Long, indepth look at the some of the top frontcourt seniors

I got to hand it over to my good buddy John Thompson for his long and indepth looks at players. These are just some of the top frontcourt seniors. I have already shown the Kenyon Martin one, so here's other guy's that could be nice additions if we lose out Martin.

Jason Collier
By: John Thompson
Date: 01/14/2000

Jason Collier made headlines leaving Bobby Knight and the Indiana Hoosiers, but he now makes headlines as one of the best shooting and scoring big men in the country at his new school, the Georgia Tech Ramblin' Wreck.


Jason Collier
7-0, 255, Power Forward/Center, Georgia Tech, Senior
He can shoot, rebound, and score in many ways, while being a big 7-0 post player. Jason Collier is trying to show everyone that the transfer from Indiana was not a bad idea as he is scoring and rebounding at a much higher clip.

He was heralded as the top center coming out of high school and heading into Indiana. The McDonald's All American averaged over 24 points, 14 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 assists, and a steal a game for Catholic Central in Springfield, Ohio.

He did not disappoint, as he showed at moments he could be dominant, but as most players under Bob Knight learn that things must be exactly the way Coach Knight wants it or you do not play. Collier was off and on in Knight's doghouse for not playing the way Knight thought he should. He started most of the season and was considered one of the top freshmen in the country and one of the best shooting big men in the nation. He shot over 46% from beyond the arc as a freshman.

As a sophomore, Jason only played nine games before he decided the best thing for him would be to transfer. He was limited in playing time and the way he should play. He was not allowed to shoot a thee pointer that year, unlike his first year.

He had to sit out the first semester at Georgia Tech before being eligible to play, but when he was able to play, Jason opened his eyes with a 22 point, 11 rebound, and five block performance in a win over Georgia in overtime.

As a junior with Tech, Jason got better throughout the season and especially in ACC play. He showed a great outside shot and tough rebounding and helped the team in block shots, even though they have one of the nation's best shot blockers in Alvin Jones Jr. The two made a scary frontline that forced many players never to shoot in the paint against Georgia Tech.

Jason is over 7 foot tall and over 250 pounds, so on most teams he will end up playing the center spot, but he is much better suited at power forward. Most teams will not draft him knowing they need help at center, because they know he is not going to fit that role perfectly. A team that has a decent center already would be the best place for him to go.

He would be considered the top senior center if teams are looking at him to help there, but at the power forward spot, he is battling a tough group of seniors in Kenyon Martin, Etan Thomas, Lamont Barnes, Malik Allen, Jamal Magloire, and Mark Madsen.

STRENGHTS = Strong, good size, good outside shooter, good rebounder, good range, able to play both power forward and center.

WEAKNESS = Doesn't always use his size to his advantage, not a great defender, not a great leaper.

KEY STATS = ('98-'99) AT GEORGIA TECH (2nd Sem.) 17.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.36 blocks, 44.1% Field Goal, 35.6% Three-Point, 71.9% Free Throw.

('97-'98) AT INDIANA (1st Sem.) 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1 block, 56.3% Field Goal, 66.7% Free Throw.

('96-'97) AT INDIANA 9.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 block, 43.3% Field Goal, 46.2% Three-Point, 68.4% Free Throw.


Hanno Mottola
By: John Thompson
Date: 01/13/2000

One of the most intriguing players in the college game has to be Hanno Mottola. Mottola is the size of most NBA power forwards, but prefers to be on the perimeter. Another Detlef Schrempf? Possibly, since they are both foreign born players, and bigger than most small forwards.


Hanno Mottola
6-10, 250, Small Forward, Utah, Senior
The Finnish born forward found his way to Utah via the 22 and under Finnish National Team. He was Finland's top prospect and was the one of the country's best players before the age of 18. Hanno takes pride in his country, spends his summers playing on the Finnish National team, and is the team's star.

Coming to the United States and playing for coach Rick Majerus, one of the first things Mottola learned was defense is tougher in the United States and most players his size do not shoot outside and handle the ball. It took a year of adjustment for Hanno for basketball, but his academics came much easier as he was named to the Dean's List as a freshman.

As a sophomore, Hanno stepped into the starting line-up and began to learn how physical the game can be. He struggled against many grittier players inside, but often took them outside and beat them off the dribble or shot over them.

His junior showed just what type of player he could become, as he really stood out with his shooting and take charge attitude with the ball in his hands. He became a WAC All-Conference player and led his team in scoring during conference games and one of his teammates was point guard, Andre Miller, the number eight NBA draft pick last season.

Hanno has had his problems playing the power forward position for the Utes, since he is not a bruiser or banger type and occasionally meets those type of players. His leadership and tremendous shooting ability help compensate for his soft play inside. For a player his size, he should be a good rebounder and have a good assortment of inside moves, but Hanno prefers to stay on the perimeter, but he does occasionally make it inside and can score in a variety of ways, even though that isn't his strength.

As a small forward with his size, the NBA is really taking some long looks at him. He is right up there with fellow senior small forwards, Chris Porter, Pete Mickael, and Kevin Freeman for the top small forward honors. A few underclassmen small forwards are likely to come out in DerMarr Johnson and Terence Morris and they are probably going to be drafted ahead of any seniors, but Mottola may just be good enough to be a lottery pick, especially if he plays in the Chicago camp and can show he is able to rebound and defend.


STRENGHTS = Strong, good size, good outside shooter, above average ball-handler, can create his own shot, Creative shooter.

WEAKNESS = Not very physical, average rebounder, does not use size to advantage enough. Not a great defender or passer.

KEY STATS = ('98-'99) 15.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 48.2% Field Goal, 35.4% Three-Point, 83.3% Free Throw.

('97-'98) 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 48.9% Field Throw, 29.1% Three-Point, 75.4% Free Throw.

('96-'97) 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 58.5% Field Goal, 0% Three-Point, 62.3% Free Throw.

Chris Porter
By: John Thompson
Date: 12/02/1999

Chris Porter
6-7, 218, Small Forward, Auburn, Senior

Chris Porter always knew he was going to be a Tiger, but due to one little point on the ACT test, his fate of playing at Auburn was delayed two years. So, Chris Porter went on to star in junior college and become a first team All-NJCAA member before the he became the high powered full court machine Auburn saw last year.

He scored at will in Junior College averaging 24.4 points a game his sophomore year. He also rebounded at will too, pulling down 11.8 rebounds per game. Teams could not find anything to stop him. These stats look almost as if he played cupcakes, but during those years, players like Pete Mickael, Shawn Marion, and Steve Francis all were in the Juco ranks as well. These two years in junior college ball could be the best the Juco have ever seen in its history.

Even though he was such a huge pick up for Auburn and a top Juco recruit, they did not promote him too much. They didn't want him to have to live up to any expectations before he arrived. This helped Auburn create a huge stir mid-way through the season last year, they went undefeated for a long time and Porter stood out on the team as a possible All American, this time with the NCAA. He and his Auburn teammates surprised the nation with great up and down play and domination of many of the teams they played early on.

Porter went on to lead the team in scoring and rebounding and earned many post-season awards while guiding the team to a 29-4 record. The 6-7 small forward has been playing out of position for the Tigers at power forward, but Porter doesn't mind. Chris's main goals are to win, he doesn't care what stats he gets. He knows that if he plays hard and the team wins, the stats will be the last thing anyone worries about.

He ahs been named by many people as a first team All-American this year and he is taking it all in stride and is hoping more for a championship than the award. Either way, he is likely a lottery pick. Many scouts believe he can come in and start for many teams now. Had he came out early for the draft last year, he would have been drafted in the top 15 and would likely have been in competition for the All Rookie team. He is the top senior small forward prospect with his main competition, fellow Juco star, Pete Mickael, Ryan Blackwell, and Kevin Freeman. Terence Morris and Shane Battier are some top underclassmen at the small forward spot that if they came out would also compete with Porter for top small forward honors.

Porter works hard on his game and he knows that he has some work still to do in his game. One major thing is he needs to work on his outside shooting a bit, but he can knock down the three, but his range doesn't go much further than 19 feet now, but many say he has worked hard on that during the summer. His free throw shooting is a weakness that needs to be worked on as well. He needs to find some more patience in his game as well, but this isn't that big of a flaw. He sometimes will make silly shots or try to do too much, but this is rare. With his leaping skills, he should probably get a few more blocks, but with a good center next to him in Mamadou N'Diaye, it isn't neceassary. He needs to see more time on the perimeter to raise his draft stock, but the Tigers need him in the inside rebounding.

STRENGTHS = Rebounding, defensive footwork, superior leaper, overall all-around skills.
WEEKNESSES = Outside shooting, free throw shooting, sometimes out of control, needs to work a little more on finding open teammates.
KEY STATS = ('98-'99) 16 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 47% field goal, 63% free throw.

Player Profile - E Thomas
By: John Thompson

Date: 12/08/1999

One of the best shot blockers in the country is starting to score more. Syracuse is one the best teams in the nation with plenty of scoring, defense, unselfishness, and more than enough of Etan Thomas.


Etan Thomas
6-9, 256, Power Forward, Syracuse, Senior

He was not a highly regarded recruit, coming into Syracuse. He was overshadowed by Jason Hart; the transferring of Ryan Blackwell, and another highly recruited power forward that never played a game for Syracuse, Winfred Walton. Etan Thomas pushed through the practices with proved to be one of the best post players in the country by the time he was a sophomore. He never has been an offensive player, but his defensive game is hard to match. Etan's best asset is his shot blocking skills. He owns Syracuse's career and single season records for shot blocking. The 6-9, 260 pound power forward has played center for the Orangemen ever since he was a freshman. He started 12 games as a freshman, but he didn't become a force until his second year.

As a sophomore, he broke Derrick Coleman's Syracuse record for the most block shots in a season with 138. He gained some weight and gained much needed strength that year, knowing he would take over for Otis Hill at center. Etan was inconsistent offensively, as most of his points came on put backs and occasional post up.

As a junior, he was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, as he led the conference for the second year in a row in block shots with four a game. He also earned second team All Bog East. The most encouraging part of his game was during the Big East season, he showed more offensive confidence and also showed he was more interested in rebounding.

Thomas has lately been showing more of an offensive game that he ever has. This year he is calling for the ball more, while shooting for a good percentage. He is an average rebounder but also has shown more of knack of getting to the ball quicker.

Etan now owns the Syracuse career mark for block sots, as he surpassed Roosevelt Bouie. Bouie had 327 career block shots. Early on this year, Etan has been dealing with some injury problems, but that isn't likely to affect his draft status. If someone drafts Etan, it will because they need defense and they realize he still is a few years away from contributing heavily as he is working on his offensive game. He is one of the top power forwards in college; he is fighting Jason Collier as the top senior power forward. He looks like he may be a first rounder, but some scouts are saying there may be a chance that he falls to the second round, depending on how many underclassmen leave school.

STRENGHTS = Shot blocking, average rebounder, decent hook shot, take good shots, Plays within himself, Strength, Powerful, Runs the floor well.

WEAKNESS = Shooting, Overall offensive game, playing quicker power forwards, He isn't very quick down low, Doesn't have a lot of inside offensive moves.

KEY STATS = ('98-'99) 12.3 pints, 7.4 rebounds, 61.7% Field Goal, 57.4 % Free Throw, 4 blocks.
('97-'98) 11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 61% Field Goal, 3.9 blocks, 28.8 minutes a game.
('96-'97) 5.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 53.4% Field Goal, 16.3 minutes a game.

Player Profile - Mickael
By: John Thompson
Date: 11/28/1999

Mickael has won two NJCAA titles, helped Cincinnati become a powerhouse last year and leads the number one team in the coutry.


Pete Mickael
6-7, 220, Small Forward, Cincinnati, Senior

Three years ago Pete Mickael started on an Indian Hills Community College basketball team that included four sophomore starters. This team went on to win the National Junior College Championship; he was the only freshman to start on the club. The next year he was joined by a new group of players, mostly freshman and Pete Mickael repeats as a National Champion. In those two years, Pete only lost one game and earned two National Titles. That enough tells you what type of player Pete is; he is a winner. Pete then signed on to play at Cincinnati for the Bearcats.

In an era of some of the best ever Juco players, Pete earned the National Juco Player of The Year award over other top Juco players: Chris Porter, Steve Francis, and Shawn Marion. Two of them were high lottery picks in last year's NBA draft. Porter is sure to also be a lottery pick this year as well.

Pete went to Cincinnati and was the team's leader from day one. He helped the team win some very big games and end the season with a great record of 27-6. To top that off in over three seasons of college basketball, he has yet to lose a game at home. He finished with averages of 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.5 steals while starting at the power forward spot for the Bearcats last year. His natural position is small forward and is perfectly suited to defend small forwards and power forwards. He can play perimeter defense and inside defense. He can score inside and out as well.

The main thing that makes Mickael such a great player is he wins first and foremost. That is the main thing on his mind when he steps on the court. He doesn't care about his stats or anyone else's; he just wants to win. He still needs to work on some aspects of his game like ball handling and outside shooting to be a complete small forward, but with his work ethic, he should remedy that soon.

This year, even though he has added some talent on the team, Pete is sure to keep up his intense playing. He has already helped his club achieve a number one ranking with other probable draftees DerMarr Johnson and Kenyon Martin.

STRENGTHS = Winning, rebounding, defense, makes few mistakes, patient, takes good shots, hustle, leadership.
WEEKNESSES = Ball handling, outside shooting, quickness, average leaper.
KEY STATS = ('98-'99) 14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 58.3% field goal, 70% free throw.

Player Profile - Magliore
By: John Thompson
Date: 12/22/1999

One of the best defenders in the country, Jamal Magloire, needs to step up on offense to become a NBA First Rounder. Magloire, the 6-10, 260 pounder power forward/center tried last year but was unsuccessful.


Jamal Magloire
6-10, 260, Power Forward/Center, Kentucky, Senior

Jamal put his name in the NBA draft hat last year, but didn't show enough of an offensive presence to be guaranteed a first round pick. So he decided he needed to go back to school, but that does not automatically make him one of the top interior players for the 2000 draft.

A player that many thought was going to come into the Kentucky program and score and the biggest problem would be defense against better competition than what he would be used to facing in Canada. He was considered a top 50 player and the best to come out of Canada in a long-time. He averaged 23.8 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 7.2 blocks per game. Strange how things change, Jamal ended up being the exact opposite; one terrific defender that has a hard time understanding offensive positioning and the art of shooting. He has had a number of problems with his offensive game, but defensively he is one of the best Kentucky has seen. He led the SEC in block shots as a freshman and a part-time starter.

As a freshman, Magloire started a little over half of the games, splitting time with another defensive minded center in Nazr Mohammed. Kentucky was tough to score on with these two inside. Throughout his career at Kentucky, he has never been the regular starter; in fact, he started more games as a freshman than he did in both sophomore and junior seasons combined.

Nazr Mohammed left for the NBA after their sophomore year, so Magloire was figured to be the starter and up his offensive game, but he only started 6 times. He played behind 6-10 sophomore Mike Bradley. Luckily, for Magloire, Bradley transferred to Villanova last summer, but it was not so good for the Wildcat team, as Bradley was a key member of the team and sure would have pushed Magloire again.

By now, mostly everyone realizes that Jamal is a defensive player, but so far this year he has been looking for his shot more, his intimidation factor is greater than ever and he is altering more shots than he could ever block. His reputation on the inside is great and that has helped him on the offensive end as well. Another huge aspect that makes Jamal intriguing is he won a National Title as a sophomore and played extremely well in the Tournament. That along with the fact that he worked out last year for the draft helps him get a few edges over many other interior players.

Last year, he was considered a borderline first rounder about two weeks before the draft, but this year, the center and power forward positions have a lot more talent to compete with. The good thing about Magloire is he plays defense and can play either power forward or the center position and that can help him get drafted alone, but he is nowhere near a lock to be a first rounder. Many of the other top senior power forwards are very good defenders as well, like Kenyon Martin, Etan Thomas and Lamont Barnes. Then there is a great offensive power forward/center prospect in Jason Collier. Jamal needs to really work on his offensive game all the way till the Chicago draft camp in June, so he can try to move past a few of the other interior players. The NBA always drafts defensive players though, so chances are he will at least be a second round pick, if he does not slide up and make the first round. A lot of this is also determined by how many underclassmen come out as well. There are a number of very good underclassmen that are expected to leave.

In a draft filled with interior depth, look for Magloire's stock to not be as high as last year, unless he shows to ability to score more and run the floor and stay in the game for more than 30 minutes on a regular basis. Even with him improving it is a numbers game for the first round as he is battling a large number of good post players. With all of this said it would be shocking not to see him be drafted at all. Many scouts and GM's have said that if he were available in the second round, they would likely pick him up.

STRENGHTS = Defensive footwork, shot blocking, above average rebounder, able to play both interior positions, runs the floor well and is looking to shoot more.

WEAKNESS =. Below average offensive player, poor shooter, still learning the little things of the game, poor free throw shooter, limited experience.

KEY STATS = ('98-'99) 7.7 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 53.1% Field Goal shooting, 57.6% Free Throw, 1.94 blocks.

('97-'98) 5.2 Points, 4.2 Rebounds, 1.74 blocks, 48.7% Field Goal shooting, 67.2% Free Throw.

('96-'97) 4.9 Points, 4.4 Rebounds, 1.98 blocks, 49% Field Goal shooting, 54.9% Free Throw

 

I seriously think we should look into Etan Thomas. He's just about as good as Kenyon Martin except he gets injured more often.

Magliore would be a nice second rounder if he's available, somewhat of a cato. Good defense, hardly any offensive game.

Porter is a slow SF or small PF. Imagine a Jamison situation, not that it is bad.

Motolla I have not seen much cuz of his injuries. Good scorer, not that good of defender. May not be the type of forward we need.

Jason Collier can play both center and PF, so that's an advantage. Not superly dominant on either position but able to play both. Sort of like Cuttino.

Mickeal could solve our SF problem if Morris or Chris Porter doesn't work out.

 

Etan should go about low lottery or late first depending on who comes out. Lakers need a PF, and have been scouting on him becuase there's a chance he might drop to 20s.

UT-Don't think its impossible for us to get Porter. He hasn't been doing good this year. He's probably going to be like Paul Pierce and free fall.


[This message has been edited by rocketsfan34 (edited January 31, 2000).]