[JNixonParticipant]

Immmmm baaaaaaaaack! 2012 Draft is about a month and change away, so this is the 3^rd volume of the JNixon Top 60 NBA Draft Prospects reports. The exciting 2011-2012 college season has been over for more than a month, and the NBA Playoffs are now underway and looking real interesting. So I felt it was the perfect time to release the series. Be prepared for what I have for you, how it keeps you interested. Lets go!

60: Kim English, 6’5 200, SG/SF, Sr., Mizzou

Long one of my favorite college players, Kim English is coming off a breakout season that I was expecting to happen for him as a Jr. His Mizzou Tigers were the Big 12 champs, and he was the conference tourny’s MVP. Very good intangibles, was a vocal leader and a noted hard worker all throughout college. Really smart and savvy, and was often voice of college hoops players. Played PF last season due to the injury of starter Laurence Bowers. Could have a future in broadcasting or coaching when he finishes playing ball. Has decent height for a swingman, although he is fairly thin. Only a 6’7 wingspan and small hands. Just decent athleticism, with mediocre quickness, speed, agility, and leaping skills overall. Will be 24 when the 2012 NBA season rolls around.

Offensively, English excels with his jump shot. Shows a compact shooting motion, nice release speed, and good elevation. Soft touch. Has been used off screens in the past, and while he can make these shots, it was not until his Sr. year when he became more efficient as he strayed away from shooting on the move as much. Does move real well off the ball. Is a nice option on the wing for drive and kick passes. Struggled with his efficiency and shot selection before his Sr. year, and got too shot happy at times. Not an efficient shooter off the bounce. Mid-range game is OK, but inconsistent. As a slasher, English does not really excel. His 1^st step and quickness are both just OK, and his ball-handling skills are subpar. Does not have any real moves to get himself free of tough D on the wing, and is mostly a straight-line driver or basic left to right crossover player. Does not have a good left hand. Will struggle around the hoop in the NBA due to middling explosiveness, length and strength. Seems unselfish and will make passes in the flow of the offense, but likes to shoot a lot more than pass. Never had a 1:1 A:TO after his Fr. year. Plays tougher than his size indicates and played admirably at the PF spot last year due to the injury of their starting PF. Pretty one-dimensional. Mediocre foul shooter.

On defense, English is a feisty competitor who plays fundamentally sound and contests everything. His lateral quickness and lack of length would hurt him against a lot of NBA players off the bounce, and fighting through screens is gonna be an uphill battle for him. His effort and toughness has all improved over time. Has active hands and will get you a steal if you don’t have a tight handle. Not a shot-blocking threat. Willing rebounder but won’t be a big factor there in the NBA. Will get posted up by bigger wings, but he’ll fight in the post.

Overall, English will have to carve out a niche as a standstill shooter in the NBA who will work hard as a defender to make it. His character and savvy could make him dear to an organizations heart, but he will have to show that his shooting performance as a Sr. wasn’t a fluke after just decent shooting numbers his 1^st 3 years to have an NBA future. I hope he makes it, it is absolutely tough not to like someone like English.

 

59: Wesley Witherspoon, 6’9 220, SG/SF, Sr., Memphis

Witherspoon is a guy I’ve known of since he was in middle school. He has become a forgotten man after a frustrating Sr. year and college career marred by wild inconsistencies and sometimes even discipline problems. Physically, Witherspoon is a 1^st round pick. He’s stands 6’9 with a real long build as a wing. He has put on about 40 lbs since he was in college, adding to a frame that was once about 185 lbs. He’s not an explosive athlete, but he’s super smooth and coordinated for his height, showing good agility and speed. He’s still a bit weak even with his added weight, and needs to get stronger.

Offensively, Witherspoon is still a Swiss army knife type who never really rounded out his skills at Memphis. He played everything from PG-PF at times in his career, to show his versatility. He did improve his shooting, but its tough to call that his strength. Not a noteworthy shooter off screens or off the dribble, but he can bury 2 dribble pull-ups sporadically. Developed into a decent spot-up shooter. Witherspoon is a solid ball-handler for his size, and can be a mismatch when facing PF’s due to his smoothness and athletic mismatches. Likes to go left far more than he does right, which he should improve. Often seems to plan the move he’s gonna make before he makes it, which hurts him when defenders shut off what he wants to do. Does not have a big range of counter moves either. Is a good finisher around the rim and shows a decent touch. He showed the ability to play everything except C in HS and early on in college, but he’s at his best as a mismatch PF. Is a nice passer on the wing, and shows unselfishness in spurts. Has potential as a triple threat that has yet to be harnessed. When focused, he is a threat to make open shots, attack the lane, and make good passes in the offensive flow. Will draw fouls off the dribble and is solid at getting to the line. Too often he has been at his best for spurts or halves, but he is notoriously inconsistent and struggles to put together good games with any consistency. Disappears too much. Lacks toughness does not like contact. Too many times you wonder if Witherspoon still plays basketball for Memphis anymore.  

Witherspoon has big potential as a defender, but he often underachieved on this end of the floor as well. Has the length and fluidity to be a terror on the ball on the perimeter. Has defended everything from PG’s to PF’s in his college career, and has the tools to translate to defending wings exclusively with more time and work. Fundamentals are kinda shaky, as he gets upright in his stance and likes to gamble for steals and sometimes blocks too often. Too often was beat by his matchups off the bounce, sometimes even the PF’s he matched up with. Short attention span, and can lose his man off the ball. Will struggle with screens until he adds strength. Can get impressive chase down blocks. Not the impact player on D he should’ve been. Still too foul prone.

Enigma. Frustration. But still a lot of potential in Witherspoon. He never became a true impact player for Memphis, and he had ample opportunities to be just that. The fact that he never got a niche offensively and the lack of strength he had effected that directly. If a team is patient and lets him develop a skill to hang his hat on and get stronger, then he could be a weapon for a team. If not, then he will continue to underachieve. His biggest strength right now is his potential, which is both good and bad. For him it is bad, as he is mostly what he was in HS. We still don’t know what he’ll develop into. He has the potential to be a Tayshaun Prince-lite player, but that means nothing if he hasn’t really stood out after 4 years.

[HaleParticipant]

Witherspoon was so primising early on…arguably Memphis’ best player a So. then the past two years have just been awful for him. Like you said, still has the potential to be a good pro player though.

[JNixonParticipant]

 Its up to him if he wants to play in the NBA. He has to work hard to get stronger and get a niche, all the things he couldve did in college. Times running out

[Hi its BenParticipant]

Has it been a year already? Dang.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

English played good at Portsmith and impressed scouts with defense and leadership skills….His ability to guard people is what will earn him a roster spot..

I kept waiting for Witherspoon to use that talent to become a star..But at times it appears that he wasnt interested in playing..If he had Will Barton’s heart,Witherspoon will be a top 10 pick… 

I’m eager to see what you have to say about Bernard James,Robert Sacre,Dee Bost,Robbie Hummel and Jared Cummingham,they’re some of the biggest sleepers of this draft….

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Wesley Witherspoon is acting like a Knucklehead..And possibly Hurt his Already Slim Chances of getting drafted..This past weekend,while he was in Downtown Memphis..He got into a Fight and Refused to Leave the scene when cops showed up..He got into a verbal argument with a policeman was was Arrested for Misconduct….His court date is monday May 7th…..

[Author]

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