2007 NBA Draft Player Previews: Gasol - Reynolds
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Marc Gasol – 7’0”, 265
NBA Position: Center
International Team: Akasvayu Girona / Spain
NBA Comparison: Mehmet Okur
Younger brother of Memphis’s Pau Gasol … has great upper-body strength … also has a great set of hands ... is effective at establishing position in the post … is a very fundamentally sound player … displays a rare combination of power and soft shooting touch … strong back-to-the-basket skills … owns a good assortment of low-post moves … can shoot the jump-hook, a turnaround jumper, plus spin off his man for a soft finger-roll … pretty good rebounder … a tough player to double as he keeps the ball high and away from guards … sees the court well … not afraid of contact … does an excellent job of drawing fouls … can absorb contact and finish … a highly intelligent player with a terrific work ethic.
Aaron Gray – 7’1”, 280
NBA Position: Center
College: Pittsburgh / Senior
NBA Comparison: Erick Dampier and Matt Geiger
A very solid NBA center prospect … unlike most low-post players, he doesn’t put the ball on the floor, but goes straight up with it … soft hands enable him to catch most passes … a good rebounder who understand how to seal his man off and get rebounds … made tremendous strides over the past year … has a good assortment of back-to-the- basket moves … can score with a jump-hook, spin lay-up or short flip-ins and put-backs … is an excellent low-post passer who sees the floor well … double teams don’t usually affect him … not a natural shot blocker but tries to disrupt shots … does a good job of keeping his body between the basket and the opposing defender … understands the game and is fundamentally sound … steady progress as a player is a testament to a terrific work ethic … definitely not a speedster, but willingly runs the court … no problem finishing after contact due to his excellent size and strength … shows mid-range shooting ability out to 12-15 feet … a legit 7-footer … has the bulk to handle the middle full-time … effective offensive rebounder … a solid first-round pick.
Jeff Green – 6’8”, 225
NBA Position: Forward
College: Georgetown / Junior
NBA Comparisons: Boris Diaw
A “do-it-all” player who can shoot, pass, rebound and lock an opponent down on the perimeter … highly athletic … can hang in the air and has enough strength to finish after being hit … “point forward” abilities help make him one of those rare big men who makes everyone around him better … a very unselfish player … has a high basketball IQ … very heady player … is an excellent finisher … moves extremely well without the ball … has 3-point range … enjoyed a strong Big East and NCAA tournament run … scouts love his versatility and all-around game … standout junior season, and the Hoya’s run to the Final Four, has caused his stock to soar.
Taurean Green – 6’0, 180
NBA Position: Point Guard
College: Florida / Junior
NBA Comparison: Jameer Nelson
A scoring point guard with impressive quicks … quietly and efficiently did everything his team needed in order to capture a second straight NCAA National Championship … shows tremendous poise controlling the tempo of the game … does a phenomenal job of running the pick and roll … constantly finds the open man … very unselfish … a true floor general and team leader … plays with the right amount of aggressiveness … terrific at running a half-court offense … has NBA 3-point range … excellent defender … great experience running an elite team … probably the least heralded of the Florida prospects, but incredibly productive … likely to be a late first-round steal.
Spencer Hawes – 7’0”, 245
NBA Position: Center
College: Washington / Freshman
NBA Comparisons:
Andrew Bogut, Vlade Divac and Brad Miller
A highly skilled big man with advanced low-post moves … offensively, there may not be a more polished center coming out of college … can score with either hand … seems to know every single post move in the book … is an excellent shooter who can play the high post and work the pick and pop … an extremely impressive passer … has an excellent basketball IQ … as fundamentally sound as any center in the nation … has the ability to recognize double teams and consistently make the right pass out of them … vision, ability to throw skip passes and interior skills easily rank amongst the top in the college game, and only make him that much more attractive … also a tough-nosed player with a great attitude … a competitor and very coachable … is the nephew of former NBA player, Steve Hawes … will need to continue adding bulk and strength in order to be truly effective down in the post at the next level … looking like a legit lottery pick.
Roy Hibbert – 7’2”, 270
NBA Position: Center
College: Georgetown / Junior
NBA Comparisons: Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joel Przybilla
A very solid big man with tremendous size, strength and length … can rebound, block shots and play physical defense … a hard worker who improved tremendously over the past two seasons … possesses good hands and is fundamentally sound in the paint … has nice post moves—can score on hooks with either hand, also has nice drop-step moves … good passer for his size and position … will be an intimidating shot-blocking presence … good range on jumper ... a big man who can shoot free throws—a rarity in this age … has a high basketball IQ … has a good understanding of his strengths as a player … not a great athlete, but by no means is he a stiff … probably best suited to play with a halfcourt-oriented team … has been all over the boards with scouts the past few years … most love his size and potential … his strong play in the second half of the season and during the NCAA tournament has him as a likely late lottery to mid first-round pick … on June 19, the NBA announced Hibbert withdrew his name from the draft.
Herbert Hill – 6’10”, 245
NBA Position: Forward / Center
College: Providence / Senior
NBA Comparison: John Salley
Another potential sleeper pick … has good size, body and athleticism for his position … a multi-dimensional scorer who can hit a mid-range jumper and has nice touch around the basket … a very efficient scorer—rarely takes a bad shot … has developed into a consistent rebounder and excellent shot blocker … is a good ball-handler for his size … plays with energy … shows mobility, runs the court with ease … possesses great hands, capable of catching passes without fumbling or losing control … is a solid finisher … keeps the ball high and goes right up … has a very good jump-hook that he converts from a multitude of angles … does a good job of absorbing contact and finishing the play for free-throw opportunities … plays solid post defense … constantly works to keep himself between his man and the basket … has a blue collar attitude—has no problem doing dirty work … outstanding work ethic.
Al Horford – 6’9”, 245
NBA Position: Forward / Center
College: Florida / Sophomore
NBA Comparisons: Emeka Okafor and Carlos Boozer
Has all the tools to be a great NBA player … long, athletic with a great physique … broad shoulders and long arms help make him a terrific rebounder and solid low-post defender … one of the strongest players in the Draft …. won’t shy away from banging in the paint … always makes a positive impact on the glass … good passer for a big man … per minute stats in the point, rebounding and shot-blocking categories have scouts drooling … runs the floor especially well …. has a terrific motor … is quick for a big guy … has a high basketball IQ … attacks the basket with authority … also has an ever improving mid-range game … has the skill set needed to play in the NBA right now … fantastic shot blocker and rebounder … needs a little more polish on the offensive end, but has everything a team would want in a power player—length, strength, motor, athleticism and IQ … his game still has room to grow, but looks to be a lock for the Top-10 and a potential Top-5 prospect, thanks to an excellent NCAA tournament.
Dominic James – 5’11”, 175
NBA Position: Point Guard
College: Marquette / Sophomore
NBA Comparison: Terrell Brandon
A super quick, athletic point guard … has insane hangtime … a relentless penetrator and excellent finisher around the basket … has tremendous lower-body strength … excellent energy … a true floor general who sees the floor and makes smart decisions … a tenacious defender … racks up steals … a little undersized for the position … but a decent perimeter shooter … can be streaky from long range … scouts are high on his potential … a shooting slump in the second half of the season damaged his stock, but he’s still a potential first-round pick … on June 19, the NBA announced James withdrew his name from the draft.
Stephane Lasme – 6’8”, 225
NBA Position: Forward
College: Massachusetts / Senior
NBA Comparison: Keon Clark
An extremely mobile and athletic player … runs the court like a guard and shows rare lateral quickness for a player his size … terrific shot blocker capable of dominating the lane … shows pro timing and explosive leaping ability to continue this skill on the NBA level … long arms and mobility allow for him to be a solid help defender … excellent out of position rebounder … plays the game with raw aggression and passion … underrated post passer who has little problems identifying open teammates … keeps the ball high and has shown some ability to recognize double teams before they occur … very raw offensively … has worked hard on post footwork and developing a decent hook shot … athletic ability allows him to be an excellent finisher around the basket … seems to understand his limitations and doesn’t attempt to exceed them … is a high character guy who has shown nothing but class on and off the court … one of the oldest prospects in the pool—turns 25 in December … a possible mid-to-late second-round pick.
Acie Law – 6’3”, 185
NBA Position: Point Guard
College: Texas A&M / Senior
NBA Comparisons: Sam Cassell and Chauncey Billups
A big-time competitor who wants the ball during crunch time … a scoring point guard who has improved in just about every facet … has an excellent feel for the game … great size and strength for a point guard … is a solid floor general who puts his teammates in a position to score and keeps turnovers to a minimum … good slasher to the basket, has an excellent mid-range jumper … not a pure shooter, but has developed into a genuine 3-point threat … strong enough to take a hit and finish at the hoop … capable of using either hand … loves to push the ball up the court … aggressive—fearless … somewhat quick, but not super explosive … quietly developed into one of the top point guards in the country … stellar conference play won over most scouts … is a likely Top-15 pick.
Dominic McGuire – 6’8, 215
NBA Position: Forward
College: Fresno State / Junior
NBA Comparison: Danny Granger
Swing player with a tremendous wingspan … an outstanding athlete … great versatility with the ability to handle the ball and pass, as well as the strength and athleticism to be a real factor on the boards … is an above average passer for a small forward … very strong defensively … averaged close to 4 blocks per game … offensive skills have improved over the past couple of years … has excellent body control and the type of explosiveness needed to get into the lane and hang in the air for some incredibly creative finishes … capable of shaking guys off the dribble by going left or right, and creating his own shot.
Josh McRoberts – 6’10”, 240
NBA Position: Power Forward
College: Duke / Sophomore
NBA Comparison: Chris Webber
Has all the tools to be a good NBA player … lefty … has a warrior’s mentality … not afraid of being challenged … can get nasty … can score inside and out, handle the ball and defend … loves to dunk—will throw down at every opportunity … a very solid rebounder and shot blocker … capable of running the floor, but isn’t particularly quick … has good size and an excellent basketball IQ … knows how to play passing lanes, thus picks up a lot of steals for a forward … had a chance to be a Top-10 pick in the 2006 NBA Draft but decided to return to Duke for his sophomore season … looks like a mid-to-late first-round pick this time.
Demetris Nichols – 6’8”, 210
NBA Position: Forward
College: Syracuse / Senior
NBA Comparison: Rasul Butler
Moves well without the ball working off screens and picks … has legit NBA 3-point range … has the potential to be a quality NBA defender … excels shooting off the dribble … smooth player who makes difficult plays look easy … a solid athlete who has good leaping ability with long arms … adequate shot blocker … excellent free throw shooter … does a good job of using fakes and hesitation shots to draw fouls … a patient player who doesn’t usually force the action, simply lets the game come to him … is an explosive scorer capable of putting up big points … a very coachable player with a solid work ethic … has become a much more confident player over the past four years … for his size there are few who have his ability to shoot from the outside … a possible mid-to-late second-round pick.
Joakim Noah – 6’11”, 235
NBA Position: Forward
College: Florida / Junior
NBA Comparisons: Andrei Kirilenko, Marcus Camby, Anderson Varejao and Tyson Chandler
Has great length, is loaded with athleticism and has a crazy non-stop motor … immense wingspan helps him wreak havoc … a leader … always plays with passion … has a warrior mentality … not afraid of contact … beats EVERYONE up and down the floor … excellent finisher on the break … has outstanding lateral quickness and is an exceptional help-defender … somewhat raw, but more skilled than many think … a first-rate passer for a big man … always around the ball and is a superb shot blocker … has the ability to do a little of everything—score inside, block shots, crash the glass on both ends, handle the ball on the break … this guy is everywhere ... sort of a 7-foot Kirilenko … a true game-breaker … outside shot continues to improve … best offensive move is a jump-hook … needs to continue getting stronger to be truly effective at next level … will always have an impact on the outcome of a game.
Greg Oden – 7’0”, 260
NBA Position: Center
College: Ohio State / Freshman
NBA Comparison: Patrick Ewing, David Robinson and Bill Russell
An extremely talented 7-footer with an NBA body, excellent athleticism and game-changing defensive abilities … runs the floor extremely well … a dominant defender … excellent shot blocker and rebounder … has great hands … has soft touch from inside and is developing a consistent jumper … terrific passer out of the post … smart … consensus No. 1 pick despite fellow freshman and College Player of the Year Kevin Durant of the University of Texas being in the Draft pool … some experts compare him to Bill Russell, Patrick Ewing and David Robinson … most NBA GMs believe he'll immediately be one of the top three centers in the league … a strong performance in 2007 NCAA title game (25 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks) could eventually become the norm for this kid.
Gabe Pruitt – 6’4”, 175
NBA Position: Guard
College: USC / Junior
NBA Comparison: Devin Harris
A sleeper pick … another big-time athlete out of USC … a dazzling scorer with size and quickness ... plays well above the rim—real bouncy ... a smart player with a good understanding of the game ... has terrific offensive skills with the ability to drive or pull up ... has range on his shot and is a capable 3-point shooter ... good defender with quick hands … anticipates well ... a clutch player who steps up in close games ... looks to breaks down defenders … has strong leadership qualities … should be a mid-to-late first-round pick.
J.R. Reynolds – 6’3, 200
NBA Position: Guard
College: Virginia / Senior
NBA Comparison: Randy Foye and Brandon Roy
An excellent athlete, blessed with a terrific first step, exceptional quickness and nice fluidity in the half-court … incredibly difficult to keep out of the paint in isolation situations … attacks the basket with tenacity and will use his leaping ability and strength to hang in the air and finish even in the toughest of situations—never shies away from contact … more than just a slashing threat … has the talent and scoring instincts to put the ball in the net from almost anywhere on the floor … has terrific ball-handling skills—has no problem creating shots for himself or others … at times, he’ll show a very pretty one-handed floater … can be a deadly shooter when given an opportunity to heat up … is terrific at coming off screens and firing away with little to no hesitation with his feet set or off a short set-up dribble … also has deep range on his jumper … still needs work defensively … although he does have fairly quick hands and feet, he has a tendency to give up on plays … a bit of a tweener … not a pure point guard, but has the body of one … deserves a long look as a possible late first-, or early second-round pick.
Bulls Draft Central | Draft Prospect Profiles: A - F | G - R |
S - ZPlayer previews written by Anthony Hyde