Lyde and Hunter

[Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Here are two of the bubble players who have officially declared
hardship. One is a generic power forward from a great system (Temple),
the other is a stringbean 7-0 footer from DePaul. Comments are from
ESPN.COM

If either of these guys turn out to be solid NBA players, it would be
quite a surprise to the guy who wrote these lukewarm evaluations.

--------

Kevin Lyde
Center Junior
Height: 6-9
Weight: 240 lbs.
Hometown: Wasington, DC
Widebody brings presence but not athleticism to the lane ... Lateral
speed and interior mobility lacking ... Plays off size and positioning
... Most effective when he is guarded by smaller defenders because he
can exploit them with his strengths ... Has learned to play to these
strengths, utilizing his thickness to set himself up deep in the lane
... Some ability with his back to the basket but slow and stagnant in
his execution ... Wills his way to the goal, turning himself into the
basket, and taking the ball up strong ... Finishes with a lot of
authority ... Virtually no game facing the basket and range is limited
to within 12 feet ... Slow feet make him the last man upcourt and this
becomes a problem against some of the smaller but swifter pivots he
competes against ... Produces on the boards because he situates himself
so well on the underneath to anticipate missed shots, enabling him to
compensate for the range he lacks as a rebounder ... Solid shotblocker,
his size usually factors into any alterations opponents make in their
shots when they enter the lane ... Terrible free throw shooter though he
doesn't get to the line often ... Former McDonald's All-American.

Steve Hunter
Center Sophomore
Height: 7-0
Weight: 215 lbs.
Hometown: Maywood, IL
Athletic center who needs to gain strength ... Runs the floor ...
Incredible mobility in the paint ... Choppy footwork, but will take long
strides, giving himself a chance to beat defenders by covering more
distance in his motion ... Beats his defender to the baseline on spins
for easy layups ... Physical play can really limit his effectiveness ...
Hook shot a little strong, throws it down at the rim ... Can turn and
face for 13 footer, but doesn't square himself well enough ... Owns a
decent handle ... Poor rebounder at 7-0, he can't establish position for
the board because of a lack of thickness ... Force as a shotblocker ...
Has drawn rave reviews based on his potential, will be a force to reckon
with down the road.