Big Ten Tournament scouting reports

I’m back from the Big Ten Tournament, and ready to get back in the swing of the blog. It was a good trip – and meeting some overly served Minnesota fans was definitely a highlight. (Do most Minnesota fans call the team the Goofers with their accents? Or was it just these guys clowning on them?)

Anyway, here are the scouting reports I promised:

Evan Turner, Ohio State

Chad Ford’s projection: Top 5

I think Turner could make a case for being the No. 1 pick, and not just because he made me do this:

He’s too good for college. He can impose his will on the game offensively and defensively. There’s nothing he can’t do. I don’t want to talk about him anymore until he’s a Piston. But he’s an amazing player.

JaJuan Johnson, Purdue

• Chad Ford’s projection: Late first to early second
• He really impressed me. I’d love to get him late in the first round.
• Prototypical NBA power forward
• Phenomenal athleticism
• Doesn’t have elite strength, but strong enough to get the job done
• Scored inside with a variety of moves
• Above average, but not great, footwork
• Good shooting range
• He shot a technical free throw, so I guess he’s good from the stripe.
• Doesn’t protect the rim as well as he should with his height and hops, but he’s not a defensive liability

William Buford, Ohio State

• Chad Ford’s projection: Late first to early second
• Another player I’d be really happy to draft late in the first round
• Gets a lot of credit for his jump shooting, but his interior offense really impressed
• Can post up and finds ways to slip into paint
• Good, big, strong defender who would bother increasingly speed-focused NBA guards
• Fast enough to play guard in NBA
• Questionable ball handling and dribbling
• If he wasn’t shooting, usually passed ball immediately after receiving it

Kalin Lucas, Michigan State

• Chad Ford’s projection: Late first to early second
• Excels playing fast, but sometimes tries to push the tempo too often
• Tremendous speed
• Improved perimeter shooter
• Can make shots off the dribble, coming around screens
• Questionable playmaking instincts/ willingness to pass
• Takes a lot of chances making steals from ball-handlers, but they usually paid off
• Too small to be a stopper

Manny Harris, Michigan

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• The way he played against Ohio State, he’d be a first-round pick.
• Some might see slight frame as an issue, but I think it helps him slim between defenders on dribble drives
• Quick first step
• Good body control
• Absorbs contact well
• Gets to the free-throw line, where he’s an excellent shooter
• Streaky jumper, but has NBA 3-point range
• Above average passer for a shooting guard
• Defense comes and goes as his shots fall
• Understands positioning and timing his jump to corral missed shots, so his excellent rebounding should extend to next level
• Has clashed with his coach
• Turnover prone
• Can disappear when defenses focus on him

DeShawn Sims, Michigan

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Can shoot to college 3-point arc, but not sure about beyond
• Improved footwork in the low post
• Doesn’t use it enough, but great first step when facing basket from the perimeter
• When aggressive, can carry a team
• Solid, but not special rebounder
• Defense isn’t as good as his size and athleticism would suggest
• Will have to bulk up or increase speed to make up for being undersized power forward in NBA (My bet is on bulking up.)

Raymar Morgan, Michigan State

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Exceptional athlete
• How many small forwards who can’t shoot from outside, don’t have a refined low-post game and don’t handle the ball or pass well make it?
• Active defensively and on the glass
• An up-tempo team looking for a defender and open-court finisher could take a flyer on him.

Durrell Summers, Michigan State

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Has NBA talent and body, but still a long way from being ready for the league
• Benched down the stretch against Minnesota
• Numbers are down, but stroke on jumpers looks good
• Plays on good defense, but I couldn’t tell how much he had to do with that
• Didn’t get to the paint much

Rodney Williams, Minnesota

Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted

I watched him this weekend, and I literally have nothing to say. Thankfully, in yesterday’s Daily Dime Live, T Wolf Grant mentioned Minnesota. I’ll let him take it from here on Williams:

"Its hard to say because he really hasn’t gotten enough minutes to make a big impact on the team, because the gophers play so deep. He’s a great dunker with good athleticism but besides that im not sure about his offensive game.…He’s one of those players that shows alot of potential but i mean he was a true freshman this year so i’d like to see him get the chance to add a little muscle and straighten out his jump shot. But all that being said i think he has a good future with a decent amount of upside"

Mike Davis, Illinois

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Some say he could be a center at the next level, but I don’t see that happening.
• Not a banger
• Probably has the physical game of a small forward, but his speed makes him a power forward
• Decent jumper for his size
• Pretty good in the open court
• Does enough defensively to get by, but doesn’t intimidate anyone
• Uses his length well to defend taller than he is

Brandon Paul, Illinois

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Didn’t play much, and didn’t do much in his limited time
• Should focus on point-guard skills
• Average as a shooting guard, but his size, length and athletic ability could make him a special point guard
• Great ball-handler for a shooting guard, good for a point guard
• Not a good enough defender to do much without risking going for steals

Trevon Hughes, Wisconsin

• Chad Ford’s projection: Second round to undrafted
• Too small to be a shooting guard in NBA
• Not a good enough passer to be a point guard
• Strong outside shooter
• Can shoot of the dribble
• Doesn’t score inside efficiently
• Quick hands on defense

E’Twaun Moore, Purdue

• Chad Ford’s projection: Not rated
• He wasn’t on the original and for good reason. He’s definitely a better player than some of the above players, but I just don’t see NBA talent.
• Can drive to the basket
• Scores pretty well
• Not overly athletic
• Undersized
• Plays good defense – but that seems to more with focus and team concepts than athleticism, so I’m not sure if it would translate to NBA