Built Ford Tough Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 Ford, Thorpe and Fraschilla did a 3 part piece on ESPN arguing the merits of each of the top 3 prospects in the 2012 NBA Draft (Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond and Anthony Davis) as to why they should go first overall. Here is what they said about Andre Drummond, who they currently have ranked 3rd. From Thorpe: Certainly, potential drips off Drummond like beads of sweat. When compared to the rest of the possible 2012 draft class, he clearly leads in potential, with his rare combination of height, size, wingspan, build and agility matched with surprisingly adept basketball skills. Prospects usually have some or most of those assets, but not all. The good news for Drummond is NBA scouts get to see him in action against Big East competition all year now, so there's little chance he'll be bored more than a few times all season. Scouts will get to see how hard he fights for paint touches or to deny them for his opponent. We know he can run the floor with speed, but will he consistently? He's a gifted passer in loose AAU and All-Star events, but can he thread the needle a few times a game while not committing turnovers against five focused defenders? And there is little doubt he'll be a strong in-area rebounder, simply because he's both long and strong. He has the quickness and reach to dominate out of area as well, but that requires laser-like focus and desire. From Fraschilla Watching Drummond is like watching Shawn Kemp when he was in high school. For his size, Drummond is a powerful athletic presence around the rim, has excellent shot-blocking instincts and has the mobility and agility of a smaller player. While Ohio State's Jared Sullinger is the most polished big man in the country and Kentucky's Anthony Davis may be the most versatile, Drummond might be the most physically imposing. Ultimately, while Drummond's NBA stock will be sky high based on his talent, it will also be because he will be surrounded by an experienced group of players that fit in with his strengths. He will play with one of the best backcourts in the country in Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright. And the veteran Alex Oriakhi will team with Drummond to provide the Huskies with a physical tandem inside. From Ford: As mentioned earlier, on sheer NBA potential, Drummond might be the best prospect in college basketball. He's an athletic freak with an NBA body. What NBA GM doesn't want that? Drummond is more than just a physical specimen. He defends, rebounds, blocks shots on one end of the floor. On the other he can face the basket, take his man off the dribble and play in the post. Add in a great basketball IQ and some real passing ability out of the post and what isn't to like? Well … that's where you start to lose GMs. Drummond is a late addition to UConn, and his career has been shrouded in a bit of mystery. Despite immense physical abilities, he's never dominated the way his athletic abilities suggest he should. His motor has been inconsistent, he's shied away from contact in the paint and has scouts asking whether he really loves to play the game. I'll post what they said about Harrison Barnes, who is ranked 2nd, in a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AboveLegit Posted October 1, 2011 Report Share Posted October 1, 2011 I don't read much into all this simply because we have not seen what Drummond can do yet at the college level. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Perry Jones hyped up to be the next big thing in college? More interested in seeing what they have to say about Barnes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Built Ford Tough Posted October 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) I don't read much into all this simply because we have not seen what Drummond can do yet at the college level. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Perry Jones hyped up to be the next big thing in college? More interested in seeing what they have to say about Barnes though. Jones was hyped, but not nearly to the degree that Drummond has been. People were more in love with Jones because they thought he was a small forward in a power forwards body and I think how much success Durant was coming off of played a part in how much he was hyped. If Durant doesn't experience his breakout season when he did, I don't think Jones gets nearly as much hype as he did. Drummond gets hyped because many believe he can become the next dominant big man rather than a mismatch nightmare like people thought of Jones. I do agree with you in that I would wait until we see how he plays at the collegiate level, though. At this time last season Harrison Barnes, Kyrie irving and Perry Jones were considered the three best prospects in college and two of them ended up returning for their sophomore seasons after up and down seasons. Edited October 3, 2011 by The Great BFT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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