james harden

NBA Draft: Good Decisions

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:48:27 -0700

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

Draft Decisions: Good, Bad and Everything In-Between

Part One

The deadline for underclassmen to declare for the Draft has long passed, but the fun part is just beginning. Those who haven’t signed with an agent are eligible to return to school, while others are already picking out their suits for Draft Night. Patrick Patterson is the first big name who entered the Draft but has returned to school. As is usually the case, the list of remaining underclassmen includes some…how should I put this…interesting names. How many people watched Texas A&M this year and thought Chinemelu Elonu was a future NBA player? Or that two players from DePaul, who went 0-18 in the Big East, would feel they were NBA-ready?

So without further ado, here’s a look at some of the decisions made by players, ranging from the good to the bad to the bizarre.

Good Decisions

• Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. This was a no-brainer. The consensus top pick should have an immediate impact in the league, and has All-Star potential.

• Hasheem Thabeet, UConn. Again, another obvious choice. Thabeet has the ability to contribute right away on the defensive end, and will likely be a top-3 selection.

• James Harden, Arizona State. Harden stumbled during the NCAA Tournament, but that shouldn’t diminish his terrific year. Harden isn’t a high-flying athlete, but he always seems to end up in the right spot, and he knows how to put the ball in the basket. He’s demonstrated a high basketball IQ, and is a level-headed kid who teams can market. He’s likely to be a top-5 selection.

• BJ Mullens, Ohio State. While Mullens didn’t set the world on fire during his freshman year, he still possesses the physical traits that make scouts drool, mainly size and athleticism. While there’s no doubt he needs time to develop, he’s a first-round lock and will be cashing some large checks next year.

• DeMar DeRozan, USC. Like Mullins, DeRozan had an underwhelming freshman year, although he really came on at the end of the year. DeRozan still needs some polish on his game, but his combination of athleticism and size will land him a spot in the lottery.

• Ty Lawson/Wayne Ellington, North Carolina. Both players have some physical limitations that scare scouts, but they’re both entering the draft with plenty of buzz after leading the Tar Heels to the national title. Both players are proven winners who answered plenty of doubters through the year, and likely wouldn’t have improved their stock much by returning to school.

• DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh. While not a prototypical big man, Blair is also striking while the iron is hot, after leading Pitt to one of their best seasons ever. With the Panthers already losing seniors Sam Young and Levance Fields, opponents likely would have been able to key on Blair next year, which could have hurt his stock.

• Chase Budinger/Jordan Hill, Arizona. Both players have endured plenty of drama in Tucson, and as a result, have shown their character and maturity. Hill, who has improved dramatically, could be a top-5 pick, while Budinger has gradually addressed his weaknesses and could climb into the late lottery.

• James Johnson, Wake Forest. While the Deacons went out on a sour note, Johnson still has scouts buzzing about his potential. A terrific athlete from the small forward position, Johnson is a match-up nightmare when he’s focused. A likely top-10 selection.

>> Continue to Part Two: Bad & Questionable Decisions

2009 NBA Draft: Top 10 By Class

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:43:25 -0700

Top Ten Prospects By Class

Last Updated April 22nd. (Note that the status of Draft entrants is still in flux.)

Click on player for complete profile & scouting report. More profiles added daily. Ranking based on CHN's 6-star ranking system (see below)

Freshman

1) Tyreke Evans - PG/SG - Memphis

2) BJ Mullens - C - Ohio State

3) DeMar DeRozan - SG - USC

4) Jrue Holiday - SG - UCLA

Sophomore

1) Blake Griffin - PF - Oklahoma

2) James Harden - SG - Arizona State

3) Jeff Teague - PG/SG - Wake Forest

4) James Johnson - SF - Wake Forest

5) Patrick Mills - PG - St. Mary's

6) Craig Brackins - F - Iowa State

7) Patrick Patterson - SF/PF - Kentucky

8) DeJuan Blair - PF - Pittsburgh

9) Nick Calathes - PG - Florida

10) Jonny Flynn - PG - Syracuse

Junior

1) Hasheem Thabeet - C - UCONN

2) Jordan Hill - PF - Arizona

3) Ty Lawson - PG - UNC

4) Stephen Curry - PG/SG - Davidson

5) Earl Clark - SF - Louisville

6) Gerald Henderson - SG - Duke

7) Chase Budinger - SF - Arizona

8) Wayne Ellington - SG - UNC

9) Damion James - SF - Texas

10) Jodie Meeks - SG - Kentucky

Senior

1) Sam Young - SF - Pittsburgh

2) Eric Maynor - PG - VCU

3) Tyler Hansbrough - PF/C - UNC

4) Darren Collison - PG - UCLA

5) Terrence Williams - SG - Louisville

6) AJ Price - PG - UCONN

7) Marcus Thornton - SG - LSU

8) Josh Heytvelt - PF - Gonzaga

9) Lee Cummard - SG - BYU

10) Toney Douglas - PG - Florida St

International

1) Ricky Rubio - PG - DKV Joventut

2) Brandon Jennings - PG - Arizona

3) Omri Casspi - SF - Macabbi Tel Aviv

4) Vladimir Dasic - SF - Buducnost Podgorica

5) Rodrigues Beaubois - PG - Cholet

6) Nando de Colo - PG - Cholet

7) Vitor Faverini - PF/C - Malaga

8) Vyacheslav Kravtsov - C - Zalgiris Kaunas

9) Henk Norel - PF - DKV Joventut

10) Gasper Vidmar - C - Fenerbahce

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential

= Potential NBA All-Star

= Consistent NBA Starter

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter

= Career Reserve

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues

More

Top 10 By Position Ranking

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

2009 Top 100 Ranking & Profiles

AP All-America Team: Griffin Unanimous

Matthew Ryter — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:28:27 -0700

The Story: Blake Griffin, the leading rebounder in the nation, was the only unanimous selection for the All-American team. Griffin received 71 first-team votes. The voters submit the ballots before the NCAA tournament. The Sooners were bounced from the tournament yesterday by North Carolina, led by fellow All-American Tyler Hansbrough. Hansbrough was a unanimous selection last year while also being named the consensus player of the year as a junior. This is the fourth straight season that he has earned All-American honors. Hansbrough was a third-teamer his freshman year and a second-teamer as a sophomore. He is also the third player to earn back-to-back first team accolades. He joins Phil Ford (1977-78) and Michael Jordan (1983-84). DeJuan Blair is Pittsburgh's second first-team All-American. Blair joins Don Hennon, who received first-team honors in 1958. Blair, who averaged a double-double this season, led the Panthers to a No. 1 seed in this year's tournament. Blair is the only post-season All-American not to be named on the preseason team. James Harden becomes Arizona State's first player to be an AP All-American. Harden averaged 20.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Stephen Curry rounds out the first-team. Curry led the country in scoring at 28.3 points per game. He helped lead Davidson to a regular season Southern Conference title, but Wildcats failed to earn an NCAA bid this season. Hasheem Thabeet of Connecticut, Ty Lawson of North Carolina, Luke Harangody of Notre Dame, Jodie Meeks of Kentucky, and Jerel McNeal of Marquette make up the second-team. The third-team consists of Terrence Williams of Louisville, Toney Douglas of Florida State, Sam Young of Pittsburgh, Sherron Collins of Kansas, and Gerald Henderson of Duke.

AP All-America Team:
G - Stephen Curry, Davidson, Jr
G - James Harden, Arizona St, So
F - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, So
F - DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, So
F - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC, Sr

Ryter's Block: It's hard to argue with the first-team. Griffin will be the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA Draft assuming he forgoes his eligibility and enters. I don't see him coming back next season. I think he proved himself in college, his brother is graduating, and it's almost a guarantee he goes No. 1. He's also matured this season. I think last year he was a ‘show boat' and this year he was more ‘professional.' Tyler Hansbrough may go out on top this year. The Tar Heels are two wins away from a championship. You hardly see a player of this caliber stay in college for four years and I tip my cap to him. Although he isn't projected as a great NBA talent, he will get drafted and deserves first-team honors again. DeJuan Blair manhandled his opponents in the paint (see Hasheem Thabeet). Although the Panthers didn't make it to Detroit, they had a successful season and Blair was the main reason for their success. He was nearly unstoppable underneath. Many people forget that Stephen Curry had to run the point for Davidson this season. I think the transition was done smoothly. I got to watch him in person this year at Madison Square Garden against West Virginia where he just took over that game. He impressed me. He's more then just a shooter, the kid can play. James Harden is a projected NBA lottery pick. He led the Sun Devils to the dance and then he failed to show up come tourney time. He may have dropped to second-team if the voters counted tourney play.

Who was left off? Who shouldn't be on here? Post your comments below.

James Harden: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 17:45:19 -0800

James Harden

College: Arizona State

Class: Sophomore

Position: SG

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 218lbs

Accolades: First Team All-Pac-10 (08), Second Team Freshman All-American -CHN (08), Pac-10 All-Freshman Team (08), McDonald’s All-American - high school (07), Second Team Parade All-American - high school (07).

Scouting Report: A silky smooth shooting guard.

Strengths: Lefthanded. An explosive scorer - had over 30 points in three out of the team’s first six games his sophomore year. Shoots for an extremely high % everywhere on the court (FG, 3Pt, FT). Great at getting fouled and knocking down his free throws. Has three-point range on his jumper. Very good rebounder and assist man for his position. Young - will only be 20-years-old when next NBA season begins. Strong, solid build - won’t be pushed around in the NBA. Great at playing the passing lanes - led the Pac-10 in steals his freshman year. Smooth and under control. Mature and poised. Unselfish player. Used to being double-teamed.

Weaknesses: Not a standout athlete - not especially quick or a high leaper. Questionable foot-speed may limit his ability to guard one-on-one effectively in the NBA. Will be short for a shooting guard (may only be 6’4”). Turns the ball over too often.

Projected 2009 Draft Range: Top five pick.

Consensus: The Sun Devils’ James Harden has all the makings of being a solid NBA pro. While his lack of freaky NBA athleticism might limit his potential for stardom, he is a shrewd enough player that he will find a way to succeed and should enjoy a long career.

Stats:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36072

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System w/ 2008 Equivalents

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential - Michael Beasley

= Potential NBA All-Star - Derrick Rose

= Consistent NBA Starter - Brook Lopez

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter - Russell Westbrook

= Career Reserve - Roy Hibbert

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man - JR Giddens

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues - Drew Neitzel

BIG Picture: James Harden

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:51:10 -0800

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Today's BIG PICTURE

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, CHN has access to thousands of great college basketball photos. Each day during the season, CHN will feature a Picture of the Day, which might include a newsworthy, funny, or simply interesting subject. At the bottom will be a caption or headline that might be informative or amusing. The possibilities are endless! During the off-season, we'll publish scattered favorites that were missed during the year.

JAMES HARDEN

No big action shot or funny blooper here, just a nicely snapped portrait of ASU & future NBA star James Harden, one of college basketball's best players.

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- Check out recent BIG Pictures!

- Also check out the Cheerleader of the Day!

- Watch all of CHN's favorite College Basketball Videos!

NBA: Top 10 Prospect Report

Joey Whelan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:38:44 -0800

Joey Whelan will be checking in throughout the season with his Top 10 Prospects Report, a look at who is rising and falling in the game of college basketball:

1. Blake Griffin - Oklahoma

The Sooners big man has been nothing short of spectacular this season. Posting averages of 25.7 points and 19.2 rebounds, Griffin has dominated every team in his path. There isn't a better combination of size, strength and athleticism in the college game right now, and few if any players will be able to challenge the sophomore as the best pro prospect at the collegiate level.

2. James Harden - Arizona State

Few players have gotten off to the kind of start that Harden has this season, averaging 27 points and nearly 7 rebounds over his first six games. While he isn't the world's greatest athlete, he possesses pretty good size and scouts love his basketball IQ. Harden is a very fundamentally sound player with a nose for the basket. If he can continue his stellar play once the Pac-10 schedule kicks off, he is a safe bet to be a top five pick in June.

3. Hasheem Thabeet - Connecticut

Thabeet has had a strong, albeit inconsistent start to his junior year. His scoring and rebounding numbers are up significantly from last season and he has seen a big time leap in his shooting percentage as well. Granted, few teams he has played have been able to physically match up with the Big East giant, and his mundane showing against Wisconsin didn't earn him any points. However, with his size and the occasional showing like he has against Miami (19 points, 14 rebounds, 7 blocks) will be enough to have Thabeet land in the lottery.

4. Jrue Holiday - UCLA

While the freshman hasn't started off at a torrid pace, Holiday hasn't done anything to hurt his already high stock so far. He has been a tremendously efficient scorer so far although his totals have been inconsistent. Holiday is coming off his best showing of the season so far, dropping 20 points on Florida International on a perfect 8 of 8 shooting. His perimeter shooting prowess has carried over from the prep scene with Holiday connecting on over 45% of his attempts from beyond the arc. Increasing the rate with which he distributes the ball will only stand to further help his stock.

5. Earl Clark - Louisville

Sure the numbers aren't going to jump off the page, but at 6'9" and the ability to play away from the basket, Clark is always going to be very appealing to scouts. His scoring numbers are up slightly through his first three games, but what has been the most intriguing change so far is the improvement we are seeing in Clark's perimeter shooting ability. While he didn't have any qualms about firing from deep last year, his form looks much more consistent than it has in the past.

6. Tyreke Evans - Memphis

The freshman has proved his merit on the court so far, leading the Tigers in scoring through the team's first six games. Evans already has an NBA body with elite athleticism but his perimeter shooting has been suspect. The majority of his baskets so far have come in transition or as a result of hustle plays, but it isn't hard to see why scouts have been keeping tabs on Evans since he was tearing up the high school circuit. If he starts to find his stroke from beyond the arc opposing teams will have their hands full trying to contain him.

7. B.J. Mullens - Ohio State

For a player as hyped entering college as Mullens was, 5.5 points and 4 rebounds per game hardly seems like the production one would expect from a future pro player. Of course we can't forget how important physical attributes are when it comes to evaluating a player from an NBA standpoint. Mullens is a legitimate 7-footer with tremendous athleticism; if he is able to put it all together he is capable of putting on some impressive performances. However, if he continues to post mediocre numbers, no amount of athleticism will keep his stock from slipping.

8. Patrick Mills - Saint Mary's

Every time Mills steps on the floor he gives scouts more and more reasons to love his game. His scoring is up significantly from last season, with a slight bump in his rebound and assist numbers as well. Mills has tremendous speed and quickness, but what makes him so dangerous is his ability to change speeds in a flash. His mid-range game has looked fantastic thanks to a soft touch on his pull up jumper and he has shown little trouble beating defenders off the dribble. Things are looking up for Mills' stock at this point in the year.

9. Ty Lawson - North Carolina

The Tar Heels point guard has been nothing short of spectacular to kick of his junior campaign. With averages of 16 points, 6.7 assists, 2.4 steals and a 52.6% shooting mark from beyond the arc, Lawson has been a nightmare for opposing teams this season. The most impressive part of his game this year is the fact that he has significantly increased his assist numbers while actually averaging nearly a full turnover less per game. The question marks surrounding his shooting ability have been quelled at least for now with the huge jump in his three-point numbers.

10. Chase Budinger - Arizona

Budinger has been a high profile pro prospect since he broke onto the college scene; not much has changed six games into his junior year. His scoring and rebounding numbers have increased, but it is the ridiculous shooting percentages so far that catch the eye. Budinger is hitting on over 65% of his shots from the field and from beyond the arc, an absolutely blistering pace that he likely won't be able to keep up. There is no doubt that Budingers production this year will keep his name in the lottery as the season progresses.

Next in Line

Gerald Henderson - Duke: A fantastic athlete, but has gotten off to a sluggish start.

Nick Calathes - Florida: Great size for the PG spot and has been extremely productive so far this season.

Demar DeRozan - USC: Another tremendous athlete who projects out well at the next level who has started off slow.

Patrick Patterson - Kentucky: The SEC beast is having a better year on the boards and has significantly improved his shooting from the field.

Darren Collison - UCLA: Scoring is up, assists are up, shooting numbers are up, stock is up.

What do you think about this year's prospects? Post your thoughts below: