Name:       Nerlens Noel   Age:   19    School: Kentucky

Height: 7’0         Weight: 206       Projected Position:  PF/C            

2012-13 Stats (24 games):

10.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.6 apg, 4.4 bpg, 1.9 tpg (31.9 minutes per game)

59.0 FG%, 52.9 FT%, 58.3 TS%

10.4 OREB%, 22.3 DREB%, 16.8 TREB%, 13.2 BLK%, 17.4 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Play/Footwork

Noel’s post-game is still a major work-in-progress. Noel does a good job setting position on the low blocks, getting low with a wide base and setting a target to receive a pass.  However, his lack of strength, especially in his lower body, makes it easy to force him away from the basket. He is at his best when he can get a quick shot or make a quick move past his defender. He has developed a nice jump hook over either shoulder, as well a baseline dropstep which allows him to get to the basket. Noel has some struggles when being defended by longer and/or stronger players. He has the athleticism to still make his move, but he needs to work on the strength to finish. He does do a good job drawing contact when making a move around the basket. Noel has also added some face-up moves, looking to take his man off the dribble, but his ballhandling needs to improve. Noel’s footwork improved up until his injury, but his movements can be stiff, especially when going to his left hand.  Noel understands the pick-and-roll well, and he is capable of catching and finishing around the basket in a variety of ways, including high passes and finishing above the rim. He does need to work on opening up to the ball sooner after the screen.

Ballhandling

Noel is an average ballhandler for his size, doing a good job minimizing the amount of dribbles he takes, but he needs to work on keeping the ball low and closer to his body.  He is much more comfortable with his right hand than his left, though the left continues to improve. Noel seems to still be getting comfortable with his ballhandling when driving from the perimeter, and he will need to improve significantly to be able to do it at the NBA level. 

Shooting

Noel has improved his touch around the basket, and he is capable of finishing with either hand and shoot over either shoulder. However, Noel needs to be careful to not push or throw the ball towards the basket, but shoot it. Noel needs to work on being able to hit consistently from the mid-range area. He does a good job getting square to the basket, but his release can be low and with some hesitation, leading him to shoot a lot of line drives at the basket.

Passing Skills

Noel has very good court vision out of both the high and low posts.  For the most part, he makes strong passes to the perimeter, and on target enough to allow his teammate to get a quick shot off.   Noel does need to work on getting the ball out quicker when doubled in the low post. 

Free Throw Shooting

As mentioned earlier, Noel needs to work on his shooting in general and that extends to his free throws. He really needs to work on getting his release and follow-through to the point where he isn’t shooting line drives. It becomes more important because of Noel’s ability to draw contact and get to the line. 

Defense

Post Defense

Noel’s technique as a post defender is above-average, but strength issues may cause him some problems at the NBA level.  He positions himself well in the post, and he uses his upper body to put pressure on the offensive player.  He can deny the post when needed, but prefers to on the player’s dominant side, forcing them to go long around him if they want to make a move into the lane.  He needs to work on using his lower body better to anchor his position, and using it to force his man away from the basket.  His footwork is good and he can stay with quicker offensive players as they make their move.   Noel is capable of hedging out on high pick-and-rolls, but he needs to work on being quicker spotting and recovering to his man after he pops out or rolls to the basket, and often he will choose to not hedge and start to drop back towards the lane.  Noel has good defensive awareness, but I would like to see him more vocal and assertive.

Perimeter Defense

Noel is a very good perimeter defender for his size. He has good foot speed and lateral quickness to defend forwards and centers on the perimeter, but he makes sure to position himself in a way which allows him to prevent getting beat off a first-step while also allowing him to close on perimeter shots.  If he is caught out in space, a decent ballhandler should be able to beat him with a few dribbles, so Noel will need to work on understanding angles so he can recover if beat on the first step. 

Help Defense/Shot Blocking

This is Noel at his best. He reacts well as a help defender, and covers ground quickly to get in position. His timing and extension are fantastic, and he does a good job going straight up after the shot.   He is very good as a weakside and basket help defender, and he uses his length well enough to alter opposing shots. One area where Noel needs to improve is not falling for ball and head fakes.

Rebounding

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

Transition

Noel runs the floor well on the offensive break and he is capable of getting out in front of the defense and finishing, or coming in as a secondary option.  He goes strong to the rim and can draw contact, but because his ballhandling isn’t great, it is best to get him the ball around the basket.  Noel is also a strong transition defender, getting back quickly and in position to challenge shots around the basket.

Summary

Obviously, Noel’s knee injury is going to set back his rookie season, but any team picking Noel isn’t doing it for instant impact. Noel is still very raw as a player, especially on offense. Where Noel will make his greatest impact is on the defensive side, where his shot-blocking ability and ability to defend well in both the post and on the perimeter can make it tough for teams to score around the basket. Noel’s biggest challenge will be to gain some much needed body strength to handle the rigors of the NBA post game, as well as continuing to develop some sort of consistent offensive options. Still, there is a lot of upside if put in the right system and with the right coaches to develop his skill set. Noel is a hard worker and known to be coachable, but teams will need to have some patience as he develops.

Draft Value:  Early 1^st Round – Early Lottery – #1-7

Assuming there won’t be long-term effects from the knee injury, teams will have a ready defensive presence in 2014. There will be some trade off on offense, but a good point guard will find ways to get the ball to Noel in places where he can get quick scores.

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Part of the maturation process of college basketball players is the ability to adapt to changes, including teammates, coaches, systems, and roles. Being able to navigate these successfully can leave a player in a position where the normal adjustments needed during a game become simple to handle. Lorenzo Brown had to deal with all of the changes during his three seasons at North Carolina State, and the maturity he gained now leaves him ten days from hearing his name called at the NBA Draft.

 “I matured a lot during my time at North Carolina State,” said Brown.  “During my first year, I wasn’t really involved and was kind of in the background. I was behind two good point guards in Ryan Harrow and Javier Gonzalez.”

After that season, Coach Sidney Lowe was replaced by Mark Gottfried and Brown saw his role start to change. “Coach Gottfried came in and wanted me to be the point guard,” explained Brown. “Having that responsibility really matured me as a player and a point guard, since I really wasn’t a point guard to begin with.”

His first season running the point for the Wolfpack, the team made it to the Sweet Sixteen, and there were high expectations heading into the 2012-2013 season. While the team, had 24 wins, including 11 ACC wins, the season was very up and down, and it ended with a loss in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64.

“We had a lot of different players on this team and my role had to change,” said Brown. “We had a lot of guys who could score, but I was the only guy who could create. When you are surrounded by scorers, it can be difficult to control what they do with the ball.”

Still, Brown did have a good season despite his different role. He finished the season averaging over 12 points and 7 assists per game, along with a very good 2:1 assist to turnover ratio.

Brown is now working to show what he can bring to the NBA level, and he believes that he has some qualities that teams will be looking for. “My biggest advantage is my size over most other point guards,” said Brown. “I have the speed, athleticism, and passing ability that is needed to play at that level.”

He is also aware of what he needs to work on to make sure he can get on the court once he’s on a team. “It’s important that I work to become more consistent with my shooting ability,” Brown explained. “I’m also working on being able to create space, becoming more efficient, and being more physical on the court.”

Brown has been taking part in NBA team workouts and he is learning a lot from the experience. “I’m definitely learning how to come off of screens better and how to use my big man in the best way,” said Brown. “A lot of the guys who are taking part in these workouts are a lot better than many people think.”

No matter where he goes, Brown knows that he still has work to do, and he is ready for whatever comes his way. “I know I can get better just by playing at the NBA level.”

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Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Name:  Victor Oladipo   Age:   21    School: Indiana

Height: 6’4   Weight: 213   Projected Position: SG            

2012-13 Stats:

13.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.2 spg, 2.3 tpg (28.4 minutes per game)

59.9 FG%, 74.6 FT%, 44.1 3FG%

 67.1 TS%, 64.8 eFG%, 22.2 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Oladipo has good form on his jumper.  He has a high release, good follow-through, and improving range.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he is an above-average spot-shooter.  While he gets square to the basket quickly off the catch, he needs to work on not rushing the shot and making sure he has a clean look, but at the same time, working on improving his release time. He needs to work on using his dribble to create space for his jumper.  Oladipo also needs to work on moving without the ball, especially using screens and cuts well to create space.  He should come off the screens tighter, giving him more separation to shoot.  Shot selection has improved, though he can actually pass up open jumpers at times.    

Penetration

Oladipo can be effective when he looks to get into the lane and to the basket.  He uses long strides and his body to shield the ball from defenders.  He has the ability to finish above the rim, and can finish with either hand.  He needs to look to go to his left more often instead of trying to force the action to his stronger right hand.  He also needs to continue to improve seeing where the help defense is coming from.  He will try to force plays through traffic, leading to turnovers or bad shot attempts.  Oladipo does a great job catching passes and getting into triple threat position, keeping the defense honest. He has a strong mid-range jumper if he chooses to only take a few steps past his defender, and he has shown a decent short jumper/floater if he sees the help rotate to stop him quickly.  Oladipo uses screens well to attack the basket.  Oladipo needs to work on his ballhandling and his first step to help him get to the basket easier in isolation situations.  

Ballhandling/Passing

Oladipo is an average, though improved, ballhandler, able to use both hands and developing some advanced dribbles to keep the defense off balance.   With his right hand, he has good control, keeping the ball low and close to his body, though he does need to watch forcing his dribble through traffic.  However, Oladipo doesn’t have as good control with his left hand, and he will often try to force the action to the right.  While he can use his left hand for short distances, I would like to see him look to attack the basket more with his left hand, which will mean improving it.  He is a strong passer from the perimeter, though he can look to improve his ability to make passes off the dribble, especially if he draws help defense in the lane.

Free Throw Shooting

Oladipo is an average free throw shooter, with a consistent routine, good shooting motion and follow-through.  He needs to watch a tendency to rush his shot at times and make sure he gets his normal extension and follow-through.  Oladipo really needs to improve on getting to the line more, including looking to attack the basket more in the halfcourt. 

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Oladipo’s biggest strengths come on the defensive end. He is a very good on-ball defender; he positions himself well between his man and the basket, and moves well laterally.  He does a good job getting low and not getting caught standing straight. He reacts well to his man’s movements, and he can play physical on-ball defense.  He has quick hands and feet, and players can’t get lazy with their dribble near him, because he has the timing and speed to take the ball. Oladipo is capable of guarding either guard position, and if needed could be a serviceable defender against smaller forwards. Oladipo uses his long arms well to disrupt passing lanes and close on shooters.  Oladipo needs to do a better job getting over the top of screens against shooters, often choosing to either go under the screen or switching, which can lead to poor matchups.    Off the ball, Oladipo generally positions himself well, and again, he uses his long arms to disrupt passing lanes if he looks to pressure off the ball.  He does a good job navigating through screens off the ball, and finding angles so he can catch up with his man.  He has very good defensive awareness, and sets the tone on the defensive end for his team. Oladipo is also a capable shot-blocker for his size, and if he is around the basket, he will challenge shots. 

Rebounding

Oladipo rebounds really well for his size on the defensive side, using his athleticism to get up quickly after missed shots.  He also does a good job boxing out, and he has a good knack for anticipating where misses will go and getting to the spot.  He is quick after long rebounds and looks to either push the ball or outlet it quickly to get the team moving up court.  Oladipo also uses his athleticism well on the offensive glass, and he especially has to be watched charging in from the perimeter. If he gets a running start, Oladipo is capable of catching and finishing above the rim.  

Transition

Oladipo is very good in transition, especially running one of the wings.  If running on the wing in transition, Oladipo is capable of spotting up behind the 3-point line or making a line to the basket.  His shooting needs to be more consistent, but if he takes the ball to the basket, he can finish in a variety of ways. He is capable of pushing the ball himself in transition, but if you pressure him, you can force him into a bad decision, and his ballhandling isn’t really up to dealing with good transition defense.

Intangibles/Summary

As I mentioned, Oladipo has made his name on the defensive side of the ball, but he has improved markedly on the offensive side. Still, he is far from becoming a capable scorer at the NBA level unless he works on becoming a more consistent shooter and a better ballhandler. He is ready to defend NBA players, and he with the ability to guard multiple positions, he could allow teams to be flexible with their rotations. He provides energy, and there is no doubting his work ethic. He is coachable and he should be able to make a seamless transition to any team or system. 

Draft Value:  Early 1^st – Late Lottery– #9-14

Oladipo can defend, and he should be able to play right away based on that, but there is a sense that he is going to be no more than a career role player/specialist, not that there is anything wrong with that. But, in the right offensive system (up-tempo), Oladipo can find ways to put up points, so the right fit may be essential to his continuing offensive development. No matter where he goes, there is no doubt he will continue to work hard to improve.

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Name:  Jamaal Franklin     Age:   21    School: San Diego State

Height: 6’5   Weight: 191   Projected Position: SG            

2012-13 Stats:

16.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 3.4 tpg (33.1 minutes per game)

41.1 FG%, 78.1 FT%, 27.2 3FG%

 53.6 TS%, 46.1 eFG%, 29.9 USG%, 16.5 TREB%, 26.3 DREB%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Franklin can have good form on his jumper, though his form can be inconsistent at times.  When he has it right, he has good balance, gets square to the basket quickly and has a quick release. One issue he has often is that his release point is low, leading to his shot not having much arc.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he can be a good spot-shooter.  While he gets square to the basket quickly off the catch, he needs to work on not rushing the shot and making sure he has a clean look. He uses his dribble well to create space for his jumper, and at 6’5, he has the ability to get good looks at the basket.  Franklin needs to do a better job moving without the ball, using screens and cuts well to create space.  I would like to see him come off the screens tighter, giving him more separation to shoot.  Shot selection can be a major issue.    

Penetration

Franklin can be effective when he looks to get into the lane and to the basket.  He uses long strides and his body to shield the ball from defenders. He looks to draw contact and is aggressive when he looks to get to the basket.  He has the ability to finish above the rim, and can finish with either hand.  He needs to look to go to his left more often instead of trying to force the action to his stronger right hand.  He also needs to do a better job keeping his head up and seeing where the help defense is coming from.  He will try to force plays through traffic, leading to turnovers or bad shot attempts.  He has a decent mid-range jumper if he chooses to only take a few steps past his defender, though he needs to work on not drifting on his shot.  While he uses screens well to create space for his jumper, he should look to attack the basket more off of them, and if he draws the defense, find the open man.  Franklin needs to work on getting to the basket easier in isolation situations.  

Ballhandling/Passing

Franklin is an above-average ballhandler, able to use both hands and a still developing a variety of dribbles to keep the defense off balance.   Control can be an issue at times, and he needs to work on keeping his head up as he attacks the basket. .  He has a decent cross-over move which he uses to create space for his jumper, though I would like to see him use it more to attack the lane.  While he can use his left hand for short distances, he prefers to force the ball to the right side, and defenders can overplay him and force him left to make him uncomfortable.  Franklin has average court vision and his size allows him to see over the top of most defenses. He is a decent passer from the perimeter, though he can look to improve his ability to make passes off the dribble, especially if he draws help defense in the lane.

Free Throw Shooting

Franklin is an average free throw shooter, with a consistent routine, good shooting motion and follow-through.  Like his jumper, Franklin’s release point is low and it leads to some shots with very little arc.  Franklin does a good job getting to the free throw line a good amount by looking to draw contact when he gets into the lane, and he has a knack for drawing contact on his jumper as well.   

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Franklin is a good on-ball defender. He positions himself well between his man and the basket, though he needs to watch pressuring his man when he doesn’t need to, and moves well laterally over short distances.  He needs to work on getting low and not getting caught standing straight. Also, he needs to react quicker to his man’s movements and not get caught backpedaling.  He is capable of guarding multiple positions. Franklin uses his length well to disrupt passing lanes and close on shooters.  Franklin needs to work harder getting over the top of screens against shooters, though he has improved.    Off the ball, Franklin generally positions himself well, though he can find himself wandering and watching the ball too much, leading to him losing his man.  Again, he can use his length to disrupt passing lanes if he looks to pressure off the ball.  He needs to do a better job anticipating his man’s movements, especially on cuts to the basket.  He needs to work on navigating through screens off the ball, and trying to learn better angles to cut off his man.  He has above average defensive awareness, though he needs to work on staying focused on this end. 

Rebounding

Franklin rebounds very well for his size, using his length and athleticism to get up quickly after missed shots.  He needs to work on boxing out and anticipating where misses will go and getting to the spot.  He is quick after long rebounds and looks to either push the ball or outlet it quickly to get the team moving up court. Franklin likely won’t contribute as much on the boards at his natural position, but he will help when in position.

Transition

Franklin can be very good in transition, but his decision making when he has the ball can be very suspect. He is capable of pushing the ball himself in transition, but if you pressure him, you can force him into a bad decision. He is also capable of running the wings and taking the ball to the basket or spotting up for the jumper, though he needs to become a more consistent shooter.

Intangibles/Summary

Franklin spent most of his college career playing out of position, and though he was effective in some ways, he still needs to make a lot of adjustments to play shooting guard at the NBA level. First, he needs to become a more consistent shooter, starting with working on making his release higher and choosing better shots. He is capable of being a strong defender, but he needs to be more consistent and stay focused with the speed of NBA players. He is aggressive and athletic, and if he can rein his abilities, he can positively impact the games in many aspects. 

Draft Value:  Late 1^st – #23-30

Franklin is going to need some time to adjust to the NBA, and especially understanding more complex systems, but he has the raw talent to eventually be a valuable role player off the bench, both as a scorer and defender.

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Photo: Mark Zerof/USA Today Sports

When it comes to the NBA Draft, there is always a lot of talk about potential, but often overlooked are some things just as appealing – experience and leadership. Becoming a true leader isn’t an easy process, but with the right teacher and student, the results can be spectacular. Louisville’s Peyton Siva took up the challenge of becoming a leader, and after a Final Four trip two years ago, and an NCAA Championship this past season, he is ready to take on his next challenge in the NBA.

Siva saw his game change and evolve in many ways during his time at Louisville. “When I first got to Louisville, I was more of a scorer,” said Siva. “I had to develop into a true point guard who could run the team, especially becoming more comfortable in the pick-and-roll and reading defenses.”

It was just as a player where Siva saw himself change. He saw changes in the person he was. “I definitely matured mentally,” explained Siva. “You have to develop a certain mindset if you want to play on the biggest stage of them all.”

Playing for a Hall of Fame Head Coach in Rick Pitino certainly helped, and Siva is quick to acknowledge that. “Coach Pitino has been great, and has helped me with everything on and off the court,” said Siva. “He really helped transfer my game to more of what is expected of an NBA point guard.”

All of the work finally paid off the past two seasons, first with a trip to the Final Four in 2012, and winning the NCAA Championship this past season.  Siva has had time to reflect on it all these past few months. “Looking back at it, it’s crazy how it all worked out,” said Siva. “Being knocked out of the Tournament in the 1^st round the first two years really pushed us to do better.”

Not only was Siva able to finish his career with an NCAA Championship, but he did it having one his best all-around games of the season. In the title win against Michigan, Siva scored 15 points, with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. For the season, Siva set career bests in points per game (10.0), assists per game (5.7) and steals per game (2.2), along with a very impressive 2.2:1 assist to turnover ratio.

The focus has turned to the next step in his career and Siva has been working a constant grind of training sessions, combines and team workouts. Though, the process has been an adjustment. “In the beginning, you are going into the process blind, and you try to go out and do everything a hundred miles per hour,” said Siva. “The last couple of workouts I have finally started to settle in to the routine.”

Siva is now out to show NBA teams what he can bring to their organization. “I want to go out and show teams that I can be a playmaker for them,” explained Siva. “I can also be a good defender, and I have been getting better at knocking down my jumper.”

The jumper has always been a weaker part of Siva’s game, and he knows that. “I need to do a much better job consistently knocking down my shot,” said Siva. “I have had a tendency to be a streaky shooter.”

With upcoming workouts with Memphis and the Los Angeles Lakers, Siva can already envision what type of role he could fill for any team that picks him. “I think I can step in right away and be a good back-up point guard,” said Siva. “I can be a distributor, a change of pace, and someone who can take the reins of the second unit without a drop-off.”

Siva knows he has a lot to offer teams, and it has come from years of development. “I am a proven winner; I have won at all levels,” said Siva. “I have been coached by a Hall of Fame coach who has done it at the NBA level. I am experienced and know how to run a team. I am battle-tested.”

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