Livingston, Iguodala among those on the rise
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford
Friday, February 27
The trading period is over, and so is the season for many of the teams now mired in the realties of the lottery cellar.
With little hope of turning things around this season, a number of GMs left for Europe this week, kicking off the start of the serious scouting season. With league executives and scouts spread throughout the world, teams are beginning to form their first draft lists of the season.
Who's hot and who's not? Insider pulled together five trusted scouts and two league executives to get a handle on which prospects have helped themselves and which haven't since we wrote about them at the start of the 2003-04 season.
Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor are still locked in a battle for the No. 1-rating in the draft pool, but after that it's pretty wide open. Here's a look at 10 players whose stock is on the rise.
Shaun Livingston, PG, Peoria, IL
The facts: 6-7, 180, HS senior
2003-04 stats: 18 ppg, 6 apg, 6 rpg
Livingston
The skinny: When we wrote about Livingston a month ago, the jury was still out on whether he'd actually declare for the draft. He had committed to Duke next season, and many scouts believed Coach K had a pretty firm grip on him. Since then, though, the belief is Livingston will declare for the draft. If he does, scouts believe he'll be a high lottery pick based on his play over the past few months. The comparisons to Penny Hardaway may scare some away, but there's a distinct difference between the two. Hardaway had point-guard skills but never really wanted to use them. Livingston is much, much closer to the type of "pure" point guard NBA coaches love. There's no question he needs to get stronger, but right now that's the only real knock on his game. The fact he posseses an excellent shooting touch and can score off the dribble at will is really gravy. Add in the flair with which he plays the game, and many believe he'll be the first-ever high school point guard to make a successful jump to the pros.
Andre Iguodala, SG, Arizona
The facts: 6-6, 200, Sophomore
2003-04 stats: 12.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.4 apg
The skinny: Last time we checked in with Iguodala in early December, we were writing that he would be a late lottery pick. Since then, the triple-double threat's numbers have actually gone down a bit, but his stock continues to shoot through the roof. Several scouts believe he's a Scottie Pippen-type player who can play multiple positions, handle the ball in most offenses and lock down anyone he has to defend. The jumper still needs some work, but if the draft were held today, Iguodala could go in the top six. Pretty amazing for a guy who only a few scouts had on the radar screen two-and-a-half months ago.
Andris Biedrins, F, Skonto Riga
The facts: 6-11, 240, 18 years old
The skinny: You knew Biedrins had arrived when he, along with his family, was making the rounds at the All-Star Game alongside super agent Bill Duffy. There has been an intense bidding war to represent Biedrins, but it now appears Duffy has pulled into the lead. A source close to Biedrins told Insider on Thursday that his club, Skonto Riga, has agreed to let him go to the NBA this year. If that's true, Biedrins is likely to be a top-10 pick on draft night. The comparisons to Andrei Kirilenko aren't hard to miss. Both players are great athletes and strong defenders, rebounders and shot blockers. Like Kirilenko, Biedrins is still a little raw offensively (his perimeter shooting needs a lot of work), but scouts are drooling over the potential. The fact he's starting to put up impressive numbers (22 points and 11 boards the other night) on the senior team also will help his cause.
Devin Harris, PG, Wisconsin
The facts: 6-3, 185, Junior
2003-04 stats: 19.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.7 apg
The skinny: He's quickly catching up to his closest college competition at the point, UConn's Ben Gordon. Both are having good seasons, but Gordon has been stuck playing two guard all year, raising questions among scouts about how quickly he'll adapt to running the point. Harris, on the other hand, appears to be the complete package. He has the size, speed, quickness, explosiveness and shooting stroke that scouts love. He has great floor vision and seems to understand how to run a team. In the words of one scout, "He has the perfect balance between a scoring point guard and a more traditional pure point. I love him." So do several other scouts Insider talked to. Harris is now looking like a late-lottery to mid-first-round pick.
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Zalgris (Lithuania)
The facts: 7-2, 250, 18 years old
The skinny: Watch this kid closely. Every year there's someone who comes out of nowhere, and this year it's Andriuskevicius. Insider was the first to write about him last June, when he played in front of NBA scouts and GMs at a junior tournament before the Euroleague Final Four, and again in January, when we reported scouts' claims that he was making drastic improvements. Since then, several of our most trusted scouts have been to Lithuania to see him play, and they're now saying Andriuskevicius might be the best young international player in the draft. Period.
"The progress is unlike anything I've ever seen," one scout told Insider. "He's grown, he's added at least 20 pounds of muscle and he just looks unbelievable in practices."
The comparison are quickly being made to a younger, healthier Zydrunas Ilgauskas. From what we hear, Andriuskevicius has grown much stronger without losing his athleticism. He likes to mix it up in the middle, isn't afraid of contact and plays well with his back to the basket. In addition, he has soft hands, a very nice outside jumper and his passing skills are considered top notch. He's under the tutelage of basketball great Arvydas Sabonis, which may explain the rapid development. Now that he has signed with agent Luciano Capicchoini, there's a good chance he'll be in the draft this year. If he is, scouts tell me he'll project into the high lottery once teams get a look at him in workouts.
Kirk Snyder, SG, Nevada
The facts: 6-6, 225, Junior
2003-04 stats: 18.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg
The skinny: The best player in the WAC is starting to get a lot of attention from NBA scouts. "He's one of the most complete guards I've seen in a while," one NBA scout told Insider. "He does it all. He's strong, athletic, has great speed, shoots the ball well, rebounds and defends. He even has some playmaking ability that's pretty rare for guys like him." With so few good collegiate players in the draft, look for Snyder to be a mid- to late-first-rounder if he decides to declare.
Sebastian Telfair has the talent, but scouts worry about his maturity and size.
Sebastian Telfair, PG, Brooklyn
The facts: 5-11, 180, HS Senior
2003-04 stats: 31 ppg, 8 apg
The skinny: Yes, Telfair has impressed enough scouts this season to earn serious consideration in the first round. But a few published reports calling him a lottery pick don't fit at all with what Insider is hearing from scouts. Telfair is a typical New York point guard. He's a great passer, can score on anyone and has a real flair to everything he does. He pushes the ball relentlessly and always controls the tempo of the game. The comparisons to cousin Stephon Marbury would be right on if he was a few inches taller. Concerns about Telfair's size, maturity and ability to make the transition from high school to the NBA have most scouts pleading with the kid to go to Louisville for at least two years. If he declares (and all signs indicate he will) his draft range will be wide open. There's a chance he could go as high as the mid-first round if he finds the right (or is it most-gullible?) NBA GM. It's more likely he'll land somewhere in the 20s if he declares now. However, with a couple of solid college seasons under his belt, he could go much higher. Maturity, not talent, is the issue right now. But when you're talking about point guards, that's a big issue.
Sasha Vujacic, G, Udine
The facts: 6-7, 210, 20 years old
The skinny: Vujacic impressed scouts with a good performance at the Chicago pre-draft camp last season. He's a 6-foot-7 combo guard with some definite point guard skills. He's had a great season playing two guard for Udine, but scouts feel he can make the transition to the point in the pros. He'll need to get stronger and speed up his game to succeed in the NBA, but several scouts see a young Brent Barry when watching him. He's now a lock for the first round and could go as high as 15 depending on how he looks in workouts.
Luke Jackson, G/F, Oregon
The facts: 6-7, 220, Senior
2003-04 stats: 21.9 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.8 apg
The skinny: Scouts were skeptical at the start of the season, but Jackson has done a lot to ease their concerns. He has the ability to handle the ball, shoot on the perimeter and is increasingly proving to scouts he can create his own shot off the dribble with a quicker-than-you'd-think first step. Defensively, he still has issues (his lateral quickness is a problem), and there's no question he needs to get stronger at the next level, but the comparisons to Mike Miller and Mike Dunleavy aren't totally absurd. With zone defenses taking over, his ability to shoot and create are valuable assets. Look for him to sneak into the late-first round.
Rafael Araujo, C, BYU
The facts: 6-11, 280, Senior
2003-04 stats: 18.4 ppg, 10.8 rpg
The skinny: Next to Emeka Okafor, he may be the second-best collegiate big man in the country. Araujo won't ever be a lottery pick, because he lacks the explosiveness and athleticism to be a dominant center in the league. But he's such a good rebounder and scorer he will go much higher than many had him projected a few months ago. Depending on who actually enters the draft, Araujo could go anywhere in the 20s.
continued..............
By Chad Ford
NBA Insider
Send an Email to Chad Ford
Friday, February 27
The trading period is over, and so is the season for many of the teams now mired in the realties of the lottery cellar.
With little hope of turning things around this season, a number of GMs left for Europe this week, kicking off the start of the serious scouting season. With league executives and scouts spread throughout the world, teams are beginning to form their first draft lists of the season.
Who's hot and who's not? Insider pulled together five trusted scouts and two league executives to get a handle on which prospects have helped themselves and which haven't since we wrote about them at the start of the 2003-04 season.
Dwight Howard and Emeka Okafor are still locked in a battle for the No. 1-rating in the draft pool, but after that it's pretty wide open. Here's a look at 10 players whose stock is on the rise.
Shaun Livingston, PG, Peoria, IL
The facts: 6-7, 180, HS senior
2003-04 stats: 18 ppg, 6 apg, 6 rpg
Livingston
The skinny: When we wrote about Livingston a month ago, the jury was still out on whether he'd actually declare for the draft. He had committed to Duke next season, and many scouts believed Coach K had a pretty firm grip on him. Since then, though, the belief is Livingston will declare for the draft. If he does, scouts believe he'll be a high lottery pick based on his play over the past few months. The comparisons to Penny Hardaway may scare some away, but there's a distinct difference between the two. Hardaway had point-guard skills but never really wanted to use them. Livingston is much, much closer to the type of "pure" point guard NBA coaches love. There's no question he needs to get stronger, but right now that's the only real knock on his game. The fact he posseses an excellent shooting touch and can score off the dribble at will is really gravy. Add in the flair with which he plays the game, and many believe he'll be the first-ever high school point guard to make a successful jump to the pros.
Andre Iguodala, SG, Arizona
The facts: 6-6, 200, Sophomore
2003-04 stats: 12.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.4 apg
The skinny: Last time we checked in with Iguodala in early December, we were writing that he would be a late lottery pick. Since then, the triple-double threat's numbers have actually gone down a bit, but his stock continues to shoot through the roof. Several scouts believe he's a Scottie Pippen-type player who can play multiple positions, handle the ball in most offenses and lock down anyone he has to defend. The jumper still needs some work, but if the draft were held today, Iguodala could go in the top six. Pretty amazing for a guy who only a few scouts had on the radar screen two-and-a-half months ago.
Andris Biedrins, F, Skonto Riga
The facts: 6-11, 240, 18 years old
The skinny: You knew Biedrins had arrived when he, along with his family, was making the rounds at the All-Star Game alongside super agent Bill Duffy. There has been an intense bidding war to represent Biedrins, but it now appears Duffy has pulled into the lead. A source close to Biedrins told Insider on Thursday that his club, Skonto Riga, has agreed to let him go to the NBA this year. If that's true, Biedrins is likely to be a top-10 pick on draft night. The comparisons to Andrei Kirilenko aren't hard to miss. Both players are great athletes and strong defenders, rebounders and shot blockers. Like Kirilenko, Biedrins is still a little raw offensively (his perimeter shooting needs a lot of work), but scouts are drooling over the potential. The fact he's starting to put up impressive numbers (22 points and 11 boards the other night) on the senior team also will help his cause.
Devin Harris, PG, Wisconsin
The facts: 6-3, 185, Junior
2003-04 stats: 19.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.7 apg
The skinny: He's quickly catching up to his closest college competition at the point, UConn's Ben Gordon. Both are having good seasons, but Gordon has been stuck playing two guard all year, raising questions among scouts about how quickly he'll adapt to running the point. Harris, on the other hand, appears to be the complete package. He has the size, speed, quickness, explosiveness and shooting stroke that scouts love. He has great floor vision and seems to understand how to run a team. In the words of one scout, "He has the perfect balance between a scoring point guard and a more traditional pure point. I love him." So do several other scouts Insider talked to. Harris is now looking like a late-lottery to mid-first-round pick.
Martynas Andriuskevicius, F/C, Zalgris (Lithuania)
The facts: 7-2, 250, 18 years old
The skinny: Watch this kid closely. Every year there's someone who comes out of nowhere, and this year it's Andriuskevicius. Insider was the first to write about him last June, when he played in front of NBA scouts and GMs at a junior tournament before the Euroleague Final Four, and again in January, when we reported scouts' claims that he was making drastic improvements. Since then, several of our most trusted scouts have been to Lithuania to see him play, and they're now saying Andriuskevicius might be the best young international player in the draft. Period.
"The progress is unlike anything I've ever seen," one scout told Insider. "He's grown, he's added at least 20 pounds of muscle and he just looks unbelievable in practices."
The comparison are quickly being made to a younger, healthier Zydrunas Ilgauskas. From what we hear, Andriuskevicius has grown much stronger without losing his athleticism. He likes to mix it up in the middle, isn't afraid of contact and plays well with his back to the basket. In addition, he has soft hands, a very nice outside jumper and his passing skills are considered top notch. He's under the tutelage of basketball great Arvydas Sabonis, which may explain the rapid development. Now that he has signed with agent Luciano Capicchoini, there's a good chance he'll be in the draft this year. If he is, scouts tell me he'll project into the high lottery once teams get a look at him in workouts.
Kirk Snyder, SG, Nevada
The facts: 6-6, 225, Junior
2003-04 stats: 18.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.5 apg
The skinny: The best player in the WAC is starting to get a lot of attention from NBA scouts. "He's one of the most complete guards I've seen in a while," one NBA scout told Insider. "He does it all. He's strong, athletic, has great speed, shoots the ball well, rebounds and defends. He even has some playmaking ability that's pretty rare for guys like him." With so few good collegiate players in the draft, look for Snyder to be a mid- to late-first-rounder if he decides to declare.
Sebastian Telfair has the talent, but scouts worry about his maturity and size.
Sebastian Telfair, PG, Brooklyn
The facts: 5-11, 180, HS Senior
2003-04 stats: 31 ppg, 8 apg
The skinny: Yes, Telfair has impressed enough scouts this season to earn serious consideration in the first round. But a few published reports calling him a lottery pick don't fit at all with what Insider is hearing from scouts. Telfair is a typical New York point guard. He's a great passer, can score on anyone and has a real flair to everything he does. He pushes the ball relentlessly and always controls the tempo of the game. The comparisons to cousin Stephon Marbury would be right on if he was a few inches taller. Concerns about Telfair's size, maturity and ability to make the transition from high school to the NBA have most scouts pleading with the kid to go to Louisville for at least two years. If he declares (and all signs indicate he will) his draft range will be wide open. There's a chance he could go as high as the mid-first round if he finds the right (or is it most-gullible?) NBA GM. It's more likely he'll land somewhere in the 20s if he declares now. However, with a couple of solid college seasons under his belt, he could go much higher. Maturity, not talent, is the issue right now. But when you're talking about point guards, that's a big issue.
Sasha Vujacic, G, Udine
The facts: 6-7, 210, 20 years old
The skinny: Vujacic impressed scouts with a good performance at the Chicago pre-draft camp last season. He's a 6-foot-7 combo guard with some definite point guard skills. He's had a great season playing two guard for Udine, but scouts feel he can make the transition to the point in the pros. He'll need to get stronger and speed up his game to succeed in the NBA, but several scouts see a young Brent Barry when watching him. He's now a lock for the first round and could go as high as 15 depending on how he looks in workouts.
Luke Jackson, G/F, Oregon
The facts: 6-7, 220, Senior
2003-04 stats: 21.9 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.8 apg
The skinny: Scouts were skeptical at the start of the season, but Jackson has done a lot to ease their concerns. He has the ability to handle the ball, shoot on the perimeter and is increasingly proving to scouts he can create his own shot off the dribble with a quicker-than-you'd-think first step. Defensively, he still has issues (his lateral quickness is a problem), and there's no question he needs to get stronger at the next level, but the comparisons to Mike Miller and Mike Dunleavy aren't totally absurd. With zone defenses taking over, his ability to shoot and create are valuable assets. Look for him to sneak into the late-first round.
Rafael Araujo, C, BYU
The facts: 6-11, 280, Senior
2003-04 stats: 18.4 ppg, 10.8 rpg
The skinny: Next to Emeka Okafor, he may be the second-best collegiate big man in the country. Araujo won't ever be a lottery pick, because he lacks the explosiveness and athleticism to be a dominant center in the league. But he's such a good rebounder and scorer he will go much higher than many had him projected a few months ago. Depending on who actually enters the draft, Araujo could go anywhere in the 20s.
continued..............
