Official Summer League Thread...

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jai-Lucas-1314/

Jai Lucas 5'10" 150lbs, son of John Lucas Jr


Nike Jordan All-America Classic: Friday Practice
April 21, 2007
Jai Lucas had an on-and-off game for his team, dishing out some nice passes on drives-and-dishes and pick-and-rolls in the first half, while also scoring on some nice floaters in the lane and making good use of his crossover move. But in the second half, Lucas tried a few pull-up jumpers missing from mid and long range.

*
Nike Jordan All-American Classic: Thursday Practice
April 20, 2007
Jai Lucas had a pretty solid showing here at the first practice, with father and former NBA player John Lucas Jr. looking on. Jai Lucas was easily the smallest player on the court today, being shorter and less muscularly built than all of the other All-Americans, but it didn’t stop him from playing his game. Lucas handles the ball well and does a good job controlling the tempo, moving in and out of the defense while showing excellent court vision and good passing instincts. His more impressive assists were precision passes to cutters going through the lane, though he also did some scoring himself, showing off a smooth, quick release on his jump shot, which he hit from mid and long-range. Lucas didn’t really dominate the ball here, deferring to his teammates at times, so he wasn’t consistently creating offense himself.
*

Spalding HoopHall Classic Player Report
January 18, 2007
Another player that would be lights out a top prospect if he was a few inches taller. Like his brother, Lucas uses his quickness to get himself into spaces where he can get his shot off. Lucas is deadly with his runners and floaters as well as his pull-up jumpers. His outside shooting is good when he’s set for the shot, but if forced to the quick release it tends to flatten out. Lucas seems to have a good passing eye, but his team relies so heavily on him for scoring he wasn’t able to show it off more.

*



From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz206nOH69V
http://www.draftexpress.com

 

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Scott-Machado-7024/

Must sign this kid...

Scott Machado 6'2" 205lbs


By Walker Beeken

After finishing second in the nation in assists per game in 2010-2011, Iona's Scott Machado still entered his senior season as a player under the national radar. Through only seven games this season, however, Machado has changed that in a big way, catching the attention of NBA scouts with some big outings against the likes of Purdue, Maryland and St. Joe's.

Machado spent the summer representing Brazil at the World University Games, and has entered this season with an improved conditioning level and leaner physique, giving him a quicker burst with the ball in hands, and the ability run Iona's up-tempo offense for over 36 minutes per game so far this season.
Standing 6'1” with a strong, sturdily built frame, Machado isn't a top notch athlete at the point guard position by NBA standards, but he does appear to have the physical tools to be able to compete on both ends of the floor as long as he maintains his conditioning level.

On the offensive end, Machado does much of his damage in transition, leading Iona's high-octane attack and showing excellent court vision leading the break with the ability to thread the needle to a teammate running the floor or find an open shooter at the 3-point line. He has a great command of the ball and moves very fluidly and confidently with the dribble with a nice top speed, while also having a knack for making difficult passes look easy.

In the half-court, Machado is less dynamic, but is still very effective thanks to the extra burst he has this season, which enables him to get into the paint more frequently off the bounce. He shows excellent passing instincts when attacking the basket, whether it be dump-offs to cutters for layups or kick-outs to open shooters. His lack of size and vertical explosiveness hurts him an a finisher, however, and would likely be a bigger issue in the NBA with the longer, more athletic players he'd face once he entered the paint.

Machado has also shot the ball much better this season, albeit in a very small sample size, improving his percentages on 2-pointers, 3-pointers, and from the free throw. His solid early season 39% from behind the 3-point arc will bode well for him if he can sustain it for the remainder of the season. He certainly shoots the ball like he thinks he's a shooter, confidently spotting up and pulling up from well behind the NBA 3-point line on occasion without any hesitation. He has a decent stroke and fluidly shoots the ball off the dribble, but he could probably stand to be a bit more selective with when to fire away from deep.

Defensively is where scouts will likely have their biggest questions marks with Machado. Iona mixes up its defenses quite a bit, with some pressing and some zone, so Machado hasn't had to play as much half-court man-to-man. In what we could see, however, he looks like he has some work to do to defend point guards at the NBA level. His lateral quickness looks mediocre, he's a bit on the smaller side, and he's been beaten off the dribble badly on a few occasions and also has done a poor job fighting through screens. Some of this could be correctable and some could be a result of the system he's in, but this will likely be an area that NBA teams will want to get a better gauge of as they assess his potential at the next level.

Machado will likely continue to pile up big assists numbers throughout the MAAC schedule while having a chance at winning Conference Player of the Year Honors. From an NBA scouting perspective, though, it may be tough to get a great read on just how well his game might translate to the NBA level, with his team's frenetic pace and the lower level of competition which they'll face the majority of the season.

Helping his talented Iona squad win their conference tournament and earning a NCAA berth would surely help in this regard.

He's already made a great early season impression, though, and earned plenty of fans who will want to monitor him throughout the season, particularly early next month at Madison Square Garden where his team faces Siena as part of a double-header prior to Louisville-St. John's.

Point guards with Machado's court vision and passing instincts are always coveted by NBA teams, and there should be plenty lining up to eventually get a closer look at him in the pre-draft process—for example the PIT--where they'll get a better chance to see how he stacks up against some of the other top prospects at the point guard position.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz206oekAIF
http://www.draftexpress.com

 

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Greg-Smith-5817/


Greg Smith 6'10" 251lbs


Center Greg Smith had an impressive freshman campaign, but he has failed to distinguish himself as a sophomore for the 11-12 Fresno State bulldogs.

At 6'10 with solid length and a stocky 250-pound frame, Smith is big enough to play either post position at the next level. While he is not overly quick or explosive, he is a solid and coordinated athlete with above average mobility given his size.

Smith was expected to assume greater offensive responsibilities with the departures of Paul George and Sylvester Seay, but, he has actually seen his role reduced. His production has dropped from 16.7 points per 40 minutes pace adjusted as a freshman, to just 15.2 as a sophomore. His lack of production is particularly frustrating not only given his physical advantages in the post at this level, but also considering the skill level that he shows with his back to the basket.

Smith receives over 40% of his offensive possessions on post-ups, where he continues to show the same combination of soft hands and basic footwork. His 59.8% 2FG represents how efficient he is as a post scorer. He looks particularly comfortable this season executing a spin move to his left hand.

For the most part, however, his skill set has not improved since last season. He must continue to work on expanding his game, primarily getting more comfortable going right and developing more advanced footwork. Furthermore, while he has gotten to the line at a slightly greater rate this season, he is still an abysmal foul shooter to the tune of 54.5% while showing very little potential as a spot-up shooter at this stage.

Smith shows improved decision making abilities, however, cutting down on his turnovers and fouls while displaying improved passing and off-the-ball movement. Unfortunately, his motor still runs hot and cold, which leads to periods of ineffectiveness and invisibility on the offensive end. This, in addition to Fresno State's miserable offensive execution, likely explains his mediocre production and usage rate.

Inconsistency defines Smith's defensive performance, as well. While his size, bulk, and solid mobility should help him stand his ground in the post with relative ease at this level, he struggles with focus. Far too often, his man beats him with a simple fake or countermove and Smith is forced to foul to compensate for his poor effort.

While he is still a below average rebounder given his size and athleticism, he noticeably improved on the defensive boards on his way to a far more respectable 9.6 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted. Nevertheless, it is in this area where his lack of activity and effort are most evident and he still has a lot to prove to scouts.

For these reasons, Smith remains both a legitimate prospect and an extremely frustrating player. He should be dominating mid-major collegiate competition with his physical advantages and ability to play with his back to the basket. Fresno State's shaky game plan and disorganized offense certainly isn't helping matters, but scouts will be watching to see if he can compensate by producing through hustle and sheer effort.
[Read Full Article]
*
Top NBA Draft Prospects in Non-BCS Conferences, Part One (#1-10)
October 30, 2010
Jonathan Givony

A pleasant surprise amongst last year's freshman class, Fresno State's Greg Smith emerged from relative obscurity at the high school level to string together a very productive season.

Smith's virtues as an NBA prospect are pretty easy to see on first glance, as he brings great size to the table to go along with a nice wingspan and a big, strong frame. Smith looks the part of a legit NBA center from a physical standpoint, which when combined with his excellent hands, puts him in a rare class of prospects right off the bat.

Offensively, Smith shows an intriguing skill level for a young big man. He does most of his damage inside the paint, often operating with his back to the basket, where he's quite a capable threat. He scored at a nice rate as a freshman, 16.7 points per-40p, got to the free throw line regularly, and was very efficient (58% FG) in his somewhat limited role in a very disjumbled looking Fresno State offense. He showed some at times last season, having the ability to put the ball on the floor a bit and utilizing some basic spin moves to get his shot off with very soft touch. There is definitely some things to work with here you take into account his chiseled frame and soft hands.

On the negative side, Smith struggles with contact and doesn't finish above the rim in traffic very often, as he's not the quickest or most explosive big man you'll find amongst NBA prospects. He's mobile, but does not possess off the charts athleticism. He lacks any type of face-up ability at this point in time, attempting just a handful of jumpers last year and shooting 58.6% from the free throw line.

Smith is also not a very good rebounder at this stage, which is a bit disappointing considering his physical attributes and level of competition he plays at in the WAC. He can rebound in and around his area, but seems to lack the quickness and explosiveness to go out and extra possessions on a regular basis. Playing harder and being more physical boxing out, especially on the defensive end, would go a long way in solving this issue.

Still nowhere near a finished product at this point, Smith's lack of experience really gets exposed on the defensive end, where he shows poor fundamentals and awareness, and regularly gets taken advantage of, often resulting in foul trouble. He loses his focus and gets beaten off the dribble very easily on the perimeter, and also lets smaller, weaker players post him up and push him around.

Where freshmen tend to struggle the most in making the transition from high school to college is often with dealing with the increased level of physicality and intensity, and Smith is clearly no exception.

Unfortunately Smith tends to gives up on plays easily and generally doesn't put very much effort in on the defensive end either, which only compounds the problem, and helps explain his paltry rebounding numbers. Clearly he has very good physical tools, and the potential to be a solid defender down the line, but at this stage, he looks nowhere close to that.

With Paul George off to the NBA and Sylvester Seay graduated, Smith should become a focal point in Fresno State's offense, and will surely draw intrigue from NBA scouts. While he surely doesn't look close to being ready to compete for minutes in the NBA, it also wouldn't be much of a shock if he came out soon either, as players with his tools tend to be valued pretty highly. We'll have to see what kind of progress he makes this year.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz206svCwD1
http://www.draftexpress.com

 

....We made a note in our recent west coast workout report about just how big Greg Smith's hands are. Upon further review at the combine, his hands are one-foot wide, easily the top mark we've seen since the combine began measuring hands. This quantifies the way Smith (6-8 without shoes, 7-2 ½ wingspan, 252 pounds) can routinely snatch the ball out of mid-air and palm it away from his body.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz206v4VFOO
http://www.draftexpress.com

 

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/...-Simpson-5271/

Diamon Simpson 6'9" 230lbs


D-League Showcase, Day One
January 5, 2010
Diamon Simpson set himself apart today with a strong showing in the Showcase’s second game. In a narrow loss to the Maine Red Claws, Simpson was often the best players on the floor for the L.A. Defenders. Displaying a good motor and a knack for being in the right place at the right time on both ends, he finished the game with 22 points and 14 boards.

An undersized big man who can put the ball on the floor to attack the rim, Simpson isn’t an elite athlete, but he is willing to initiate contact, uses his narrow frame well, and has a nice wingspan. Assertive and decisive when attacking the rim, he’s a capable finisher despite lacking a degree of vertical explosiveness. Showing good timing when ducking underneath when his teammates get into the lane, Simpson’s off-ball movement and dribble drives afforded him a number of easy scoring chances today. Though he didn’t appear as active defensively, where he seems content to stay at home and deny penetration, his length and instincts on the glass were apparent. Likely lacking the size and strength to translate his productivity to the NBA level, Simpson is certainly one of the more effective big men in the NBADL.

*
Portsmouth Invitational Tournament: All-Third Team
April 17, 2009
After an outstanding start to the Portsmouth Invitational in his first game, leading one scout in attendance to compare him to Chuck Hayes, Diamon Simpson trailed off over the remaining games, having some of his weaknesses exposed. Still, Simpson is definitely someone we need to take a more extended look at, given his production in college and seeing how he measured in at an impressive 6’8.5 with a 7’0.75 wingspan.

Physically, Diamon Simpson is big enough to play the PF position in the NBA, as many undersized 4’s have shown over the past few years. In addition to his solid length, Simmons brings very good mobility and coordination to the table, being a smooth athlete, albeit not a terribly strong or explosive one.

Looking at his offensive game, Simpson is not incredibly skilled, being more of a hustle player who does most of his damage finishing around the basket, either off of cuts, by getting out in transition, or crashing the offensive boards. Simpson’s persistence and motor in general are outstanding, as he gets involved in a lot of plays and is very active in the painted area. While Simpson finished pretty well at the NCAA level, he has some problems projecting to the NBA here, as he isn’t able to power up in a crowd very well, not possessing great vertical explosiveness. Against tougher competition, both in the season and here at Portsmouth, this led to a lot of blocked shots and missed around the basket, as Simpson doesn’t really have the finesse game to step back and compensate for his lack of explosive power in side.

With his post game, Simpson shows very nice footwork and mobility, being able to maneuver adeptly around the paint and back his man down or turn to face in for short baseline drives. However, he lacks range on his moves, not showing much touch as he gets farther away from the basket, not really possessing a reliable hook shot or turnaround jumper. With his baseline drives, Simpson has decent enough ball-handling for straight-line drives and a good enough first step to take his man often, but his lack of explosiveness around the rim leads to some tough shot attempts, which only pose to get worse projecting to the next level.

Simpson’s jump shot is also not very formidable, as he has wildly inconsistent mechanics, with a release point that’s all over the map and a shooting motion that varies from an overhead release to a line drive with a few other things in between. His accuracy is reflective of his inconsistent mechanics, and it carries over to the free-throw line where he shoots a poor 58%.

Defensively, Simpson shows some promise, having a good motor and making a lot of plays, as evidenced by his 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game on the season, however he’s prone to gambling at times. As a man defender, Simpson’s instincts are questionable on the perimeter, and his fundamentals aren’t always great, though he appears to have the lateral quickness to stick with power forwards, but not small forwards. In the post, Simpson has very strong fundamentals, keeping his hands up and forcing tough shots well, however he’s prone to being backed down and beat with quick moves at the NCAA level, something that projects as more of a problem in the NBA.

Looking forward, Simpson would appear to be fighting an uphill battle to be drafted, given his underdeveloped skill set and lack of standout athleticism or size, but he should get some opportunities to make a roster, and a team may fall in love with his motor. Still, to find a long-term place in the league, Simpson will undoubtedly have to put in a lot of hard work polishing his skills, but if he is unable to, he should be able to have quite a successful career overseas.

*

Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Day One
April 9, 2009
The most active player on the floor for the first two games here in Portsmouth, Diamon Simpson is holding nothing back in showing NBA teams why he thinks he belongs. The undersized power forward filled up the hustle categories yesterday, pulling in an outstanding 15 rebounds while picking up 4 steals and a handful more deflections. Simpson was a menace on the defensive end, playing pressure defense both on his man and off the ball, defending past the three-point line on most possessions. Showing very good mobility and reflexes, Simpson gave the opposition plenty of problems getting into their sets, and really impressed with his non-stop effort, especially seeing he played a game-high 35 minutes.

On the glass, Simpson was equally menacing, getting his hands on every ball he could, showing good timing and pursuit abilities. On the offensive glass, Simpson showed some trouble powering up to finish once he got the ball, not being the most explosive athlete. His persistence paid off here, but he'll need to work on either his finesse or power-finishing to translate this ability. Working on his touch around the rim, his lower body strength and leaping ability should be among his priorities.

Other than his hustle plays, Simpson didn't show much else here, not being a great shooter or having much ball-handling ability, which is not a surprise considering his role player status. A number of NBA executives we spoke with mentioned how impressed they were with his play, and one went as far as to compare him to another Portsmouth alumni—Chuck Hayes.

*



From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz206xGBU6n
http://www.draftexpress.com