Will Miller adjust the Wildcats’ offense due to inexperience at the point? This is an extremely athletic group, and they will play at their best in an up-tempo system. Look for Miller to have the team get out and run at every opportunity, with multiple players pushing the ball up. 2 quick guards and a group of wings who can finish strong will make the Wildcats a tough group to stop in transition.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: A trip back to the NCAA Tournament is a strong possibility, along with 20+ wins – of course it is all dependent on the continued development of Williams and the other young players. If Williams plays as expected, he should be a first rounder next year if he comes out.

 

 

Arizona State

 

 

The Good: There are a lot of new faces in Tempe for Coach Herb Sendek – there are 11 newcomers on the roster this season. Luckily, 3 of the players returning were starters last season, including the team’s 2 leading scorers – Rihards Kuksiks and Ty Abbott. Kuksiks is one of the best shooters in the country, though his game has been very one-dimensional. He does stretch the floor however, and that is extremely important in Sendek’s offense. Abbott is also a very good shooter, though he is much better than Kuksiks at creating his own shot. Jamelle McMillan will assume the point guard spot from the departed Derek Glasser. McMillan is a natural leader and playmaker, seeing the court well and making smart passes. He is also a tough on-ball defender, with good lateral movement. Freshman Keala King could make an impact immediately on the wing, with excellent athletic ability and the skills to work in isolation. Center Rusian Pateev is capable of playing in the high and low posts, and has a very good shot.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: Obviously the amount of newcomers on the team is disconcerting, though there is plenty of experience among the starters. Coach Sendek will probably need to do a lot of experimenting to test the new players to see where they fit in the rotation and how they respond to certain situations. While Pateev is a decent offensive player, he struggles on defense, especially against quicker post players. Freshman Jordan Bachynski could eventually overtake him if he shows what he is capable of on the defensive end. Sendek is known for a very deliberate style of play, but he has stated that he may pick up the tempo, though it is yet to be seen how this group handles the adjustment.

 

 

The Question Mark: Who is going to step up and provide bench production? Guard Trent Lockett showed that he is capable of giving quality minutes off the bench, but it is the frontcourt which may cause concern. Freshman Kyle Cain and JC Transfer Carrick Felix will need to show that they can play within Sendek’s offense immediately to help shore up the forward position.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: Unless the newcomers get off to an amazing start, it could be a tough season for the Sun Devils. Luckily, the experienced starters will make sure it is not a disaster of a season, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up as a .500 team this year. Abbott and Kuksiks should get looks from NBA teams next summer, though I am not sure they are ready for that level.

 

 

California

 

 

The Good: Besides Oregon, no team has a bigger rebuilding job than the Cal Golden Bears. Gone are Pac-10 Player of the Year Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Theo Robertson, and Jamal Boykin. Combined this group accounted for around 60 points and 20 rebounds a day. While the remaining players don’t cause much excitement, the group of freshmen that Coach Mike Montgomery has brought in should keep Cal near the top of the Pac-10 in the upcoming years. Led by guards Gary Franklin, Allen Crabbe and Alex Rossi, the Cal recruiting class may be the best in the Pac-10. Franklin is a score-first point guard, though his court vision and passing are under-rated. Franklin has a nice shot from the perimeter, and has the ability to beat defenders quickly off the dribble. He still needs to improve his decision-making, which should come with experience. Rossi is an excellent perimeter shooter, can shoot off the dribble or off a screen, and has slowly improved his ability to find holes in the defense. He has good size and needs to work on using it to his advantage. Crabbe has very similar skills to Rossi, though he needs to work on getting stronger. Crabbe is the better defender, and has the potential to guard either guard position. Jorge Gutierrez returns and was effective at times as a second point guard on the floor.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: The frontline is thin with Harper Kamp returning from sitting out the year for knee surgery, Bak Bak who missed the second half of last season due to academics, and Markhur Sanders-Frison as the lone returnees. Freshman Richard Solomon and transfer Robert Thurman will need to provide help on both ends of the floor to keep the Bears competitive in a the Pac 10 this year. The largest team improvement will need to be on defense and rebounding, so look for Montgomery to focus on that and have his team play a style that emphasizes this.

 

The Question Mark: There are a lot of things we could put here, but I think the biggest question is going to be how Kamp plays this season? While it may seem odd to focus on a player who has averaged about 4 points and 3 rebounds for his career, Kamp is the kind of big man who will make the rest of the team better. He has very good court vision and knows how to find open teammates for easy shots. Also, he has the skills to be an effective scorer around the lane and has proved his toughness over the years.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: There is talent here, but they are young, and there will be growing pains. Montgomery will get the best out of them though, and I have a tough time seeing them with less than 14-15 wins.

 

 

Oregon

 

 

The Good: Talking about rebuilding jobs, Dana Altman is in for quite a test. He does have some talent to start with this season, including a few returning starters. Malcom Armstead is the leading returning scorer and one of the most disruptive defenders in the conference. With Tajuan Porter gone, Armstead will be the Ducks go-to shooter, though he doesn’t have Porter’s range. Forward Jeremy Jacob is an effective scorer in the post, though undersized, and has no problem mixing it up for rebounds. EJ Singler is a good all-around player, with the ability to score, rebound and pass, though he needs to shore up his perimeter defense. Freshman point guard Johnathan Loyd will battle for minutes immediately with his lightning speed and his ability to make plays on both ends of the floor.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: There isn’t a lot of depth here and the talent level needs some improvement, especially among the big men. Newcomer Martin Seifirth could help, though he is more of a project at this level. Perimeter shooting needs to become more consistent, though with no inside presence, open looks may be at a premium. Look for Singler to be used in different positions this season to maximize his productivity.

 

The Question Mark: Again, a lot of questions, but what people want to know is will Altman be able to turn the program around? Short answer is yes. Altman is an excellent coach and recruiter, and is well respected by the basketball community. Oregon is still a Pac 10 school with significant resources. The fan base will need to be patient, which I know is tough after the last few seasons, but this will take a few years to pull off.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: An early start on off-season recruiting. 10-12 wins seems most likely, though a good chance we see a breakout year from Singler.

 

 

Oregon State

 

 

The Good: Coach Craig Robinson has done a good job getting the Oregon State program on solid footing and will look to take the next step to winning program this season. There is still work to do, but things are certainly looking up. It starts with last year’s leading scorer Calvin Haynes. Haynes is a decent shooter, though is very good at finding holes in the defense. He showed improved ability from deep last season, though his shot selection still needs work. He is paired in the backcourt with Jared Cunningham, who is not much of a scorer but plays very tough defense. Joe Burton is an undersized post player, though he is very tough and a good rebounder for his size. He has a wide body and should look to use it in the post more this season. Omari Johnson and Daniel Deane provide more size and strength to the improving frontcourt, though neither is very good on the offensive end. Freshman Devon Collier may be the most talented forward on the team, though his play is very inconsistent. Fellow freshman Ahmad Starks will provide some speed in the backcourt and the ability to score in traffic.

 

 

The Not-So-Good: Scoring is an issue for this team, though part of that is due to a very deliberate offensive style. There aren’t many perimeter shooters on the team, so the team relies on various cut and screen techniques to get to the rim. Defensively, the team improved over the course of the season, though they are still susceptible to getting beat up and down the court by quicker teams. There will also need to be a focus on rebounding, as they are often overmatched at forward and center.

 

The Question Mark: Besides Haynes, where is the scoring going to come from? I am not sure there is much of an answer for this. If guard Roberto Nelson ever becomes eligible, he would surely help, but for now, the team will need to try and grab buckets wherever it can.

 

 

What Will March Bring?: If the defense stays consistent, this team should finish around the same as last season – 14-16 win range.

 

 

That’s it for Par I our look at the Pac 10. Make sure to check back tomorrow for the Part II, including Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State. As always, leave your comments, feel free to contact me - ed (at) nbadraftblog (.) com, and follow NBA Draft Blog on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

 

no comments