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-PREMIUM MEMBER-
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Parts unknown
Posts: 2,685
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Intriguing Prospects
Here are a few guys who the Magic could pickup in the second round or undrafted who could help out the Magic:
Maurice Williams-PG-Alabama
6'2" 190 lbs
A natural floor leader and playmaker. Shoots the ball well, can create off the dribble, and has good leadership qualities. Strong competitor, with good work ethic. Makes good decisions and can shoot and distribute the basketball. Good size and strength.
Justin Hamilton-PG/SG-Florida
6'4" 217 lbs.
Silky-smooth off-guard ... Moves with fluidity, slides past the defense ... Shows great maturity in his shot selection ... Great looking stroke though he lacks range ... Good mid-range shooter off the dribble, he corrects the off balance in his body to square himself to the rim ... Excellent defender ... Collects a lot of steals ... Good decision maker ... Solid passer ... Not a pure point guard, but makes good decisions and protects possessions ... An unbelievable defender who is tough on the perimeter and even in the post ... 7' wingspan and 40" vert... One of the top defensive guards in college.
Dahntay Jones-SG-Duke
6'6" 210 lbs
A slasher-shooter who does it all ... Has drastically improved since leaving Rutgers ... Excels in the one-on-one game because of his size and skill level ... Draws contact going to the hole for trips to the charity stripe ... Not explosive, but cat-quick, and can setup his shot without having to create substantial separation from his defender ... Pulls into his jumper quickly off the dribble, though he drastically needs to work on his off-balance shooting with range ... Has no problem hitting with distance in standstill situations, as he better gets his body into his shot ... Can do some posting and is crafty around the basket ... Mature as a defender and won't do a lot of biting on fakes ... One of the better players in the country, though he wasn't as highly recruited as many of his all-American counterparts.
Marquis Daniels-SG-Auburn
6'6" 200 lbs.
One of the most underrated talents in the country ... Productive in virtually every aspect of the game ... Has played four positions during his Auburn career. Terrific athlete ... Displays good change of direction speed ... Strength lies in going to the basket ... Earns frequent trips to the charity stripe when he goes up to finish ... Can stop and score from anywhere during the duration of his penetration, because at 6-6, he can shoot over many of the defenders that guard him ... Has never been much of a long-range shooter ... Will take a fair amount of 3's, but he is a far surer bet to score closer in ... Hits a high percentage of his shots overall from the field ... Solid rebounder ... An outstanding passer ... Has played a lot of point guard over his career, and started at the position in every SEC contest of the 2001-02 campaign ... Shows intensity on the defensive end ... One of the better ball thieves in the country ... Has tremendous instincts and speed, was made to play this game.
Josh Howard-SG/SF-Wake Forest
6'6" 203 lbs
Throwback who does a bit of everything ... Patient, calculating in his actions ... Average outside shooter from the far perimeter, but likes the mid-range 'J' ... Boasts a good looking stroke, he just needs to better align his shooting elbow with his knee and shoot more so from his legs ... Can do a little wheeling-and-dealing in the post, featuring a fine drop step into a hook ... Stays well-collected on his penetrations, rarely over-penetrating or losing control of himself ... Smooth, highly adept ball-handler ... Above average passer ... Considering his body strength, he's a smart and effective rebounder ... One of the nation's better offensive rebounders ... Reliable as a perimeter defender, he sticks his man and stays in front of him, though he does have the bad habit of using his hands too much.
Kyle Korver-SF-Creighton
6'7" 210 lbs
A possible second round pick in the upcoming NBA draft ... An honorable mention All-American last season ... An outstanding shooter, converting with incredible accuracy from 3-point range ... Has great size off the wing, he usually has a height advantage over his defender, giving him better looks at the basket ... Not a great athlete, but good enough to create his own shot from mid-range ... A prolific scorer from that area on the floor, he moves extremely well without the ball to gain himself looks ... Quick off the catch and shoot, he sets himself before he even has the ball in his hands, so he may go right into his shot ... Is not going to get depth in his penetrations ... Solid rebounder ... Puts points on the board in a hurry ... As a senior, had nine 3's in 22 minutes for a total of 31 points vs. Evansville ... Had 32 points and eight treys against Xavier.
Matt Bonner-PF-Florida
6'10" 237 lbs
A skill player who has shown increased toughness over the years ... Can score from anywhere on the court...Will score down low and has substantially improved his game on the box ... Can do damage out of the high post or from mid-range as well ...Superb shooter... Loves spotting up on the perimeter, he has strong mechanics and a smooth stroke ... Size allows him to get his shot off easily ... Owns extremely disciplined, though not stiff, form ... Also a first-rate ball-handler considering his size ... Because, however, he's not all that quick, he isn't a particularly effective penetrator ... Smart as a rebounder, he does a good job of reading the ball off the rim.
Uche Nsonwu-Amadi-PF/C-Wyoming
6'10" 250 lbs
Uche is built like a classic power forward, with huge upper body muscles and strong but lean legs. He has extra large hands as well, and seems to catch everything he touches, whether it be off a rebound or pass. He has a very effective low post game, but only scores in a few basic ways. His jump hook is excellent with either hand, and he knows how to create space to get it off. He is patient in the post, and uses his wide body very effectively. He has a nice turnaround jumpshot to counter his jumphook, and those 2 moves alone make him difficult to defend. If you overplay to either shot too much, he will spin and dunk in a flash. He also has the ability to spot shoot, especially after shaping up from a pick and roll. His range extends to between 12-15 feet but at 18 feet he lacks consistency. Despite these talents, he gets most of his points banging the glass. Relentless and aggressive, you must hit him hard and keep him away from the ball, or it will stick to his hands and he will score on the putback. Bottom line; he is very difficult to match up with because he can overpower a taller, rangier but thinner post player, yet has the size to score over the stronger but smaller power forwards that are typically seen in the college game.
Defense: On the defensive end, he is not a true shot blocker, but his lateral quickness is good, and his long arms(wingspan of 7'2") give him oportunities to block a shot or 2 a game. He is able to push his opponents off the block, and force them into tougher shots. Again, his real strength on this side is his ability to rebound. He goes after everything, and gets everything within reach. Uche has the potential to be an all-league defensive player, simply because he is longer and stronger than most of his opponents, and just as athletic. Areas for improvement: Uche has a poor running style, chopping his stride in half like a soccer player(which he was back in Nigeria). He would be more effective in transition with a longer stride befitting his size. Make no mistake, he can clearly run the floor well, but adding speed is possible with better technique. He also is an adequate, but not great, free throw shooter. With his body and style of play, he should be getting to the line a great deal, and he needs to be able to convert those opportunities into more points than he has in the past. NBA players simlar to; built like Karl Malone, but not the same transition player Malone was at 24. Plays more like Charles Oakley, great rebounder and spot shooter.
I know these guys won't be superstars, but I think if the Magic could land one or two of them, they could contribute. The notes in bold are what peaked my attention as to how they could help the Magic.
*Most of the scouting are from ESPN, a couple are from nbadraft.net
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Intriguing Prospects
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