Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Player Preview

Every year, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT) brings together 64 of the top seniors in the country for a 4-day tournament in front of a gym full of professional scouts from the NBA, D-League, and around the world. Though NBA success stories are still there from the PIT, 8 players from last year’s tournament have played in the league this season, most still have to take a long road to there, often going undrafted and battling for roster spots through Summer League, training camp, and playing overseas or in the D-League. The games themselves aren’t always a great place to evaluate talent, as they are often guard-dominant, and many players are there thinking of making a name for themselves ahead of everything else.

Over the next day, I will look at all 64 players in this year’s tournament, with a quick breakdown of the skills and abilities which got them invites. Each part consists of 16 players, and will be done in alphabetic order.

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Here’s a look at the first set of 16 players:

Darion Atkins, 6’8, 234, Virginia, Forward – Atkins moved into the starting lineup this year for a Cavaliers’ team which won 30 games and was among the best teams in the nation. Atkins is much like a classic power forward, using his body well to clear space on offense and defend on defense. Most of his offense comes from posting up or off of offensive rebounds, though he isn’t a tremendously efficient scorer around the basket. Atkins is a very good screener, and though not used in the role option, he is a good scorer as a “roll” man in the pick-and-roll. Defensively, Atkins is tough as a defender in the post or on the perimeter, and like many of his teammates, he has good awareness and is a good help defender. Atkins isn’t very athletic, but he stays within his comfort zone. He rebounds well on both ends of the floor and he uses his lower body well to clear out space to get the missed shot.

JJ Avila, 6’7, 246, Colorado State, Forward – Avila, one of the Mountain West’s best players the past two seasons since transferring from Navy, is a big-bodied forward who is an efficient scorer around the basket, and a tough rebounder on both ends of the floor. He is also a skilled passer, and a tough, versatile defender who relies on playing physical and wearing down opponents.

Wayne Blackshear, 6’5, 215, Louisville, Guard– Though he never fulfilled the promise expected when he was a McDonald’s All-American player in high school, Blackshear did come into his own a bit this year as a solid role player for Rick Pitino. He finished his college career on a high note, scoring 28 points against Michigan State in the Elite Eight, though he is just a career 34 percent three-point shooter, which doesn’t really bolster his case as a pro shooting guard.

Askia Booker, 6’2, 175, Colorado, Guard– With Spencer Dinwiddie off to the NBA, Booker did a good job trying to step up his offense for a Colorado team which really needed it. Quick and a good ballhandler, Booker loves to get out and push the ball in the open floor, where his speed allows him to get easy baskets in transition. He could be a better shooter than his numbers say (39 FG%, 33 3FG%), but his shot selection needs a lot of work. Booker has shown flashes of being a good distributor, though he needs to work on improving making reads in the pick-and-roll, and not making his shot the first option.

Julius Brown, 5’10, 170, Toledo, Guard– Though he doesn’t have great size, Brown has found ways to score from almost any spot on the floor. Brown has become a better long-range shooter over the past couple of years, hitting 40 percent from behind the arc this season. Though he took on a bigger scoring role this season, he averaged 6 assists per game in his sophomore and junior years, and he has a nice ability to find shooters when dribbling off screens, or hitting post players with solid, and sometimes creative, entry passes.

Mike Caffey, 6’0, 175, Long Beach State, Guard – Another in a tournament filled with small, quick point guards, Caffey is a creative guard off the dribble, though a bit wild at times. Like many guards who need to take on a big scoring role, his shot selection was spotty at times, but he uses his dribble well to create space for his jumper, and though he can have some trouble getting to the basket, he has a solid mid-range jumper and floater around the basket. Defensively, Caffey has good instincts and he uses his speed well on and off the ball.

Darius Carter, 6’7, 245, Wichita State, Forward– Carter, in his second season as a Shocker after transferring from junior college, made a big impact for the team in the post, though undersized at just 6’7. Carter uses his body well on both ends of the floor, and when getting the ball around the basket, he has the strength to shoot through contact, plus he showed some improving, and surprising, touch around the rim. He is a decent ballhandler and also showed the ability to face up and drive to the rim out of the low post, as well as having a nice knack for filling space around the basket quickly off of penetration. Carter doesn’t have much of an offensive game away from the basket, though he did manage to hit 4 out of 7 three-point shots this past season.

Kenny Chery, 5’11, 180, Baylor, Guard – Chery is coming a solid season running the point for the Bears, showing an increased ability to hit from long-range, while leading the team’s effort on defense. Though he hit just 38 percent of shots from behind the arc, Chery showed a nice ability to create space off the dribble, which he needs at just 5’11, as well as range out to 22 or 23 feet. While not a great creator for others off the dribble, he has good vision and knows how to hit teammates in good spots for them to score. Chery’s size gives him problems scoring within the arc, but his speed allows him to get easy baskets in transition when given the opportunity. Chery can pressure the ball well on defense, showing the ability to pick up his man full court if needed, and his awareness and activity allows him to always be in a position to make some kind of play, whether it is helping around the lane, or getting to long rebounds quickly.

Michael Cobbins, 6’8, 230, Oklahoma State, Forward – Cobbins bounced back well from an Achilles injury which ended his junior year in December, 2013. Though never a major offensive option as a Cowboy, Cobbins is an efficient scorer around the basket, and will look to finish with a powerful dunk whenever possible. Cobbins’ real role came on the defensive end where he would often be given the task of guarding the opposing team’s biggest player, and though just 6’8, he would rarely back down. He is a good help defender around the basket, and he averaged almost 2 blocks per game this past season. Cobbins’ lack of size against bigger players, along with his aggressiveness, often lead to foul trouble, but the Cowboys defense always seemed sturdier with him on the floor. Cobbins is a decent defensive rebounder for his size, though he does need to work on getting to the ball quicker.

Karl Cochran, 6’1, 175, Wofford, Guard – Cochran was a consistent contributor for Wofford over the past four seasons, and key part of why the team has made back-to-back NCAA appearances. He is a versatile perimeter scorer, though the majority of his offense comes from behind the arc, where he hit 98 of his 268 attempts (36.6%.) Cochran likes to come off screens, whether it is to create space for his jumper, or to accelerate and look to get into the defense. Though the assist totals aren’t big (2.7 per game), Cochran has good vision and is a smart passer. He is a tough defender, both on and off the ball, and he has great rebounding instincts, especially for his size.

Brett Comer, 6’3, 192, Florida Gulf Coast, Guard– The leader of Dunk City, Comer burst onto the national scene during the Eagles’ Sweet Sixteen run a few years back. He has good speed and ballhandling abilities, and can be a terror in the open floor. Comer was number two nationally in assist rate this past season at 46.8, and though not a very good halfcourt scorer, he gets to rim as well as anyone in transition. Comer has become a slightly better shooter over the past two seasons, especially from long-range, though he isn’t a great threat. He makes good reads, and passes, in pick-and-roll situations, though he isn’t himself a very good scorer coming off of screens. Defensively, Comer could be a bit unorthodox in his approach at times, but he has a knack for making plays; he just needs to watch risking too much and staying focused.

Pat Connaughton, 6’5, 214, Notre Dame, Guard– Connaughton is coming off a terrific senior season where he helped lead Notre Dame to the Elite Eight, and established himself as a dangerous long-range shooter. Connaughton hit 93 threes this past season, at over 42 percent, while also showing a solid mid-range game. He moves very well without the ball, and he does a great job coming off screens ready to shoot quickly. Connaughton is a terrific rebounder for his size, having no trouble battling against bigger players for the ball (see Kentucky game). Though not a very good defender, he works hard and can hold his own against quicker players. A minor league pitching prospect in the Baltimore Orioles’ system, Connaughton’s play for the Irish this year also has him a legitimate basketball prospect.

Will Cummings, 6’2, 185, Temple, Guard – After a breakout junior season, Cummings had a down year in some respects, but was also the key to Temple just missing out on the NCAA Tournament and making it to the NIT semifinals. Cummings is at his best when he is looking to get into the defense to get to the rim or find an open teammate. Though he isn’t a great finisher around the basket, he draws fouls at a very good rate, and he’s a good enough free throw shooter to turn them into points. Cummings generally makes good decisions with the ball, and his vision and passing have continued to improve. He isn’t much of a perimeter shooter, including a depressing 23 percent from behind the arc this season. Cummings is a good defender, using his quick hands and feet well, and showing great instincts.

Bryce Dejean-Jones, 6’5, 210, Iowa State, Guard – Dejean-Jones had his best college season as a senior transfer for Fred Hoiberg. At prior stops at USC and UNLV, Dejean-Jones was a high volume-low percentage shooter, often hoisting shots just because the offense had zero structure. Moving to a role player, Hoiberg got him to focus on being a spot-up threat from the wing, where he could knock down jumpers or attack the basket. Dejean-Jones still isn’t a very good long-range threat, though it has more to do with shot selection rather than mechanics. He has some ability to create shots for others off the dribble, and though not a great passer, he sees the floor fairly well. Dejean-Jones has never been a great defender, but he showed a little more effort this year, though the team as a whole wasn’t very good.

Ousmane Drame, 6’9, 225, Quinnipiac, Forward – Drame is a long, athletic forward who has shown some versatility on offense and defense. Though Drame has played a lot as a low post player, he has not only improved his moves there, he has also shown some ability to face-up as well as knock down mid-range jumpers. Drame has a great knack for hitting the glass on both ends of the floor, and he was one of the few players to average a double-double this past season (14.8 pts, 11.1 rebs.) He draws a good deal of contact when he gets the ball around the basket, and he has a great stroke at the free throw line, hitting over 80 percent of his 160 attempts. Defensively, Drame was among the best shot blockers in the country, showing the ability to cover a lot of ground quickly, as well as good timing and extension. He does need to show some improvement as a post and perimeter defender, but his length is disruptive, and he has the footwork to improve.

Traveon Graham, 6’6, 220, Virginia Commonwealth, Forward – The Rams’ leading scorer and rebounder over the past three seasons, Graham has used a combination of skill and strength to give his team a solid halfcourt scoring option when they weren’t scoring easy baskets caused by HAVOC. Graham uses his body well to create space and score around the basket, and he has continued to improve his shooting ability from mid- and long-range. Graham is very active on the offensive glass, and though he doesn’t have great size, he has limited problems scoring through length because of how well he uses his body with little fear of contact. Graham is versatile defensively, filling different roles in Shaka Smart’s pressure-trapping system, though he isn’t as good a defender in the halfcourt, especially when forced out to the perimeter.

Kendall Gray, 6’10, 240, Delaware State, Center – Gray had a very good season for the Hornets, averaging a double-double (11.7 pts, 11.8 rebs) including a surreal 33 point, 30 rebound performance against Coppin State in early March. Yes, he didn’t face great competition in the MEAC, but his size and athleticism could have played well in many conferences. Gray doesn’t have a great offensive skill set, but he has improved his mid-range shooting ability, and he has a great finisher on lobs around the basket. He is very good on the offensive glass, often beating opponents easily to missed shots and getting good second chance opportunities. Gray runs the floor well for his size and has the potential to be a good finisher in transition. Defensively, Gray needs to get stronger to defend the post, but his length is disruptive, and he was among the top shot blockers in the country. There is still a lot of untapped potential with Gray, and with some skill development, he could become a very good player at the next level.

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Portsmouth Invitational Tournament Player Preview – Part I

By Ed Isaacson | Apr 8, 2015

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