NBA Draft 2011: Josh Selby and 6 Other Prospects Who Are Still a Year Away
The intrigue of the NBA Draft is obvious. What sounds better to a young athlete than reaching his goal of playing in the NBA, earning good money to do it and not having to worry about going to class anymore?
Not much.
Unfortunately this intrigue, along with some sketchy agent advice, often leads to decisions that ruin a player's future.
The examples of declaring too early are plentiful. Over the past three years, Willie Warren, Solomon Alabi, Tiny Gallon, Devin Ebanks, Lance Stephenson, Terrico White, Hassan Whiteside, Patrick Mills, Nick Calathes, DeJuan Blair, Bill Walker and DeAndre Jordan all declared for the draft as freshmen or sophomores.
They were all drafted in the second round and received less money than they were expecting when they decided to go pro. Although Blair and Jordan have had moderate success, none of the other players have made a major impact in the NBA.
That doesn't mean these players aren't talented. Most of them are very athletic guys with the potential to make an impact in the NBA, who just haven't panned out yet. You can't help but wonder if another season or two at the college level would have greatly benefited each of these players.
Here is a list of seven players who could have used more seasoning, but opted to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft.
Josh Selby, SG, Kansas
1 of 7
Josh Selby was a highly-regarded prospect coming out of Lake Clifton High School and was expected to make an immediate impact with the Kansas Jayhawks.
He was suspended for the first nine games of the season because of an infraction involving Carmelo Anthony's business manager. Following his return, Selby was wildly inconsistent. He turned the ball over at a frightening pace and was unable to find his shooting stroke.
Selby missed three games in early February with a foot injury. He failed to score in double-digits in the final 13 games of the season as his minutes fluctuated. The foot injury didn't seem to be completely healed and it sapped some of his explosiveness.
Despite his less than impressive season with the Jayhawks, Selby declared for the NBA Draft anyway. It was a surprising decision—almost as if he had decided he would be going to the NBA regardless of his results at Kansas.
The potential is still there and, assuming the foot is healed, he is a great athlete.
It is going to take a leap of faith by the team that drafts him though, because it is definitely a long-term investment. The transition for a point guard is tough enough for somebody who played the position for four years in college—it will be much more difficult for somebody with just 26 collegiate games under his belt.
Tyler Honeycutt, SF, UCLA
2 of 7
Tyler Honeycutt made some statistical improvements during his second season with the UCLA Bruins, but they were most likely due to his extended minutes.
He is a versatile player that can step outside the arc and knock down threes. He struggled inside the three-point line in his sophomore season though, shooting just 43 percent. Honeycutt's free-throw shooting also leaves a lot to be desired. He shot 74 percent in his final season with the Bruins.
The biggest concern among NBA teams will be his size. Although he has good enough height to survive as a small forward in the NBA, he only weights 188 pounds. At that weight, he would get manhandled in the NBA. He will need to spend a lot of time bulking up.
Honeycutt turned the ball over too much for a small forward, averaging three turnovers per game. He will be lower in the pecking order when it comes to ball handling at the next level, so teams can't afford for him to turn it over when he does touch the ball.
Like Josh Selby, Honeycutt is a great athlete whose potential is what will interest teams in the latter part of the first round. His jump shot will allow him to make some type of impact right away, but another season in college working on his game and adding some weight would have been a better choice.
Cory Joseph, PG, Texas
3 of 7
Another point guard project, Cory Joseph should have spent at least one more year with the Texas Longhorns. He does have the size to excel at the next level, but his skills are still in need of quite a bit of seasoning before he becomes NBA ready.
During his only season with Texas, Joseph averaged 10.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and three assists. He shot 42 percent from the field, including 41 percent from the three, but just 70 percent from the line while playing 32 minutes per game.
His point guard skills are lacking and he doesn't drive to the basket well, like so many other NBA point guards. This is most likely due to a lack of strength around the hoop. He will be defended tightly in the NBA because opposing guards won't have to worry about the blow-by.
The team that drafts him will need to spend a lot waiting for him to develop. He is likely going to be a mid second-round pick, so the risk isn't as large, but there is definitely a chance he won't succeed. It will be interesting to see how early a team is willing to take a flier on him.
It isn't all bad for Joseph though, as he is a good defender with a smooth jump shot. The potential is definitely there, it's just a matter of whether or not he'll develop while spending a couple of seasons at the end of the bench.
Jordan Williams, PF, Maryland
4 of 7
Jordan Williams made across-the-board improvements during his second season with the Maryland Terrapins, but still doesn't appear ready to make an impact in the NBA.
In his sophomore year, Williams averaged 16.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, while averaging 32.5 minutes per game. He was able to defend without fouling; his foul rate actually dropped from 2.7 to 2.4 per game, despite increased minutes.
His quickness and athleticism both suffer because he isn't in elite shape. This will come into play when he is asked to guard the modern-day power forwards who stretch the floor like never before. If he didn't get into the best shape of his life heading into the draft, will he do it after he's picked?
Most of Williams' offense comes from around the basket and his jump shot is a work in progress. He struggles from the charity stripe, shooting just 55 percent during his time at Maryland. As many big men have proven over the years, that isn't an easy problem to fix.
Williams could have used another season at Maryland to focus on fitness and show scouts how good he could be when at his peak. Even if he isn't an asset on the offensive end right away, Williams will provide good defense and rebounding.
Jereme Richmond, SF, Illinois
5 of 7
One of the more surprising guys to declare for the draft, Jereme Richmond leaves Illinois after one unproductive season with the Fighting Illini.
He showed he could score on the interior, but his jump shot leaves a lot to be desired. Richmond struggled from the free-throw line and turned the ball over too much in limited minutes. He would need almost a complete overhaul of his shooting stroke in order to become an offensive force.
Richmond's defensive game wasn't especially impressive either. He is a great athlete, but averaged only 0.4 blocks and 0.4 steals. His rebounding numbers should have been higher, even though he played just 22 minutes per game.
Richmond, like the other guys on this list, has the potential to become somebody who cracks an NBA rotation. He's a freakish athlete with lightning quickness that will be given every opportunity to secure a spot on a roster, but it's not a guarantee.
There is no doubt that Richmond could have used at least one, probably two, more seasons at Illinois. He is stuck with his decision though, so he better be ready to work extremely hard to prove he made the right choice.
Greg Smith, PF, Fresno St.
6 of 7
A behemoth from the small Fresno State Bulldogs, Greg Smith declared for the NBA Draft after an average sophomore season.
He has great size and strength that will allow him to focus on refining his basketball skills after being drafted. That said, Smith is a very raw talent and it will take some time before he finds consistent bench minutes in the NBA.
Smith averaged 11.7 and 8.1 points against a lesser level of competition in the Western Athletic Conference. That illustrates how far he needs to go before he provides any meaningful minutes to an NBA franchise.
Smith is another poor free-throw shooter, shooting just 54 percent in his final year with the Bulldogs. His offensive game needs improvement in every area and his lack of athleticism doesn't leave a lot of room for that improvement.
After originally committing to Arizona, Smith decided on Fresno State instead, so he wasn't a totally unknown prospect. Declaring for the NBA Draft after very average performances in mid-major college basketball is a head-scratching maneuver, though.
Scotty Hopson, SG, Tennessee
7 of 7
Scotty Hopson is an athletic shooting guard that knows how to score the basketball; unfortunately, he is pretty one-dimensional at this point in his career. He is the only junior on this list.
Hopson averaged 17 points per game in his third and final season with the Tennessee Volunteers. He didn't contribute anything of substance to any other category. He shot 45 percent from the field, 38 percent from the three and 74 percent from the line.
Hopson has a tendency to turn the ball over too much—and at inopportune times against double teams. If he wants to be anything other than an offensive substitute in the NBA, he needs to improve his offensive game (except for his shot) in order to be useful.
On the defensive end, Hopson has the athleticism to be a strong defender. It just didn't seem like he gave the necessary effort on that end of the court this season. His lack of strength could be a problem if he is forced to play small forward.
Overall, Hopson can provide some scoring to his new team right away, but he will be a liability in most other areas. He could have benefited from another season at Tennessee to become a better all-around player instead of a one-trick pony.
