Photo: SI/CNN

The process of developing as a basketball player can be broken down into many areas, and that development can be spurred by many things. Often overlooked is how having to spend time away from the game can be a catalyst for growth as a basketball player. Arkansas’ Marshawn Powell was forced to spend time off the court because of injuries, including the loss of a season, but in the end, it made him a better basketball player. Powell is now looking forward to the next step in his journey, but the lessons from Arkansas will stay with him.

“I learned a lot during my time at Arkansas,” said Powell. “It taught me how to work with other people, and made me a better person.”  Powell began to see his game changing as well. “I definitely became stronger and became a better shooter. Also, playing under two coaches taught me a lot about different ways of looking at the game.”

Two seasons ago, two games into his junior season, Powell suffered a knee injury which kept him out the rest of the season. However, Powell was able to use this to his advantage. “That would turn out to be my most important year, being forced away from the game totally,” Powell recalled. “It gave me the chance to start and watch the game from the coaches’ perspective. I had never missed that much time before, but it gave me a chance to study what was happening on the court.”

Powell carried this new knowledge with him into this past season, where he helped the Razorbacks to 19 wins while averaging over 14 points and 5 rebounds per game. Since he was granted a medical redshirt the prior year, Powell could have had one more year of eligibility next season. He made the decision to enter his name in the NBA Draft instead.

“I’m 23 years old already and have had a few injuries,” Powell explained about his decision. “I gave all I could to Arkansas and had some great years, but I’m ready to try for the next level and see how I do.”

Powell has impressed many with his athleticism and ability to play around the basket since his freshman season. Now, he looks forward to showing how far his game has come. “I am a versatile player,” said Powell. “I can play the 3 or the 4 on offense, can guard the 3 or the 4 on defense, and will give you 110 percent any time I am on the court.

He is already at work getting other parts of his game into shape to show NBA teams over the next few months. “I want to work on my mid-range game and my handle, as well as my jumper,” said Powell. “I want to go out there and show teams and General Managers that I can guard different positions.”

Powell knows he has his work cut out for him, but he believes that there is a spot for him in the NBA. “I have the work ethic to succeed,” said Powell. “I’m a smart kid, and being older, I know right from wrong. I am just going to play as hard as I can for as long as I can.”

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Photo: AP/Joe Raymond

There are many factors that go into the development of a basketball player, but one that often gets overlooked is the “fit” between a player, school, teammates and coach. When all of these areas sync together, you have access for growth in many different ways, both as a player and as a person. For Jack Cooley, he found that fit at Notre Dame, and what has transpired  4 years later has been a pleasure to watch for all basketball fans.

The result of this fit helped Cooley improve in many areas during his time in South Bend. “I definitely grew into a better leader; someone my teammates could rely on,” said Cooley. “I also became a much more confident basketball player, and I believe one of the better offensive big men in the country.”

Early on in Cooley’s career, it was hard not hear comments made by many about his resemblance to teammate, and future NBA Draft pick, Luke Harangody. To Cooley though, there was more to it than that. “I learned a lot from Luke during my time playing with him,” explained Cooley. “I learned a lot about how to handle pressure, and going against him in practice definitely made me a better player and eased the transition to college basketball.”

Playing in the Big East was also a vital part of Cooley’s development as a basketball player. “Just the talent and physicality of playing there, you just couldn’t beat it,” said Cooley. “The whole thing can be summed up in the atmosphere of the Big East Tournament in Madison Square Garden. Every team bringing their best so they can win it all.”

Cooley knows his work is cut out for him over these next couple of months, but he is confident in what he has already shown. “I’m known mostly for my rebounding and intensity, and my ability to play team defense” Cooley said. “What a lot of people may not have noticed is my ability to be very efficient on the offensive end. I can do a lot more than people may think.”

There are differences in the game at the NBA level, and Cooley is looking forward to stepping up parts of his game to adjust. “I need to work on guarding the pick-and-roll on the defensive end, especially because of its high usage at the NBA level,” explained Cooley. “I just want to spend time polishing up all parts of my game.”

Cooley had his first chance at seeing what’s ahead by taking part in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament a few weeks ago. “I was so happy to get the chance to play against so many other very good players,” Cooley said. “It’s a real help to take part in Portsmouth because this is going to be a whole new process and experience for me. The Portsmouth tournament is a great introduction to that process.”

While everyone wants to play a major role at the next level, there are a lot of different roles to be filled. Cooley has a good idea of how he can be a help right away. “I can definitely go out there as a hustle guy, and just give good minutes whenever I can,” said Cooley. “I can bring intensity, play hard, and go out and grab some rebounds.”

Before we finished talking, I had to ask Cooley about his recent engagement to his girlfriend at the Notre Dame Basketball end of the season banquet, video of which made the rounds on Twitter moments afterward due to a teammate. “I can’t believe it went so smoothly,” Cooley joked. “She had no idea and I had to spend so much time sneaking around trying to plan this all out.”

With Cooley ready to embark on new challenges in different parts of his life, one thing he is sure of is how he can help his next team. “I will go out there and bring it every possession and look to do what’s best for my team. I am a hard worker and I think a lot of teams will be pleasantly surprised by what I can do.”

Hopefully, the next great “fit” in Jack Cooley’s life will be found in the NBA.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

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

Circumstances often dictate what choices people make or how they respond to what life throws at them. In the basketball world, you can see it every day in how players respond to what they have been challenged with. Players like Velton Jones see the challenges on and off the court, and they look to rise above them. Over the past 4 seasons, Jones has helped the small school in Western Pennsylvania to 91 wins and 3 postseason appearances, and he is grateful for what he was able to get from this challenge.

“My time at Robert Morris definitely helped me improve my leadership abilities,” said Jones. “I was also able to improve my shooting, and just my overall understanding of the game. Coach (Andy) Toole got in the gym with me and worked through everything.”

While Jones’ game continued to develop through his four years at Robert Morris, it would turn out that his one chance at the NCAA Tournament would come early on, during his freshman season. “It was hard and disappointing to make it and then lose, but I learned a lot from the experiences,” said Jones. “You can’t be too overwhelmed by the experience. You’ve got to be humble.”

Jones would help lead Robert Morris to two other post-season trips, including the NIT this past season. The Colonials were given a golden, and unusual, opportunity, with a first round game against defending National Champion Kentucky, at home. In one of college basketball’s big moments of 2012-2103, the Colonials beat the Wildcats 59-57.

“It was incredible to see all of the hard work from the past four years pay off,” said Jones. “I don’t think Robert Morris got the credit it deserved over that time. The win over Kentucky catapulted us into the national spotlight. It was an amazing feeling.”

Jones is still in school finishing up his senior year, but he is anxious to get working on the next step of his career, and showing teams what he can add to their roster. “I think my leadership and character are the most important parts of my game,” explained Jones. “My toughness is important out on the court, and I have really learned a lot about the game.”

Even finishing up his four years of college, Jones realizes his game isn’t complete yet, and he knows exactly what he wants to work on. “I need to become a more consistent shooter, and be able to knock down my jumper with confidence,” said Jones. “I also want to work on getting to and finish at the rim and looking to get to the free throw line more often.”

Jones can already envision what he can bring to a team at the next level right away. “I am a great leader and locker room guy,” Jones explained. “I can bring energy to the team. I love to work hard and love being in the gym.”

All of this is just the next step in Jones’ journey and he feels he has a lot to offer. “I’ve seen a lot of things and been through a lot of adversity,” said Jones. “My father died of cancer and my mother has it now. I am willing to do anything I can to make this dream come true for my family.”

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

Photo: Marco Garcia/AP

The pressure that college basketball players feel comes from everywhere. Whether it is from coaches, family, a rabid fan base, what is supposed to be a game can break anyone not prepared for it. The pressure can become even more amplified if you choose to play your college basketball in the same city where you starred as a high school player. Expectations rise quickly and if you fail to meet them, you are sure to hear about it. Anthony Marshall knows exactly what the challenge feels like.

After graduating from Mojave High School in Las Vegas, Marshall decided to stay home and continue his college basketball career at UNLV.  “Playing at UNLV definitely brought up mixed emotions,” explained Marshall. “There was so much pressure because of the rich basketball tradition.”  The better part of it started to show to Marshall as he played out his career. “I basked in the pressure; all eyes were on us in Las Vegas,” said Marshall. “I really enjoyed the opportunity to play there and help restore the program back to the national spotlight.”

With the pressure, Marshall also received the benefits of playing for a tradition-rich program. “I learned how to be a leader,” Marshall said. “I was a quiet kid in high school, and would usually just lead by example, by going out and showing what needs to be done.” Marshall learned quickly that the same approach would not work in college. “I had to be more vocal as a leader,” Marshall remarked. “Not everyone responds to the same leadership style, so I had to speak up. The main thing was to never back down from a challenge.”

Marshall was able to see his growth extend to his personal life as well. “Having the opportunity to give back to the community and to do a lot of different things there helped me mature,” said Marshall. “I entered UNLV a boy and I am leaving a man.”

Senior year was set up to be Marshall’s time to shine. He was making the move to point guard full-time, and the team was stocked with talent at most positions.  However, the season forced Marshall to keep making adjustments. “There were a lot of ups and downs,” Marshall said. “We were a young team with a lot of freshmen and sophomores. I had to learn to be patient and deal with different situations; adjusting to staying at the same level through the good and the bad.”

Marshall handled the point guard position well, leading UNLV into the NCAA Tournament and averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists per game, while increasing his shooting percentages and playing tough defense.

With his college career over, Marshall is focused on showing NBA teams what he is capable of. “I showed this year that I am capable of handling the point guard position,” Marshall explained. “I can guard both guard positions, and my jumper has improved.” Marshall believes he is also capable of bringing intangibles to a team at the next level. “My leadership has improved, and I will play hard regardless of the situation. I am tough, a competitor and will give my all.”

Marshall knows he still has a lot of work to do, and he has plans on working to be the best player he can. “I need to continue to work on my overall game,” said Marshall. “Passing, shooting, defense can always be worked on. The great thing about basketball is you can never be perfect. There is always something new you can to learn to get better.”

The Portsmouth Invitational Tournament for seniors was last week and Marshall was invited to compete in front of a gym full of NBA scouts and executives. “It was a great experience to get together and play with so many great players,” Marshall said. “It gives you a chance to go out and compete and have fun. Winning was important though; I want to win every time I am on the court.”

Marshall believed he has showed and will continue to show that there is a role for him at the next level. “I think I can come in and defend multiple positions,” Marshal mused. “I can bring a spark; bring energy whenever I get a chance on the court. Even if it means being the guy cheering on the bench, teams need that kind of energy too.”

All of what has come before him has prepared him for what is ahead. “I can be tough on both ends of the court,” said Marshall. “I’m not afraid to play with the big boys. I hate to lose and love to win. Whatever a team needs me to do, I am ready to do it.”

Marshall has faced the pressure before and succeeded. Don’t count him out from doing it again.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

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

Photo: AP

The adjustment to playing college basketball can be difficult under normal circumstances. Between adjusting to the college culture as well as differences in the game, challenges are plenty. Now add doing all that when coming from another country. Brock Motum not only dealt with the changes coming to Washington State from Australia, but he thrived.

Washington State provided Motum his chance to improve his basketball game, but in many ways he was prepared for the challenge. “In Australia, the only major differences were a shorter shot clock and the game wasn’t as physical,” Motum explained.  “Having played in the World Championships, each country had a different style of play, so I was used to preparing for different things.”

 Motum has other methods of learning more about the American game. “I watched a lot of the games on TV and I would try to learn what I saw and try it myself,” said Motum. “The speed of the game and intensity was different, and it will be even more so at the next level, so you just have to keep adjusting.”

There were adjustments that needed to be made during each of his years at Washington State as well. “My freshman year, I was just looking for ways to contribute, stay positive and earn my opportunity,” Motum said. “I went home that summer and worked hard at what I needed to, and my sophomore year I was able to develop into a nice compliment to Klay Thompson.”

Motum’s big chance would come when Thompson left Washington State early for the NBA Draft. “My junior year, the opportunity was there for increased minutes, and I wanted to be the guy to step up,” said Motum. “I had some new parts to my game and fortunately I got the chance. That was my breakout year.”

After a successful junior season in which Motum averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds per game, he entered his senior year looking to build on it. “I just wanted to work on the skills I already had, become a better defender, and add some new stuff to make it harder to scout me,” said Motum.

It worked. Motum finished his senior year averaging almost 19 points and 6 rebounds per game, and he was named Second Team All-Pac-12. The improvements Motum made have put him on NBA teams’ radars. “I can be a knock-down shooter, working in the pick-and-pop as a stretch 4,” Motum explained. “If a defender closes out on me, I can take them off the dribble.”

Motum knows he has hard work ahead of him these next couple of months to make his game more complete. “I need to work on my size and strength,” Motum said. “I am a little undersized, and while having some tricks can help, adding size while not losing speed is important.”

He has already had the opportunity to see some of his potential competition for those valuable NBA Draft spots. Motum took part last week in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament for seniors. “It was a great experience,” claimed Motum. “I learned a lot about what I do well and what I need to really improve on for the next level.”

Motum is already at work in Washington, D.C. on his pre-Draft training and getting prepared for the road ahead. He does have a valuable person to go to for advice, his former teammate, and current Golden State Warrior, Klay Thompson. “Klay was roommate at school, and we probably talk still once a week, said Motum. “He helps me understand what is coming up and is the main person I go to when I need advice.”

Motum has shown he can make adjustments well, and there is little doubt that he will continue doing what he needs to reach his goal of the NBA.

Follow me on Twitter - @NBADraftBlog

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