I’ve learned many things through my 25 years in the game evaluating players at every level.
The first is that nothing basketball-related in this day and age is an exact science. There are high-tech methods to track a player’s every move statistically and analytically and, of course, there are countless strength coaches, player development and workout gurus and top training methods available to players now like never before. But sometimes, as many old-school basketball people will tell you, whether or not a guy has the best equipment, access to the best training facilities, specialized or the best technological or analytical coaching, it simply comes down to whether a guy can play or not.
I have also learned there is no correlation between being a very good coach and being a good judge of talent who can project a kid’s potential. They are two separate talents and skill sets. Some coaches are very good at it and some are not. The same goes with front office people I’ve met through the years.
What I have come to realize is most people will go along with whatever the media’s consensus is on a player and his reputation.
Very few guys I have known actually have their own original thoughts or have enough conviction to know what they are looking at when they see it. Just like in life, there are no guarantees or very few sure things and everyone can usually pick out the can’t-miss prospects. It’s trying to figure out how certain intangibles will matter, and how much a guy’s game and skill-set will transfer to the NBA game is the most challenging of all. I have always been more right than I was wrong, but I have never been or known anyone who was perfect.
I have always prided myself on being able to outevaluate others and find that diamond-in-the-rough like Luis Flores at Manhattan College. When he transferred from Rutgers, I had many experts tell me not to take him. If I told you who discouraged me, you would be shocked. He only went on to become the all-time leading scorer in Manhattan College history and a 2nd round draft pick by Jeff Van Gundy’s Houston Rockets, which is a pretty big deal coming from the MAAC.
With the new NCAA season starting, most of us have heard all the talk about the 10 McDonalds All-Americans at Kentucky and the NBA Draft-style combine practice they held earlier this year, televised by ESPN, where all 30 teams were represented.
I have always had my own rule in recruiting or evaluating a player: If I saw a guy play and walked away excited about the guy, that’s was always a pretty safe indicator for me — gut instinct.
Marcus is a young man I have followed since his high school days in New Jersey. He started out at Villanova, but after transferring to SMU and having the great tutelage of coach Larry Brown, he lost a lot of his baby fat and got into great shape during his transfer year. He’s become a different player with a real chance to succeed at the next level. Coming off his sophomore year last year, when he averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds, I believe this year his numbers are only going to go up and he has become a much better leader and decision-maker. Marcus has very good hands and great footwork around the basket with an old-school big butt like Adrian Dantley had. He’s a very deceptive offensive player who can get the ball in the high post and make jump shots out to 17 feet or put the ball on the deck and attack the rim. He’s one of my sleeper big men in the country who I feel will have a great season.
Goodwin is a multi-skilled big man who is extremely versatile and can do many things most bigs his size can’t. He reminds me a little bit of a better offensive version of Kenneth Faried with his energy level and activity.
I know it’s a little hard to pick a guy from Florida and say he’s an under the radar, but I believe because he was originally a transfer from Virginia Tech and even though he led them in rebounding, he was somewhat overlooked and under-publicized on a Final Four team.
I had to ask Google what conference Georgia State is in (Sun Belt), but I have coached against his dad Ron Hunter Sr.
Sykes also hasn’t had much national exposure or publicity, but that figures to change this year as his name and his game are starting to move up the charts and lists of must-see point guards out there. Like other smallish PGs who are having an impact in the league, like Aaron Brooks from the Bulls and D.J. Augustin from the Pistons, Sykes fits the mold as a small college player with a big-time game. He was the Horizon Conferences’ Player of the Year last year and averaged over 20 points a game while handling all the point guard duties exceptional well.
I usually have an admitted East Coast bias, so this next guy is a big surprise selection for me. I wanted to put Chris Obekpa of St. Johns or Amida Brimah from UConn or even Daniel Uchefu from Villanova here, but I happen to watch Williams last season. Although he is a little undersized for a center, I really liked this kid.
Here’s another undersized guy in Graham, but what I love about his game is how he excels in Shaka Smart’s system. I’m a little biased when it comes to style of play and if I had to pick one coach or team that plays the most like my former teams when I coached, aside from Rick Pitino, it’s Smart and VCU.
This is a guy who might be my biggest reach here, but it does have a little personal ring for me. People who follow hoops might know that Tyler’s brother is Tobias Harris of the Orlando Magic, who I believe is absolutely a can’t-miss future NBA All-Star and one of the best young players coming up in the league today. He will no doubt be one of the top restricted free agents next offseason. Another side note is that Harris’ dad, Torrel, was a helluva player himself back in the day at Duquesne University with former NBA great Norm Nixon. Tyler and I have a great relationship since I have followed his progress since he started at N.C. State. My humble opinion is that he is one of the biggest sleepers in the Big East, a poor man’s Tayshaun Prince. I know that they have another very good lefty forward at Providence who has deservedly gotten most of the notoriety going into this season in 6’9″ Ledonte Henton, who is also worth taking a look at, but I really do believe there is something very real about DNA, pedigree and genetics. Though Tobias is the big name brother, I would not be surprised to see my man Tyler lacing them up soon to face off against his brother Tobias and his cousin, Channing Frye.
I know it is not easy to make the NBA from the MAAC but like former Iona guard Scott Machado, who came close, I believe because English is the odds-on favorite to be the conference’s Player of The Year.
He’s only a sophomore, but I’ve heard there have already been many NBA executives up to see him in the early going of his career so he may not be as under-the-radar as I thought. I happen to have a great friend who has been a lifelong Rhody booster and was in my wedding party who has followed the team religiously through the years that I trust and respect. He told me that Matthews had the best freshman year of any Rhode Island player he has seen in 25 years, which is really saying something. He’s a big point guard out of the state of Michigan and coach Danny Hurley absolutely found a sleeper steal in this young man. He really has a chance to be special. After being the Atlantic 10’s co-Rookie of The Year and averaged 15 points a game. If he continues to improve on those numbers, it may be hard to keep him in school for a third year.Ry
sheed Jordan, 6’5, Sophomore, PG, St. John’s
Jordan is a tough street kid out of Philly that I believe has all the makings of an NBA point guard. After struggling in the beginning of his freshmen year he really found his groove and came on late. Again he is teamed in the backcourt with combo guard Deangelo Harrison who will get most of the notoriety and is probably the favorite to lead the Big East in scoring, but to me it’s Jordan who, if he continues to progress this season like I expect him to, will be awful tough for Steve Lavin to expect back for his junior season. A terrific layup maker a la Rod Strickland.
D.J. Newbill, 6’4, G, Junior, Penn State
Newbill is another do everything player who can play anywhere from the small forward to the point guard and in a loaded Big Ten after averaging 17.8 pts per game last year as a sophomore he is one of the most underrated and underpublicized players in a major conference in the country.
I really love this kid’s toughness and demeanor and believe he is another physically gifted specimen who will succeed at the next level.
Julian Washburn, 6’8, Forward, Texas-El Paso
As I mentioned before, there is something to say for genetics, DNA and pedigree and this next guy is the son of once well-known big man Chris Washburn. Julian is another guy I have followed closely, having once committed to our staff while he was changing high schools. I thought Julian had great length and huge upside, so now that he is a senior for Coach Tim Floyd at UTEP and is one of the best players in Conference USA. He is a big wing forward who I think has a sneaky chance to be a good pro and a guy worth keeping an eye on.
As I said earlier, like everyone else I love guys like freshmen Stanley Johnson of Arizona and Cliff Alexander of Kansas, but again these are guys who are high-profile and I’m sure will be heavily publicized and scrutinized.
My 13 guys will be flying a lot more under the radar but I believe are still worth a look. It’s easy to follow the crowd and evaluate the big names, but it is a bigger challenge to uncover the guys like the Spurs have done with Kawhi Leonard, last year’s Finals MVP.
In the offseason everyone loves guys who can run and jump, but during the winter you want and need guys who can make shots. Also,everyone is an expert and has a plan until something goes wrong or someone gets hit in the face, and I want guys who can overcome adversity and be resilient when they fail.
Bobby Gonzalez is a former Division I head coach at Manhattan and Seton Hall. He has been writing columns for SheridanHoops since March.
