During the NCAA Tournament, we NBA heads watch (almost) every game, judging the pro prospects of particular players. Inspired by our daily Doing Lines feature, Drooling Lines offers a daily summary of what the box scores tell us.Blake Griffin -- If I have ever suggested a fellow collegiate player might usurp Griffin as the consensus No. 1 in the 2009 draft, well ... I'm sorry. Like his NBA avatar (Amar'e Stoudemire), Griffin is one of those out-of-sight, out-of-mind dominating players. For whatever reason, we chalk up the devastation they reek to circumstances (their physical prowess, the competition level, the table-setters) and just assume in a wink or a blink they'll be weak. Err ... NOT the case. Just as Amar'e could thrive anywhere, Griffin should be an NBA stud. Against Syracuse, Blake totaled 30 points on 15 FGAs, 14 rebounds, three assists, a steal and just one turnover. He's shooting better than 70% through three tournament games. He is a beast.
Jordan Hill -- Arizona got whipped by Louisville, and Hill doesn't escape blame. Fourteen points on 18 FGAs for Hill, to go with 11 rebounds. Eight of those, however, came on the offensive end -- Hill has been a good defensive rebounder on the season, but the Wildcats needed help there Friday night, and Jordan didn't deliver it. Size rules the NBA, though, and Hill has plenty of that ... to go along with the ever-valued 15-18 foot jumper.
Earl Clark -- Clark put together the best game of his tournament, with 19 points on 12 FGAs, nine rebounds, two assists and (here we go) just one turnover. I guarantee that no matter where Clark goes this June, Jay Bilas will dislike the pick. Greatly. (Mike Wilbon will love it.)
Terrence Williams -- Bilas will adore this pick, because it will probably come 5-10 spots too low. Williams is putting together some sort of Efficient Stephen Jackson gig, with 14 points (on 12 FGAs), seven rebounds, six assists, two steals and two turnovers. If his three-point shot translates (he was 4-7 Friday, 38% on the season), he could be a very good NBA player.
Jonny Flynn -- A bad first half all around sunk the Orange, but Flynn absolved himself pretty well in the end. He finished his final 2008-09 game with 22 points on roughly 17 shooting possessions, adding six assists and a rough five turnovers. Flynn doesn't have the efficiency of a Ty Lawson or the defense of Darren Collison ... but there's a fire and (of course) some jaw-dropping athleticism. Flynn has insisted he'll remain at Syracuse, and I believe him. It doesn't seem as if he could become a lottery lock this spring -- another inspiring season might make things different next year.
Willie Warren -- W.W. was the one Sooner that didn't star in the big O.U. victory. Warren hit two of his seven shots, deliver five great assists (including a few nice passes in the open court) but also coughed it up five times against the zone. His draft range seems close to that of Flynn, though there's been far less definitive statements made from the Warren camp.
Ty Lawson -- Before an untimely DUI led Lawson to pull out of the 2008 draft, he was slotted around No. 19 or 20. It seems likely that he'll be much higher this year, should he enter (which seems, err, likely). Another hyperefficient game for Lawson, scoring 19 points on nine FGAs (!) with nine assists and one turnover. Brilliant moves in the open air and half-court alike. Can you imagine him playing with Amar'e in Phoenix, David Lee in New York, or Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala in Philadelphia?
Cole Aldrich -- Aldrich got his numbers, but took a loss to Michigan State. Aldrich turned out 17 points on 13 FGAs, 14 rebounds, four blocks and four assists. He also had four turnovers. No matter what Jason Whitlock thinks, Aldrich is physically ready for the NBA. I have no idea about the mental side, but this guy can average 10/8 in the bigs, given minutes. Maybe that isn't enough neon for the locals, but that's strong work. No offense to Bill Self, but if you watched Aldrich in December and watched him again Friday, you'll understand that he'll learn much more in the NBA than at Kansas.
