2015 NBA Draft Watch List: Seniors, Part Six

It’s a month from the start of college basketball season and the road to the 2015 NBA Draft has begun.  It’s time to start taking some early looks at players who are already on the NBA’s radar, or have enough skill or potential to break through this season.

Players will be broken down by class, starting with the seniors.  Overall, the list will contain between 50 and 60 seniors, 30 to 40 juniors, and 20 to 30 sophomores.

These are not meant to replace scouting reports, which will come out during the season.  These are not all-inclusive and just meant as a brief primer for those who want to track draft prospects throughout the season.  These are also not in any particular order other than who I choose to write about each post.

Briante Weber, Virginia Commonwealth, Guard, 6’2, 165

(2013-14, 28.9 mpg) 9.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.9 apg, 3.5 spg

44.9 FG%, 78.4 FT%, 24.4 3FG%, 53.2 TS%, 46.9 eFG%

17.6 USG%, 2.1:1 A/TO, 25.1 AST%, 6.8 STL%, 17.4 TOV%

Weber has been a key member of Shaka Smart’s Rams for the past three seasons, while also making a name for himself as one of the best defenders in the nation and leading the NCAA in steals.  When looking at Weber, it’s best to start with his defense, where his ability to handle multiple spots in the HAVOC defense makes him dangerous. He has quick hands and feet, and he can pick up ballhandler the length of the court when needed. Weber is very good at reading the court and getting into passing lanes.  He is also disruptive as a help defender, both in halfcourt and trapping situations. While Weber doesn’t have much size, he is very good at tracking down and getting to rebounds.  On offense, Weber is a bit more challenged. He does a very quick first step and he gets into the defense quickly. HE is also a creative finisher around the basket.  His best offense is in transition, where he can turn a steal into easy points.

What he needs to show this season: There’s not much more Weber can do on the defensive side, though he should work on getting stronger. He also has some issues defending in halfcourt situations, especially off the ball. Weber is always looking for chances to make the big play, which can cause him to lose sight of his man, and force his teammates to bail him out. This also may be design for Smart’s defense. On offense, Weber has some difficulty finishing around the basket against longer defenders, and adding strength to absorb contact could help him here. He has become a solid mid-range shooter, though he has to make sure he gets square to the basket before he shoots. Weber has difficulty from long-range, unless he has plenty of time and space to shoot. He has a low release on his jumper, so the space is necessary. I’d like to see Weber become more of a playmaker off the dribble, especially making reads off of high screens.

Quinn Cook, Duke, Guard, 6’2, 185

(2013-14, 29.8 mpg) 11.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.3 spg

43.2 FG%, 82.7 FT%, 37.1 3FG%, 57.1 TS%, 53.5 eFG%

20.4 USG%, 2.7:1 A/TO, 27.7 AST%, 13.8 TO%, 2.8 STL%

Cook continued to show overall improvement as a junior, even if he did hit some extended rough patches during the season. Scorers like Jabari Parker and Rodney Hood also made Cook’s point guard duties a bit easier. Cook does a good job playing within his talent, showing an above-average handle and good floor vision. He makes smart passes in places where his teammates can make a play, and he seems to be one of the few point guards at the high major level who knows how to make an effective post entry pass.  Cook’s scoring abilities showed some improvement this past year, including showing more aggression when looking to attack the basket. He continued to show that he can knock down open long-range jumpers and he can be a creative finisher around the basket.  On defense, Cook does a very good job positioning himself on and off the ball, and he continues to improve his quickness and lateral movement.  He doesn’t take many risks on the defensive side, but instead works hard to keep the ballhandler contained. Cook is good at chasing down rebounds on the defensive end, and he always gets a good look up court to see if he has a play in transition.

What he needs to show this season:  Cook does a good job getting Duke into their offense and making smart passes, but he still needs to learn to make quicker reads off of high screens and pick-and-roll situations, as well as being quicker to find open teammates off of penetration. As I mentioned, he can be creative finishing around the basket, but he has problems when he gets in deep against help defenders, and he will look to shy away from contact.  He can hit open jumpers, but because of lack of strength, the motion for him to get his shot off from behind the 3-point line takes a bit too long. Defensively, as mentioned, he does most things well, though he does have problems getting through screens on and off the ball. Cook has developed into a good leader over the past few years, but he will need to put together a strong senior season to get recognition among a strong crop of point guards.

David Kravish, California, Forward, 6’10, 240

(2013-14, 32.2 mpg) 11.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.1 bpg

54.3 FG%, 74.1 FT%, 56.3 TS%, 54.6 eFG%

18.6 USG%, 8.3 OREB%, 18.7 DREB%, 13.7 REB%, 6.4 BLK%

Kravish has been a starter for California for the past three seasons, and he should continue to find a bigger role on offense under new coach Cuonzo Martin. Kravish is a solid stretch 4, spending his time setting screens on the perimeter, finding openings on the baseline, or making plays from the high post. He is a reliable mid-range shooter with a comfortable range out to 18 feet. Kravish is also an effective scorer around the basket, using a variety of methods to score around longer defenders. He sees the floor well out of the high and low posts, and he doesn’t make many mistakes when he has the ball in his hands. Kravish is a strong screener out on the perimeter, and his ability to knock down jumpers makes him a good option in pick-and-pop situations. Defensively, Kravish battles well in the low post, and while he doesn’t move his feet exceptionally well, he does a good job challenging shots. He is a good help defender around the basket, and his ability to time blocks exceptionally well makes him one of the PAC-12’s best rim protectors. Kravish works hard to rebound on both ends of the floor, and he does a good job going strong after missed shots instead of waiting for the ball to get to him.

What he needs to show this season:  Kravish needs to work on getting stronger to play offense in the low post. His lack of strength often leads to him being forced away from the basket on his post moves, turning two or three foot shots into six to eight foot shots. With his professional future likely as a stretch 4, Kravish needs to work on extending the range of his jumper to beyond the three-point arc, which shouldn’t be an issue since his form seems good. He also should work on his ballhandling skills a bit more, as well as adding the ability to face up and drive out of the low post. Kravish can be a good free throw shooter, but he took just 54 attempts last year on 328 field goal attempts. Part of this is due to being on the perimeter often, but he should look at finding ways to draw contact and get a good shot off when he gets the ball around the basket. Defensively, Kravish needs to continue to improve his footwork, both in the post and on the perimeter. As part of that, he needs to also work on defending on high screens, especially committing to either hedging out on the ballhandler or dropping back  – not getting caught in the middle.

Rakeem Christmas, Syracuse, Forward, 6’9, 250

(2013-14, 23.6 mpg) 5.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg

61.3 FG%, 72.6 FT%, 64.2 TS%, 61.3 eFG%

12.2 USG%, 10.3 OREB%, 15.7 DREB%, 12.9 REB%, 11.3 BLK%

Like last season, numbers won’t really show it, but Christmas continued to show improvement on both ends of the floor. Syracuse’s system on offense and defense has limited his development, but there are still flashes of a good player there. Christmas is solidly-built, but quick and athletic for his size. He is an active defender in the back of the Syracuse zone, and uses a good combination of physical play and positioning to force either a tough shot or a pass away from the basket. Also, Christmas is very vocal in the zone, seeing the floor well and directing his teammates into position. He moves his feet well and he covers ground quickly both in and out of his area, and he will look to challenge any shot he can get to. He can be a good shot-blocker, though he has to watch the fouling.  Christmas’ offense has been mostly limited to finding openings on the baseline when defenders look to stop penetration, or offensive rebounds and put-backs. When he has the opportunity to post-up, he uses his lower body well to seal the defender and he does a good job calling for the ball. Christmas also does a good job as the screener in pick-and-roll action, opening up well to the ball and having the ability to catch and finish around the basket.

What he needs to show this season: Playing in the zone limits some of what Christmas shows on the defensive end, but you can see uses his body and moves his feet well. Guarding on the perimeter may cause some problems if he has to move laterally over a longer span. Christmas does well when shots go up, looking to box out, but once he has a body one someone, he needs to be quicker to the ball. Almost all parts of his offensive game are up for development. When he has the opportunity to make a move in the post, he can be slow to get into the move and he has to develop ways to get a good shot off. He needs to work on using his left hand around the basket, especially when he is making moves from the right block over his left shoulder. He will try to force a shot with his right hand, usually right where the defender will be. Christmas hasn’t shown much in the way of a mid-range jumper, but he does have decent form on his free throw attempts. Christmas has done a good job becoming more consistent as a free throw shooter, though he has only taken 144 over three seasons. Again, significant improvement may be tough on offense unless the Orange have some consistent perimeter shooters to open up the floor. Christmas has a lot of raw ability that is still untapped, but he will need to show it over a short span after the season.