Tweet
Players don't make it in the NBA for a variety of reasons. Some guys aren't athletic enough for the league; others don't have the work ethic. A few of the traits are easy to see, but most are difficult to determine until it is too late.
Here are 10 highly regarded players who could end up struggling to make a significant impact in the NBA.
DeMarcus Cousins
Cousins is the darling of the statistical evaluations. One concern I have with variations of PER is that it rewards players with high rebounding and high field goal percentage numbers that play limited minutes. On film, Cousins is an advanced offensive player; his post moves are more developed than a lot of current NBA centers. However, his attitude could counteract those positives. Too often, Cousins showed signs of immaturity that made him an unlikable player to watch at Kentucky. It is one thing to get into it with the opposition; it's another to challenge your coach. Cousins disappointed a lot of NBA people by saying that concerns about his behavior were media-driven. Plus his work ethic, conditioning and defensive commitment are all question marks at this point.
Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside has all the measurements you would want, just under 7 feet tall in shoes with a ridiculous 7-foot-7 wingspan, but can he play? His shot selection is terrible. Whiteside settles for a lot of long 2-point attempts and plays as if he has no interest in passing to anyone once he has the ball. His block totals are impressive -- 5.4 per game -- but he floats on too many possessions. Whiteside will have to work much harder around screens to be an effective team defender in the NBA.
Lance Stephenson
One of the most hyped players coming out of New York City, Stephenson has a lot of name recognition. But his first season at Cincinnati was inconsistent. Stephenson is in love with his dribble. He will try to break down his defender one-on-one, constantly ignoring his teammates. He is not effective off the ball and shows little interest when he isn't involved. Stephenson has loose shot mechanics and made just 22 percent of his 3-point attempts. He has used his strength to get by at lower levels, but I'm not sure he is athletic enough to play SG or SF in the NBA.
Daniel Orton
It is always a challenge evaluating a potential lottery pick that only played 13 minutes per game, but Orton sure seems like an inconsistent player. Granted, he is huge, moves well and is good around the basket, but when he gets caught in traffic with the ball, the possession doesn't end well. On film, I find myself wondering what he was thinking with some passes, and I rarely have an answer. Orton gets frustrated too easily and can take himself out of games. He is a good team defender, shows on screens, closes out on the perimeter and holds position well, but he goes for a lot of fakes and he needs to cut down on his fouls.
Gordon Hayward
This is difficult, because there are so many things that I like about Hayward's game. He is tough, finds the ball, has a good handle, makes the right decision and looks like a great teammate. But who is he going to guard? Hayward will be matched up against the best big athletes in the world, and they will simply post him up until he gets stronger. Perhaps the biggest question is his shooting. He converted only 29 percent of his 3s last year after hitting 45 percent his freshman season. If he doesn't improve his long-range jumper, it will be hard to find a role for the potential top-10 pick.
Terrico White
White can score, but if you are drafting him as a point guard, you aren't getting one. This is a weak draft at that position and teams will reach for players they think can become PGs, which is usually a mistake. As a shooting guard, White will spot up for jumpers and attack the rim, but when he had to play the point two seasons ago, he still looked like a one-dimensional scorer. White reminds me of Tyreke Evans, but not in a good way. The likeness lies in endless drives to the basket that don't involve anyone else.
Paul George
George has been getting a lot of buzz, projecting as a 6-9 shooting guard. But against poor competition, George was invisible during stretches this season. He's inconsistent with his decision making. In transition he is impressive, but in the half court he takes a lot of bad shots and gets into trouble with some questionable drives. If a team takes him in the lottery, it will be passing on better players.
Ed Davis
Davis has great shooting and rebounding numbers, but when you watch him, you end up expecting more than he actually delivers. His lack of strength means the rebounding numbers won't translate and getting post position is going to be a struggle. Davis is not the kind of athlete that is just going to get his buckets by cleaning up. Davis is too raw to go in the top seven picks.
Stanley Robinson
Last year, one lottery team told me they were thinking of taking Robinson if he stayed in the draft, but this year his stock has fallen. Robinson is an athletic small forward and is great around the rim, but he can't dribble and his 3-point shot isn't nearly as good as advertised. In the right system he could be a role player, but he will never be a consistent scoring threat.
Willie Warren
Warren has a chance to go in the first round based on his ability to get to the rim. This past season was a disaster though. His shooting was terrible and the team fell apart with him as the leader. Ask any scout, and you'll hear horror stories about Warren's immaturity and lack of commitment. If Warren doesn't grow up, he will be a waste of a pick.
Here are 10 highly regarded players who could end up struggling to make a significant impact in the NBA.
DeMarcus Cousins
Cousins is the darling of the statistical evaluations. One concern I have with variations of PER is that it rewards players with high rebounding and high field goal percentage numbers that play limited minutes. On film, Cousins is an advanced offensive player; his post moves are more developed than a lot of current NBA centers. However, his attitude could counteract those positives. Too often, Cousins showed signs of immaturity that made him an unlikable player to watch at Kentucky. It is one thing to get into it with the opposition; it's another to challenge your coach. Cousins disappointed a lot of NBA people by saying that concerns about his behavior were media-driven. Plus his work ethic, conditioning and defensive commitment are all question marks at this point.
Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside has all the measurements you would want, just under 7 feet tall in shoes with a ridiculous 7-foot-7 wingspan, but can he play? His shot selection is terrible. Whiteside settles for a lot of long 2-point attempts and plays as if he has no interest in passing to anyone once he has the ball. His block totals are impressive -- 5.4 per game -- but he floats on too many possessions. Whiteside will have to work much harder around screens to be an effective team defender in the NBA.
Lance Stephenson
One of the most hyped players coming out of New York City, Stephenson has a lot of name recognition. But his first season at Cincinnati was inconsistent. Stephenson is in love with his dribble. He will try to break down his defender one-on-one, constantly ignoring his teammates. He is not effective off the ball and shows little interest when he isn't involved. Stephenson has loose shot mechanics and made just 22 percent of his 3-point attempts. He has used his strength to get by at lower levels, but I'm not sure he is athletic enough to play SG or SF in the NBA.
Daniel Orton
It is always a challenge evaluating a potential lottery pick that only played 13 minutes per game, but Orton sure seems like an inconsistent player. Granted, he is huge, moves well and is good around the basket, but when he gets caught in traffic with the ball, the possession doesn't end well. On film, I find myself wondering what he was thinking with some passes, and I rarely have an answer. Orton gets frustrated too easily and can take himself out of games. He is a good team defender, shows on screens, closes out on the perimeter and holds position well, but he goes for a lot of fakes and he needs to cut down on his fouls.
Gordon Hayward
This is difficult, because there are so many things that I like about Hayward's game. He is tough, finds the ball, has a good handle, makes the right decision and looks like a great teammate. But who is he going to guard? Hayward will be matched up against the best big athletes in the world, and they will simply post him up until he gets stronger. Perhaps the biggest question is his shooting. He converted only 29 percent of his 3s last year after hitting 45 percent his freshman season. If he doesn't improve his long-range jumper, it will be hard to find a role for the potential top-10 pick.
Terrico White
White can score, but if you are drafting him as a point guard, you aren't getting one. This is a weak draft at that position and teams will reach for players they think can become PGs, which is usually a mistake. As a shooting guard, White will spot up for jumpers and attack the rim, but when he had to play the point two seasons ago, he still looked like a one-dimensional scorer. White reminds me of Tyreke Evans, but not in a good way. The likeness lies in endless drives to the basket that don't involve anyone else.
Paul George
George has been getting a lot of buzz, projecting as a 6-9 shooting guard. But against poor competition, George was invisible during stretches this season. He's inconsistent with his decision making. In transition he is impressive, but in the half court he takes a lot of bad shots and gets into trouble with some questionable drives. If a team takes him in the lottery, it will be passing on better players.
Ed Davis
Davis has great shooting and rebounding numbers, but when you watch him, you end up expecting more than he actually delivers. His lack of strength means the rebounding numbers won't translate and getting post position is going to be a struggle. Davis is not the kind of athlete that is just going to get his buckets by cleaning up. Davis is too raw to go in the top seven picks.
Stanley Robinson
Last year, one lottery team told me they were thinking of taking Robinson if he stayed in the draft, but this year his stock has fallen. Robinson is an athletic small forward and is great around the rim, but he can't dribble and his 3-point shot isn't nearly as good as advertised. In the right system he could be a role player, but he will never be a consistent scoring threat.
Willie Warren
Warren has a chance to go in the first round based on his ability to get to the rim. This past season was a disaster though. His shooting was terrible and the team fell apart with him as the leader. Ask any scout, and you'll hear horror stories about Warren's immaturity and lack of commitment. If Warren doesn't grow up, he will be a waste of a pick.
Comment