Final Four: Kemba Walker and Each 2011 NBA Draft Prospect on Display in Houston
Butler, Connecticut, Kentucky and Virginia Commonwealth are all on their way to Houston to play in the 2011 Final Four.
As an NBA guy, the only time I pay really close attention to college basketball is during March Madness. And during those games I find myself wondering which players can compete at the next level.
This year's batch of Final Four teams features several players who could be selected in this June's NBA Draft...
Shelvin Mack
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs
Position: Point Guard
NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon
Mack is a junior so there's a good chance he'll be back at Butler next season. However, if he does declare for the draft, there could be some interested teams.
On the season, he's averaging 16 points and four assists a game. In the tournament, he's shown even more of an ability to score.
In Butler's four victories, he's averaging more than 21 points a game. He's shown the ability to score in a variety of ways against big time competition, and that will pay off in June if he enters the draft.
Matt Howard
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 225 lbs
Position: Power Forward
NBA Comparison: Eduardo Najera
Howard has been a huge part of Butler's second Final Four run in as many seasons.
His chances of being drafted are certainly slim, but his play in the tournament may inspire a team to take him in the second round.
He's averaging 17 points and eight rebounds a game on the year, and shooting 50 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range.
He doesn't look like an NBA player, but his work ethic, attitude and ability to come up big in clutch situations is hard to ignore.
Kemba Walker
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Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 172 lbs
Position: Point Guard
NBA Comparison: Brandon Jennings
I've been down on Kemba Walker for most of this season, saying he looks like the next Jeff Teague to me. However, the more I see him, the more I think he can be successful in the NBA.
He's not the most efficient scorer, and he's obviously not a traditional distributing guard, but his winning attitude has been central to UConn's nine-game winning streak.
If he can manage to carry his team to two more wins, he'll be a national champion and a possible top-five pick in this June's draft.
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Jeremy Lamb
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 185 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
NBA Comparison: Ray Allen
If I had to guess, I'd say Lamb will be back for his sophomore season at UConn. But there has been some chatter regarding his pro prospects lately.
He's an extremely long (seven-foot wingspan) and athletic wing who can shoot from outside (37 percent from three-point range).
He's averaging just 11 points a game on the season, but he's been much more potent in the tournament. In UConn's last four wins, he's putting up over 18 a game.
Alex Oriakhi
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 240 lbs
Position: Center
This is another Husky who could very well stay in college for next season. But this run by UConn is drawing attention for the whole team, and that includes Oriakhi.
If he does declare for the draft, he'll probably have to perform pretty well in the combine and in his individual workouts with teams.
Jamie Skeen
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 240 lbs
Position: Power Forward
Who in the world could have foreseen a Final Four showdown between Butler and Virginia Commonwealth?
VCU's unbelievable run over the last few weeks could very well get senior forward Jamie Skeen drafted in the second round of this summer's NBA Draft.
He's been an integral part of their success, averaging 15.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He can score inside and out (he's shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range).
Bradford Burgess
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Current Draft Stock: Second Round to Undrafted
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 225 lbs
Position: Small Forward
Burgess possesses basketball's most important skill in abundance. He is a great shooter. In this tournament, he's been particularly impressive from three-point range.
On the year, he's averaging over 14 points a game and shooting over 40 percent from the outside. In VCU's last four games he's hit 13 out of his 18 three-point attempts.
He also rebounds well (more than six a game), and has a very wide body for a wing player.
Doron Lamb
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Current Draft Stock: Late First to Early Second Round
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 183 lbs
Position: Shooting Guard
Lamb has emerged as yet another Calipari freshman phenom. He's one of the best three-point shooters in the country, and his midrange game is solid as well. Plus, he's a very natural scorer and a decent athlete.
Calipari's sent plenty of one-and-done guys to the league over the last few years, but there's still a chance Lamb will come back for his sophomore season.
Brandon Knight
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Current Draft Stock: Potential Lottery Pick (and rising)
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 183 lbs
Position: Point Guard
NBA Comparison: Jason Terry
John Calipari has sent three really good point guards to the NBA in the last three years (Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans and John Wall).
It looks like he may be sending another potential star in Brandon Knight. The hype around him was a lot louder before this year, but he'll still be drafted in the first round.
Terrence Jones
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Current Draft Stock: Lottery Pick
Height: 6'8"
Weight: 226 lbs
Position: Small Forward
NBA Comparison: Lamar Odom
Terrence Jones has had a solid freshman season. He's the Wildcats second leading scorer, and leads the team in rebounding and blocks.
He's displayed great athleticism and versatility over the course of the whole year. He handles the ball extremely well for a player of his size.
Also, his size is deceiving. He may only be 6'8", but his wingspan is 7'3"
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