Small forward is perhaps the deepest position in this year's draft
and several standouts have increased their value in the eyes of
NBA scouts with their strong play this year. Last season, The
1999 NBA Draft saw a record 13 small forwards go in the first
round and five players (Lamar Odom, Jonathan Bender, Wally
Szczeribak, Shawn Marion and Corey Maggette) going in the
lottery. The following is a look at the top small forward
prospects.
1. Terrance Morris 6-9 205 JR Maryland
Morris has not had the junior season that many expected from him, but
he has a long, rangy build that is becoming the new 'in-thing' for NBA
scouts after the strong play of Marcus Camby in the playoffs. He runs
the floor well and is a fluid athlete. Morris weighs just 205 and needs to
bulk up to withstand the pounding of the NBA. He has decent range and
is a very good free throw shooter. Morris is a good shotblocker, due to
his good timing and leaping ability, but needs more weight to be a
better rebounder. He is averaging 14.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per
game. He is often compared to Camby, Derrick McKey and Scottie
Pippen. Morris has said that he will likely return to Maryland for his
senior season, which could make the Terrapins a preseason top five
team since they have no seniors on the team
2. Michael Miller 6-8 215 SO Florida
Miller was the first ever McDonald's All-American from South Dakota.
He is a very unselfish player who has a great feel for the game. Miller
can score both inside and outside and is very versatile. He is a good
outside shooter and underrated passer. Miller needs to cut down on his
turnovers and get stronger, but he has outstanding potential and is an
ideal fit in Billy Donovan's offense. He is averaging 14.2 points and 6.2
rebounds per game and has been compared to Tom Gugliotta and Dan
Majerle.
3. Chris Carrawell 6-6 220 SR Duke
Carrawell was overshadowed by players like Elton Brand, Trajan
Langdon, Corey Magette and William Avery and some questioned his
offensive game. However, many of those questions were answered with
a strong senior campaign. Carrawell would finish third in my voting for
College Player of the Year behind Kenyon Martin and Iowa State's
Marcus Fizer. He is a versatile player who can defend several positions
on the floor. He is averaging 18 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Carrawell was invited to participate in the Desert Classic, the biggest of
the three pre-draft camps.
4. Hanno Mottola 6-10 240 SR Utah
Mottola is a good offensive player who can score both inside and
outside. He has a good shooting touch, but needs to improve his
passing and ballhandling skills, especially to create his own shot. He
has good size at small forward, but his lateral quickness could be a
concern against the more athletic wing players in the NBA. Mottola is
an excellent free throw shooter who does a good job of drawing fouls
and getting to the line. He has been bothered by injury problems
throughout his senior season, but has still had a solid year. Mottola will
follow in the footsteps of former Utes Keith Van Horn, Michael Doleac
and Andre Miller to become the school's four straight first round pick.
He is averaging 17.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Mottola was
invited to the Desert Classic, the biggest of the three pre-draft camps.
He is often compared to Christian Laettner.
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.twbbs.org)
◆ From: ms11.hinet.net