LOLZ! I found my 2009 NBA Draft Scouting Report that I had written

[#1 pick]

This is my second prospect list and will hinge from the previous rankings of the NBA 2009 Draft. I have five elite prospects tabbed for the NBA Draft in 2009. Those five players will make an immediate impact in the NBA. I have quite a few excellent prospects. I do believe all my elite prospects will be at the very least good. As for my excellent prospects, it just depends on the player. This draft will not be gem that last year was. That draft could go down in history with the all-time great drafts. This is draft is very top heavy. That means that you can get a great player but not so much in the middle of the first round. There are some second rounder’s who could surprise people. Some of them have an excellent work ethic with decent potential.

1. Blake Griffin- Oklahoma- Sophomore- Forward/Center- 6’10 255
NBA Comparison: Amare Stoudemire
Blake Griffin is very similar to Amare Stoudemire. He is extremely athletic and even more skilled at the same stage as Amare. He is an average defender at best but his athletic ability makes him an intriguing shot blocker. He can put up great stats. I doubt that he can be a player you build your team around. Needs a true point guard or at least point guard who can put him in the right position. Has elite quickness at his position... Right now is a top 10 offense post player, if he was in the NBA… Has the potential to be All NBA teamers for years to come. If you’re looking for fantasy guys, he’s your stud. Elite Prospect – This was my mid-season report.

2009-04-11- Blake Griffin- NBA Comparison: Amare Stoudemire with more offense and less versatility.
Blake Griffin improvement as a player this past season has lead for many to change their opinions on him. He was always a great prospect, but his ability to put his body on the line like Rodman and has silent leadership makes him a building block. A building block is extremely hard to find in the NBA. There are only six of them: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, and Tim Duncan. These guys are players if healthy will at least lead their team to at least one NBA Finals appearance. These guys are special in every way: to the way they conduct their preparation to the intimidation that others feel when around them. He is that type of player. He has great toughness and isn’t scared of contact. His lacks the ability to play multiple positions. He is strictly a Power Forward. He has star power all over him. Elite Prospect.

2. Ricky Rubio- DKV Joventut- 18 years old- Point Guard- 6’4.5 185
NBA Comparison: Jason Kidd/Pete Maravich
Ricky Rubio is one of the best European prospects most scouts have ever seen. He has the height, the playmaking abilities, and calmness that many NBA teams look for in a Point Guard. He has great awareness and has very good lateral quickness. He can be a solid defender at the next level. He is most comparable to Jason Kidd than any other player and Kidd is one of the top three Point Guards to ever grace the game of basketball. The way he can split seams and find the open man is the ability that only CP3, Jason Kidd, and Lebron James have at such a high level. His shooting stroke is somewhat a question mark but his stance is fundamentally sound which means he can be a good shooter in the NBA. Ricky Rubio is a player that would rather get a win with 15 assists and 4 steals then a game where he scored 50+ and has 4 turnovers. That is great, it’s the one thing that hurt much of generation X players like Marbury and Iverson which many generation Y players do not have like CP3, Deron Williams, and Devin Harris. Ricky has a very formidable first step which isn’t one like Derrick Rose level but is on Deron Williams’s level at the same stage. Elite Prospect

3. Hasheem Thabeet- Connecticut- Junior- Center- 7’3 265
NBA Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo
If Dikembe was taller, slightly more coordinated, faster, and stronger then he would be Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet might be the best defensive Center to enter the NBA in 15 years and that including Greg Oden and Dwight Howard. His size is his biggest asset. In the NBA, Centers are becoming a lost art but if you have one, you have a one up on most teams in the NBA. If in the NBA right now, I believe he would be a top 5 defensive Center. He needs more bulk… His offensive game is a work in progress. He has made a lot of progress, but he still far from solid. He would be better than some of the starting Centers offensively like Greg Foster or whoever Chicago starting at Center. Has the potential to be a perennial All NBA Defensive team player. A player that teams and players would respect more than the fans. Elite Prospect –My mid-season scouting review.

Hasheem Thabeet- NBA Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo
April 11, 2009- He is who he is. An elite defensive Center prospect that will propel any team he joins to the playoffs or the next level traded to a winner. He just like Blake Griffin are confident and to some degree, cocky. They have enormous swagger for big men. This is something that we haven’t seen out of these positions since the big men prospects of the 90’s. Great shot blocker who finally knows how to intimidate shots without attempting a block. His defensive IQ is very high which is something that was questioned in previous years was. He has decent offensive ability. His close shot has developed quite nicely. Everything else on offense needs work, but at least he can pass out of the post. That makes him an adequate target as a post player. He knows how to defend outside of the lane. Is a liability with his speed at the college level but not so much at the pro level? Because of the size and strength of NBA Centers, he becomes one of the quicker Centers in the NBA. Elite Prospect.

4. Gerald Henderson- Duke- Junior- Guard- 6’5 210
NBA Comparison: Vince Carter
Gerald Henderson greatest asset is his athletic ability and his first step. It is a feat to stay in front of Mr. Henderson. He has the type of explosiveness that elite guards have. He is very talented defensively and can easily make the move to SG in the pros. He can finish in traffic at an elite level. That’s most important for a slasher-type in the NBA. He is a very intelligent player. Like Vince Carter, he needed to become a basketball player instead of the super-athlete that he once was. He is average passer at this stage. He can create his own shot at elite level for a college player. He is very good shooter when well defended. No signs of being a better shooter when open. No outstanding weaknesses in his game... I rate him as high I rated Brandon Roy in the 2006 NBA draft. Has the potential to be a top 10 NBA player. Depending on how he develops is what type of player he can be in the NBA. Elite Prospect. Mid Season scouting Review.

April 11, 2009- Gerald Henderson part two-
NBA Comparison: Vince Carter/Dwayne Wade
Gerald has a lot to like with a few weaknesses. His most visible weakness is his consistency. He shows signs of stardom then shows signs that he will be nothing but a role player. He just recently became a confident player. It overwhelmed him at times. I must say that talent wise he still has elite tools, but will need more teaching. When watching Henderson, he is a better player than O.J. Mayo when Mayo was at USC and Henderson game is tailor made for the NBA. No matter how you spin it, he’s an elite prospect and is every bit as attractive a prospect as Dwayne Wade at Marquette. Elite Prospect.

5. James Harden- Arizona State- Sophomore- Shooting Guard- 6’5 220
NBA Comparison: Mitch Richmond
James Harden is the most offensive skilled player college basketball has seen in a while. As good as Kevin Durant was, he wasn’t as prominent as Harden is. Offense, offense, offense is what this guy is talented at. He is hard to stop on the drive at the college level. He has a good understanding on how to use his size. Elite shooter… I doubt his dribble drive will be as effective in the NBA. He has a slow first step and in the NBA would have trouble creating his shot. He is very similar to O.J. Mayo except the fact that Mayo has better intangibles than Harden and is a much better defender. Harden is a better scorer than Mayo at the same stage. Harden will always be a great scorer. Mostly everyone in NBA circles knows that. The problem is will he just be like Mitch Richmond. Is he an elite scorer who is not much of anything else? He has the potential to likely be a multiple All Star and maybe land a video game cover deal. Elite Prospect Mid-season Scouting Review.

James Harden- NBA Comparison: Bernard King
April 11, 2009- Is there not a more well-rounded offensive player in this draft then James Harden. The answer to that question is? No. He is a great offensive prospect, can be timid but great nonetheless. He hasn’t changed much from the last time I spoke about him. Elite Prospect.

 

[#1 pick]

6. Brandon Jennings- Lottamatica Roma- 19 years old- Point Guard- 6’1 170
NBA Comparsion: Tony Parker/Allen Iverson
I’ve seen 5 euro league games and 4 Italian league games. I have to say that he got exactly what he needed. This being maturity. He was committed to Arizona; he was going to score a lot of points and at best get to the Elite 8 and then enter the NBA draft as a top tier prospect. He wouldn’t have matured and would be likely be Allen Iverson or Stephon Marbury rather than a steady championship point guard. He not as confident and not as developed but he is a much better player because of maturity which was the main thing he needed. He is an exciting player and will be the most marketable player out of this class. When I watched him in high school, I said he has everything but the brains. Now I can’t say that. Europe will mature you quickly and you will become a man, something even the NBA can’t even do. He’s highly skilled, an elite ball handler, and an elite athlete. His shot selection is an issue. If he stays grounded could very well be the gem of the class. I would prefer that he joins a team that will play him slowly, while he understands the position. If he lands on a playoff team, he could be very dangerous out of the gate. Excellent prospect.

7. Demar DeRozan- USC- Freshman- Shooting Guard/Small Forward- 6’7 207
NBA Comparison: Joe Johnson (DeRozan is a better athlete and not the distributor Joe is/was.)
Demar DeRozan is a blend of solid skills mixed with elite athleticism. He has amazing size which makes him a very attractive prospect. He is extremely raw at this point of his career. It wouldn’t surprise me if a team jumped the gun and traded him within his first year. He will likely never be more than an All Star type but that is still a great investment if you have another star on the team. He would be perfect on a team with an elite PG or an elite Center. Teams like Houston and Orlando would love to have him as well as the Hornets. The losing teams will likely not take him for the rawness he possesses. He has a nice first step, a solid jumper and can dribble at an adequate rate. He is too raw to execute the dribble drive at this stage. He is not a good defender but has the potential to be a pretty good in the future. His off the ball defense could be as strong as his on the ball defense and that’s hard to say for most NBA guards/forwards. He is not a high risk/high reward player but he’s a risk nonetheless. If you’re looking for a great piece then DeRozan you’re man, if you looking for a potential superstar than past on Demar. Excellent Prospect.

8. Ty Lawson- North Carolina- Junior- Point Guard- 6’ 195
NBA Comparison: Steve Nash
Ty Lawson is just like Steve Nash. In fact, Lawson might be a better player out of college. Both of these players are high octane system point guards. Both of them play little amount of defense. Both of them are undersized with Nash being taller and Lawson being stronger. Both are spot shooters and both have the best change of pace abilities to grace the game of basketball. Like Nash, if not in the right system will be strapped to the bench for the first couple of seasons. I can’t see D’Antoni passing on Lawson. He could be an elite player under D’Antoni system. He is too talented to keep on the bench for more than three years. He has great ability, and just that he doesn’t play defense at PG and is a liability. He creates a team identity, so whoever drafts him needs to keep that in mind. Great ball-hawk, he proved that all season and didn’t disappoint in the championship game. He is an excellent hard worker, a trait that Roy Williams players tend to have. At worst, he will be a good player, at best he could be an elite player. It’s all about the system. Excellent Prospect.

9. Stephen Curry- Davidson- Junior- Point Guard- 6’2 175
NBA Comparison: Reggie Miller with PG skills/Mike Bibby
What stands out about Stephen Curry is his clutch factor and the ability to score at will as well as his ability to move without the ball. He is the Point Guard version of Reggie Miller. I do not feel that he is a true Point Guard but with the right player (cough… Lebron James) he could be a regular at the NBA All Star game. He is one of the most skilled players in this draft. In fact, he is the most skilled player in this draft. His Basketball IQ is off the charts; his ability to move without the basketball is on the level of Reggie Miller and Rip Hamilton. I feel that he had issues creating his own shot in college so I do not believe he will be able to create his own shot in the NBA. He is the best shooter in this class and one of the best shooting prospects in this decade. His size could become a major issue for him at the NBA level. Being Mr. Intangibles for this draft, (last year’s was Kevin Love) his adjustment to next season will be more physical than mental which not the case is for most rookies. Most draft analysts and many scouts say that his shot selection was poor but I doubt he will be given the green light any time next season even if that’s in New York. He has solid potential, he just need to play with a guy who can create offense instead of being the player who is expected to create offense for himself as well as others. If he lands in the right situation, I do expect him to play above expectations that people have placed on him. Excellent Prospect.

10. Dejuan Blair- Pittsburgh- Sophomore- Power Forward- 6’7 265
NBA Comparison: Corliss Williamson but this is different time in NBA basketball.
Dejuan Blair is one of the most celebrated players in college basketball this past season. His size, strength, and IQ made him a terror for all opponents. His lack of defensive fundamentals hurt him overall but this is a different time in NBA basketball. Most of the post players lack toughness or a high level of post skill. In the 90’s and early half of this decade, most post players had either post skill or toughness or both. That is what made Corliss Williamson become strictly a role player. In today’s game, that is simply not the case. He can succeed in today’s game when he might have just become just a role player in the last decade. He is extremely tough, highly skilled in the post, and has excellent hands that you can’t teach. He’s weaknesses revolve around his athleticism and his size. He has a NBA body but is short for a PF and can he play above the rim? I will say no, he can’t play above the rim but he doesn’t need to. He one of the few players consistently boxes out and the funny thing is there is another one in the draft as well. In order for him to become a great player, he needs to expand his game beyond the paint. A jump shot would be all that is needed to be honest. He is a player to watch for. We haven’t seen his type in a long time. Good Prospect

11. Jordan Hill- Arizona- Junior- Power Forward- 6’10 235
NBA Comparison: rich man’s Chris “Birdman” Andersen
Jordan Hill is one those players that is rated highly for no major reason. His impact seems meager and for where he’s valued is crazy. I guess its Hill expanding his range is what most scouts like with his elite size and athleticism. Simply put, he is not a good basketball player. He has great defensive tools but his awareness is bad, if anything he similar to Birdman in that regard. Offensively, he has the tools to be good and once again awareness hampers him. He is a solid player on a team that needs a rod, but on he will only be successful in maybe eight systems in the NBA as a starter. Like Birdman, he’s everywhere and makes everyone else job easier but then again will do something stupid to counter that. Whenever you’re IQ or your awareness is in major question, you really shouldn’t be selected in the lottery. No matter how athletic or how many tools you possess or how competitive you are, those are two things you usually can’t overcome. Kwame Brown is a proven example of this. Jordan Hill is better than Kwame but they both lack the IQ and the awareness of the game to truly becoming the players there capable of becoming. Good Prospect.

This is my top 11. As I said in the first paragraph, this is a top heavy draft. The talent at the top of this draft is comparable to last’s year draft but after that, this draft goes downhill quickly. This draft is one of the most Point Guard heavy drafts I seen in years. I expect at least two highly regarded Point Guards to return back to campus before the draft starts. The rest of the positions take a major drop in talent after the lottery.


Before he got dropped: Aminu was in my mid-season top 5 but he got dropped due to returning back to Wake Forest. I also did a report for Teague, James Johnson and Curry.



Curry- Mid-season Review:

Curry is a tweener in the form of a PG/SG. I don't see how he can consistently guard PG's or SG's at his size and quickness in the NBA. When he adjusts to the game, I could see in the same frame impact wise as Reggie Miller. His offensive prowess is great, but more effective in college then in the pros. He has problem creating his shot v. bigger guards. Quicker guards give him problems. He has a great ability to get open which is underrated at this point of his career. He is very competitive, the most competitive player in the 2009 class. The only player as competitive maybe Tyler Hansbrough. Potential: At best a one or two time All Star because he extremely talented and elite hard worker. He's an elite shooter and average playmaker at this point. I like him more as a NBA prospect than J.J. Redikk. Excellent Prospect (In the range of 8-10 best player in the 2009 class)


Jeff Teague and James Johnson Mid-Season Review: My boy Mikey asked since his cousin is Jeff.

Your cousin reminds me of a young Chauncey Billups on the real. I haven't did review on him yet so I'll do it in the future. Teague is better than Aminu at the moment. In the NBA both need a couple years in the association to find their calling. I think it will be much easier for Aminu being that he has the size, ability, and just needs to polish up his game. James Johnson seriously needs to stay for another year but he really looks like a young Larry Johnson. Just like Larry Johnson, he needs to stay in college till his Senior yr if not till his Junior yr. Wake Forest is the most NBA talent laden team I seen since that Duke team in the late 90's and early 2000's. Arizona had a lot of talent back then too. J.J might be the greatest athlete to ever come out of WY.

 

[#1 pick]

Opinions from Feb 2016, I really need to stop comparing players to Larry Johnson. First James Johnson and Anthony Bennett. Boy, I have done Grandma Ma so wrong.

Griffin has been what I’ve expected based on my mid-season reports. I think the highlights started to affect me because I was dead wrong saying he’s a franchise piece.

Rubio is anomaly, he would have been great for the 90’s but in the 2000’s with the zone defense and what’s expected of a modern PG, he really didn’t fit. Many scouts questioned it as well but I went with the former. Another thing was, he never improved his shot. It’s still horrible.

Thabeet was a bust. I’ll had my L. Many scouts love him too. You don’t go 2nd and no one likes you.


Henderson was my well he’s going to shock the world prospect and the scouts were right. He’s just a role player. I’ll take my L.

Harden became better than what I thought but is basically what I thought he would become. Durant is the one who really became better than I thought. His scoring is way better than Harden’s. His first step is way better than I gave it credit for. His handles are way better in than NBA than what I saw in college.

Jennings showed you all his rookie year that he had potential but he never got better. I was wrong on his potential but I was right about his talent. Scouts were right again.

Lawson started strong and showed flashes of greatest in Denver but he never really put it all together and then became an addict and isn’t even as quick as he was or as good as he was. It happens. He still had a good career so far.

DeRozan is pretty much what I thought he would be. I hit right again.

Curry is the best player in the NBA right now. He’s way better than I thought he would be. I didn’t see this playmaking skills at Davidson. I never seen those handles at Davidson. I didn’t see that range at Davidson and he was the best shooter I’ve seen in college ever. He simply improved a shyt ton and his team was correctly built around him. What else can you say?

Blair, I love this guy in college but college isn’t the NBA. Let me hold my L.

I only included Hill at the time because I hated how the scouts loved him and was talking like he had star potential. I never seen it and of course, I was right.

I was right about this being an elite PG class. But did I know Steph was going to be the gem of the class. Nope!

 

[Ohene]

dejuan blair was mad underrated

 

[Jacksonville Swaguar]

Who cares?
I'm gonna pull up my list of my favorite video games I made in 9th grade

 

[#1 pick]

dejuan blair was mad underrated

He was in college. That physical and knee issue killed his career before it ever started.

 

[Juven]

Hasheem Thabeet- NBA Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo
April 11, 2009- He is who he is. An elite defensive Center prospect that will propel any team he joins to the playoffs

 

[cleanface coney]

i had james harden by far the best prospect coming outta that draft

tyreke was the truth tho when he came in…if they had a redo IMO

1. Curry
2. Harden
3. Blake
4. Derozen
5. Tyreke

 

[#1 pick]

Hasheem Thabeet- NBA Comparison: Dikembe Mutombo
April 11, 2009- He is who he is. An elite defensive Center prospect that will propel any team he joins to the playoffs

 

[#1 pick]

i had james harden by far the best prospect coming outta that draft

tyreke was the truth tho when he came in…if they had a redo IMO

1. Curry
2. Harden
3. Blake
4. Derozen
5. Tyreke

I hated Tyreke with a passion. I used to get it bad from people I was cool with because they thought he was the next Big O. He became exactly what I thought he would be. A role player off the bench with limited fit. His rookie year tho

 

[#1 pick]

For a Redo:
1. Curry
2. Griffin
3. Harden
4. DeRozan
5. Teague

 

[#1 pick]

Someone did a redo:
Re-drafting the Loaded 2009 NBA Draft: Many Stars, But More Busts

 

[T.he I.nformant]

Thank you for your honesty, some gems in here

 

[#1 pick]

Now that I think about it. Jeff does play a lot like Billups. I was kinda right on it but he's nothing like Billups. He's like Kevin Johnson but with Billups temperament and style. It's kinda funny, for years I been comparing Jeff to KJ but he really does play a lot like Billups in terms of style. They have a much different skill-set tho.

 

[Tunez]

Rubio not like Kidd tho