[JNixonParticipant]

34: Livio Jean-Charles, 6’9, 217, PF/SF, Villeurbanne (France), 19 years old

Jean-Charles is an international prospect who has generated his draft buzz mostly off an outstanding performance in the Hoop Summit games and practices as well, and really has a legitimate chance of being selected in the 2013 draft. Has been a prospect in NBA circles since he was a 16 year old, and has seen himself make nice improvements over the last 3 years, as you would hope. Physically, Jean-Charles is a 6’9 guy with a thin build right now. He has the length (7’2 wingspan) and height you look for in a combo forward prospect, but he needs to add around 10 to 15 lbs to fill out his frame. Athletically, he seems to be pretty solid. Has nice quickness and leaping ability, but nothing crazy really. Not a plodding runner at all either.

On offense, Jean-Charles is considered a tweener forward to most, but from what I’ve seen he seems to be MUCH more of a PF than a SF…Right now he isnt a guy who is going to create offense for himself much at all, and doesn’t really show the kind of ball-handling ability needed to be a wing….He does, however, play with a consistent amount of energy and will work to score….Very good offensive rebounder…Shows good hands and has the length needed to rebound and get above the rim finishes…Pretty active and is a factor as a pick and roll player with his decent athleticism and length, in combination with his touch at the hoop…Also has a decent mid-range shot that he likes to utilize from time to time…Has a high release, and it isnt the quickest, but he shoots with consistent form and is pretty comfortable with it…Not much of a back to the basket type of guy, and doesn’t really have the strength to be at the NBA level right now either…Runs the floor very well and is an easy shot magnet at times when he’s on the court…A factor on lob plays….Pretty unselfish attitude and is a willing passer in halfcourt offense…Doesn’t seem to be a bad foul line shooter either…Shows a good feel for the game on the court, doesn’t force things much at all…His skill set is a little behind his athleticism and effort, but he could be a serviceable offensive player in the NBA as a lot of his skills should translate, especially as he gets stronger….His style of play reminds me of Taj Gibson a bit

Defensively, Jean-Charles has impressive tools and already shows some good potential….The same effort he gives offensively shows up on the defensive end as well…He’s a bit thin on the low block, but he works hard and doesn’t easily give up position…Has very good instincts and ability as a weakside defender, and is a shot blocking threat for sure….Moves his feet well and has enough lateral quickness and length to be a good hedger in pick and roll defense….Looks like he could develop into a nice defensive player in time

Overall, Jean-Charles has a lot of tools you look for in a forward prospect and it wouldn’t surprise me if he developed into a player a team really values in the long run. He competes and plays with energy, he’s got a lot of the physical tools you need with his length and decent athleticism, he is unselfish, doesn’t need plays run for him to be effective, he works hard to defend and he can stick mid-range shots. He needs a little more polished skills as a face-up and post player though, and he needs more weight before he can play consistent NBA time though. Look for Jean-Charles to be a 2nd round selection.

33: Erick Green, 6’3 178, PG/SG, Virginia Tech, Sr.

After 4 seasons in the ACC and watching his game grow up beautifully every year in college, the reigning college hoops scoring champ Erick Green checks in. Green played on 2 talented, yet underachieving VA Tech squads in his 1st 2 seasons, but really began to break out as a Jr. on a team that needed a scorer to even be a kind of competitive team in the ACC. He starred on some doormat VA Tech squads, but he has a number of intriguing qualities. Physically, Green is a combo guard who stands an undersized 6’3. He plays more like a SG than a point, so that is a slight limitation. Does have nearly a 6’6 wingspan though, which is solid. Pretty thin at 178 as well and doesn’t appear to be very strong. Athletically, Green is nice. He’s very quick and he has a good level of acceleration and speed. Hes not a super explosive leaper, but he’s adequate.

Offensively is where Green is a standout…A very aggressive scorer who, despite being the only real true scoring option on his team, put up quality numbers in his efficiency and scoring…Likes to play up-tempo and is very tough to defend when he has a running start…Able to create his own shots as effectively as any prospect in the draft…A threat to go in either direction off the dribble…Full of moves to free himself to get open looks…Very effective floater…Has a great pull-up jumper and is able to stick shots from as far as 22 ft off the bounce comfortable…Good 18 ft pull-up shot….Sometimes is a bit prone to chucking and settling for jumpers though, especially tough shots from mid-range…Shot selection isnt the best…Able to make shots off screens and spotting up…Capable pick and roll scorer…Has a knack to simply ‘hit shots’ and is very confident…Has a high release on his shot, but does kick his legs and waste motions, leading to him missing some of his jumpers short…Not really a pure shooter, but just knows how to knock down his jumpers…Sometimes has a tendency to dance with the ball, and even though he shows good ball-handling skills he doesn’t usually look to get all the way to the rim off the dribble…Has good speed and quickness….At the rim, Green is decent but not great…Not going to make many above the rim plays, and is more adept getting to the basket in the open floor than he is in half court offense…Drew fouls and got to the stripe better than just about every player in this draft, and is a good free throw shooter when there…Even though he’s considered a combo guard, and played a lot of minutes at the PG spot during his last 2 years, Green is not a real PG….That is a concerning at his size…He shows very average ability to set up teammates and his floor vision leaves a lot to be desired….Sometimes when he gets the ball he doesn’t let his teammates touch it 1 time (not that his teammates where really good anyway, but still), looking to get to the bucket or shoot the ball only….Can make simple passes and set up offensive sets, but mostly is a guy who either has the ball looking to score or is off the ball looking for ways to free himself up for scores…Could prove to be an instant offense threat in the NBA if given the chance, but I think teams will want him to prove he can at least adequately run an offense at the next level…Will certainly have to adjust his game from being the alpha and omega to playing with other teammates who can play well

Defensively, Green is in a predicament in terms of the position he will defend….He has the size of a PG, plays like a SG, and probably would show his best results as a guy who plays with a bigger guard so that he can defend PG’s….He enough athleticism and effort to be at least an adequate defender, but needs more strength…Would struggle to defend NBA 2’s as he is right now…Competes on the glass and likes to begin transition opportunities off missed shots…Nothing special at getting steals/creating turnovers

Overall, Green is a scoring specialist….He’s a very nonchalant type on the court who just goes about scoring in a very easy going way…He has a lot of ways to hurt you, but he’s clearly at his best when he can play an open court game, as he can get to the rim and finish with a head of steam, he can stick pull-up jumpers and he can knock down shots when he’s running the floor without the ball. He will have to prove he can at least adequately run an offense, and he sometimes struggles getting to the rim in half-court offense. The adjustment from VA Tech, where he was the big man on campus, to the NBA will be something to watch for as well. Green also has to work on his body a little more as he’s pretty thin right now. So even though he has some interesting tools, some things don’t quite translate as well and he has to prove he can do a number of things to be a true NBA caliber player.

[CynthiaParticipant]

Thanks again for your awesome work!

[CynthiaParticipant]

Thanks again for your awesome work!

[Author]

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