Watch Out For This Guy, Vol 1: If They Get Their HEAD Straight

NBA Draft: Perry Jones has all the physical tools and zero mental toughness. He disapears during games. Can he put it together and compete every day like a professional should? That will highly depend on the team that drafts him.

College: Josh Smith: This is more of a get your "body" straight rather than a get your "head" straight. If he can lose weight and keep his power he could be the next Dexter Pittman (who I think will be a solid pro for many years)

NBA: Josh Smith: I love watching Hawks games to hear EVERYONE talk about how he can’t shoot and yet he consistantly tries to play like Ray Allen. Players back of two full steps and give him open jumpers (not just 3’s but long jumpshots too). However, when he drives he is eithier banging on someones head or getting two free throws. Come on man! Stop shooting and drive the ball.

Demarcus Cousins by far , 6’11-7’0 280-290lbs , 7’6" wingspan , excellent footwork and post moves , nice jumper , and if he applies himself a dominate rebounder plus he is already pretty damn good at that.  Seems to have the maturity of a 15 year old kid on the court and reminds me of a whinier version of Rasheed Wallace when he first came into the league.  No reason this guy can’t be a 25ppg 15reb guy if he applies himself.

 m. beasly

anthony randolph

blatche

carmelo anthony

amare

darren collison

westbrook (can play better)

john wall

tyreke??

Draft: Royce White. He’s insanely talented, but obviously a bit of a head case. He’s definitely gotten better- I mean he seems like he’s grown up a lot from punching a security guard at the mall of america, haha. In all seriousness though, if he can overcome his mental issues (i.e. anxiety, fear of flying, etc.), he’s gonna be an NBA player.

In the NBA: Michael Beasley. He arguably has more natural talent than almost everybody in the NBA. But, he likes to play hero ball too much, and doesn’t do anything on the defensive end, despite having great size and length. If he learned to facilitate offense sometimes rather than being a ball stopper, to work harder on D, and to buy more into a team concept, watch out.

In College: Renardo Sidney. I don’t think he will ever will put it together, but seriously, watching this guy frustrates me to no end. He seriously has an insane amount of offensive talent. If someone somehow found a way to get him motivated to lose weight, put in effort on D rather than look like a cardboard cutout, and work on some fundamentals, we’re looking at a DeMarcus Cousins level talent.

Good call on Renardo Sidney. He was ranked #1 in his class over Wall for awhile. Then he figured out what McDonalds was.

College: Mark Lyons, Highschool rep at Brewster(Theft and other off the court problems), Off the court problems at Xavier, very good player, and can play himself into a spot in the 2013 NBA Draft if he goes to Arizona and takes care of his business.

NBA: JR Smith, I’ve never understood why this guy hasn’t gotten to that next level of stardom, he has crazy scoring ability, deep,deep,deep range, crazy leaping ability, tight handle, can create his shot whenever, strong,physical and good quickness, just a head case.

Terrence Williams, Gerald Green (started to), Sean Williams (Boston College) 

 Amare…? Do people forget he was an multiple all-star in phoenix and even 1st team all-NBA??? 

NBA Draft: Renardo Sidney- This guys is an AMAZING prospect. He has tremendous size, a nice tough around the rim, and a great ability to pass and set up offense through from the post position. Weight and character issues have kept him out of the lottery and even off of the court at times. World-renowned trainer Tim Grover, the same man who trained LeBron, Kobe and MJ, said that this we the MOST TALENTED player of them all. That speaks MORE than volumes.

College: Yancy Gates- Another guy with nice intangibles, but got into some slight trouble on the court. Gates is a beast down low and I hope he translates high character and great skills to the NBA one day.

NBA: Michael Beasley- He should one of the premiere guys in the NBA right now! I know he will get it together soon! His ability to score fron all over the floor at that size and length is amazing. His off-court antics and laid back attitude is slowly weighing him down, but I must say that he is improving SLIGHTLY. 

 "Amare…? Do people forget he was an multiple all-star in phoenix and even 1st team all-NBA???"

exactly. he was also balling out w/ the knicks b4 melo, then the trade happened and he took a back seat. he was my 2nd fav. player when in phoenix… he plays better defense when he’s "the man", when he’s is scoring and getting touches instead of playing better defense ALWAYS, same goes for rebounds. and i know he’s had injuries and his brother died which most likely triggered punching the glass but still, he had he same problems throughout the season. he needs to be more aggressive and be the star that carmelo teamed up w/, and melo’s got to help him be that player. melo NEEDS to get amare involved, and everyone for that matter, (that why his in my list too ^). and is not like Lin is going to comeback and everything is gonna change, as we have seen. 

 Brandon Rush best shooter in the NBA good size and athleticism but just stands around most of the time

Sidney,Cousins,Perry Jones and Yates have already been mention..So i’m going with these guys:

1.Dewayne Dedmon-He might not be a head case..But for someone with his size,athleticism and upside he should be a head case for opposing coaches…The more he plays the better he will get…

2.Tony Wroten-Talented guard who some say can be another Gary Payton or another Lance Stephenson..Its all up to him…

3.Wesley Witherspoon-After watching him his freshman year i thought he was on the verge of becoming a star..But each season since then he’s regressed..And this past weekend he was arrested for misconduct on a police officer…..But he has better skills than Will Barton..

4.Meyers Leonard-7 footer that thinks he’s a guard..If he spent more time in the post instead of looking to make the fancy play all the time…He has the talent,athleticism and skills to be a special player at the next level…

1. I know this one doesn’t really fit the topic, because it’s supposed to be players who still have a chance, but Vince Carter; if Vince had Jordan’s mentality, he’d be the best player in the history of the game, and it wouldn’t really be close. His skillset lacks nothing, and he is faultless physically, he was just mentally weak.

2. Lance Stephenson; I’m not sure why Lance has yet to find playing time, but whenever I’ve seen him play he’s made sound decisions with the basketball, so it has to be off-court issues keeping him glued to the bench. I think he could be a James Harden type player if he got his head on straight.

3. Beasley; he came in with a star’s mentality, but had to play second fiddle behind Wade. I honestly think if Beasley had been drafted by a team which would have given him time at the small forward, and the opportunity to be first option from day 1, then he would be a star. He’s a free agent at this point, so I hope he goes somewhere he’ll be appreciated, and able to succeed (off the top of my head, Brooklyn if Wallace/Williams leave, Charlotte, Toronto, and Detroit – all teams needing a bit of starpower with holes (or very old players in the case of Detroit) at the small forward spot.

Rudeboy-You say "another Lance Stephenson" as if Lance is never going to do anything in the NBA.  Obviously, he’s still on the Pacer’s roster and he’s still only, like, 20.  He has certainly shown flashes.  Give him some time and he could certainly still be productive.

Omphalos-The reason Lance is "yet to find playing time" is the fact that the Pacers have George Hill and Darren Collison at PG, so, in the rare occasions that the Pacers go to their third PG, Lance has to fight with AJ Price, a very solid player, for those measly minutes.  And at the 2, Paul George gets a large chunk of the minutes, and when he is out, the Pacers have both Leandro Barbosa and Dahntay Jones in there at the two.  So Stephenson is kinda buried under good talented (Like I’ve been telling you guys, the Pacers have one of the league’s best benches and deepest rosters!). But before the Pacers acquired Barbosa, Stephenson was getting some minutes.  And playing solidly.  Streaky and undisciplines, perhaps, but he certainly showed flashes of the potential he is said to have.

@ProudGrandPappy, i was comparing Wroten’s style of play to Stephenson..A combo guard with potential,but will he ever reach it? I like what i’ve seen from Stephenson,in the limited minutes he’s been given….If he goes to another team and get more playing time..

FireKahn hit the nail on the head.