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Here is the latest from the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, courtesy of NBADraft.net & DraftExpress, with my comments thrown in:
Gary Forbes: If there was to be a player of the day award, then without a doubt it would have to be given to Gary Forbes (30pts, 15-16ft, 2stl). Even though his team lost, it was no fault of Forbes, who almost singlehandedly brought his team back from a large deficit. In the early going Forbes looked to set his teammates up, yet when he realized they weren’t capitalizing, he took it upon himself to put points on the board. He may have forced the issue too much at times, looking a bit selfish, but nobody can argue with his effectiveness and results. He scored in a variety of ways: hitting tough shots right out of the triple threat, showing his touch with soft floaters and even some athleticism by getting to the hoop and absorbing contact and still having enough body control to give the ball a chance to go in. Although he was very impressive scoring, he may have been just as good on the defensive end, where he chased Richard Roby (3-9fg) off screens and forced him to put the ball on the floor and settle for difficult shots. He can get overaggressive and get cheap fouls sometimes as he does lack great lateral speed, but one has to respect the effort he put in on this end. (NBADraft.net)
The best player on the floor (and likely of the day) was clearly Gary Forbes, stringing together one of the best single-game performances (30 points, 7-16 FG, 15-16 FT, 26 minutes) we’ve seen in the last five years of the pre-draft camp. Forbes was incredibly aggressive putting the ball on the floor with either hand and making very strong moves to the basket, being very physical once there and in turn getting to the free throw line at will. His scoring instincts might be the best of any wing player at this camp, as he makes up for his lack of freakish athleticism with phenomenal footwork and body control, being able to quickly read and exploit angles, or move intelligently without the ball, in turn showing a very good basketball IQ that impressed many people here. Although his perimeter shot wasn’t a huge part of his game once again, he knocked down one of his two attempts from NBA range, which leaves optimism in that regard. He’s making a strong push for consideration in the early second round or possibly higher. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Forbes has been great so far in Orlando and I agree that he has played his way into the beginning of the second round at the worst. I would not be surprised to see him sneak into the end of the first round because he definitely has NBA size and talent. I am interested in seeing what team Forbes ends up with and how well he plays next season.
Mike Taylor: One of our early sleeper choices seems to be the talk of the camp and there is absolutely no doubt that Mike Taylor (24pts, 8-12fg, 2-5 3fg) has played himself into serious draft contention. Considered to be undersized and not a natural point guard, Taylor more than makes up for it with his length, quickness, open court speed and tremendous leaping ability. He goes a hundred miles per hour and as a result gets out of control at times, but today his handle looked very smooth and he only committed 1 turnover. He showed that his range can go well out to the NBA 3 and even though he does hang in the air a bit too long before releasing the ball, his great elevation allows him to still shoot the long ball effectively. The fear with Taylor could be his somewhat troubled past and inconsistent play that he showed this season in the D-league. As a result these great performances may have to be taken with a grain of salt in fear that they are not just a flash in the pan. (NBADraft.net)
Mike Taylor continues to help his stock by showing possibly the most athleticism of any guard in this camp. He was simply a blur in the open floor, weaving his way in and out of traffic being impossible to stay in front of even in the half-court, a looking relentlessly explosive finishing around the basket. He was a man on a mission today, making emphatic plays that clearly left a strong impression in the eyes of decision makers who had never seen him before. His perimeter shot comes better than advertised, as he displayed by pulling up off the dribble from mid-range and killing his defender for going underneath a screen, while also knocking down 2 of his 5 attempts from behind the NBA arc. He also made two very nice reads in the half-court, in back to back possessions, making good reads to slashing cutters moving off the ball for easy finishes. He’s clearly more of a shooting guard than a point, but seems to have the instincts for that not to be as much of a factor these days as it may have been a few years back. He needs to continue to be unselfish and maybe bring it up a notch on the defensive end, but you can’t argue with how well he’s played here so far. He definitely has a chance to get drafted. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Taylor has been great so far but I have to wonder how much having played against NBDL competitors for part of last season is helping his performance here. Either way he has been great and it looks like he will get drafted or at the very least get a strong look as a undrafted free agent.
Gary Forbes: If there was to be a player of the day award, then without a doubt it would have to be given to Gary Forbes (30pts, 15-16ft, 2stl). Even though his team lost, it was no fault of Forbes, who almost singlehandedly brought his team back from a large deficit. In the early going Forbes looked to set his teammates up, yet when he realized they weren’t capitalizing, he took it upon himself to put points on the board. He may have forced the issue too much at times, looking a bit selfish, but nobody can argue with his effectiveness and results. He scored in a variety of ways: hitting tough shots right out of the triple threat, showing his touch with soft floaters and even some athleticism by getting to the hoop and absorbing contact and still having enough body control to give the ball a chance to go in. Although he was very impressive scoring, he may have been just as good on the defensive end, where he chased Richard Roby (3-9fg) off screens and forced him to put the ball on the floor and settle for difficult shots. He can get overaggressive and get cheap fouls sometimes as he does lack great lateral speed, but one has to respect the effort he put in on this end. (NBADraft.net)
The best player on the floor (and likely of the day) was clearly Gary Forbes, stringing together one of the best single-game performances (30 points, 7-16 FG, 15-16 FT, 26 minutes) we’ve seen in the last five years of the pre-draft camp. Forbes was incredibly aggressive putting the ball on the floor with either hand and making very strong moves to the basket, being very physical once there and in turn getting to the free throw line at will. His scoring instincts might be the best of any wing player at this camp, as he makes up for his lack of freakish athleticism with phenomenal footwork and body control, being able to quickly read and exploit angles, or move intelligently without the ball, in turn showing a very good basketball IQ that impressed many people here. Although his perimeter shot wasn’t a huge part of his game once again, he knocked down one of his two attempts from NBA range, which leaves optimism in that regard. He’s making a strong push for consideration in the early second round or possibly higher. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Forbes has been great so far in Orlando and I agree that he has played his way into the beginning of the second round at the worst. I would not be surprised to see him sneak into the end of the first round because he definitely has NBA size and talent. I am interested in seeing what team Forbes ends up with and how well he plays next season.
Mike Taylor: One of our early sleeper choices seems to be the talk of the camp and there is absolutely no doubt that Mike Taylor (24pts, 8-12fg, 2-5 3fg) has played himself into serious draft contention. Considered to be undersized and not a natural point guard, Taylor more than makes up for it with his length, quickness, open court speed and tremendous leaping ability. He goes a hundred miles per hour and as a result gets out of control at times, but today his handle looked very smooth and he only committed 1 turnover. He showed that his range can go well out to the NBA 3 and even though he does hang in the air a bit too long before releasing the ball, his great elevation allows him to still shoot the long ball effectively. The fear with Taylor could be his somewhat troubled past and inconsistent play that he showed this season in the D-league. As a result these great performances may have to be taken with a grain of salt in fear that they are not just a flash in the pan. (NBADraft.net)
Mike Taylor continues to help his stock by showing possibly the most athleticism of any guard in this camp. He was simply a blur in the open floor, weaving his way in and out of traffic being impossible to stay in front of even in the half-court, a looking relentlessly explosive finishing around the basket. He was a man on a mission today, making emphatic plays that clearly left a strong impression in the eyes of decision makers who had never seen him before. His perimeter shot comes better than advertised, as he displayed by pulling up off the dribble from mid-range and killing his defender for going underneath a screen, while also knocking down 2 of his 5 attempts from behind the NBA arc. He also made two very nice reads in the half-court, in back to back possessions, making good reads to slashing cutters moving off the ball for easy finishes. He’s clearly more of a shooting guard than a point, but seems to have the instincts for that not to be as much of a factor these days as it may have been a few years back. He needs to continue to be unselfish and maybe bring it up a notch on the defensive end, but you can’t argue with how well he’s played here so far. He definitely has a chance to get drafted. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Taylor has been great so far but I have to wonder how much having played against NBDL competitors for part of last season is helping his performance here. Either way he has been great and it looks like he will get drafted or at the very least get a strong look as a undrafted free agent.
Ty Lawson: One of the first day’s top performers, Ty Lawson sat out today for what was cited as a hip pointer. Is it possible that he felt his performance last night was enough to solidify his position in the 1st round and that by sitting out, he will be able to keep his stock high? It will be interesting to see if he gives it a go on the last day. (NBADraft.net)
Still no sign of Jamar Butler, who is out with a hamstring injury. Joining the injured list is Ty Lawson, fresh off a breakout performance last night—with a supposed “hip pointer.” Some NBA people we spoke with wondered whether hip pointer is actually code for “first round promise,” considering how well he played in the first day and how few point guards there are in this draft once you get past D.J. Augustin. Let’s see if he comes out and plays in the final day. (DraftExpress)
Comments: It is definitely possible that someone has given Ty Lawson a first round promise but you would think that promise would have to be pretty high for him to just not play at all. I speculated that Cleveland at # 19 and Denver at # 20 would be good fits for Lawson but I wonder if someone that high up in the draft has given him a promise to be drafted. I guess the Celtics could have given him a promise as well but they have the last pick of the first round so there is no guarantee he would even be there, so my guess is it is a team much higher than that if a promise was given.
Wayne Ellington: His teammate Wayne Ellington (17pts, 7-13fg) was a different story, many felt he would go with the injury card and pull himself out of fear of digging himself a further hole after a subpar performance. However, he showed some character and decided to fight it out in order to gain his reputation back. In the early going he was on fire from the outside, hitting shots off the dribble, running off screens and spotting up. (NBADraft.net)
Wayne Ellington bounced back in a big way after his disastrous performance yesterday, starting off extremely hot on his way to a 7-13, 17 point outing in 20 minutes. His shot simply fell for him at a much better clip, as he did a great job moving off screens and being aggressive using fakes and utilizing his strong one-dribble pull-up. On the negative side, he again did not look very good putting the ball on the floor and making his way to the rim, not standing out that much in terms of his size, quickness, toughness at the rim or ball-handling skills. He still needs to have a strong showing in the last day of the camp if he’s truly serious about making a run at the late first round. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Ellington played much better here then his first game but I still think he will be headed back to UNC. He just doesn't do enough other than shoot the ball well and even then he can sometimes be inconsistent. He could stay in the draft but I don't think he'd have much impact in his rookie season.
Josh Duncan: A solid game was had by the ever fundamental Josh Duncan (20pts, 6rebs, 9-10ft) who was able to score inside as well as step out to the top of the key and convert on a reliable spot up jumper. (NBADraft.net)
Josh Duncan continued the trend of Portsmouth Invitational Tournament standouts who were able to translate their excellent performance from the all-senior pre-draft camp in April to this setting as well—scoring 20 points (5-8 FG, 9-10 FT) and pulling down 6 rebounds. Duncan knocked down a number of open shots from the perimeter, scored a bit in the post off good feeds from his guards Ramel Bradley and Jeremy Pargo, made some nice passes himself, and was extremely aggressive getting to the free throw line. His lack of athleticism was evident at times, particularly with his attempts to face-up and put the ball on the floor, and he struggled staying in front of quicker forwards defensively. He is a very good basketball player, though, there is no question about that. (DraftExpress)
Last, but certainly not least, Joe Crawford again had another very strong game (15 points, 6-11 FG) as the go-to scoring option for his team. He got to the rim very effectively, shot the ball well from mid-range and long-range, was excellent coming off screens and played fairly well in transition. His defensive effort was good, particularly in terms of pressuring the ball, and he showed absolutely no hesitation in anything he does, which people here have to like. He needs to become a little bit more efficient with his ball-handling (he pounds the ball a little too much), but it’s hard not to like what he brought to the floor today. (DraftExpress)
Comments: From what we have seen of Joe Crawford so far at Orlando and what I know of him from watching him at Kentucky, I definitely think Crawford should get drafted. Now, I don't know if he will get drafted but this guy is a big game player who knows how to score and hits big shots. I think there has to be a place for a guy like this in the NBA. My guess is that somebody will draft him in the second round if they have been paying attention. I think he has a Chauncey Billups like quality to him when it comes to making big shots.
Malik Hairston: Malik Hairston (12pts, 8rebs) was much more aggressive today, looking to mix it up in the paint on his way to 6 offensive rebounds and 6 free throw attempts (although he only made 2). (NBADraft.net)
It was indeed Hairston that strung together his second straight impressive performance, not so much in terms of the boxscore (12 points, 8 rebounds, 5-11 FG, 2-6 FT) but more in terms of the talent, versatility and all-around feel for the game he displayed, putting him a cut above pretty much any other prospect in this game. He was again always around the ball, doing all the little things his team needed in order to come away with the victory, whether it was executing his team’s half-court sets as the defacto point guard, posting up inside, creating his own shot from the perimeter, pulling up off the dribble and rebounding the ball extremely well. His ball-handling skills look a lot better than we may have given credit for—as he was very effective facing the basket, making some powerful strides to the rim and using his excellent body to shield the ball from his defender. He had four turnovers in this game, a product of spending so many minutes at the point, but it was hard not to come away impressed with the way he played in this game and in the camp as a whole. (DraftExpress)
Lester Hudson had yet another uneven performance in game two, alternating between displaying fantastic scoring instincts and creativity and forcing the issues badly at times and making bad decisions. He clearly is an A+ shooter, both from the perimeter and especially creating separation from his defender with smooth body control from mid-range, but needs to show better patience deciding when to shoot. He can throw the ball in the rim from a variety of different angles, but has not been very judicious with his decision making. He finished the game with 13 points, 2 assists, 4 steals and 4 turnovers in 23 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Pat Calathes: Pat Calathes wasn’t quite as good as he was yesterday, but he continued his pattern of impressive play dating all the way back to Portsmouth where he showed a terrific ability to fit in quickly on a team and both make himself look good as well as others around him. He had some excellent plays putting the ball on the floor and even going coast to coast, and also knocked down an NBA 3-pointer. He finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Richard Hendrix: Richard Hendrix (11pts, 8rebs, 3stl) has had a bit off a disappointing week thus far, as he has yet to show any reliable back to basket post moves. He did convert on a mini right hook, but aside from that most of his points came strictly of scramble plays and offensive rebounds. He is a very effective rebounder, but one has to be troubled by his stiffness and the slow manner in which he runs the floor. (NBADraft.net)
Richard Hendrix again did his best Paul Millsap impression, doing yeomen’s work on the offensive glass, picking up 6 rebounds on that end in just 22 minutes. He struggled to finish most of his shots inside, though, being unable to elevate quite high enough in traffic. He did have a nice move on the block in which he finished with a pretty jump-hook, and also did his typical work in transition and with simple finishes around the rim. Again he impressed with his passing ability and overall unselfishness, something that you rarely see out of any of the big men here. (DraftExpress)
Brian Roberts: Brian Roberts (17pts) had a good outing, but he seemed to be more focused on getting points instead of setting teammates up. His odds of ever playing in the NBA will depend on his ability to run a team and if his sole focus is on getting his, then his chances will decrease significantly. (NBADraft.net)
Brian Roberts had a very strong performance as well (17 points, 5/7 FG, 1/1 3P), doing a great job mixing up his mid-range game with his dribble-drives, either finishing strong at the rim or getting to the free throw line (6-6 in this game). He seems to have significantly improved his ability to smoothly change speeds and keep his defender off-balance, which we just happened to watch him work on a few weeks back when we saw him with David Thorpe and co. at the Pro Training Center at IMG Academy. He did a solid job distributing the ball and playing under control as well, even though he didn’t finish the game with even a single assist. His game is extremely text-book and attractive to the eye, and he surely helped himself with the way he played today. (DraftExpress)
DeMarcus Nelson: A very good stat-line was had by DeMarcus Nelson (22pts, 8-14fg, 5rebs) who was able to do some nice things offensively and be his usual aggressive self on the defensive end. (NBADraft.net)
Duke senior Demarcus Nelson made a number of plays around the basket, again being extremely aggressive putting the ball on the floor and moving off the ball, taking it strong to the rim again and again and getting a good amount of calls in the process. He took mostly high percentage shots and converted at a solid rate, finishing the game with 22 points in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Comments: I'm confident that someone will draft Nelson in the second round. Nelson has both an NBA body and athelticism and he could most definitely be a strong contributer off the bench.
Marcelus Kemp: Marcelus Kemp (14pts, 7-10fg) had a nice game, coming back well from a tough shooting game the previous night. He looks much more comfortable and has found his shooting stroke converting on some nice midrange shots. His strong body gives him a nice advantage when getting to the hoop as he can take contact well. (NBADraft.net)
James Gist: James Gist had a worse stat-line today (6 points, 3-10 FG) than he did yesterday, but in our eyes played better this time around. He looked very active defensively in the passing lanes and did a great job getting out in transition, using his athleticism well around the rim and even knocking down a long-range perimeter jumper. The energy he brought to the floor was exactly what the doctor ordered for his draft stock. The 7 rebounds he pulled out in 20 minutes definitely stands out. (DraftExpress)
DeVon Hardin: Although we’re still waiting for a true breakout performance from DeVon Hardin, today was another solid outing from the Cal senior. He was again aggressive with his post-moves, converting on two very nice moves, one a drop-step and another a hook shot, and also blocked two shots on the defensive end. He did show again his poor hands by bobbling a few passes and also blowing a dunk, which may have taken away a little bit from his performance. It was nice to see how aggressive he was, though, and you certainly can’t argue with his NBA body or superb athleticism. (DraftExpress)
Davon Jefferson: A player that cannot say the same is the fairly soft Davon Jefferson (7pts, 3-5fg), who for the most part was satisfied with settling for 17 foot jumpers and completely shying away from contact on the few drives that he did attempt. (NBADraft.net)
Davon Jefferson continued not to show the type of effort or fire you would expect to see from a player who is currently fighting for his professional future, after having prematurely hired an agent following an average freshman season. His conditioning looks poor, he’s dribbling the ball excessively, and he’s yet to make use of the terrific athletic ability that made him a prospect to start with. This is turning into a very disappointing pre-draft camp for him. (DraftExpress)
Sonny Weems: Sonny Weems (11pts, 4rebs) continues to showcase his improved skill and better feel for the game. Although he does have a very nice midrange pull-up, it would be nice to see him use his athleticism to get to the hoop more. (NBADraft.net)
Darnell Jackson: Darnell Jackson (8pts, 6rebs) is proving that his workhorse mentality is something to be expected from the former Jayhawk. (NBADraft.net)
Shan Foster: Shan Foster played slightly better than he did yesterday, shooting 4-10 from the field for 9 points, but still has some ground to make up tomorrow if he’s going to end up helping himself here. (DraftExpress)
Jeremy Pargo: Jeremy Pargo (11pts, 5ast, 6reb) stepped up today and showed that he can do some good things on the floor. He has a nice build and he is able to use it to body people and get into the lane. One of the concerns is his PG efficiency as his decision making at times was questionable en route to 5 TOs. (NBADraft.net)
Underclassman Jeremy Pargo had a stronger performance in game two (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 turnovers) than yesterday’s outing, doing a fantastic job showing off his incredible physical tools and getting into the paint time after time. He showed nice footwork and a terrific first step, being extremely aggressive pushing the ball up the floor in transition, but also again being typically feast or famine in regards to his distribution skills. On one hand he is able to find his teammates with decent creativity, as evidenced by his five assists, but he also seems to struggle over-handling and trying to make very high degree of difficulty passes, which resulted in five turnovers. This is nothing new from Pargo. He does seem to be separating himself from most of the other point guards, though. (DraftExpress)
Drew Nitzel: A pleasant surprise this week has been the play of Drew Nitzel (11pts, 4ast), who has continued to show his touch from the outside, but has also been able to get into the lane and finish or find the open man. He was patient, waiting for his turn, but when he found his grove he was able to make some nice moves in transition to get by people and also some crafty no-look passes. (NBADraft.net)
Mark Tyndale: Mark Tyndale stood out for the second straight game with the excellent versatility he brings to the floor. He can really do everything except shoot the ball effectively, whether it’s distribute, defend, get to the rim or play his typical energetic and heady style of basketball. He might not get drafted, but could have a chance to stick on some team as there is a lot to like about the way he plays the game. (DraftExpress)
Sean Singletary: Sean Singletary (15pts, 8ast, 3 rebs) had a good game running his team, showing that his subpar performance in game 1 was just an off night and a question of comfort. He has fairly good form on his jumpshot, but it seems that his inability to hit from the outside consistently may hold him back some because it allows people to play off of him. His size also hurts his effectives on the offensive end, but it does not seem to be an issue on defense, as he was able to stay in front of Lester Hudson for the most part. (NBADraft.net)
Sean Singletary also had a nice showing, displaying excellent creativity and court-vision distributing the ball, and also being very aggressive as a scorer, finishing the game with an impressive 15 points and 8 assists. He may have over-dribbled at times and is likely kicking himself for missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, but it was good for him to break out of his shell here finally. (DraftExpress)
Trent Plaisted: Plaisted struggled to make his impact felt on the court consistently, just floating up and down aimlessly at times and not using his athleticism to finish particularly strong around the basket. You can’t ignore his physical tools, but at the same time, you’d like to see him make more use of it on the glass or defensively. He’s in this draft for good, so he really would serve himself well to bring the intensity level up a notch and having a strong showing in the last day of the camp. (DraftExpress)
Previously:
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2
Still no sign of Jamar Butler, who is out with a hamstring injury. Joining the injured list is Ty Lawson, fresh off a breakout performance last night—with a supposed “hip pointer.” Some NBA people we spoke with wondered whether hip pointer is actually code for “first round promise,” considering how well he played in the first day and how few point guards there are in this draft once you get past D.J. Augustin. Let’s see if he comes out and plays in the final day. (DraftExpress)
Comments: It is definitely possible that someone has given Ty Lawson a first round promise but you would think that promise would have to be pretty high for him to just not play at all. I speculated that Cleveland at # 19 and Denver at # 20 would be good fits for Lawson but I wonder if someone that high up in the draft has given him a promise to be drafted. I guess the Celtics could have given him a promise as well but they have the last pick of the first round so there is no guarantee he would even be there, so my guess is it is a team much higher than that if a promise was given.
Wayne Ellington: His teammate Wayne Ellington (17pts, 7-13fg) was a different story, many felt he would go with the injury card and pull himself out of fear of digging himself a further hole after a subpar performance. However, he showed some character and decided to fight it out in order to gain his reputation back. In the early going he was on fire from the outside, hitting shots off the dribble, running off screens and spotting up. (NBADraft.net)
Wayne Ellington bounced back in a big way after his disastrous performance yesterday, starting off extremely hot on his way to a 7-13, 17 point outing in 20 minutes. His shot simply fell for him at a much better clip, as he did a great job moving off screens and being aggressive using fakes and utilizing his strong one-dribble pull-up. On the negative side, he again did not look very good putting the ball on the floor and making his way to the rim, not standing out that much in terms of his size, quickness, toughness at the rim or ball-handling skills. He still needs to have a strong showing in the last day of the camp if he’s truly serious about making a run at the late first round. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Ellington played much better here then his first game but I still think he will be headed back to UNC. He just doesn't do enough other than shoot the ball well and even then he can sometimes be inconsistent. He could stay in the draft but I don't think he'd have much impact in his rookie season.
Josh Duncan: A solid game was had by the ever fundamental Josh Duncan (20pts, 6rebs, 9-10ft) who was able to score inside as well as step out to the top of the key and convert on a reliable spot up jumper. (NBADraft.net)
Josh Duncan continued the trend of Portsmouth Invitational Tournament standouts who were able to translate their excellent performance from the all-senior pre-draft camp in April to this setting as well—scoring 20 points (5-8 FG, 9-10 FT) and pulling down 6 rebounds. Duncan knocked down a number of open shots from the perimeter, scored a bit in the post off good feeds from his guards Ramel Bradley and Jeremy Pargo, made some nice passes himself, and was extremely aggressive getting to the free throw line. His lack of athleticism was evident at times, particularly with his attempts to face-up and put the ball on the floor, and he struggled staying in front of quicker forwards defensively. He is a very good basketball player, though, there is no question about that. (DraftExpress)
Comments: I think we can officially put Josh Duncan in the Ryan Gomes/Craig Smith category of players who were great in college but are tweeners on the NBA level. While I'm glad Duncan did well here, I still think he either will not be drafted or he will go very late in the second round just like Gomes did. I do expect him to be on somebody's roster during the season though. He seems like one of those players who everyone knows is solid but goes undrafted because he doesn't have that wow factor that other players do and eventually makes a team as an undrafted free agent.
Last, but certainly not least, Joe Crawford again had another very strong game (15 points, 6-11 FG) as the go-to scoring option for his team. He got to the rim very effectively, shot the ball well from mid-range and long-range, was excellent coming off screens and played fairly well in transition. His defensive effort was good, particularly in terms of pressuring the ball, and he showed absolutely no hesitation in anything he does, which people here have to like. He needs to become a little bit more efficient with his ball-handling (he pounds the ball a little too much), but it’s hard not to like what he brought to the floor today. (DraftExpress)
Comments: From what we have seen of Joe Crawford so far at Orlando and what I know of him from watching him at Kentucky, I definitely think Crawford should get drafted. Now, I don't know if he will get drafted but this guy is a big game player who knows how to score and hits big shots. I think there has to be a place for a guy like this in the NBA. My guess is that somebody will draft him in the second round if they have been paying attention. I think he has a Chauncey Billups like quality to him when it comes to making big shots.
Malik Hairston: Malik Hairston (12pts, 8rebs) was much more aggressive today, looking to mix it up in the paint on his way to 6 offensive rebounds and 6 free throw attempts (although he only made 2). (NBADraft.net)
It was indeed Hairston that strung together his second straight impressive performance, not so much in terms of the boxscore (12 points, 8 rebounds, 5-11 FG, 2-6 FT) but more in terms of the talent, versatility and all-around feel for the game he displayed, putting him a cut above pretty much any other prospect in this game. He was again always around the ball, doing all the little things his team needed in order to come away with the victory, whether it was executing his team’s half-court sets as the defacto point guard, posting up inside, creating his own shot from the perimeter, pulling up off the dribble and rebounding the ball extremely well. His ball-handling skills look a lot better than we may have given credit for—as he was very effective facing the basket, making some powerful strides to the rim and using his excellent body to shield the ball from his defender. He had four turnovers in this game, a product of spending so many minutes at the point, but it was hard not to come away impressed with the way he played in this game and in the camp as a whole. (DraftExpress)
Comments: Right now it seems like Hairston is impressing but I still think he needs to do more in order to get drafter. At this point, I think he has just gotten his name into the discussion.
Lester Hudson: Hudson (13pts, 4stls) came into camp with some hype, but a lot of his weaknesses have been exposed as he has trouble getting by people with his subpar quickness and only decent ball handling. With his size he must play PG at the next level, but the necessary skill and savvy to man that position is lacking from Hudson’s package. (NBADraft.net)Lester Hudson had yet another uneven performance in game two, alternating between displaying fantastic scoring instincts and creativity and forcing the issues badly at times and making bad decisions. He clearly is an A+ shooter, both from the perimeter and especially creating separation from his defender with smooth body control from mid-range, but needs to show better patience deciding when to shoot. He can throw the ball in the rim from a variety of different angles, but has not been very judicious with his decision making. He finished the game with 13 points, 2 assists, 4 steals and 4 turnovers in 23 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Pat Calathes: Pat Calathes wasn’t quite as good as he was yesterday, but he continued his pattern of impressive play dating all the way back to Portsmouth where he showed a terrific ability to fit in quickly on a team and both make himself look good as well as others around him. He had some excellent plays putting the ball on the floor and even going coast to coast, and also knocked down an NBA 3-pointer. He finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Richard Hendrix: Richard Hendrix (11pts, 8rebs, 3stl) has had a bit off a disappointing week thus far, as he has yet to show any reliable back to basket post moves. He did convert on a mini right hook, but aside from that most of his points came strictly of scramble plays and offensive rebounds. He is a very effective rebounder, but one has to be troubled by his stiffness and the slow manner in which he runs the floor. (NBADraft.net)
Richard Hendrix again did his best Paul Millsap impression, doing yeomen’s work on the offensive glass, picking up 6 rebounds on that end in just 22 minutes. He struggled to finish most of his shots inside, though, being unable to elevate quite high enough in traffic. He did have a nice move on the block in which he finished with a pretty jump-hook, and also did his typical work in transition and with simple finishes around the rim. Again he impressed with his passing ability and overall unselfishness, something that you rarely see out of any of the big men here. (DraftExpress)
Brian Roberts: Brian Roberts (17pts) had a good outing, but he seemed to be more focused on getting points instead of setting teammates up. His odds of ever playing in the NBA will depend on his ability to run a team and if his sole focus is on getting his, then his chances will decrease significantly. (NBADraft.net)
Brian Roberts had a very strong performance as well (17 points, 5/7 FG, 1/1 3P), doing a great job mixing up his mid-range game with his dribble-drives, either finishing strong at the rim or getting to the free throw line (6-6 in this game). He seems to have significantly improved his ability to smoothly change speeds and keep his defender off-balance, which we just happened to watch him work on a few weeks back when we saw him with David Thorpe and co. at the Pro Training Center at IMG Academy. He did a solid job distributing the ball and playing under control as well, even though he didn’t finish the game with even a single assist. His game is extremely text-book and attractive to the eye, and he surely helped himself with the way he played today. (DraftExpress)
DeMarcus Nelson: A very good stat-line was had by DeMarcus Nelson (22pts, 8-14fg, 5rebs) who was able to do some nice things offensively and be his usual aggressive self on the defensive end. (NBADraft.net)
Duke senior Demarcus Nelson made a number of plays around the basket, again being extremely aggressive putting the ball on the floor and moving off the ball, taking it strong to the rim again and again and getting a good amount of calls in the process. He took mostly high percentage shots and converted at a solid rate, finishing the game with 22 points in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)
Comments: I'm confident that someone will draft Nelson in the second round. Nelson has both an NBA body and athelticism and he could most definitely be a strong contributer off the bench.
Marcelus Kemp: Marcelus Kemp (14pts, 7-10fg) had a nice game, coming back well from a tough shooting game the previous night. He looks much more comfortable and has found his shooting stroke converting on some nice midrange shots. His strong body gives him a nice advantage when getting to the hoop as he can take contact well. (NBADraft.net)
James Gist: James Gist had a worse stat-line today (6 points, 3-10 FG) than he did yesterday, but in our eyes played better this time around. He looked very active defensively in the passing lanes and did a great job getting out in transition, using his athleticism well around the rim and even knocking down a long-range perimeter jumper. The energy he brought to the floor was exactly what the doctor ordered for his draft stock. The 7 rebounds he pulled out in 20 minutes definitely stands out. (DraftExpress)
DeVon Hardin: Although we’re still waiting for a true breakout performance from DeVon Hardin, today was another solid outing from the Cal senior. He was again aggressive with his post-moves, converting on two very nice moves, one a drop-step and another a hook shot, and also blocked two shots on the defensive end. He did show again his poor hands by bobbling a few passes and also blowing a dunk, which may have taken away a little bit from his performance. It was nice to see how aggressive he was, though, and you certainly can’t argue with his NBA body or superb athleticism. (DraftExpress)
Davon Jefferson: A player that cannot say the same is the fairly soft Davon Jefferson (7pts, 3-5fg), who for the most part was satisfied with settling for 17 foot jumpers and completely shying away from contact on the few drives that he did attempt. (NBADraft.net)
Davon Jefferson continued not to show the type of effort or fire you would expect to see from a player who is currently fighting for his professional future, after having prematurely hired an agent following an average freshman season. His conditioning looks poor, he’s dribbling the ball excessively, and he’s yet to make use of the terrific athletic ability that made him a prospect to start with. This is turning into a very disappointing pre-draft camp for him. (DraftExpress)
Sonny Weems: Sonny Weems (11pts, 4rebs) continues to showcase his improved skill and better feel for the game. Although he does have a very nice midrange pull-up, it would be nice to see him use his athleticism to get to the hoop more. (NBADraft.net)
Darnell Jackson: Darnell Jackson (8pts, 6rebs) is proving that his workhorse mentality is something to be expected from the former Jayhawk. (NBADraft.net)
Shan Foster: Shan Foster played slightly better than he did yesterday, shooting 4-10 from the field for 9 points, but still has some ground to make up tomorrow if he’s going to end up helping himself here. (DraftExpress)
Jeremy Pargo: Jeremy Pargo (11pts, 5ast, 6reb) stepped up today and showed that he can do some good things on the floor. He has a nice build and he is able to use it to body people and get into the lane. One of the concerns is his PG efficiency as his decision making at times was questionable en route to 5 TOs. (NBADraft.net)
Underclassman Jeremy Pargo had a stronger performance in game two (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 turnovers) than yesterday’s outing, doing a fantastic job showing off his incredible physical tools and getting into the paint time after time. He showed nice footwork and a terrific first step, being extremely aggressive pushing the ball up the floor in transition, but also again being typically feast or famine in regards to his distribution skills. On one hand he is able to find his teammates with decent creativity, as evidenced by his five assists, but he also seems to struggle over-handling and trying to make very high degree of difficulty passes, which resulted in five turnovers. This is nothing new from Pargo. He does seem to be separating himself from most of the other point guards, though. (DraftExpress)
Drew Nitzel: A pleasant surprise this week has been the play of Drew Nitzel (11pts, 4ast), who has continued to show his touch from the outside, but has also been able to get into the lane and finish or find the open man. He was patient, waiting for his turn, but when he found his grove he was able to make some nice moves in transition to get by people and also some crafty no-look passes. (NBADraft.net)
Mark Tyndale: Mark Tyndale stood out for the second straight game with the excellent versatility he brings to the floor. He can really do everything except shoot the ball effectively, whether it’s distribute, defend, get to the rim or play his typical energetic and heady style of basketball. He might not get drafted, but could have a chance to stick on some team as there is a lot to like about the way he plays the game. (DraftExpress)
Sean Singletary: Sean Singletary (15pts, 8ast, 3 rebs) had a good game running his team, showing that his subpar performance in game 1 was just an off night and a question of comfort. He has fairly good form on his jumpshot, but it seems that his inability to hit from the outside consistently may hold him back some because it allows people to play off of him. His size also hurts his effectives on the offensive end, but it does not seem to be an issue on defense, as he was able to stay in front of Lester Hudson for the most part. (NBADraft.net)
Sean Singletary also had a nice showing, displaying excellent creativity and court-vision distributing the ball, and also being very aggressive as a scorer, finishing the game with an impressive 15 points and 8 assists. He may have over-dribbled at times and is likely kicking himself for missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, but it was good for him to break out of his shell here finally. (DraftExpress)
Trent Plaisted: Plaisted struggled to make his impact felt on the court consistently, just floating up and down aimlessly at times and not using his athleticism to finish particularly strong around the basket. You can’t ignore his physical tools, but at the same time, you’d like to see him make more use of it on the glass or defensively. He’s in this draft for good, so he really would serve himself well to bring the intensity level up a notch and having a strong showing in the last day of the camp. (DraftExpress)
Previously:
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2
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