Loren Woods...

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Loren Woods Draft Capsule

Loren Woods, 7-1, 245, Arizona ==============================

OVERVIEW: A hard player to figure during his collegiate career. A 7-foot
enigma, he could dominate at times, disappear at others, grumble about
playing time, then become a team player, as he did during Arizona's run to
last season's national title game. After starting his career at Wake Forest,
Woods left for Arizona, where he contemplated departing after a sub-par
junior season. Averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists while
blocking 83 shots as a senior. Has had back surgery and nagging injuries
have always been a problem.

LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Picks 12-19. Many have Woods headed to Seattle, but
that depends on whether the Sonics like him more than Brendan Haywood. If he
doesn't win that spot he may be drafted as an insurance policy by Houston
(13), Golden State (14) or Toronto (17), all of whom risk losing their
starting center to free agency.

RIVALED BY: Haywood
COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Marcus Camby
COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Tony Battie
ROLE PROJECTION: Reserve. Future part-time starter.

POSITIVES: When Woods is playing aggressively, he's difficult to defend.
He's so long and athletic that, with proper footwork, interrupting his shot
can be nearly impossible. That's not to say Woods is the second coming of
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but he could be a serious scoring threat in the NBA. At
the very least, however, Woods will certainly make his mark as a
shot-blocker. While at Arizona, Woods once had 14 blocks in a game.

SHORTCOMINGS: One has to wonder if Woods is soft. How does a guy of his size
get outrebounded for the season by teammate Michael Wright, who is a
half-foot smaller than him? Worse off, on four separate occasions during his
senior season, in which Woods played an average of 25 minutes, did he manage
to collect no more than one basket. The phrase "dominant" doesn't exactly
come to mind. He'll have to gain strength and mature mentally if he's ever
going to get the most out of his ability.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "He played in a pro-style offense and that helped him.
He didn't have to post all the time. He was able to run around and make
things happen." - Houston Rockets scout Brent Johnson