2009 NBA Draft (KnicksFanatics Live Blogging Event 06/25/2009 @ 7:15pm)
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Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: Tyreke Evans
6’5″, 221lbs
17.1 ppg, 3.9 apg, 2.1 spg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg 3.6TOs, 45%fgp, 71%ft%, 27.4% 3pt%
IGM KNICKS ANALYSIS
Did I save the best for last? If not, it’s damn near close.
Tyreke Evans brings a great combination of athleticism, skill and size to the 1-2 positions. This is a nice sized guard and would probably be the best choice for the Knicks, even over Stephen Curry since we all know we can find scorers. However, big multi-talented guards are a little harder to come across.
He has a well-rounded combination of skills. He can run the floor, handle the ball, pass the rock, retrieve the bounds and play some D. However, he needs to work on his shot including his free throw shooting in order to maximize his weaponry. He seems to almost throw the ball from the back of his head. He needs shooting practice, but he is far more reliable at this point than Brandon Jennings. I would also be very concerned about the low number of assists and the high number of turnovers. That is a signal that he may not be able to truly play the point position well-enough in a traditional offense. However, in an offense like a triangle he would probably excel. One report compares him to Hughes and Crawford. That is not necessarily a good thing since Hughes never realized his potential and Crawford is still dealing with his.
He is certainly an added threat on the floor at either guard position. In addition to his size, you must appreciate his ability to complete drives with a body on him. As Geoff Petrie said, this guy is strong. He knows his way aroudn the basket and can make difficult shots. He is accustomed to having the ball in his hands as he stated in one of the interviews below. He will need to learn to live with playing off the ball as well.
Others seem to be mesmerized by the speed of the young guards in this draft as though an ability to run fast with the ball in your hand is the penultimate. Speed is not the critical element for good playoff basketball. The ability to create options in half-court game/sets is extremely important. Tyreke has that potential as he can ball in the interior.
He has nice one-on-one creativity skills. You’ll see in one tap how he abuses a young Derrick Rose on the offensive end. I do believe this is a response to a tape of the same competition where Rose abused him on the other end. In any event, he can play with Rose. Reportedly, he can also play with the other top points in this draft. After being accused of holding soo workouts to avoid the competition and dropping in the draft, Evans attended Timberwolves workouts which included Wake Forest’s Jeff Teague, North Carolina’s Ty Lawson, UCLA’s Jrue Holiday, Syracuse’s Johnny Flynn and Brandon Jennings. Reportedly Evans performed well.
I’d rank him under Rubio and Curry in terms of potential to make an immediate impact on a squad. The Knicks could be happy with this pick should he slip to 8th.
DraftExpress.com
Situational Statistics: This Year’s Point Guard Crop
May 8, 2009
Tyreke Evans has the scoring tools to be productive, but needs to improve his perimeter arsenal to be efficient.
Evans was the top player on our list in possessions used per game as a finisher at 8.8, and his PPP of 1.14 lands him a bit above average. Unfortunately, his overall PPP was .88, which lands him slightly below average and exposes the biggest weakness in his offensive game: his jump shot. His PPP in open catch and shoot situations was a paltry .86. Couple that with only .69 PPP on jump shots off the dribble, and it becomes abundantly obvious that Evans is far from a complete package offensively. His PPP of .54 on isolations is a bit disconcerting as well, but it shows that he’s opportunistic enough to find his way to the rim in other situations, while also displaying his tendency to force the issue in one on one opportunities. Getting fouled at an average rate and not being too turnover prone, whichever team drafts Evans needs to take the time to develop his jumper to help the transition of his dribble-drive game to the NBA.
[Read Full Article]
VIDEO LIBRARY
Tyreke Evans v. Derrick Rose
Tyreke Evans Mix
Tyreke Evans’ Pre-Draft Workout with Kings
Tyreke Evans Interview with New York Media After Knicks Workout
Tyreke Evans Combine Interview
Tyreke Evans Pre-Draft Interview
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WALSH SPEAKS ON THE UPCOMING DRAFT
Donnie Walsh Transcript
Posted Jun 22 2009 3:oo p.m.
Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh addressed the media on Monday, just three days before the 2009 NBA Draft. Below is a transcript of what Walsh had to say regarding the draft, the Knicks and the NBA in general.
Question: Why would you have (Jrue) Holiday in twice?
Donnie Walsh: I just wanted to take a final look at him, because I’ve seen him but I wanted to make sure everybody saw him, scouts and coaches.
Question: How much of a fear is it, I mean obviously there have been a lot of guys who have gone from being freshman to being good NBA players, but is that something also for guys like him that are in that same boat?
Walsh: Yeah, but there’s a lot of them. So is it a fear? No, not if you think that he can project into being a good NBA player. So in the case of most of the guys that are in this draft, that’s what is being done. But it is a jump of faith to try to predict a guy into a certain level, because you are going on what is his potential and if you feel good that he is going to reach it.
Question: Is there something you didn’t see from Holiday the first time that you wanted to?
Walsh: No. I saw him play in the regular season so I have a good feel for him. But going into the draft, you start watching the way the draft can go and you want to make sure. So there wasn’t anything earth shattering, it was like, well, why not let him come in again. And his agent said fine. Most of these kids are going to go to the NBA Draft, so they are on their way anyway.
Question: Are you aware of the smokescreens that are out there now, and the teams ahead of you? I mean, Washington is talking about seven players…
Walsh: Yeah I know.
Question: So do you see games being played, especially because there is a lot of parity in this draft?
Walsh: Yeah, I think that’s true. The only player right now is (Blake) Griffin. You know where he’s going and after that, all the way down past us, you have no idea who is taking who. And I think its to a degree because there is parity. There’s also at this point most teams got a guy that they want to take, and they don’t want anyone else to kind of figure it out. And we have a few teams that are traditionally like that at the top of the draft, and have been for a while.
Question: So do you have to have a plan A, B, C, D…
Walsh: Yes, of course. That’s what we’ll do.
Question: Is that what looking at Holiday a second time is?
Walsh: That’s part of it, but I think we also have until Thursday night and we need to spend it exactly on that to be sure that if this, this and this happens, where are we?
Question: When he talks about smokescreens, is that what people talking about (Hasheem) Thabeet and (Ricky) Rubio falling out of the top four is? Or are you pretty confident that they won’t be around when you pick eighth?
Walsh: No, I’m not.
Question: So you are confident or you aren’t that they will be available?
Walsh: I’m not confident that they will be in the top four.
Question: So they could slide down your way?
Walsh: Yea, they could. I mean, it’s possible. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but you are hearing all this stuff and reading all this stuff. It could happen.
Question: Is this the most in flux a draft has been that you can recall?
Walsh: Not really. I mean, I think they are all like this. People are afraid of teams jumping ahead of them. They figure out, ‘Oh, ok if I want this guy he’s going to stop at four, then I have to get three” and then a trade at the last minute (could happen).
Question: Do you understand why Rubio might slip? Is it because of his situation with the buyout, he hasn’t worked out for anyone…
Walsh: I think it’s effected (Brandon) Jennings as well. They are not here, you don’t hear a lot about them, in Rubio’s case he didn’t work out, so you either really have to want him, because he is not in the news so to speak as much as the other players. And I think Jennings was that way too. That’s why he’s working out a lot. I’m sure he’s impressing some teams.
Question: Did you ask or want Rubio to come in?
Walsh: Probably back, but not now. We are down to it, and we know he’s a good player.
Question: But earlier in the process…
Walsh: Well when we started, I probably wanted to get him in.
Question: So you won’t meet with him?
Walsh: I don’t need to.
Question: Is he still number one on top of the board in terms of point guards?
Walsh: I don’t know. You have to ask the guy whose got two. (laughs)
Question: So on draft night you will have a scenario of someone trying to get up to number two…
Walsh: Yeah, those things happen in the draft. I’m not saying you don’t talk about them now. It’s also in the draft, you might get a call five minutes before you pick or five minutes before they pick.
Question: Do you think there will be any less of that because of the parity?
Walsh: I think there’ll be more than that.
Question: Given the depth of the draft at point guard, do you think it’s likely that’s where you end up?
Walsh: No, I don’t. The players that are at our pick, and the player we think is best for us, that’s who we’ll pick. We haven’t picked out a position that we need to get in this particular draft.
Question:Are you thinking that (Stephen) Curry and Tyreke (Evans) just might not be there at eight?
Walsh: I think that there are a lot of guys that might not be there so I have to be ready for who is there and what we’re looking for. There are good players.
Question: The player that you draft, could he impact the free agents, particularly the top free agents that you have?
Walsh: It depends who it is to be honest. There are some guys that are ready to play right now, and there are some that are very young and need time. The draft isn’t something you can grade the next day. You have to wait to see how you do. There is LeBron James and Michael Jordan, but in most cases, players need time.
Question: Last year, it was the first time working with Mike (D’Antoni). His system isn’t traditional. Do you look at that when you are picking?
Walsh: Yeah, I think you always do that. You always have a coach who has a style, so you try to pick for that style, but not 100-percent. If the guy is good enough, you figure he’ll fit in to his style.
Question: Do you want another number one pick because you don’t have one next year?
Walsh: I’d love to have one but people aren’t running around offering.
Question: Are you shopping for one, or even a two?
Walsh: Yeah I mean you always ask, but people are very reluctant to do that because they don’t know how they are going to be next year.
Question: There is talk with the way economy is, teams might be selling off picks. Have you seen any of that?
Walsh: No. I haven’t seen anything like that. We kind of talked to some people we thought would, and they haven’t yet.
Question: How far down in the draft would you go if you got a pick for next year to make it worthwhile?
Walsh: This year, I think you will be able to pick players 20-30, who while they haven’t got the cache of some of the players that are picked before that, so I think once we get the draft down and we are pretty close to it, you might be able to get a really good player at 20-30 if you get the right pick.
Question: Is there a market for your players? I mean a good market?
Walsh: I’m not sure. Because I probably value them more than other people.
Question: You’ve been asked about your players I presume.
Walsh: Yeah, there are some who do and some who don’t.
Question: When you talk about what you need and talk about point guards, it seems you like a scoring point guard?
Walsh: That’s not true.
Question: So what do you feel like you need from that position right now.
Walsh: I think a guy that can play a fast tempo. And I’d like a guy who can defend too, so those things. But someone who can play a fast tempo, because that’s what we want to play.
Question: Some say after that the players after one, they all seem kind of the same. Is this not a mediocre draft? Are you saying it is a decent draft?
Walsh: Well I think there are good players in the draft, so in that regard, there will be good players where we are so in that sense it is a good draft. You know, you have to wait two or three years to find out how really good it was. There are some years you go in thinking it’s not a really good draft, and you wake up two years later and these guys are starting, one through 20, and you think ‘Wow, that was a good draft.’
Question: When you evaluated Curry and he talked so much about wanting to be here, how much of a factor is that to you? Just the fact that he’s talking about it, what do you think of it?
Walsh: Well I’ve heard that from a lot of players, and so I like that. I like it better than someone who says he doesn’t want to be here. (laughs)
Question: How different is it this year in New York compared to your first year in the draft?
Walsh: It’s the same. I mean, I’ve told you guys I think you’ve got to get good players when you have this kind of opportunity. So that’s what I think. We have to pick the right guy.
Question: Have you seen Rubio play in person?
Walsh: No. I saw him on TV and all that, and I’ve watched a lot of film on him. A lot.
Question: But your people have.
Walsh: Yeah, I’ve got a European scout who is from people. We have people.
Question: How much do you blame the player or the agent when he decides he doesn’t want to work out?
Walsh: I don’t blame the player. Usually it’s the agents strategy and it either works or it doesn’t.
Question: What’s the strategy?
Walsh: The strategy is to get him picked by the teams the guy wants him to get picked by.
Question: Do you think New York is one of those teams that people wouldn’t mind…
Walsh: Well because we are at eight, not at the beginning but maybe at the end. Who knows? I’m not part of that strategy.
Question: What is your opinion about the one-and-done rule? Would you like to see high school kids be able to come out?
Walsh: I’m probably at the other end of the stick. I thought we had a great farm system. And it was free. But it is what it is now. The NCAA.
Question: Do you think there would be less scandals…
Walsh: Well I’m not going to comment on that because I am not in that world anymore. I just think that when guys went to college for four years, when they came out, they were ready to go to the pros. They receive great coaching, they receive a college degree. So when they come into this world they were ready. We as teams now, we have to make up for that when they get here. We’re doing the best we can. We’re fasting getting to a point where we can do it well, but it wasn’t traditionally so what an NBA team did when it started.
Question: Being that you want to compete sooner than later, are you more apt to go with a player who can contribute right now than a player who might be a project and might take a year?
Walsh: It depends who it is. It really depends on how good I think he can be eventually. And that can be an older guy or a younger guy. You have to look at that.
Question: There are a few small point guards in this league. How important is height as a fact for point guards?
Walsh: Well I would like them to be bigger than smaller, but there are obviously some smaller point guards who are making an impact on the league. I think a lot of that has to do with the rules on the perimeter, so they are not counted out just because they are smaller anymore.
Question: Do you think it’s easier for them to get along in today’s NBA than it used to be?
Walsh: Yeah, I do. I think the floor has opened up a lot. It’s very hard to guard some of the quickness that’s coming into the league particularly with smaller guards, without putting your hand on them and that’s a foul now. Back when I started they could pick you up with one hand and that wasn’t a foul. (laughs) But yeah, I think its better.
Question: Is this your last lottery pick in New York?
Walsh: I hope. Well I’ll say this, whether I was in New York or Indiana, I hope this is my last lottery pick. I never like being in the lottery.
Question: As the Celtics and the Lakers have proven the last couple of years, if you take on salary, there are big time players available if you want to make a trade. Do you think that will happen again this year given how many teams are trying to cut costs?
Walsh: Yeah, I think the guys you think can make a difference to take you from a losing team to a winning team, people will make the investment. But if its close, they might night.
Question: Do you think there are teams that are willing to take on salary anymore?
Walsh: Yeah, I do. I mean, I think there will be, if they see its going to push them up into a winning team. Because if you have a winning team, then you fill the stands and you make a lot more money. And I think that’s the way those teams think. And they want a chance to win the playoffs.
Question: Do you have a better feeling about the David Lee situation today than you did when the season ended?
Walsh: Absolutely not, because I’m not allowed to talk to him or his agent. I mean, I can say hello and that kind of stuff, but no I don’t. I won’t know that until July 1.
Question: How is (Danilo) Gallinari’s recovery?
Walsh: Good, from what I’m told. He went to a photo shoot for the league I think, so I haven’t seen him in about a week. But all the reports I’m getting back is that the operation was a success, and whatever remains to be done is more rehab, and then I have to talk to him to know exactly, but it doesn’t seem to be a big obstacle for him. The doctor is at the point where she’ll let him go play now. But I haven’t talked to her. But he’s close.
Question: Can any pick you make be influenced by what you might possibly want to do later in the summer in free agency or trades or whatever?
Walsh: Well, you are always influenced by what you need and what you might do. So yes, those things could come into it. I’m at a stage now though where I’m trying to see who is the best player for the team, and I’m assuming if you do that, then those things will be there.
Question: Any sense of what the chances are you are going to stay at eight at this point?
Walsh: No, I mean, how many trades get done in the draft? Whatever that percentage is, that’s what it is. Everyone wants to move up all the time.
Question: How confident are you after this offseason ends that you can make the playoffs?
Walsh: Well look, that’s what we want to do. Confident? Well I won’t be confident until we do it. I mean, we’ve got to go out and do it. You can go out and talk about it all you want, but the idea is to try to get to that. And I talked on my first day here, that the most difficult thing will be last year and this year because you’ve got to be very careful with what you’re doing if you have a strategy, like trying to stay under the cap?
Question: How’s Eddy Curry?
Walsh: He’s doing well, from everything I’ve heard. I did see him one day on the day of the Chicago thing, I went up to Detroit and watched him work out. And he’s working very hard, he’s losing weight, and he’s starting to get his body to look like an athlete’s body again. I have to give him credit for working as hard as he can work to try to do it.
Question: When you watch the Finals and you see how the playoffs shook out, bigs are valuable. You have one that a couple of years ago was in the conversation to be an all-star…
Walsh: Yeah, and bigs are valuable in the playoffs. That’s when they are at their best and you really need them, because they can distort the game. And he’s a low post player. Now, at the four and sometimes at the five, you get guys who are standing outside shooting. But when you get to the playoffs, that isn’t as dramatic as having a guy they have to double-team and have to worry about all the time. So you always want that.
Question:What about Jonny Flynn?
Walsh: He’s a guy, who even in college, if you catch him on the right day, even in these workouts, this guy, if teams want a certain type of point guard, then you go for him.
Question: What about Sacramento and all the talk about them and what they might do?
Walsh: Well they are the eye of the storm right now. Everyone is trying to figure out what they are going to do, and it will be different tomorrow.
Question: Hypothetically, if Rubio is sitting there are eight, is it a slam dunk that you would take him?
Walsh: It depends who he is with. I can’t predict who he will be with. But I think there are other players who are on his level. He has experience, a great game, flair – but like most players in the draft he’s got some things he does better than most NBA players and he some things that he doesn’t do. And I can’t think of anybody in this draft that doesn’t fit into that category. That’s where he is. He’s like 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5. That’s a big guard.
Question: Is that what you like most about Holiday, that he is a two-way player?
Walsh: Yeah. I mean, he’s a good player. And he is good defensively, yeah.
Question: Of the guards, is Evans the most explosive going to the basket?
Walsh: Well, he is one of them because he is powerful and he has a great handle. If he gets kind of an opening, he is very strong so he gets there. There are a couple who get there one quickness, he gets there because of that. And he can pass too. If you help off on him, which you are probably going to have to do, he will get the open guy.
Question: Is he a combo guy? Is he more of a two in your mind?
Walsh: No. I think he can play both, but he will be a point guard eventually in the NBA. You can post him. I think he weighs 215.
Question: Does he have to work on his shot a little bit?
Walsh: Yeah, but I didn’t see – all these guys that I heard couldn’t shoot, that would be the quote, I didn’t think they were that far away. So I think all these guys they are saying that about, they will get better in the NBA because most players once the concentrate on being a pro and are shooting all the time, they get better. And their form, these guys forms at this point, they are not bad. I mean, he shot it well when he was here. He was hitting threes. He shot it very well.
Question: Are there questions about Stephen Curry defensively?
Walsh: Well, I think you have to have a system for all these players, and to me, a guy like Curry is smart enough to figure it out and learn how to play in the NBA defensively.
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Related Previous Posts:
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report: Ricky Rubio
And With The Eighth Pick, The New York Knicks Select. . .
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report: Jrue Holiday
Is Brandon Jennings Playing Media (and Us) With Rubio Diss?
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Eric Maynor
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Brandon Jennings
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Demar Derozan
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Series Stephen Curry
Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: Jrue Holiday
6’4″, 207lbs
8.5 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.8 rpg, 1.6 spg 45% (FG%), 52.8% (2pt%), 30% (3Pt%)
IGM ANALYSIS
If he was without a promise of a top five position, his advisers (he has no agent but IMG and Don Fegan popped up in rumors) would probably advise him to go back to UCLA and re-enter the draft next year. UCLA Coach Ben Howland promised Holiday that he would have the ball in his hands next season if he decided to return to school. Another year would have allowed him to erase the bad freshman year from recent memory and to strengthen his reputation for a higher slot and more money next year. However, his workouts, during which he played his natural position (point guard), seems to have impressed the Kings who have the 4th spot and had him in workouts twice. According to one reporter, Holiday’s defensive skills did not match Jennings’ speed but Jennings did not prove he could run a team in the part of the workout open to reporters. He is also being considered to run alongside Stephen Jackson and Monte Ellis in Golden State which has the 7th pick.
Draft Depot Profile
Player Biography: A highly rated point guard (#2 Rivals.com; #4 Scout.com) from North Hollywood, California, Holiday averaged 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 4.8 steals as a senior for Campbell Hall. Holiday, the 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American, led Campbell Hall to three championships in four years before committing to UCLA. Playing alongside senior Darren Collison, Holiday made an immediate impact for the Bruins, excelling defensively and solidifying himself as a top point guard prospect for the NBA Draft.
| Strengths:
• Decision making • Basketball IQ • On-ball defense • Off-ball defense • Versatility • Pick and roll skills • Work ethic • Finishing ability • Strength/size • Court vision |
Weaknesses:
• Perimeter shooting • Combo guard? • Lacks scorer’s mentality • Limited collegiate production • Upside |
NBA DRAFT.NET
Strengths: Long and wiry combo guard … A crafty ballhandler that knows how to get defenders off balance with the dribble … Has a good repertoire of moves and mixes them up well to keep the defense guessing … He has a deceptive 1st step and shifty quickness making him difficult to contain on the perimeter … Is adept using both hands, either when attacking or finishing … Uses his body as well as his length to finish around the basket … Utilizes a variety of floaters and runners in the lane … Likes to pull up from the midrange where he shoots with balance and good rhythm … Shows good speed in the open court and the ability to manoeuvre through traffic with the dribble while going full speed … Puts in a good effort defensively, where he enjoys being aggressive and pressuring ballhandlers … Has good hands, anticipates well and uses his wingspan to get many deflections … He is unselfish and possesses good court vision and has shown glimpses of being able to run a team full time …
Weaknesses: Had a very disappointing season in terms of the hype he had coming in from highschool … Played out of position for the majority of the season, and struggled finding his comfort zone … Battled inconsistency with his shot all year and it threw the rest of his offensive game off balance … Defenses showed very little respect for his outside shot, daring him to shoot and taking away his driving lanes … His form is a big issue as it throws his stroke off and makes his release inconsistent … He shoots off the side of his head with the shooting elbow way out, as a result his shot is all over the place …He does not have the superb athleticism or strength like many other combo guards … Tends to waste dribbles on the perimeter, killing the flow of the offense because he can be a ball stopper at times … Gets into trouble by over penetrating and then trying to make the spectacular play while in traffic and under pressure … Settles for contested jumpshots from outside and takes a lot of fading and offbalance attempts inside … Leaves his feet to make passes and gets caught with no options … Is stuck between positions because he has not proven that he can be a consistent scorer or that his decision making will translate to the next level …
Borko Popic – 6/2/2009
Aran Smith – 7/24/2007
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JRUE’S VIDEO LIBRARY
Jrue Holiday Mixes
Jrue Holiday UCLA Highlights
NBA draft prospect Jrue Holiday’s college highlights – Watch more Videos at Vodpod.
Jrue Holiday v. DeMar Derozan
Jrue Holiday Plays Defense
Jrue Holiday Workout With Sacramento Kings
Jrue Holiday Interviews
Ben Howland on Jrue Holiday
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Related Previous Posts:
Is Brandon Jennings Playing Media (and Us) With Rubio Diss?
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Eric Maynor
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Brandon Jennings
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Demar Derozan
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Series Stephen Curry
IS BRANDON JENNINGS PLAYING THE MEDIA (AND US) WITH RUBIO DISS?
On one hand, Brandon Jennings should keep his mouth shut as he disses player after player in his quest to become a top two lottery pick and an NBA star. He should probably let his play in workouts do the talking for him. Instead, he is supplementing (or is it supplanting?) his impressive one-on-one offensive displays with pot-shots at the likes of Tyreke Evans, Jru Holiday and now, Ricky Rubio. (See video and draw your own conclusion). Jennings has done the press a favor by giving them something to write about as the draft draws near and more focus is placed on a very competitve group of guards who are shaping the 2009 draft.
But, as Jennings finds a way to boost himself, while displaying either his arrogance or confidence (depending on how you look at it), you have got to wonder whether Jennings is playing the press to pump up his profile and marketability. Jennings may have attended two high schools largely to play ball and had a hard time qualifying for college, but you gotta believe that his year in Europe taught him that the NBA is a business and this business will be his livelihood. He knows that right? Or is he just a skinny Ricky Henderson in shorts?
I don’t know for sure, but I think Jennings knows that being associated in a competition with Rubio is great for his career and probably Rubio’s. Although he dogged-out Rubio a couple of days ago, Jennings wrote some very nice things about him and his game in his December blog entry. He wrote:
“Now to what everyone wants to hear about, the game and the matchup with Ricky. Unfortunately Ricky only played about 8mins cause he’s still kind of hurt from a wrist injury he suffered in the Gold Medal game vs. Team USA, but in just 8mins he showed me a lot. I have a ton of respect for the dude. He’s real mature out there on the court, he has a great feel for the game. He passes the ball like crazy, reminds me of Steve Nash a little bit. Put it like this if he were in the class of 09 in high school basketball he would be the #1 player hands down. No question about it. I can only hope that when Ricky and I one day get to the NBA we can be like Chris Paul and Deron Williams, as our careers take off together like CP3 & D Will’s did. Despite what the critics say that he can’t shoot Ricky is going to be going a Great NBA player someday…he brings a complete game to the table.”
So who’s hyping who? Well, he got me. I am looking forward to seeing them play each other in the near future.
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Related Previous Posts:
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Eric Maynor
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Brandon Jennings
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Demar Derozan
Fanatics Pre-draft Scouting Report Series Stephen Curry
Dante Who? Quick Views On Recruits Working Out For Knicks Today
Today the Knicks are having workouts with Dante Cunningham, Toney Douglas, Tywon McKee and Leo Lyons. Here are some quick highlights so that you can get an idea of what the Knicks brass is looking at and looking for.
Dante Cunningham
Cunningham, at 6’8″, 230lbs is an undersized power forward with an intriguing mid-range game. He average 16.1 ppg in his senior year on 52.5% shooting. He hit and shot no tres. He is ranked 14th among PFs by Draft Express. Is this a replacement for David Lee? I hope not.
Toney Douglas
Florida State’s Douglas, a projected 2d round pick, is ranked as the 13th best PG in the draft by Draft Express, but hsi strength is his shooting especially off the pick and roll. He average 21.5 ppg on 48.9% shooting from deuce-land and 38.5% from the tre mark. He is said to be an excellent finisher, but he is definitely not the point guard the Knicks need. Shooting guard, maybe.
Leo Lyons
Leo Lyons at 6’9″ 225 is a power forward out of Mizzu who is projected to go in the second round. The tape sows that he has an array of offensive skills, but the word is that his defense is suspect adn he is foul prone. Looking at these quick highlights, I would also be concerned about his energy level as he seems to lumber along in his own highlights. His averages were 14.4ppg, 6.1 rpg with no blocks. He shot 49.% from the field, 35.7% from the three point line and 74% from the freebie semi-circle.
I could not find a quick hit of highlights on Tywain McKee, the Coppin State senior guard who averaged 18.4ppg, 4.1apg, 3 turnovers per game, and 2.8 steals per game. He shot 36% from the arc. I also did not find any profiles on his strength and weaknesses.
Here a little extra treat: video of Jrue Holiday’s pre-draft workout with the Sacramento Kings. He is scheduled to work out tomorrow. I hope to do a full-blown report on him before the week is out.
Related Fanatics Posts:
Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: Eric Maynor
Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: Jonny Flynn
Famatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: DeMar Derozan
Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: Brandon Jennings
Fanatics Pre-Draft Scouting Report: DeMar Derozan
6′ 7″, 220 lbs
13,9 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.9 spg,
IGM ANALYSIS
OUTSIDE SCOUTING REPORTS
NBA DRAFT.NET
Adam Ganeles 5/11/09
Strengths: Jaw dropping athletic specimen. At a chiseled 6’6 220 with large wingspan. Possesses the prototypical frame for an NBA wing …Incredible leaper and explosive finisher. Vertical is reportedly 40 inches plus … His head is even with the rim on many of his dunks … Has all but mastered the art of the mid-range game … Shoots the ball exceptionally well from inside 20 feet. At his best with one dribble and then elevating, preferably to his left … Moves well without the ball, always looking for creases in the defense … Uses screens well and comes off ready to fire … Puts his unique package of leaping ability and strength to good use on the glass … Excellent offensive rebounder (2.4 per game) … Finishes strong around the basket, but shows finesse and variety with floaters and spin moves … Right hand dominant when attacking the hoop. Defenders know this, but he still gets to the rack, a testament to his first step and strength … Puts in a strong effort on the defensive end … Above average lateral quickness, but often too high in his defensive stance. Reads habit passes well off the ball … Showed signs of being a pressure performer, taking his game to another level in the Pac 10 tournament, completely outclassing his competition with a myriad of out of this world athletic displays …
Weaknesses: Still very much a work in progress, filled with untapped potential … Despite all of his physical attributes, is often satisfied to ‘go with the flow’. Does not look to dominate … His on court presence leaves much to be desired at this stage of his development .. He plays hard, but rarely full throttle … Passion to be a superstar has always been questioned .. Needs to enhance range on his jumper … Shot only 17% from three in his one season at USC, attempting only 1 per game … He steps into his mid-range jumper well, but tends to fade away on three point attempts … Despite a picturesque stroke, shot only 65% from the FT line … His ball handling needs a lot of work … Rarely, if ever, takes more than one dribble to his left without pulling up or spinning back right … Very predictable. Lacks creativity in the face up game which he will need to succeed at the next level … Despite his size and strength, he did not utilize the post up game at all in college. Not much of a passer or facilitator (1.5 assists per game) … Has a quick first step, but not dynamic … His ceiling is unlimited, but needs to add many significant dimensions to his game. A year older than his freshman counterparts, turning 20 in August.
DRAFT EXPRESS
Situational Statistics: This Year’s Small Forward CropApril 24, 2009• Whichever team drafts Demar DeRozan will be picking him in the hopes that he’ll growing into their system, and not because he’s already a great fit.
Unlike every other player in our analysis, DeRozan doesn’t make a living in any one situation, though he is one of the most efficient players on our list. In our last piece we discussed the new %Score stat which indicates how frequently a player scored a point based on their logged possessions. DeRozan ranks first amongst the nineteen players on our list at 54.4%. However, he ranks only 16th in overall PPP. This disparity stems from the fact that he shoots nearly three less three-pointers per game than the average player on our list (4.3 vs. 1.3) and ranks last in terms of three-point percentage at just 16.7%. He doesn’t get to the free throw line at a great rate to compensate and only converts on a mediocre 65% of his attempts once there. He makes up for that by shooting 49% from the field on his isolation opportunities (4th), knocking down his catch and shoot jumpers at a 43% clip (6th), and hitting 41% of his pull ups as well (4th). Clearly DeRozan has a solid knack for operating in the mid-range area, which should serve him well in the more spacing-friendly NBA. He’s also a good offensive rebounder—a testament to his excellent physical tools.
Outside of those areas, DeRozan proves a very average player across the board. His defensive rebounding totals sit just below the mean as does his assists numbers, PPP working off of cuts (1.22) and as a finisher around the rim in general (1.14). He sits a bit further below the average in a number of other situations including spot up (1.02 vs. 0.93) and transition opportunities (1.19 vs 1.03). Considering that he didn’t do almost any posting up (0.3 Pos/G) or shooting coming off of screens (0.7 Pos/G), the weight teams put on how significantly they believe he can improve his range and ability to improve his efficiency in a defined system will likely determine where he lands on draft day. A freak athlete, DeRozan has some natural offensive talent, but he’s essentially a blank canvas in terms of what kind of player he can be in the long run. Whoever picks him will obviously need to be patient, although he may more upside that arguably any wing player in this draft.
VIDEO LIBRARY
DeMar’s High School Mixes
DeMar Goes To College
DeMar DeRozan v. Jrue Holliday
DeMar Derozan Draft Combine Interview
About
2010, A CAP SPACE ODYSSEY
Welcome to the new home of Knicks Fanatics, the best independent Knicks basketball blog for fiery and usually intelligent fellowship. Here you will find avid Knicks fans able and willing to defend divergent, convergent, emergent and subversive viewpoints. Through hard times and great times, our Knicks are our bond. Hop a squat and get comfy for 2010 is on its way, whatever the hell that might mean to you. And while you wait for that day (you’ll know it, when if you see it) feel free to enjoy our collection of sounds, videos and fave websites below. If you want the latest news without traveling the long route through the blogosphere, check out Knicks Klippings. For the latest in hot action, rummage through the Vodpod while you wait for someone to respond provocatively to your brilliant insight. And if you don’t have brilliant insight, please feel free to say something stupid, because according to most Fanatics anything that doesn’t come from their keyboard is stupid anyway. LOL.
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Knicks 2009-2010 Schedule
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2009 NBA HIGHLIGHTS
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OUTSIDE SCOUTING REPORTS
NBA DRAFT.NET
NBA Comparison: Jamal Crawford/Larry Hughes
Strengths: An extremely smooth and talented guard … He has an incredible wingspan, with a very strong and mature body … Has proven that he is able to play as a lead guard, but his natural position seems to be as an SG (where he can still be a facilitator, but can look to score more often) … Loves playing at a fast pace, where he doesn’t have to worry about play calls but can rather create on the fly … Puts constant pressure on the opposing team with his aggressive style … Plays with an edge and cockiness that will help him succeed … Was thrown into the thick of things from the beginning and he responded with a very nice freshman campaign … Playing in a spread offense that is predicated on ISO plays, he has proven that he can break down people off the dribble and get into the lane … His vision and passing are extremely advanced, and he’s shown that he can be a reliable distributor … Possesses deceptive quickness and has a variety of crafty moves with clever footwork that allow him to get by defenders … Has a nice repertoire of counter moves, whether it’s a crossover, spin, in& out or behind the back dribble … In traffic, whether in the half court or in transition, he is very steady and comfortable with his dribble … Even though he rarely finishes above the rim, he has a great touch around the basket, and uses his body and finesse to convert on a good percentage … Defensively, he has great hands and his wingspan allows him to get deflections at a high rate …
Weaknesses: His jumpshot has shown very little progress and he continues to struggle with inconsistent shooting … Most of his shooting woes can be directly pointed at his unorthodox release … He slings the ball from behind his head, losing sight of it completely at the point of release … Must improve his midrange game, his pullup lacks rhythm, often leaving him off balance with varying results … A bit of a tweener at this point, does not have the blazing speed or quickness to play as a PG full time, and lacks the vertical explosiveness possessed by the wing players … A decent athlete with an unreliable outside shot (a combination that is not ideal for the next level), he will have to rely on his deceptiveness and crafty game off the dribble to get by defenders … Has always had the ball in his hands and been allowed to operate freely, will he be able to adapt and still be effective playing off the ball and does he know how to use screens or how to work in a traditional half court set? … Is still prone to tunnel vision, where he seems to forget about his teammates … Defensively, he is a bit lackadaisical, and while he does have long arms, because of questionable lateral quickness he will have to work extremely hard to contain the ball on the perimeter … The 3.6 TOs per game are a result of both the system he was in, and his out of control play … Needs to learn to pick his spots better, rather than attacking into traffic and getting into trouble …
Borko Popic – 5/28/2009
Notes: Plays AAU ball for Team Final … Similar to Derrick Rose, Evans was raised by his older brothers.
Greg Goettner – 4/13/2007