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Looks like Greg Oden is not the savior of the NBA, we might as well see the coming prospect in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Top 20 pick according to NBA Draft Net
1. BJ Mullens 7-0 250 C Ohio St. HSSr.
2.Demar DeRozan 6-6 195 SG USC HSSr.
Stats: 22.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.2 SPG, 3.2 APG
3. Al-Farouq Aminu 6-9 210 SF WF HSSr.
Birthday:9/21/1990
NBA Postion:SF/PF
Class:HS Senior
Ht:6-9
Wt:210
College Team:Wake Forest
Hometown:Norcross, GA
High School:Norcross
Al-Farouq Aminu is regarded by many (ourselves included) to be the top small forward prospect the class of 2008 has to offer. He has the ball handling of a guard with the body of a power forward. Aminu’s shooting range extends beyond the three point line, while he has even shown an emerging pullup jumper from midrange. The 6-foot-9 forward is an adept passer for either forward position, as his natural feel for the game generally allows him to see things on the floor before they happen.
“Farouq” possesses great size for a small forward prospect, with an outstanding wingspan to add. He is able to alter shots on the defensive end via his length and excellent timing, while showing the ability to stay out of foul trouble. His man to man defense on the perimeter could be improved upon, but we are looking at a player only 16 years of age, so there is plenty of time for development.
The most glaring weakness in Aminu’s game is his lack of post move. When receiving the ball down on the blocks, there are times when the Georgia big man looks a bit lost. He often reverts to a turnaround jumper out of the post, not fully utilizing the height advantage that he has over smaller defenders.
Wake Forest are one the four finalists for Aminu with all put Georgia Tech recruiting him as a combo forward. With improved strength and low post moves, there is no question why Aminu couldn’t wind up being a Marvin Williams type combo forward in a few years. He already owns superior perimeter skills in comparison to the current Atlanta Hawk forward in his high school days, and could eventually become a full-time small forward if he decides that is what fits his skill set best. Either way, we are looking at an incredibly skilled forward who is going to come in and make an impact upon whatever college he attends from the day he steps foot on campus.-
NBADraftexpress
4.Greg Monroe 6-10 225 PF LA HSSr.
Current Team: Helen Cox HS, HS Senior
Physicals:
H: 6' 10"
W: 226 lbs
Bday: 6/4/1990
Positions:
Current: PF
NBA: PF
Possible:
Comparisons:
Best Case: Dwight Howard
Worst Case: Channing Frye
Misc:
High School: Helen Cox HS
Hometown: Harvey, LA
Earliest Draft Class: 2009
Last Updated: 9/18/2006
Greg Monroe
Greg Monroe is one of the hottest names on the summer circuit, and had a chance to prove himself against incumbent class of 2008 top dog Tyreke Evans and a loaded Team Final squad.. It may be hasty to come to any definitive conclusions about such a young prospect, but Greg Monroe was clearly the best prospect on the floor this afternoon.
At 6'10, Monroe is a freak athlete, gliding up and down the floor and getting off his feet incredibly quick. He looks great with the ball in his hands in the open floor, and his first step was good enough to get past whatever Team Final big man was attempting to guard him. His handle needs work, particularly with his much weaker right hand (his off hand), but one gets the feeling that it is only a matter of time before he is operating comfortably on the perimeter. But Monroe is far from your typical perimeter-oriented big man that shies away from contact in the paint. He can certainly bring more consistent effort on the block, but displays great footwork and the ability to create his own shot in a multitude of ways. He appears to be equally comfortable with his back to or facing the basket. Monroe is a phenomenal shot blocker, showing great timing, long arms, and incredibly quick leaping ability. In this game, Team Final apparently didn’t prepare for his ability to alter shots, and continued to drive blindly into his reach. Monroe ended the game with at least 7 blocks, and altered countless others.
While the early review on Monroe is largely positive, it should be mentioned that his development curve is just beginning. Like many young bigs, Monroe still tends to focus on his immediate space when it comes to defense and loose balls, and clearly gets down the floor much more quickly on the offensive end than on defense. His hands are remarkable once he is executing a scoring move, but look a bit weaker when he is corralling a pass or going after a loose ball. Due to this and his insistence on operating on the perimeter, Monroe committed at least eight turnovers in this game. Body strength is an issue as well, though he is further along than plenty of big men at this stage. His footwork and understanding of how to get his shot off near the basket is outstanding, but he missed a lot of very makeable shots today. Experience and polish will clearly help with this.
After viewing several of the top prospects in the class of 2008 over the past several days, I was starting to wonder where the “wow” factor was in this rising junior class. However, Greg Monroe clearly fits the bill. He is still very raw, but the athleticism and feel are undeniable. Comparisons are difficult at the moment, as Monroe has the tools to develop into whatever type of player he wants to be. Monroe’s recruitment is still in it’s infancy, but he appears to be enjoying all the new-found attention. Plenty of heavy hitters (Rick Pitino and Louisville, John Brady and LSU, Mississippi State, Connecticut, North Carolina to name a few) were in attendance this afternoon, and Monroe is clearly going to be a priority for any high major that thinks they have a chance. Judging by today’s performance, it won’t be long before the name Greg Monroe is a staple in NBA Draft circles.
I think in any NBA Draft big men always came on top so I think Greg Monroe will be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Greg Monroe Leads USA White Team
Greg Monroe scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds (eight offensive) in 32 minutes of action as the USA White Team beat Brazil 99-70 in Colorado Springs. For more details, read the USA Basketball article and checkout the boxscore.
Greg Monroe's USA White Team Wins Again
USA White defeated USA Blue 125-120 in Colorado Springs. Greg Monroe scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds (five offensive) in 39 minutes of action. USA Basketball has full details in this article and boxscore. After three games, Greg Monroe is the tournament leader in overall rebounding, offensive rebounding, and blocked shots. He is second in minutes played.
2007 Men's Youth Development Festival
Statistical Leaders
Greg Monroe
24 PPG
13.6 RPG
3.6 BPG
5. Donte Greene 6-10 220 SF Syr. Fr.
6. Ricky Rubio 6-3 180 PG Spain 1990
Birthday:10/21/1990
NBA Postion:PG/SGClass:N/A
Ht:6-3
Wt:175
Int Team: DKV Joventut
Hometown:Barcelona, Spain
High School:N/A2007
Statistics
Euroleague Profile
NBA Comparison: Pete Maravich
Strengths: Arguably the best European guard prospect since Drazen Petrovic, if not better ... Has a natural feel for the game that very few posses, especially at such a young age ... Used to dominate at Spanish and even European U16 level ... Incredibly dominant scorer ... Has that ability, much like Ginobili, to find a way to the basket regardless what the defense does ... Shows tremendous creativity in a multitude of ways, especially passing and scoring ... Virtually unstoppable in one-on-one situations ... Ambidextrous, can dribble and drive with either hand. But has some problems finishing with the left hand ... Maintains great balance in the air, which is less typical for European guards ... He can penetrate, receive the foul and still finish ... A strong rebounder ... Grabs rebounds under his own basket and goes coast to coast, much like Jason Kidd ... Has nice court vision, very good at finding a teammate on the fast break ... A "scorer-passer": draws two or three defenders and dishes it out to the open man, but can also find people under the basket ... Takes good care of the ball, doesn't turn the ball over as much as you would expect from a player his age, especially considering his creativity ... Extremely mature for his age, and clutch. He lives for pressure situations ... Has quick hands, always going for the steal ... Impressive man-to-man defender ... Has soild leaping ability ... Great physical characteristics, long arms and big hands ... He might grow another inch or two ... Great size for a point guard at 6-4, anyway.
Weaknesses: Streaky shooter, lacks a consistent shot from the three point line ... Hit only .200 of his three pointers at the U16 Euros 2006 ... Free throw shooting is solid at 71.8, but should improve ... Too "Kobe-esque" at times, tries to go 1 on 4, which works most of the times on Cadet level but certainly not on ACB or NBA level ... Not a real "floor general" yet, somewhat static in organizing plays in half court. His strength is in the fast break … Unless he grows another few inches, he’ll need to focus on better developing his point guard skills … Sometimes gambles too much for steals on defense ... Needs to get stronger; since he is only 175 pounds ... Could use another 15-20 pounds of muscle ... Still completely unproven on the senior level ...
Notes: Made his pro debut on October 15, 2005, becoming the youngest ever to play in Spain's ACB at merely 14 years of age ... Won the MVP Award at the 2006 U16 European Championships after arguably the most dominant performance in tournament history, leading the competition in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Scored 51 points, grabbed 24 rebounds and dished out 12 assists in the 110-106 finale victory over Russia ... First player to score 50+ points in FIBA Europe Youth competition since Luol Deng scored 50 for England in a 90-97 Qualifying Round loss versus Turkey on August 1, 2001 ... Signed through the 2011 season with DKV Joventut Badalona ... Made his Euroleague debut on October 24, 2006, versus Panathinaikos Athens.
Stefan Lorenz - 8/28/2006
7.Brandon Jennings 6-1 170 PG AZ HSSr.
8. Austin Daye 6-10 210 SF Gonzaga Fr.
9.Kosta Koufos 7-0 252 C Ohio St. Fr.
10. Kyle Singler 6-8 220 SF Duke Fr.
11. Gerald Henderson 6-5 215 SG Duke So.
12. James Harden 6-5 220 SG Arizona St. Fr.
13. Alexey Shved 6-6 170 PG Russia 1988
14. Matías Nocedal 6-3 180 PG Arg. 1990
15. Victor Claver 6-10 236 SF Spain 1988
16. Bill Walker 6-6 230 SG/SF K.State So.
17. Chris Wright 6-1 190 PG St. G'Town Fr.
18. Gani Lawal 6-9 220 PF G.Tech Fr.
19. Stanley Robinson 6-8 220 SF UConn So. 220 PF G.Tech Fr.
20. Russell Westbrook 6-3 175 SG UCLA So.
Top 20 pick according to NBA Draft Net
1. BJ Mullens 7-0 250 C Ohio St. HSSr.
2.Demar DeRozan 6-6 195 SG USC HSSr.
Stats: 22.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.2 SPG, 3.2 APG
3. Al-Farouq Aminu 6-9 210 SF WF HSSr.
Birthday:9/21/1990
NBA Postion:SF/PF
Class:HS Senior
Ht:6-9
Wt:210
College Team:Wake Forest
Hometown:Norcross, GA
High School:Norcross
Al-Farouq Aminu is regarded by many (ourselves included) to be the top small forward prospect the class of 2008 has to offer. He has the ball handling of a guard with the body of a power forward. Aminu’s shooting range extends beyond the three point line, while he has even shown an emerging pullup jumper from midrange. The 6-foot-9 forward is an adept passer for either forward position, as his natural feel for the game generally allows him to see things on the floor before they happen.
“Farouq” possesses great size for a small forward prospect, with an outstanding wingspan to add. He is able to alter shots on the defensive end via his length and excellent timing, while showing the ability to stay out of foul trouble. His man to man defense on the perimeter could be improved upon, but we are looking at a player only 16 years of age, so there is plenty of time for development.
The most glaring weakness in Aminu’s game is his lack of post move. When receiving the ball down on the blocks, there are times when the Georgia big man looks a bit lost. He often reverts to a turnaround jumper out of the post, not fully utilizing the height advantage that he has over smaller defenders.
Wake Forest are one the four finalists for Aminu with all put Georgia Tech recruiting him as a combo forward. With improved strength and low post moves, there is no question why Aminu couldn’t wind up being a Marvin Williams type combo forward in a few years. He already owns superior perimeter skills in comparison to the current Atlanta Hawk forward in his high school days, and could eventually become a full-time small forward if he decides that is what fits his skill set best. Either way, we are looking at an incredibly skilled forward who is going to come in and make an impact upon whatever college he attends from the day he steps foot on campus.-
NBADraftexpress
4.Greg Monroe 6-10 225 PF LA HSSr.
Current Team: Helen Cox HS, HS Senior
Physicals:
H: 6' 10"
W: 226 lbs
Bday: 6/4/1990
Positions:
Current: PF
NBA: PF
Possible:
Comparisons:
Best Case: Dwight Howard
Worst Case: Channing Frye
Misc:
High School: Helen Cox HS
Hometown: Harvey, LA
Earliest Draft Class: 2009
Last Updated: 9/18/2006
Greg Monroe
Greg Monroe is one of the hottest names on the summer circuit, and had a chance to prove himself against incumbent class of 2008 top dog Tyreke Evans and a loaded Team Final squad.. It may be hasty to come to any definitive conclusions about such a young prospect, but Greg Monroe was clearly the best prospect on the floor this afternoon.
At 6'10, Monroe is a freak athlete, gliding up and down the floor and getting off his feet incredibly quick. He looks great with the ball in his hands in the open floor, and his first step was good enough to get past whatever Team Final big man was attempting to guard him. His handle needs work, particularly with his much weaker right hand (his off hand), but one gets the feeling that it is only a matter of time before he is operating comfortably on the perimeter. But Monroe is far from your typical perimeter-oriented big man that shies away from contact in the paint. He can certainly bring more consistent effort on the block, but displays great footwork and the ability to create his own shot in a multitude of ways. He appears to be equally comfortable with his back to or facing the basket. Monroe is a phenomenal shot blocker, showing great timing, long arms, and incredibly quick leaping ability. In this game, Team Final apparently didn’t prepare for his ability to alter shots, and continued to drive blindly into his reach. Monroe ended the game with at least 7 blocks, and altered countless others.
While the early review on Monroe is largely positive, it should be mentioned that his development curve is just beginning. Like many young bigs, Monroe still tends to focus on his immediate space when it comes to defense and loose balls, and clearly gets down the floor much more quickly on the offensive end than on defense. His hands are remarkable once he is executing a scoring move, but look a bit weaker when he is corralling a pass or going after a loose ball. Due to this and his insistence on operating on the perimeter, Monroe committed at least eight turnovers in this game. Body strength is an issue as well, though he is further along than plenty of big men at this stage. His footwork and understanding of how to get his shot off near the basket is outstanding, but he missed a lot of very makeable shots today. Experience and polish will clearly help with this.
After viewing several of the top prospects in the class of 2008 over the past several days, I was starting to wonder where the “wow” factor was in this rising junior class. However, Greg Monroe clearly fits the bill. He is still very raw, but the athleticism and feel are undeniable. Comparisons are difficult at the moment, as Monroe has the tools to develop into whatever type of player he wants to be. Monroe’s recruitment is still in it’s infancy, but he appears to be enjoying all the new-found attention. Plenty of heavy hitters (Rick Pitino and Louisville, John Brady and LSU, Mississippi State, Connecticut, North Carolina to name a few) were in attendance this afternoon, and Monroe is clearly going to be a priority for any high major that thinks they have a chance. Judging by today’s performance, it won’t be long before the name Greg Monroe is a staple in NBA Draft circles.
I think in any NBA Draft big men always came on top so I think Greg Monroe will be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
Greg Monroe Leads USA White Team
Greg Monroe scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds (eight offensive) in 32 minutes of action as the USA White Team beat Brazil 99-70 in Colorado Springs. For more details, read the USA Basketball article and checkout the boxscore.
Greg Monroe's USA White Team Wins Again
USA White defeated USA Blue 125-120 in Colorado Springs. Greg Monroe scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds (five offensive) in 39 minutes of action. USA Basketball has full details in this article and boxscore. After three games, Greg Monroe is the tournament leader in overall rebounding, offensive rebounding, and blocked shots. He is second in minutes played.
2007 Men's Youth Development Festival
Statistical Leaders
Greg Monroe
24 PPG
13.6 RPG
3.6 BPG
5. Donte Greene 6-10 220 SF Syr. Fr.
6. Ricky Rubio 6-3 180 PG Spain 1990
Birthday:10/21/1990
NBA Postion:PG/SGClass:N/A
Ht:6-3
Wt:175
Int Team: DKV Joventut
Hometown:Barcelona, Spain
High School:N/A2007
Statistics
Euroleague Profile
NBA Comparison: Pete Maravich
Strengths: Arguably the best European guard prospect since Drazen Petrovic, if not better ... Has a natural feel for the game that very few posses, especially at such a young age ... Used to dominate at Spanish and even European U16 level ... Incredibly dominant scorer ... Has that ability, much like Ginobili, to find a way to the basket regardless what the defense does ... Shows tremendous creativity in a multitude of ways, especially passing and scoring ... Virtually unstoppable in one-on-one situations ... Ambidextrous, can dribble and drive with either hand. But has some problems finishing with the left hand ... Maintains great balance in the air, which is less typical for European guards ... He can penetrate, receive the foul and still finish ... A strong rebounder ... Grabs rebounds under his own basket and goes coast to coast, much like Jason Kidd ... Has nice court vision, very good at finding a teammate on the fast break ... A "scorer-passer": draws two or three defenders and dishes it out to the open man, but can also find people under the basket ... Takes good care of the ball, doesn't turn the ball over as much as you would expect from a player his age, especially considering his creativity ... Extremely mature for his age, and clutch. He lives for pressure situations ... Has quick hands, always going for the steal ... Impressive man-to-man defender ... Has soild leaping ability ... Great physical characteristics, long arms and big hands ... He might grow another inch or two ... Great size for a point guard at 6-4, anyway.
Weaknesses: Streaky shooter, lacks a consistent shot from the three point line ... Hit only .200 of his three pointers at the U16 Euros 2006 ... Free throw shooting is solid at 71.8, but should improve ... Too "Kobe-esque" at times, tries to go 1 on 4, which works most of the times on Cadet level but certainly not on ACB or NBA level ... Not a real "floor general" yet, somewhat static in organizing plays in half court. His strength is in the fast break … Unless he grows another few inches, he’ll need to focus on better developing his point guard skills … Sometimes gambles too much for steals on defense ... Needs to get stronger; since he is only 175 pounds ... Could use another 15-20 pounds of muscle ... Still completely unproven on the senior level ...
Notes: Made his pro debut on October 15, 2005, becoming the youngest ever to play in Spain's ACB at merely 14 years of age ... Won the MVP Award at the 2006 U16 European Championships after arguably the most dominant performance in tournament history, leading the competition in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Scored 51 points, grabbed 24 rebounds and dished out 12 assists in the 110-106 finale victory over Russia ... First player to score 50+ points in FIBA Europe Youth competition since Luol Deng scored 50 for England in a 90-97 Qualifying Round loss versus Turkey on August 1, 2001 ... Signed through the 2011 season with DKV Joventut Badalona ... Made his Euroleague debut on October 24, 2006, versus Panathinaikos Athens.
Stefan Lorenz - 8/28/2006
7.Brandon Jennings 6-1 170 PG AZ HSSr.
8. Austin Daye 6-10 210 SF Gonzaga Fr.
9.Kosta Koufos 7-0 252 C Ohio St. Fr.
10. Kyle Singler 6-8 220 SF Duke Fr.
11. Gerald Henderson 6-5 215 SG Duke So.
12. James Harden 6-5 220 SG Arizona St. Fr.
13. Alexey Shved 6-6 170 PG Russia 1988
14. Matías Nocedal 6-3 180 PG Arg. 1990
15. Victor Claver 6-10 236 SF Spain 1988
16. Bill Walker 6-6 230 SG/SF K.State So.
17. Chris Wright 6-1 190 PG St. G'Town Fr.
18. Gani Lawal 6-9 220 PF G.Tech Fr.
19. Stanley Robinson 6-8 220 SF UConn So. 220 PF G.Tech Fr.
20. Russell Westbrook 6-3 175 SG UCLA So.
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