Over the course of the next month until the NBA Draft on June 24, RTC will be rolling out comprehensive profiles of the 30-35 collegians we feel have the best chance to hear their names called by David Stern in the first round that night.  There won’t be any particular order to the list, but you can scroll back through all the finished profiles by clicking here.

Player Name: Quincy Pondexter

School: Washington

Height/Weight: 6’7, 215

NBA Position: Small Forward

Projected Draft Range: Late first round/Early second round

Overview: Washington’s Quincy Pondexter had a superb senior year apart from much of the national conversation due to the weakness of the Pac-10 and the fact that UW was written off very early — the Huskies in fact needed to win the Pac-10 Tournament just to make the NCAAs.  To their (and mostly Pondexter’s) credit, Washington was playing some of its best ball of the season during late February and March, ultimately winning nine of ten games to push through to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to Final Four squad West Virginia.  Pondexter was outstanding all season, though, as he waited for his teammates to jump aboard the express with him.  The undersized power forward went for 19.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 1.7 SPG while shooting a very high percentage and consistently getting to the line and converting opportunities.  Late in the season he was a lock as a go-to man in the clutch, most notably against a tough Marquette squad in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when he broke down his defender and got to the rim to give his team the lead with 1.7 seconds left.  Pondexter’s ability to create shots in the mid-post area and finish with authority makes him an interesting prospect as a small forward backup at the next level.  He will have to continue to improve the range on his jump shot, but the mechanics and intelligence are already there, so this shouldn’t be a big problem moving forward.  Whoever picks up QP will likely be pleased with how he turns out in the next several years.

We See QP as a Career Sub, But That's Not a Bad Thing

Will Translate to the NBA:  Pondexter’s work ethic and arc of improvement along with his athletic tools should translate very well to the small forward position in the NBA.  He put in four seasons of steadily improving work at Washington, adding more facets to his game each year and there’s no reason to expect that he has reached his peak as he only recently turned 22 years old.  In terms of athleticism and the ability to finish in traffic, Pondexter will do very well at the next level.  He was always a very efficient scorer, but it really came together for him last season when he shot a remarkable 53% from the field and 83% from the line.  As an NBA coach, you won’t need to worry about QP jacking up crazy shots outside the offense or his available skill set.

Needs Work: The 6’7 forward will have to become accustomed to playing more of a perimeter role in the NBA, which means his jump shot must become more reliable.  In college he was asked to use his athletic gifts to attack the rim, and although he was a solid three-point shooter at 35%, he knew that wasn’t his preferred shot and limited his attempts from deep (51 all season).  Mastery of the 18-22 footer in the NBA is absolutely essential to his playing time, because he will never be a primary option in the offense but will need to be ready for the kickouts and ball reversals that will come his way.

Comparison Players: The best comparison we could come up with would be Travis Outlaw in the sense that Pondexter’s probably looking at carving out a niche as a career backup who can come into the game and provide minutes at the small forward position.  Though not in bunches, he has the ability to score and with his length and smarts, he could potentially also become an excellent defender at the next level.

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Player Name: Jordan Crawford

School: Xavier

Height/Weight: 6’4, 198

NBA Position: SG

Projected Draft Range: Late first round/Early second round

Overview: Following a hectic summer headlined by an infamous dunk over LeBron James, Indiana transfer Jordan Crawford entered Xavier with the goal of becoming that go-to scoring option that would vault the Musketeers back to the Sweet 16 in Chris Mack’s first season at the helm. Crawford accomplished both goals with gusto. Crawford finished behind only UMass’ guard Ricky Harris for the A-10 scoring lead in the regular season, posting fourteen 20+ point performances during that span. As March rolled around, so did Crawford’s peak. The 6’4 sparkplug put up 62 points in Xavier’s three Atlantic 10 Tournament contests and carried that scoring prowess into the NCAA Tournament where Crawford tied BYU’s Jimmer Fredette for the tournament’s scoring lead at 29.0 PPG. No college hoops fan will soon forget his three-pointer from the cancer ribbon on the court in Salt Lake City to send the Kansas State Sweet 16 game into double OT (he scored 32 in that one). This late season shooting display resulted in Crawford peaking at the right time and earning the attention of numerous NBA scouts and evaluators. A player most assumed would stick around for another A-10 and Sweet 16 run was soon headed to the pros after just one season in Bloomington and one in Cincinnati. Crawford certainly left a lasting legacy for Musketeer fans, though, as one of the most exciting, inconsistent, heart-pounding and frustrating players to ever grace the floor of the Cintas Center.

Crawford Has the Ability to Blow Up Without Warning

Will Translate to the NBA: Crawford is one of the more polished and explosive scorers in the Draft. He knows he can score at any spot on the floor and shows it sometimes far too often. Crawford can spot up from mid-range or far behind the NBA three-point line and knock down the shot with proficiency. He was one of the more effective scorers in all of college basketball last year because of three reasons: 1) that unlimited shooting range, 2) craftiness and effort without the ball, and 3) persistence to penetrate and get to the rim. In isolation situations, Crawford is phenomenal at creating his own shot, even if it’s not the smartest one. He’s also tremendous off the ball reading screens, catching and elevating with his release high above the defender. Remember those old NBA video games where the player would literally catch fire when he’d make four or five shots in a row? That’s Jordan Crawford. The problem is that a series of misfires doesn’t deter the kid. He will shoot you in and out of basketball games.

Needs Work: Crawford’s shot selection and decision making must improve. He was in the perfect situation at Xavier because he was their only consistent scoring threat, so Mack could deal with Crawford taking twenty shots and dominating the ball on any given night. In the NBA, Crawford has to learn to utilize more discretion on his shots and maintain a level of effectiveness even as a role player. Crawford has the basketball IQ to bowl his way to the rim for free throws or layups when his shot isn’t falling, but we can’t recall very many times last season he decided to kick the ball out for open threes for teammates when the defense collapsed. Crawford is also a mediocre defender that tends to gamble and lose more than stick on his man, a sign of laziness on that end. More than anything, it seems to us his on-court ego needs to deflate just a tad, because Crawford can be a deadly complimentary player if he sets his mind to it.

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Player Name: John Wall

School: Kentucky

Height/Weight: 6’4, 196

NBA Position: Point Guard

Projected Draft Range: 1st overall pick

Overview: John Wall has been listed as the first overall pick for the 2010 Draft at mock drafts since he started his senior year of high school. His year at Kentucky merely served to further cement that lofty ranking. Gifted at slashing to the basket, taking contact, and still getting a shot away, he also possesses a court vision and an ability to distribute the basketball that just isn’t seen that often in the college game anymore, let alone in a freshman. Pundits have been very careful when predicting what type of professional player he will be, and that’s understandable, since we’ve heard such hyperbole so often in the past. But here, indeed, is a rare talent to say the least. Let’s be honest, how many players (especially freshmen) are legitimately good enough to borrow a dance from a music video and make it their own? For the record, we hope he does the dance one final time on draft night, then retires it forever, or at least finds another one. But boogie or no boogie, John Wall’s going to be a hit in Washington. He’ll immediately put fans in the Verizon Center seats, and then he’ll make those fans jump out of them.

Wall Will Be the #1 Overall Pick Next Week

Will Translate to the NBA: John Wall has gears most college players don’t possess. He can blow by defenders with either hand and still make a perfect pass or get off a good shot, all at that breakneck pace. He’s going to take more and harder contact in the league, but he’s fantastic at absorbing it and getting the and-one opportunity. In a body that’s still actually maturing, he’s still a ridiculous pure athlete, and even though that athleticism will be diluted a little in the pro ranks, he’s light years ahead of the curve in that respect for this stage in his career.

Needs Work: Even with such speed, for the most part, Wall made good decisions with the ball at Kentucky. He occasionally tried to make what John Calipari called “the high school play,” meaning a pass or a move that would work in high school but would result in a turnover when he tried it against the superior college athletes. It would only be worse in the NBA, especially because he tended to do this more in half-court sets. He showed some improvement in this respect as the season progressed, but he needs to totally eradicate that from his game. He’ll need to develop his jumper, too, but the combination of the fact that he’s coachable plus his awareness that he still has room to improve means that he’ll eventually be fine in that regard.

Comparison Players: One comparison we haven’t heard much is to another Kentucky point guard who left early, Rajon Rondo. Both are slashing players who prefer to score by attacking the rim, but are just as comfortable setting up teammates. Both are incredibly quick and use their long limbs to pick pockets and be disruptive on defense. Both players constantly sacrifice their bodies and still find ways to score. He’s also similar to another Calipari product in Derrick Rose, an athletic, slashing scorer whose jumper left a little to be desired upon entering the league.

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Player Name: Lance Stephenson

School: Cincinnati

Height/Weight: 6’6″, 227 lbs

NBA Position: SG/SF

Projected Draft Position: Late first/early second round

Overview: Coming into his freshman year Stephenson was one of the most talked about recruits in recent memory. Unfortunately it was for all the wrong reasons as Stephenson was considered egotistical and there were even questions about his eligibility. As it turned out Stephenson was not the much-ballyhooed recruit that spent the season on the sidelines because of eligibility issues. Although he avoided the long arm of the NCAA, Stephenson had his own struggles on an inconsistent Bearcat team that mirrored their mercurial freshman star’s personality. Stephenson had the potential to develop into a top 10 pick. Normally we would be critical of such a decision (as college basketball fans), but Stephenson has stated that his primary reason for leaving school early was to support his 2 year-old daughter.

Will "Born Ready" Be Ready for the NBA?

Will Translate to the NBA: Even though Stephenson is a borderline first round pick his game is NBA ready (his nickname is “Born Ready” after all) and if he works on keeping his ego in check, which reports out of workout sessions suggest, he should be a solid NBA player. With his power, quickness, and a solid mid-range jumper Stephenson should have a spot on a NBA roster for the next decade along as he continues to be the new-and-improved Lance Stephenson instead of the malcontent who nearly turned the basketball recruiting world upside down in the spring and summer of 2009.

Needs Work: For all of his athletic gifts Stephenson lack the explosiveness (both with his first step and his vertical) that scouts expect in high draft picks. While there isn’t much Stephenson can do about that other than try to shed a few pounds and go to Tim Glover during the off-season a few times. As for the more realistic targets for Stephenson, he could work on his long-range shooting (21.9% from 3 last year), defensive intensive intensity, going with the flow of the game instead of making up his mind before the play develops, and going with the simple play instead of the “And 1” play. So Stephenson has a lot to work on over the next few years. . .

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Player Name: Greg Monroe

School: Georgetown

Height/Weight: 6’11”, 247 lbs

NBA Position: Power Forward/Center

Projected Draft Position: Mid-lottery

Overview: After turning down Duke to go to Georgetown, Monroe has mostly lived up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon him as a top 10 recruit coming out of high school. He has proven to be every bit as talented as the high school recruiting experts, but questions remain about whether he has the tenacity or type of game to dominate the way you expect a superstar to. Monroe has shown the capacity to improve his game as demonstrated by his growth as a player between his freshman and sophomore year as the Hoyas often ran sets through Monroe. Although Monroe has the best skill set of any big man in the draft by a wide margin he has a lot to work on if he wants to fulfill his potential as a basketball player.

Monroe Has Shown Flashes of Brilliance

Will Translate to the NBA: Monroe will be a player that his teammates will love playing with. As soon as Monroe signs his first contract he will be one of the top 5 passing big men in the NBA. His game won’t overwhelm opposing teams, but if he is put in the right system he could flourish. In a few years he could very easily be the second or third option on a championship level contender. He isn’t the kind of player that you give the ball to with the clock running down, but he is a player who in the right situation can put you in position to win games (a lot of them). On the other hand, Monroe will frustrate fans because his passive game may be interpreted by many on the periphery as lacking the urgency his team sometimes needs. On defense Monroe will put up decent numbers because of his size and decent mobility even if he lacks the ideal NBA athleticism. He should be a decent defender, but will never make an all-defensive team. The big question will be how his game translates from the Georgetown “Princeton offense” to a more traditional NBA offense depending on where he ends up going.

Needs Work: As we have mentioned (and countless others before us) Monroe could become a little more aggressive on the offense end. While we all know the NBA could use a few more unselfish players Monroe needs to develop that “killer instinct” (a banal term for a not so banal attribute). Monroe could also use a little work in the low post. Even though he is effective with his variety of unorthodox moves inside Monroe would benefit immensely from a summer (or two or more) working with a skilled big man refining his inside game so he can play a little center too.

Comparison Players: The name you will hear thrown around the most when describing Monroe is Lamar Odom. While I can see that particularly with their build and passing ability there are some key differences namely that Monroe lacks the handle or outside shooting range that Odom has and Monroe can actually be an inside force (read: play defense) so the comparison is not a particularly useful one. Another comparison that I actually prefer is Brad Miller, another inside player with a solid passing game but not a dazzling array of other offensive skills. Miller has a nasty streak that Monroe has yet to display and Monroe has a little better handle, but otherwise their skill sets are pretty comparable.

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Over the course of the next month until the NBA Draft on June 24, RTC will be rolling out comprehensive profiles of the 30-35 collegians we feel have the best chance to hear their names called by David Stern in the first round that night.  There won’t be any particular order to the list, but you can scroll back through all the finished profiles by clicking here.

Player Name: Al-Farouq Aminu

School: Wake Forest

Height/Weight: 6’8, 216

NBA Position: Small Forward

Projected Draft Range: Mid-lottery

Overview:  Al-Farouq Aminu is a player that every NBA scout has had on his radar since he came out of the Atlanta area two years ago, but despite two solid years in the ACC at Wake Forest, he has yet to make the leap to bonafide superstar that many anticipated at that time.  In watching AFA play, you get a sense that he’s still often learning how to use his prodigious physical talents to his advantage, which makes sense when you consider that he’s still only 19 years old despite having two years of college ball under his belt.  Aminu’s upside is tremendous with his size, athleticism and nose for the ball combining to leave scouts waiting for everything to come together, but the biggest barrier between him and NBA stardom will be his weak jumpshot.  Still, despite having little in the way of a reliable offensive move to the basket at this stage of his career, he’s projected as a mid-lottery pick in next week’s draft because of the obvious possibility that he may explode in the next 3-5 years.  There is a slight risk that the team selecting Aminu will eventually be left with a freakish athlete and not much else, but the stronger possibility given his obvious work ethic is that AFA will eventually become a second-tier star in the league, a double-double threat every night out from the small forward position.

Aminu is a Freakish Athlete But Needs to Work on Shooting

Will Translate to the NBA:  Aminu’s athleticism and length at the small forward slot are what NBA coaches covet, as he has the capability and potential to become a terror filling lanes on the break, a powerful rebounder from the wing and a devasting perimeter defender.  Still only 19 years old, Aminu’s upside is what has him slotted into the top ten picks of the draft, in large part because if he ever figures out the shooting part of the game, he has the tools to become an eventual All-Star.  His wingspan of 7’3 ensures that he’ll get his hands on boards that most players his size cannot, making Aminu a modern-day Shawn Marion clone (with an equally ugly jumper).  Despite spending a fair amount of time on the perimeter in the Wake Forest offense, AFA was first in the ACC in rebounding (10.7 RPG) and was one of the very best in the nation at corralling second-chance opportunities for his team.  Players with that particular skill are born, and Aminu will be one of the next undersized forwards to consistently outhustle the Lamar Odoms of the world to rebounds and loose balls. 

Needs Work:  Speaking of that jumper, Aminu cannot yet shoot the ball with any kind of consistency outside of ten feet.  While his three-point percentage improved in his sophomore campaign from 18% to 27%, no opposing team had stopping AFA’s three-point attack at the top of their defensive priority list.  There are also concerns about Aminu’s maturity level.  At times last season and particularly as the wheels on the Wake Forest bus were coming off, AFA would seem to float through large portions of games, most notably in a zero-point, five-foul performance against Florida State during the last week of the regular season.  He also fouled out of three other games and picked up four fouls in nine more, limiting his time on the floor and causing his team to suffer as a result.  For him to reach his lofty potential, shooting drills and better concentration will have to be areas of improved focus. 

Comparison Players:  We mentioned Marion above as an example of a similarly sized player who had the athleticism and heart to regularly snare rebounds away from taller, bigger players.  The key distinction is that, ugly as it was, Marion’s jumper became consistently deadly from outside.  Will Aminu be able to work up to that level of shooting skill to keep defenses honest and open up his ability to get to the basket?  Luol Deng is another player with similar size and athletic gifts who Aminu could favorably compare with. 

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Player Name: Devin Ebanks

School: West Virginia

Height/Weight: 6’8, 208

NBA Position: Small Forward

Projected Draft Range: Late 1st round

Overview: Devin Ebanks’ value to the Final Four-qualifying West Virginia Mountaineers can’t necessarily be valued in points scored. The former Indiana commit was an important cog in the stellar Mountaineer defensive attack that vaulted Bob Huggins’ team to lofty heights during Ebanks’ final campaign. There were games where Ebanks’ mid-range jumper and soft touch around the basket contributed in the scoring column, prime examples being his 15 points in a home win over Georgetown, 19 points in a squeaker over Marquette and even 20+ point displays against the soft defenses of Providence and Seton Hall. There were also a handful of contests in which Ebanks simply could not be relied on to provide scoring punch, including five single-digit outputs in Big East play and even an embarrassing 19-minute donut in a discouraging road loss to Notre Dame. Ebanks’ rebounding capacity (8.1 per game), long wingspan, defensive prowess and gifted passing ability were certainly vital components of a wildly successful season in Morgantown, but if any NBA team is searching for a consistent scoring thump from the enigmatic Ebanks, they may need to search elsewhere late in the first round. Teams working out Ebanks likely fell in love with those secondary (albeit just as important to a winning cause) skills, giving the 6’8 Long Island native enough assurance of a first round selection that his final two campaigns in Morgantown were deemed unnecessary.

Ebanks' Defense and Rebounding Make Him an Intriguing Prospect

Will Translate to the NBA: There’s plenty that Ebanks brings to the table for any NBA squad. He’s truly one of the most gifted rebounders we’ve seen in the Big East in the last five years. His body and strength fail to overpower, but Ebanks has a knack for reading misses and exploding off the floor to snatch the rebound, especially for second chance opportunities. Ebanks averaged around eight rebounds per game in each of his two seasons at West Virginia and that incredible wingspan makes the task undoubtedly easier. Ebanks has a chance to thrive in a more up-tempo system because of his prowess in transition. His athleticism and gazelle-like strides in the open floor often conclude in powerful dunks or accurate pull-up short jumpers. We could see his mid-range game developing into a weapon in the next 4-5 years. His mechanics are sound, the elevation is evident and Ebanks is already a 75% free throw shooter. Since West Virginia’s offense is largely based on cutting rather than penetration, Ebanks was able to show his passing gifts on more than one occasion last season. He can also be a versatile defender that shuts down a scoring small forward or utilizes his wingspan/athleticism to contain bigger power forwards.

Needs Work: Just ask any West Virginia diehard who followed Ebanks during his two seasons in yellow and blue: it’s impossible to tell what you’re getting from Ebanks on any given night from a scoring perspective. Scouts will have a difficult time determining where Ebanks really succeeds on that end of the floor. He has no reliable go-to move, lacks the ball control to penetrate effectively and gives the defense nothing to respect on a shot with any range. Most of his points and shot attempts in college were a result of offensive rebounds or broken garbage plays, and even with that he only averaged just above nine FG attempts per game as a sophomore. Just ask Ron Artest whether a small forward in the NBA needs to have at least a somewhat respectable outside jump shot in his arsenal. Ebanks is a fantastic free throw shooter but rarely is able to draw fouls because of his complete lack of individual offensive capabilities. He absolutely must learn how to take defenders off the dribble and add some strength to finish through contact at the rim. Character is also a mild concern as Ebanks was suspended early in the 2009-10 season by Huggins.

Comparison Players: Although Ronnie Brewer is a bit shorter, we see a lot of his game in Devin Ebanks. Both are likely forever destined to playing a secondary role in the NBA and have certain discernable skills that should keep them in the league. Both players are abominable outside shooters but make up for that negative with outstanding defense on the other end. They’re also athletic and Ebanks even played point-forward on a handful of occasions at West Virginia.

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Over the course of the next month until the NBA Draft on June 24, RTC will be rolling out comprehensive profiles of the 30-35 collegians we feel have the best chance to hear their names called by David Stern in the first round that night.  There won’t be any particular order to the list, but you can scroll back through all the finished profiles by clicking here.

Player Name: Paul George

School: Fresno State

Height/Weight: 6’9, 215

NBA Position: Small Forward

Projected Draft Range: Late lottery

Overview: To the casual fan, Paul George may be the least recognizable potential lottery pick, having spent his two collegiate seasons in relative obscurity on bad teams at Fresno State.  National television appearances were few and far between, but when George’s Bulldogs found their way onto ESPN, he made the best of it.  Last season George did a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs, averaging 16.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.0 APG and 2.2 SPG while hitting 91% of this free throws in 33 minutes per game.  Still, he rarely faced elite defenders in the WAC so there is some lingering concern over the quality of competition he was doing it against, but the general feeling is that his athletic gifts and skill set are such that he will learn to excel against any defense.   The key question that draftniks have about George is whether his potential and upside are worth the risk of taking him with a lottery pick, and it appears as we get closer to draft day that several teams are more than willing to give him a shot.

George's Athleticism is Eye-Popping

Will Translate to the NBA:  George’s ridiculous athleticism, nearly seven-foot wingspan and astonishing leaping ability are attributes that will serve him very well at the small forward position in the NBA.  He can get to the rim and finish over and through defenders when necessary.  He also has exceptional range on his jumper — well beyond the college three-point line — although he can sometimes rely too much on this shot given his athleticism (43% of his field goal attempts were from distance in his two-year career).  There are quite a few swing players vying for a minutes at the next level who can run and jump like George, but not many can also shoot the ball with consistency.  He has had a tendency to take poor shots on occasion, but George will likely cut down on his chucker mentality when he realizes that he will not need to be the primary scoring threat in the NBA.

Needs Work: The areas of George’s game that need the most work are his sometimes sloppy handling of the ball (nearly three turnovers per game) and a lack of defensive intensity (especially considering his physical tools).  These are manageable problems that can be improved upon with repetition and improved focus during game action, but they’re also the type of mistakes that will get him pulled from the game quickly at the next level.  We imagine that some of this derives from being the star offensive player on a bad team and is correctable through management of his minutes and improved basketball IQ.  In other words, coaching.

Comparison Players: Reliable small forwards who can shoot from distance like Trevor Ariza, Danny Granger and Rudy Gay are several of the more popular comparisons we’re hearing.  George is probably a bit more athletic than those players so if he can shore up his handle and improve his shot selection, these are reasonable target players for him.  Should he not improve on his deficiencies, though, then Dorell Wright may be a more apt comparison over the long run.

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Over the course of the next month until the NBA Draft on June 24, RTC will be rolling out comprehensive profiles of the 30-35 collegians we feel have the best chance to hear their names called by David Stern in the first round that night.  There won’t be any particular order to the list, but you can scroll back through all the finished profiles by clicking here.

Player Name: Gani Lawal

School: Georgia Tech

Height/Weight: 6’9, 233

NBA Position: Power Forward

Projected Draft Range: Late first round/early second round

Overview: Gani Lawal came to Georgia Tech three seasons ago as a McDonald’s All-American with a reputation as a high-motor rebounder. Over his career with the Yellow Jackets he did nothing to dishonor that reputation, leading his team in both scoring and rebounding the last two season. Last offseason, he tested the draft waters, but wound up returning for his junior year. While his numbers took a bit of a dip in 2009-10, some of that can be attributed to having to share the post touches and rebounds with fellow early entry Derrick Favors. His game, however, did take some strides forward: his mediocre free-throw shooting improved a bit despite a late season dip, he improved his footwork in the post, and he increased his offensive efficiency there. However, he clearly has a limited upside, is not a natural offensive scorer and is limited outside of the paint.

Will Translate to the NBA: Lawal’s work-ethic is impeccable. He’s got a non-stop motor and relishes doing the dirty work inside. He is athletic and a strong rebounder with good size including a 7’0 wingspan, and while limited offensively, is quite aware of that fact and doesn’t force things. He is capable of scoring on the block and around the rim and has a pretty strong left hand for a natural righty. He is also capable of getting up and down the floor well and finishing on the break. While he’ll never be a go-to option at the NBA level, he is capable of being a solid role player, strong defender and strong rebounder.

Needs Work: Nearly all of Lawal’s weaknesses are on the offensive end, and the list is fairly extensive. He doesn’t have much of a face-up game, his handles aren’t great, he doesn’t have a great looking jumpshot and, rightfully so, isn’t very confident in it. He is a terrible free throw shooter, although he showed that he is capable of improving there: he shot nearly 70% from the line prior to the ACC season in 09-10, but reverted to just 46% from the line during ACC play. And, on the defensive end, he could use some work defending on the perimeter. Basically, Lawal is effective in and around the paint; a step or two outside of the lane is where Lawal could use plenty of work.

Comparison Players: He’ll be an NBA role player who contributes defensively and on the glass. He’s Brandon Bass, with maybe an upside of Udonis Haslem, providing energy off the bench, doing the dirty work, and being the type of guy who, when you look at the box scores, you may not even notice: four points on three attempts, five rebounds, a blocked shot in 18 minutes. You know, the kind of guy who is quietly very valuable in the League.

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Over the course of the next month until the NBA Draft on June 24, RTC will be rolling out comprehensive profiles of the 30-35 collegians we feel have the best chance to hear their names called by David Stern in the first round that night.  There won’t be any particular order to the list, but you can scroll back through all the finished profiles by clicking here.

Player Name: Avery Bradley

School: Texas

Height/Weight: 6’3, 180

NBA Position: SG

Projected Draft Range: Mid to late 1^st round

Overview: The much-hyped Avery Bradley experienced an up-and-down four months in his one and only season in Austin. Bradley helped transform Texas into an early season Final Four favorite, providing head coach Rick Barnes with exemplary perimeter defense paired with Dogus Balbay and even mixing in a taste of 20+ point offensive explosions along the way. Bradley’s most prominent stretch came in the middle of the Texas campaign just prior to their unfortunate collapse when the lengthy guard dropped 29 vs. Colorado and 24 at Iowa State in back-to-back early January performances that surely raised the expectations of the burnt orange faithful. After those virtuoso scoring nights, Bradley would post ten points or less in ten games until the Texas season came to a shocking end in the first round against Wake Forest (Bradley shot 4-15 for nine points). Of course, scoring doesn’t tell the entire story of Bradley’s game; stellar perimeter defense, explosiveness/athleticism and the ability to grab a key rebound in Rajon Rondo-like fashion all prompted enough NBA GMs and scouts to give him a first-round guarantee. Still, Bradley leaves Texas with little accomplished in a year that was supposed to reap major achievements.

Bradley Showed Considerable Promise in his Freshman Year

Will Translate to the NBA: Bradley isn’t necessarily known for his offense, but a 38% three-point mark as a freshman is exceptional. He has the ability to run off screens for catch-and-shoot opportunities from deep or pull up off the dribble and utilize outstanding elevation to get his shot off. It would benefit Bradley if he could perfect a floater in the lane to avoid relying too much on his sometimes inconsistent jump shot. A player with intelligence beyond his years, Bradley knows how to read opposing defenses and boasts the quickness to create just enough room to find an open look. What can make Bradley a real asset at the next level is his defense. His on-ball defense is phenomenal for a 19-year old, so good it could be used for an instructional video. You will rarely see Bradley lose focus or not be in a low defensive stance on that side of the floor. Bradley is also a very gifted off-the-ball defender, always chasing his opponent around the court. Even if he’s a bit undersized, peg Bradley and his 6’7 wingspan on a top shooting guard in the NBA and he would be able to hold his own right away.

Needs Work: With Bradley’s height, point guard would seemingly be the ideal position for him at the next level, but he simply lacks that ability at this stage in his career. Running the point takes an endless amount of practice and repetition, meaning it’s extremely long odds that Bradley ever learns how to play that position effectively. He’s never been apt at playmaking or setting up teammates for open scoring opportunities. His court vision is well below average and often times at Texas the ball would deflate in his hands. Bradley will have to play shooting guard in the NBA and could be frustrated with those bigger defenders. It doesn’t help that he wasn’t exactly proficient at scoring on penetration in his one year at Texas and rarely got to the free throw line (where he shot a ghastly 55%). At 6’3, his future NBA coach will likely have to match Bradley on the defensive end with either a point guard or a shorter two-guard to prevent a destructive height mismatch.

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