2013 Draft Class Prospects for 2k13

[atomant94]

Zeke Marshall

Birthday: 12/13/90
NBA Position: Center
Class: Senior
Ht: 7-0
Wt: 235
Hometown: McKeesport, PA
College: Akron


Projected: Late 2nd-Undrafted


Scouting Report:


"The main intrigue surrounding Marshall continue to revolve around his phenomenal physical tools and shot-blocking instincts, standing around 7-feet with an incredible 7-5 wingspan. His frame remains very narrow, particularly in the lower body, but he's a very good athlete for his size, running the court well when motivated and getting off the floor with ease.

Neither a prolific or efficient scorer at the mid-major level, it's difficult to see Marshall ever emerging as anything more than a complimentary player at best on the offensive end of the floor. Akron tries to post him up quite a bit against the slew of undersized big men he faces in the MAC, but rarely sees much success in doing so.

Marshall struggles to establish deep post position due to his poor lower body strength, and doesn't appear to possess the toughness or desire to assert himself in the paint, typically avoiding contact at all costs. Not a particularly fluid player, he shows little in the ways of footwork or post moves, usually preferring to settle for very low percentage hook shots from 12-15 feet.

Thanks to his good hands, long arms and quick bounce, Marshall is a very good finisher when his guards are able to create easy scoring opportunities around the basket. He gets to the free throw line at an average rate (5.1 times per-40 minutes pace adjusted), but converts just 58% of his attempts once there.

Facing the basket, Marshall is somewhat of a mixed bag. He made just 5 of the 22 jumpers (23%) he attempted last season according to Synergy Sports Technology, but shows decent mechanics that indicate he could (and will likely need to) develop this part of his game down the road.

Defensively, Marshall has both extreme strengths and weaknesses. His terrific combination of size, length, timing and mobility make him one of the best shot-blockers in all of college basketball, ranking third amongst all prospects in that category last year.

On the other hand, Marshall also ranks as one of the worst defensive rebounders amongst center prospects, pulling down a mediocre 5.5 per-40 minutes pace adjusted. His lack of strength and aversion to contact is very evident in this area, as he's regularly backed down and pushed out of position and doesn't show much interest in fighting back.

He's also very foul prone, committing 5.9 fouls per-40 minutes pace adjusted, one of the reasons he played just 22 minutes per game last year.

When forced to step outside of the paint, Marshall is mostly a liability. He has a difficult time bending his knees and getting into a real defensive stance, struggling to move laterally and stay in front of anyone. He's not a terribly coordinated athlete at this stage, as it often looks like the game is moving very fast for him.

Marshall is a late bloomer who is just starting to tap into his upside as a basketball player. People around him describe him in various ways. A "different kid", “my 7-foot computer nerd", “he doesn't have a mean bone in his body," are some of the things his coach has been quoted saying about him.

Watching him on the court, it at times appears that he'd rather be somewhere else, as he gets down on himself very easily, and appears to struggle with self-confidence issues. There are major question marks about his physical and mental toughness, which he'll have to address if he's to convince scouts that he's serious about playing in the NBA. Thus far, his progress has been somewhat disappointing, as he hasn't shown a great deal of improvement in his skill-level or frame since arriving at Akron.

NBA teams have shown at times that they are willing to be patient with players in his mold—such as Ryan Hollins for example. Marshall has two more seasons at Akron to show that he's a project worth investing in, so it will be interesting to see how he responds."

[atomant94]

Mason Plumlee

Birthday: 3/5/90
NBA Position: Power Forward
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-11
Wt: 240
Hometown: Arden, NC
College: Duke

Projected: Mid-Late 1st

Strengths: Mason Plumlee looks the part of a physically gifted PF prospect that NBA teams covet at 6’11 235 … He’s also a great athlete, with very nice fluidity, leaping skills and explosiveness … Plumlee is a still developing offensive player, who shows flashes of being able to face-up as a triple threat and post down low … He’s a very good catch and finish player, who also is a good partner in the pick and roll game with his PG due to his athleticism and quick leaping skills … Runs the floor like a deer … Has a developing jump hook with both hands, and shows flashes of a turnaround jumper too … Good passing skills from the high post when facing the basket … Functional ball-handler who can utilize 2 straight line dribbles to get to the rim and finish if left open … Has a good first step for his size and long strides … Plays with a solid motor, and rarely watches the ball on offense and does a good job of always being in motion … Not a bad area rebounder on either end of the floor … Also shows pretty good shot-blocking skills ...

Weaknesses: Although he has nice size for the position and is physically impressive, Plumlee needs more upperbody strength … He can be ineffective against physical bigs on both ends on the floor, and seems to lack toughness and determination … Often loses battles down low on D as bigger matchups often seal on him, and he can struggle to establish post position on offense … Even though he has the tools and physique to be a face-up PF, his face-up skills need a good deal of polish all-around for him to be truly effective … His post game also needs polish, as he doesn’t read the defense very well at all and doesn’t get in and out of his counters quickly when his initial move gets cut off … Doesn’t handle help D naturally, and commits turnovers or forces shots in those instances … Doesn’t show alot in terms of instincts and awareness on the defensive end, and PF’s had their fair share of good games against him and the Duke frontline thus far in his career … Right now, Plumlee is more intrigue than production, but he does have untapped potential ...

Overall: Mason Plumlee’s physical tools, athleticism and budding skill level makes him an interesting prospect … His lack of great production, toughness, strength and defensive awareness are the main things holding him back from reaching his potential … He has time and potential on his side, as well as developing time with Duke’s staff …

[atomant94]

Laurence Bowers


Birthday: 4/19/90
NBA Position: SF/PF
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-8
Wt: 225
Hometown: Memphis, TN
College: Missouri


Projected: Mid-Late 2nd


Scouting Report:


"In terms of his proficiency off the bounce, Bowers showed flashes of being able to put the ball on the floor for a few dribbles and attack the rim or pull up in the mid-range, but he still lacks the footwork, advanced ball-handling, and fluidity with his moves to do so on a consistent basis.

In the post, Bowers scored pretty efficiently in his limited touches (about 14% of his used possessions last season) thanks to his excellent skills as a finisher, where he's able to utilize his length, elevation, and soft touch. He doesn't have the girth inside to get good post position, or the refined post skills that would likely make this part of his game translate to the NBA level, though.

Standing at 6'8” with a bit of a wiry frame, Bowers lacks the typical size and bulk to defend NBA power forwards in the post. He does, however, possess excellent athleticism, a solid motor, and what appears to be a very long wingspan to help compensate for that. He's shown to be a very solid shotblocker (he averaged 2.7 blocks per forty minutes pace adjusted last season) and also has the lateral quickness that should allow him to guard some on the perimeter and switch onto smaller, quicker players.

On the boards, Bowers grabbed 8.9 rebounds per forty minutes pace adjusted last season, ranking him in the bottom half of power forwards in our database. With his lack of size at the four spot, it will be important for him to prove his worth as a rebounder, which he seems capable of doing with his bounciness and length.

Missouri returns all five starters from last season's team but does have a new head coach with a completely different offensive philosophy. While the mix of players will be similar to last season, Bowers could be utilized in a drastically different role by Haith and could see his minutes increase from the 25 per game he played last season under Coach Mike Anderson, who loved his team to play at a frenetic pace as he shuffled players in and out.

At this point in his development, Bowers will likely be looked at as more of an undersized, face-up power forward by NBA scouts, making his living off the ball with his athleticism, length, and energy. While there is a spot in the league for players in this mold, the niche is a small one and may only fit with certain coaches and styles of play—unless he dramatically improves his skill-level.

Overall, although Bowers junior season may have been a bit of a disappointment, players with his physical gifts are hard to come by, and he'll surely have plenty of opportunities this season and in the pre-draft process to give scouts a better feel for his game."

[atomant94]

Alex Oriakhi

Birthday: 6/21/90
NBA Position: PF/C
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-9
Wt: 255
Hometown: Lowell, MA
College: Missouri


Projected: Early-Mid 2nd


Scouting Report:

"Oriakhi has an excellent body and solid athleticism for an NBA big man prospect, and although his offensive game still lacks polish, he did show some positive signs of development as a sophomore, getting more opportunities with the lack of other options for the Huskies down low.

After scoring an atrocious .41 points per possession on his post up opportunities in his freshman season, Oriakhi nearly doubled that, scoring .77 points per possession as a sophomore. He is still far from efficient and lacks feel and fluidity with his moves on the block, but his improvement is encouraging.

As a shooter, Oriakhi still has a way to go, but also made some small strides. He improved his free throw percentage from 54% as a freshman to 63% as a sophomore, and started to show flashes of being able to knock down jumpers with his feet set out to about fifteen feet or so, which will be important for him to continue working on. He will likely never be skilled enough to be a featured option in the post, so being able to make himself a threat to hit short, open jump shots will at least keep defenses honest.

Oriakhi's biggest asset offensively is his ability to crash the offensive glass and earn extra possessions. He used his strong body, log arms, and aggressiveness to grab 5.2 offensive rebounds per forty minutes pace adjusted last season, placing him in the top 10 of all players in our database.

Oriakhi was the anchor of UConn's stingy defense last season, as his physical tools and toughness make him an extremely valuable presence in the paint. He does an excellent job of utilizing his body and fighting for position on the block, while also having the ability to challenge shots as a help defender.His combination of size and mobility should allow him to be able to defend both big positions at the NBA level.

It will be interesting to see Oriakhi pair up with Drummond inside this season and see if Coach Jim Calhoun will be able to use them effectively on the floor together. Most teams in the NCAA today don't play with two true big men like those two, so Oriakhi may find himself playing some different matchups defensively, giving NBA teams a look at how he might be able to defend some of the more versatile big men in today's NBA.

Overall, Oriakhi obviously has some attributes that will be very attractive to NBA teams with his physical tools, rebounding, and defensive abilities, but his upside will likely be determined by how much progress he can make with his skill level and feel for the game offensively. Playing on a very talented UConn team with season will give him plenty more exposure to showcase how his game is developing."

[atomant94]

Jamaal Franklin

Birthday: 6/21/91
NBA Position: SG/SF
Class: Junior
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 195
Hometown: Hawthorne, CA
College: San Diego State


Projected: Late 1st-Early 2nd


Scouting Report:

"Franklin was a kid who really wasn’t that highly rated coming out of high school. Most scouting services had little to nothing about him and didn’t think he’d be much of an impact player, but oh were they wrong.

Franklin is the star for SDSU. He’s averaging 17 points and over 7 rebounds per game. He’s long, strong and athletic. Oh, and he can shoot it. He’s really an all-around player and he’s the reason this team has been ranked in the top 25 all season.

Franklin is a showman, and loves the limelight, so the bright lights of the NCAA tournament are surely going to bring out the best in him. He’s very athletic and has a good motor, so whoever guards him (likely Lorenzo Brown or CJ Williams) will need to be at their best throughout. He’s a do-it all type guy. He slashes, he shoots at a pretty decent clip and he’s an outstanding finisher. He thrives off of his confidence and loves to get the crowd going with a highlight reel play. This kid is a future NBA talent and will be very, very dangerous in the NCAA tournament.

So why haven’t you heard of him before. Well, for one, he’s just as sophomore. Last season he spent the year stuck behind a first-round NBA draft pick in Kawhi Leonard, but this off-season he’s really improved. He’s really gotten aggressive and that has been huge for SDSU when coupled with his extreme athleticism.

Just how athletic is Franklin? How about so athletic that he once got his tooth knocked out by the rim. Here’s a pick of the aftermath. He is a high flyer which fits well with the Aztecs run and gun style of play. They like to get up and down the floor and they like to get a lot of shots up. Franklin also thrives at getting to the line. He’s been there almost 200 times this season.

To stop Franklin you have to force him into bad shots and stop his penetration. He isn’t the best 3 point shooter (31%) so making him settle for jumpers is the way to go. You also always have to know where he is on the break. He’s kind of like Calvin Leslie in the fact that he’s so athletic he can come out of anywhere and throw down an unexpected dunk. His worst games this season have come against his most athletic opponents. He averages 17 points per game but only got 11 against a long, athletic Baylor team and he only managed 11 against Cal and 8 against Arizona. For the most part he has not been outstanding against tougher opponents, but he did explode for 24 against UNLV in January."

[atomant94]

Erick Green

Birthday: 5/9/91
NBA Position: Point Guard
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 180
Hometown: Winchester, VA
College: Virginia Tech


Projected: Mid-Late 2nd


Scouting Report:

"Green is extremely comfortable as a shooter both off the dribble and in standstill catch and shoot opportunities. He gets very good elevation, and shows a consistent release point, albeit one with a little bit of extra motion. His most effective source of offense in the half-court is from pick and roll sets, where he's a good shooter coming off of screens, particularly when going to his left. The combination of his extremely quick second gear and the threat of him shooting coming off the pick makes him an extremely tough cover in these situations.

Green is very good in transition, which is where his athleticism truly shines. Very quick with the ball in his hands, he can push the ball down the court with the best of them. He has a very good pull-up jumper, which makes him increasingly difficult to defend when he is pushing the ball in transition and opens up lanes to finish at the hoop. He also is a good catch and shoot player, which allows him to be a good trailer on the break when he doesn't have the ball in his hands.

One area where Green does struggle, including not only from pick and roll sets but also in isolation situations, is as a finisher in traffic. Despite being an overall very athletic player in terms of quickness, speed, and ability to change direction, Green does not have tremendous explosion around the rim.

The combination of a lack of great explosion, struggles finishing through contact and not being great at drawing contact and getting to the line creates a relatively poor finisher around the hoop, especially considering he's only 180 pounds. Green has the speed, quickness, and ball handling to get into the paint with regularity, but that is somewhat wasted by his struggles finishing at the rim, where he converted just 42.9% of his attempts according to Synergy, which is in the bottom fifth of the NCAA. He does have an assortment of floaters in the lane, and does possess good touch and body control, which somewhat helps counteract this.

His ability to get into the lane is further diminished by a lack of great court vision and inability to get his teammates involved based on the defensive attention he draws. Despite playing five more minutes per game with a much more significant offensive role, Green's assists barely went up, from 2.7 per game his sophomore year to 2.8 per game last year. He does a good job of not turning the ball over for somebody who handles it as much as he does, but his inability to creating scoring opportunities for teammates is a detriment for somebody who will likely have trouble defending shooting guards at the next level.

Defensively, Green stands just under 6'3" with a good wingspan. He moves his feet fairly well and does a pretty good job of fighting through screens, and also does a good job of using his length to cut off driving lanes. His biggest detriment will be his physical limitations. Green has solid size for a point guard, but would be quite a bit undersized if asked to defend the shooting guard spot, and will be at a strength mismatch at either position with his 180 pound frame.

Erick Green made a substantial improvement in his jump shot his junior year, which bodes well for him going forward. While he struggles with his overall point guard instincts, he has the body type where it would be much easier to project a role for him at the next level if he were able to spend some time as a backup point guard. If Green can show some increased awareness as a playmaker, he has the overall offensive arsenal to potentially find a roster spot at the next level."

[atomant94]

Robert Covington

Birthday: 12/14/90
NBA Position: SF/PF
Class: Senior
Ht: 6-9
Wt: 215
Hometown: Bellwood, IL
College: Tennessee State

Projected: Late 1st-Early 2nd


Scouting Report:

"Covington has been able to lead Tennessee State to their first winning season since 1995-96 and their first 20 win season in 20 years. If it wasn't for Murray State's big season, they would have been dancing in March. Covington has been a big part in turning around an abysmal program. He has definitely proven he is a winner. In terms of unselfishness, that fits Covington as well. In fact, it would be nice if he was more aggressive. He doesn't force anything or show off to scouts either. In the three games against Murray State, which were the most attended by NBA personnel, Covington shot above 50% in each of them. He always takes good shots and plays with a similar demeanor as Granger. As a fellow star player at a small school, Covington joins Granger on the rare list of players that shoot a good percentage from the field - shooting 53% as well. "

"In terms of taking the ball to the hoop, Covington has shown that ability consistently although there are some questions. He is comfortable with taking the ball to the rim, but lacks the ball handling abilities to fully take advantage of it. Right now, he has the confidence and picks his spots well, but improvement is a must. With his size and mid-range game it doesn't need to be great, he just gets the ball stripped to much at this point. He also needs to work on keeping the ball higher and more protected when driving. His left hand isn't far behind his right hand though, as he had no reservations driving either direction."

"He definitely has a good feel on the defensive end and makes a lot of plays happen and his versatility is never a negative. He's a great college defender who should be a fine perimeter defender in the NBA."

[Caveman24]

are we missing any major prospects?