NBA News 2011: NBA Prospect Chandler Parsons

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Chandler Parsons, 6'9”, Small Forward, Senior, Florida
11.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 turnovers, 49% FG, 56% FT, 38% 3P

Chandler Parsons has developed into an intriguing all-around player, being named SEC player of the year while leading the Florida Gators to a 26-7 record and a 2-seed in the NCAA tournament. While Parsons scoring output has not taken the jump many hoped for, his all-around game has continued to show signs of progression.

Offensively, Parsons continues to increase his proficiency from long range, now converting 38% of his 3-point attempts, a career best. He still has a fairly long release, but he gets good elevation on his shot and does a solid job of making shots with his feet set—a crucial part of his evaluation as a pro prospect.

Parsons increasing ability to make spot-up jump shots increases the effectiveness of his dribble drive game, as he does an excellent job of utilizing pump fakes to open up driving lanes, showing an ability to hit a pull up jump shot or go all the way to the rim when the opportunity presents itself. When in the lane, Parson's ball handling and passing ability really shines. An excellent ball handler and decision maker for a player his size, Parsons' 4.4 assists per 40 minutes pace adjusted ranks tops amongst all small forwards in our database.

He also does an extremely good job moving without the ball, continuing to improve as a catch and shoot player, making strong cuts without the ball, and doing a very good job off the offensive glass. A more fluid than explosive athlete, Parsons does a good job of finishing at the rim, keeping the ball up high and going up quickly off of offensive rebounds, wasting little time to allow defenders to react.

Defensively, Parsons appears to have above average lateral quickness, which will be needed to defend the perimeter when transitioning to the next level. He appears to have added some upper body strength during his time at Florida, but he still could use some lower body strength to help defend against more physical post players. He uses his length well, but at times can lose his focus or get outhustled by more physical players, something he must continue to work on.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Trending-Prospects-3182011--3651/

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NBA News 2011: Draft Prospect Harrison Barnes

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Something that constantly needs to be mentioned when evaluating Barnes' potential at the NBA level are the intangibles he brings. Despite being just 18 years old, Barnes already plays with a tremendous amount of savvy, something that leaves great optimism regarding his future. He's a team player who displays an ideal temperament out on the floor, never getting too high or low in any given moment, and always playing with great self-confidence.

Anyone that has been around him states emphatically that his character is of the highest standard, and whoever drafts him can be fairly certain that he will represent them extremely well on and off the court. Despite the shortcomings mentioned, there is very little doubt that he will continue to work diligently on improving the weaker points of his game once he reaches the NBA. Considering his age, it's not a stretch to say that he still has plenty of room to grow as a player.

The biggest question mark teams might have about Barnes is whether he has the upside to be the best player on a NBA playoff team, or if he would be better suited playing a more complimentary role. His play in the NCAA tournament starting this weekend could go a long ways in shedding light on this topic, and will likely play a role in how high he ends up being picked—if he decides to enter the draft.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Harrison-Barnes-3648/

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NBA News 2011: NBA Prospect Tristan Thompson

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Tristan Thompson, 6'8, Freshman, Power Forward, Texas
11.2 Points, 8 Rebounds, 1.3 Assists, 1.3 Steals, 2 Blocks, 1.8 Turnovers, 46.9% FG, 48.3% FT

One of the top freshmen in the country, former McDonald's All-American Tristian Thompson is off to a solid, albeit inconsistent start in Austin. He's put together some great single-game performances, including a 17-point, 15-rebound effort against Michigan State and a 20-point performance against Illinois, but he's struggled at times as well, as evidenced by his 6-point performance against USC and 4-point, foul plagued outing against North Carolina. An intriguing prospect with some impressive physical tools, Thompson has made his strengths and weaknesses abundantly clear early in his freshman season, supporting many of our observations from his high school career in the process.

Standing just 6'8, Thompson is a bit undersized for a power forward on the NBA level, but compensates with a tremendous 7'2 wingspan. Sporting a solid frame that looks as though it could handle quite a bit of additional muscle, the Ontario native has the athleticism to play either forward spot at the next level, but is relegated to the power forward position by his lack of perimeter skills. Taking that into consideration, it will be important for Thompson to maximize his physique by continuing to work hard in the weight room.

Thompson's athleticism plays a key role in his draft projections at this point because his skill set is still growing into his body. He does a few things very well on the offensive end, all of which revolve around the imposing quickness, length, and leaping ability he possesses for his position on the college level. First, he gets to the line at a high rate, ranking 7th in our database in FTA/FGA at 0.89 per-attempt, an incredibly impressive accomplishment for a player who lacks a polished post repertoire and great ball-handling prowess.

Second, he ranks as one of the top per-40 minute pace adjusted rebounders amongst prospects in the college game. Finally, Thompson is also a very good finisher, efficiently scoring tip in opportunities, fast break feeds, and simple catch and finish opportunities.

Apart from his ability to finish, draw contact, and crash the glass, Thompson is limited by his skill-level at this point. His awkward jump shooting mechanics make him a non-factor away from the rim and renders him as a highly questionable free throw shooter (48%) and midrange scoring threat. He's capable of making quick, decisive straight-line drives to the rim by exploiting his long strides and nice first step, but needs to become a steadier ball-handler with both hands and a better decision-maker to maximize his potential as a face-up threat.

Defensively, there is a lot to like about Thompson at this point. Maligned for his effort level at times early in his career, the Findlay Prep product is a consistently active defender at this point in his career who can adjust shots around the rim and make an impact in the passing lanes out on the perimeter.

A versatile defender on the NCAA level, Thompson's blend of length, strength, and lateral quickness allow him to defend both forward positions effectively. He doesn't change directions extremely well at this point, losing his man on double-moves on occasion, but he does deny penetration well and with additional coaching, he could match his ability to pull down rebounds at a high rate with the ability to defend the inside and outside alike.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Trending-Prospects-12302010--3604/

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