NBA News 2013: Andrew Bynum’s former high school administrators and coaches don’t get why he ‘act(s) like that’

Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Longtime Newark Star-Ledger columnist and possible Greatest Sportswriter Ever Dave D’Allesandro is always quick to trump up the merits of his Jersey Guys. The NBA is full of them, both in the playing and coaching ranks, and Andrew Bynum is still technically one of those Jersey Guys – even if he won’t play a single minute in a Philadelphia 76ers jersey during 2012-13.

Critics of Andrew Bynum aren’t hard to find. I rail against the guy constantly for his dangerous and stupid habits behind the wheel (driving on the wrong side of the road in order to illegally pass people, parking in handicapped spots while healthy), and others have gone after him for his iffy rehabilitation efforts or needless flagrant fouls. Dave D, in his latest column, dug a little deeper than that – talking to Bynum’s former high school coach and the athletics director of St. Joseph of Metuchen in order to draw up a little more dirt on a player who chooses not to be associated with his alma mater.

We’re all allowed the right to turn our back on whatever institution we choose – I live in the same town as the high school I graduated from and I’m not exactly pumping the red and black pom-poms of my Jefferson High School Bronchos. Andrew Bynum is a busy 25-year old professional that spent all but one of his seven NBA seasons playing out of Los Angeles, kinda far from Joisey, and his seventh season has been mostly confined to the Philadelphia 76ers’ rehabilitation center.

With that in place, how far do we have to go to find one person with anything nice to say about this guy?

We’ve spent all year piling on Andrew, and are hesitant to add to the chorus that Dave D describes as referring to Bynum as “a feckless clod victimized by his own negligence,” but this is also the gentleman that decided to take his skinned-up knees bowling last fall, possibly ending his season in the process.

Working at an NBA level with a lacking amount of cartilage in your knees is an incredibly painful situation, especially for someone Bynum’s height and weight. Still, it nearly goes without saying that he’s going to have to come through with an awfully impressive 2013-14 season (with whatever team signs him this summer) for us to re-think our perception that Andrew Bynum only maybe kinda sorta likes the game of basketball.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/andrew-bynum-former-high-school-administrators-coaches-don-204123676--nba.html

Related articles

• Andrew Bynum injury: 76ers' center to have season-ending surgery (sbnation.com)
• Was the Andrew Bynum trade a mistake? (sbnation.com)
• Bynum Busts Out (jeffwinbush.com)
• 76ers' Andrew Bynum To Miss The Rest Of The Season (onlinesportsbookpro.com)
• There's One Silver Lining In The Philadelphia 76ers' Nightmare Trade For Andrew Bynum (businessinsider.com)
• Sixers' Andrew Bynum not remembered fondly by former coaches (nj.com)
• Andrew Bynum to have both knees operated on, done for season (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum to have season-ending surgery on both knees - Yahoo! Sports (coralvillecourier.typepad.com)
• Andrew Bynum Will Undergo Season-Ending Surgery on Both Knees (bleacherreport.com)
• Andrew Bynum Will Undergo Knee Surgery and Miss the Rest of Regular Season (complex.com)

NBA News 2013: Scott Skills Departure

Bucks logo from 2006–present (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scott Skiles has a way of bludgeoning his teams into his stylistic likeness through a cycle of cold criticism and uncompromising expectation. It takes some rosters longer than others to fall in line, but this year’s Bucks team had been positively Skiles-ian: from its better-than-anticipated defense to its ultimately doomed offense, complete with its overall lack of talent and veritable wealth of pluck. The roster itself may be confusing and flawed, but Skiles — as he has done at every coaching stop — made it oddly true to his weird type.

Yet hiring Skiles comes with the understanding that he won’t be around forever — a notion that came to fruition for Milwaukee literally overnight. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, Skiles and the Bucks mutually agreed to part ways immediately, fulfilling a wish that Skiles had reportedly expressed since the offseason. As Jeremy Schmidt noted at Bucksketball, Skiles was a coach beaten back by his own frustrations, one visibly taxed by the task of keeping last season’s roster within his rigid mold.

http://nba.si.com/2013/01/08/scott-skiles-milwaukee-bucks-season-of-flux/

Related articles

• Report: Skiles, Bucks have agreed to part ways (espn.go.com)
• Skiles out as Bucks coach (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Bucks coach Scott Skiles out, Boylan to fill in (mysanantonio.com)
• Skiles, Bucks Part Ways (wsaw.com)
• Tom Oates: Discord at top sealed Scott Skiles' exit (host.madison.com)
• Skiles: 'Normal coach-player friction' existed (jsonline.com)
• Scott Skiles, Bucks to part ways immediately, according to report (sbnation.com)
• Scott Skiles no longer coach of Milwaukee Bucks (fox6now.com)
• AP Source: Scott Skiles out as Bucks coach (mysanantonio.com)

NBA News 2011: Second pick Williams' fast rise to No. 2 overall

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
To say Derrick Williams wasn't highly recruited out of high school might be an understatement.

Williams remembers playing in La Mirada, Calif., and checking all the recruiting websites and outlets to see where he was ranked among the best high school players in his draft class.

One small problem: He wasn't.

"There was actually one site where I was top 100," Williams said. "I was pretty happy. I was excited. Other than that, no. In ESPN I was 72 and everything else I wasn't even top 100."

Two short years later, Williams is No. 2. The Minnesota Timberwolves selected the Arizona power forward with the second overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday night.

He held his introductory press conference Friday and reflected on just how quickly he went from being a complete unknown to labeled one of the potential stars in the entire draft.

Williams didn't start focusing seriously on basketball until the 10th grade, after he grew about 6 inches to 6-foot-6 in a nine-month span.

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/06/24/derrick-williams-rise.ap/index.html

Related articles

• Derrick Williams, Meet Kevin Love, The Only Member Of The Minnesota Timberwolves You Need To Worry About (sbnation.com)
• Chad Ford NBA Mock Draft Has Derrick Williams To Timberwolves, Kemba Walker To Kings (sbnation.com)

NBA News 2011: Kyrie Irving among few impact rookies

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Over the past few seasons, rookies have had a varied impact upon the fantasy hoops landscape. Two years ago, Stephen Curry and Tyreke Evans were studs, and nine rookies cracked the top 150 on the Player Rater. Last year, Blake Griffin, John Wall and Landry Fields were the only three to do so. But what will the prognosis be for this year's class, widely panned as one of the weakest groups of all time? Well, beyond Kyrie Irving, who will see run in Cleveland and have a chance to put up numbers, few rookies will be on the fantasy radar come draft day. Before seeing how their minutes shake out and skill sets translate, it's difficult to rationalize the gamble of spending a valuable draft pick on an unknown fantasy commodity. This year, it'll be more about knowing which players to keep a close eye upon as the season unravels, and which have the upside to be modest fantasy contributors if opportunity shines upon them.

Impact Players

• Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Derrick Williams, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats
• Jimmer Fredette, PG/SG, Sacramento Kings
• Klay Thompson, SG, Golden State Warriors

Long-Term Upside

• Jan Vesely, SF, Washington Wizards
• Bismack Biyombo, PF, Charlotte Bobcats
• Brandon Knight. PG, Detroit Pistons
• Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs

Sleepers

• Alec Burks, SG, Utah Jazz
• Norris Cole, PG, Miami Heat
• Markieff Morris, PF, Phoenix Suns

http://sports.espn.go.com/fantasy/basketball/fba/story?page=11draftrookies

Related articles

• Kyrie Irving says if not for Tournament he would have returned to Duke (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Kyrie Irving Goes No. 1 To Cleveland Cavailers, And Is Ready For Challenge Of Being Top NBA Draft Pick (sbnation.com)

NBA News 2011: Ricky Rubio inked with Wolves

Image via WikipediaRicky Rubio has already signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the holdup keeping him from leaving Barcelona is related to his buyout agreement, multiple sources told ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=6663540

Related articles

• Rubio says he's talking with Barca about future (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Boxing News 2011: Leonard seeks catharsis

Image via Wikipedia
Sugar Ray Leonard’s depiction of himself in his upcoming autobiography is hardly flattering. He describes himself as a philandering husband, an absentee father and a substance abuser. Perhaps most shockingly, he revealed he was sexually abused by a prominent, but unnamed, boxing coach while preparing for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

He was hardly the All-American boy that his carefully crafted image portrayed him to be.

“I’ve done a lot of things in my life that I’m not proud of,” Leonard said soberly during a telephone interview.

In the book, he describes the abuse by writing he was in a car across from a recreation center with an Olympic coach. They were ostensibly there to discuss the significance of a gold medal.

“Before I knew it, he had unzipped my pants and put his hand, then mouth, on an area that has haunted me for life,” Leonard wrote. “I didn’t scream. I didn’t look at him. I just opened the door and ran.”

Leonard has been perceived as a heroic figure in boxing since winning the gold medal in 1976 and going on to a career in which he’d defeat legendary fighters such as Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns and Wilfred Benitez, among many others.

But there is nothing heroic about making an allegation such as he did and then failing to name names. It creates needless speculation about who did it and innocent people, who presumably only helped Leonard and assisted him on his way to superstardom, have become suspect.

Leonard, though, insists he’s handled it appropriately and doesn’t believe he’s necessarily cast aspersion upon innocent men.

“The people who are innocent, they know they’re innocent and they won’t even think of it, precisely because they’re innocent,” Leonard told Yahoo! Sports. “The people who are the perpetrators, if I would say their names, reveal their names, that would cause a lot of pain and suffering for their families and their kids. I didn’t think I had to do that. I could state what happened to me without going further and naming names and creating more pain for anyone else.”

Leonard said he told his first wife, Juanita, about the abuse, but that she didn’t respond in a way that would encourage further discussion. He said he later told his current wife, Bernadette, at a time when he’d had too much to drink.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-iole_sugar_ray_leonard_book_060811

Related articles

• Book: Sugar Ray Leonard was sex abuse victim (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
• Sugar Ray Leonard -- I Was Sexually Abused (tmz.com)

Boxing News 2011: Salido defeats Lopez

Image via Wikipedia
Challenger Orlando Salido upset Juan Manuel Lopez on Saturday, stopping the WBO featherweight champion with a technical knockout in the eighth round.

Referee Roberto Ramirez ended the fight with 1:39 left in the round. Salido also knocked down Lopez at the end of the fifth.

Judges Lisa Giampa, Thomas Miller and Jose Torres all had the fight even at 66-66 when Ramirez stopped the bout.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ap-lopez-salido

Related articles

• Lopez fails to defend featherweight belt, TKO'd by Salido (tsn.ca)

NBA News 2011: Draft Prospect Jeff Taylor

Image via Wikipedia
Jeff Taylor, 6-7, Junior, Small Forward, Vanderbilt
14.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.6 turnovers, 1 steal, .6 blocks, 45% FG, 72% FT, 35% 3P

From a production standpoint, Jeff Taylor isn't having the breakout season many expected from him in this, his junior year. His scoring rate has fallen slightly, his field goal percentage is down nearly 5%, he's rebounding worse (offensively) and he's getting to the free throw line much less frequently than he has in the past.

From an NBA standpoint, though, Taylor's prospects have never looked rosier.

Taylor's rising draft stock is attributable to one development in particular: the discovery of a jump shot. He was just 1-for-11 from beyond the arc as a sophomore, but Taylor has knocked down a solid 35% of the 113 3-pointers he's taken as a junior, demonstrating a serious learning curve and leaving plenty of room for optimism when analyzing his excellent shooting mechanics.

Taylor has always been one of the most athletic players in college basketball. He's spectacular in transition, a product of his excellent speed in the open floor and his highlight reel-caliber explosiveness. He has great size at 6-7 and an outstanding frame, showing the strength and toughness to finish through contact in difficult situations.

He still lacks polish offensively—his touch is just average and his overall scoring instincts leave something to be desired, particularly as a shot-creator–but Taylor has redeeming characteristics in other areas, which is enough to lead us to believe that he has what it takes to hold his own on the offensive end in the NBA.

Taylor has a rare blend of prototypical physical tools, excellent toughness and a very good feel for the game. He shows all the characteristics the NBA looks for in a complimentary wing player (a la Raja Bell or Thabo Sefolosha), but he is a far more explosive .

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

NBA News 2011: Draft Prospect Harrison Barnes

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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/

Related articles

• 2011 NBA Mock Draft: Is Harrison Barnes Quick Enough to Thrive in the NBA? (bleacherreport.com)
• 2011 NCAA Tournament Laced With Top Flight NBA Draft Prospects (sbnation.com)

NBA News 2011: 2011's Top 5 Draft Picks?

Image via Wikipedia
Top Of The Class:  With the NBA trade deadline clearly in the rear view mirror and Selection Sunday just around the corner, its time to shift a little focus towards the 2011 NBA Draft and the names you need to know as we get closer to the end of the regular season.

Here is who you need to know:

1. Kyrie Irving - Duke, Freshman - PG - 6'2" - 185lbs - 18

2. Jonas Valanciunas - Lietuvos Rytas C - 6'11" - 240lbs - 18

3. Jared Sullinger - Ohio State, Freshman - PF - 6'8" - 250lbs - 18

4. Perry Jones - Baylor, Freshman - PF - 6'11" - 220lbs - 19

5. Derrick Williams - Arizona, Sophomore - PF - 6'8" - 235lbs - 19

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?STORY_ID=18963

NBA News 2011: Mavs make it official: sign Corey Brewer

Image via Wikipedia
Corey Brewer is officially a member of the Dallas Mavericks.

The 6-9 small forward signed a three-year contract with the Mavs in excess of $7 milllion this afternoon and will provide some defensive intensity on the perimeter.

http://sportsblogs.star-telegram.com/mavs/2011/03/mavs-make-it-official-sign-corey-brewer.html

Related articles

• Signing Corey Brewer Right Move For Depth Chart, Says Mavs Blog (sbnation.com)
• Mavericks "closing in" on a deal with Corey Brewer (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Sources: Dallas Mavericks closing in on deal with Corey Brewer (sports.espn.go.com)

NBA News 2011: Watch out, L.A.

Image via Wikipedia
Contenders don't faze Kobe Bryant. Past champions don't concern him too much, either. In the world of the man known as the Black Mamba, known as much for his ability to demoralize with enjoyment as for winning titles, any threat to the Los Angeles Lakers' supremacy in the Western Conference is purely a figment of someone's elaborate imagination fueled by ignorant pundits and destined for exposure and humiliation in April, May and June.

But make no mistake, the contenders are coming.

"Luckily, some of us may actually have some say in the matter before it's all said and done," Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told me recently. "Hey, if you don't believe you can change things … if you don't believe you can win … if you're not intending to go for it all, then why even bother playing?"

As great and intriguing as this NBA season has been, all indications say the best has yet to come. The Lakers, the reigning two-time defending world champions, may be 24 games above .500 (43-19), winners of five straight and a top-three seed in the West. But there's something to be said about one's aura of invincibility, and in the Lakers' case, they don't have it right now.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=6179119

Related articles

• Kobe Bryant takes NBA MVP, unveils star-studded "Black Mamba" short film (hollywoodnews.com)
• NBA Playoff Predictions: Keys for Every Team to Make a Deep Playoff Run (bleacherreport.com)
• Ventre: Was that NBA's last L.A. party for awhile? (nbcsports.msnbc.com)
• LA Lakers Trade Rumors: Could Dwight Howard Join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles? (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2011: Defending The Blake Show

Image via Wikipedia
Successfully defending Blake Griffin is a simple task conceptually.

Load up the paint to restrict his air space, keep a body on him on the pick and roll, force him into settling for jumpers and make him catch the ball in the post as far from the bucket as possible.

Griffin's best months of the season were easily in December and the first 10 games of January until Eric Gordon’s injury.

His overall efficiency in February has decreased from his seasonal marks, as teams have learned to adjust and game-plan more effectively for Griffin, causing his scoring percentages to dip and teams also have been doing a better job in reducing his rebound and assist rates.

Griffin is seeing consistent double and even triple teams, partly a result of his inescapable prominence, but more also as a direct result of Gordon’s absence. Griffin’s supporting cast without Gordon is far too mediocre offensively for opposing teams to respect well enough not to give him their complete attention.

http://basketball.realgm.com/article/211541/Defending_The_Blake_Show

Related articles

• Blake Griffin and Kia Optima: Another NBA Deal for Big Bucks (bleacherreport.com)
• Blake Griffin: Slam Dunk Champ, NBA All-Star, Franchise Savior? (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2011: NBA Prospect Dusan Ristic

Image by theterrifictc via Flickr
One of the youngest players at this tournament at just 15 years old, Dusan Ristic was nonetheless one of the most promising prospects we saw in Belgrade, and one we'll surely be talking more about down the road.

Standing 6-10 or possibly even 6-11 with outstanding length and a fantastic frame for a player his age, Ristic is a mobile big man who shows all the physical tools you look for at this stage. He has good hands, runs the floor well, and shows competitiveness and instincts that should serve him well as he progresses in his basketball career.

Mostly relegated to scoring off simple catch and finishes and offensive rebounds, Ristic is an unpolished player as you can probably imagine at this stage. He didn't always have the strength to operate effectively against big men as many as two years older than him, but put up a solid fight nonetheless, and showed a good feel for the game operating within his team's half-court offense.

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/International-Blog/#European-Roundup-Nikola-Mirotic---Breakout-Player-of-the-Year-3641

NBA News 2011: NBA Prospect Tomas Kyzlink

Image via Wikipedia
Described by some scouts as the best long-term prospect seen at this event, Tomas Kyzlink came into this week as a complete unknown, but emerged as someone who will be closely followed in coming years.

Listed at 6-8 on the official tournament roster, but obviously much closer to 6-5 or 6-6, Kyzlink is a physically gifted wing prospect with a great frame and tremendous athleticism. He's an exceptionally quick player with very nice leaping ability. He made a living at the free throw line at this tournament, being virtually impossible for any defender to stay in front of.

A deadly shot-creator thanks to his phenomenal first step, excellent crossover and ability to drive in both directions, Kyzlink gets extremely low to the ground when handling the ball (like all slashers do) and is absolutely decisive trying to get inside the paint. He still has plenty of room to grow with his ability to read half-court defenses, operate with his right hand, and play at different speeds, but the natural talent he shows as a slasher is something that can't be taught.

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/International-Blog/#European-Roundup-Nikola-Mirotic---Breakout-Player-of-the-Year-3641

Boxing News 2011: Nonito Donaire stops Fernando Montiel

Image via Wikipedia
Nonito Donaire won the WBO and WBC bantamweight championships Saturday night, stopping Fernando Montiel in the second round.

Donaire rocked Montiel with a left hook that sent the champion to the canvas.

Montiel surprisingly made it back to his feet only to see referee Russell Mora stop the fight moments later at 2:25 of the round.

Nonito Donaire seized two bantamweight titles with a second-round knockout of Mexican Fernando Montiel, writes ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. Story

Donaire controlled most of the first round, landing a left hook that briefly stunned Montiel and came out swinging in the second round, landing a few combinations before stunning the champion with a solid hook that all but ended the fight.

"I hit him with a left hook, looked down and saw him twitching," Donaire said. "I knew the fight was over then."

Montiel's body slumped to the mat as Donaire raised his hands and jumped in celebration.

"I needed to be strong but it was the speed that was the key. He left himself open and that gave me the advantage," the new champion said. "I was surprised he got up after I landed that flush shot."

Donaire (26-1, 18 knockouts) has won 25 consecutive fights, and will likely be elevated to one of the top handful of fighters in the world.

"I just came out there believing in what I had," added Donaire. "I want to be undisputed in this weight class, if not I want to go up in weight."

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=6140735

Related articles

• "Nonito Donaire Smashes Fernando Montiel in Two Rounds" and related posts (badlefthook.com)
• Boxing - HBO: Fernando Montiel vs Nonito Donaire live streaming (oleole.com)

Boxing News 2011: Donaire rocks Montiel

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Donaire made a startling case for himself on Saturday in his showdown with Fernando Montiel at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Donaire knocked Montiel down with a wicked left hook and a follow-up right, stopping the great Mexican seconds later at 2:25 of the second to claim the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization bantamweight belts.

“I saw this kid on TV a couple of years ago and I picked him out then,” said Jones, the long-time pound-for-pound who served as a color analyst for HBO on Saturday. “To be honest with you, there’s an argument whether he’s No. 1 or No. 2. I see (Donaire) doing things I don’t see many fighters do. He uses his feet first and his hands second.

“That check hook he threw was incredible. It was a punch I had perfected. I brought that punch to the game and this kid has it down pat solid.”

Montiel (44-3-2) entered the bout with 34 knockouts and held the 10th spot in the Yahoo! Sports rankings. But Donaire was never threatened. He was faster, he was smarter and he was far more powerful.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=Au9S6jTokg2v5zKj1shPkqOUxLYF?slug=ki-donairegainssteam021911

Related articles

• Confusion Arises As Montiel and Donaire Make Weight For Championship Bout (bleacherreport.com)
• Nonito Donaire vs. Fernando Montiel: The Best Match-Up in a Long Time. (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2011: Draft Prospect Iman Shumpert

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Iman Shumpert, 6'4, Junior, Guard, Georgia Tech
17.0 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 3.5 Assists, 2.8 Steals, 2.4 Turnovers, 39.9% FG, 25.5% FT, 82% FT

A former McDonald's All-American, Iman Shumpert has played a prominent role in Georgia Tech's backcourt since stepping on campus as a freshman. A combo guard with a scorer's mentality, Shumpert attempted to find a balance between shooting and passing playing next to the likes of Lewis Clinch, Gani Lawal, and Derrick Favors as an underclassman. Now a junior, Shumpert has gotten the opportunity to shoulder the offensive load as the clear cut first option for Paul Hewitt's rebuilding Yellow Jackets, seeing his shot attempts per-40 minutes skyrocket from 11.3 last season to 17.3 this season. Despite reinforcing many of our conceptions about his weaknesses offensively, this has been a breakout season on a number of levels for the Illinois native.

As we've stated in past reports, the intrigue around Shumpert as a potential NBA player revolves around his exceptional physical profile for a player seeing time at the point guard position. Standing 6'4 with an extremely rangy frame, Shumpert is fluid, agile, deceptively quick, and an explosive two-foot leaper.

While Shumpert certainly hasn't had a stellar offensive season despite his productivity, he's made a lot of key improvements in other areas. If he lands on a team with a coach that can help him hone his shot selection, eliminate the inefficient parts of his game (mainly his stubborn insistence for settling for pull-up jumpers), and play to his strengths, the improvements he's made as a slasher, rebounder, and defender could make him a very useful player at the NBA level.

Though he projects as a roleplayer due to his lack of jump shooting ability and pure point guard play, Shumpert has the ability to compete with any guard in the country in workouts on a good day, and is a clear-cut sleeper prospect to watch should he enter the draft.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Trending-Prospects-2172011--3632/

NBA News 2011: Draft Prospect Perry Jones

Image via Wikipedia
Deemed by many scouts as the prospect with the highest upside of any player in college basketball, Perry Jones of Baylor has had an up and down freshman season that appears to be taking a turn for the better at the moment.

Standing 6-11, with long arms, an excellent frame and incredible fluidity for a player his size, Jones is a rare physical specimen by any standard. When motivated, he runs the floor about as well as any big man in this draft and is capable of beating his man off the dribble with a terrific first step. He has great hands and an exceptionally soft touch, which makes him an incredible finisher around the basket. (His length and highlight reel-caliber explosiveness help in this regard as well.

Offensively, Jones gets his touches in a variety of ways. An extremely reliable target for his teammates to throw drive-and-dish passes to, he has great potential as a pick-and-roll finisher thanks to his hands, touch and leaping ability. He is also a solid (although clearly not a dominating) presence on the offensive glass for the same reason -- he has the ability to pogo stick off the ground multiple times before his opponents can react.

Baylor has been increasingly utilizing him in post-up situations, an area in which he's been relatively effective. Jones doesn't possess the girth to establish great position against the strongest collegiate big men he'll match up against (such as the Morris twins at Kansas), but with his decent footwork, outstanding touch and phenomenal extension around the rim, he's able to do some very interesting things at this level, especially when he's being aggressive. Moving forward, it's paramount for him to add strength to his promising, yet currently underdeveloped frame.

Another area in which Jones has shown promise in is with his jump shot. He has excellent shooting mechanics and solid range out to about 18 feet, even showing flashes of being able to convert shots off the dribble at times. He should be able to develop into a solid pick-and-pop option in time, although he's definitely not as consistent as he needs to be just yet – he's only made 18 of 55 jumpers this season, or 33%.

Where Jones might be at his best a few years down the road is as an isolation threat from the high post. With his solid ball-handling skills and devastating first step, he has the ability to beat most big men off the dribble with ease, something that will only become more pronounced with the NBA's superior spacing. Jones doesn't see many opportunities of this fashion at the moment and he's been fairly erratic when he does, which often results in turnovers.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Perry-Jones-3630/

Related articles

• 2011 NBA Draft: 10 Prospects Every Scout Will Closely Watch During March Madness (bleacherreport.com)
• LeBron James Who? Could Perry Jones Help Cleveland Cavs Fans Forget the King? (bleacherreport.com)

NBA News 2011: NBA Retrospective DeMarcus Cousins

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, Center, Sacramento Kings, 1990
13.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.8 blocks, 2.7 turnovers, 43% FG, 67% FT, 27% 3PT

One of the most divisive prospects in the NBA draft last season, DeMarcus Cousins has had a very rocky start to his NBA career. Playing on one of the worst teams in the league, the #5 pick has undergone a drastic change in environment coming from a Kentucky Wildcats team that was ranked #1 in the nation for a good portion of last season. While Cousins has at times looked outstanding, his game-to-game production and efficiency are massively inconsistent, he's had multiple publicized problems with his coaching staff, and he's one of the most foul-prone big men in the league. Still, it's what he's been doing on the court that is most interesting.

Outlook:

Looking forward, Cousins remains one of the most enigmatic prospects in basketball even now that he's in the NBA. On one hand, he has extremely strong physical attributes and is capable of being one of the most uniquely dominant centers in the NBA, something that does show up every few games. On the other, he's basically done everything every doubter from the draft process expected him to do, and he has been one of the most inefficient, turnover prone players on one of the worst teams in the league.

There's still plenty of time for Cousins to turn things around at just 20 years old, and while it may be unfair to put such high expectations on a player this young, it's somewhat deserving given where he was taken in the draft combined with how productive a player he was at the collegiate level.

Unlike many prospects who fail transitioning to the NBA, Cousins' issues aren't due to his skills not translating, but more so of him abandoning everything that made him a great prospect and collegiate player in order to try being a completely different type of player.

While Cousins may significantly improve his perimeter and finesse offensive games in his time in the NBA, it's unlikely he'd be as successful as if he went back to what made him a great prospect in the first place. Fortunately, he still has plenty of time to do so.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Rookie-Retrospective-DeMarcus-Cousins-3629/

Related articles

• Is DeMarcus Cousins abandoning his strengths? (probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Is DeMarcus Cousins a villain (fanaticsportsandcards.com)