[JNixonParticipant]

 30: Fab Melo, 7’0 275, C, Syracuse, Soph.

 A very highly discussed prospect who has seen a fair amount of criticism and controversy, Fab Melo. Melo rebounded from an extremely forgettable Fr. season to be a big factor in Syracuse’s success as a Soph. Syracuse was very good all regular season, being the #1 team for a huge portion of the season. Voted Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East as a Soph. Has had off-court problems, including a domestic violence case and being academically ineligible for the NCAA tournament as a Soph. Will have to answer questions about that during interviews. Also known to be a little quick-tempered. Originally from Brazil, moved to America as a Jr. in HS. Physically, Melo is EXACTLY what you look for in an NBA C. He is a legit 7 footer, and he checks in at 275, even though he’s carrying a bit of extra weight. If he sculpts his body to better fit his frame, he could be one of the 5 best physical presences at the C spot in the NBA down the line. Also has a 7’3 wingspan. Should look to be in shape at all times, has the body that can struggle with conditioning if not careful. Athletically, Melo isn’t great but he did improve as  a Soph. due to better conditioning. He’s not particularly quick or explosive, and he is a bit stiff in his movements sometimes, but he does run the floor alright for his size and is at least adequate for his size athletically, when in shape.

Offensively, Melo will be a 5^th option on the floor more than likely. Wouldn’t want to see a team with a less skilled offensive player on the floor with him at the same time. His post game is a bit mechanical, even though he has the length to get off his jump hooks, which he can shoot with both hands. Also shows flashes of a turnaround jumper, but not consistent with it yet. Doesn’t get in and out of his moves smoothly, and will get his shots contested easily until he does. Not going to develop into a guy who goes one-on-one down low and gets his own shots in the post with any consistency. Gets the ball stripped from him too easily at times, and has some problems with keeping the ball high so quick handed players cant take the ball from him. Needs shots created for him, where he can use his size and length to finish around the rim. When in shape, Melo is a good finisher and shows good enough explosiveness to finish very well at the rim. Not all that strong despite his size, and can sometimes have difficulty getting good shots off through contact. Has decent hands, but can mishandle/miss passes at times. Not going to make or take many shots past 5 ft. In the low post, Melo is actually an underrated passer who does a good job of hitting cutters in stride for easy layups of FT attempts, getting at least 2 of those kinds of passes every game. Still, his decision-making and floor awareness are middling at best. Runs the floor OK for his size, but is a bit of a plodder still. Wont beat his man down the floor too often at all. Doesn’t get to the foul line, which is a problem at his size. Could be a foul magnet if he had a better skill level. Not a very good foul shooter either when he gets there. Pretty good on the offense glass and can get some easy buckets that way if he works at it. Below average basketball IQ. Needs a lot of polish and development.

Melo’s main value as a prospect comes from his defensive upside. He has the physical tools to defend true NBA C’s in time, and he did take steps in the right direction to capitalize on his potential as a Soph. Is a real effective shot-blocker and is better at going straight-up to contest shots and lowered his foul rate a bit. Still needs a lesson in fundamentals overall though, as he got out of position in the Cuse 2-3 zone and allowed easy putbacks and weakside shots that were uncontested. Not against taking charges, and will stick his nose in at times. Will have to show that he can play outside of the lane against athletic NBA frontlines, because Syracuse’s zone D and the lack of a defensive 3 second rule in college covered that up. Not experience defending the pick and roll, and will need time to adjust for that. Was a lackluster defensive rebounder in college, and often relies heavily on his size and doesn’t box out. Could be a defensive stalwart, but might be limited by a low IQ and it will take him time to adjust to the stylistic changes of NBA basketball, especially since he played on a team that ran strictly zone D. A bit foul prone.

Overall, Melo’s physical tools and perceived upside is what he relies on as a prospect. As a true 7’ big, he will get plenty of chances to develop in the NBA. He is an effective shot-blocker and his looks like an NBA C right now, but there are questions. He needs a lot of refinement offensively, he needs to improve his fundamentals defensively, never stood out as a rebounder at Syracuse, will he stay in shape?, and he also has had a few off-court issues. A team will select him because of his physical tools and youth, but he could go late 1^st to anywhere in the 2^nd honestly. His upside IMO, is Brendan Haywood-esque.

 

29: Tyshawn Taylor, 6’3 185, PG/SG, Kansas, Sr.

After an up-and-down 4 years at Kansas, Taylor checks in. Played on some highly talented KU teams, but saved his best for his Sr. season, where he finally emerged into the type of player he was expected to be as early as his Soph. season. Led KU, alongside Thomas Robinson, to the title game this past year. Was 1^st All Big 12 as a Sr., Honorable Mention as a Jr., played for the FIBA U19 squad that won the gold medal in 2009 (led the team in scoring and assists), and was a 1^st Team All Big 12 Freshman. Played in HS under Coach Bobby Hurley at the prestigious St. Anthony’s HS in New Jersey. Had a rocky relationship with Coach Bill Self at times, and almost transferred before his Jr. season. Was suspended multiple times in his career. Was famously involved in a fight agaisnt the KU football team that resulted in him dislocating his thumb and being out for 3 weeks. Will be asked about his character in interviews. Physically, Taylor is very good for a PG but he is a bit of a tweener guard. He’s 6’3 with a long, wiry build and an thin 185 lb frame. He’s not very strong, and will struggle some with the physical parts of the game in the NBA. Athletically, Taylor is pretty solid. He’s not ultra-explosive, but he shows more than average quickness and speed, and he does have solid leaping ability and agility.

On offense, Taylor is a tweener guard who can score pretty effectively. His best skill is operating out of the pick and roll, where he is a threat to slash or shoot if defenders dive his screens. His quick release allows him to get shots off if defenders are lazy about how quick they dive his screens, but if they play too aggressively, he can get into the teeth of the defense and either pass or create his own shot. Even though he’s most comfortable in these instances, he also proves to be a bit prone to bad decisions too. At times when he slashes after turning the corner, he is prone to throwing errant passes or jumping into the air when passing, which is a no-no. Will overdribble and get himself caught underneath the basket or in a low percentage situation. Likes to look for his shot in pick and roll, and shows shaky floor vision. Usually at his best in pick and roll sets when he punishes defenders for not playing him tight and will shoot the lights out if you don’t play on him. As a shooter overall, Taylor is decent though. Has NBA range, but needs to be a bit more consistent from that range. He is good with his feet set and is also effective making 15-18 ft. pull-up jumpers too. Good shooting mechanics. As a slasher, Taylor is nice. He handles the ball well and has good quickness and a nice 1^st step. Plays a pretty shifty game, and can change speeds nicely. Sometimes makes really impressive drives to the rim, and will get crafty around the rim to cap it off. Got a fair share of and-1’s due to him being really creative after contact getting shots on the glass/rim. Really soft touch at the hoop. Wont play above the rim a lot, but will do so in the open floor. As an overall PG, Taylor is fairly limited. He can set up an offense and will make good reads when slashing a few times a night, but he is highly turnover prone and his decision-making is not very good (3.5 topg as a Sr.). Likes having the ball and sometimes gets too comfortable and does his own things, playing too reckless. Doesn’t really seem like the type of guard who will just make his teammates a lot better than they already are. Can get to the foul line, but is history a below average shooter for a guard when there (70% shooter for his career). Is a nice transition PG, but usually looks to finish himself when in the open floor and is effective at doing so. Not afraid of taking big shots.

Defensively, Taylor is pretty nice. He has real good feet and he slides effectively and can deny penetration well. Sometimes can let a bad string of offensive possessions make him lose focus, but when he’s locked in he’s very hard to get space on off the bounce and he has great fundamentals and toughness. Likes to play physical even though he’s thin, but could have trouble with some of the stronger guards in the league until he hits the weights harder. Contests shots well, and has the length to get deflections and steals. Should be a solid NBA defender against PG’s in due time.

 

Taylor has a lot of the skills you like in a role player as a guard off the bench. He can play in the pick and roll, he can play both guard spots, he’s a tenacious defender, he can slash and he’s got a passable shot. He is a tweener and isn’t the best decision-maker, but he can play well and is a nice talent. I don’t think he has a special quality, but he can be a rotation player. His game reminds me of Delonte West’s in a lot of ways. 

[cuseflynn10Participant]

nbadraft.net has Taylor going 59th, while you rank him 29th. I believe he is a lot better than 59th, but I don’t see him cracking the first round. I think 35-45 range is good value for him.

 

As for Melo, just like you said, he probably won’t be a major offesnive threat. At least not right away in the NBA. I’m hoping he goes to Miami where he can show off his athleticism. Two years ago,  athelticism and Fab Melo didn’t belong in the same sentence. Now, Melo is the prototypical size for an NBA center. He could cath alley oops and play defense in Miami or OKC. That’s what his game comes down to right now, and that’s what those two teams need.

 

And on a side note, I see there’s an advertisement below this for a Jeremy Lin book. That’s ridiculous. He’s a great player, but Timothy Dalrymple is definitely trying to cash in on Linsanity while the hype is still there.

[F_S]

 i just don’t see him going past the nuggets in the second, unless they snatch guard in the first

 

[JNixonParticipant]

 Yeah I think Taylor will go to the Nuggets kinda too.

[WizardofOzParticipant]

Jorrye, have you done a report on Hollis Thompson yet, or is he just not in your rankings? Chad Ford is saying his stock could rise after the way he’s been shooting in workouts.

[JNixonParticipant]

 I actually left Thompson off smh

[JoeWolf1]

 I read recently that Fab has slimmed down lately and has worked himself into better shape than he was during the NCAA season.

[Author]

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