As it stands now, the Cavaliers don't have any selections on Thursday night, but anything can happen between now and then. As the 2010 NBA Draft approaches, we'll still be taking a look at some potential picks.
Cavs.com continues its positional preview, focusing today on shooting guards.
James Anderson – 6-6, 208 – Born: March 25, 1989 (Junction City, AR) – College: Oklahoma State – Projected to go in the middle of the first round; was extremely impressive in individual workouts; fantastic junior season at OK State, 22.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg as a junior; dominated top-flight competition in the Big 12; not a dynamic athlete, simply produces; lights-out shooter – perfect fundamentals, form, mechanics; perimeter defense is suspect, not laterally quick; plays under control, not turnover-prone; got better every season in Stillwater; not a great ball-handler; not adept at creating for himself, hamstring injury limited him in some team workouts.
Jordan Crawford – 6-4, 198 – Born: October 23, 1988 (Detroit, MI) – College: Xavier – Known as the kid who dunked on LeBron James last summer, Crawford loves to attack the basket and can seemingly get to the rim at will; plays with an “attacking” style; not a great perimeter shooter with inconsistent mechanics; transferred from Indiana, averaged 20.5 ppg last season for Xavier; 21-year-old sophomore; had a great NCAA Tourney, averaging 29.0 per contest; not a big contributor without the ball in his hands; needs to add muscle to compete at the next level; can grow into a good defender, but isn’t known as one now; doesn’t create for others, has “tunnel vision” when driving the ball; doesn’t need much space to get off shot or use quick first step.
Dominique Jones – 6-4, 216 – Born: October 15, 1988 (Lake Wales, FL) – College: South Florida – Fast-riser, explosive scoring ability; has been dubbed the “poor man’s John Wall”; extremely long wingspan (6-9); one of the Draft’s biggest sleepers; powerfully built frame; can create his own offense and can get to the line; averaged 18.9 ppg in three years at South Florida; attacks and often overpowers his defender to get to the rim; not a point guard, but also looks to make the extra pass; considered a bit of “tweener”; can guard either possession; again, uses his frame and wingspan to become an outstanding defender; rebounds and blocks shots very well for a guard; not a knock-down shooter from the perimeter.
Lance Stephenson – 6-6, 227 – Born: September 5, 1990 (Brooklyn, NY) – College: Cincinnati – Mega-hyped freshman from Brooklyn came to Cincinnati as the top scorer in New York state history where he led his team to four straight state titles; averaged 12.3 ppg as a freshman; with an already NBA-ready body, Stephenson uses his strength to compensate for his lack of athleticism; physical player, gets to the basket and loves to draw contact; dropped 16 pounds during pre-Draft workouts; questionable shot selection; not a great defender, lacks lateral quickness; wide offensive repertoire; maturity, character issues before freshman year in Cincy; tendency to pout, argue or take plays off.
Elliot Williams – 6-4, 180 – Born: June 20, 1989 (Memphis, TN) – College: Memphis – Athletic lefty; at 6-4, with a good wingspan, can play either guard position; very versatile; Duke transfer who blossomed in his sophomore season; lack of finishing ability with his right hand; excellent on-ball defender; great defensive awareness and anticipation; better in transition than in the half court; needs to polish his perimeter shooting and mid-range game at the next level; could go anywhere from mid-20s to the middle of the second round; averaged 17.9 ppg in his only season at Memphis; tough rebounder for a player his size; can add some muscle to his frame; high-energy performer.