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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Photo: Phil Sandlin/Palm Beach Post

Name:  Erik Murphy    Age:   22    School: Florida

Height: 6’10       Weight: 240       Projected Position:  PF 

2012-13 Stats:

12.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.4 tpg (26.4 minutes per game)

51.6 FG%, 78.4 FT%, 45.3 3FG%

64.3 TS%, 62.9 eFG%, 12.8 TREB%, 17.4 DREB%, 22.5 USG%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Post Play/Footwork

Murphy is very efficient in the low post and he has developed a few go-to moves to allow him to create space.  He has excellent touch around the rim, and he does a good job using his body to clear space to allow him to get to the basket.  Murphy is more comfortable going over his left shoulder to his right hand   While he has developed a series of go to moves, his footwork isn’t great when he is pressured, and he can be forced into turnovers.  Murphy is very good at using shot fakes to get defenders in the air, and he is capable of drawing, and finishing, though contact.  He is a very good screener on the perimeter and he rolls well to the basket, or more often, popping out to the perimeter.

Shooting

Murphy is a very good spot-up shooter, especially behind the 3-point line.  He squares well to the basket, has a good release point and follow-through.  His size allows him to shoot over most defenders, and if not, he uses ball-fakes and jab steps well to create space.  He understands floor spacing, and he is a good option in pick-and-pop situations, especially with a point guard who can draw both defenders.  Closer to the rim, Murphy has good touch in close and is capable of finishing through contact. One area Murphy really needs to improve is using his left hand around the left side of the basket. He doesn’t look to penetrate from the perimeter often, but he will often try to force the ball to the right side so he can finish with his left.   

Free Throw Shooting

Murphy is a good free throw shooter, with a smooth routine and stroke, and good follow-through and arc.   He would probably get to the line a lot more, but he takes only 25% of his shots around the basket, leading to less contact and chances to get to the line.  Still, when he does get the ball in the low post, he does a great job drawing contact and getting a good shot off.

Defense

Post Defense

Murphy positions himself well in the post, and he uses his upper body and lower body well to put pressure on the offensive player.   His footwork has improved, but he can still be a step slow against quicker offensive players.  His lack of foot speed is helped somewhat by his ability to get low and wide and force players to go further around.   Murphy needs to work on hedging more effectively on pick-and-rolls and forcing the ballhandler to take a wide path around.  Generally, Murphy has good defensive awareness, and you can see him throughout the game directing from the back of the defense.

Perimeter Defense

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

Rebounding

Murphy is fundamentally sound as a rebounder, but his lack of athleticism holds him back at times. He does a good job looking to box out on the shot and using his body well to seal off space.  Murphy does a good job going strong after the ball and keeping it up high, and he has become one of the better outlet passers I have seen this year. Where Murphy has problems is dealing with quick leapers who can get up and after the ball before he can put a body on them. Murphy has shown a good nose for the ball on the offensive glass when he is in position around the basket, and he does a good job watching the shot and knowing where the rebound will likely go.  

Transition

Murphy runs the floor well for his size, but don’t look for him to get out in front of everybody. Where he is at his best is as a trailer on the secondary break, spotting up behind the three point line.  

Summary

Murphy made his name as a perimeter shooter, but he has shown that he can be an effective post scorer as well. Still, his road to the NBA will come from his ability to stretch the floor and allow teams to utilize the pick-and-pop. Murphy is also an underrated defender in the post, and a decent perimeter defender in the right match-ups. There’s not a lot of flash, but he gets to open spots, knocks down open jumpers and plays hard all game. He will improve any team he plays for. 

Draft Value:  Early 2^nd Round– #31-38

With some work on his quickness and defense, Murphy is ready to play at the NBA level.  He makes the most of his touches and can be used in a versatile manner.  He would be a strong pick-up for a halfcourt dominant offense that likes to use their forwards in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations, or for a team with a dominant big man who needs shooters on the perimeter.

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As we head towards the 2013 NBA Draft, it is time to give some looks at players who are may or may not get drafted, but may have the skills which could translate to a NBA career.  The Case For….takes a look at these players and tries to give a brief outline of what skills they have, what they are missing, and what steps would eventually lead them to the to the NBA.  This edition looks at a player who has made a name with his shot-blocking ability, but has developed into an efficient offensive player as well – Akron’s Zeke Marshall.

Photo:John Kuntz/The Plain Dealer

Zeke Marshall, Akron, Senior, 7’0, 235

13.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.7 bpg

65.1 FG%, 64.2 FT%, 66.1 TS%, 65.5 eFG%

13.6 BLK%, 14.4 REB%, 10.3 OREB%, 18.4 DREB%

The Good – Marshall showed improvement each year during his 4 seasons at Akron, and there still seems room before he reaches his ceiling. Marshall is incredibly efficient around the basket, having a nice touch and not forcing many bad shots. He has developed a nice mini hook in the lane, able to make the move over either shoulder and shoot it with either hand.  Marshall has also improved his ability to face-up and hit the short or mid-range jumper. A strong screener on the perimeter, Marshall understands the pick-and-roll well and does a good job setting a good screen and opening up to the ball. On the defensive side, Marshall has good defensive awareness and is a strong shot-blocker. He does a well extending on the shot and can block shots with either hand. Marshall also does a good job going strong after rebounds in his area and keeping the ball up high after he secures it.

The Not So Good – Marshall is long and lean, but he needs to continue to build strength to handle the rigors of the NBA post-game. Marshall needs to do a better job using his lower body to get position in the post on the offensive end, and to anchor his position on the defensive end. His post moves have developed significantly during the past few seasons, but there is still some work to do, especially using secondary moves if the first move has been stopped. Marshall also has to become more confident in his mid-range jumper, not hesitating to take it if he has a good look. Along with this, he needs to work on improving his free throw shooting, while getting to the line more. While Marshall is a good shot-blocker, he has to watch a tendency to not go straight up and making contact with his body. Also, he has to work on hedging harder on high pick-and-rolls, making the ballhandler work if he wants to get around the corner and not retreating to his man so quickly.

The Verdict – Though development has been steady, Marshall never took the big leap that many may have hoped. Still, he is a 7-footer who is efficient on offense and is a good defender and shot-blocker.  Also, a lot of his offense suffered because he just wasn’t getting the ball enough in good situations. Strength and quickness will still need to be improved, but with the right team, Marshall can become a valuable role player. I think Marshall is being undervalued right now, and I think he would be a quality good pick in the mid- 2^nd round (42-49) range.   

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This edition of The Case For… looks at one of college basketball’s prominent long-range shooters – Syracuse’s James Southerland.  Southerland, who set the Big East record for most three-pointers made in a single Big East Tournament this past year, has great size and can be a match-up problem on the perimeter.  There are still a lot of questions on whether Southerland can provide much more than spot-up shooting, and does he have the defensive ability to play at the NBA level having played exclusively in Syracuse’s zone defense?  Let’s look at The Case for James Southerland:

James Southerland, Syracuse, Senior, 6’8, 221

13.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.5 spg

45.1 FG%, 78.9 FT%, 39.6 3FG%

58.6% TS%, 56.7 eFG%, 14.4 DRB%, 21.3 USG%

The Good – Southerland made a name for himself this past season as Syracuse’s big 3-point threat. Southerland is a very good spot-up shooter, using his size to get good looks at the basket, getting square quickly and stepping into his shot, and having a high release and good follow-through. He is also a very good option in transition, where he runs the wings well and spots up and gets a shot off quickly, again usually from the 3-point line. Southerland is athletic, and has shown his ability to finish at the rim off of offensive rebounds or in transition. Though playing zone, Southerland has shown the ability to cover a lot of ground quickly and to be an above-average rebounder, though he does need to work on boxing out.    

The Not So Good – The ability to create his own shot is a major area where Southerland is going to need to improve.  Also, while he is careful with the basketball, he needs to be able to handle it well enough to take it from the perimeter to the basket.  Southerland needs to improve his ability to hit his jumper, especially from mid-range, off the dribble.  Shot selection is an issue at times, though it is likely Southerland wouldn’t have the green light he did at Syracuse, at least for a while, at the pro level. On the defensive end, Southerland needs to not only make the adjustment to playing man defense, he will need to work on the defensive fundamentals.  He has a tendency to stand straight up on defense, and he will need to work on moving laterally and his foot speed. Southerland’s defensive awareness needs to improve as well.  He could be a good rebounder at his size, but he needs to work on making his hands stronger, as he tends to lose hold of the ball when rebounding in traffic.        

The Verdict – Teams always need players who can shoot the 3 like Southerland does, especially at his size. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on his game, mainly on defense, if he wants to play at the NBA level. Still, there is value as a role or situational player. His draft value falls at the end of the 2^nd round to undrafted, but he certainly will need to spend time in the D-League or overseas to work on building up the rest of his game first.

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Much of the focus over the past few seasons come NBA Draft time has been on Kentucky underclassmen. However, Kentucky also has a developing trend of sending seniors, including DeAndre Liggins and Darius Miller, to the NBA where they become solid contributors. Julius Mays is hoping to become next in line bolstering that trend.  

Mays has been well-traveled in his college career, spending two years at North Carolina State, two years at Wright State (including sitting out a year after transferring), and using his last year of eligibility at powerhouse Kentucky.  While the impression of player transferring multiple times is not always positive, Mays see it to be the complete opposite.

“Having the chance to play for three very different types of coaches and different styles of play helped me develop as both a player and a person,” said Mays. “Each situation was unique and made me learn different things. I used every opportunity as a learning situation.”

Finishing his career at Kentucky, while a huge opportunity, came with its own set of challenges, including having a rabid fan base and intense media scrutiny. “Not everyone can handle playing for Kentucky,” said Mays. “it was a unique situation for me being both a newcomer and older than the other players. People don’t realize how young these freshmen are and they are going to have bad games.”

Mays did see on huge advantage playing for Kentucky. “Playing for Coach Calipari, you get to learn a professional system to help you get prepared for the next level.”

In his one season at Kentucky, Mays averaged over 9 points and almost 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game while starting almost every game for a team dominated by freshmen.

With the NBA Draft less than a month away, Mays is now looking to show all that he has learned to the NBA scouts and executives, and he believes that he has plenty to offer. “My biggest strength is shooting the ball and being able to stretch defenses,” explained Mays. “I think I opened some eyes at the New Jersey Combine with my ability to play point guard.”

Mays has been working hard on other parts of his game to make sure he can make his best case to teams this month. “I’m still working on getting stronger and becoming more agile,” said Mays. “I’m quick, not fast, and I need to work on that to be able to defend at the NBA level.”

As mentioned earlier, Mays biggest opportunity so far came at the New Jersey Combine where 44 players had an opportunity to work out and scrimmage in front of representatives from all 30 NBA teams. “It was a great experience for me and I wanted to show that I was capable of playing with any of those guys,” said Mays. “It was great to showcase my abilities and just play my game.”

Mays also had some support there in New Jersey – Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari. “I have a great relationship with Coach Cal,” explained Mays. “He is looking out for me and supports me in all I do.”

 Mays is hoping that all he has learned over the past 5 years will help him become the next Kentucky senior to get to the NBA. “I’m not flashy, but I am savvy and smart. I can play diverse roles, and most important, I have learned how to be a leader.”

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