What do you guys think of SEC Preaseason player of the year and preseason all American Phil Pressey? He dished out 19 dimes vs UCLA last week and is averaging 7.2 APG. He is the Rajon Rondo of college basketball, only knock on him is his 5'11 height.
As the resident diehard Mizzou hoops fan, I'll chime in: The most accurate Pressey comparison is T.J. Ford with a better jumper but worse shot selection. He can be a good NBA point guard, but needs a lot of coaching. Phil has an incredible feel for the game and ability to probe defenses. One of best I've seen at college level since Ford. Somewhat Rondo like, from that standpoint. But unlike Rondo, he does have a reliable stroke -- all the way out to 25 feet. The downside? Phil thinks he's better than he is as a shooter off the dribble. His percentages are poor, especially on 2s, because he doesn't know his limitations (aforementioned plus height) and tries to be the guy both as a passer and a scorer. Unfortunately, Mizzou's roster this year is making that tendency worse -- we have a ton of good bigs and some shooters, but very few true perimeter creators of their own shot. So he puts even more pressure on himself and can end up with offensive clunkers like the one against Illinois. Phil is a good kid with a great attitude, so it's possible he breaks through this phase. Definitely has NBA PG skills and a legitimate stroke. But he needs a strict coach that can keep his aggressiveness on probing while simultaneously reining in the 1-on-1, unforced floaters and long jumpers. First-round talent, but the latter half unless we see him make a few more strides.
