Southerland--1st rounder?

[jdubs30]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas.../southerlands-road-almost-didnt-reach-atlanta

Good article on James, but interesting quote:

The NBA scouts now love him, some telling CBSSports.com he could easily sneak into the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft. He's long, athletic and can really shoot the ball from deep.
"There just aren't many guys like him," said one NBA scout.

 

[cap2nine]

I love JS!! But, no chance at all he goes in the 1st round.

 

[TheCusian]

I love JS!! But, no chance at all he goes in the 1st round.

You're probably right... But 3 things:

- NBA loves size
- Guy will see a lot more open looks on average
- If Steve Novak? Then James

 

[Madbiker]

All James needs to do is drop 30 on Michigan tomorrow on the big stage. He can do it...think Arkansas.

 

[jekelish]

You're probably right... But 3 things:

- NBA loves size
- Guy will see a lot more open looks on average
- If Steve Novak? Then James

Even with Steve Novak's relative success no one would say he's worth a 1st round draft pick.

No way James goes in the 1st round, if he even gets drafted at all. I hope he gets drafted, but he's just so limited.

 

[jdubs30]

Even with Steve Novak's relative success no one would say he's worth a 1st round draft pick.

No way James goes in the 1st round, if he even gets drafted at all. I hope he gets drafted, but he's just so limited.

He gets drafted, no doubt about it, definitely ahead of Triche as well. But I agree, he's not a first rounder.

 

[TheCusian]

Even with Steve Novak's relative success no one would say he's worth a 1st round draft pick.

No way James goes in the 1st round, if he even gets drafted at all. I hope he gets drafted, but he's just so limited.

I agree on the 1st round - but if Andy went 2nd round? James is a for sure 2nd rounder.

 

[jekelish]

I agree on the 1st round - but if Andy went 2nd round? James is a for sure 2nd rounder.

I think he's still a borderline 2nd rounder. Andy was a great passer and extremely intelligent, and a solid ballhandler. He was also a better shooter than James and could get his own shot better.

James is 6-8 and athletic, which are two things that he has over Andy, and he is coming on as a rebounder, but I just don't think he's got a complete enough skillset to be a lock to be drafted.

 

[jdubs30]

I think he's still a borderline 2nd rounder. Andy was a great passer and extremely intelligent, and a solid ballhandler. He was also a better shooter than James and could get his own shot better.

James is 6-8 and athletic, which are two things that he has over Andy, and he is coming on as a rebounder, but I just don't think he's got a complete enough skillset to be a lock to be drafted.

Andy is a dime a dozen in the college game. He had no real NBA position. Southerland is elite in 1 ability and is also extremely athletic. It's all about potential, folks.

 

[jekelish]

Andy is a dime a dozen in the college game. He had no real NBA position. Southerland is elite in 1 ability and is also extremely athletic. It's all about potential, folks.

I don't disagree with you about James having potential, but Andy was elite as a shooter as well, and again, I'd say even moreso than James. James needs more consistency in his shot (which of course could come if he is a bench role player whose sole role is to come in and shoot threes on kickouts, for example).

 

[TheCusian]

I think he's still a borderline 2nd rounder. Andy was a great passer and extremely intelligent, and a solid ballhandler. He was also a better shooter than James and could get his own shot better.

James is 6-8 and athletic, which are two things that he has over Andy, and he is coming on as a rebounder, but I just don't think he's got a complete enough skillset to be a lock to be drafted.

I think teams jump at players with an elite skill even if they have holes elsewhere in their games. You may be right - but I wouldn't be surprised to see him late 1st or early 2nd. Not a lot of great shooters in this years draft.

 

[jekelish]

I think teams jump at players with an elite skill even if they have holes elsewhere in their games. You may be right - but I wouldn't be surprised to see him late 1st or early 2nd. Not a lot of great shooters in this years draft.

You make a good point about this year's draft. This class is pretty weak, which only helps guys like Dirty and, possibly, Brandon sneak into the second round.

 

[Gabjon]

You to compare James or any player to their draft class. This is a historically weak draft class and several notable under classmen have publicly stated they are returned to college. Also teams at the back of the first round are good teams looking for role players who meet a certain need.

 

[Knicks411]

Andy was a career 37.4% shooter from 3 in college. James is at 37.2%. They are very similar as shooters, at least in college. Prior to his senior year, Andy's reputation as a shooter was definitely ahead of his actual production. Both guys shot right around 40% as a senior, and in the 35-36% range prior to that.

Also, I feel like every time there is a thread about James's draft chances, someone brings up Steve Novak. It's not a good comp. Novak is a few inches taller, is a much worse athlete, and a much better shooter.

 

[jdubs30]

The only problem with the Andy-to-James comparisons is that Andy was an undersized 2 guard and didn't have the ability to the play the 1 (at the NBA level). No one is saying James is the best shooter in America, but he's 6'8, and that's a huge difference.

 

[jekelish]

Andy was a career 37.4% shooter from 3 in college. James is at 37.2%. They are very similar as shooters, at least in college. Prior to his senior year, Andy's reputation as a shooter was definitely ahead of his actual production. Both guys shot right around 40% as a senior, and in the 35-36% range prior to that.

Also, I feel like every time there is a thread about James's draft chances, someone brings up Steve Novak. It's not a good comp. Novak is a few inches taller, is a much worse athlete, and a much better shooter.

Agree, Novak is one of the most elite shooters in the world. James is not in that class.

That said, I think he can find a niche as a 9th or 10th man whose sole role is to come off the bench and knock down threes for a contender.

 

[Knicks411]

Agree, Novak is one of the most elite shooters in the world. James is not in that class.

That said, I think he can find a niche as a 9th or 10th man whose sole role is to come off the bench and knock down threes for a contender.

Yeah I'm not saying he can't do that, Novak is just isn't the guy to compare him to. He's going to be able to help a team in more ways than Novak can, but he's just not in that class as a shooter. (Put another way, if Novak was the same guy he is now, but was just the shooter James was, he probably doesn't even sniff the NBA, or certainly not an NBA rotation spot) But as a guy that, like you said, comes in for a few minutes, spots up in the corner, and can use his length on the defensive end? Certainly possible.

 

[Gabjon]

Yeah I'm not saying he can't do that, Novak is just isn't the guy to compare him to. He's going to be able to help a team in more ways than Novak can, but he's just not in that class as a shooter. (Put another way, if Novak was the same guy he is now, but was just the shooter James was, he probably doesn't even sniff the NBA, or certainly not an NBA rotation spot) But as a guy that, like you said, comes in for a few minutes, spots up in the corner, and can use his length on the defensive end? Certainly possible.

I think James compares better to Shane Battier of course he will have to learn how to be a good man to man defender, but I also think Shane is overrated in that regard.

 

[jekelish]

I think James compares better to Shane Battier of course he will have to learn how to be a good man to man defender, but I also think Shane is overrated in that regard.

He doesn't handle or pass the ball anywhere near as well as Battier, though.

 

[Knicks411]

I think James compares better to Shane Battier of course he will have to learn how to be a good man to man defender, but I also think Shane is overrated in that regard.

Shane might be overrated but he was a really great defender and still is pretty good. Offensively I can see them being similar (basically stand in the corner and shoot 3's) but Shane really does have an incredible basketball IQ.

(Shane was also a great college player, which shows you how good the NBA is, because he's been a role player in the NBA his entire career)

 

[Gabjon]

He doesn't handle or pass the ball anywhere near as well as Battier, though.

Battier doesn't have a good handle if dribbles 10x a game it's a lot

 

[Gabjon]

Shane might be overrated but he was a really great defender and still is pretty good. Offensively I can see them being similar (basically stand in the corner and shoot 3's) but Shane really does have an incredible basketball IQ.

(Shane was also a great college player, which shows you how good the NBA is, because he's been a role player in the NBA his entire career)

Shane's BBall IQ is based of 10+ years of experience. I think the Heat would be a perfect place for James learning from Battier would be great for him. (But one of our guys on that team would make me sad)

 

[jekelish]

Shane's BBall IQ is based of 10+ years of experience. I think the Heat would be a perfect place for James learning from Battier would be great for him. (But one of our guys on that team would make me sad)

No, it's not. He was always a very, very smart player. He's been a smart player his entire life (I saw him play when he was 15, and he was the smartest player on the court even then).

That said, yes, I think Battier would be a good guy for James to learn from.

 

[Gabjon]

No, it's not. He was always a very, very smart player. He's been a smart player his entire life (I saw him play when he was 15, and he was the smartest player on the court even then).

That said, yes, I think Battier would be a good guy for James to learn from.

For me BBall IQ is about instinct and experience. Smartest on a basketball court is know time and score, when to a foul stuff like that.

 

[SUintheVille]

For crying out loud, if Fab can get drafted in 1st round, JS is a shoe in. I know, Fab is bigger and a 5. But still...