The list I have here is one that doesn't include the "top" guys ..... Eduardo Najera Pos. power forward School Class Oklahoma Sr. Ht. 6'8 Wt. 235 "Eduardo is a special player because he is a special person. People around the country found out how good a player he is last year during the NCAA Tourney." --Kelvin Sampson, Head Basketball Coach - Oklahoma Analysis By George Rodecker Special to SportsLine January 2000: The Mexican warrior who embodies all the elements of a power player who leaves 100 percent of his energy on the floor, is sitting pretty now and likely even prettier come draft night. Contributing 17.8 points on 44 percent shooting, 8.4 rebounds and 71 percent free throw shooting, he is the absolute leader and heart and soul of the Sooners. If he’d only stop shooting three pointers (5-34) there’d be almost nothing to criticize. Najera will go play in the NBA next season, and the winning team will enjoy this scrappy, tenacious bulldog of a forward. He sounds like a player that the rox could use... I've seen a couple of mock drafts where they have him going way after our pick ... why ? on the CBS one they have him going at #20 ....... at #9 they have this guy: James "Scoonie" Penn (looks like we might get him since he has a nic name ) He’s not a good guard, he’s a great guard. They center things around him and then Michael Redd gets him the ball." --Cliff Ellis, Head Basketball Coach - Auburn Analysis By George Rodecker Special to SportsLine January 2000: Penn has played erratically to date, some games he’s easily the best player on the floor, other games he’s seemed detached. He needs to get back to the things that got him so much notoriety last season. Among his best traits were his ability to get Michael Redd shots. That’s not happening just yet. Still, with the Big Ten Conference schedule about to begin, there’s at least a dozen times Penn can recapture the lost luster of his game. Jerome Moiso (at #22) Center UCLA Soph. 6'11" 225 January 2000: Jerome has started out like a house on fire this season averaging 14.8 points and 6 rebounds per game. He's shooting 61% from the floor and 65% from the free throw line. His defensive intensity, while not showing up in glossy stats is solid and he is more likely to discourage a driving guard than block his shot. The scouts have several questions about his pro abilities and would like to see him step outside and add a perimeter game to his arsenal. Moiso certainly has time on his side. Mamadou N'diaye (possible #10) Center Auburn Sr. 7'0" 250 Analysis By George Rodecker Special to SportsLine January 2000: N'diaye has had a superb start to his final college season. As of 12/21, he's scoring more than 10 points and collecting more than 9 rebounds per game. He's blocked 21 shots and recorded 14 steals while exhibiting the best play of his career. Mamadou has pro aspirations and if he continues to play with defensive intensity and consistency, then the NBA will notice. They clamor for big men who play defense and are steady performers on both ends of the court. Joel Przybilla (#18) "Joel is already good enough defensively to play at the next level, but needs to become an offensive player to succeed." --Anonymous Pro Scout Analysis By George Rodecker Special to SportsLine April 2000: Przybilla, a sophomore, left the Golden Gophers after 21 games this season. He was suspended for academic reasons and then chose to quit the team and through his family declare himself available for the NBA draft. Simply, Przybilla has a wealth of talent, but is very underdeveloped for the NBA. He lacks the upper body strength needed for the NBA interior wars. His frame suggests that he will be bullied around for quite some time. A horrendous foul shooter, Joel hit at a 49 percent clip -- paltry by any standards, and tallied 14.2 points per game and grabbed 8.1 rebounds each contest. An adept passer, especially for a big man, Przybilla is nimble, yet often appears slow. He lacks the interior offensive moves required of an NBA center and will struggle before he gains the confidence and ability to score with any consistency. Nonetheless, he is 7-feet tall and you cannot teach height, so there is a team out there who will gamble on him and select him during the first round. January 2000: To date Przybilla has underachieved against the talents he showed last season. Shooting 4 percent from the free throw line is simply just not acceptable. Scoring 10 points per game seems a bit low and a mere 5 rebounds is rather soft. Perhaps it is the new system, the new coach or whatever, but with rumors starting to swirl about either a transfer or early entry for the NBA Draft, Big Joel needs to elevate his game a few notches, and he needs to get to it pronto! Doesn't sound too promising .... Michael Miller (unfortunately #7 ) Small Forward Florida Soph. 6'8" 210 (if we could somehow get him a replacement for The Wiz maybe ? or the wiz backs him up ) "Mike Miller will continue to get better playing against quality competition. I think the sky’s the limit for him, I really do." --Billy Donovan, Head Basketball Coach - Florida Analysis By George Rodecker Special to SportsLine April 2000: Miller's declaration is a bit of a surprise for people who follow the Gators program. Miller is a heady, well-grounded kid who had been expected to lead Florida to the elusive goal of a national championship. Instead, money caught his attention. Miller can do so much on the hardwood, that he's a big-time opportunity for a lottery-bound NBA team. He's a deft enough ball handler that he's put in significant time at point guard and can take the ball to the basket as well. A solid perimeter shooter, Miller is a multi-skilled player who can create off the dribble for both himself and his teammates, plays intense defense and is in excellent condition at all times. Despite all the accolades, he's not ready to step in and contribute immediately to a pro team, but all the upside to his game make him an excellent no risk pick. Expect Miller to be a mid-lottery selection based mostly on the upside to his game rather than the immediate dividends. January 2000: Florida has played an aggressive early pre conference schedule and the key learnings culled from it are that Miller can star at the next level. He has been the main attraction of a stellar roster and his best attributes appear to be his ability to let the game come to him and then dominate it. In one game he was asked to play the point for an entire half and showed his ball handling skills (good) and his decision making ability (very good). A most complete package, and like a fine wine getting better as he ages. ------------------ What now ?
Michael Miller sounds good to me... as does Moiso. As for the rest of the guys on your list... I'd rather take a chance on a high schooler. Najera? Oh lord... an injury ridden, undersized finesse PF with more heart than skill or athleticism. Thank you, no. Penn is at a position we already have plenty of, and he's a horrible shooter. The big argument for Penn seems to be that he's a "winner." yay. N'diaye- I don't know much about this guy actually, so I'm going to keep my mouth shut. Didn't watch Auburn at all this year, except for the game they lost in the NCAA's. Przybilla: Don't know too much about this guy either, but I'm loathe to get someone who hasn't played much in two years. So, I suppose that I like two of your candidates, disliek two, and cannot render judgement on two more. The rule of thirds! How nice and neaet. ------------------
I agree with haven regarding Scoonie Penn. He was not a consistent shooter at Ohio State and his role at OSU was not that of a typical point guard; while he did initiate the offense, he did not concentrate on distributing the ball. I don't think he'll be a successful NBA player, and I also do not think he would be a good fit with the Rockets. As for Najera, I think more has been written about him on this board than about all the other college players out there, save Chris Mihm. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see ANOTHER damned long discussion about the guy. All I have to say is, who gives a damn what Kelvin Sampson has to say about him? What did you expect, an objective criticism of the guy? Najera'd be a good 2nd-round pick. Late second round. ------------------ He's a center! He's a guard! He's seven feet of unbridled talent. He slices, dices, and can even cut through a TIN CAN! He's Kelvin Cato, and he can be yours for a low low price!
