Tony Mitchell, PF, North Texas
A year ago, Mitchell was a darling of scouts because of his ridiculous production on the glass and blocking shots. Scouts were especially impressed by Mitchell’s offensive production as a freshman, 57% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
Athletically, Mitchell can match up with players on the perimeter or the post and is not afraid to challenge them.
With his 7’3″ wingspan and explosiveness, Mitchell is seen as a plus defender in the eyes of many in the NBA, capable of defending multiple positions. However, Mitchell’s decision- making and instincts can be questionable at times.
Offensively, Mitchell is at his best in transition where his speed and ability to finish set him apart from most other players.
This season Mitchell’s production is down across the board and his shot selection has been atrocious, having doubled his 3-point attempts while shooting just 29%. Considering Mitchell does not play in a power conference, scouts have been down on him this season, and barring a late-season surge Mitchell is a mid-to-late first-round pick.
James McAdoo, PF, North Carolina
One season ago, McAdoo looked like a breakout star playing behind Tyler Zeller and John Henson. Over the summer many, including myself, speculated that McAdoo could be a top-5 pick. Unfortunately, McAdoo has not dominated like many had hoped and while expectations may have been too high for the sophomore more questions have been raised about his pro prospects.
Offensively, McAdoo is most comfortable facing the basket. Not overly athletic and preferring finesse to power has led some to wonder whether McAdoo will be a 4 in t,he NBA. But based on his inability to shoot 3s, he will need to be a power forward.
On the other end McAdoo is not a shot blocker but has good hands and can disrupt bigger more plodding opponents. From a rebounding standpoint McAdoo is solid but lacks the athletic ability and length to be dominant. At this point in the season McAdoo appears to be a late lottery pick that could slip somewhere into the top-20, barring a dominant February and March.
Patric Young, PF, Florida
Young is the quintessential athletic marvel. From the moment he arrived in Gainesville, Young had a NBA body and oozed with potential. After his freshman season, some NBA scouts argued he could be a lottery pick based on his potential and size. However, stepping into the the starting spotlight has shed light on Young’s weaknesses.
Make no mistake, Young will never be a player that commands touches in the NBA. Raw would be a good adjective to describe his offensive ability, but at 21 it is hard to say he will make major strides.
Where Young excels is on the defensive end where his length, athleticism, and lateral mobility allow him to make an impact. Young is a solid shot-blocker but not as dominant as one would hope. Physically, Young can man up well with defenders due his strength.
While there has been little improvement from his sophomore to junior seasons, Young could still contribute in the NBA. At this point it’s hard to see Young going anywhere before the late first round.
sorry for typos. Tougher than HIS rep. As an add on plumlee……he can really get up and down the floor. And he’s strong…..as is miles, the older bro. I can see mason going top ten by the end of the day. Tony Mitchell is a freak. A physical freak. An elite intimidating defender….but i dont know where his head is. And for now at least, his shot is close to broken. There is also erik murphy at florida. A bit of a plodder, and not a great rebounder….but he can certainly score. Has a genuine post up game. How that translates to the NBA however, I dont know.
WOW, im so glad reading this as I would second almost all of whats said. First, Agree totally about Mbakwe……soooooo underrated. This guy is going to be a solid pro, a very tough defender who can score more than you’d expect. Good free throw shooter too, which speaks to his discipline. Carmichal is a nice prospect. Not an elite athlete and more of a self made player, he is still going to be a solid role player in the NBA. He has a nice touch on his shot, too. Bennett oddly enough reminds me a bit of David Lee. Same facing the basket moves. Bennett is longer, and a better defender, but Lee shoots with more range. But thats what you get with bennet….a david lee level of play. Howell is fine…..reminds me a bit of kevin jones last year. A role player, but a hard working one. Young i dont like. Awkward, and doesnt enough of any one thing to make me want him. McAdoo reminds me some of kris humphries…….looks big and strong but just isnt. Soft soft and lacks court awareness. Id add gorgui dieng….who i think is more of a four than a five. He’s a stronger version of larry sanders. Mason Plumlee is really a four too. He cant play the five…ergo should be on this list. He is going to be a good but not great pro. But i love how chippy his play is…tougher than her rep. Cody is cody. A lamarcus aldridge kind of game. Quick and skilled….might have some trouble getting off against bigger fours though