Tristan Thompson and Jordan Hamilton: Are the Texas Longhorns Ready for the NBA?

Are Tristan Thompson and Jordan Hamilton ready for the NBA?

Watching these two rising stars and prime contributors to the success of the No. 3 Texas Longhorns over the past few weeks makes it easy to understand why this question is starting to be raised more often.

As was true in last evening's matchup with the Texas A&M Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, announcers covering Texas games have been making a point during the conference season to note that scouts have consistently been in attendance to watch the high scoring duo of Thompson and Hamilton.

Let's take a look at a few reasons why one is ready, while the other may not be just yet.

Jordan Hamilton: NBA Ready

One of the nation's most explosive and creative scorers, Hamilton has shown an extreme level of improvement in his game over the past 12 months.

Arriving in Austin as a raw talent from Compton, California, Hamilton often butted heads with Rick Barnes during the 2009-2010 season due to his poor shot selection and tendency to force the action when nothing was available. This often led to him being benched and displaying a lack of confidence when he was on the floor.

Hamilton had some huge scoring games as a freshman, but they were not necessarily the norm. That has all changed with the 2010-2011 season.

Currently averaging an even 19 points per game and shooting over 41 percent from the field, Hamilton has shown great maturity and exhibited an impressive improvement in shot selection.

This consistency has been noticed by NBA scouts, along with his ability to not only create for himself, but to shoot coming off tight screens in the lane and popping out to the perimeter to shoot threes off pick-and-rolls.

Hamilton is moving up the mock draft boards across the Internet, and deservedly so. If he were to declare himself eligible for the NBA following this season, he would likely be a late first-round to early second-round pick who would contribute almost immediately as an offensive impact player for whomever drafts him.

Hamilton is ready for the NBA.

Tristan Thompson: Not NBA Ready, Just Yet

Texas' impressive freshman center, Thompson, isn't quite ready for the bright lights of the NBA arenas. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone with knowledge of college basketball that will tell you that Thompson will not be successful in the league one day, but there is improvement needed in his game before it is polished enough for him to make the jump.

At times, Thompson has dominated in the paint on strength and athletic ability alone. His impressive size, athleticism, poise and ability to run the court have helped the young center from Canada control the game against lesser opponents.

In recent Big 12 tilts, however, Thompson has been more limited. He has struggled to get his shot off against longer defenders and cannot as easily bully his way to the basket as he was able to during the non-conference season.

To be a successful power forward, he will also need to develop a mid-range jumper, a shot which is not currently a part of his arsenal. This mid-range jumper, along with more consistent shooting from the free-throw line, will make him a valuable part of an NBA team soon, but not yet.

If Thompson chooses to leave prior to the 2011-2012 season, I think he would be jumping the gun.

If he stays for one more season of development, he could be an instant contributor to an NBA team in the fall of 2012.

Whether Hamilton and Thompson leave after the 2010-2011 season is yet to be determined.

Either way, Texas fans should feel lucky to have the opportunity to continually see NBA talent in Austin.

Hamilton and Thompson aren't the first Longhorns to make the jump, and if Rick Barnes' recruiting success continues, they will definitely not be the last.