[JNixonParticipant]

#8: Vanderbilt Commodores

Frontcourt: The frontcourt loses no players of note. Coach Stallings’ personal project, 6’11 260 rSr. Festus Ezeli, developed into a very serviceable big man due to his strength, solid explosiveness and burly frame in what was something of a breakout year for him. Ezeli made huge leaps in his physicality and with his activity level down low, and was able to overpower a good bit of the C’s his faced last season allowing him to score in bunches. Before last year, he looked like an animal but wasn’t a banger. He developed a right hand jump hook too, which he looked comfortable with when he sealed off his guy. Ezeli is a strong shot-blocking presence as well, getting 2 a night last season. He does come with weaknesses though. Although he improved his post game and willingness to work last season, he will never be a very good offensive player. Ezeli is pretty stiff, has shaky hands, and can struggle when he faces physical bigs, and he has a hard time making any moves that require real footwork. Ezeli also had to be among the worst passing bigs in college basketball (.2/1.8 A:TO), which shows a limited feel for the game down low. The biggest problem, though, is his high foul rate. Ezeli’s fouls limited his time on the floor in too many games. If he is to be a good NBA defensive prospect/player, he will have to cut down on fouls. His defense will be his main value, so he can’t afford to not defend without fouling. Ezeli is a definite NBA prospect, at best a mid-1st rounder, who will get looks due to his defensive potential, and his physical tools. The veteran of the team and possibly the most intriguing NBA prospect is the 6’7 220 Sr. SF Jeff Taylor. Taylor has great size, athleticism, and strength on the wing, and really glides up and down the floor. He moves real well without the ball and can get behind the D and finish very well at the rim. He’s also an unselfish passer. Taylor plays PF at times for Vandy, and is a mismatch due to his athleticism when he does. Taylor is a very on-ball willing defender (able to defend SG-PF) and rebounder too from the perimeter. The Sr. also developed a jumper that was adequate enough to have to contest him last season, and had a new level of confidence with it (shot 51 3’s his 1st 2 years, and 113 last year). He’s not a very good shooter still, but he did look a lot confident with it last year. He also is still not a very good creator off the dribble, and shows really crude ball-handling skills when he has to change directions. The ball clearly slows him down and can disappear from the game because of it. Taylor doesn’t seem like more than a 4th or 5th option at the next level. Taylor’s athleticism, physical tools, and willingness and upside on D will intrigue teams in the late 1st round or 2nd round. 6’8 230 Sr. Lance Goulbourne looks to man the PF spot. Goulbourne is a hard-working and is a gritty player with fairly limited skills as a scorer. He’s a good rebounder and a good passer as a tweener, but he can be outplayed by true PF’s. He has some face-up skills, but they aren’t that good, especially as a ball-handler. But he is the real workhorse of a frontline group that doesn’t lack for toughness as is. Depth comes from Soph. Rod Odom and Sr. Steve Tchiengang. The 6’9 210 Odom is a thin stretch PF who can hit the deep ball. He needs strength to better hold position as a PF and to better rebound. He struggles to play with contact. The 6’9 245 PF/C Tchiengang is another guy who doesn’t shy from contact. He has the ability to hit the jumper as well, but he has enough of strength to hold position and rebound. He’s not skilled though, and he’s foul prone. A lot of size, physicality and solid athleticism in this frontline.

Backcourt: The main scorer on the team is the Jr. John Jenkins, who is an All-American candidate and my bet to lead the SEC in scoring. The guy’s shot is cash, he’s the best pure shooter in the SEC since Chris Lofton left UT. The mechanics, touch, range and consistency witn his form is impeccable. The guy is a deadly threat off the bounce, off screens, and he reallydoesn’t miss much when spotting up. He also improved his handle enough last year to create shots off the bounce (usually shoots pull-ups), and he has the IQ to very keenly pick his spots on the floor. He rarely overdribbles or forces shots in the teeth of the D, but he has gotten to the line more with his better dribble drive game (and he makes very few mistakes when there). At 6’4 220, he’s pretty mediocre physically for an NBA SG, with very average athleticism, length, and rather basic handles. He lacks quickness, that’s why it’s a big deal that he can stick mid-range shots now, he’ll rarely make it all the way to the rim against NBA defenders. Jenkins also is a very nondescript defensive player and passer, although he doesn’t seem to have a selfish attitude at all. He’s likely going to get more notice this season or 2013 as an NBA prospect, knockdown shooters always have value. The PG spot will have 6’3 210 Sr. Brad Tinsley back as a starter for the 2nd straight year, and he was a very steady guy last year. Tinsley can make open shots, take care of the ball and run the offense without making bad decisions, and play both guard spots. He’s not an athlete though and it shows at times when he tries to deny penetration against other athletic guards. Depth will come from Fr. Dai-Jon Parker, Fr. Kedren Johnson and Soph. Kyle Fuller. The 6’3 190 Parker is an athletic slashing guard. He likes to score on the wing and although he has tried to play some PG he’s not natural with it. Parker also has to work on getting more consistent with his feast-or-famine jumper, as well as adjusting defensively. He will be in the rotation though. The 6’3 210 Johnson is another slasher, but he looks for others too. The guy is most effective in the drive and dish. He’s not super quick or athletic so he’ll have to adjust, but he’s strong for a Fr. guard. He needs to improve his shooting touch. The 6’1 205 Fuller is a physical PG who had to adjust his game more. He’s more of a scorer than a PG, but he stands out at neither. The guards corp has adequate depth, Jenkins is one of the best SG’s out there, and Tinsley is a steady floor general.

Overview: Coach Stallings is a very smart coach in game-situations, but his teams have folded over the past 2 years. They return their exact same core from last year, but Jenkins and Ezeli are still developing more. Taylor and Tinsley provides leadership. This year is the year for them to get past the 1st week, they have all the pieces. I look for them to make it to the Sweet 16, possibly Elite 8.

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Hey Jorrye do you have a good comparison for Jenkins? I was thinking J.J. Redick because that’s the obvious one but do you have someone else in mind?

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Hey Jorrye do you have a good comparison for Jenkins? I was thinking J.J. Redick because that’s the obvious one but do you have someone else in mind?

[JNixonParticipant]

 Dell Curry maybe?

[JNixonParticipant]

 Dell Curry maybe?

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Yeah I kinda see it.  Nice job by the way.. as always!

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Yeah I kinda see it.  Nice job by the way.. as always!

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Double post 0_o

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Double post 0_o

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Michigan St. and Vandy were the 2 most disappointing teams in the nation last season..The Spartans did have a few excuses for not playing up to par..The early season injury to guard Kalin Lucas and the lack of post play.. Vandy failed to play defense and didnt play as a team…

 

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Michigan St. and Vandy were the 2 most disappointing teams in the nation last season..The Spartans did have a few excuses for not playing up to par..The early season injury to guard Kalin Lucas and the lack of post play.. Vandy failed to play defense and didnt play as a team…

 

[kobyzParticipant]

remind me more Hersey Hawkins

[kobyzParticipant]

remind me more Hersey Hawkins

[Author]

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