When Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov became the majority owner of the team, he made a promise that raised plenty of eyebrows: the Nets will win a championship in five years. It sounded like an impossible promise for a team that had been so awful ever since the departure of Jason Kidd back in the 2007-2008 season. Slowly but surely, though, Prokhorov made sure that his words would prove to be meaningful by building a new arena to help attract free
GUARDS Trey Burke, Michigan Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse Ben McLemore, Kansas CJ McCollum, Lehigh Victor Oladipo, Indiana Erick Green, Virginia Tech SMALL FORWARDS Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan Otto Porter, Georgetown Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State POWER FORWARDS Anthony Bennett, UNLV Tony Mitchell, North Texas Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State CENTERS Nerlens Noel, Kentucky Alex Len, Maryland Cody Zeller, Indiana Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga Gorgui Dieng, Louisville Mason Plumlee, Duke Jeff Withey, Kansas
JEFF WITHEY 7-0, 235 lbs. School: Kansas Class: Senior Selected with 39th overall pick by Portland Trail Blazers STRENGTHS: Withey was a monster in the paint defensively for Kansas, finishing second in the nation in blocked shots (3.9 per). He thoroughly dominated the interior, owning the paint and winning the National Defensive Player of the Year award. Withey is every bit of 7 feet tall, and uses all of his length on both ends of the floor. He’s got great timing on shots, and often
JAMAAL FRANKLIN 6-5, 205 lbs. School: San Diego St. Class: Junior Selected with 41st pick by Memphis Grizzlies STRENGTHS: Besides being one of the only players in history to rock the long sleeve shirt under his uniform, Franklin is known for his versatility and productivity in every facet of the game. (The long sleeves are awesome though). Though San Diego State played with a four-guard lineup, Franklin led the Aztecs with 9.5 rebounds per game last season. He also led the team in scoring (17
TONY MITCHELL 6-8, 235 lbs. School: North Texas Class: Sophomore Selected with the 37th overall pick by Detroit Pistons STRENGTHS: Our 2012 Sun Belt Player of the Year, Mitchell is a powerful, athletic freak with an NBA-ready body and a monstrous wingspan. Though he’s only 6-8, Mitchell plays like a seven-footer because he has a 7-3 wingspan. He’s a terrific defender and shot blocker, averaging nearly 3 swats per game. His athleticism could allow him to play as a 3 at the next level, even
The biggest story line of the 2013 NBA Draft was supposed to be about who would go as the No. 1 pick and where Nerlens Noel would end up. It looked to lean that way when the Cleveland Cavaliers went with Anthony Bennett – a surprise to many – and Noel shockingly dropped all the way down to the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 6. The biggest bombshell of the night, however, came from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports: [Read more…]
TIM HARDAWAY, JR. 6-6, 205 lbs. School: Michigan Class: Junior Selected with 24th overall pick by New York Knicks STRENGTHS: Despite being the son of little Tim Hardaway, (who was 5-11), Hardaway Jr. somehow grew to be 6-6. That’s not even fair. Tim Jr. is an athletic, big guard with a hard work ethic and a good basketball IQ. He can be explosive at times, and has a repertoire of moves he uses to get to the basket. He’s got NBA-level quickness for a 2-guard
MASON PLUMLEE 6-10, 235 lbs. School: Duke Class: Senior STRENGTHS: Plumlee has all of the physical gifts to be a quality NBA center. He’s huge (6-10, 235) and athletic, and is a monster around the glass. Duke fans won’t like hearing this, but he’s comparable to Tyler Hansbrough in terms of the energy and effort he brings to the position. Plumlee uses his size very well and knows how to position himself down low. He’s surprisingly mobile and athletic for his size. In 2013,