Las Vegas NBA Summer League Day Three

Jennings is an active BIG

The third day of the NBA Las Vegas Summer League saw Terrence Jennings (Louisville) emerge as the most efficient player on a winning team. Jennings had 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two blocked shots in the summer Knicks 82-69 win over the Wizards. Jennings, a 24 year-old power forward from Sacramento, CA, played previously in Belgium and in the D-League. 

Cody Zeller rebounded from a pedestrian game one to score 21 points and grab 13 rebounds in his second Las Vegas outing. His Charlotte summer team beat Dallas 86-80. ...The Lakers summer team is much better than last year's win-less presentation. Lester Hudson led the Lakers to a decisive 81-63 triumph over Portland. Hudson had 15 points (5-8 FG), and five rebounds in 23 minutes of play. ...The NBA D League Select Team improved to 2-0 in summer action with a 83-77 win over the Clippers. Elijah Millsap was the star with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Millsap went to the free throw line 20 times, and made 15. ...Jonas Valanciunas continued his good play in the Raptors 82-76 victory over the Spurs. Valanciunas scored 19 points and snared 13 rebounds. ...Atlanta beat Miami 75-71, moving both teams to 1-1 through two games. ...Milwaukee improved to 2-0 with a 69-61 victory over New Orleans. ...Cleveland remained perfect at 2-0 by beating Memphis 69-58. 

Our day three (Sunday, July 14, 2103) All Las Vegas NBA Summer League Team: Point guards: Hudson, Brian Roberts. Shooting guards: Justin Dentmon, Millsap, Stefhon Hannah. Small forwards: DeShaun Thomas, Terrence Ross. Power forwards: Jennings, C Zeller, Darnell Jackson. Centers: Jack Cooley, Valanciunas.

Sweet 16 - 2013

There may not be any future NBA superstars among the players remaining in the NCAA Tournament. There are certainly some solid future pros. Here is a glance at the 16 players we are paying the most attention to (from an NBA scouting perspective) in the 2013 Men's Basketball Sweet 16. 

Even with goofy pants - Cody is a prospect. 

Cody Zeller - Indiana 6'11" 230 - Center. Sophomore. ...Zeller is a real weapon in college basketball. There just aren't many teams with a kid as big and as skilled as Zeller is. He averages 16 points and eight rebounds per game.  Cody is the younger brother of Luke and Tyler Zeller, both NBA players. Cody is perhaps a bit more rugged than Tyler, and Cody has a slightly higher career efficiency rating than his Cleveland Cavalier brother.  Cody understands that he is a BIG man and he does not try to do things outside his game.  This understanding of his role allows him to shoot 59% FG (career) - due to his excellent shot selection. He shoots 75% FT for his career. ...Zeller can improve by turning the ball over less. He gets caught off-balance too often despite good ball-handling skills for a Center.  

Victor Oladipo - Indiana 6'5" 214 - Shooting Guard. Junior. ...Oladipo is an athletic wing guard that plays both ends of the floor. He is the rare shooting guard that shoots over 50% from the field (presently at 54.5% FG for his three seasons at IU). He has great speed and the ability to create off the dribble. He has greatly improved his three-point percentage this season but his career number is probably a better indicator (33.3 %). Oladipo also helps as a rebounder. Not too many guards get you 6.4 rebounds per game - but Oladipo does! He was recently named The Sporting News 2013 Player of the Year. Defensively, he was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. ...Oladipo also can improve by cutting down on the turnovers. He has more turnovers than assists for his career. 

Ben McLemore - Kansas 6'5" 185 - Shooting Guard. Freshman. ...I really hope McLemore stays in school at least another year. He shows flashes of brilliance but is not yet the consistent player that I think he can become. He is special due to his combination of shooting accuracy and athletic ability. McLemore's touch is evident in his 87% free throw shooting, and his 41% three-point accuracy. He averages 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists per contest. 

Gardner makes the Cosby face.

Davante Gardner - Marquette 6'8" 290 - Power Forward. Junior. ...Gardner is a load to handle in the low-post. He is nimble and he has a soft touch for such a BIG dude. He was the Big East Sixth Man of the Year. Gardner shoots an impressive 79% FT - career. Defensively, he eats space but he is not a shot blocker. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds this season, playing just 21.3 minutes per game. 

Arsalan Kazemi - Oregon 6'8" 226 - Power Forward. Senior. ...Kazemi has a motor that seemingly churns twice as fast as his opponents. Non-stop energy is his calling card. The Iranian National Team member started his college career at Rice but has now landed at Oregon. He is a terrific rebounder and defender that was named to the Pac-12 All Defensive Team. For his NCAA career - he shoots 55% FG. 

Jeff Withey - Kansas 7'0" 235 - Center. Senior.. ...Withey is a shot-blocker that also has a little bit of an offensive game. For his size, he is quick off his feet - which allows him to block shots at a high rate. He leads my database of tournament players in 'blocks per minute', and his career 'blocks per minute' rate is better historically than noted shot-blockers John Henson, and Andre Drummond. Withey can step out to hit a face-up shot or score around the rim. The 23 year-old Senior was a unanimous All Big 12 selection. He shoots 72% from the free throw line. 

DeShaun Thomas - Ohio St. 6'7" 221 - Small Forward. Junior. ...You need a bucket? Thomas will get you one. He scores inside and outside. He scores on three-point shots, and post-ups. He hits wing jumpers, and paint floaters. In short, Thomas is a SCORER. His NCAA career 'points per minute' rate is better than noted scorer, Jordan Crawford (Xavier, Boston Celtics). 

Southerland needs more hype

James Southerland - Syracuse. 6'8" 215 - Small Forward. Senior. ...Southerland doesn't receive the hype some of his teammates do - but Southerland is probably a future NBA player due to his combination of size and shooting ability. He shoots 40% from beyond the arc. ...He averages 13.7 points, and 5.3 rebounds per game. ...Other scouts view him as a power forward but I think his NBA future will be as a wing. He does have a positive career assist-to-turnover ratio. 

Michael Carter Williams - Syracuse. 6'5" 176 - Point Guard. Sophomore.  ...Carter-Williams boasts a 2.36-to-1 assist to-turnover ratio which is not often seen in a dynamic, young guard. He is long, and lean and he has terrific explosion in his decisive moves on the court. His length makes him a tough match up for smaller point guards. Carter-Williams is still learning the value of shot selection. His career field goal percentage is just 39%. He helps his team on the boards, and he can create his own shot off the dribble. ...Carter-Williams has a "red-flag" for being caught shoplifting during his stay in Syracuse (Read this). He was a 2011 McDonald's All-American. I think he has the highest ceiling of any point guard in the Tournament. 

Mitch McGary - Michigan. 6'10" 263 - Power Forward. Freshman.  ...McGary has legitimate NBA size and rebounding ability. He was recently added to Michigan's starting lineup and he has made them a better team. McGary is averaging 17 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in the 2013 Tournament to date. He shoots 59% FG. ...Read this about McGary's open attitude about living with A.D.H.D. 

Russ Smith - Louisville. 6'0" 160 - Shooting Guard. Junior. ...The best pure scorer remaining in the Tournament is Russ Smith. He loves to shoot, and he will jack up some questionable shots. But Louisville would be lost without him. Smith helps his team get through rough offensive stretches with his short memory, and aggressive play. For his career, Smith has the same number of assists as turnovers. He shoots 34% from beyond the arc, and 82% from the line. 

Gorgui Dieng - Louisville. 6'10" 220 - Center. Junior. ...The Center with the highest ceiling is Gorgui Dieng. Although a 23 year-old junior, Dieng is still considered to be a player that is ascending. Defensively, he is a force. He moves his feet extremely well and he blocks or alters a high percentage of opponents' shots in the paint. (Dieng's blocks per minute are historically equal to JaVale McGee's numbers.) While Dieng is still raw offensively, he has shown enough to make me believe he will continue to improve. He is just a career 65% free throw shooter. 

Burke listens to his coach

Trey Burke - Michigan. 5'11" 180 - Point Guard. Sophomore. ...The best in the college game at running a team (in my opinion) is Trey Burke. He is a diminutive yet highly confident and skilled point guard. While not blessed with supreme athleticism or length, Burke closes the gap on the deficiencies with his high basketball I.Q., and leadership ability. Burke has an excellent 2.42-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and he can also put the ball in the basket. He averages 19.2 points per game. Sports Illustrated named Burke their National Player of the Year for 2012-13. 

Glenn Robinson III - Michigan. 6'6" 210 - Shooting Guard. Freshman. ...The son of the "Big Dog" is an elite transition player that electrifies fans in the open court. His finishing ability helped him shoot an impressive 57% FG as a freshman. He also has an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio which speaks to his ability to make smart basketball decisions. Robinson's father, Glenn, was the first overall pick of the 1994 NBA Draft. 

C.J. Fair - Syracuse. 6'7" 216 - Small Forward. Junior. ...Fair just looks like a pro. He has a prototypical NBA wing body and an ever-improving skill set to match. This season the lefty became a legitimate three-point threat - hitting 49.2% from deep. he has improved his scoring and rebounding averages in each of his three seasons. I like Fair because he still has plenty of room for improvement. 


Mason Plumlee - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 245. ...Plumlee has NBA size, and he can finish above the rim. He averaged 17 points and ten rebounds per game this season, and he is unquestionably improving. However, Plumlee is not as high on my board as he may be on other boards. I think he is a quality college BIG-man but I'm not as sure about him as a pro.  He turns it over nearly two times for every one assist. He shoots only 57% from the line for his career (although he raised that to 67% FT this season). Plumlee is already 23 years-old.

Centers to watch in the 2013 NCAA Tournament

As much as experts continue to try to write off the fate of the BIG-man in modern basketball, it remains a fact that talented BIG players are still consistently the most efficient prospects. Shooting closer to the rim, or at the rim, produces a higher field goal percentage. A higher field goal percentage leads to more wins. Defensively - a talented BIG-man can help protect your basket and force opponents into taking shots further from the hoop - which leads to a lower field goal percentage for the opponent. ...SO... The Center - is still vital, especially in the NCAA - where there simply is not a LeBron James type hybrid talent.  

Our list of 15 Centers to watch from an NBA scouting perspective: 

Cody goes strong

Cody Zeller - Indiana. Sophomore. 6'11" 230. ...Zeller is the younger brother of Cleveland Cavaliers Center Tyler Zeller. Cody is very similar to Tyler as far as his NBA prospects are concerned. Cody knows his role, and understands that he is a BIG-man. He doesn't shy from contact. He scores 17 points per game (60% FG - career) while grabbing eight rebounds per contest this season. He is not much of a shot blocker nor is he the best passing big man but Zeller runs the floor exceptionally well and he can finish around the hoop with either hand. He is also among a select group of BIG-men that shoots over 75% from the line. 

Jeff Withey - Kansas. Senior. 7'0" 235. ...Withey is a shot-blocker that also has a little bit of an offensive game. For his size, he is quick off his feet - which allows him to block shots at a high rate. He leads my database of tournament players in blocks per minute, and his career blocks per minute rate is better historically than noted shot-blockers John Henson, and Andre Drummond. Withey can step out to hit a face-up shot or score around the rim. The 23 year-old Senior was a unanimous All Big 12 selection. He shoots 72% from the free throw line. 

Kelly Olynyk - Gonzaga. Junior. 7'0" 238. ...Olynyk is a kid that continues to improve. He was recently named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year. He raised his scoring, and rebounding averages with each season, while also bettering his free throw percentage yearly. He averages 17.5 points (on 65% FG), and seven rebounds per game this season. He is a nimble BIG-man with legitimate NBA size. He has a decent touch (he shoots 71% FT- career), and he runs the floor very well for his size. 

Mike Muscala - Bucknell. Senior. 6'11" 239. ...Muscala is a two-time Patriot League Player of the Year. He was not only the Player of the Year this season but also the Defensive Player of the Year, and the Scholar Athlete of the Year in the Patriot League. He has both a face-up and a low post, back-to-the-basket game. Muscala is a gym-rat that uses either hand well around the hoop. He is praised by all as a hard worker. 

Don't bring it.

Gorgui Dieng - Louisville. Junior. 6'10" 220. ...The Center with the highest ceiling is Gorgui Dieng. Although a 23 year-old junior, Dieng is still considered to be a player that is ascending. Defensively - he is a force. He moves his feet extremely well and he blocks or alters a high percentage of opponents shots in the paint. (Dieng's blocks per minute are historically equal to JaVale McGee's numbers.) While Dieng is still raw offensively - he has shown enough to make me  believe he will continue to improve. He is just a career 65% free throw shooter. 

Reggie Johnson - Miami. Senior. 6'10" 307 (or more) ...Johnson was already a big kid when he suffered a knee injury. Post knee-injury, he ballooned up in weight and has found it difficult to get onto the floor in Miami's rotation. Johnson has all the tools a BIG-man could ask for. He has soft hands, a big behind, and a natural nose for the ball. He is capable of scoring in double figures, and rebounding likewise. But the bottom-line is that - due to the knee injury or a lack of discipline, Johnson is so horribly out of shape - I am no longer taking him seriously as a NBA prospect. 

Mason Plumlee - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 245. ...Plumlee has NBA size, and he can finish above the rim. He averaged 17 points and ten rebounds per game this season, and he is unquestionably improving. However, Plumlee is not as high on my board as he may be on other boards. I think he is a quality college BIG-man but I'm not as sure about him as a pro.  He turns it over nearly two times for every one assist. He shoots only 57% from the line for his career (although he raised that to 67% FT this season). Plumlee is already 23 years-old.

Adreian Payne - Michigan St. Junior. 6'9" 242. ...Payne is another kid that has improved his game dramatically since I first saw him play as a freshman. He is now a BIG that can step out and stretch defenses with his improved perimeter shooting. Inside the paint, Payne has a quick second jump and he will try to dunk everything he can. He still struggles with ball handling - coughing up nearly three turnovers for every one assist. 

Birch tree. 

Khem Birch - UNLV. Sophomore. 6'9" 220. ...Birch is an explosive leaper that plays bigger than his listed 6'9" height. He was the 2012-13 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. A career 55% FG shooter, Birch scores sparingly but he impacts the game by being seemingly everywhere in the paint. He had four conference games this season with five blocks or more. Birch, from Montreal, Canada - originally played college ball at Pittsburgh before transferring to Las Vegas. 

Gregory Echenique - Creighton. Senior. 6'9" 260. ...Echenique is a 'hard-hat' Center from Venezuela. As a college BIG-man - he gets the job done. He is a good rebounder. There is nothing spectacular in his game, just solid post play offensively and defensively. I don't see much of a ceiling for Echenique. He may have already peaked when you consider his scoring has dipped in the last three seasons. 

Jon Horford - Michigan. Sophomore. 6'10" 250. ...He plays nine minutes per game, but Horford has been efficient during his rare time on the floor. Horford has the ability to knock down a face-up shot and he shows a really nice touch for a BIG (75% FT - career). Jon's older brother Al plays for the Atlanta Hawks. It may not be Jon Horford's time just yet but he's worth keeping an eye on. 

Brad Waldow - Saint Mary's. Sophomore. 6'9" 260. ...Waldow is a "wide-body" that shoots an impressive 65% FG for his brief two year career at Saint Mary's. The space-eating BIG-man needs to improve his free throw shooting (51% FT), and he needs to be better passing out of double teams (more than 2.5 turnovers per assist). With his big backside, Waldow can establish low post position with ease. He looks poised to be a prime-time performer for the Gaels in the seasons to come. 

Ryan Kelly - Duke. Senior. 6'11" 230. ...The best shooting BIG-man in the tournament is Ryan Kelly. He is deadly from three point range (48% 3-pt. this season). He made seven three point shots in Duke's win over Miami (March 2nd). ...At the line, Kelly shoots an impressive 80% - career. He improved his points, assists, and three-point shooting percentage in each his of his four seasons at Duke. 

Alex Kirk - New Mexico. Sophomore. 7'0" 250. ...Kirk provided a presence for New Mexico in the Mountain West but his 48% FG - career is huge red flag to me. A seven-footer should be much better than 48% FG. Will Kirk be able to "show, and recover" on defense in the NBA? That is the main question regarding his future. Kirk is a BIG boy. He is not the fleetest afoot but he can cause problems by taking space. He will shoot three point shots, although not very well (28% 3-pt. career). 

Steven Adams - Pittsburgh. Freshman. 7'0" 240. ...Adams is a 19 year-old Center from New Zealand. He blocks shots, rebounds, and hits an efficient 56% of his field goal attempts. He runs the floor very well and he has good hands. But he is a work in progress as a shooter, really struggling at the free throw line where he makes a putrid 42%. He has a reputation as a kid with a great motor - so let's see how he develops. 

Centers to watch in the NCAA Tourney

Cody Zeller is a SKILLED BIG

The guys that could one day be NBA Centers include many who will have to bulk-up (nothing new when scouting college players). Here are the BIG's we will keep a close eye on: Cody Zeller - Indiana, John Henson - North Carolina, Gorgui Dieng - Louisville (a personal favorite!), Tyler Zeller - North Carolina, Jeff Withey - Kansas, Eli Holman - Detroit, Bernard James - Florida St., Amir Williams - Ohio St., Andre Drummond - Connecticut, Garrett Stutz - Wichita St., Kyle O'Quinn - Norfolk St., Adreian Payne - Michigan St., Festus Ezeli - Vanderbilt. 


Bubbling under: Robert Sacre - Gonzaga, Michael Eric - Temple. 


Also consider: Henry Sims - Georgetown, Moussa Gueye - Alabama, Xavier Gibson - Florida St., Scott Saunders - Belmont, Jon Kreft - Florida St., Yancy Gates - Cincinnati.