The College Stars Pro Scouts Love
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and nowhere is that more true than in the NBA draft. While college basketball fans are busily touting the stars of their respective teams, the pros are looking at the NCAA with a longer view. Several players who aren’t even the top scorers on their own teams look like Snow White in the eyes of pro scouts, while a few big college stars appear more like ugly stepsisters.
Plenty of water will flow under the bridge between now and the June draft, but let’s take a peek at some early favorites, and a few others who are garnering only fleeting glances:
TEN GEMS
CHRIS TAFT, Pittsburgh – The 6-foot, 11-inch sophomore is only the third-leading scorer on the Panthers, but scouts love his size and finishing ability around the rim. He wowed observers with his athleticism during his freshman year, but has looked more like William Taft during a lethargic start as a sophomore. Despite that, he’s still a lock to be a top 10 pick based on potential alone.
CHRIS PAUL, Wake Forest – Paul’s ability is hardly a trade secret, as his Demon Deacons were ranked no. 1 to start the season. The sophomore point guard’s combination of speed and passing draws comparisons to Jason Kidd, except that Paul can shoot. The Charlotte Bobcats supposedly like him so much that they want to use the top pick on him if they win the lottery. Here’s the catch: He wants to come back for his junior season, just like another highly touted Wake product by the name of Tim Duncan.
RUDY GAY, Connecticut – The high-flying freshman is a prototypical small forward (6 feet, 9 inches, 220 pounds), and could be one-and-done with the Huskies. He’s a lock for the lottery if he comes out. He’s averaging 10.2 points and 6.7 rebounds coming off the bench, but he won’t be a sub for long if he keeps playing like this.
MARVIN WILLIAMS, North Carolina – The 6-foot, 9-inch freshman power forward would have been a first-round pick if he had turned pro out of high school, and he’s averaging 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds off the bench thus far. Despite his bruising play in the paint, he’s a good ball handler and sees the court. Picture Anthony Mason except 2 inches taller and less familiar with the criminal justice system.
RAYMOND FELTON, North Carolina – While his college stats are modest (just 10.4 ppg, fourth on the Tar Heels), Felton’s ability to push the ball and find open teammates is in high demand at the pro level, and he’s strong enough to finish at the rim. Despite his Bufordesque shooting, pro teams see him as a bigger T.J. Ford and will take him in the first round if he leaves school.
ANDREW BOGUT, Utah – The Australian center struggled as a freshman but has shown no such problems in his sophomore season, filling up the stat sheet with 17.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks a night for the Utes. The Mountain West isn’t a great league, but Bogut opened eyes on Saturday by going 20-and-10 against no. 10 Arizona, missing only two shots. Add to that a solid effort in the Olympics, and he already looks better than any big man on the Nets.
DERON WILLIAMS, Illinois – Playing for the no. 1 team tends to attract attention, especially after the Illini tore apart Wake Forest earlier this year. While the junior guard is only the team’s fourth-leading scorer, his size (6 feet, 3 inches, 210 pounds) and court vision (6.9 assists per game) put him ahead of two teammates with higher scoring averages – Dee Brown and Luther Head. Of course, all three could go in the first round.
JOEY GRAHAM, Oklahoma St. – Graham started moving up people’s lists after a strong 2004 NCAA tournament run, and he’s kept it up this fall with 18.4 ppg on 58.1% shooting. At 6 feet, 7 inches and 220 pounds, his game is reminiscent of the dearly departed Eric Williams – he plays tough defense, and he’s versatile enough to overpower opponents in the post or step outside and beat them off the dribble.
JOHN GILCHRIST, Maryland – Playing point guard in the ACC seems to be an automatic ticket to the NBA. Gilchrist has great size for the position at 6 feet, 3 inches, and his ability to sink big shots has made an impression.
KENNEDY WINSTON, Alabama – Alabama is a factory for guys who do nothing spectacular in college and then have stellar pro careers, including Antonio McDyess, Latrell Sprewell, and Robert Horry. Winston looks like the next one. He’s only the Crimson Tide’s third-best scorer (17.1 ppg), but he’s a classic “guy who’ll be better in the NBA” because he has the size (6 feet, 6 inches) and quickness to thrive in a one-on-one game as a pro shooting guard. He’s also hitting 45.5% from downtown.
FIVE DUDS
CARL KRAUSER, Pittsburgh – Admired for his toughness, Krauser is the leading scorer and assist man on one of the country’s top teams. But he gets zero love from the pro scouts because he’s not very athletic or big. The Bronx native already is 23 years old (as one scout told me, “How old is he, 30?”), and it’s tough to get excited about his potential when several guys his age or younger are already NBA All-Stars.
WAYNE SIMIEN, Kansas – The Jayhawks’ top scorer, who will be sidelined four to six weeks after undergoing thumb surgery, is a bruising interior force (17.4 ppg, 12.0 rpg), but at 6-foot-8, his size will be a major impediment as a pro. Nor does he have the perimeter game to move to small forward. Most see him as a poor man’s Clarence Weatherspoon, which should have Scott Layden salivating.
J.J. REDICK, Duke – Redick averages 21.4 ppg thanks to a sweet outside stroke, but most feel he can’t create his own shot and lacks the size and athleticism to defend NBA shooting guards. His game is perfectly suited to Europe, so if you want to see more of him, I’d suggest updating your passport.
FRANCISCO GARCIA, Louisville – The lanky forward is having a fine junior year for Rick Pitino, but faces the same problem as Krauser – he’ll be 23 in another week. Scouts look at him the same way we’d look at a high school kid dominating a sixth-grade kickball game.
CHRIS THOMAS, Notre Dame – Regarded as a big star by college fans, the point guard thought about turning pro two years ago, but the response from scouts was both emphatic and unanimous: He didn’t belong in the NBA. Let’s hope he’s a Slavic language major, because his lack of size and shaky shooting may force him to earn a living someplace far away.