NBA Comparison: Dan Gadzuric

Strengths: Entering his freshman year at Syracuse, Fab Melo is a true 7 foot center with great length... He has better than average footwork for a young center his size at this part of his career ... With nice mechanics and a comfortable feel, he has a promising mid range jumper, that if made on a consistent basis will prove to be a deadly weapon moving forward considering his length and release point ... He's a capable passer out of the post ... Positions himself well underneath the basket, making himself an easy target for entry passes, and the number 1 candidate on the floor for offensive rebounds and putbacks ... His wingspan, combined with his above average mobility for a 7 footer will make him a shotblocking force in the paint ... Has worked hard in the past year to shed excess lbs and tone his body ...

Weaknesses: Fab has the size and length you look for in a prospect at the center position, however he's raw and will need to work on every offensive aspect of his game ... He has some basic post moves, but the fluidity/explosiveness in his execution is too slow at the moment ...Will need to work on developing more in depth post moves to become more of an offensive threat ... He's not the greatest athlete, and can get lost in an offensive set as he adjusts to playing in a faster and more up-tempo game ...

Overall: Melo has all of the physical tools you look for in a center, he just needs to work on basic offensive skills and fundamentals ... Coach Jim Boeheim recently raved about him, saying he has possible "National Rookie of the Year potential"... I think in his freshman year we'll see him play a similar role as to what Hasheem Thabeet played a UConn, a defensive, shotblocking presence who once in a while will surprise you on the offensive end... He's lost 30 pounds over the last year, and will get minutes right away anchoring the center of the Syracuse zone defense ...

Jonathan Wasserman 7/29/10

Strengths: Bigman with excellent size, a legit 7-footer with a big wingspan. His standing reach makes dunking effortless for him ... Scores a lot on ally oops and garbage baskets ... Displays decent upside with his size, strength, mobility and athleticism ... Has shot blocking ability with his long arms and leaping abilility and the potential to be a solid inside presence ... Appears to have solid hands grabbing rebounds and catching the ball ... Shows some touch on his shot, giving his offensive game promise ...

Weaknesses: A project. Despite the lack of quality bigs, it's unlikely that he can be a one and done lottery pick type of college player. Still has an awful lot of things to work on before being a player that can contribute at the NBA level ... Questionable conditioning and motor ... Does not hustle at all times and appears to be a guy that will need to be motivated by others to fulfill his potential ... Not particularly fluid. He moves fairly well, but his foot speed is average and his body type and movements are lumbering ... Post skills are very limited. Has no left hand opting to go to his right hand when going left ...

Notes: Orginally from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Aran Smith 7/30/09

YouTube Clip - 3/17/2009