Is Terrence Ross a Lottery Talent?
The 2012 NBA Draft is widely considered to be one of the deepest drafts in recent memory. Aside from Anthony Davis, there aren’t many players projecting as surefire stars in the NBA, but the general idea is that teams are going to be able to get a talented player no matter what selection they have in the first round.
The middle of the first round is expected to be especially interesting, with numerous players bunched together talent-wise that could fall depending on how different teams at the top of the draft evaluate their respective needs.
To that effect, Washington Huskies guard/forward Terrence Ross could be a possible breakout talent that falls to the middle-to-late first round of the NBA Draft. Last season with the Huskies, Ross averaged 16.4 points (45.7 percent shooting) and grabbed 6.4 rebounds per contest, defining himself as one of the best players in the Pac-12.
At 6’7, Ross has good size for a shooting guard and that’s the position he believes he’s best suited for – although he believes he could also be a “2-3” combo later in his NBA career. His length gives him great range on the defensive end, and Ross is an able and willing defender.
Offensively, with a quality shooting touch from behind the three-point arc, Ross is a solid scorer and he also has the athleticism to wreak havoc above the rim. Ross believes he will showcase his propensity to attack the basket even more once he gets to the NBA.
“I can get to the basket,” Ross said. “A lot of people don’t think I can get to the basket, but I think that’s something I’m going to start proving to people that I can.”
Not without his flaws, Ross doesn’t have great ball handling skills and struggles to create his own offense as he’s more of a set shooter at this point in his career. However, these are both aspects of his game – along with packing on some weight to his lanky 197-pound frame – that can be addressed, worked on and developed at the NBA level.
Most importantly, you can’t teach size and athleticism and Ross is equipped with an abundance of each of those traits at his position.
While other college players may dread the media spotlight and scrutiny that the NBA Draft Combine represents, Ross says he welcomes the challenge and believes that the attention will only help his value.
“[The Draft Combine] is a good opportunity to show how well-rounded my game is,” Ross said. “I don’t play like any one player in the NBA, just a mix of different people.”
Mock drafts across the board range from Ross being taken as high as No. 11 by the Portland Trail Blazers, to as low as No. 21 by the Boston Celtics. According to Ross, it doesn’t matter as much to him what number his name is called, just as long as he gets picked.
“I think [draft selection number]’s important to every player,” Ross said, “but I’ll just be happy to get picked.”
The most recent HOOPSWORLD consensus mock draft has Ross taking his talents to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 18 overall and Ross believes he would “fit well” with the T-Wolves.
“I know I would fit well with Minnesota because they need a shooting guard, and a few other teams,” Ross said. “But at this point it’s too hard to say.”
Ross also disclosed that he has spoken to the Chicago Bulls (29th overall), Boston Celtics (21st, 22nd), Golden State Warriors (7th, 30th) and Orlando Magic (19th) among others. The interview with the Warriors went “really well” according to Ross, and the swingman articulated that he and head coach Mark Jackson had a particularly lengthy conversation about the expectations of the Golden State organization.
“We talked a lot,” Ross admitted.
In terms of follow-ups, Ross had also already scheduled individual workouts with both the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. These were just a few of the teams Ross named and there’s no doubt there were plenty of other suitors interested in working out the versatile swingman.
While not a top-10 pick, there’s an excellent chance Ross is selected around 15th overall and the 21-year old could be a steal for a prospective franchise in need of a talented wing player. He’s not without his flaws, but Ross is a thrifty value in the middle of the first round and could be talked about as one of the most solid players to come out of the 2012 Draft after the dust settles.
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