NBA Draft 2011: Kemba Walker and the 12 Best Slashers Available
The NBA Draft is just over a month away, and speculation is aplenty. Who will go first, Kyrie Irving or Derrick Williams? Will certain teams pick size and strength or ultimately go for strong leadership?
However, rather then spend today doing a pick-by-pick analysis and just guess which team will take who, I'd like to focus on a certain type of player featured in every draft: the slasher. For those unfamiliar with the term, a slasher is a player who excels at penetrating defensive schemes and drives to the basket with the skill of a professional. A slasher's ultimate goal is not only to score points on the inside, but also draw fouls if they can. Anyone who watched this year's NCAA Tournament knows that one of the top slashers was Connecticut's Kemba Walker (pictured).
Walker is sure to be a lottery pick given his tournament performance, and his slashing skills are sure to become some of the NBA's best. Here are the 12 best slashers in the draft, Walker included.
No. 12: Travis Leslie, Georgia
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If I were scouting for the NBA, there is one note I would make about Travis Leslie: "built like a guard, plays like a big man." Leslie may be average for a guard's size at 6'4", 205 pounds, but his numbers clearly resemble that of a dominant inside presence.
Last season, as a junior, Leslie averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebound per game. His field goal percentage was an astounding 49 percent. While most guards are known to be good three-point shooters, Leslie never took more than three attempts from downtown in a game this season.
Long story short, Leslie clearly has a team-first attitude and has no problem sacrificing his body if it means attacking opposing defenses, getting to the basket and scoring points.
No. 11: Justin Harper, Richmond
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In watching the tournament, one player who stood out to me was Richmond's Justin Harper. A 6'10", 225 pound forward, this man moved a lot more like a point guard in some cases despite the Spiders having a fine point man in Kevin Anderson. In his senior year, Harper averaged 17.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Despite being a great inside presence, Harper was impressive in just how he managed to get to the basket. His size would make one think he's slow on his feet, but he managed to find a way around defenders and get the ball in the hoop. His efforts were rewarded with his making 53 percent of his shots last season.
Harper may need to add a little bit of muscle to become a force on the NBA level, but look for him to continue bumping, grinding and slashing his way to the hoop once he adjusts to the pros.
No. 10: Klay Thompson, Washington State
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If there's one thing that burns me up about some basketball fans, it's their ignorance regarding guards and their defensive effort. More often than not, I'll hear someone say something about how guards never do enough in terms of crashing the boards and getting a rebound. If only these people had watched Klay Thompson play.
Thompson averaged 21.6 points his junior year, but also averaged 5.2 rebounds. Given, most of them were on the defensive end, but just imagine what he would have to do for the offensive rebounds. This young man is simply great at working his way around defenses to get the ball not just off the boards, but into the basket as well.
No. 9: Tobias Harris, Tennessee
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As I've said before, Tobias Harris is probably the best swingman in the draft. In basketball, a swingman is someone who can simply do it all: rebound, shoot, pass, play good defense, etc. Harris can do all of those things and on top of that, is a great slasher.
In a season marred by scandal, Harris still managed to average 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game on 46 percent shooting. While most small forwards on the college level seem to care more about making shots look pretty, Harris simply did what he could to help his team win and overcome all of the obstacles in front of them. That usually meant putting the team on his back and sacrificing his body in driving through the lane to get the ball past defenders.
Tennessee's future may be cloudy, but Harris' future is nothing but bright as he prepares to bring his talents to the NBA.
No. 8: Nolan Smith, Duke
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Nolan Smith may have made a name for himself as a three-point shooter on the college level, but like any good point guard, he was also a master at driving the rock to the basket and drawing fouls. Last season, he averaged 20.6 points on 46 percent shooting.
How well Smith will do on the professional level is debatable, but his team-first mentality is something that will stand out to NBA squads in need of a young guard. This man is a true leader, and despite being small at 6'2" and 185 pounds, he has no problem getting some bumps and bruises as he works his way around players much bigger than him just to draw a foul and potentially get two free points at the charity stripe.
He may be known as a shooter, but he's also a fine slasher.
No. 7: Chris Singleton, Florida State
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Given the type of player Chris Singleton is, a 6'9" 225 pound big man, his numbers are fairly average. Last season, he only averaged 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds (plus 1.5 blocks) on 43 percent shooting.
Yet, one must remember that Singleton missed close to a month with a broken foot and rushed his recovery to come back for the tournament. Thus, his numbers may have taken a slight hit. However, before he got hurt, Singleton was one of the best slashers in the NCAA.
While he takes his share of three-point shots, Singleton is definitely an inside man first. He uses his size and big hands to work around the defense and get to the basket, broken foot or not. When healthy, he is consistently successful on these efforts.
Look for him to continue improving his low-post game in the NBA.
No. 6: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State
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Kawhi Leonard is not the best forward in the draft by any means. He's a bit undersized at 6'7" and 225 pounds, and his three-point shot needs a lot of work. However, despite his faults, the former San Diego State Aztec is easily the best athlete in the draft.
Even though he's small for his position, Leonard put his body on the line game after game just to score on the inside. He finished the season with averages of 15.5 points and 10.6 rebounds. He made 44 percent of his field goal attempts.
How well Leonard will do in the pros after just two years of school remains to be seen, but given his unbelievable ability and seeming preference to drive to the basket for points and crash the boards for rebounds, I'd say he has a lot of potential.
No. 5: Josh Selby, Kansas
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Josh Selby only played one season at Kansas before declaring for the draft, a decision considered by many to be premature. He only averaged 7.9 points and 2.2 assists as a freshman, but showed flashes of good defense. He shot 37 percent from the field.
However, in the tournament, Selby showed great skill in getting his spindly 6'2", 183 pound frame around some of the nation's top big men just to attempt a shot on the inside. Scouts don't have much to go on with Selby given his limited experience, but if he can bring that fire with him to the pros, he's due for a long and successful career as a slasher.
No. 4: Brandon Knight, Kentucky
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Contrary to popular belief, point guards who play for John Calipari are more than just fancy shooters. Case in point, Brandon Knight. He averaged 17.3 points on 42 percent shooting as a freshman. More often than not, it was from slashing his way to the basket for a layup.
Unlike most freshman players, Knight is very mature. Instead of trying to make every shot of his look pretty, he'll put the team on his back and just grind his way to scoring points. If that means getting knocked around in the middle by the opposing team's tough big man, so be it.
Knight is a leader first and a player second, so look for him to continue his college method of playing for whichever team drafts him.
No. 3: Darius Morris, Michigan
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At 6'4" and 190 pounds, Darius Morris is big for a point guard. As a sophomore, he averaged 15 points on 40 percent shooting for the Wolverines. Those numbers may seem low, but one must remember that Michigan's offense last season was built around the team's shooters.
Still, whenever given the opportunity, Morris drove his skinny self to the basket and executed some amazing crossovers in the process. More often than not, he found himself at the free throw line because his slashing ways earned him a trip there.
His three-point shot may need a lot of work, but Morris is a good enough point man and penetrator to earn the No. 3 spot on this list.
No. 2: Kemba Walker, Connecticut
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This past season, Kemba Walker proved himself to be the best leader in college basketball. Despite the odds stacked against his team, he led them not only to a Big East Championship, but to a national one as well. He averaged 23.5 points per game, and regarding his being a top slasher, just look at this statistic: He attempted 315 free throws last season, sinking 258 (81 percent).
That number alone shows that while Walker may be best known for his fancy crossovers and ankle-breaking shots, he is just as good when it comes to sacrificing his body (small at 6'1" and 172 pounds) for the good of the team. The team that ultimately drafts him will be in for some surely instant improvement.
No. 1: Kyrie Irving, Duke
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I find it simply astounding that Kyrie Irving only played 11 games in his one year of college ball and is already projected to be the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. Yet, looking at his stats, I can understand why. In those 11 games, he averaged 17.5 points and had an amazing field goal percentage of 53.
Yet, this slideshow is about the best slashers, and simply put, Irving is the best. On the season, Irving sunk 64 of 71 free throws. In Duke's second game of the tournament, against Michigan, he scored nine of his 11 points at the charity stripe.
Simply put, Irving is a master at driving to the hoop and drawing fouls. Even when he doesn't draw a foul, his shot always finds a way in. Given that, I'll be shocked if the Cleveland Cavaliers don't take him with the first pick.
If the team does indeed pass on him, they'll be missing out on potentially the next great NBA point guard.
