Final Four pro prospects

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

Aside from Jason Richardson and Jason Williams etc, there are a number
of NBA draft first round prospects (including some sleeper prospects)
that you might want to check out during these big games, and then
compare your impressions against the ESPN scouting profiles below. All
five Arizona starters are pro prospects, and the same can be nearly said
in the case of Duke and MSU. Maryland may have three potential first
round picks in Baxter, Morris and Dixon. Here are some profiles from
ESPN. Bear in mind that these are college profiles, not NBA scouting
reports (which might be a bit more critical). This ends up being a
rather long post containing marginal Celts-related content. Click delete
if you have no use for it. It should be a great Final Four!

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Lonny Baxter
Forward | #35 | Junior | Maryland
Height: 6-8
Weight: 250 lbs.
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD

The creme of the crop as far as young pivots are concerned ... One of
the most improved players in the country ... A refined force in the
paint ... His footwork is a thing of beauty, executes pretty spin moves
that can be effective against defenders who lack the lateral quickness
to react ... Because he is so wide, his speed is deceptive ... Quick
feet, remarkably mobile at his size ... As strong as he is he can bull
his way in for lay-ins and dunks around the basket with a few power
dribbles and a slight drop of the shoulder ... Has a hook shot but it is
raw and hard, causing it to bounce out off the inner rim ... Lots of
strength to finish ... Features a dependable mid-range jumper to keep
his defenders honest and the lane from getting clogged ... Rebounding
technique is already at an advanced level, combines brute strength with
pure footspeed and good awareness ... Quick enough off the floor to be a
terrific shot-blocker, despite the fact that he doesn't have the size of
your typical shot-blocker ... Poor passer, he is like a vacuum in the
post, once the ball goes in, it is not coming out ... Foul troubles
often limit his minutes ... Well-regarded out of high school but most
didn't think he could be this good, this fast.

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Michael Wright
Forward | #2 | Junior | Arizona
Height: 6-7
Weight: 238 lbs.
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Very good scorer off the low block ... Though not all that quick, has an
effective spin move on the baseline that leads to easy lay-ins ...
Turnaround jumper is a thing of beauty ... Great hook shot ... Ball
fakes on the face up allow him to dribble right by his defender ...
Doesn't get a lot of separation from his man on his setup, but because
he has a great touch and follow through, he is able to compensate for
lack of spacing ... His ability to shoot accurately while chest-to-
chest with his defender enables him to use the move in almost every
matchup on almost every occasion ... Frequently draws fouls because he
is so often up on his opponent on his shot ... Can kill his man with
positioning in his setup, giving his defender a poor chance of
containing him once he catches the ball ... As a rebounder he does about
as good of a job as one could expect ... Technique and instincts are
both highly advanced, so unless he suddenly gets taller or more
athletic, he probably does not have a lot of room for growth in his
already mature ability ... Poor as a shotblocker because he lacks
reaction speed and high leaping skills ... Also a poor passer, a vacuum
in the post ... Vulnerable to the double team ... Played high school
basketball with Kevin Garnett and Ronnie Fields in Chicago.

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Jason Richardson
Guard | #23 | Sophomore | MSU
Height: 6-6
Weight: 220 lbs.
Hometown: Saginaw, MI
Remarkable athlete could be the best in the country ... High-flyer able
to finish off drives, simply elevates over traffic for looks ...
Frequently contributor of follow-up dunks ... Despite the outstanding
athleticism, remains remarkably composed at all times ... Good looking
ballhandling skills enable maximum utilization of his first step ...
Keeps himself low and gets under his man on slashing baskets in the lane
... Relies too much on his athleticism ... Needs to develop more
consistent long-range shooting skills ... Can hit the set shot from
mid-range ... A forward with not a lot of size, but still manages to be
an extraordinary contributor on the boards due to his extraordinary
leaping capabilities ... As one might expect, his slight frame allows
for slip-ins in traffic on the offensive end, leading to tips and
putbacks ... Defensively, athleticism makes him a threat as a
shot-blocker ... Has a lot of maturing to do but looks like a can't-miss
future star ... As a top-notch recruit, he endured a lingering nerve
problem and frequent back spasms over the course of an injury-riddled
debut season ... Played in the prestigious McDonald's All-American game
as a prep senior.

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Gilbert Arenas
Guard | #0 | Sophomore | Arizona
Height: 6-3
Weight: 188 lbs.
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Easily one of the most talented young guards in the country ... Prolific
mid-range scorer ... Brilliant first step ... Hard to defend in
one-on-one situations because he has such good change of direction speed
... Good stutter step, crossover to shake his opponent ... Gets himself
clean looks off the dribble ... Elevates well into his shot, releasing
at the highest point ... Smooth and consistent follow through ...
Mechanics become more erratic when he has to add range on his shot ...
Finishes well, double clutch reverse, floater ... Flair in the open
court ... Good rebounder at his size ... Can play some point guard if
need be ... Surprisingly advanced shot selection that rarely comes from
players as young as he ... Despite sensational high school career he was
snubbed from many of the more reputed all-star games and all-American
lists, proving to many that he was overlooked during his high school
days ... Just 17 years of age during the first half season of his career
... Father, Gilbert, played football at the University of Miami with
future NFL stars Jim Kelly and Otis Anderson.

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Richard Jefferson
Forward | #44 | Junior | Arizona
Height: 6-7
Weight: 222 lbs.
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Missed much of the last season with a fractured right foot ... Has done
a great job on improving his floor game and outside touch over the past
several years ... An excellent ballhandler and finisher, he thrives in
the open court ... Can be very explosive on his way to the basket,
flying through the air with great velocity ... Dynamism is outstanding,
can really wake up a crowd ... As a shooter, the mid-range jumper seems
to be his forte though he is certainly capable from three-point range
... Needs some adjustment on his form ... He'll set up his jumper with
excellent vertical elevation, but then will conclude with an erratic
follow through, though he has kept his release noticeably more
dependable over the last few years ... Moves well without the ball, and
can even come off screens from the wing for alleyoops around the basket
... Agile enough to slip his way past traffic ... Pretty finger roll to
finish ... Able to contribute on the boards or dish to open teammates
... Has the ability to become one of the best passing forwards in
college basketball ... Quickness off the floor on the second and third
jumper make him a competitive rebounder despite giving up size ... Not
afraid to throw his body around ... Burst on to the seen at the Nike
All-American camp, and has not looked back since ... Played in the
prestigious McDonald's All-American game.

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Loren Woods
Center | #3 | Senior | Arizona
Height: 7-1
Weight: 244 lbs.
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Transfer from Wake Forest... Has added a lot of strength since his Demon
Deacon days ... Still slim, but strong enough to maintain his position
in traffic ... Great nimbleness and dexterity for flip-ins around the
basket ... Few defenders at the college level can get high enough into
his release to alter his shot ... Pretty half-hook, good touch on
turnaround ... Footwork can still be choppy, but he is efficient enough
in his mobility at this stage ... Handle and range on shot could use
some work, but his size generally allows him to sit in the paint and not
be a liability on the perimeter ... Has a little 15 foot jumper ...
Might be the best shotblocker in the country ... Doesn't always need to
jump to stuff shots in traffic ... Remarkable body control, rarely
commits fouls ... Needs to better focus himself on keeping his
rebounding position ... Not half the rebounder he could be, he lacks
technique and anticipation ... Came to Wake Forest as the future
successor to Tim Duncan's center position ... Played high school
basketball with Chris Carrawell of the Atlanta Hawks and Jahadi White of
the Washington Wizards ... McDonald's All- American.

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 Jason Gardner
Guard | #22 | Sophomore | Arizona
Height: 5-10
Weight: 181 lbs.
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Made an instant impact as a freshman ... A shooter who can pass the ball
... Impressive range at his size ... Loves sagging at the top or off the
wing for spot up jumpers ... Punctual release, elevates high and
diagonally, giving him power behind his shot ... Feathery touch
interrupted when he shoots in traffic ... Lack of size makes it
difficult for him to score on deep penetrations ... Best on pullups from
mid-range, good mechanics to go into his shooting rotation with
composure off his dribble ... Still could improve upon his accuracy on
that shot though lack of size and pure explosiveness can make it
difficult for him to get great spacing ... More smoothness in his
maneuverability than burst ... Very good passer, gets open teammates the
ball quickly before the defense recovers ... Remains unfazed in
intimidating situations ... Doesn't always protect his dribble ...
Turnovers are a bit of a problem, but that should be expected from a
young point guard ... Former McDonald's All-American.

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Terence Morris
Forward | #44 | Senior | Maryland
Height: 6-9
Weight: 205 lbs.
Hometown: Frederick, MD
Possessing a long, rangy build, many consider him one of the top talents
in the country and it's easy to see why ... All the physical gifts are
there, the height, the speed, the fluidness ... Plays with an
intelligence and quiet confidence that shows maturity ... Developed
tools that allow for him to make something out of his natural ability
... Highly-advanced in his shooting, footwork, and ballhandling ...
Beautiful spin dribble, collects himself for one-handed bank shots off
the window on drives ... Could stand to add pounds, and probably should
do so to prepare for the next level ... Has virtually no chance at
winning the battles for position that regularly occur in the paint
because he lacks strength ... Lucky for him, he has plenty of game from
the outside to do damage ... Unlike many shooters, he has size that
enables him to find open jumpers from mid-range without having to
straggle out too deep for good looks ... Is however a bona fide threat
from three-point range, where he gets into a rhythm for rainbow jumpers
off the baseline ... Has rather lazy form in his mechanics meaning he
doesn't get his legs into his shot but does get under the ball on his
release creating a high arcing trajectory ... Rebounding-wise, his
dexterity and quickness off the floor make him a factor, but once again
his lack of strength limits him... As a shot-blocker, this of course is
not a problem and his timing combined with his outstanding vertical
reach via his long arms establish him as a major threat ... Also a
magnificent passer, and because he can do so much with his dribble, he
has the ability to create for others ... Needs to develop his game in
the post a bit more but is so evolved at this point that most project
him as a shoe-in lottery selection ... Came to Maryland with an
outstanding reputation and has lived up to his billing ever since his
arrival.

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Charlie Bell
Guard | #14 | Senior | MSU
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200 lbs.
Hometown: Flint, MI
Cat-quick guard who knows his role ... Came to MSU with a reputation as
a scorer ... Speediness allows him to create shots off the dribble ...
Accurate pullup shooter ... Quick release, he does not need much time to
square his body and set his feet ... Long-range shooting has been
streaky in the past, but he seems to have corrected the hitch in his
mechanics and the flatness of his release ... Offers plenty of slashing
ability as well, as he fills the lane on drives to the basket ... Owns
slippery quickness, he glides and slides through traffic enabling him to
get some depth to his penetrations ... Doesn't always finish when he
should ... Uncanny rebounding ability at his size, he never shies from
contact and he gets significant lift off the floor for caroms ...
Especially impressive on the offensive end ... Very quick off the second
and third hop making him a productive rebounder in traffic ...
Ballhandling not at the level it needs to be all though he has shown
improvement ... Has some natural passing instincts and filled in some at
the point last season when starter Mateen Cleaves went down due to
injury ... Good defensive ability, though he can get overaggressive with
his hands ... Has a nose for the ball, plays the passing lanes ... No
one has ever questioned his toughness ... Flint, MI native is one of the
many players of that area to appear on the Spartan roster over the last
few years.

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Juan Dixon
Guard | #3 | Junior | Maryland
Height: 6-3
Weight: 152 lbs.
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Quick and wiry combo guard who has flourished in his role as a scorer
this season ... Doesn't have a true position in the backcourt as he
lacks the natural mentality of a point guard despite his impressive
vision, yet is smallish as a shooting guard ... Regardless, he manages
to compensate at either spot ... Mostly sees his minutes at the
off-guard position due to team personnel ... Plays the game with great
alacrity ... Elevates for tough shots in traffic, cuts to the basket,
moves especially well without the ball ... Wonderful as a spot up
shooter on the perimeter, has super touch ... Can be very streaky, but
when his shot is on he has a smooth, confident stroke ... Magnificent
crossover dribble to get an initial step on his man from the perimeter,
gets heavy penetration deep in the lane ... Slithers through opponents
on the drive or in mid air, and even more impressive, covers great
distances with his long jumping skills at full speed ... Finishes very
well for his size ... Great diversity in his method of point production
... Doesn't let his lack of strength affect him like one would think it
could ... Has no second thoughts about scratching and clawing in traffic
and is a surprisingly good rebounder, mostly due to his explosive
vertical elevation ... Plays the passing lanes, takes some gambles
defensively ... One of college basketball's finest young people ...
Elected to stay instate and sign with the hometown Terrapins out of high
school.

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Shane Battier
Forward | #31 | Senior | Duke
Height: 6-8
Weight: 220 lbs.
Hometown: Birmingham, MI
A team-oriented player who does everything very well, but who's talent
doesn't stand out in any one particular area ... A lot of guard skills
for a player of his size ... Good ballhandler, beautiful crossover and
quick first step ... Accurate, but somewhat streaky shooting skills ...
Keeps his body rather stiff on his shot ... This helps him maintain a
shooting consistency on his release ... Likes the little spot up jumpers
from the foul line extended ... Beautiful turnaround jumper, great drop
step in the low post ... Not a real physical presence, so he can have
trouble scoring against strong opponents in the paint ... Likes to uses
his quickness advantage for spin moves on the blocks ... Works for his
shot with his dribble very well, and he has a great in-between game
which gives opponents trouble ... Loves to take the pullup jumper off
the dribble ... Height and reach allows him to get off his shot more
easily over opponents ... Unselfish, sees the floor extremely well ...
Does a lot of the little things ... A good rebounder, but not a gifted
one for his size ... Exemplary defender, equally adept in his perimeter
and low post defense ... Has drawn an unheard of amount of charges over
the course of his career ... Reaction speed produces a large quantity of
both steals and blocks ... Former McDonald's All-American who played at
Chris Webber's alma mater, Detroit Country Day, where he played with
Webber's two brothers, Jason and David, both of who are currently
playing for Central Michigan ... Extremely intelligent off the court, he
involves himself in many different activities other than basketball.

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Jason Williams
Guard | #22 | Sophomore | Duke
Height: 6-2
Weight: 196 lbs.
Hometown: Plainfield, NJ
Might be the best young point guard in the country ... Sets the tempo
... Not explosive, but definitely above average in terms of speed ...
Great penetrator ... Awesome passer off the dribble, simply finds the
open man ... Makes beautiful reads and recognitions, plays the game a
step ahead of everyone else ... Stays a step ahead of everybody else by
anticipating player movement ... Uncanny vision ... Can get deep in the
lane with his outstanding handle ... Finishes nicely on reverse layups
... Smooth mechanics on his long-range jumper, an incredibly gifted
shooter for so early in his career ... Excellent in-between game, a real
threat from mid-range where he cans jumpers off the dribble ... Does a
good job in general at creating his own shot ... Turnovers the biggest
weakness in his game ... Makes some poor decisions with the ball ...
Causes turnovers on the other end by playing the passing lanes for
steals ... Former McDonald's All-American ... Won several player of the
year awards during his senior season of high school.

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Carlos Boozer
Center | #4 | Sophomore | Duke
Height: 6-9
Weight: 270 lbs.
Hometown: Juneau, AK
Already tremendously physically mature ... Does a good job of utilizing
his body ... Fluid but not explosive ... Agile enough to work through
the lane for high-percentage shots ... Good footwork to maneuver around
his defender on spins and power dribbles ... Adept with his interior
handle ... Also uses good footwork to set himself up into his shot,
especially on turnarounds ... Better as a set shooter when he doesn't
have to counter his momentum on his release ... Poor arc on the ball
causes shot to rim out ... Holds the ball high and far out in front of
him, so he has trouble getting under the ball to add trajectory on his
stroke ... Productive as a rebounder just off his sheer size and
mobility ... Doesn't have the greatest hands and he'll fumble the ball
at times ... Hails from Alaska where he grew up emulating former Duke
star and fellow Alaskan Trajan Langdon ... Former McDonald's All-
American.

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Mike Dunleavy
Guard | #34 | Sophomore | Duke
Height: 6-8
Weight: 204 lbs.
Hometown: Lake Oswego, OR
Has made huge strides over the last four years ... Physical growth has
been remarkable, he's added an extra six or so inches from the time that
most kids stop growing until now ... Because of this quick continued
growth, his body is still catching up to itself ... Needs to add
strength ... Can still be surprisingly effective on the interior both
scoring and rebounding the ball ... Makes a lot of good reads as a
rebounder, especially on the offensive end ... Awesome touch, automatic
when he gets position down low ... Difficult for him to do this
consistently because he lacks weight and gets pushed off the box ... Has
no trouble getting looks facing the basket on the perimeter, he sees
over the top of most defenders and is a good shooter ... Still adjusting
to shooting at the college level, but potentially a prolific marksman
... Above average passing skills ... Father, Mike, and Uncle, Kevin,
both played college ball at South Carolina ... Mike has established
himself as a longtime NBA head coach ... McDonald's All- American.

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Nate James
Guard | #14 | Senior | Duke
Height: 6-6
Weight: 200 lbs.
Hometown: Washington, DC
Plagued by thumb and knee injuries throughout his career ... Re-
adjusted both his game and body to make the transition from the high
school to college level ... An interior player at perennial prep power
St. John's at Prospect Hall, he shed roughly twenty-five pounds and
worked continuously on his ballhandling and shooting skills to make the
adaptation to the wing for the college level ... Retained a natural
aggressiveness that is displayed in his rebounding and scoring ...
Finishes in traffic which keeps him effective in the lane ... Slides
inside the defense for putbacks and can dish out or absorb contact ...
Great standstill shooting ability, puts formidable back spin on the ball
... Very good shooter though more accurate with range as a spot up
shooter ... Not a lot of elevation on his shot but good follow through
and rotation ... Thinner frame resulted in increased quickness ... Can
now put the ball on the floor and penetrate more efficiently ... Takes
the ball strong to the basket ... Likes that running one hander ...
Lacks stop-start speed so he can't stop momentum on drives, causing him
to appear out of control at times ... Former McDonald's All-American ...
Will get a lot of looks from NBA clubs but whether he can stick has yet
to be determined.

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Chris Duhon
Guard | #21 | Freshman | Duke
Height: 6-1
Weight: 186 lbs.
Hometown: Slidell, LA
One of the best players in his class ... Capable of fitting in at either
backcourt position ... Extremely intelligent decision-maker ...
Fundamentally sound with good instincts ... A great athlete, but not
overly explosive ... Gifted shooter, passer and ballhandler ... One-time
McDonald's All-American.

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Andre Hutson
Forward | #34 | Senior | MSU
Height: 6-8
Weight: 240 lbs.
Hometown: Trotwood, OH
A solid contributor from the get-go of his career ... Smallish for a
power forward ... Can handle being physically overmatched, but only to a
point ... An interior scorer, he rarely shoots from beyond ten feet ...
Not that effective when he is fed the ball in the high post, he
essentially needs to be setup low on the blocks to really be able to do
damage ... Great pair of hands, he makes some superbly tough catches in
traffic ... Footwork greatly improved over the summer ... Mobility is so
impressive that he is able to maneuver laterally around the lane
frequently ... Scores most of his points going to the basket ... Gets
very low and attacks his defender's legs ... Prefers to turn into the
middle for left handed flips ... Also has a nice turnaround jumpshot ...
Seems to have an aversion to spinning to the wing, it is almost as if he
is allergic to the baseline ... Instead of feeling his defender in the
post. he predetermines what he wants to do with the ball, resulting in
both hopeless executions and blown opportunities ... Outside shooting
less than marginal ... Average rebounder, though he does rebound in
traffic well and is a terrific shotblocker considering his size ...
Holds off his man effectively and establishes position to the ball ...
Quick leaper ... Excellent free throw shooter for an interior player ...
Needs to extend his range and work on his floor game ... Not much of a
passer ... Vertical leap has reportedly been measured at 36 inches.

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Marcus Taylor
Guard | #1 | Freshman | MSU
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190 lbs.
Hometown: Lansing, MI
Spartan head coach Tom Izzo first spotted the East Lansing native in the
fifth grade and began attending his prep games in eighth grade ...
Considered the best point guard and possibly the best player of his
class ... Wise beyond his years ... Good athlete who relies on
fundamentals rather than speed and agility to get the job done ...
Diverse scorer, though doesn't look to any one particular method of
point production ... Always collected, even when playing at a rapid pace
... Confident shooter can hit the pullup ... Soft floater on drives to
the basket ... Highly polished, intelligent passer ... Pro size at his
position ... Former McDonald's All-American.

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David Thomas
Guard | #11 | Senior | MSU
Height: 6-7
Weight: 205 lbs.
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Canadian import who impresses with his versatility ... Will play more
than ever at power forward this year ... Syracuse University went hard
after him to play the point guard position for them out of high school
... Hasn't really developed into a point guard at the college level but
has seen action at that spot in a backup role in addition to his time at
the shooting guard and small forward slots ... More fluid than explosive
... Needs to add a lot of strength and must improve defensively before
he is ready to get significant minutes ... Has a rangy body perfect for
playing on the perimeter ... Not much of a shooter in terms of range,
but size advantage allows for added spacing ... Smooth footwork and
release off screens ... Quick release, but doesn't put enough arc in his
trajectory ... Can score from mid-range down ... Good first step to get
in the lane ... Excellent ballhandler ... Handles physical play
extremely well for a player of his weight ... Relies on hisquickness and
long arms to rebound the ball ... Has shown flashes of high-caliber play
but injuries have set him back.

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Zach Randolph
Center | #50 | Freshman | MSU
Height: 6-9
Weight: 270 lbs.
Hometown: Marion, IN
Nimble on his feet despite his considerable size ... Even so, he's
slimmed down some and shed the baby fat ... Agile enough to cut and
catch for interior baskets ... Nicely-developed footwork to setup his
shot, though he still relies heavily on his physical ability ... Soft
touch to covert once he does gain looks ... Nice little drop step into a
half hook ... Plays within himself ... Runs the floor and beats the
opposition downcourt ... Stays active on the boards, draws enough
contract to earn frequent trips to the charity stripe ... Needs to
improve defensively to earn more minutes ... Legal trouble marred a
nevertheless celebrated prep career ... McDonald's All-American.

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Danny Miller
Guard | #15 | Junior | Maryland
Height: 6-8
Weight: 205 lbs.
Hometown: Mt. Holly, NJ
Hard to miss the potential in his combination of size, shooting, and
savvy ... Has come to the Terps and fit in nicely, never forcing the
action ... Excellent mid-range scorer, able to get his shot off easily
with his height and reach ... Lethal shooter from downtown, the upper
body strength he possesses makes for an easier time adjusting to added
range on his shot ... Picture perfect mechanics, great follow through
... Flourishes off picks and screens ... Loves running curls from the
baseline ... Once he catches the ball he does a good job of anticipating
the defense and making the quick decision as to whether he shoot it or
put the ball on the floor ... Not tremendously quick, but has enough
size and speed to ride his man into the lane ... As long as he can keep
his defender on his hip, he is a threat to score off pullups or running
jumpers on the wing ... Utilizes the reverse on the baseline to cut off
his defender from his finish ... Rarely slides in the post as he is not
too comfortable with his back to the basket ... When he does, he likes
going to a soft hook ... Poor finisher from the standstill in traffic,
may have height, but lacks strength to shake off contact ... Good passer
... Avoids mixing it up on the boards, especially on the offensive end
... Plays defense too much with his hands ... A McDonald's All-American
recruit.

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