By: David Kay
Every week The Sports Bank’s resident NBA Draft and college basketball nerd, David Kay takes a look at whose draft stock is on the rise and whose is falling. You can check out full player prospects here and David’s 2010 NBA Mock Draft here.
BUY:
Trevon Hughes, PG, Wisconsin, Sr.
Living in Wisconsin and following Hughes since he first arrived at Wisconsin, I have seen flashes where I think he can be a legit back-up NBA point guard and plenty of times where he has added to the gray hairs on Bo Ryan’s head. So far this season, Hughes has been phenomenal for the Badgers. He received praise from Coach K in Wisconsin’s win against Duke when Hughes scored 26 points and hit some big shots late in the shot clock. He then dropped 27 in a loss at UWGB and has shown the ability to hit outside shots, attack the basket, and gets after it on D’. If he keeps performing at his current level of play, he has a real chance of being a second round pick.
Jerome Dyson, SG, UConn, Sr.
With all the talent UConn lost from last season, Dyson has returned from injury and been the Huskies’ go-to scorer. He put up a solid 24 point, 14 rebound, 9 assist performance against a surprisingly very solid Harvard team. Dyson has not shot the ball exceptionally well from three and is a bit under-sized to the play the two at the next level, but heading into their game against Kentucky was just one of two D-1 players to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game (Michigan’s Manny Harris being the other.) If those numbers continue, he should be a second-round lock. By the way, is it me or does he look like Big Boi from Outkast?
Charles Garcia, PF, Seattle U, Jr.
Time to introduce everybody to another player you have probably never heard of. Garcia was supposed to transfer to Washington from Yuba Community College this off-season, but did not gain admissions into Washington and instead chose to play for Seattle U. In his brief time with the Redhawks, Garica is averaging 25.7 points and 10.4 boards a game including three straight double-doubles. He has a great inside/outside game where he can be physical down low but also has nice range on his jumper. If continues to play this well, he has first round potential.
SELL:
Evan Turner, G/F, Ohio State, Jr.
I love everything about Turner’s game and how it translates to the NBA. But anytime you fracture two vertebraes in your upper back like Turner did after taking a nasty fall on Saturday, questions will arise about re-gaining his health and the extremely high level that he was playing at to begin this season. Initial reports say Turner will miss at least eight weeks and until he returns from him injury and proves that he is still the player he was before suffering the spill; his stock has to drop some. I hope he recovers at full strength because he is a lot of fun to watch play, but back injuries are scary, especially to NBA GM’s. (Click here for a complete Turner scouting report.)
Iman Shumpert, G, Georgia Tech, Soph.
I do not mean to make this edition of “sell” an injury-riddled one, but Shumpert will miss three-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. Even prior to his injury, Shumpert was struggling with his shot scoring just 11 points on 4-18 shooting in his last three games. Give him credit though, his scoring numbers have dipped but his playmaking remains solid as he has averaged seven-plus assists during that three game span. Shumpert has first round potential but is still a year or so away from being ready for the NBA.
Matt Howard, PF, Butler, Jr.
The reigning Horizon League Player of the Year is having a rough go of it this season. He has fouled out of five of the Bulldogs’ nine games this season mainly due to his lack of athleticism. Howard works very hard on both ends but because he is just 6’8 and not much of an outside threat, his game doesn’t seem like it would fit in the NBA. I used to think he was a possible second round pick in 2011, but with his slow start to this season, I cannot see him finding spot in the association.