2008 NBA Draft
 |
|
 |
Strengths: Runs the court very well for a player his size … Post moves are continuing to show promise with a nice up and under move in addition to an efficient turnaround jumper … Even more impressive is his quickness in the post as he needs little to time execute moves … Despite being a freshmen, he has a strong upper body and good build to add more strength to his frame … Solid finisher around the basket … Does a great job of working to establish position in the post … Once there he understands the importance of getting his body wide to give guards a big target to pass into … Possesses soft hands capable of catching most passes without fumbling … Decent rebounder who has natural instincts, wingspan, and ball location skills to understand what side of the court the ball will go after the shot … This allows him to be a quality offensive rebounder where he does a great job on put-backs and dunks … Hickson shows potential with shooting from the perimeter where he can make shots 12 feet from the basket … Decent athlete, but not exceptionally explosive off the floor … Has a knack for leaning in on his shots to create contact … This is one of the reasons he gets to the free throw line regularly … Post footwork has shown fluidness, which is rare for most players his age … Potential is not tremendous, but he does have a good deal of room left before approaching his ceiling … Aggressive player who doesn't appear timid in crucial moments or back down from physical play … Mobility enables him to be a quality help defender … Decent free throw shooter …
Weaknesses: Considering all of Hickson’s abilities, he often gets out worked when rebounding by either getting boxed out easily or by his opponent’s sheer will … Can be a black hole offensively - it’s almost as if he doesn’t see anyone else on the court and forces shots … This often leads to him being effectively double teamed … His selfishness really disrupts his team from being a cohesive unit … These issues can be frustrating for a coach as Hickson actually does have the court vision needed to pass … Lack of explosiveness will make him a moderate shot blocker on the NBA level capable of getting one here and there, but doesn’t show the necessary physical gifts to be a force … Can get lost in his relation to the basket when getting pushed away from the post … Basketball IQ is questionable as he is prone to poor decision making … Intensity level can fluctuate severely during the course of a game … When he is scoring he’s focused, but when things don’t go his way his confidence suffers and motivation is often needed … While Hickson’s post moves are solid he lacks variety and can be predictable at times … Would benefit greatly by expanding his range on his jumper out to 16 feet … Post defense is still in the development stages where he needs to learn how to effectively deny post position … Conditioning is okay but will need some improvement if he is to play in the NBA’s 82 game schedule …
Matthew Maurer - 12/17/07| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|
SEASONS |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
SPG |
BPG |
RPG |
APG |
PPG |
||||||||
|
2007-08 North Carolina St. |
31 |
59.1 |
00.0 |
67.7 |
0.7 |
1.5 |
8.5 |
1.0 |
14.8 |
||||||||
|
DIV I Totals |
31 |
59.1 |
00.0 |
67.7 |
0.7 |
1.5 |
8.5 |
1.0 |
14.8 |
||||||||
- Details
- Written by The Draft Review
 |
|
 |
Strengths: Athletically, Ibaka is a tremendous leaper capable of providing impressive plays … Defensively, he is blessed with all the physical tools to become an elite defender with a long wing span, explosiveness, foot speed and quick hands … Has shown great improvement on his post footwork since last year … Offensively, he is beginning to put together quality mid-range shooting 18 feet from the basket … Even more impressive is his ability to dribble past power forwards on mismatches … Despite his size Ibaka runs the court effortlessly, which enables him to out run even most guards … Rebounds extremely well out of position thanks to his mobility and long arms … Understands the value of keeping the ball high on put-back attempts … Once in transition his elite athleticism and body control allows for tremendous finishes … Uses his explosiveness and length to disrupt and block shots … Aggressiveness at attacking the basket enables him to create a great amount of contact for free throw opportunities … Has solid value as a help defender with his shot blocking due to his mobility and long arms … Shows signs of a nice turnaround jumper from 15 feet with some success … From a potential standpoint he has yet to scratch the surface of his ability … Plays the game with a great deal of intensity and energy, never seems tired or uninspired … Despite the numbers his mechanics at the free throw show good form … Although still raw from a fundamental point of view, he doesn’t have a lot of bad habits, which should put his development onto a fast track with quality coaching …
Weaknesses: Unlike many of his overseas peers, Ibaka has yet to spend even a year in top level European competition … Struggles to effectively establish good post position without getting pushed out … Some of this could be alleviated if he adds more upper body strength to his physique … To further compound matters, when he is able to post up he doesn’t get his body wide enough, making it difficult for teammates to throw in most passes … Lacks any real resemblance of a back to the basket move other than an occasional jump hook … Prefers to face the basket when the ball is in his hands … Offensive rebounding is a work in progress as he doesn’t box out nearly enough and often finds himself getting out muscled … Defensively, he is still a work in progress - while he has the physical tools he lacks any real fundamentals such as footwork, anticipation, or court awareness … If he isn’t blocking a shot he’s not stopping anyone effectively … Although this isn’t an issue on his current level (because he compensates for any mistakes that occur with his quick recovery) the NBA will be less forgiving … While Ibaka has shown signs of being a perimeter shooter from mid-range he is still far from consistent or comfortable … Prone to mental breakdowns at times which speaks for his need to upgrade his basketball IQ … There is some question as to what position he will be most effective in on the NBA level - while he possesses good build and athleticism to play power forward, his post game is unrefined … As a small forward, his inability to shoot consistently from the perimeter and below average passing leave little to be desired … Below average free throw shooter … Will be a high risk, high reward player - any team drafting him should expect a project …
Matthew Maurer - 2/14/08
| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|
SEASONS |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
SPG |
BPG |
RPG |
APG |
PPG |
||||||||
|
2007-08 CB L'Hospitalet |
28 |
52.8 |
25.0 |
64.0 |
0.6 |
3.1 |
8.3 |
0.3 |
11.8 |
||||||||
|
Totals |
28 |
52.8 |
25.0 |
64.0 |
0.6 |
3.1 |
8.3 |
0.3 |
11.8 |
||||||||
- Details
- Written by The Draft Review
 |
|
 |
Strengths: Koufos runs the floor well for his size … Fundamentally sound player who has a great feel for the game … Has no problem establishing position in the post … Once in the post Koufos does a great job of getting his body wide to give guards a nice target to pass into … Owns quality timing when it comes to blocking shots, which serves as way for him to be effective despite his below average explosiveness … Although his numbers will not show it, Koufos’s court vision is better than most players at his position and should give him the ability to improve as a passer … Keeps the ball high in the post without needing to put it on the floor … Has legit mid-range shooting ability 16 feet from the basket … Possesses the ability to play in the high post, as he has the solid ball handling ability to dribble to the basket and the perimeter shooting to take advantage of mismatches … Back to the basket moves have improved greatly this past season as he has added a good deal of variety with a jump hook, baseline spin moves and a nice looking drop step … Post footwork is refined and enables him to perform moves efficiently without sacrificing his balance … Rebounds well in his area thanks to his fundamental boxing out and long arms … Has shown the ability to use his upper body strength to absorb contact and finish … Possesses good hands to catch most passes thrown into the post without fumbling them …
Weaknesses: Koufos isn’t an elite athlete and lacks explosiveness around the basket … This severely prevents him from being able to rebound out of position and could make him less of a shot blocking presence … Lateral movement greatly prevents him from being able to provide help defense … Struggles to successfully defend athletic players in the post … To compound matters, his impatience to make plays can lead to quick fouls … Offensively, he doesn’t look to create contact to draw fouls from opposing defenders … This shying away from contact has led some to question his toughness … Despite his size advantage he plays smaller than someone with a 7-foot-1 frame should … Not a willing passer for someone who is so fundamentally sound, which is not because of talent, but more so due to his habit of forcing shots … Lacks the mindset to be a force defensively, as he approaches defense as a chore and his focus is highly questionable … Potentially, there isn’t a great deal of upside left when you take into account his athletic limitations … Confidence suffers when the game isn’t going his way and clearly disrupts every part of his game …
Matthew Maurer - 5/21/08
| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|
SEASONS |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
SPG |
BPG |
RPG |
APG |
PPG |
||||||||
|
2007-08 Ohio State |
37 |
50.8 |
34.9 |
68.0 |
0.4 |
1.8 |
6.7 |
0.5 |
14.4 |
||||||||
|
DIV I Totals |
37 |
50.8 |
34.9 |
68.0 |
0.4 |
1.8 |
6.7 |
0.5 |
14.4 |
||||||||
- Details
- Written by The Draft Review
 |
|
 |
Strengths: Has all the qualities that you look for in a point guard with controlling the tempo, unselfishness, patience, court vision and leadership … Uses a nice change of speed dribble to create separation drives … Once in the lane Augustin uses a solid assortment of floaters and runners to make difficult finishes in traffic … Understands how to use his body strength to initiate contact, which allows him a decent number of free throw opportunities … Never seems to over penetrate or over dribble - once the lane collapses Augustin uses his court vision and body control to make quality passes off drives … Has legit three point range on his jumper … Uses a step back jumper off the dribble if the defense plays him for his drive … Defensively, he shows good effort and quick hands for steal opportunities … Excellent ball handler who has no problems creating when heavy defensive pressure is applied … Has that rare quality to makes teammates around him better … Is comfortable running in a half court set or in an up tempo offense … Has a tremendous feel for the game … Takes care of the ball and rarely makes poor decisions with the ball in his hands … Owns a quality pull-up jumper 16 feet from mid-range … Aggressive player that consistently looks to push the ball up the court … Has the uncanny ability to keep everything balanced as it relates to scoring and keeping his teammates involved in the offense, a rarity for most young point guards … Has a contagious confidence in his ability which spreads to his teammates … Crafty player who uses unconventional shots to not only create contact, but to also convert highly difficult shots from the perimeter …
Weaknesses: Augustin is not what you would call an exceptional athlete … While his lateral quickness isn’t poor, he struggles on the defensive end to cover opposing guards with elite athleticism … This weakness, combined with his short arms, prevents him from effectively disrupting passing lanes … Height could scare off some teams as he lists at 5-11 with shoes … Historically, not many guards under the 6-0 mark have done well in the NBA … Can go through severe cold spells when shooting from the perimeter … Lacks the explosive first step to gain consistent separation from his defender … Can force tough shots at times, but to his credit this could be more so because of team personnel than mentality … Seems to loose elevation on his jumper and quickness in release during the course of a game … Can settle too much for the three point shot instead of taking a few more dribbles for the mid-range jumper … With the trickery Augustin uses to get off shots at the collegiate level, its suspect if he will be able to do this in the NBA … Upside isn’t very comparable to other point guard prospects in the draft - while his play has been great this past season, how much more can he improve considering his height and slightly above average athleticism?
Matthew Maurer - 6/10/08
| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|
SEASONS |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
SPG |
BPG |
RPG |
APG |
PPG |
||||||||
|
2006-07 Texas |
35 |
44.9 |
44.1 |
83.8 |
1.5 |
0.1 |
2.8 |
6.7 |
14.4 |
||||||||
|
2007-08 Texas |
38 |
43.9 |
38.1 |
78.3 |
1.2 |
--- |
2.9 |
5.8 |
19.2 |
||||||||
|
DIV I Totals |
73 |
44.4 |
41.0 |
80.9 |
1.3 |
0.0 |
2.9 |
6.2 |
16.9 |
||||||||
- Details
- Written by The Draft Review
 |
|
 |
Father: Stan Love
Article: Kevin Love = Larry Bird...Heresy!
Strengths: Fundamentally, Love may be the most complete player in the nation … His feel for the game and overall basketball IQ are very impressive; tends to make several adjustments during the course of a game … Owns exceptional post footwork that allows him to maintain his balance while quickly executing moves … Court vision and passing ability are extremely rare for a player at his position … This ability allows him to effectively play anywhere in a half court set, either in the high post or low post … Tremendous rebounder in his area (even in traffic) thanks to his boxing out and ball location skills … Although Love lacks shot blocking skills he is an effective post defender, as he denies post position and does a great job of keeping his hands high and using his body to disrupt players … Love is dangerous as a defensive rebounder as well as a proficient outlet passer who can really ignite fast break opportunities for his team … Back to basket moves are complete and have a wide variety, from pump and head shakes, up and unders, jump hooks and turnaround shots … Understands how to establish position in the post, and most importantly, get his body wide enough to allow a big target for his teammates to pass into … Owns extremely soft hands; rarely does he bobble passes thrown into him … Does a great job of drawing fouls to get to the free throw line where he is a great shooter … Has shown the ability to shoot from behind the three point line … Possesses solid upper body strength to finish after contact occurs …
Weakness: Athletically, Love lacks explosiveness and good foot speed … This really works against him when it comes to shot blocking or running the floor … Average rebounder out of his area due to his average mobility … Has problems getting his shot off against players with length … Tends to get frustrated a bit when he doesn’t get his touches, but could be due to the need to adjust from being his team’s main priority back in high school … Has shown touch from the perimeter but hasn’t fully utilized this ability shooting from mid-range … Could struggle to keep up with a team whose coaching philosophy is a fast break offense – Love is clearly better suited for a half court set … Conditioning will play a big factor in his development - while he isn’t lazy, Love should concentrate on making the most of his body through nutrition and weight lifting … Defensively, his lateral quickness must improve, especially in situations where he has a power forward who can put the ball on the floor … From a potential standpoint, how much more Love can improve is questionable - he’s fundamentally developed and intelligent, but his physical athleticism could hamper him to a degree on the next level …
Matthew Maurer - 1/14/08| Statistics | |||||||||||||||||
|
SEASONS |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
SPG |
BPG |
RPG |
APG |
PPG |
||||||||
|
2007-08 UCLA |
39 |
55.9 |
35.4 |
76.7 |
0.7 |
1.4 |
10.6 |
1.9 |
17.5 |
||||||||
|
DIV I Totals |
39 |
55.9 |
35.4 |
76.7 |
0.7 |
1.4 |
10.6 |
1.9 |
17.5 |
||||||||
- Details
- Written by The Draft Review