Strengths: Patterson possesses an NBA-ready body and outstanding physical abilities ... Has the demeanor you want in a post player, as he relishes contact and has the willingness to bang inside ... One of the most efficient players in the SEC at 18 PPG (.664 FG% and 1.66 PPS), 9.3 RPG and 2.0 BLK ... He is a warrior inside who understands how to play post position with his back to the basket and relies on his deep position under the basket ... One of the toughest players in the league ... Does a great job of fighting for and holding down his position inside (if he doesn’t feel he is in a good position to catch the ball he will repost and fight for better position) ... Patterson overpowers, out muscles and out wills most of his opponents inside ... Possesses great timing on put-backs, rebounds and 2nd shot opportunities ... His go-to move is to catch the ball inside and turn to his left shoulder and use his right hand baby hook effectively or drop-step and go for dunk ... Patterson is very explosive and aggressive off the ground when attacking the rim ... He has improved his game since last year and developed a solid outside shot from 15-16 feet (on the low post he can even turn around and shoot it off the glass) ... He is very quick at changing directions, and shows solid ability to beat slower defenders off the dribble ... Has the ability to draw contact first and score ... Very good free-throw shooter at .778 % this year so far ... Patterson also improved his rebounding ability (going from 7.7 RPG per game to 9.5 RPG per game this year) ... Although he relied mostly on his body in the past, this year he has learned to box out better and make better use of his 7′2″ wingspan ... Average passer with good court vision (recognizes double teams and will try to find open teammate for the open jump-shot) ... Runs the floor well for his size ... On the defensive end his mobility, long arms, body and athleticism make him solid ... Patterson has good timing for blocking shots (2 BPG) ... Possesses good lateral quickness for his size ... Got his confidence back from last year’s injury (stress fracture in left ankle) ... Despite being undersized, Patterson possesses the heart, determination, and athleticism to overcome these shortcomings. It also helps him that smaller power forwards such as Paul Millsap are having success in the NBA ...

Weaknesses: Patterson is clearly undersized at PF at the next level ... He won't be as effective in the NBA as he is now unless he becomes more versatile player offensively ... His court awareness is a little shaky and he will try to make a move inside with 2-3 defenders on him at the times ... Patterson has to work on turning to his right shoulder and using his left hand (the majority of his points are with his right hand) ... Although his shot has good mechanics, his release point is low and he may have trouble getting his shot off at the next level ... Has to become a more consistent outside shooter as well. He has shown improvement, but can certainly extend his range and consistency ... Not patient enough when trying to block shots and can commits unnecessary fouls being overly aggressive ...

Steven Petrovic – 1/28/2009

Strengths: Patterson is an exceptionally aggressive and athletic player in a man-child NBA body. His pogo-stick leaping ability allows him to be a creative finisher around the basket where he is almost automatic and can finish with either hand. He uses the glass well and is a very powerful dunker. Patterson has great hands that the ball seems to stick to. His brute strength allows him to bang down low with power forwards and be a menace on the boards. However, he is also very quick and should be able to defend the small forward in the NBA. He can pass very well, especially out of double teams, and is a team player with well-rounded statistics. He was measured with a 7-1 wingspan

Weaknesses: Patterson is an amazing talent but does lack some important skills. He is very efficient with the ball and thus does not show extensive ball handling and dribbling skills. He also has not shown an ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter well. Short jumpers are fine, where he sometimes shoots one handed, but he seems even a bit tentative around 15 feet from the hoop and out. He is close to being between positions due to limited perimeter skills and measuring in at just 6-8 without shoes, however players with his package of strength, length, and athleticism dont come along often. There is surely a spot for him in the NBA.

Joshua Motenko – 8/3/2006