2008 NBA Draft

sasha-kaun-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review seattle 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Mobile player capable of running the floor well … This allows him to be very effective in high post situations where he likes to set a screen for the ball handler before rotating quickly towards the basket for lob passes or alley-oops … Underrated post passer whose numbers may not reflect his ability, but has shown great promise to recognize teammates … Has soft hands that allow him to catch difficult passes without fumbling them … Aggressive around the basket, which enables him to create a great deal of contact … Solid rebounder out of position where his mobility and length usually give him an advantage … Owns a great motor - never seems to tire and plays the game at a very high intensity level … Solid finisher around the basket where he usually looks to dunk the ball … Not a dominating athlete, but shows good leaping ability and above average agility for his size … Possesses a decent looking jump hook that he can make with some success when posting up … Shows defensive promise with his energy level and mobility … This is vital for him as a help defender where he has shown success rotating over and blocking unsuspecting players from the basket … Understands what his role is on a team and rarely tries to exceed it … Although his impact doesn’t always show up in the box-score he has those intangibles to contribute to a team … Tough player who has had his share of injuries, but continued to work through them …

Weaknesses: Offensively, Kaun’s back to the basket skills remains very underdeveloped despite being in college for 4 years … Lacks upper body strength, which to some degree is correctable, but added weight could have an impact on his overall athleticism … Post footwork isn’t very refined, but to his credit has shown signs of improvement this season … Doesn’t do a good job of denying post position to opposing players … Can be too aggressive defensively, leading him to being foul prone … When he is able to establish position he doesn’t get his body very wide … Isn’t a great rebounder in his area despite his physical gifts, which could improve if he utilizes boxing out of his defender instead of relying on his mobility … Isn’t able to fully utilize his ability to create contact due to his inability to shoot free throws effectively … Would benefit greatly if he could develop a face-up game shooting from the perimeter 16 feet from the basket … Lack of explosiveness could hinder Kaun from being able to consistently provide a shot-blocking presence … Lacks the strong hands to hold onto the ball in traffic without getting the ball stripped … Hasn’t really lived up to the promise of his lofty prep credentials, which naturally leaves questions about his work ethic and upside if he peaked early ...

Matthew Maurer - 5/16/08

 

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Kansas

27

53.6

---

33.3

0.1

0.6

2.3

0.1

2.6

2005-06 Kansas

33

56.2

---

53.5

0.5

1.1

5.3

0.4

8.2

2006-07 Kansas

35

53.0

---

50.0

0.3

1.4

3.8

0.5

5.9

2007-08 Kansas

40

61.9

---

54.1

0.4

1.2

3.9

0.3

7.1

DIV I Totals

135

56.5

---

48.7

0.3

1.1

3.9

0.3

6.2

 

darrell-arthur-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review new-orleans 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Arthur runs the floor exceptionally well for his size… This enables him to be an excellent finisher in transition where his athleticism allows him to finish with flair … Has shown the ability to be an efficient rebounder thanks to the improvements he has made in boxing out, which, coupled with his already fluid mobility, gives him an advantage when grabbing boards out of his position … Back to the basket skills have begun to flourish as he shows a smooth looking turnaround jumper and jump hook …Footwork shows good balance that enables him to execute moves in the post with speed without losing control … Owns soft hands that can handle most passes thrown into the post … Can occasionally shoot the 16 foot jumper from mid-range … Understands the value of keeping the ball high when receiving the ball in the low post … Has the ability to add weight to his frame without losing athleticism … Quality post defender who understands how to use his body and mobility to stay in front of his defender … Lateral movement enables him to be a competent help defender … Has the length and explosiveness to block shots … Uses clever head fakes to get opposing defenders off their feet … Dangerous finisher around the basket where he shows soft touch on put-backs … Does a good job of getting his body wide to give teammates a big target to pass into to … Owns great potential that has only begun to flourish with his explosive athleticism and evolving offensive game …

Weaknesses: Offensively, his back to the basket skills are showing good improvement, but still lacks any real variety … Can get too confident if his shots are falling from the perimeter and can become predictable … Post passing isn’t as developed as you would like to see, as his court vision remains unrefined … Like most young players he lacks any real consistency with his game - one night he’s dominant, the next mediocre … Some of this is because of his tendency to play down to the talent level he is facing ... This could be the reason his numbers (when it comes to rebounding) are so average, as he tends to coast during games instead of staying focused … Lack of strength and bulk causes him to get disrupted when trying to establish position in the low post … Tends to be too aggressive defensively and suffers from mental breakdowns that often result in quick fouls … Still learning what his real strengths are and lacks any real go to move at this time … Not very consistent shooting from the perimeter, but to his credit he does show promise … Doesn’t do very well finishing after contact occurs in the post … His inability to pass the ball and dribble prevents him from being able to use his quickness against mismatches … Court awareness doesn’t match his skill level right now as he works off instinct rather than thinking the game through …

Matthew Maurer - 6/4/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2006-07 Kansas

38

53.8

00.0

64.6

0.9

1.5

4.7

0.4

9.8

2007-08 Kansas

40

54.3

16.7

70.2

0.5

1.3

6.3

0.8

12.8

DIV I Totals

78

54.1

08.6

67.5

0.7

1.4

5.5

0.6

11.3

 

kyle-weaver-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review charlotte 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Versatile player with the ability to play both guard positions on the floor … Nice all around game to make an impact with his passing, scoring and rebounding … Terrific ball handler uses his first step and a number of crossovers to get past most defenders … Once in the lane, Weaver has great body control and will use his long arms to finish in traffic … Possesses three point range on his shot … Owns a tremendous basketball IQ that enables him to make great decisions with the ball in his hands … Great passer with good court vision to see the floor … Dangerous in drive and dish situations when the defense collapses … Moves well without the ball … Thinks the game at a very high level and does a lot of the intangibles that go unnoticed in the box score … Does a great job running the offense in fast break opportunities with his passing and court awareness … Hustler who doesn’t give up on plays … Defensively, he does a great job using his anticipation skills to disrupt passing lanes … Excellent perimeter defender blessed with long arms, quick hands and above average lateral quickness … Work ethic is considerable and appears very coachable …

Weaknesses: While Weaver has made great strides shooting from the perimeter he remains very inconsistent … Not an elite level athlete with great explosiveness … Undeveloped body strength keeps him from being able to finish after contact occurs … His body type suggests that adding more weight may be difficult … Has developed his game to a degree that many wonder how much more he can improve before reaching his ceiling of potential … Offensively, Weaver he lacks a scorer's mindset and seems all too content to defer to teammates instead of stepping up and taking shots … Durability could be a real concern as not many players with his body type are injury free in the NBA … When slashing to the basket, Weaver can be too predictable and forces passes that aren’t there … Mediocre shooter off the dribble who isn’t consistent pulling-up from mid-range … Doesn’t get full separation from his defender when driving to the basket … Lack of strength prevents him from being able to post-up players on mismatches …

Matthew Maurer - 4/4/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Washington St.

25

38.7

09.1

55.1

0.6

0.4

3.2

2.0

4.8

2005-06 Washington St.

27

48.3

27.6

68.8

1.4

0.7

4.3

4.0

8.6

2006-07 Washington St.

34

48.7

23.7

77.0

2.2

1.2

5.6

4.6

11.2

2007-08 Washington St.

35

46.3

36.4

73.3

1.7

0.7

5.3

4.3

12.2

DIV I Totals

121

45.9

25.2

69.6

1.5

0.8

4.7

3.8

9.6

 

deron-washington-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review detroit 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

BIOGRAPHY If you have additional information you would like to contribute to any player profile (i.e. missing stats, biography), please click here. Please be aware that you must have a verifiable source.

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Virginia Tech

30

47.6

60.0

60.0

1.0

2.0

4.6

1.0

7.9

2005-06 Virginia Tech

29

49.2

26.9

57.0

1.6

1.0

5.0

1.1

10.5

2006-07 Virginia Tech

34

50.3

30.8

57.8

1.2

1.0

5.3

1.5

12.0

2007-08 Virginia Tech

35

41.6

26.9

67.1

1.0

0.6

6.5

2.3

13.1

DIV I Totals

128

47.0

35.7

60.7

1.2

0.9

5.4

1.5

11.0

brandon-rush-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review portland 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

roots 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft ReviewBrothers: Kareem RushJaron Rush

Strengths: A smooth athlete who fits the NBA standard size at the shooting guard position with exceptionally long arms … Has the ability to shoot off screens with some regularity … Excellent finisher in transition where his athleticism enables him to finish with some flair … Rush is blessed with solid court vision and, most importantly, shares the unselfish demeanor to pass the ball to open teammates … Owns a very fast first step which allows him to gain separation from his defender … Once in the lane Rush’s body control and long arms enable him to finish in traffic … Basketball IQ has shown great promise this season primarily because of increased confidence and awareness on the court … Physically, Rush should have no problem developing more on defense with his length, quick hands and ability to read plays on the floor … Possesses legit three point range that he can make with regularity … Played a great deal this season with the maturity level and leadership that he missed early in his career … Has been hindered a great deal as the youngest brother of the Rush brothers, JaRon and Kareem, both of whom had off the court issues, but Brandon he has shown the mental toughness to overcome this … Solid rebounder for his position due to his wingspan where he can get rebounds that are out of his position … Shooting mechanics are very refined with his high release that needs little time to get off … This enables him to be very effective in catch and shoot opportunities …

Weaknesses: A mystery on many levels as Rush has yet to be consistent in how he approaches the game … One game he will play confident and use his talent to dominate, the next he is quiet and unaggressive … Ball handling is suspect - although he is capable of using one or two dribbles for drives, he rarely uses the dribble to create scoring for himself … Perimeter shooting can go through periods of streakiness … When Rush struggles from the perimeter his overall productivity seems to suffer … Hasn’t really lived up to the enormous expectations placed on him as a high schooler … Still learning how to be efficient shooting off the dribble from mid-range … Rush is a highly developed athletically, but rarely shows the willingness to attack the basket … This severely limits his ability to create fouls … Intensity level is very questionable as he can appear to just coast through games … Not a tremendous defender as his anticipation skills and lateral movement are decent, but require refinement on the NBA level … Tends to settle for perimeter shots instead of driving to the basket … Rush’s advanced year of age as a junior, 23, and the improvement he's experienced in college leaves a good probability that he is nearing the ceiling of his development…

Matthew Maurer - 5/12/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2001-02 Hogan Prep

Did Not Play Academically Ineligible

2001-02 KC-Career Academy

Did Not Play Academically Ineligible

2002-03 KC-Westport H.S.

17

N/A

N/A

N/A

3.0

N/A

9.0

5.0

20.0

2003-04 Mt. Zion Christian Academy H.S.

32

N/A

N/A

N/A

2.7

2.0

9.2

4.5

19.3

2004-05 Mt. Zion Christian Academy H.S.

42

N/A

N/A

N/A

3.0

4.6

6.0

5.0

21.0

2005-06 Kansas

33

47.4

47.2

76.1

0.9

0.7

5.9

2.0

13.5

2006-07 Kansas

38

44.3

43.1

68.1

0.4

0.9

5.6

2.0

13.8

2007-08 Kansas

38

43.5

41.9

77.9

0.8

0.8

5.1

2.1

13.3

DIV I Totals

109

45.0

43.9

73.9

0.7

0.8

5.5

2.0

13.5

 

shan-foster-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review dallas 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Tremendously talented shooter whose slightly behind the head release and long arms make it very difficult for defenders to disrupt or block … Above average athlete who shows quality quickness in going end to end … Active player who constantly moves without the ball to get open … Possesses legit three point range on his jumper that he makes with great accuracy … Has improved in rebounding the ball this year thanks to his long arms … Becoming more comfortable taking one or two dribbles for the pull-up from mid-range … Quick release enables him to catch and shoot from the perimeter, especially coming off screens … Defensively, Foster displays good effort and understands how to use his wingspan to trouble opposing players … Needs little time or space to get his shot off … Starting to put together some resemblance of a post-up game when the match-up allows with his solid turnaround jumper and floating hook … Clutch player with great confidence in his abilities, simply wants the ball in his hands during critical moments … Has obviously dedicated himself to weight training and conditioning as his jump shot and quickness have been more consistent throughout the year than any other point in his career … Competitor who plays the game with a great deal of intensity …

Weaknesses: Physically, there will be some concern as to how much weight Foster can add to his body ... Additional weight could be a double edged sword in that any weight he does put on could limit him athletically, but would definitely augment his body strength … Defensively, he tends to get caught in screens easily – doesn’t fighting through them and lacks the lateral quickness to defend elite athletes on the perimeter … Ball handling has improved this year, but still not on par with what he will need to create on the next level … To compound matters his initial first step isn’t explosive enough to gain separation from his defender … This is one of the reasons his ability to draw contact is poor - he doesn’t usually get into the paint … Has a tendency to settle for three point shots way too much instead of taking advantage of his mid-range touch … A specialist in every sense of the word - anyone selecting Foster must do so with the knowledge that shooting is his only NBA skill right now … Doesn’t have great court vision at the moment, which naturally affects his passing the ball … Potential wise, he doesn't have a high ceiling left in terms of future growth …

Matthew Maurer - 2/27/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Vanderbilt

34

44.1

44.5

81.4

0.6

0.2

3.1

1.1

9.2

2005-06 Vanderbilt.

30

45.1

41.5

75.9

0.5

0.2

3.0

1.6

15.9

2006-07 Vanderbilt

34

44.9

34.6

84.3

1.2

0.4

4.6

2.3

15.6

2007-08 Vanderbilt

34

52.3

46.9

76.0

1.1

0.2

4.9

1.6

20.3

DIV I Totals

132

46.6

41.9

79.5

0.9

0.3

3.9

1.7

15.2

 

goran-dragic-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review san-antonio 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Highly effective in the open court where he shows decent speed in pushing the ball up the court … Does a great job controlling tempo and possesses decent court vision … Has shown the ability to hit three point shots when his feet are set … Possesses the ability to create off the dribble when pulling up from mid-range … Owns a solid first step to gain separation from his defender … Once in the lane Dragic is a creative slasher who uses his length and body control to convert finishes in traffic … Understands how to efficiently run a half court set or open court offense without a problem … Defensively, Dragic shows quick hands, long arms and anticipation skills to play passing lanes for steals … Athletically, he shows excellent quickness and confidence … Owns above average ball handling ability to take opposing defenders … Owns premium size for the point guard position at 6-4 … Unlike most players in his 1986 international draft class, Dragic has a decent upside for growth … Versatile player who can switch over to the shooting guard position for a period of time …

Weaknesses: Upper body strength is in need of improvement as Dragic possesses a slight body frame … This lack of strength prevents him from being able to absorb contact and finish … Doesn’t do a good job of moving without the ball, often stands around … Can become so determined to drive to the basket that he can force things and become out of control on drives … Defensively, Dragic must improve his lateral movement and, most importantly, his effort level … Gets easily picked off running through screens, needs to fight through screens better … Prone to mental breakdowns in crucial moments of games … Can be a bit turnover prone due to his questionable decision making with the ball … Has three point range but lacks consistency to convert with regularity … Shooting mechanics play a role in this as he doesn’t shoot it the same every time … Opposing defenders will often play him for the jumper rather than give him the chance to drive to the basket, which is why he fails to create contact consistently … Has a habit of overplaying his assignment for steals, which can led to fouls … Court vision is developing but remains a work in progress … Lacks an exceptional basketball IQ, but to his credit Dragic has improved greatly this season …

Matthew Maurer - 4/22/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2006-07 Polaris World Murcia

27

37.8

32.3

66.0

0.6

0.1

1.9

1.7

4.6

2007-08 Union Olimpija Ljubljana

28

61.0

47.1

72.5

1.7

0.3

3.5

3.1

12.0

Totals

55

54.7

42.3

70.4

1.2

0.2

2.7

2.4

8.3

 

 

darnell-jackson.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review
  • Name: Darnell Jackson
  • Position: Power Forward
  • Height: 6-8 (2.03m)
  • Weight: 250 (113kg)
  • College Team: Kansas Jayhawks
  • Nationality: American
  • Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Birthdate: 11/7/1985
  • Drafted: Selected by the Miami Heat in the second round (52nd pick overall) of 2008 NBA Draft.
miami 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review
BIOGRAPHY If you have additional information you would like to contribute to any player profile (i.e. missing stats, biography), please click here. Please be aware that you must have a verifiable source.
Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Kansas

24

54.8

---

58.3

0.2

0.1

1.7

0.1

2.0

2005-06 Kansas

23

50.5

---

76.9

0.6

0.1

4.9

0.3

6.3

2006-07 Kansas

38

55.0

---

65.7

0.4

0.6

5.1

0.3

5.5

2007-08 Kansas

40

62.6

33.3

69.1

0.8

0.5

6.7

1.1

11.2

DIV I Totals

125

56.6

33.3

67.4

0.5

0.4

4.9

0.5

6.8

marty-leunen-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review houston 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Despite his size Leunen has legit three point range when his feet are set … Solid ball handler who has no problem putting the ball on the floor to create drives to the basket … Fundamentally sound player who has a good understanding of the game … Versatile in that his ability to shoot from the perimeter often creates mismatches when facing opposing forwards … Quality rebounder that uses his mobility and excellent boxing out skills to gain rebounds in his area … Doesn’t force things - Leunen will often allow the game to come to him … Creates a decent amount of contact with his drives to get to the free throw line … Solid post passer whose court vision enables him to see the floor efficiently and, more importantly, prevents double teams from being effective in the post … Has improved on taking one or two dribbles, then pulling up for the mid-range jumper 18 feet from the basket … Hustle player that does a lot of the little things that don’t show up in the box-score … Plays defense with good effort and has improved this year on his foot speed … Understands and excels in the knowledge that he is a role player - will accept any role a team asks of him … Mentally tough in that Leunen will not back down from a challenge …

Weaknesses: Viewed as a tweener in many regards due to his skill level, which doesn’t exactly fit either forward position … Lacks the back to the basket skills and size to play the power forward position, while also lacking the athleticism and ability to consistently create off the dribble for the small forward position … If Leunen is to play power forward he must add more weight and upper body strength to his frame … An issue with this may be that his body type suggests that added weight could be sacrificial to his already average athleticism … While he has the ability to create contact, his body strength prevents him from being able to absorb contact and finish … Because of this he isn’t a great finisher around the basket or on drives … Gets most of his separation utilizing shot fakes and lacks the first step or quickness to create separation consistently … Defensively, there while be some concern if he can successfully defend on the perimeter … It is doubtful if he will be able to to make considerable improvements, as his legs are a bit stiff and lateral movement is suspect … Isn’t able to take full advantage of mismatches with shorter players as his post-up skills aren’t very developed …

Matthew Maurer - 5/1/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Oregon

27

49.5

27.6

70.9

0.7

0.2

4.3

0.6

5.6

2005-06 Oregon

31

46.9

28.0

77.8

0.8

0.3

6.1

1.4

7.2

2006-07 Oregon

37

47.0

41.4

78.6

1.4

0.6

8.2

2.1

10.8

2007-08 Oregon

32

55.9

49.2

78.9

0.9

0.3

9.2

2.8

15.2

DIV I Totals

127

49.7

37.2

76.8

1.0

0.4

7.1

1.8

9.9


 

malik-hairston-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review
  • Name: Malik Hairston
  • Position: Shooting Guard
  • Height: 6-6 (1.98m)
  • Weight: 220 (100kg)
  • College Team: Oregon Ducks
  • Nationality: American
  • Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
  • Birthdate: 2/23/1987
  • Drafted: Selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (48th pick overall) of 2008 NBA Draft.
phoenix 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Above average athlete with good size and fundamentals at his position … Shows great body strength on drives and the body control to absorb contact and finish in the lane … Possesses a solid first step to gain initial separation from his defender … Quality rebounder who, when properly motivated, does a great job crashing the glass … Has three point range when his feet are set that he can make with some regularity … Talented shooter from mid-range with the consistency and the confidence to shoot anywhere 18 feet from the basket … Understands how to use screens to create shot opportunities … Moves well without the ball in hands, constantly looks to make cuts around the basket … Once there, his decent athleticism enables him to finish with a good amount of success … Shows good effort and footwork when defending on the perimeter … Intelligent player who has a good grasp of fundamentals and the resourcefulness to use it to his advantage … Troubles smaller guards as he is often able to effectively post them up thanks to his strength … Although not exceptional, Hairston has improved creating contact primarily by being more aggressive going to the basket … Underrated in terms of toughness, endured a great deal of pain last season and played through it … Plays within himself and rarely tries to exceed past his strengths … Great locker room guy who has an excellent reputation among teammates and coaches …

Weaknesses: Ball handling is not very good and could be described as shaky at best … This inability to dribble severely limits Hairston in creating scoring opportunities for himself … Opposing defenders often resort to laying close and not allowing him the open shot … Seems to have lost a little bit of his explosiveness with the addition of weight over the course of his career, but should be able to regain some of it through better conditioning as he made progress this season by losing weight … Tends to get out of control on drives to the basket … Although he has all around skills, doesn’t specialize in any one area with definite NBA skill … Not comfortable shooting off the dribble opposed to when his feet are set and doesn’t have a great deal of success when he tries … Tends to struggle defending quick players and doesn’t possess great instincts or anticipation skills … Potential wise, he has failed to live up to his McDonald’s All-American hype and is reaching the ceiling of his growth as a player … Doesn’t dominate like he should and his intensity level could stand an increase …

Matthew Maurer - 3/13/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Oregon

27

50.9

33.3

47.2

0.6

0.3

5.0

1.9

13.1

2005-06 Oregon

32

47.0

37.9

68.9

0.5

0.3

4.7

2.2

15.0

2006-07 Oregon

27

52.3

42.6

61.0

0.7

0.6

6.0

2.1

11.3

2007-08 Oregon

31

52.5

43.3

73.2

0.6

0.8

4.8

2.1

16.3

DIV I Totals

117

50.6

39.4

63.2

0.6

0.6

5.1

2.1

14.1

 

james-gist-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review san-antonio 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Few players in college have Gist’s NBA level athleticism at his size … Great finisher around the basket where his long arms, body control and leaping ability allow for impressive baskets … His talents in the open court really come together with his ability to run the floor … Extremely active and plays the game at a high intensity level … A capable defender on the perimeter or as a help defender … His physical tools enable him to block a great number of shots with his long arms and mobility … Even more impressive is his lateral movement where he has no problem defending small players … Aggressive play around the basket allows Gist to create contact for free throw opportunities … Perimeter shooting has improved greatly from last season as he now shows the capacity to shoot 14 feet from the basket with occasional three point shots when his feet are set … Quality rebounder whose long arms and active motor enable him to rebound out of position with ease … Body type suggests he can add more weight without sacrificing athleticism … Possesses a decent looking turnaround jumper that he can make with some success … Solid free throw shooter … Stamina is top notch, never seems to tire and will be able to provide a great energy level for any team … Attacks the basket with authority and doesn’t back down from defenders attempting to challenge him at the rim …

Weaknesses: The biggest question mark in Gist is that he is a tweener stuck between the small forward and power forward positions … As a power forward he lacks the physicality to defend and as a small forward his perimeter skills are still not at the point where he can be fully successful … To compound matters he lacks the ability to create off the dribble … Despite all his growth this season, Gist remains inconsistent and unreliable shooting from the perimeter … Lack of upper body strength sometimes prevents him from finishing after contact … Doesn’t fully take advantage of mismatches – needs to improve in part because he prefers to face the basket rather post up smaller players … Sometimes lets emotions get the best of him, which results in overaggressive defensive play that leads to foul trouble … Has yet to show the court vision needed to be a quality passer … Gist has given inconsistent performances throughout the season - one game you see an athletic marvel, the next you barely notice him … Despite not handling the ball a great deal, Gist is very turnover prone … Not very proficient shooting off the dribble opposed to when his feet are set …

Matthew Maurer - 3/6/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Maryland

31

49.3

00.0

61.8

0.8

1.0

3.9

0.5

6.2

2005-06 Maryland

32

49.0

00.0

67.3

0.8

1.6

4.8

1.2

8.4

2006-07 Maryland

34

53.5

42.9

70.9

0.9

2.1

7.2

1.3

12.6

2007-08 Maryland

33

49.6

31.0

73.7

1.3

2.3

7.9

1.4

15.9

DIV I Totals

130

50.4

19.1

68.6

1.0

1.8

6.0

1.1

10.9

 

sean-singletary-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review sacramento 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Tremendous shooter off the dribble from mid-range or the three point shot … Demonstrates maturity and leadership qualities, which weren't apparent as a junior … Savvy player who has a great feel for the game … Quality passer in transition where he shows decent court vision in recognizing where teammates are on the floor … Singletary is a great ball handler, which enables him to do a great job of breaking defensive presses geared to slow him down … Owns a solid first step and change of speed dribble that he uses to gain separation from his defender … Defensively, he has the physical tools of quick hands and great lateral movement … Excels in the open court where his speed and creativity are given the space to work … Does a great job of being aggressive in order to draw fouls from opposing defenders … Once at the free throw line he is an excellent shooter … Clutch player who wants the ball in his hands in critical moments … Gets a good deal of his assists from dishing out to open teammates when he drives to the basket … Approaches the game with toughness as he will play through injuries … Creative scorer who will use a number of hesitations, pump fakes and step-backs to create scoring opportunities for himself on the perimeter … A great deal of this is possible despite his average height because of Singletary’s quick release, which needs little time … Extremely confident in his ability … A gym rat who is reported to own a good work ethic …

Weaknesses: Singletary lacks the ideal stature that NBA teams covet - standing at 5-11 to 6-0 there will be match-up concerns against the NBA’s bigger point guards … Can get a little too carried away and single minded in scoring instead of involving teammates, but to his credit this issue has somewhat improved this year … Shot selection is a work in progress … Has a tendency to go for the spectacular pass, which accounts for some of his turnovers … Lacks several point guard qualities that are a staple for point guards on the next level, such as decision making, playing controlled and, most importantly, making those around you better … Defensively, he remains too concerned reaching for steals instead of staying in front of his man … Mindset on defense could have something to do with this as he approaches defense as a chore and not a challenge … With his build and aggressive playing style durability could be a concern … Has problems running a half court offense efficiently and struggles to score as smoothly … Perimeter shooting from mid-range can go through periods of inconsistency … Lacks the long arms and body length to finish in traffic when driving to the basket … Could be a post-up target for bigger point guards … Is viewed by some scouts as a player that will need to be in the right system in order to be effective in the NBA …

Matthew Maurer - 5/8/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Virginia

29

38.5

32.1

77.5

1.7

0.1

3.0

3.9

10.5

2005-06 Virginia

29

40.0

34.7

84.5

1.9

0.1

4.4

4.2

17.7

2006-07 Virginia

32

40.0

38.9

87.2

1.2

0.0

4.6

4.7

19.0

2007-08 Virginia

33

42.6

36.7

85.1

1.8

0.0

3.8

6.1

19.8

DIV I Totals

123

40.3

35.7

83.7

1.6

0.0

4.0

4.8

16.9

 

courtney-lee-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review orlando 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Has legit three point range with nice shooting mechanics that he can make with regularity … Decently built shooting guard who has improved greatly with his added upper body strength … Despite being his team’s primary scorer, he is an unselfish player who will look to pass if teammates are open … Does a great job of taking one or two dribbles to lull his defender to sleep before pulling up for the jump shot … Excellent finisher in transition thanks to his ability to convert a great deal of difficult shots in the lane with his body control and creativity … Will use a number of floaters and lay-ups off the glass to convert plays in traffic … Unlike many players, Lee understands how to utilize the mid-range - he does not get single minded with straight three point shooting and slashing … Defensively, he uses his quick hands to disrupt passing lanes for steals … Has the ability to create scoring for himself thanks to his solid first step that allows for some level of separation from his defender … Quick release on his jumper makes Lee very proficient in catch and shoot situations … Humble player with a great work ethic to not only improve, but is also coachable … Solid free throw shooter … Unlike situations in the past, Lee now has the body strength to finish after contact occurs … Underrated ball handler who has no problem bringing the ball up the court … Has improved over last year at drawing contact for free throw opportunities … Patient player who allows the game to come to him …

Weaknesses: His level of competition gives the false impression that Lee is athletically superior, which is far from true and will further be exposed at the NBA level … Lacks the explosiveness to separate himself from his defender after his initial first step - this enables defenders to recover and follow Lee into the lane … Has a habit of standing around instead of moving without the ball … Perimeter defense is just slightly above average at best and will need some refinement, as his foot speed and aggressiveness will limit his effectiveness … Gets a great deal of credit for being able to create off the dribble, but Lee’s moves are a bit unorthodox and will lead some to question if he will be able to pull-off these shots against NBA guards who are athletically and physically advanced … Perimeter shooting can go through periods of inconsistency when creating off the dribble from mid-range … All around game has improved considerably from last year, but he doesn’t excel in any one are - while he is a decent passer and rebounder, his court vision and lack of explosiveness could limit his effectiveness … Has cut down on his turnovers this year, but must continue to protect the ball better and not be careless or rush himself offensively … From a potential standpoint, Lee is approaching his ceiling …

Matthew Maurer - 3/4/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Western Kentucky

31

45.0

39.9

72.2

1.8

0.5

5.2

2.0

14.9

2005-06 Western Kentucky

30

45.1

40.8

84.7

2.6

0.3

6.3

2.9

17.4

2006-07 Western Kentucky

30

47.2

40.1

84.0

1.5

0.8

4.6

1.9

17.3

2007-08 Western Kentucky

36

47.7

39.7

82.2

1.8

0.8

4.9

2.1

20.4

DIV I Totals

127

46.3

40.1

80.8

1.9

0.6

5.2

2.2

17.6

 

omer-asik-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review portland 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Mobile center that runs the floor like a guard and possesses agility that players his size rarely have … Tough-nosed player who will not back down regardless of the physical difference between him and his match-up … Loves to play in the high post where his foot speed allows him to operate the pick and roll with ease … Considered a late bloomer with a very good upside to improve … While he needs to improve on his body strength and weight, Asik will be able to add this without sacrificing his athleticism … Shows good touch around the basket and on put-backs … Physically, he has all the tools to remain a competent shot blocker in the NBA with his long arms and explosiveness … Has the ball handling ability to take one or two dribbles into the lane … Aggressive around the basket where he does a good job of creating contact … Possesses soft, strong hands that allow him to grab and keep any ball in his area; coupled with his athleticism and long arms, Asik is a formidable rebounder out of position … Quality help defender thanks to his solid lateral quickness … Does a great job of finishing around the basket by dunking the ball … Has the natural rebounding instincts you look for – Asik’s ball location skills are efficient in that he seems to be in the exact area where the ball will be … Understands the value of keeping the ball high when receiving it in the post … Plays within himself and rarely tries to exceed his strengths on the court …

Weaknesses: Must work on adding more weight and upper body strength to his frame … This could be one of the reasons he doesn’t always properly box out his man when rebounding in his area … This lack of physicality often prevents him from being able to set up in the low post without getting rooted out … From a fundamental standpoint, Asik should start getting his body wider to give teammates a bigger target … Offensively, he remains a work in progress as he doesn’t have a wide assortment of back to the basket moves … Other than a jump hook, Asik hasn’t shown much in terms of up and unders or drop steps … Poor free throw shooter, which prevents him from taking full advantage of any fouls he is able to draw … Timing on shot blocking isn’t bad, but he is prone to biting on pump fakes from time to time … Post footwork could use some refinement … Has little range when shooting the ball and is generally limited to scoring around the basket … Not a great passer from the post where he lacks the court vision to recognize teammates … Overall strength prevents him from absorbing contact in the lane and finishing … Still learning the game, which makes him prone to mental breakdowns, but to his credit he has improved since the beginning of the season … Will be a little bit of a project for any NBA team that drafts him …

Matthew Maurer - 2/4/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2005-06 Alpella

1

100.0

---

---

---

---

2.0

---

2.0

2006-07 Alpella

30

52.5

50.0

48.6

1.6

2.0

11.2

1.2

9.3

2007-08 Alpella

10

56.7

66.7

50.0

2.6

2.2

11.3

1.8

15.0

2007-08 Fenerbahce

20

52.0

00.0

64.3

1.5

1.7

6.8

0.5

7.7

Totals

62

53.5

33.3

57.6

1.7

1.9

9.5

1.1

9.5

 

nathan-jawai.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review indiana 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Athletically, Jawai possesses a rare blend of power and explosiveness for someone his size … Excellent finisher around the basket where his explosiveness allows him to finish with flair … Does a tremendous job of establishing position in the post … Understands the value of keeping the ball high and away from opposing guards looking to double team … Owns a soft pair of hands that allow him to catch any passes thrown into the post … Starting to develop a good looking mid-range shot from 16 feet that he can make with some success … Consistently looks to use his power game to overpower his defender … Because of this he creates a good amount of contact to get to the foul line … Although his free throw numbers don’t suggest it, Jawai has good form and, most importantly, does not look at the ball when he takes his foul shots … Has a coachable personality and takes well to instruction … Good (but not great) rebounding in his area, but shows great promise obtaining boards out of position … Is a very good post passer due to his unselfish attitude … Long arms and body control enable him to convert well in traffic … Has quick, light feet that allow him to pull off short hops in the low post … This really comes into focus when he faces 12 feet from the basket and fakes the mid-range shot only to use his quickness to explode past his man for the dunk … Potentially, Jawai projects as a player who has yet to scratch the surface despite being a late bloomer of sorts, as this kind of projection is usually reserved for a player in their late teenage years … Owns a nice baseline spin with his back to the basket …

Weaknesses: Is not a great runner of the court but, to his credit, he isn’t lumbering and does display good effort … Despite his size, Jawai often gets boxed out by quicker players when rebounding in his area … Doesn’t do a good job of denying post position when defending in the low post - his assignment can often set-up position without disruption … Lacks the instincts to be an elite level shot blocker in the NBA … Some of this has to do with his timing and confidence level … Doesn’t always play with focus and desire in every game to dominate … Is prone to mental breakdowns in key moments due to his average court awareness … Upon appearance, his height does seems to be 7-foot as he is listed, but might be closer to 6-9 or 6-10 … Seems to play lazy at times when he is winded, so stamina will need considerable improvement … Competition level in Australia isn’t very good at his position … Mental toughness is questionable as there have been some games where he was matched physically and he seemed to react poorly … Post footwork is still a bit choppy, but to his credit has improved since the beginning of the season … Hasn’t learned how to effectively defend in the post without picking up fouls due to his over-aggressiveness … From a fundamental standpoint, Jawai’s knowledge of the game isn’t on the level of most of his 1986 international peers … Back to the basket skills are average right now due to the fact that Jawai lacks good execution and variety … Fails to quickly identify double teams before they happen …

Matthew Maurer - 2/6/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2006-07 Midland JC.

14

49.2

---

64.5

1.0

1.0

6.1

0.9

11.4

2007-08 Cairns Taipans

30

57.5

---

64.5

0.4

1.0

9.6

2.0

17.7

NBL Totals

30

57.5

---

64.5

0.4

1.0

9.6

2.0

17.7

jason-thompson-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review sacramento 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Athletically, Thompson is blessed with great foot speed making him capable of running the floor with ease … Does a great job of keeping the ball high in the post or when gaining rebounds … Fundamentally, he knows all the little nuances of the game … Has strong and quick hands that enable him to snatch most balls without problems … When posting up his refined post footwork become apparent as he will usually use a spin move or turnaround jumper to score … What’s even more impressive is his relation to the basket skills – he doesn’t get lost and is precise in his execution … Quality rebounder who uses his long arms and effective boxing out to gain any balls in his area … Once facing up he has the ball handling ability to drive past slower power forwards … Mobility allows him to be a quality help defender where he gets a good portion of his blocks … Court vision is excellent - has little problem operating in a high post offense … Crafty scorer around the basket who understands how to draw contact from opposing defenders … Owns an extremely high basketball IQ … Has shown the ability to catch and shoot 16 feet from mid-range … Not a dominating shot blocker but his timing is top notch … Body type suggests that he can add more weight without sacrificing his quickness …

Weakness: Athletically, Thompson lacks explosiveness like many at his position … From a defensive standpoint this will limit his ability to be the shot blocker he is on the collegiate level … Offensively, sometimes has trouble setting up in the post without getting pushed out … With more bulk added to his frame this should be less of an issue … Back to the basket game is still in the developmental stages - although not raw, Thompson lacks variety … Free throw shooting has become a point of frustration after being an average shooter for the past three years … Needs to learn how to get his body wide when positing up to give his teammates a bigger target to pass into … Can go through periods where he isn’t always assertive - despite being his team’s top player, he’ll pass off … Appears to have average hands that aren’t soft, which could be the reason he bobbles passes that are thrown to him in the post … Not a big fan of getting physical contact and mixing it up on the defensive side … Foul trouble could be a reason for this but Thompson must still stay in the game …

Matthew Maurer - 12/17/07

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Rider

30

44.1

23.1

65.9

0.7

1.0

7.4

1.5

9.1

2005-06 Rider

27

54.6

33.3

70.3

0.9

1.8

8.4

1.6

16.6

2006-07 Rider

31

52.0

27.3

72.4

0.7

2.2

10.1

2.1

20.1

2007-08 Rider

34

56.0

32.4

58.1

1.1

2.7

12.1

2.7

20.4

DIV I Totals

122

51.7

29.0

66.4

0.9

2.0

9.6

2.0

16.7

 

semih-erden-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review boston 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review

Strengths: Solid athlete overall who can run the floor very well for his size … Once Erden gets the ball out on the perimeter he can shoot a quality perimeter shot from 16 feet or use a dribble drive, depending how the defense is playing him … Isn’t mechanical or stiff in his movements, but is rather fluid, a rarity for centers … Defensively, he works hard to deny post position to opposing players … Good touch around the basket where he is a quick finisher with dunks or lay-ups … Decent rebounder out of position thanks to his long arms and mobility … Erden is capable of making some impressive plays in the post when he is focused … Lateral quickness enables him to guard small forwards on the perimeter … Potentially, Erden has a lot of skills for an NBA team to work with … Does a good job of getting his body wide when he sets up in the post … Has the soft hands needed to catch most passes thrown into him … Underrated post passer whose court vision has made some improvements … Fundamentally sound player with great confidence in his abilities … Back to the basket moves are solid, and more importantly, showing development …

Weaknesses: Could stand to add more muscle weight to his body … Lacks the explosiveness and instincts to be a high level shot blocker in the NBA … Picks up foul calls when defending in the post as he tends to be overaggressive … Doesn’t always work hard to establish himself in the post … Below average offensive rebounder due to his inability to effectively box out opposing players … Post footwork isn’t bad, but every so often Erden will lose his balance … Intensity level is questionable - a player with all his gifts should easily dominate … Some have questioned his work ethic and desire, as he has developed into what most predicted for him back in 2003 … Not a very consistent player - one day he plays like a first rounder, the next you barely notice him on the floor … Can take some questionable shots and doesn’t seem to fully understand what his strengths are yet … Doesn’t do a good job of creating contact to draw fouls from opposing defenders …

Matthew Maurer - 2/4/08

Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2005-06 Fenerbahce

27

55.5

---

49.3

0.5

1.0

5.4

0.2

6.5

2006-07 Fenerbahce

36

59.2

00.0

62.9

0.7

0.8

3.8

0.6

6.4

2007-08 Fenerbahce

31

53.6

37.5

50.6

0.7

0.7

4.8

0.6

7.3

Totals

94

55.6

27.3

54.8

0.6

0.8

4.7

0.5

6.7

 

trent-plaisted-1.jpg 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review seattle 2008 NBA Draft - The Draft Review
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Statistics

SEASONS

GP

FG%

3PT%

FT%

SPG

BPG

RPG

APG

PPG

2004-05 Brigham Young

5

00.0

---

50.0

---

---

1.6

0.2

0.6

2005-06 Brigham Young

29

52.2

---

61.6

0.4

0.9

6.9

1.0

13.6

2006-07 Brigham Young

34

54.6

---

49.2

0.4

1.4

6.2

1.2

12.6

2007-08 Brigham Young

35

54.2

---

54.2

0.4

1.0

7.7

1.5

15.6

DIV I Totals

103

51.1

---

54.4

0.4

1.1

6.7

1.2

13.3

 

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