Gilbert Arenas SG 6'3 188 18 B- B- B- B- C- A
Arizona Freshman
Has a variety of penetration moves like stutter steps, crossovers, and change of directions moves to get in the lane. Loves to create offense for himself especially when playing in one-on-one situations but falls into the 'ball hog' category at times. Decent 3pt shot. Defensively he has quick hands and plays the passing lanes well for easy pick. For his age he owns pretty good shot selection something that will be very valuable at the next level. Creates well in traffic and can finish with some flair like floaters and reverses. He's an average rebounder for his size Above-average shooter off the dribble...can shake and shoot with the best of them. Has troubles defending taller players at SG--this will cause him to be a liability on defense... Turnovers are a problem for Arenas often because he tries to do too much with ball. Tends to shoot erratic from the 3-point line although this has more to do with his mechanics so this is fixable. Mid-range game inconsistent at times. Should work on improving his ball handling if he wants to be a PG in the pros.
Joe Johnson SG 6'7 225 19 C+ B C+ B- C A
Arkansas Freshman
Has excellent size to play the SF or SG positions. Can really extend the defense because of the fact that he is a consistent 3-point threat. Has a smooth first step that he uses to get past defenders and penetrate to the lane. Has the ability to shoot off the dribble something that most kids need time to develop. Plays very poised and under control doesn't really let his emotions get carried away in a game. Wonderful all-around game does a little bit of everything. Fast hands and is very good at playing the passing lanes for easy steals. Has very good ball-handling skills for a player of his size could even play some PG if need be.... Plays with quiet confidence in himself and has shown some ability to be a leader. Can create his offense off the dribble either on the pull up or using his court vision to pass to an open teammate. Though he has shown leadership abilities, he doesn't have that killer type attitude must strive to maintain his aggressiveness in a game. Doesn't have that much upper body strength. Still doesn't know the ins and outs of a game must continue to hone his fundamentals. Inconsistent scoring nights, one night he can drop 27 points the next night he'll drop 5 points. Needs to work on toughness and protecting the ball better as he had to many turnovers. Decent all around combo guard though.
Jamal Crawford SG 6'6 190 20 B- B- C+ C D+ A
Michigan Freshman
Great scorer, though he is a little selfish at times. Like any young guard, he can always improve his jump shot. Crafty ball handler and often enters that high-dribble iso mode where you don't know if he's going to pop a J in your face or take you off the dribble. He led Michigan in points with 16.6 and still managed 4.5 assists per game. Because Michigan Started two point guards Crawford's 4.5 assists per game was not as high as it could have been had he been playing the point guard by himself . Needs to work on defense but he is still very raw. Needs to get stronger too.
DeShawn Stevenson SG 6'6 210 19 C+ C+ C B- C- B
Washington Union HS (California)
This HS senior is undergoing some investigation regarding his SAT scores. His 2nd time around scored much higher than his first attempt, and officials are questioning his eligibility to attend Kansas next year. This is why he entered his name into the draft temporarily, though he intends to play professionally. Regardless, DSS has good size at 6-6 and he doesn’t need to bulk up much (210 pounds). Once he adjusts to the pros and starts to gel into the system, he could be a contributing guard. He's a solid defender and has a solid offensive game. Jumpshot mechanics can be worked on.
Quentin Richardson SG 6'5 215 20 C B C- B- C B
DePaul Sophomore
Listed at 6-5, Richardson might be an inch smaller, but for his size, he was the best rebounder in the country. In his brief DePaul career, Richardson averaged more than 10 boards per game. He made a tidy living on the offensive glass, where he would sometimes collect three rebounds on one possession, pounding the ball back up and in the basket. Richardson is relentless. But scouts are mixed as to how good he'll be in the pros. Uncertain how much damage in the paint in the NBA as he did in college. Is a great 3-point shooter, but doesn't get much lift from his legs (more of a set-shot than a jumpshot). Not very quick either, but makes up for it with his good defense.
DerMarr Johnson SG 6'9 200 20 C+ C+ C C+ C A
Cincinnati Freshman
Scouts are very high on DMJ because of his athleticism and size. Because of this, he has the advantage of backing down smaller shooting guards in the post. He also has a great outside touch. He can also handle the ball very well but should cut down on turnovers. He could play anywhere from the PG to PF due to his size and abilities. But he is young and SUPER RAW.
Richard Hamilton SG 6'7" 22 185 C+ B C+ B- C- B
UConn Senior
After a winning the NCAA title last year, many did not expect Rip to return to UConn for his senior year. Now a graduating senior, Rip's stock may have fallen slightly, you cannot question his desire to win. He is one of the best at coming off screens and knocking down open mid-range jumpers. The mid-range game is said to have been becoming a lost art in the pro's, but players like Hamilton thrive on it. His 3pt shot is there occasionally, but nonetheless, he's got a good shooting stroke. He isn't that much of a play maker. Doesn't rebound that well. Needs to get stronger. Decent defender. Still could be a top pick despite being a 4-year senior.
Morris Peterson SG 6'6 210 23 C B C B- D+ B
Michigan State Senior
Mo Pete has great size and jumping ability, which enables him to do damage in the paint and finish on the break. Also has a tremendous 3-point stroke which makes him hard to defend. Peterson is also unselfish and an average rebounder. He can defend too. He doesn't seem to have great ability to create his own shot so it's hard to project him as a star, but he looks like a good bet to contribute.
Richie Frahm SG 6'5 210 23 C B- C C+ C- B
Gonzaga Senior
When healthy, Frahm is a good shooter. He was a tremendous scorer in college, but critics claim he'll be one of those players who's game doesn't translate to the pros. He hopes to prove them wrong. To do that, he'll need to work on his defense and get stronger. Though he is a 23yr old senior, there is room for improvement.
Dion Glover SG 6'5 235 22 B- C C- C+ C B
Georgia Tech Jr
Glover decided to return to school last year but that didn't help his draft stock at all. Now a senior at Georgia Tech, he has fallen off the radar by many scouts but still possesses tools to be a solid player in the pros. He's got the size and the strength and is decent around the rim. Last year I said his jumper was inconsistent and it still is. However, he can defend SGs and SFs decently and is a better all-around defender than his C+ rating shows.
Lavor Postell SG 6'6 212 22 C+ C C B- C- C
St. John's Senior
Postell has a good all-around game. He's unselfish and can make plays. He's a solid defender. Postell didn't make a high percentage of his 3-pointers as a senior (.294), but he's accurate enough to make opponents respect him from that distance. Depending on the outcome of the wildcard, Postell could be drafted anywhere from the late 1st round to the late 2nd round, given teams' needs.
Corey Hightower SG 6'8 200 20 B- C+ C+ C C C
Indian Hills C.C. Sophomore
Hightower's high school coach at Mt. Zion Christian Academy says Hightower is a better one-on-one player and shooter than his former Mt. Zion teammate, Tracy McGrady. Like McGrady, Hightower wanted to bolt for the pros right after high school. He wound up at junior college and actually signed with TCU last fall, but as soon as Indian Hills was eliminated from the NJCAA playoffs, he reportedly left school. As a freshman at Indian Hills, Hightower led the team to the NJCAA championship and was chosen tournament MVP. He's a solid 3-point shooter, handles the ball pretty-well and can pass. He's a bit thin, at 200 pounds, so it will behoove him to gain some size and strength for the pounding he'll take in the pros. Hopefully he can learn to play some defense though, like McGrady has learned to do so in the pros.
Jimmie Hunter SG 6'4 200 23 C C+ C- B D+ C
Life (GA) Sophomore
Hunter started his career at Memphis, couldn't handle the academic load and transferred to Life, which he helped lead to its second straight NAIA title. Hunter, who averaged 22 points, was chosen player of the year in the NAIA and was also the tournament MVP. He's a streaky shooter but a great athlete who can handle the ball well and has great court vision. That makes him a decent playmaker. He sometimes plays out of control and but will make his living playing defense and could very well be a steal in the second round.
Schea Cotton SG 6'6 215 21 B- C C- C C C
Alabama Sophomore
Cotton played one season of junior college basketball at Long Beach City College and one injury-riddled season at Alabama before declaring himself ready for the SSBL. Some scouts would beg to differ. Although he's a solid physical specimen, he might not have the game to excel in the pros. That's because he isn't an outside scoring threat and he relies on slashing to the basket and low-post moves to get his points. Cotton averaged 15.5 points despite suffering from a variety of nagging injuries and was a second-team All-SEC pick. He might have benefited from another year of college and some intense work on his jumper.
Justin Love SG 6'2 210 22 C C+ C+ C D+ D
St. Louis Senior
Love has good size, at 210 pounds, but if he were only three inches taller that would matter. That would have added considerably to his bank account. A 6-2 shooting guard is a little on the small side in today's Pro game, but Love is an aggressive scorer who does his job effectively (he shot .425 from 3-point range and .821 from the free-throw line as a senior). He's pretty quick and has some handling ability, but much work is to be done if he wants to even make a team's training camp at this point. Undersized with lots of work to be done hurts his stock tremendously. I couldn’t event find a picture of him. If you draft him, maybe you will just be "Just-In Love" with him.
