Carney Compilation

What should we make of Rodney Carney? Well, until we get a chance to talk to and watch him play in Vegas starting on Monday, let's take a look at his numbers from Memphis and his first two NBA seasons in Philadelphia to get an idea.

A 23-year-old 6-7 guard/forward from Indianapolis, Ind., Carney spent four years at the University of Memphis, improving steadily to become the Conference USA Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American selection as a senior. He climbed the ranks to earn the third step on the Memphis all-time scoring ladder with 1,901 points and holds the school's career record for three-pointers made (287).

Carney was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 16th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, but was traded along with a second-round pick (2007) to Philadelphia in exchange for the No. 13 pick, Thabo Sefolosha. During his rookie year, he was averaging about three points and one rebound per game until injuries to Allen Iverson and Chris Webber thrust him into a starting role, where he averaged nine points and three boards a contest. For the season, he averaged 6.6 points in 17.5 minutes, shooting 46.4 percent and 34.7 percent from three.

Last season, Carney averaged 5.8 points in 14.9 minutes, shooting just 40.3 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three as lottery pick Thaddeus Young, Willie Green and Louis Williams saw much of the backcourt minutes alongside Andre Miller.

Numbers in College:
Make no mistake about it: Carney's a scorer, not a playmaker. At Memphis, he put up 17.2 points as a senior on 43.6 percent shooting from the field, and took an average of 7.1 threes in 37 games, shooting 39.1 percent from distance. He averaged just 1.2 assists as a junior and 1.3 as a senior, though did take care of the ball (1.45 turnover average in his final two years of school). A pretty good free throw shooter, Carney made 77.3 percent of his shots as a junior and 71.2 percent as a senior. His glass work was good for a two guard, as he pulled down an average of 4.9 boards throughout college, with a high of 5.7 as a sophomore. He got his hands on 1.5 balls a game as a senior, and blocked an average of 1.0 shots throughout school.

Calipari Says:
Before he was drafted, this is what Memphis head coach John Calipari had to say about his scoring guard: "No one in the country is faster or can jump higher than Rodney. His signature play is stealing the ball, running down the court, then jumping from the foul line and slamming it down. But he can also really spot up and shoot."

Predraft Profiles:

ESPN's Chad Ford
-- "He is one of the best athletes in the draft. Carney can jump out of the gym and flies up and down the court. Has really improved his 3-point shooting last season. Became more consistent his senior year. ... Carney has been trying to dump the "soft" label for the past three years. He did a good job of exorcising those demons during his senior season, but a so-so tournament has brought his stock back down to Earth. Carney's 2-for-12 performance against UCLA had scouts raising all the same concerns about toughness, focus and ability to perform in the clutch. Some team will fall in love with his combination of athleticism and shooting ability in individual workouts, but the tale of the tape is going to be overcome."

– CollegeHoops.net scouting report
“Carney’s incredible athletic ability, experience and defensive prowess makes him an ideal NBA player. Throw in his ability to knock down the three and his amazing fast breaking ability and that puts him heads and shoulders above many of this year’s prospects.”

NBA Draft.net profile:
Strengths: Highlight reel waiting to happen ... One of the most athletic players in all of college basketball ... Jump shot has improved ... Big upside... Long and lean ... Very versatile... Great elevation on jumper which is nearly impossible to block... Confident... Good poise ... Pesky defender ... Blankets defenders with his long arms and quick feet... Anticipates well and plays the passing lanes for steals ... Really gets up and grabs rebounds ... Excellent speed and quickness ...
Weaknesses: Needs to add strength, put time in the weight room and bulk up some ... Can be prone to taking bad shots at times ... Forces shots ... Must become better at handling the ball and creating offense for himself ... Settles with the outside shot instead of trying to get something easier ... Lacks great vision and passing ability ... Needs to shoot with more consistency... Can be too reliant on his athleticism ... Needs to get a little tougher on the court ... Too right hand dependent, needs to become better at handling with his left hand ...