Terrence Ross: A Closer Look

As the Sixers diligently work out college prospects throughout the month of June, fans wonder which, if any, of the players paraded through drills at PCOM will don red, white, and blue this coming season. Picking 15th in next Thursday’s draft, the Sixers have made no secret of their desire to add a knock-down shooter to their roster.

We take a closer look at Washington shooting guard Terrence Ross, who recently worked out for team executives.

Ross is a 6’7” shooting guard that many speculate will also be able to play small forward in the NBA. Not only is he an excellent shooter (attempting over two-thirds of his shots from mid- and three-point range while shooting 37.1% from beyond the arc in 2011-12), but he also has a long, athletic body and rebounds exceptionally for his size. The sharpshooting wingman is confident that he would be a great addition to the Sixers’ current roster.

“I think I can provide some shooting ability—some threes, some midrange (jumpers), some pull-ups,” said Ross following a workout in front of Sixers brass last week. “You have Andre Iguodala going to the basket and Jrue (Holiday) running point; I think I would be a perfect fit.”

76ers Director of Player Personnel Courtney Witte noted that Ross is a very skilled, multi-dimensional player who can make his presence felt on both of ends of the floor.

"As good as he is on the offensive end, he does things defensively that you can’t teach. He’s got a big upside to him,” Witte stated. “His shooting numbers are pretty good. I wouldn’t put him up there with Reggie Miller, obviously, but he’s a shooter and a scorer. He’s going to have a long NBA career."

While little doubt exists about Ross’ offensive skillset, some, including Witte, have questioned whether or not he’s strong enough to compete right away in the NBA.

“He needs to get stronger, he realizes that,” the Sixer personnel man admitted. “Everybody coming into the league at some stage needs to improve strength; very few players are really ready (from a strength perspective).”

The Washington-alum is widely expected to be selected in the middle of the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. If the Sixers choose to address their expressed need for outside shooting through the draft, Ross could certainly be a possibility.