His Take...

[newmexicuse]

He being one of my friends and neighbors who is a scout for the Bobcats. He was in the Dome for the UConn game. These are his early impressions from one game. Said he will be at the BET & will be in a much better position to solidify opinions and thoughts at that time. Also, remember, when he says he likes or doesn't like somebody or something he is talking in terms of the NBA & not about how a good or bad a kid may be as a collegiate.

1. He liked Drummond - says he reminds him of a young Amare. If you re-call when Amare first came to the NBA he was strictly an inside player.

2. He said Lamb has plenty of talent, but doesn't play hard.

3. He likes Robinson after Davis in the draft. He felt Sullinger is slipping out of the Top Five & might battle weight problems in his career.

4. He says he scouted Lin way back when Jeremy was a frosh & that Lin had the same game back then though he was scrawny & needed to work on his bod. He says he had Lin as the #6 PG in his draft & felt at that time that he could be a rotation guy. He along w the rest of the world did not forsee Linsanity.

Onto Cuse Things:

1. He wasn't impressed w the conditioning of Dion & Brandon & felt they were both too "thick."

2. He wasn't impressed w Fab. Says he couldn't guard Drummond inside. He sees both Fab & Dion as second half of the first round should they leave.

3. Not at all impressed w Joseph. Says he is solid. but is not exceptional at anything and may not be sufficiently athletic for the next level.

4. His favorite Cuse player was CJ, who he really liked in terms of his athleticism and quickness. Got the feeling that he thought CJ has more upside than many on this board seem to give him credit for.

5. Lastly, and this is the one nobody will like, he did not see us as a FF squad. He likes our experience and depth, but thinks there is a good chance that somewhere along the FF road that one of our weaknesses will bite us in a given game.

 

[orange03]

Some friend. Just kidding--not really surprising. I think Fab will be a legit NBA player when it's all said and done but he clearly would be better served with another year in college. I think the NBA game will suit Dion more, but I don't expect him to be a really good pro unless he learns how to shoot. Same as Fab, he would be a lot better off with another year in college.

I love this years team, but I wouldn't be remotely surprised if we got clipped in the early rounds--like he said our lack of shooting and rebounding could bite us at any time.

 

[JJReddawg]

5. Lastly, and this is the one nobody will like, he did not see us as a FF squad. He likes our experience and depth, but thinks there is a good chance that somewhere along the FF road that one of our weaknesses will bite us in a given game.

Same can be said for every other team in college basketball (sans the experience and depth). That's why it's March Madness. I'm sure if he saw UConn last year in the regular season, he propbably wouldn't even pick them to get to the Sweet Sixteen.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Hard to argue with any of that for me... I'm also a CJ believer and would buy his NBA stock potential over KJo.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Interesting to say the least.

 

[Orangello]

Hopefully you told him that with Charlotte 3-26 for the year and 222-352 all time with one playoff appearance, his talent evaluation skills may need some reevaluating

 

[pfister1]

Thanks for sharing.

With respect to his evaluations of Dion & Fab (2nd half of the 1st round) I don't find that surprising at all. Not sure how much merit there is to his conditioning comment based on one observation.

Don't think the evaluation of Joseph is all that surprising either. If we stop and think what we've been complaining about with him for 2 years - inconsistent shooter; shouldn't put the ball on the floor for more than 2 dribbles or bad things happen; limited effort on the glass; questionable defender - it shouldn't be surprising if NBA scouts don't value him.

Very surprised with his review of CJ. I am a huge CJ supporter, but have him pegged for a Lawrence Moten/John Wallace type - terrific college player (when its said and done - but not really an NBA type).

Also, what he is saying with regard to the Final Four is what most who have been complaining after the close losses have been trying to get across. Its great that we are winning those games, but as the quality of the opponents improve and the games become more meaningful you can't count on winning games where you get hammered on the boards or can't shoot straight and... sometimes both things happen.

 

[CiceroSwamp]

Great stuff...i can see the Dion but i think Fab is so raw at basketball that i think he didnt give enough credit. Interesting about CJ but that is about potential that may or may not be realized

 

[newmexicuse]

Hopefully you told him that with Charlotte 3-26 for the year and 222-352 all time with one playoff appearance, his talent evaluation skills may need some reevaluating

He has excellent talent evaluation skills. He loved Monta Ellis before anybody, myself included, even heard about him. He called Aldridge over Thomas the year that both of them were considered co #1s. The Bobcats drafted Kemba & Byongo last year. Kemba is either the top scoring rookie or amongst them. Byongo was a project player going in that the Bobcats still love by the way he practices & in terms of his upside.

It is not his fault that Charlotte traded away their two best players in the off-season & on top of that have been hit with a major injury bug (their three best players have missed major minutes). He is a scout & not a GM. Even, if he likes somebody it doesn't mean that his opinion will prevail.

In my various conversations with him over the years he has made multiple good to excellent calls & has rarely had a bad opinion, though, of course, he can't have opinions on everything. I am not specifically re-collecting that he has had any significantly wrong opinions about any Cuse player who he has scouted. And you must remember that for an NBA scout, Cuse players are extra hard to evaluate because we play Zone.

 

[OttoMets]

2. He wasn't impressed w Fab. Says he couldn't guard Drummond inside. He sees both Fab & Dion as second half of the first round should they leave.

Which should worry the hell out of them. If you're shaping up to be in the latter half of the first round, there's not a ton of buffer between you and a non-guaranteed situation. If things break badly, you can find yourself out of college eligibility and without a three-year contract.

Unless you're a unanimous lottery lock, leaving is a roll of the dice.

 

[All4SU]

He being one of my friends and neighbors who is a scout for the Bobcats. He was in the Dome for the UConn game. These are his early impressions from one game. Said he will be at the BET & will be in a much better position to solidify opinions and thoughts at that time. Also, remember, when he says he likes or doesn't like somebody or something he is talking in terms of the NBA & not about how a good or bad a kid may be as a collegiate.

1. He liked Drummond - says he reminds him of a young Amare. If you re-call when Amare first came to the NBA he was strictly an inside player.

2. He said Lamb has plenty of talent, but doesn't play hard.

3. He likes Robinson after Davis in the draft. He felt Sullinger is slipping out of the Top Five & might battle weight problems in his career.

4. He says he scouted Lin way back when Jeremy was a frosh & that Lin had the same game back then though he was scrawny & needed to work on his bod. He says he had Lin as the #6 PG in his draft & felt at that time that he could be a rotation guy. He along w the rest of the world did not forsee Linsanity.

Onto Cuse Things:

1. He wasn't impressed w the conditioning of Dion & Brandon & felt they were both too "thick."

2. He wasn't impressed w Fab. Says he couldn't guard Drummond inside. He sees both Fab & Dion as second half of the first round should they leave.

3. Not at all impressed w Joseph. Says he is solid. but is not exceptional at anything and may not be sufficiently athletic for the next level.

4. His favorite Cuse player was CJ, who he really liked in terms of his athleticism and quickness. Got the feeling that he thought CJ has more upside than many on this board seem to give him credit for.

5. Lastly, and this is the one nobody will like, he did not see us as a FF squad. He likes our experience and depth, but thinks there is a good chance that somewhere along the FF road that one of our weaknesses will bite us in a given game.

I guess that explains why the Bobcats suck.

 

[moqui]

And you must remember that for an NBA scout, Cuse players are extra hard to evaluate because we play Zone.

I would think that they are easier to evaluate - put a blind bet on a typical Cuse player being a bust in the NBA and you will usually be right

 

[pfister1]

Which should worry the hell out of them. If you're shaping up to be in the latter half of the first round, there's not a ton of buffer between you and a non-guaranteed situation. If things break badly, you can find yourself out of college eligibility and without a three-year contract.

Unless you're a unanimous lottery lock, leaving is a roll of the dice.

That said it is only one opinion, others may value one or the other of those guys higher...or lead them to believe that they do.

 

[pfister1]

I would think that they are easier to evaluate - put a blind bet on a typical Cuse player being a bust in the NBA and you will usually be right

Kind of like betting against us in the NCAA tournament. While it is painful it would be profitable over time if you bet against us playing to seed. The beautiful thing about that bet is that when you lose money it pays off handsomely as a fan.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Even if right on Fab, someone will out think the room and want to be the guy who guessed right on the 7' 250lb basketbal novice. He willgo in the first half of the draft, IMHO.

 

[OttoMets]

That said it is only one opinion, others may value one or the other of those guys higher...or lead them to believe that they do.

Certainly, which is why I'm curious about Seth Davis's annual NBA scout compilation.

Still, I imagine many teams' scouts will have the same concerns about Dion (no position, can't shoot).

There could be a huge divergence of opinion on Fab. Some teams might not want to deal with someone of his current ability and will undervalue him; others might love his potential and want to lock him up for three years in hopes that he becomes a very good center. Because of this, it'll be difficult to get a read on his draft stock for awhile, at least until we know who's declaring and what teams are picking in what positions.

The point stands, though - if 30 teams consider you a lottery pick (Wesley Johnson, Jonny Flynn, Carmelo), jumping is a safer move. If some teams' scouts consider you a late first-rounder (Donte, maybe Dion, maybe Fab), there's a real risk of sitting there in June watching Darrell Arthur get picked as the draft ticks into the late-20s and your financial future is flashing before your eyes. When there's an opportunity to secure the former, it's a poor choice to opt for the latter.

 

[NovaOrange]

IMO he is spot on with all of his points thanks for sharing. For the people taking shots at the scout and Bobcats I would like to hear the reason you haven't been hired to scout the NBA yet and he has.

 

[SoBristol]

In evaluating CJ, you can see he is athletic, but he also tends to do most of his work in the paint. He won't get those points in the NBA. He won't be the guy setting up at the foul line, as he does for us, or coming across the middle for a short jumper. Those moves would be sent back. He would need to add range, and beat small forwards. Maybe -- but only if he can adjust his game next year and play as a small forward.

I think this scout has Melo and Dion pegged about right.

 

[JJReddawg]

Keep in mind, this was prior to the 2011 NBA Draft:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ms-are-best-at-scouting-college-talent/page/8

24. Charlotte Bobcats

As the Charlotte Bobcats' No. 3 pick in 2006, Adam Morrison will go down as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history.

And while Charlotte has somewhat made up for that with the selections of Dudley, Augustin (a slight reach) and Henderson (who has played well lately), they still lack the star power needed to turn their franchise around.

So without improved scouting, the Bobcats may have some dark days ahead of them.

 

[NovaOrange]

In evaluating CJ, you can see he is athletic, but he also tends to do most of his work in the paint. He won't get those points in the NBA. He won't be the guy setting up at the foul line, as he does for us, or coming across the middle for a short jumper. Those moves would be sent back. He would need to add range, and beat small forwards. Maybe -- but only if he can adjust his game next year and play as a small forward.

I think this scout has Melo and Dion pegged about right.

True but CJ has two more years to get his game ready he could be a NBA ready guy coming out after his Senior year. Once he trusts his knee he will be a monster

 

[Jaka]

IMO he is spot on with all of his points thanks for sharing. For the people taking shots at the scout and Bobcats I would like to hear the reason you haven't been hired to scout the NBA yet and he has.

with a 3-26 record... i along with you could get the same amount of wins as their current head coach...sometimes its opportunity and who you know that gets you ahead...there are a lot of people who could scout for the NBA but there aren't that many positions available

 

[longislandcuse]

I dont dispute alot of what he said but if he doesnt think we are a Final 4 squad when every college analyst has it as Cuse/UK and then the field, i would love to hear his analysis of other teams because that statement seems like it was made in a vacuum and not in comparison to the landscape of college basketball.

 

[AZOrange]

1. He liked Drummond - says he reminds him of a young Amare. If you re-call when Amare first came to the NBA he was strictly an inside player. [HMM...I dont see it as much. Different bodies. Drummond is much bigger, Amare was much more athletic. Drummond reminds me more of an unbroken Oden]

Onto Cuse Things:

1. He wasn't impressed w the conditioning of Dion & Brandon & felt they were both too "thick." [For real? This is an odd comment imo, given the concerns about Lin and his body. Is there some perfect body size for guards in the NBA? How is Dion any thicker than Wade?]

2. He wasn't impressed w Fab. Says he couldn't guard Drummond inside. He sees both Fab & Dion as second half of the first round should they leave. [Fab had a couple of bad trips in the second, but he battled. I think Drummond was like 5-13]

5. Lastly, and this is the one nobody will like, he did not see us as a FF squad. He likes our experience and depth, but thinks there is a good chance that somewhere along the FF road that one of our weaknesses will bite us in a given game. [This is kind of a silly non-sequitor comment by an NBA scout.]

Appreciate the Scout's take though. I dont mind having honest discussions about players. I had no problems with his other comments/insights.

 

[jvbj01]

Hopefully you told him that with Charlotte 3-26 for the year and 222-352 all time with one playoff appearance, his talent evaluation skills may need some reevaluating

Lol. Great points.

 

[pfister1]

I dont dispute alot of what he said but if he doesnt think we are a Final 4 squad when every college analyst has it as Cuse/UK and then the field, i would love to hear his analysis of other teams because that statement seems like it was made in a vacuum and not in comparison to the landscape of college basketball.

Sounds like all he is saying is that we aren't a given despite our record, ranking and likely seeding to make the Final Four, not that we can't get there. The answer to your question may be as simple as he sees only Kentucky as a given and the other 3 spots are truly up for grabs.