Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Workouts

Here is some feedback on the player workouts that took place at the Orlando Pre-Draft Camp on Day 4, courtesy of DraftExpress and NBADraft.net :

(Note: I have updated this post with more info and added some player analysis)

Derrick Rose: Clearly the most impressive workout of any of the 15 players belonged to Derrick Rose. Not so much for what he showed, but mostly just for what he is. He got up and down the floor fluidly and smoothly, covering tons of ground with each and every stride, and looked excellent changing speeds and operating skillfully with both hands in the ball-handling drills. His athleticism is nothing short of stunning, starting with his phenomenal first step, his ability to change gears, and his incredible explosiveness finishing around the basket. He came out with a business-like approach, and left no doubt about just how unique his talent-level and physical tools are. A nice bonus was the way he shot the ball, hitting more than one NBA 3-pointer and looking solid from mid-range as well. (DraftExpress)

Derrick Rose looked great getting up and down the court, he showed some of his explosiveness on a few finishes and handled the ball very well on dribble moves. In the shooting drills he was decent, but looking at his form it is no secret that he still has ways to go before becoming a consistent shooter. As he brings the ball into the shooting pocket, he holds it too close to his head, shooting it almost right off of his forehead. Another problem is that his elbow is not under the ball, but rather to the side, which may cause some problems with consistency and effectiveness shooting the long ball. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Seems like Rose continues to impress everyone and I have a feeling that the Bulls are going to go with Rose and try to deal Kurt Hinrich. I still think they should draft Beasley but my drafting Rose they are getting a great player and I don't think he will disappoint. Rose to me right now is a more explosive Deron Williams, with a slightly worse jumpshot.

Michael Beasley: Michael Beasley looked super fluid and athletic getting up and down the court, finishing with either hand and looking to be in pretty good shape. He attacked the drills with a lot of competitive fire, but most definitely was clowning around way too much throughout the day right underneath the noses of the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. There were a few people that expressed concern with some of his antics over the past few days. He shot the ball just decently. (DraftExpress)

Much talk was going on in regards to Beasley’s actual height; while he is listed at 6-9, some believe he might only be 6-7 (without shoes). This lack of size could adversely affect his draft status as he is considered more of a 4 by some and could struggle to fit a position to a degree without the height to measure up. Michael Beasley had a decent workout, not really shooting the ball or impressing too much in any of the other drills. He seemed more interested in talking to the media and his fellow draftees rather than showing what he can actually to in front of the NBA brass. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: It seems like this whole Beasley likes to goof around thing is going to turn some teams off. It's quite possible at this point that Beasley might be passed over by a few teams in this draft and if that happens, I'd have to say it would be a mistake. The guy can straight up ball when he's on the court and I don't think criticism of his fun loving ways should happen. It seems like people can't make up their minds, in the past players have criticized for being an asshole or a "thug", and now Beasley comes along as this fun loving kid and he's catching heat? It smells like a crock of shit to me but hey whoever is smart enough to draft him won't be disappointed. I still think Beasley has a Carmelo Anthony type outside game with a little worse jump shot right now, plus he is better inside and defensively than Carmelo. I also see him as a more physical Antwan Jamison, who can finish around the basket, rebound, and defend better than Jamison.

O.J. Mayo: O.J. Mayo was very smooth and very confident in everything he did, barely missing in the perimeter shooting drills. He’s clearly not on the same level athletically as Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook for example, but already has the looks of an NBA player with the way his body looks and how he conducts himself out on the floor. (DraftExpress)

Comments: O.J. appears to be "safe" pick in the draft because he is NBA ready but probably doesn't have as great as an upside that Rose and Beasley do. Make no mistake about it though, I believe he will be a very solid pro and a star in this league. He will probably be a more subtle star though, more like a Chauncey Billups type talent than a Kobe Bryant type talent.

Kevin Love: Kevin Love was said to measure 6-8 1/4 (without shoes), which considering his lack of great athleticism is not a great result. (NBADraft.net)

Brook Lopez: Speaking of lukewarm impressions, Brook Lopez didn’t do a whole lot to ease the concerns NBA people have about him, not moving all that well up and down the floor and showing a very average skill-level in most of the drills. (DraftExpress)

Brook Lopez looked awkward running the floor, he has some very stiff legs and at times he had people in the crowd worried he might get hurt by continuing to run in this manner. The rest of his workout was nothing out of the ordinary as he did little to impress or hurt his stock. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I'm not high on Brook Lopez as an NBA talent and his workout certainly doesn't change my mind on that. I guess in the best case he could be a Pau Gasol type, though it seems like he is not as agile as Pau. I definitely don't think he is going to be a big time rebounder in the NBA. I would not draft him in the top 5 because I believe there are better options that high.

Anthony Randolph: The same can be said about Anthony Randolph, who showed up with a long undershirt intended to hide just how incredibly skinny he still is at the moment. He looked great dunking the ball in the transition drills and handling the ball fluidly in the open floor, but was completely unable to hit a mid-range or long-range jumper in any of the drills, not even coming up close on many of his attempts. (DraftExpress)

Anthony Randolph was sporting a long sleeved shirt, which may be a display of his formidable fashion sense, but more likely a good way of concealing his rail thin frame. As expected, his wingspan and athleticism were on full display as he was able to finish in emphatic fashion. His jump shot was off, but his form and release are pretty much textbook. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Whoever picks Randolph will be drafting him on potential alone and I doubt he will have much impact in his first year in the NBA. He could be a project for a few years. He just reminds me a Tyrus Thomas/Stromile Swift type draft pick. I would probably pass on him early on too.

Jerryd Bayless: Jerryd Bayless went through the workout fairly well and didn’t shoot the ball too bad. There has been some mention of his shooting mechanics being flawed and there’s no better time to see than when he is shooting from beyond the NBA 3. His pre-shot stance is balanced, elevation and release point are good, but as he follows through, instead of having his arm just stay there for a second (ala MJ vs. Bryon Russell) he pulls it back almost immediately after the ball leaves his fingertips. He also shoots a bit of a fadeaway every time, with his body going backward, which leaves him offbalance and short on some of the shots. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Bayless can definitely shoot the rock whether his mechanics are flawed or not. The question is what else will he be able to do on the court to contribute? It is possible he could just be a Ben Gordon type of player who can give you instant offense but not much else. He is supposed to have some decent point guard skills to go along with his shooting ability but it's hard to tell at this point.

Russell Westbrook: Also catching our eye was Russell Westbrook, who came out very seriously and didn’t seem to be taking anything for granted. He was fantastic in the transition drills, flying up and down the court with his terrific athleticism, and also shot the ball fairly well after starting off slowly. His ball-handling skills are just OK at this point. (DraftExpress)

Russell Westbrook didn’t disappoint with his high flying array of moves and showed a much improved jump shot which he converted at a great percentage. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Westbrook is going to be a solid player at the next level but I'm not sure he will be a star. At the worst, I think he will be a great bench player able to provide instant offense. He would be a solid pick in the second half of the lottery. I think if he develops his jump shot then he could be a legit starter in the league. He could have a Monta Ellis type game if he picks up a better jump shot.

D.J. Augustin: D.J. Augustin brought both a high skill level in the drills and excellent quickness, making him a pretty impressive workout player to take in in a setting like this. It really seems like his size is the only thing that can hold him back. He also had an unbelievably fast run in the ¾ court sprint. (DraftExpress)

Comments: I am not sold on Augustin as a franchise point guard. His size is a problem, not so much his height, but his weight. Defensively, I can see him getting abused by bigger point guards. Chris Paul can hold his own despite his small size because he has such a strong body but Augustin is not built in that mold. His strengths are his quickness and play-making ability, which will help any team that drafts him. I would see him more as the TJ Ford type, then the Chris Paul type of small point guards.

Darrell Arthur: Darrell Arthur looks like someone who is going to impress mightily in workouts based off what we saw here. He passes the eye test and then some on first glance, and then showed really nice athleticism to go along with a fairly high skill level in the drills, although oddly attempting to bank every 3-pointer he took. He struggled a little bit remembering what to do in some of the drills, though. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Darrell Arthur is probably a more solid pick than Brook Lopez or Anthony Randolph but I'm sure a couple teams will pass on him in favor of those two. He seems skilled and athletic enough to be a solid NBA player and he has drawn comparisons to Antonio McDyess, which is probably pretty accurate.

Donte Greene: Donte Greene looked big and very smooth, making an effort to dunk every ball he could as hard as possible, while also shooting the ball well from the perimeter. He still has work to do on toning up his body, though, and is clearly just an average ball-handler. (DraftExpress)

Donte Green looked skinny, but has strong legs and a frame that has potential to fill out and become very refined. He was pretty impressive finishing at the rim and it is always exciting to see a player of his size handling the ball and shooting a very smooth jump-shot. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Donte is definitely a raw prospect but believe me when I tell you, this kid can shoot the rock. He could be deadly in the NBA because he has great height at 6'10 and he is basically a Rashard Lewis type player. He will struggle early on in the NBA because he doesn't have great strength but he is only 20 and he will develop as he gets older. He is long term prospect but he more than likely is going to be a solid NBA player, with the potential to be a great one.

DeAndre Jordan: It was interesting to see DeAndre Jordan working out alongside DeVon Hardin, as the two look shockingly similar in terms of their physical tools and all-around skill-level, but are projected around 20 spots apart on most mock drafts. Considering that only two years separates them age-wise, you have to wonder whether Jordan would still be considered a better prospect than Hardin if we fast-forwarded things two years ahead, as there is really not that much separating them at this point. Jordan showed questionable ball-handling skills and shooting ability and didn’t seem to get out of the third gear for much of his workout, leaving a fairly lukewarm impression. Still, you can’t ignore the physical tools and upside he brings to the table. (DraftExpress)

Comments: This guy is definitely a risky pick and any team that drafts him has to know he will not contribute right away. He didn't even contribute much in his freshman year at Texas A&M. He probably has the most bust potential of any of the projected lottery players. I saw him play a few times and was not impressed, however, he is still young and he does have great size and athleticism, so he probably deserves to get drafted in the lottery just based on potential.

JaVale McGee: If a player was able to hurt himself here (a pretty questionable concept considering the setting), it probably would have been JaVale McGee for what he showed. He came out looking like a deer in the headlights, air-balling shots from the perimeter, blowing wide open layups and being stuffed repeatedly by the rim, appearing extremely unconfident and getting down on himself very quickly. This wouldn’t be that much of a concern if these things weren’t already a very big concern considering the way he projects long-term, although you always have to go back to his age, immaturity and overall rawness to begin to explain things. He seems to have added weight to his frame and is incredibly impressive with just how long he is, looking good finishing around the basket when he was able to convert his moves. (DraftExpress)

JaVale McGee seems to have put on a little weight, but with his incredible length it is hard to not look skinny. He looked a bit uncomfortable, struggling to finish some near the basket shots. The rim rejected a few of his dunk attempts and in order to get even he decided to punish it by shooting numerous bricks. All in all, he is still very intriguing and if he’s put in the right system and given time to develop he could become a very effective player in the NBA. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: We could be looking at another Patrick O'Bryant here because while this guy does have height, he is really skinny at only 237 lbs. He is still young and may be able to fill out but again NBA teams will drafting him because of his height and potential alone. He has at least shown more at the college level than DeAndre Jordan has.