Portsmouth Invitational 2012: Early Standouts from Exciting Tournament

The regular season is over, taking a great wealth of opportunities away from NBA prospects to shine. One last exhibition is the 2012 Portsmouth Invitational, and there are clear winners already. 

A small tournament brings in some of the best under-the-radar talent in the nation for a few days of exciting basketball. 

This is not just an exhibition of talent; it's a job interview for dozens of players who are hungry to make their mark at the invitational. 

If you do well here, you may just hear your name called in a few months at the NBA draft. We are still early in the tourney, but here are some returns on players who are already showing top-notch talent at the Portsmouth Invitational. 

1. Kevin Murphy

NBA.com reminds us there were a bunch of professional personnel in attendance on night one, including general managers Mitch Kupchak (L.A. Lakers), Daryl Morey (Houston Rockets) and Rick Sund (Atlanta Hawks). 

There is one player who is sure to now be on their radar, and that's Tennessee Tech's Kevin Murphy. The Tennessee Tech guard, who averaged 21 points a game as a senior, showed that he is no fluke. 

He had a game-high 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting, and should now receive some discussion as a second-round prospect. He is the big standout early. 

2. Jordan Taylor

The Wisconsin guard made the most of what was a sloppy game on both accounts. He has been praised for his high basketball IQ in the past, but made some errors early. 

As Rob Reheuser reports for NBA.com, he well made up for the lack of poise early by adapting late in the game. 

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Taylor adjusted to the way the game was being played, took better care of the ball, made several spectacular passes and got his team into the win column. Point guards often have a difficult time at the PIT, trying to adapt to their new teammates on the fly. Give Taylor credit for fighting through a tough night and coming out on top.

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3. Jason Clark

Clark is an interesting prospect because he comes in undersized but has a wealth of intangibles that scouts like. 

He certainly did the right things early in the PIT, getting 13 points and six rebounds. He will need more of that kind of output if he wants to put questions on his size and ability to play at the next level to rest. 

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