Name: Marreese Speights Position: Power Forward Height: 6-10 (2.08m) Weight: 245 (111kg) College Team: Florida Gators Nationality: American Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida Birthdate: 8/4/1987  Drafted: Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (16th pick overall) of 2008 NBA Draft.

Strengths: Above average athlete capable of running the floor … Has a great understanding of keeping the ball high on put-backs or on post moves - this lack of wasted movement disrupts defenders from being able to recover … Shows good upper body strength and body control to absorb contact and finish around the basket … Once fouled, Speights is a solid enough free throw shooter to convert the extra point … Displays soft touch around the basket where he has the ability to hit 14 feet from the basket … Great passer when double teams occur due to his solid court vision … Back to basket skills display great promise as he has a nice looking jump hook that he can make with both hands, as well as a quality spin move … Post footwork shows great fluidness and balance … Highly efficient rebounder who has no problem rebounding in his area or out of his position … Quality hands that are soft enough to catch passes without fumbling, yet strong enough to secure rebounds without getting stripped … Displays good lateral movement for his size … Speights' post defense improved as the season progressed … Works hard to disrupt opposing forwards from being able to set-up in the low post … Does a great job of using his mobility on help defense where his long arms make him an adequate shot blocking presence at the collegiate level … Understands where he is in relation to the basket, which prevents him from getting lost too far away/under the basket … Aggressive athlete who plays with the tough demeanor and intensity level that you love to see in a big man … Possesses the body type that can add weight without losing too much mobility or athleticism … Understands what his strengths are and rarely exceeds them …

Weaknesses: Speights' feel for the game is suspect as you may often get the feeling that he's got by in high school and college and by being stronger and bigger than everyone rather than using his basketball IQ … Doesn’t do a great job of establishing position in the post without getting pushed off the blocks … Some of this could be stamina related as he loses the aggressiveness to work the blocks as the game progresses … To compound matters Speights doesn’t always get wide enough for guards to throw easy passes … Despite having the physical advantage there are times when opposing players effectively boxing him out when rebounding … Lacks the explosiveness to be an elite shot blocker at the NBA level … Timing is another hurdle that will hold him back when blocking shots as he bites too easily on fakes … Has solid shooting range from the perimeter, but currently lacks the consistency to be a legit threat … Defensively, he doesn’t always show the effort to effectively keep his body between his man and the basket … Based on his development and athleticism his potential doesn’t show a great deal of upside to improve by the leaps and bounds that NBA GMs find appealing … Back to the basket skills still lack variety and creativity and he fails to have developed a dependable post move that he can make with regularity … There have been valid questions concerning his focus and work ethic … Will be a project for any team drafting him which, makes him a slightly risky selection if taken very early in the first round …

Matthew Maurer - 6/4/08