NBA Draft 2012: Projecting Scoop Jardine's Skills as an NBA Player
Among the Syracuse Orange stars eager to play in the NBA is point guard Scoop Jardine, who's working hard to get noticed by scouts leading up to the 2012 NBA draft.
The 6'2" prospect from Philadelphia finished his Syracuse career strong with an excellent NCAA tournament, but will it be enough to pique the interest of pro executives?
Jardine declined to play in the Portsmouth Invitational last month, but he's been training hard and getting in the best possible shape for pre-draft camps and workouts.
He's a competent ball-handler who might have some trouble keeping up with athletic guards at the next level. What are his other strengths and weaknesses?
Here is a comprehensive projection of Scoop Jardine's skills as an NBA player.
Ball-Handling: NBA-Caliber
1 of 8Scoop Jardine was easily the best ball-handler for the Syracuse Orange the last couple years, and his skills allowed him to create opportunities for everyone on the floor.
He is comfortable driving with either hand, and he combines his handle with nifty footwork to get past defenders on a regular basis. Even though he's a below-average athlete, his ball control helps him get almost anywhere and orchestrate the offense.
Jardine's skills won't stand out at draft camps or the Las Vegas Summer League, but they'll be more than adequate in helping him strive for a roster spot.
Floor-General Skills: Not NBA-Caliber
2 of 8NBA scouts can't complain about Scoop Jardine's assist-to-turnover ratio, which was a respectable 2.1 last season. Also, DraftExpress.com notes that he was top 10 in the country in assists per 40 minutes pace adjusted.
However, he's not suited to run the point for an NBA franchise. Jardine is prone to pushing the ball and being a bit too aggressive, which often leads to errant passes and turnovers.
He has stretches of brilliant play, but his lack of consistency or reliability as a floor general raise the biggest question marks.
It's a legitimate reason to doubt that he can be an effective point guard in the NBA.
Mid-Range Resourcefulness: NBA-Caliber
3 of 8Creativity and craftiness are two of Scoop Jardine's strong suits. He used any means necessary to score and dish inside the arc for the Orange throughout his career.
He's adept at changing direction and freeing himself for mid-range jumpers, floaters and scoop shots.
During his years of Big East battles, Jardine made a living off creating a window of opportunity and barely getting a shot off or penetrating to set up an alley-oop.
He'll need to utilize his penchant for off-balance jumpers and unpredictable maneuvers in the lane if he wants to be a scoring threat as a pro.
These tools might not be quite as effective in the NBA, but they could be dangerous overseas or in the Developmental League.
Three-Point Shooting: Not NBA-Caliber
4 of 8Syracuse was a streaky three-point shooting team in 2011-12, and Scoop Jardine might as well be the poster boy for that long-distance campaign.
There were multiple times this season where he went three straight games without netting a deep ball. But there were also glimpses of sharpshooting, like his 4-of-4 outing against Connecticut in February or his 8-of-13 NCAA tournament showing.
Jardine's form isn't bad, but his jumper is somewhat inefficient because there's a slight pause and a hitch as he shoots it on the way down.
This inconsistency and inefficiency don't bode well for the NBA three-point line.
Fast-Break Skills: NBA-Caliber
5 of 8Throughout his five-year career, Scoop Jardine has had the opportunity to run the fast break with NBA players like Johnny Flynn, Wes Johnson, Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters, among others.
He knows how to quickly feed his athletic wing players in open space, often with a well-placed alley-oop. But Jardine also knows how to use the dribble until the defense commits, and then make the delivery.
After years of playing with elite athletes at Syracuse, Jardine is well-adjusted to run-and-gun situations.
Athleticism and Explosiveness: Not NBA-Caliber
6 of 8There's no way to sugarcoat it. Scoop Jardine isn't an NBA-caliber athlete. He lacks the speed and vertical explosiveness that's prevalent in the league.
He was able to get away with his underwhelming quickness and non-existent elevation in college, but NBA executives aren't going to let it slide so easily. This dearth of athleticism hurts his upside and maximum potential, thereby diminishing his draft stock considerably.
It's no secret that Jardine isn't the next Derrick Rose, so all he can do is work on his foot speed, vertical and conditioning and hope that, along with his skills, it's enough to get some looks during the summer.
Defense: Not NBA-Caliber
7 of 8This lack of explosiveness and below-average lateral quickness makes Scoop Jardine an unappealing on-ball defender in the NBA.
He was a competitive defender as part of Syracuse's 2-3 zone, and he has good hands and instincts.
But in the man-to-man world of the NBA, where he'd be squaring off against point guards with blinding speed, Jardine would be torched more often than not.
Ninety percent of defense is about moving your feet, and unfortunately he isn't too proficient at moving his feet quickly.
Overall Outlook
8 of 8Scoop Jardine enjoyed a superb career at Syracuse, and he helped run the show on a couple of terrific teams, but it probably won't be enough to earn him a spot in the NBA.
He has the skills and the wherewithal to be a decent backup point guard, but his lack of athleticism and physical tools give him a disadvantage heading into this crucial summer of scrutiny.
On the bright side, he could end up being a poor man's version of Andre Miller or Eddie House if he improves his jump shot and finds the right system.
Jardine will likely get an invitation from an NBA team to the Vegas Summer League, and when he gets there, it's up to him to achieve his dream and earn a 2012-13 roster spot.
