Big East Conference: Top NBA ProspectsBy:

By Michael DeStefano

The Big East is the best conference in college basketball. Some may disagree,
but there’s no arguing the fact that they send seven or eight teams to the NCAA
Tournament every year. They haven’t won a National Title since back-to-back
championships in ’03 and’04 with Syracuse and UCONN, but a Big East team always
seems to play deep into March. While the ACC has the top ranked team, the Big
East has 4 potential Top 10 teams in Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and
Notre Dame. But in terms of individual talent, don’t expect many names from
this conference being called with the early picks in either of the next two
drafts. The Big East has a lot of good college players, but not many whose games
will translate to the next level. Look at Luke Harangody. He led the league
in scoring, finished second in rebounding, and was a 1st Team All-Big East selection,
yet his name will not be found in any mock drafts. Here are the guys whose names
you will find:

Top 5 Prospects:

	Hasheem Thabeet

1. Hasheem Thabeet
   (UConn) – You can’t teach 7’3. Though still raw, no player in this conference
   has as much potential as the big man from Connecticut. His height and athleticism
   are clear positives, but the most impressive thing about his body is his frame.
   Where most college centers need to add muscle to fill out their thin upper
   bodies, Thabeet has the look of a true center. At 260 pounds, he can get stronger,
   but it’s not a huge concern for scouts. Physical gifts aside, he is a world-class
   shot-blocker (4.5 per game) and a decent rebounder (8 per game), and these
   numbers will go up as his feel for the game improves. He shoots a high percentage
   from the field, and though most buckets come within three feet of the basket,
   his decent free throw shooting suggests that he can develop into a mid-range
   scoring threat. There are clearly shortcomings to his game (poor hands, lack
   of post moves, weak man-to-man defense), but it’s important to remember that
   he hasn’t been playing basketball for a long time. His upside is considerable,
   and his decision to return to school and pass up millions as a first round
   pick last year shows that he wants to get better. According to contacts close
   to the team, UConn coaches are absolutely beaming about Thabeet’s tremendous
   summer and potential, saying he’s got a real shot to be a top 3 pick in ’09.
   The extra year under Jim Calhoun will do wonders for him at the next level.

2. Earl Clark (Louisville)
   – Clark is the type of versatile small forward that makes NBA scouts drool.
   He’s drawn comparisons to Danny Granger due to his versatility and fluid shooting
   stroke (he does need to improve his range). He’s also got very good ball-handling
   and passing skills for a small forward. He’s unselfish and
   makes his teammates better, a rare skill in players Clark’s size. Another
   player who would have been a first-rounder last year, Clark’s return will
   secure him a spot in the latter half of the lottery. He needs to add range
   to his jump shot to become a truly lethal player.

3. Dajuan Summers
   (Georgetown) – With the loss of Hibbert and Wallace, Summers needs to
   become the leader of this team with rising sophomores Chris Wright and Austin
   Freeman as well as high profile freshman Greg Monroe. Georgetown has the reputation
   of playing through the post, but Summers should be the #1 option on offense
   due to his ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter. He’ll be one of the
   more feared shooters in the Big East this year, but his body and ball-handling
   skills will enable him to get to the basket and finish as well. By no means
   just a scorer, Summers knows how to get others involved and plays defense
   like we’ve come to expect from Georgetown players. The G’town system makes
   it tougher to stand out, so that will make it a challenge for Summers to prove
   that he’s ready to be a first rounder, but the talent is obviously there.
   While he lacks the lottery potential of Thabeet and Clark, he’s the next best
   prospect in this conference and should be a solid contributor in the NBA for
   a team drafting late in the first round.

4. Sam Young (Pittsburgh)
   – Levance Fields is the heart and soul, but Young is Pittsburgh’s most important
   player. He led the team in scoring at over 18 per game last year while adding
   six rebounds, a block, and a steal. At 6’6, he doesn’t have the ideal height
   for an NBA small forward, but he makes up for it with his huge wingspan, strength
   and determination. He uses his physicality to play bigger than he is, but
   his perimeter skills need work. Last year, he averaged twice as many turnovers
   as assists, which is not good for someone who will have to handle the ball
   on the perimeter in the NBA. He plays more like a power forward than a small
   forward, and at 23 years old, scouts might have reservations about his ability
   to move to the outside full-time. Nevertheless, he’s an explosive athlete,
   good shooter and a hard worker, so there is enough there for someone in need
   of a talented wing to take a chance on him at the end of the first round.

5. AJ Price (Connecticut)
   – Jonny Flynn’s athleticism and explosiveness got him consideration here,
   but Price is simply a better player, provided he makes a full recovery from
   his latest (knee injury) setback. He was considered one of the best high school
   guards in the country in ’03 for a reason, but after missing two full years,
   people had forgotten about him. That is not a problem anymore after a season
   in which Price averaged 15 points and 6 assists per game to earn 1st Team
   All-Big East honors. While he knows how to run a team (2nd in the league in
   assists), scoring is where he is at his best. He’s strong, quick, and crafty,
   and his jump shot is good enough to command respect. He needs to improve his
   range but could be a quality pick in the late 20s for a team in search of
   a point guard.
   

Others receiving consideration: Jonny
Flynn (Syracuse), Austin
Freeman (Georgetown), Greg Monroe
(Georgetown), Chris Wright
(Georgetown), Terrence Jennings
(Louisville), Samardo Samuels
(Louisville), Deonta Vaughn (Cinncinatti), Kamba Walker (UConn), Ater Majok (UConn),
Dejuan Blair (Pitt)

Top Newcomer:
Devin Ebanks (West Virginia)
– In the Big East, it’s all about size. Look at Louisville prized recruit
Samardo Samuels and Georgetown freshman Greg Monroe. These McDonald’s
All-Americans draw the most attention, but it’s West Virginia stud frosh
Devin Ebanks that is the best NBA prospect of them all. A 6’8 small forward
with a smooth jump shot and good handle, Ebanks will be a focal point of the
Mountaineers’ offense from the very beginning. He’ll have Da’Sean
Butler and Alex Ruoff to help him get his feet wet, but it’s only a matter
of time before this becomes his team. Though not as athletic as other small
forwards in his class (Derozan, Hopson), he’ll put up serious numbers
at West Virginia. Samuels and Monroe should relish the attention now, because
by the end of the year, Ebanks will be the main attraction when it comes to
freshmen in the Big East. A great season could result in one-and-done, but he’d
be better served sticking around for another year and becoming a top ten pick
in 2010.