The FanHouse realizes that not everyone digs March Madness. Some of us enjoy our basketball on a taller, more expensive, professional level. Even so, it's almost impossible to completely ignore the media buzz around the tournament, so we present you with this handy guide to potential 2007/2008 NBA prospects who will be, for a couple of more weeks anyway, playing basketball and filling CBS airtime for free.
Also see:
East Regional, Parts One & Two
Midwest Regional, Parts One & Two
West Regional, Parts One & Two
South Regional, Parts One & Two
Likely to Wear an NBA Uniform:
Kevin Durant, 6-10 Freshman, Texas Probably the best college prospect of the last ten years. Yet he likely won't go number one this year's draft because of the beast in Ohio named Greg Oden. His game is a combination of size, athletic ability, rebounding ability, and long range shooting that hasn't really ever been seen at the college level. His main weaknesses are his lack of strength and his tendancy to disapear for stretches of a game. His defenese isn't his best asset, but he has shown the willingness to become better. When you're 6'10 with the ability to shoot outside, play on the block, and create off the dribble, you're going to be a handful at any level. Add the fact that he is also probably the best rebounder in the college game and you understand why he's talked about in the fashion he is.
Best Guess: A combination of KG and Tracy McGrady at the high end and Rashard Lewis at the low end. This is as can't miss of a pick as you can get.
Brandan Wright, 6-10 Freshman, North Carolina A mobile 6'10 power forward with great hands long arms and a wide body. His mobility gives him the ability to turn and face his opponents and take them off the dribble or pass out of double teams. His major problem as with most big men in college is his lack of bulk. But that can easily be solved by spending sometime in the weight room. In order to play four in the NBA he is also going to have to get a bit more range on his jump shot.
Best Guess: Poor man's Dwight Howard with a better handle and mobility, but less strength and athletic ability.
Best Guess: A shorter Lamar Odom on the higher end and a Billy Owens type at the low end.
Roy Hibbert, 7-2 Junior, Georgetown A true seven foot center in the mold of some of the former great centers that have played for Georgetown. He has great post moves and footwork, as well as a long wide body.. He's also a solid rebounder, shot blocker and passer. His major issue at this point is explosiveness. He's not very quick and not very explosive at all. These are things that he can work on though. Watching tape of him, he reminds me of what Andrew Bynum would be like if he would have gone to college, in that they both have great footwork and great bodies but have no explosiveness. If you took someone with Bynum or Hibbert's size and fundamentals and combined it with the half the athletic ability of say a Dwight Howard, you'd have an unstoppable force.
Best Guess: Andrew Bynum's potential on the high end and Brendan Haywood on the low end.
DJ Augustin, 5-11 Freshman, Texas Supposedly a Steve Nash groupie, which is a great place to start if you have aspirations of being an NBA point guard. He's got the long range ability to play in the nba, but isn't that great with his mid-range game yet. At only 5'10" he's going to have to develop the ability to hit a mid-range jumper off of the pick and roll as well as come up with some nifty tear drops and floaters. He's very solid with managing the rock, but doesn't really make any spectacular passes. Loves to drive and kick
Best Guess: Damon Stoudamire on the High End and Salim Stoudamire/Jannero Pargo on the lower end.
Also see:
East Regional, Parts One & Two
Midwest Regional, Parts One & Two
West Regional, Parts One & Two
South Regional, Parts One & Two
