All Stats Provided by Jazzy J
=============================================================================
Name: Rashard Griffith
College: Wisconsin
Height: 6-11
Weight: 265
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
93-94 Wisconsin 25 672 127 236 0 0 94 162 212 67 24 61 66 9 348
94-95 Wisconsin 26 756 167 295 0 0 113 195 281 69 21 76 58 11 447
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TOTALS 51 1428 294 531 0 0 207 357 493 136 45 137 124 20 795
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
93-94 Wisconsin 26.9 53.8 ERR 58.0 8.5 1.0 2.4 2.6 0.4 13.9
94-95 Wisconsin 29.1 56.6 ERR 57.9 10.8 0.8 2.9 2.2 0.4 17.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 28.0 55.4 ERR 58.0 9.7 0.9 2.7 2.4 0.4 15.6
Poop:
Pros:
Big and strong. Doesn't run the floor too badly when he decides to run.
Good rebounder and shot blocker.
Cons:
Probably a bit hefty for his 6'11" frame, so he often plays smaller than
that. Poor FT shooter. Often takes ill-advised shots. Tends to have
"lead legs" - hard to make short, quick moves. Often is hidden in a zone,
and may not be the best man-to-man defender.
Projection:
The people that call him the next Benoit Benjamin might not be too far
off the mark - Rashard really needs to work on his shooting and
footwork. He will survive in the NBA because of this size, but he'll
never play all that much unless he makes great improvements.
Scout: Brian Saunders
More Poop:
Just to update some of my comments: Rashard has been working out since
he left Wisconsin last month, and looks to be in better shape than
I've ever seen him. In addition, he is taking ballet classes (!!!) to
improve his footwork. I still don't know what sort of impact he will
have, but I have a much higher opinion of his work ethic than I did
before (and I wasn't even in the "Rashard is lazy" camp to begin
with).
Scout: Brian Saunders
=============================================================================
Name: Bryant Reeves
College: Oklahoma State
Height: 7-0
Weight: 292
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Okla St 36 763 111 213 0 0 69 109 182 116 24 55 26 7 291
92-93 Okla St 29 944 210 338 1 2 145 223 291 91 36 71 38 14 566
93-94 Okla St 34 1170 264 451 0 1 185 311 329 105 52 90 70 27 713
94-95 Okla St 37 1288 289 493 0 5 219 310 350 118 30 109 60 18 797
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TOTALS 136 4165 874 1495 1 8 618 953 1152 430 142 325 194 66 2367
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Okla St 21.2 52.1 ERR 63.3 5.1 0.7 1.5 0.7 0.2 8.1
92-93 Okla St 32.6 62.1 50.0 65.0 10.0 1.2 2.4 1.3 0.5 19.5
93-94 Okla St 34.4 58.5 0.0 59.5 9.7 1.5 2.6 2.1 0.8 21.0
94-95 Okla St 34.8 58.6 0.0 70.6 9.5 0.8 2.9 1.6 0.5 21.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 30.6 58.5 12.5 64.8 8.5 1.0 2.4 1.4 0.5 17.4
Poop:
Bryant Reeves. 7'0", 292, 21.4ppg, 9.5 reb. THE man for Oklahoma
State. Soft hands, decent moves in the paint. Suprisingly mobile
for a person of his size. Often played all available minutes in
tight games. Should benefit from NBA defensive schemes.
Scout: Teresa Merklin
More Poop:
Bryant "Big Country" Reeves (named his freshman year by then teammate
and current Golden State WArrior Byron Houston) finally emerged into
the national spotlight by leading his team nearly single handedly into
the Final Four, dismantling highly regarded centers Tim Duncan, Marcus
Camby, and George Zidek (although they lost to UCLA). People in the
Big Eight have long known about him since his sophomore year when he
came out of the shadows of the previous year when he started as a
freshman on a senior dominated team. He led the league in scoring,
rebounding and probably FG% to win Big 8 POY. He stayed consistent his
junior year making first team all big eight and repeated again his
senior year only this time winning another POY and (i believe) leading
the league in scoring and rebounding (although he was pushed by OU's
Ryan Minor in all three categories). During his career he made two
trips to the sweet 16 and one the final four (and obviously picking up
the sweet 16). By the time the dust was settled, he easily had the
2000 pts and 1000 rebounds that are the mark of a great college big
man.
Freshman year: Coming out of Gans, OK (pop 400) to play for his
favorite coach as a kid, Eddie Sutton, he was not heavily
recruited. And for good reason. He was in pathetic shape, had never
played against any real competition, and only had his 7'0" 270 lbs
going for him. Unfortunately that body was completely uncoordinated
and rather flabby. Legendary coach Hank Iba said he "needed a bra" and
others compared his motor skills to a youn puppy. But he didn't give
up, accepting the challenges given to him by his trainers and coaches
to get into shape and learn how to play the game his body was made
for. He won the starting job on a small, senior laden team benefitting
from their not relying on him for offense and learning from future
first round draft pick, Byron Houston. He averaged 10 pts and five
boards as the team opened the season 20-0 spending a lot of time at #2
behind Duke (who topped the polls all season). They began by winning
the preseason NIT. The plane ride to the Big Apple was Reeves
first. Legend has it that someone offered him a piece of gum for his
ears. A few minutes later he asked them how was supposed to fit it
in. (he denies this ever happened)
Sophomore year: BC doubles his numbers, winning Big 8 POY and
finishing second behind final 4 bound Kansas (for the third year in a
row).
Junior year: stays consistent, first team all big 8. Led the league in
rebounding and fg%. His scoring went up but he finshed fifth since
four others improved their averages as well. His team finished second.
Senior year: Leads team to the final four, POY, again leading the
league in scoring, rebounding and FG% (and finishing second behind
Kansas). Probably made a lot of 2nd team All Americas (was on a few
thirds his junior year and honorable mentions his soph).
Career: One of the all time greats in the Big Eight, right up their
with Manning and Tisdale (however didn't get the two titles that
former Cowboy Bob Kurland - the first big man in college - got in 45
and 46, so he's second banana on his own campus :).
Had some great battles with fellow class of 95 Big Eight center, Greg
Ostertag (who always saved his best games for BC, and proving that Big
O has some potential) splitting the last three seasons (when each
began playing better). This year he had his career best and worst. In
Stillwater, he dominated the game getting 33/20. In Lawrence, he was
shut out but got double figures in rebounds.
Offense: Very good. Has an amazing shooting touch in close. Doesn't
miss the easy ones. Uses the glass very well and has a variety of post
moves. His most devasting one is using his 290 lbs on an opponent,
leading with a drop step to his left and going baseline (or turning to
the lane if he's on the left side), overpowering them for an easy lay
up. Greg Ostertag has been the only one to stop this (and only
occasionally). He can dominate anyone under 260 lbs. He also has a
nice shooting touch up to about 15 feet. Once he forced a game against
Missouri into overtime by hitting a half court shot and spent a few
minutes proving to reporters that it wasn't a fluke at the next
practice making a few more of the same shot (turn around jumper).
Knows how to use his body to get good post position and has good hands
when receiving the ball. Has been prone to making turnovers when
reacting to double and triple teams. But has hands that can easily
palm the ball and can make some nice passes on occasion. Probably had
a 1:2 assist to TO ratio. He knows when to make the pass and who to
throw it to, but does not have the skill to make every pass. That is
his only real weakness.
Defense: Physical, physical, physical. Few can get position on him. An
excellent rebounder, but not a great shot blocker (only about 2/game).
His arms are proportioned to his body, so (unlike Ostertag) they are
not notably long. That, coupled with his average vertical, he isn't
going to block many shots. Not that many can get comfortable trying to
shoot against him. He isn't lightning quick, but he isn't slow.
Physical characteristics: 7'0" and 290 lbs. That says it all. Well not
nearly. This guy is big and strong and can only get stronger. He had
never touched a weight before coming to college and couldn't run more
than half a mile. Now he has lost his baby fat, turned it into muscle
and can play 40 minutes without losing a beat. His conditioning still
has a long way to go. Right now his arms as thick as most people's
thighs. They are not toned or cut in any way. He looks like he lifts
tractors to work out. Compare Barkley to Jordan and you'll see what
I'm getting at. Then imagine if Barkely would ever start lifting
weights seriously. I'm sure Reeves does lift, since he is at least as
strong as Shaq was his junior year but his body still has a ways to
go. He could be the strongest player in the NBA if he could replace
the rest of his fat (not much left but it's there) with
muscle. Imagine David Robinson plus fifty pounds and you can see his
potential body.
Pro Prospects: Excellent. If the NBA is such that Eric Montross can
average fourteen pts and eight boards, Reeves can easily keep his
college numbers of 20/10. I'm sure a lot of people will compare him to
Montross. Same size (only Reeves is 20lbs heavier), color, quickness
and haircut. Off hand, I'd give the skill advantage at this very
moment to Reeves and then make a note that he has only been playing in
any real sense for four years to Montross' lifetime. His offense will
flourish since the nBA is more physical than college (his shoulder
won't get called) and he will see fewer double teams and no zones. His
defense will be enough to stop all but the quickest. Hakeem and
Robinson will school him. Ewing and Mourning will beat him by a
little. Shaq will have to use quickness and skill since there is no
way he can outmuscle him. All others could try praying. Up is the only
place he has to go. He is guaranteed to average at least 15/8 for ten
years. He is instantly the third best center in the West (behind
Hakeem and Robinson - his actual offens puts him even with Mutumbo)
and the fourth in the East (Ewing, Shaq and Mourning). That makes him
a potential all-star. He is the best center coming out of college
this year and that would be the case if every center came out and you
projected them as seniors. Adonal Foyle would be the only
contender. Joe Smith is not a center in the NBA. Rasheed Wallace can't
handle Corliss Willimson, let alone someone taller and fifty pounds
heavier. Cherokee Parks is more of a power forward and only really has
a better outside shot (and is a little more mobile). Camby and
Duncan... Well, he showed what would happen. Duncan will be a good
center in the NBA and would probably project to third, followed by
Griffith, McDyess, and Dampier. Camby will probably play forward
unless he can get his weight up another 30 lbs without losing a
step. Camby also hasn't developed any skills that don't rely on his
quickness and leaping (which can easily be removed via an ankle or
knee injury) nor does he really play like an NBA center. Actually
Camby could be a Clifford Robinson-type which would mean playing all
three front court positions above average and taking advantage of
mismatched while exposing himself to say someone who is stronger but
not as quick. BTW, Parks (in my expert opinion :) would be the third
best prospect in this projected-to-senior ranking since he can play PF
with no problem and I'm assuming a lot of improvement from
Foyle. Actually it would go Reeves, then Duncan, Foyle and Parks (tie
for second); Griffith, Wallace (based on other people's projections,
personally I am pretty sure he will get his but kicked in the NBA, but
"they" say he's gonna be a good one), and Duncan (tie for fifth), then
Dampier, Camby, and McDyess (although Dampier could move up but I only
saw him play in the tourney, so I can't really judge, but I know he's
good). The reason I put Reeves and Foyle so high is due to their lack
of experience. We know they can hold their own against any of the
others but the others have had a lot of years of solid coaching (and
big man camps, etc) and we know where they stand. Those two can get so
much better and have the will to do so. I question the attitudes of
Wallace and Griffith (punks)and Parks (laid back). I am not too sure
about the physical potential of Camby (who might be a punk also, but
he is damn quick and isn't going pro this year so I'll give him a
chance to grow up - we'll see what he's like when he must lead his
team next year), Duncan, and Wallace: meaning can they bulk up enough
to match up in the NBA. And I haven't seen enough of McDyess and
Dampier to really say whether or not they will be better than Reeves
or Foyle (who is listed at 6'9" so he might not be tall enough but at
260 and built like Stallone (or Malone), he'll be damn good). I only
considered people who could spend any serious amount of time at center
(Alan Henderson or Gary Trent or Joe Smith will be power
forwards). Others of note: Ostertag is behind all of them at
ninth. His attitude and the fact that he is a senior now and has
played half of them (coming out even on the average, considering he
was never expected to get a lot of pts) say he is not as good as
them. He has potential but has the worst attitude of all but
Wallace. But of all the people who are only centers (BC, Griffith,
Dampier, and maybe Foyle) he is fifth, and the third best pure center
in the draft (I'm pretty sure Griffith is going, but I could be
wrong).Othella Harrington is not a center in college (someone needs to
tell him that) so is not a center in the NBA. But if you wanted to
rank him, I'd have him tied with Ostertag since I'm pretty sure he
peaked in high schools (as far as comparing himwith his peers - ie he
was much better in high school, top 25% of ALL college centers and
would be bottom of the barrel of people 6'8" or bigger who can play
inside (although is pretty good for people who are that height and
can't play outside either but think they are Patrick Ewing - I'm at
the top of the people in that category who are specifically 5'6" - yes
I'm being arrogant, but I am a better post player than most people my
height and have an awful outside game - if projected as a senior (last
year) I would probably be around 45000th on this list - I can play
defense and have decent endurance :).
SUMMARY: Reeves is the best big man in the draft. He can only play
center and has three weaknesses: passing out of the post when mobbed
(but he is no worse than average among centers), quickness and
vertical leap. He is probably the strongest and biggest in the
draft. He has real skills offensively and is smart defensively. He has
no problem carrying a team or taking a big shot. Give him a marksman
and some scrubs who play good defense and look at him go. Has only had
four years of coaching and will improve for at least another ten. If
Dallas has any chance of getting him, look for them to get to the
second round of the playoffs. Detroit would love him, but have a
longer way to go. Golden State would like him as well but if they get
him, look for not less than three talented players to have season
ending injuries by August. New Jersey would take him but he probably
would cause a lot of problems with his teammates for listening to the
coach. Minnesota could use him, but if they draft him, he will have a
slow first few years (blowing my predictions) but then become an all
star as soon as they trade him. Miami might like him. They could move
Willis back to PF. Washington and Philly already have centers.
Sacramento would do very well with him. I would love it if the Bucks
took him. I love Glen Robinson (he is just like Bird only a little
more agile and not quite as good of a passer, but both just put up the
same jumpers with a mob covering them and they float right in. Both
are from the same background: dirt poor in the dirt poorest section of
Indiana, and have the same sixth sense about basketball that makes
them look like they're in slo-mo. Totally relaxed, totally amazing)
and the team needs a center, but might need more help at guard. Unless
they can get Respert I can't think of any reason why they would not
want of front court of Big Dog, Vin Baker and Big Country over BD, VB
and Eric Mobely (who is good, but not a star). And PLEASE let the
Clippers pick Wallace. I can't stand players I like being condemned
there. Whoever they pick will start, hate it, and suck until
traded. Of course it is more likely that he will be picked by Toronto
or Vancouver, but I'm still pulling for Dallas or Milwaukee.
Scout: Doug Glass
=============================================================================
Name: Cherokee Parks
College: Duke
Height: 6-11
Weight: 240
Position: Center
Other positions: Power Forward
Strengths: Shotblocking, agility, finishing moves, rebounding,
jump shot to 21'
Weaknesses: Lack of concentration, occasional passiveness, stamina
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Duke 34 435 60 105 0 0 50 69 81 57 13 30 35 5 170
92-93 Duke 32 899 161 247 0 0 72 100 220 68 14 56 65 25 394
93-94 Duke 34 1038 186 347 3 17 115 149 284 77 31 57 76 37 490
94-95 Duke 31 1091 222 443 31 85 114 147 289 68 45 63 55 26 589
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 131 3463 629 1142 34 102 351 465 874 270 103 206 231 93 1643
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Duke 12.8 57.1 ERR 72.5 2.4 0.4 0.9 1.0 0.1 5.0
92-93 Duke 28.1 65.2 ERR 72.0 6.9 0.4 1.8 2.0 0.8 12.3
93-94 Duke 30.5 53.6 17.6 77.2 8.4 0.9 1.7 2.2 1.1 14.4
94-95 Duke 35.2 50.1 36.5 77.6 9.3 1.5 2.0 1.8 0.8 19.0
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 26.4 55.1 33.3 75.5 6.7 0.8 1.6 1.8 0.7 12.5
Poop:
Cherokee Parks came to Duke as the most heralded big man to come out
of California since Bill Walton. He was billed as impressive and
dominating, both offensively and defensively. While he never quite
lived up to that hype in his career at Duke, he did manage to carve
out a very effective four years, with excellent shooting, rebounding
and shotblocking numbers, as well as a substantial number of wins.
Yet Parks will always be judged by his potential, and there is
definitely a sense that he hasn't tapped all of his considerable
talent. Whether his limitations will allow him to do that in the NBA
remains to be seen.
As a freshman, Parks started off well, scoring and rebounding in
double digits until an injury slowed him down. The other factor that
hurt his progress as a frosh was Christian Laettner's notorious verbal
torture. Laettner, in an effort to make Parks a better and tougher
player, insulted, taunted and humiliated Parks whenever possible.
This ended up having the opposite effect, with the mild-mannered Parks
sulking and languishing on the bench. When Laettner lightened up
later in the year, Parks responded and ended up a valuable reserve as
Duke won the national title.
Parks started as a sophomore and stepped up his game with the
departure of Laettner. Still, Parks would frequently disappear for
long stretches at a time during games, especially defensively. This
would often occur against teams with inferior post men. Parks would
usually come to play against highly touted big men, such as when he
played extremely well against future lottery picks Juwan Howard and
Chris Webber in a game at Duke. "The Chief" did start to play
consistently in the last ten games of the season, before disappearing
and then getting injured in an NCAA loss.
As a junior, Parks put up slightly improved numbers, but played with
much greater consistency. He started putting up more jumpers,
including the occasional three-pointer. He played fine defense and
again rose to the occasion against big-time competition. His interior
defense helped lead Duke to the national championship game.
As a senior, he had his finest statistical season on a losing team.
Without his offensive presence, the team would have been much worse.
He became a prolific scorer playing with an inexperienced backcourt.
He played excellent defense without the benefit of experienced
forwards to play help defense. His three point shot became a
consistent weapon. His scoring duties cut down on his rebounding
somewhat, and he began to take some questionable shots. He was unable
to unite a team that had young players in key spots, but that may have
been beyond most players. The key to his season what that he felt
confident as the main offensive threat.
In general, Parks is a very good athlete who has decent speed, good
leaping ability, and excellent agility around the basket. He is not
extremely strong or dominating inside, relying more on timing and
agility to pick up blocks. He doesn't have the strength to go inside
consistently and draw fouls, although he is an excellent foul shooter
once he's there. He has a servicable drop step though he lacks a
consistent back-to-the-basket move, and never uses a hook shot around
the basket. He's a good rebounder who can dominate when inspired,
nabbing 20 in a game as a junior for a Duke team that was not
rebound-oriented. He has very good hands and is a great face-up
shooter. He has deadly baseline shots with a quick release. For
shots 17' and further, his release is considerably slower but still
very accurate. He is not a great passer and only an adequate
ballhandler, and so has problems with double-teams around the basket.
He plays much better with someone who can get him the basket, since
his one-on-one moves are average at best when he's on the perimeter,
although he did occasionally show a surprisingly quick first step.
While better in a halfcourt game, he is an excellent outlet passer and
is also capable of finishing the fast break.
The major knocks on Parks as a pro are his aggressiveness,
consistency and finding a true position for his size and speed. Parks
has at times lacked the competitive fire necessary for success,
although it has usually come while playing inferior opponents. This
will obviously not be a big factor in the NBA. Parks proved as a
senior that he could be consistent in every game for a team that
needed him to play well to have any chance to win. He has the size
and heft to play center in the NBA, but probably isn't strong enough
to do so. Power forward is probably his eventual destination as a
pro, although with his shot he could spend time as a small forward.
I expect Parks to go in the early first round, possibly in the
lottery. Any team that needs a big man that can score and block shots
would do well to draft him, but they would be better served if they
already had a good point guard and played more of a halfcourt game.
He also would probably serve best as the third scoring option on the
team.
Scout: Rob Clough
=============================================================================
Name: Greg Ostertag
College: Kansas
Height: 7-2 (7-0)
Weight: 270 (279)
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Strenght, reach
Weaknesses: Quickness, inconsistent
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Kansas 32 311 61 112 0 1 32 49 112 50 5 30 34 7 154
92-93 Kansas 29 389 61 118 0 0 33 55 118 59 11 36 36 8 155
93-94 Kansas 35 739 145 272 0 2 70 111 307 81 12 60 97 15 360
94-95 Kansas 31 604 121 203 0 0 57 103 233 73 13 50 91 11 299
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 127 2043 388 705 0 3 192 318 770 263 41 176 258 41 968
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Kansas 9.7 54.5 0.0 65.3 3.5 0.2 0.9 1.1 0.2 4.8
92-93 Kansas 13.4 51.7 ERR 60.0 4.1 0.4 1.2 1.2 0.3 5.3
93-94 Kansas 21.1 53.3 0.0 63.1 8.8 0.3 1.7 2.8 0.4 10.3
94-95 Kansas 19.5 59.6 ERR 55.3 7.5 0.4 1.6 2.9 0.4 9.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 16.1 55.0 0.0 60.4 6.1 0.3 1.4 2.0 0.3 7.6
Poop:
Kansas coach Roy Williams says it all: "If you could put Jerod Haase's
heart into Greg Ostertag, you would have one of the best players that
ever played this game. Ostertag has every tool needed to be a NBA star,
but his desire is a big time question mark, especially over an 82 game
season plus playoffs.
Scout: monahan mike
More Poop:
reach: can touch the rim flat footed (cuts down the nets that way).
Offense: limited. Has a nice shooting touch. But it is
inconsistent. If he would use the glass more, he would be much
better. Sometimes has a nice jump hook but it is usually flat, meaning
no arc. He often shoots it down towards the basket which would work if
he was Wilt (who had at least a forty inch vertical), but since he
isn't, the ball can fall short. Sometimes has a power game. If he's
in the mood. Inconsistent is the best way to describe his
offense. Sometime he'll run the floor, get lots of dunks and hit open
jumpers. Other times he'll miss a bunch of two footers. Has a problem
of bringing the ball down low when in close or after an offensive
rebound.
Defense: Very consistent. His long arms alter a lot of shots. Is
improving his ability to use his body effectively. Once shut down Big
Country. Good shot blocker. Does this with instincts rather than
physical ability. Meaning he puts his hands up rather than
leaping. Very good at blocking shots into his own hands rather than
into the fifth row. Averaged about eight rebounds per game in twenty
minutes of PT. Would have averaged more if not for sharing PT with
Scot Pollard at center and having Raef Lafrentz at PF who averaged
about the same in twenty four minutes.
Physical abilities: here is his weakness. He is not in the best of
shape. Apparently used to get excercise induced asmtha. That was
diagnosed his junior year and he showed immediate improvement. but he
didn't continue to improve over his senior year which he was
disappointed with by about five pts and three boards (that he expectd
to get - he might have if not for Raef). Usually displays a low
vertical leap, but there is photographic evidence (ala Sports Ill)
that he can jump. Not the most coordinated but compensates by knowing
how to use his arms defensively. Can display sporadic feats of
brilliance. He once had everyone at Allen Field House scratching their
heads when flashed from the top of the key to a dunk in two fast
steps, looking a bit like David Robinson (but that only lasted one
play). He is strong, but could be stronger. He is stronger than he
looks but looks a little flabby. Well, not flabby but chiseled doesn't
come to mind. He does weigh 270. Hands: good when above his head, poor
when below his waist.
Intangibles: some call him exuberant and childish. Roy Williams
attributes most of his grey hair to Ostertag. Needs major renovation
of his work ethic (if he was black, he'd be stereotyped as lazy with
physical gifts, he's white so he gets by being a playful texan).
Pro prospects: good. Guaranteed to be a pro as long as he wants. The
last few words sum it up. He needs to decide how bad he wants it. He
has a lot of potential. His defense is adequate already. Does better
against physical centers more than skilled ones (ie Hakeem and
Robinson will school him, Shaq and Mourning will be surprised). His
offense needs work, but it has the foundation. Getting into better
shape is a must. He needs to weigh 290 and have under 10% body fat. If
he can do that, his game should improve. Has the potential to be on
the all star ballot. Can be a ten year pracitce player with his eyes
shut. Can be a good bench player with some work. Could be a starter if
his attitude improves a lot. Will benefit best as a backup to a great
veteran center or as a defensive force on a team that doesn't rely on
the five spot for offense. Two of the Texas teams fit that bill. San
Antonio the first, and Dallas the second. Could start for Dallas next
year and would love to go there (it's his home town). And that is
their weakest position and he should be available then. But I doubt
they'd take him at eleven (they would kill for Big Country and would
probably pass on Cherokee, so maybe, but I don't see him that high,
although the Mavs aren't looking for 1-3 and Popeye Jones is what they
need at 4, and for the 5, they need someone to clog the lane so who
knows).
Summary: Can only improve. Attitude is most important. Defense is
adequate for the NBA but offense needs work. Should be a first rounder
based on the lack of great centers in this draft.
Scout: Doug Glass
More Poop:
Ostertag was invited to the Desert Classic and averaged 7.5 points and 9
rebounds a game.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: Loren Meyer
College: Iowa State
Height: 6-10 (6-9.5)
Weight: 257 (253)
Position: Power Forward
Other positions: Center
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Iowa St 34 406 72 140 3 10 28 47 106 75 15 26 23 21 175
92-93 Iowa St 31 698 116 214 0 3 71 100 153 90 40 66 30 20 303
93-94 Iowa St 12 369 97 159 0 0 73 99 114 25 20 26 31 7 267
94-95 Iowa St 34 1009 198 355 0 1 139 190 306 97 50 79 50 13 535
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 111 2482 483 868 3 14 311 436 679 287 125 197 134 61 1280
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Iowa St 11.9 51.4 30.0 59.6 3.1 0.4 0.8 0.7 0.6 5.1
92-93 Iowa St 22.5 54.2 0.0 71.0 4.9 1.3 2.1 1.0 0.6 9.8
93-94 Iowa St 30.8 61.0 ERR 73.7 9.5 1.7 2.2 2.6 0.6 22.3
94-95 Iowa St 29.7 55.8 0.0 73.2 9.0 1.5 2.3 1.5 0.4 15.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 22.4 55.6 21.4 71.3 6.1 1.1 1.8 1.2 0.5 11.5
Poop:
Strengths: Very physical player. Not afraid to bang bodies inside.
He has got decent post moves and a jumper up to 12 feet. He can
block some shots and a good rebounder.
Weaknesses: Gets tired very easily. Not enough stamina for NBA.
Fouls too much. Does not have enough experience since he missed
almost a whole season due to injuries.
He can be a decent backup center averaging 15-25 minutes in NBA. He
can possibly play some PF but may not be quick enough to defend NBA
PFs.
Scout: Divyesh Sheth
More Poop:
Meyer really helped himself at the Desert Classic averaging 10.5 points
and three rebounds. He made the MVP list.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: George Zidek
College: UCLA
Height: 7-0
Weight: 250
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Work ethic, size, left and right handed hook shot
Weaknesses: Speed
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 UCLA 17 66 8 21 0 1 2 4 19 21 2 3 1 1 18
92-93 UCLA 26 233 22 52 0 0 19 25 43 53 8 11 6 4 63
93-94 UCLA 28 688 120 232 0 2 71 93 197 98 15 47 16 9 311
94-95 UCLA 33 771 140 253 2 5 68 93 178 106 15 52 21 12 350
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 104 1758 290 558 2 8 160 215 437 278 40 113 44 26 742
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 UCLA 3.9 38.1 0.0 50.0 1.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 1.1
92-93 UCLA 9.0 42.3 ERR 76.0 1.7 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.2 2.4
93-94 UCLA 24.6 51.7 0.0 76.3 7.0 0.5 1.7 0.6 0.3 11.1
94-95 UCLA 23.4 55.3 40.0 73.1 5.4 0.5 1.6 0.6 0.4 10.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 16.9 52.0 25.0 74.4 4.2 0.4 1.1 0.4 0.3 7.1
Poop:
Since his freshman year, George Zidek has changed his name (twice), but
that doesn't compare with how much his game has changed over the past 4
years. Zidek entered UCLA as a 7' "project", and left as a bona fide
center.
Biography:
Born and raised in Prague, Czech Republic (how many of you can say that
the country you were born in doesn't exist any more?). Discovered by
former UCLA Assistant Tony Fuller. Economics Major. Academic
All-American, with a GPA in the high 3's.
Style of play:
Bruiser.
Defense:
On defense, Zidek plays a rugged game based on his weight (around 300
lbs. - that's 135 Kg for our European friends) and strength. Unlike other
players with similar games (Kansas' Ostertag and Oklahoma States' Reeves),
Zidek's torso weight is high - up in his chest, rather than further down
in the solar plexus. I don't know if that makes much difference, but
it's an interesting observation, anyhow.
Zidek tends to pick up fouls, although he doesn't actually deserve *all*
of them. Being so big, other players tend to bounce off his chest - even
when he has position and is "straight up".
Offense:
Zidek has one of the sweetest hook shots in the world. However, he's
pretty damned slow - in fact I'd be worried about the shot clock expiring
during his cross-lane "drive". Will he be able to get the shot off in the
NBA, where the quick guards will be able to swipe the ball? Mebbe.
He can shoot the hook both left *and* right handed, and he is, according
to UCLA coach Harrick, the best "open" (i.e. unguarded) shooter at UCLA.
Rebounding:
Not as good as one would hope for such a huge guy. He boxes out well,
but his hands are stone, and he doesn't get much air.
Work Ethic:
Zidek has gotten to his position by working incredibly hard. Every year
at UCLA he exhibited an order of magnitude improvement. The question
remains - will he continue to improve, or is his game at its theoretical
maximum?
Prospects:
You can't coach height. And there aren't enough bodies in the NBA to go
around. Ideal team for Zidek is one with a "teaching coach", such as
Indiana's Larry Brown. A team that needs a backup center and can afford a
project at the 5-spot will take a chance on George. I suppose there are
unanswered questions about his interest in playing in Europe instead of
the US. I figure he'll go late in the 1st round, tops.
Scout: Matthew Merzbacher
=============================================================================
Name: John Amaechi
College: Penn State
Height: 6-10 (6-8.25)
Weight: 270 (279.5)
Position: Power Forward
Other positions: Center
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Vandy 24 311 26 57 0 0 14 25 65 36 6 26 11 10 66
91-92 Penn St Did Not Play - Transfer Student
92-93 Penn St 27 897 114 241 15 48 130 182 206 64 20 56 65 20 373
93-94 Penn St 25 837 124 243 4 15 171 245 223 59 37 64 58 22 423
94-95 Penn St 32 1108 168 300 2 6 176 260 316 67 55 100 68 21 514
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 108 3153 432 841 21 69 491 712 810 226 118 246 202 73 1376
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Vandy 13.0 45.6 ERR 56.0 2.7 0.3 1.1 0.5 0.4 2.8
91-92 Penn St Did Not Play - Transfer Student
92-93 Penn St 33.2 47.3 31.3 71.4 7.6 0.7 2.1 2.4 0.7 13.8
93-94 Penn St 33.5 51.0 26.7 69.8 8.9 1.5 2.6 2.3 0.9 16.9
94-95 Penn St 34.6 56.0 33.3 67.7 9.9 1.7 3.1 2.1 0.7 16.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 29.2 51.4 30.4 69.0 7.5 1.1 2.3 1.9 0.7 12.7
Poop:
If John Amaechi ends up in the NBA, he certainly will have taken the
road less traveled. First off, he's from Manchester England. When he
arrived to begin his college career at Vanderbilt, he had only played
organized ball for about 2 years. After finding himself stuck behind
Russell Larson, John transferred to Penn State. A hard worker, John
put his redshirt year for transferring to good use, building up his
body and getting out on the court all the time. I was a PSU gym rat
at the time, and I can attest to his work ethic. Whereas most college
players use pickup games against mediocre competition to show off,
John used it as an opportunity to refine his game. Rather than
overpowering everyone and showing off his dunk, John would settle for
the kinds of shots he would have to take in rel games against players
his size: hook shots, turnarounds, and medium to long jumpers.
Offense: John's work ethic has made up for a lack of tremendous
athletic ability. He uses his big body very well, and has a complete
arsonal of post moves that make him very dangerous. He can hit medium
range jump shots, and has shown the potential to make longer shots,
although he was discouraged from moving away from the basket at Penn
State. As a college player, he was basically unguardable
one-on-one. This led to double-teams, which he struggled with. His
passing improved steadily, but still needs work. His ball handling is
not on par with better NBA power forwards, his natural pro position.
These problems, I imagine, are ones which John will be able to work on
and improve. His lack of speed means he'll never be much of a
full-court NBA player, although he does work hard, and so is often in
on the tail end of fast breaks.
Defense: John is a position defender along the lines of Juwan Howard.
He blocks some shots, but not on big people. He is a smart team
defender, so he can be useful in the paint moving to help out on
penetrating guards. This skill will, of course, be diminished when
bigger guards come to him in the NBA. He is a smart player who knows
when to use the foul and how to alter shots without fouling when
necessary. In one on one situations, John will need help at first.
Quicker power forwards will eat him up facing the basket. He can do a
decent job getting position on the blocks, but his lack of quickness
will become more obvious when NBA post players put moves on him.
Overall: John is a big body who has some skills that NBA teams can use
right away. On the blocks he can score against many NBA players one
on one. He is a smart player (GTE Academic All-American of the Year)
who will know his role and work hard to help the team. He'd be an
excellent second round pick for a team with a need for depth inside
and a stabilizing attitude in the locker room. On the upside, John
could be a poor man's Juwan Howard, a smart, polished low post player
and position defender who helps a defense without being overpowering.
He will have to be out-wuicked, he won't be overpowered. On the
downside, John will never run the floor like many NBA PF's do (Howard,
for instance). He doesn't pass as well as guys like Howard, but has
shown room for impovement here, and certainly won't see double teams
right away. He could make a team that is the right fit for him, and
potentially have a fine career. He has said, however, that if he
doesn't make a team, he won't go the the CBA and hope for the future;
he'll pursue a career as an Industrial Psychologist.
Scout: Matt Mitchell
=============================================================================
Name: Tony Maroney
College: Hawaii
Height: 7-2
Weight: 274
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Mrshltown .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
92-93 Mrshltown .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
93-94 Hawaii 32 1061 169 313 0 1 74 127 313 112 19 55 99 16 412
94-95 Hawaii 27 916 163 293 0 0 87 136 279 109 34 78 70 15 413
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Div I TOTALS 59 1977 332 606 0 1 161 263 592 221 53 133 169 31 825
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Mrshltown ... 54.0 ... 67.0 12.5 ... ... 2.3 ... 14.4
92-93 Mrshltown ... 59.0 ... 74.0 10.4 ... ... 5.0 ... 18.2
93-94 Hawaii 33.2 54.0 0.0 58.3 9.8 0.6 1.7 3.1 0.5 12.9
94-95 Hawaii 33.9 55.6 ERR 64.0 10.3 1.3 2.9 2.6 0.6 15.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Div I TOTALS 33.5 54.8 0.0 61.2 10.0 0.9 2.3 2.9 0.5 14.0
Poop:
Maroney doesn't do a lot well that relates to basketball skills. He isn't
much of a shooter, doesn't run the floor well, does not posess great
hands, and does not move his feet well on d. He is, however, 7-1 and 290,
and like others of his type (Luther Wright springs to mind), he will be
drafted in the late first round and probably grace an NBA roster for the
next decade.
Scout: monahan mike
=============================================================================
Name: Constantin Popa
College: Miami (FL)
Height: 7-3 (7-2.5)
Weight: 235 (217)
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Size
Weaknesses: Not real athletic
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Miami(FL) 32 683 81 187 0 1 54 100 152 101 19 69 64 30 216
92-93 Miami(FL) 27 693 145 275 0 0 66 111 197 103 20 60 85 22 356
93-94 Miami(FL) 27 610 100 216 0 0 47 67 162 85 30 56 59 23 247
94-95 Miami(FL) 27 635 126 239 0 0 61 84 190 86 19 44 55 14 313
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 113 2621 452 917 0 1 228 362 701 375 88 229 263 89 1132
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Miami(FL) 21.3 43.3 0.0 54.0 4.8 0.6 2.2 2.0 0.9 6.8
92-93 Miami(FL) 25.7 52.7 ERR 59.5 7.3 0.7 2.2 3.1 0.8 13.2
93-94 Miami(FL) 22.6 46.3 ERR 70.1 6.0 1.1 2.1 2.2 0.9 9.1
94-95 Miami(FL) 23.5 52.7 ERR 72.6 7.0 0.7 1.6 2.0 0.5 11.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 23.2 49.3 0.0 63.0 6.2 0.8 2.0 2.3 0.8 10.0
Poop:
What can I say, the guy is 7-3. He has some decent offensive moves
including a nice little hook shot. Popa is not really smoth and is
not really a very good rebound and shotblocker for his size. However
you can not teach size and he will probably be drafted in the second
round. Popa was invited to the Desert Classic and averaged 10.5 points
and 3 rebounds a game.
Scout: Craig Simpson
More Poop:
Popa is getting better. Still a stick, and a fouling machine, the
offensive skills are beginning to really develop. But he's still a
project, and shouldn't be considered before the 2nd round (but I
*hate* projects, so what do I know?)
Popa is the ugliest player in college basketball. A face that could
scare the dead. But does that matter? Perhaps only to the snappier
members of the NBA elite (e.g. Riley & Fratello). George Karl, here
he comes!
Scout: Matthew Merzbacher
=============================================================================
Name: Samir Gouda
College: Egyptian National Team
Height: 7-3 (7-0.25)
Weight: 245
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: ???
Weaknesses: ???
Stats:
Poop:
The only thing that I know about him was that he was invited to the Desert
Classic and was a starter for the Pacific team.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: Anthony Pelle
College: Fresno State
Height: 7-0
Weight: 260
Position: Center
Other positions: Power forward
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 Villanova 30 255 19 38 0 0 22 35 51 52 4 20 29 5 60
91-92 Villanova 27 314 18 49 0 1 27 36 68 56 2 26 26 9 63
92-93 Villanova 24 431 47 98 3 0 33 58 80 44 13 29 39 5 130
93-94 Fresno St Did Not Play - Transfer Student
94-95 Fresno St 26 829 102 200 0 0 76 117 208 59 28 63 53 24 280
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 107 1829 186 385 3 1 158 246 407 211 47 138 147 43 533
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 Villanova 8.5 50.0 ERR 62.9 1.7 0.1 0.7 1.0 0.2 2.0
91-92 Villanova 11.6 36.7 0.0 75.0 2.5 0.1 1.0 1.0 0.3 2.3
92-93 Villanova 18.0 48.0 ERR 56.9 3.3 0.5 1.2 1.6 0.2 5.4
93-94 Fresno St Did Not Play - Transfer Student
94-95 Fresno St 31.9 51.0 ERR 65.0 8.0 1.1 2.4 2.0 0.9 10.8
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 17.1 48.3 300.0 64.2 3.8 0.4 1.3 1.4 0.4 5.0
Poop:
Pelle is a 7 footer who can play forward as well as center. He is a
transfer from Villanova who is a good rebounder and decent shot blocker.
He is very limited offensively. Pelle was invited to the desert classic
and averaged 3.5 points and 7 rebounds. It is unlikely that he will be
drafted but someone might reach late in the second round because of his
size.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: Joe McNaull
College: Long Beach State
Height: 6-10
Weight: 255
Position: Center
Other positions: Power Forward
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 SanDiegoSt 29 438 56 105 0 1 25 39 114 57 14 22 32 8 137
91-92 SanDiegoSt 28 814 146 252 0 0 74 125 220 100 19 56 41 13 366
92-93 SanDiegoSt 29 849 131 270 0 0 78 136 238 92 19 67 41 16 340
93-94 LBSU Did Not Play - Transfer Student
94-95 LBSU 30 715 156 248 0 0 68 116 215 85 15 51 25 21 380
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 116 2816 489 875 0 1 245 416 787 334 67 196 139 58 1223
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 SanDiegoSt 15.1 53.3 0.0 64.1 3.9 0.5 0.8 1.1 0.3 4.7
91-92 SanDiegoSt 29.1 57.9 ERR 59.2 7.9 0.7 2.0 1.5 0.5 13.1
92-93 SanDiegoSt 29.3 48.5 ERR 57.4 8.2 0.7 2.3 1.4 0.6 11.7
93-94 LBSU Did Not Play - Transfer Student
94-95 LBSU 23.8 62.9 ERR 58.6 7.2 0.5 1.7 0.8 0.7 12.7
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 24.3 55.9 0.0 58.9 6.8 0.6 1.7 1.2 0.5 10.5
=============================================================================
Name: Michael McDonald
College: New Orleans
Height: 6-10 (6-8.25)
Weight: 232 (211)
Position: Center
Other positions: Power Forward
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 UT Val CC 31 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 153 ... ...
91-92 N Orleans Did Not Play
92-93 N Orleans 29 351 44 67 0 0 35 54 71 47 3 28 45 6 123
93-94 N Orleans 30 736 71 119 0 0 28 55 206 109 14 45 96 10 170
94-95 N Orleans 29 790 130 227 0 1 62 106 280 97 24 73 80 27 322
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 119 1877 245 413 0 1 125 215 557 253 41 146 374 43 615
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 UT Val CC ... ... ... ... 8.3 ... ... 4.9 ... 12.3
91-92 N Orleans Did Not Play
92-93 N Orleans 12.1 65.7 ERR 64.8 2.4 0.1 1.0 1.6 0.2 4.2
93-94 N Orleans 24.5 59.7 ERR 50.9 6.9 0.5 1.5 3.2 0.3 5.7
94-95 N Orleans 27.2 57.3 0.0 58.5 9.7 0.8 2.5 2.8 0.9 11.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 15.8 59.3 0.0 58.1 4.7 0.3 1.2 3.1 0.4 5.2
Poop:
McDonald is a very good rebounder and shot blocker. Not much offensively,
he can still dominate a game at the defensive end. McDonald was invited
to the Desert Classic but did not play because of an injured left foot.
It is unlikely that McDonald will be drafted.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: John Coker
College: Boise State
Height: 7-0
Weight: 253
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Strenght
Weaknesses: quickness
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 Boise St Did Not Play - Redshirted
91-92 Boise St 11 ... 14 25 0 0 1 5 17 ... 3 8 6 1 29
92-93 Boise St 22 298 65 125 0 0 18 26 86 44 13 17 24 9 148
93-94 Boise St 30 866 231 403 0 0 59 117 203 78 39 55 77 9 521
94-95 Boise St 21 573 129 244 0 0 76 112 153 48 17 29 49 13 334
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 84 ... 439 797 0 0 154 260 459 ... 72 109 156 32 1032
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 Boise St Did Not Play - Redshirted
91-92 Boise St 0.0 56.0 ERR 20.0 1.5 0.3 0.7 0.5 0.1 2.6
92-93 Boise St 13.5 52.0 ERR 69.2 3.9 0.6 0.8 1.1 0.4 6.7
93-94 Boise St 28.9 57.3 ERR 50.4 6.8 1.3 1.8 2.6 0.3 17.4
94-95 Boise St 27.3 52.9 ERR 67.9 7.3 0.8 1.4 2.3 0.6 15.9
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS ... 55.1 ERR 59.2 5.5 0.9 1.3 1.9 0.4 12.3
Poop:
Offense: Seems to have some game around the basket - a short range
turnaround.
Defense: Well, has the body to plug the middle. Not particularly
quick, but strength doesn't seem to be a problem.
Overall: Coker seems to have a decent head for the game, some
abilities on the offensive end and an NBA center body. He
will have a hard time against the quicker, more agile NBA centers
as he doesn't seem to run the court too well or react too quickly
on the defensive end. May develop into a nice career backup
after some time in Europe.
Scout: Uncle Vasya
=============================================================================
Name: Ryan Jamison
College: California
Height: 6-11
Weight: 240
Position: Center
Other positions: Power Forward
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Cal 27 494 40 88 0 0 27 47 93 86 36 51 7 13 107
92-93 Cal 29 357 32 71 0 0 28 54 78 58 17 31 3 15 92
93-94 Cal 30 741 88 188 0 0 49 82 156 104 45 59 6 11 225
94-95 Cal 24 336 31 62 0 0 11 30 56 62 16 24 13 17 73
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 110 1928 191 409 0 0 115 213 383 310 114 165 29 56 497
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Cal 18.3 45.5 ERR 57.4 3.4 1.3 1.9 0.3 0.5 4.0
92-93 Cal 12.3 45.1 ERR 51.9 2.7 0.6 1.1 0.1 0.5 3.2
93-94 Cal 24.7 46.8 ERR 59.8 5.2 1.5 2.0 0.2 0.4 7.5
94-95 Cal 14.0 50.0 ERR 36.7 2.3 0.7 1.0 0.5 0.7 3.0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 17.5 46.7 ERR 54.0 3.5 1.0 1.5 0.3 0.5 4.5
Poop:
After showing much improvement from his sophomore to junior year, Jamison
took a real dive his senior year. Their was not *one* statistical category
that did not suffer this year. Jamison is a horrible free throw shooter
and not a very good rebounder. Still he is big, but it is doubtful that
he will be drafted.
Scout: Craig Simpson
=============================================================================
Name: Eric Meek
College: Duke
Height: 6-10 (6-9.5)
Weight: 245 (243)
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Size, rebounding, work ethic, error-free, post defense,
aggressiveness
Weaknesses: Shooting, speed, hands
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Duke 25 143 22 38 0 0 18 36 30 18 5 6 5 3 62
92-93 Duke 32 371 38 64 0 0 36 63 92 51 5 21 10 11 112
93-94 Duke 34 474 36 66 0 0 48 80 142 69 13 23 19 12 120
94-95 Duke 31 889 118 190 0 0 83 143 256 103 26 50 39 29 319
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 122 1877 214 358 0 0 185 322 520 241 49 100 73 55 613
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Duke 5.7 57.9 ERR 50.0 1.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.1 2.5
92-93 Duke 11.6 59.4 ERR 57.1 2.9 0.2 0.7 0.3 0.3 3.5
93-94 Duke 13.9 54.5 ERR 60.0 4.2 0.4 0.7 0.6 0.4 3.5
94-95 Duke 28.7 62.1 ERR 58.0 8.3 0.8 1.6 1.3 0.9 10.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 15.4 59.8 ERR 57.5 4.3 0.4 0.8 0.6 0.5 5.0
Poop:
Erik Meek came to Duke with Cherokee Parks knowing that Parks would
get most of the glory. But Meek was a top 50 player and obviously
didn't mind the work it would take to become successful. He made the
most of his physical abilities and became a successful, valuable
player.
Before his freshman season, he was hit by a car and injured his knee
and leg. Instead of redshirting, he was determined to prove to
himself and his coaches that he could still play. It turned out to be
a bad decision, because the range of motion in his leg was quite
limited. Considering that his quickness wasn't great to begin with,
it made him ineffective. On top of that, with Christian Laettner and
Cherokee Parks on the team, he wasn't needed. Still, even as a
freshman, Meek showed great toughness. Laettner tried to push him
around once in practice, Meek gave him an elbow, and L8 never tried it
again.
Before his sophomore year, he had his leg operated on to remove scar
tissue that was limiting his movement. But because he had to rest his
leg most of the summer, he couldn't really work on improving as a player.
He did play a lot more as a sophomore, but he wasn't able to nail down
big minutes on a consistent basis. He came up with some excellent games
against big-time opponents like UNC and Cal.
His junior year proved to be a big one. After playing for an ACC
All-Star team over the summer where he led the team in rebounds, he
was finally well-prepared for the season. His leaping ability was
greatly improved, and he earned a starter's role at the beginning of the
year. His offensive production became a problem, however. When Meek
would get the ball near the basket, he would try to lay it up instead
of dunking it. This resulted in some misses, and hurt his confidence.
His awful foul shooting didn't help matters either. Still, his per-minute
rebound numbers were the best on the team, and he could always be
counted on to play great post defense.
His senior year was almost delayed, as he was going to redshirt. But
it soon became clear that the team desperately needed another rebounder
to help out Parks, and so he rejoined the team. He immediately turned
into Mr. Consistency, getting several double-doubles. This was on a team
that had trouble getting the ball to its big men. Meek had dominating
performances against big men like James Forrest and Joe Smith. The games
that Duke won were those in which he was most effective. Meek was MVP
of the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, and earned an invite to the
Phoenix rookie tournament.
In general, Meek's best attributes are his strength and intelligence.
Not only is he big (and wide), but he knows how to use his size in the
post. He can muscle into the post and muscle people out. He is always
aggressive on both ends of the court, which has earned him some foul
trouble in his career. Meek always works hard on defense and sets great
picks. He never makes a careless error. He has a knack for rebounding,
knowing how to use his body and get excellent position. He's especially
adept at offensive rebounding. With Meek on your team, you'll have
someone who will gladly handle the dirty work.
While Meek is superb at the details of the game, the little things
that many people miss, he is deficient in many of the skill areas.
He has no shot at all, and has little confidence in his shot as a
rule. He is an awful foul shooter, which is a shame because one of
his best skills is drawing fouls with his aggressiveness and
strength. His footwork around the basket is average at best, and
has trouble scoring even near the basket.
His hands also aren't great, as he has been prone in the past to drop
passes thrown perfectly. His major defect is his lack of speed;
whenever a team would use a smaller, quicker player against him, it
was usually a successful tactic. But when people tried to muscle him
up, Meek would either eat them up or battle them to a standstill.
Meek is not a great passer or shotblocker, though he will occasionally
come up with impressive examples of both. He's also not a good
ballhandler, but he rarely puts himself into situations where he might
get in trouble with the ball. His smarts offset many of his
limitations, and highlight his strengths.
As a pro, Meek could easily stand up to the physical aspects of the
game. However, his lack of skills might prevent him from getting much
playing time. Also, being 6-10 might hurt him against some of the
true giants of the league, he might be able to shoot over him if they
can't shoot around him. Still, a big body that plays great defense is
usually in vogue in the league, particularly with expansion coming up
this year. Meek will almost certainly be drafted, possibly in the
late first round. He would be good for a team that needs a backup
center, or for teams that need a Shaq Stopper. Teams that run a lot
should probably take a pass on him.
Scout: Rob Clough
=============================================================================
Name: Andre Reid
College: Florida State
Height: 7-0
Weight: 250
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths: Size
Weaknesses: Poor hands, poor defense, fouls too often, slow, bad mental
attitude and work ethic, poor shooting, lacscks agression.
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 Florida St 32 302 22 64 0 0 17 28 88 56 5 16 34 5 61
91-92 Florida St 30 494 38 85 0 0 20 46 124 84 8 33 32 9 96
92-93 Florida St 5 101 7 14 0 0 3 6 21 18 2 4 2 2 17
93-94 Florida St 27 644 73 156 0 2 41 73 167 101 13 37 54 13 187
94-95 Florida St 27 425 46 85 0 0 19 31 107 76 6 45 39 6 111
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 121 1966 186 404 0 2 100 184 507 335 34 135 161 35 472
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 Florida St 9.4 34.4 ERR 60.7 2.8 0.2 0.5 1.1 0.2 1.9
91-92 Florida St 16.5 44.7 ERR 43.5 4.1 0.3 1.1 1.1 0.3 3.2
92-93 Florida St 20.2 50.0 ERR 50.0 4.2 0.4 0.8 0.4 0.4 3.4
93-94 Florida St 23.9 46.8 0.0 56.2 6.2 0.5 1.4 2.0 0.5 6.9
94-95 Florida St 15.7 54.1 ERR 61.3 4.0 0.2 1.7 1.4 0.2 4.1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 16.2 46.0 0.0 54.3 4.2 0.3 1.1 1.3 0.3 3.9
* - granted medical redshirt in 92-93
Poop:
Poop:
Reid was a project player all five years of his carreer. He has no
talent, a bad attitude, and basically has no business even being
considered for the draft. Any GM picking this guy would be a fool of
even greater than Shawn Bradley proportions.
Scout: Kevin Delgado
=============================================================================
Name: Bryan Collins
College: Southwestern Louisiana
Height: 6-10
Weight: 240
Position: Center
Other positions: Power Forward
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 SW La 10 41 3 14 0 0 1 5 9 4 2 1 0 0 7
92-93 SW La 30 390 30 65 0 0 12 37 110 60 16 28 14 16 72
93-94 SW La 30 956 76 144 0 0 66 102 284 94 44 46 21 25 218
94-95 SW La 29 944 156 347 9 29 66 96 285 74 49 89 23 31 387
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 99 2331 265 570 9 29 145 240 688 232 111 164 58 72 684
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 SW La 4.1 21.4 ERR 20.0 0.9 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.7
92-93 SW La 13.0 46.2 ERR 32.4 3.7 0.5 0.9 0.5 0.5 2.4
93-94 SW La 31.9 52.8 ERR 64.7 9.5 1.5 1.5 0.7 0.8 7.3
94-95 SW La 32.6 45.0 31.0 68.8 9.8 1.7 3.1 0.8 1.1 13.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 23.5 46.5 31.0 60.4 6.9 1.1 1.7 0.6 0.7 6.9
=============================================================================
Name: Bernie Salthe
College: Loyola-Chicago
Height: 6-11
Weight: 230
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
90-91 Loyola 29 435 39 68 0 0 25 42 51 71 3 25 18 15 103
91-92 Loyola 4 67 4 9 0 0 1 3 8 16 0 6 4 0 9
92-93 Loyola 27 316 28 51 0 0 7 17 50 49 7 21 18 18 63
93-94 Loyola 27 469 33 73 0 1 9 19 88 58 12 25 51 19 75
94-95 Loyola 27 899 151 290 0 1 123 179 169 94 17 79 61 36 425
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 114 2186 255 491 0 2 165 260 366 288 39 156 152 88 675
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
90-91 Loyola 15.0 57.4 ERR 59.5 1.8 0.1 0.9 0.6 0.5 3.6
91-92 Loyola 16.8 44.4 ERR 33.3 2.0 0.0 1.5 1.0 0.0 2.3
92-93 Loyola 11.7 54.9 ERR 41.2 1.9 0.3 0.8 0.7 0.7 2.3
93-94 Loyola 17.4 45.2 0.0 47.4 3.3 0.4 0.9 1.9 0.7 2.8
94-95 Loyola 33.3 52.1 0.0 68.7 6.3 0.6 2.9 2.3 1.3 15.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 19.2 51.9 0.0 63.5 3.2 0.3 1.4 1.3 0.8 5.9
* - granted medical redshirt in 91-92
=============================================================================
Name: Charles Claxton
College: Georgia
Height: 7-0 (6-11.5)
Weight: 265 (265)
Position: Center
Other positions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Stats:
G MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA REB PF AST TO BLK STL PTS
91-92 Georgia 29 644 109 208 0 0 55 102 190 68 8 51 48 8 273
92-93 Georgia 29 637 133 236 0 0 68 141 192 85 12 52 47 18 334
93-94 Georgia 30 728 132 249 0 0 63 149 236 94 18 57 58 14 327
94-95 Georgia 28 769 124 226 3 10 89 166 222 88 21 57 94 26 340
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 116 2778 498 919 3 10 275 558 840 335 59 217 247 66 1274
MIN FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG TPG BPG SPG PPG
91-92 Georgia 22.2 52.4 ERR 53.9 6.6 0.3 1.8 1.7 0.3 9.4
92-93 Georgia 22.0 56.4 ERR 48.2 6.6 0.4 1.8 1.6 0.6 11.5
93-94 Georgia 24.3 53.0 ERR 42.3 7.9 0.6 1.9 1.9 0.5 10.9
94-95 Georgia 27.5 54.9 30.0 53.6 7.9 0.8 2.0 3.4 0.9 12.1
----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS 23.9 54.2 30.0 49.3 7.2 0.5 1.9 2.1 0.6 11.0
* - draft rights owned by Phoenix Suns
Craig Simpson - Usenet Draft Commissioner