[JNixonParticipant]

 22: Damian Lillard, 6’2 190, PG, Weber State, rJr.

We have Damian Lillard checking in after a monster Jr. season. He has been on the scouting radar for nearly 3 years now, and returned from a season-ending broken foot in the 2010-2011 season with an even more improved game. 2-time Big Sky Conference MVP (2010 & 2012), Honorable Mention All-American as a Jr. Weber State all-time record holder in 3-pointers made, FT %, and FT’s made. 2^nd in school history in scoring. Got to watch him a few times this season, even though it isn’t easy catching Big Sky competition games. Physically, Lillard has standard size for an NBA PG. Stands slightly under 6’3, but has a very good 6’7 wingspan for good measure. Has a solid 190 lb frame and is pretty strong. Prototypical physical tools. Athletically, Lillard is also pretty solid overall. Shows good shiftiness, speed and quickness, and has adequate explosiveness as a leaper. Pretty smooth athlete.

Offensively, Lillard operates as a scoring guard who can be a big factor in a number of ways making shots…He’s more likely to use his jump shot to score than anything else…Is a big threat to hit the deep ball…Has a low, deliberate form with his shot, but his elevation is passable and his release is really quick and consistent…Really effective off the dribble and spotting up, is a tough cover because of that…Will be a tricky matchup because he can beat you off the bounce, hit a deep jumper or utilize floaters and pull-ups when he has the ball…Has NBA range, and has let it fly from as far as 28 ft…Probably should be a little more judicious in his shot selection as a lead guard, but some of that can be attributed to the role he played for Weber State…Off the dribble, Lillard is also a real big factor…Really good 1^st step…Nice ball-handling skills, and is a threat to go left and right with near equal effectiveness…Can find his way to the hoop, and is an effective finisher…Talented one-on-one shot creator…Can finish with both hands and with touch…Able to play above the rim when he gets in the open court…Good body control and strength, rarely ever appears off balance…Able to shake his defender when making lateral moves to better free himself off the bounce…Likes to use his floater from mid-range, but also likes to utilize his really strong step-back move to get room…Has a sneaky type of quickness, because of how smooth he is as well…Understands how to play at different speeds, which is also something that makes him harder to guard…Has big upside as a pick and roll PG, especially as a scorer…Makes defenders pay when they dive screens against him…Not the greatest pure PG or floor general…Had turnover problems before this past year…Looks for his shot 1^st and foremost…Not necessarily one to make teammates better, but he has enough ability to run an offense…Good drive and dish player…Got to the foul line like a mad man in college, and wont make mistakes when there…Also has the tools to be solid at it in the NBA…Decent transition player, where his vertical explosion is best seen…Extremely productive but most importantly was efficient for the defensive attention he garnered and how much responsibility he had placed on him

Defensively, Lillard is a pest who can be great on the ball when he puts the effort in…Has times where he shows lagging effort due to level of competition and offensive burder, but usually is a nice defender…Gets low in his stance and uses his strength and length to deny penetration well..Not bad getting steals…Will chip in rebounds

Overall, Lillard is a very complete scoring guard who will probably only get better as he gets used to the rise in the competition level…He played in a weaker league in college, but he still clearly has the talent and knack for scoring a team will like…He probably will be a Mo Williams-type of player in the NBA, who has big talent as a scorer and who is passable as a PG too, but like Williams he needs work on running a team and being a true floor general

 

21: Meyers Leonard, 7’1 250, C, Illinois, Soph.

Enjoyed a promising Soph. season after using his Fr. season as a learning curve year behind the talented, yet disappointing 2010-2011 Illinois frontline…Developed very nicely his 2^nd year, starting the year off real well and showing off a much improved body and game…Was apart of the USA U19 squad last summer, and gained a good bit of toughness while also showing nice improvement with his more polished skills…Honorable Mention All-Big 10 as a Soph…From a physical standpoint, Leonard has scouts drooling due his combine measurements…Tall, tall big man….He is a 7’1 big (tallest American player at the combine) who has improved his body dramatically every summer since he was a HS Sr…Has really filled out his frame and has put on at least 10 lbs since the Big 10 tourny…Weighs 250 right now, and could possibly put on another 5 lbs or so without the loss of any athleticism…Speaking of athleticism, Leonard is also very impressive for his size…He shows superb agility and mobility while being a rather explosive leaper for a 7’1 big…Runs really well for a big

On offense, Leonard is a raw prospect but one with upside and some good signs…Right now just uses his great height to be most effective in the low post….Just getting used to his added strength, and also getting the aggression and willingness to bang that comes with it…Is most effective when he can get around 8 ft or closer to get off his right hand jump hook, his favorite move…Really was a weapon at times for Illinois with his jump hook, especially against smaller matchups…Shows a real soft touch…Needs to work on getting his footwork and arsenal of moves better, as he really begins to look unnatural when he has to make moves that require more than simply just jumping and using his size to score…Will get traveling calls against him…Not going to make many counters when you cut off his initial move, and shows little ability to make plays with his left hand…Around the rim, Leonard is explosive as a finisher…Has big upside as a alley-oop target for pick and roll PG’s…Wasn’t asked to play much pick and roll in college, but that will probably change almost completely in the NBA…Going to be some pick and roll reliant PG’s DREAM player at some point…Really good body control for his size…Also is good at selling fouls in the paint, even though he doesn’t seem to like contact all that much…Arguably the most interesting skill about Leonard offensively is his ability to hit the mid-range jumper…Came to college as more of a face-up big, and is still developing his jumper…Wont see many of his shots blocked…Also intriguing is Leonard’s passing skills, he shows a promising feel for the game…Is good with his back to the basket at hitting cutters for high percentage looks…Is going to have a lot of shots created for him at the next level…Needs to get more tough mentally…Can lose aggression more than a guy with his type of tools should…Sometimes can be too soft, and doesn’t fight for position as hard as he should…His biggest hurdle will be playing tougher…Pretty solid FT shooter for a big man (73% as a Soph.), showing his good touch away from the hoop…Solid offensive rebounder…Has the upside to really be a factor getting garbage buckets and off ball scoring opportunities

Defensively, Leonard has promise and is only going to get better…Able to defend bigs and also has the athleticism to defend PF’s too…Really good pick and roll defender…Has the tools and has shown the ability to smother guards on screen hedges, and then run back to his man in time…Going to be a versatile weapon for a team, especially if he plays in a system that switches everything in pick and roll defense…A good shot-blocker…Does a good job of protecting the rim and altering shots…Sometimes need to play more physical, but actually is a bit more physical defensively than offensively…Denies post entry passes well…Could develop into a quality defender in the NBA…Medicore defensive rebounder, but doesn’t allow many offensive rebounds due to his fundamentals (boxes out well and will tip out boards he cant quite get)

Leonard has big intrigue and is only going to improve…He might have left school a year early, but his Mom’s health and the firing of Bruce Weber led him to walk out of the door of a spiraling program…Will need to develop better offensively, but eventually his potential as an off-ball scorer and pick and roll player will stand out…He also is a promising shooter and passer, which is interesting at his size to say the least…Also, his ability to be a weapon defensively will also factor in heavily…Leonard could have climbed his way into the lottery with his combine performance (was solid and really improved his physique even more), and he certainly will be a 1^st rounder but he will need time to emerge…He’s still a bit raw, intriguing as hell, but still raw

[Wahoo757Participant]

 Finally, someone who doesn’t overrate Damian Lillard.

[Wahoo757Participant]

 Finally, someone who doesn’t overrate Damian Lillard.

[Wahoo757Participant]

 Finally, someone who doesn’t overrate Damian Lillard.

[Wahoo757Participant]

 Wow, triple post, you don’t see that every day.

[scliddiardParticipant]

I think you have both Lillard and Meyers too low, IMO both could go top 10.  Love Lillard’s skill set, especially his shot and Meyers agility and physical attributes are impressive.

[SpacegrassParticipant]

Not sure why some are up in arms about Lillard being projected as a top 10 pick.  He has a ton of good buzz coming from the combine and all the major talking heads that follow this draft every year have him in the top 10.  Keep in mind who is the best college player does not mean best pro player and the decision makers for teams obviously seem to think highly of him despite some of your opinions. 

[JNixonParticipant]

 Its because he doesnt seem like a pure PG, Weber State didnt win big when he was there, and Weber State was in a weak league so the competition is in question. He will be able to produce offensively, he has too many tools to not be able to score well, but he does have questions. He doesnt seem like a true floor general to me, and thats the only reason he isnt that highly rated as a prospect to me.

[mamadouParticipant]

But we’re in a league without bigmens playing like bigmens, and without true floor generals(unfortunately), with the lack and as the best point, scoring point, he won’t pass the suns at 13.

Leonard 2nd legit C, some upside as a soph(the next chris mihm IMO), that will do it as a "nobody" replacement in portland, as a bogut(initial thought since the trade), bigben, camby replacement elsewhere(that would have been great for him and the celts, won’t happen).

At the end of the day, he’ll pass both tarheels bigs in the lotto.

 

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Hey JNixon when your done make a post showing the top 60 prospects on one list.I would like to see that

[the I in winParticipant]

I agree, your big board would be nice to see after your done with your countdown.

[JoeWolf1]

 I’m okay with this ranking on Lillard.  Since I was relatively unfamiliar with him, not being able to watch many Weber State games, I buy him a little more as a pro after watching him shoot the ball in drills, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s ranked in the top 10 because there are no true top 10 point guards this season.

If there were even 1 sure fire top 10 PG, I think he’d be a late lotto-mid 1st rounder.  

I’m not saying he can’t succeed, but 6 is WAY to high, 8 is high and 10 is still a little high, IMO.  Passing over countless BPA’s to get a position need in the top 10 isn’t the best draft stratgey.

In this draft, I’d consider him a 11-16 pick, but he’ll probably go top 10, or close to it, anyways.

[JNixonParticipant]

 I will make a list when I finish. I got you guys

[catlover]

This excites me!

[Author]

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