HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

The 2011 NBA Draft is fast approaching and, over the past several months, we have heard and written an awful lot about players like Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker.  In a two-part series, HOOPSWORLD takes a look at 16 players with legitimate NBA prospects whose names you’ll want to know come draft day.  Here are eight names to know…

Malcolm Lee, SG, 6-5, 190 lbs. – When evaluating Malcolm Lee as an NBA prospect, you get something of a mixed bag.  From a physical standpoint the former UCLA standout looks very much like an NBA player, but his decision-making shows that, mentally, there is still plenty of room for improvement.  In transition, he is a handful, possessing the speed to get out in the open floor and explosiveness to finish at the rim.  In the half court, however, he is less comfortable scoring at the rim and passing/dribbling in traffic.  That being said, in a more open NBA game, he brings some very intriguing skills to the table.

Where Lee shows the most potential is on the defensive end of the floor.  He has played the past three seasons for Coach Ben Howland, a defensive-minded coach who has seen several of his former guards, many of whom were viewed as tweeners and weren’t as productive at the college level as NBA scouts may have expected (Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison come to mind), go on to be productive, if not spectacular, NBA players.  Lee is long, athletic and committed on the defensive end, and his ability to develop into a stopper at both guard positions will continue to draw the eyes of NBA scouts, coaches and general managers.

Lee is developing as a spot-up shooter and clearly possesses the size and athleticism to be a contributor at the NBA level.  Due to a lack of productivity at the college level and some obvious holes in his game, expect to see him picked in the early-to-mid second round.

E’Twaun Moore, SG, 6-4, 190 lbs. – Few players in the 2011 NBA Draft have been as consistent and productive as Purdue’s E’Twaun Moore.  The 6-4 shooting guard posted career-highs in nearly every statistical category as a senior, including, points (18.0 per game), rebounds (5.1), assists (3.2), assist to turnover ratio (1.77) and field-goal percentage (.447) while shooting .400 from behind the three-point line.

Moore lacks ideal size and athleticism for an NBA shooting guard but, despite his obvious physical limitations, remains a draftable prospect for several reasons.  He has improved nearly every facet of his game during his four seasons at Purdue and shows a solid feel for the game to go along with a smooth shooting stroke.  While he will likely struggle to keep up with most perimeter players athletically at the NBA level, he is a smart player that uses his body well in order to stay in front of quicker, more explosive opponents.

Moore doesn’t project as a starter at the NBA level, but his high basketball I.Q., outstanding productivity during his four-year college career and his ability to stretch defenses with his perimeter shooting will likely land him somewhere in the early part of the second round.

Reggie Jackson, PG, 6-3, 210 lbs. -  A terrific athlete with good size for an NBA point guard, Reggie Jackson came virtually out of nowhere to become a legitimate prospect during his junior season at Boston College.

After a productive, but not particularly efficient, sophomore campaign, Jackson matured into a smarter playmaker and scorer in his third year under Coach Steve Donahue, shooting .503 from the field (compared to .430 a year ago) and .420 from behind the three-point line (he shot just .291 from deep in 2009-10) while leading the team in scoring and assists.

A capable ball-handler, the 6-3 Jackson has made the most strides during his college career as a perimeter shooter, able to knock down shots when pulling up off the dribble and spotting up.  His explosive first step allows him to take advantage of defensive players who opt to crowd Jackson and his leaping ability helps him get up and finish in traffic around the rim.

Defensively, his quickness and length make Jackson a disruptive force in the passing lanes and rebound his position very well.  With some advanced coaching at the NBA level, he could develop into a very good defensive player at the next level with the ability to guard both back court positions and his overall versatility (as a combo-guard on both ends of the floor) should land him late in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft.  {AUTHOR_BOX}

Gilbert Brown, SG, 6-6, 200 lbs. – Not a particularly productive player on the offensive end of the floor throughout his four years a Pittsburgh, Gilbert Brown has emerged as one of the top perimeter defenders in the 2011 NBA Draft class.

Offensively, Brown isn’t going to wow anyone, but he is an extremely smart and selfless player who clearly knows his limitations and plays within himself.  Over the past two seasons, he has made great strides as a spot-up shooter, making nearly 41 percent (64-157) of his three-point attempts after converting just 30-117 (.256) in his first two college campaigns.

A long, versatile athlete, Brown has the potential to be a lock-down defender at multiple positions in the NBA.  He is equally adept playing the passing lanes and as a one-on-one defender, using his toughness and outstanding lateral quickness to stay in between his man and the basket.

Because of his limited offensive potential, Brown will likely fall into the mid-second round, but his high basketball I.Q. and defensive potential will almost certainly get his named called on draft night.

Nikola Vucevic, PF/C, 6-10, 240 lbs. – Born in Switzerland and raised in Belgium, Nikola Vucevic seems to fit the stereotypes regularly placed on European players here in the United States.  Long and skilled, the 6-10 big man seems to be more comfortable in the mid-to-high post, particularly against bigger, stronger opponents.

On the defensive end, he can be overpowered or out muscled but positions himself well and uses his length and timing to contest and block shots.  His lack of great lateral quickness will make it difficult for him to stay in front of some of the more athletic power forwards at the NBA level, while his slight frame looks like a liability against bigger NBA centers. Regardless, he works hard on the defensive end of the floor and overcomes most of his athletic woes by outworking his opponents, helping him rebound the ball at a very good rate.

Offensively, he dominates smaller players in the post and can step out and hit some shots while facing the basket in the mid-range and even hit nearly 35 percent of his three-point shots this season.  Vucevic’s ability to consistently knock down 15-foot shots will make him a valuable asset in pick-and-pop situations.

While he is still developing in terms of his shooting and ball-handling, Vucevic has grown considerably over his three seasons at USC and is a long, skilled big man who can rebound and protect the rim.  With some added muscle to his frame, he’ll be a solid contributor in an NBA rotation and should go in the late-first to early-second round.

David Lighty, SG/SF, 6-5, 220 lbs. – Arguably the best defensive player in the Big Ten last season (although JaJuan Johnson of Purdue was named the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year), David Lighty is a versatile, veteran wing that should step in and contribute to an NBA team early in his career.

The 6-5 swingman works tirelessly on the defensive end, regularly checking the top perimeter scorer for Coach Thad Matta’s team over the course of the past few seasons (although he missed all be seven games in 2008-09 due to a broken foot).  While he lacks elite lateral quickness, he understands defensive schemes and does a good job of positioning his body to overcome any physical limitations he might have. 

A solid defender throughout his collegiate career, Lighty has improved the most on the offensive end.  This season he shot a career-high .429 from behind the three-point line, evidence of not only his hard work on what as a shaky jump shot, but his improved decision-making.  Lighty also took better care of the basketball, averaging just 1.6 turnovers per game (the fewest since his freshman year, when he played just 16 minutes per game) despite becoming a primary ball-handler and offensive initiator for the Buckeyes.

Lighty’s experience, basketball I.Q., versatility and defensive capabilities will likely land him somewhere in the middle of the second round in this year’s draft.

DeAndre Liggins, SG, 6-6, 180 lbs. – If you are looking for offensive productivity, DeAndre Liggins isn’t the guy for you.  However, if you are looking a tough-as-nails defender with the ability to lock-down players at the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions, the junior out of Kentucky is a perfect fit. 

One of the top prospects in his high school class, Liggins has taken a back seat to a laundry list of one-and-done players and lottery picks from the same UK basketball program (and even the same back court) over the last couple of seasons.  While John Wall, Eric Bledsoe, Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Horton, Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight have stolen the headlines, Liggins has been the heart and soul of the Kentucky defense.

The 6-6 Liggins only has two NBA-ready skills, but they are especially important skills:  three-point shooting and defending.  He’ll never be a superstar, but Liggins figure to have a long NBA career and looks to be a mid- to late-second round pick.

JaJuan Johnson, PF/C, 6-10, 215 lbs. – In intimidating shot-blocker, former Purdue big man JaJuan Johnson has averaged at least one block per game every year of his college career (even when playing fewer than 17 minutes a night as a freshman in the Big Ten), but even more impressive has been his progress on the offensive end of the floor. 

After shooting a paltry .421 from the floor and averaging just over five points per game in his first year on campus, Johnson has blossomed into one of the most productive scorers in the college ranks, leading the conference in scoring (20.5 ppg).  His offensive repertoire isn’t extensive, but he has a couple of go-to moves and has improved to range to extend out to the college three-point line, from which Johnson shot a respectable .294 as a senior.  In the NBA world, the ability to pick-and-pop will go a long way. 

Defensively, Johnson does a terrific job as a weak-side shot blocker but there are some concerns about his ability to defend the post one-on-one.  He’ll have to get considerably stronger (to his credit, Johnson has clearly worked hard in the weight room over the past four years, particularly in the lower-body, in order to keep NBA centers and power forwards from establishing deep post position. 

Johnson is a solid athlete who can score in the post, shoot the basketball (.809 from the free throw line this year) and protect the rim and will likely go late first to early second round in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Be sure to check back at HOOPSWORLD as we continue our coverage of the 2011 NBA Draft.  Own Yannis Koutroupis brings the second part of this two part series later in the week.  If you have any questions or comments for Luke Byrnes, you can drop him a questionsin his weekly chat or hit him up on Twitter.