Post by djmyte on Nov 10, 2005 1:33:37 GMT -5
by BBS Scouting Services
This years draft crop may not have been the deepest of all time but it could be remembered as one that produced two legitimate franchise talents. Isiah Thomas and Larry Nance are two names everyone will come to know once the regular season begins as both players have the ability and potential to become dominant forces very early on in their careers.
Thomas, who was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers, is a 20 year old point guard that already possesses the skills and knowledge of a seasoned veteran. He is a student of the game and is one of the toughest competitors you will ever see. Thomas is a player that will not back down from any challenge and that takes great pride in leading his team to victory. At 6'1, 180lbs Thomas is as quick as lighting with or without the ball. His explosiveness enables him to penetrate into the lane with ease and once he does he has the ability to either finish at the hoop, hit the midrange shot or find the open teammate for the easy bucket. Thomas has exceptional handles and a professional understanding of how to run an offense. He can and will look to score when his team needs it or when he sees a matchup he can exploit. He can hit the outside shot or finish strong in traffic and will not shy away from contact. He's not only a great offensive weapon but he plays excellent defense as well. He isn't the biggest player out there but his combination of quickness, intensity and desire allows him to harrass opposing guards and to disrupt opposing offenses over the course of a game . Thomas plays defense with a passion and will not let up until the final buzzer sounds.
Isiah finds himself in a good situation to start his career. He will have the likes of Amare Stoudemire, Sam Dalembert and Mike Woodson to play with which will make the transition from college to the pros much easier. The Clippers were a team in need of a leader and they may have found exactly what they were looking for in Thomas.
With the third overall selection in the draft the Dallas Mavericks selected 6'10 forward Larry Nance out of Clemson. Like Thomas, Nance has special talent written all over him. The third pick possesses a well rounded game and should have no trouble adapting to his new environment. Nance has a very high basketball IQ which enables him to remain one step ahead of the competition. Depsite his size, or lack there of, Larry always seems to get the job done, on both ends of the court. He is an exceptional defender and excellent shot blocker. Infact, defense is the strongest part of his game which is unusual for a rookie. He has the ability to take his man out of the game and is well respected by his teammates for the timely and consistant help-defense he provides. Nance is an intimidating presence and can change the outcome of a game with his defensive abilities alone. He is also an excellent rebounder and always seems to know where the ball is going to come off of the backboard. His ability to leap quickly gives him an edge over the bigger and slower bigmen he often faces. Nance isn't only a defensive presence as he also possesses a consisant offensive game. He is able to use his quickness and athleticism to get by bigger and stronger players and once he's by them he knows how to finish. He is not a great shooter at this point in his career and prefers to do most of his scoring down low where he uses a variety of fakes and very good footwork to his advantage. Nance is a player that leads by example and plays hard every night.
Larry should see plenty of playing time in Dallas and will probably be counted on to be their main low post scorer. While Nance will improve Dallas's low post game his biggest impact will come on defense and in the rebounding department. He has a young and talented team around him that has a bright future ahead of itself. This may not be the year Dallas turns the corner but they should be there very soon with Larry leading the way.
This years draft crop may not have been the deepest of all time but it could be remembered as one that produced two legitimate franchise talents. Isiah Thomas and Larry Nance are two names everyone will come to know once the regular season begins as both players have the ability and potential to become dominant forces very early on in their careers.
Thomas, who was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Clippers, is a 20 year old point guard that already possesses the skills and knowledge of a seasoned veteran. He is a student of the game and is one of the toughest competitors you will ever see. Thomas is a player that will not back down from any challenge and that takes great pride in leading his team to victory. At 6'1, 180lbs Thomas is as quick as lighting with or without the ball. His explosiveness enables him to penetrate into the lane with ease and once he does he has the ability to either finish at the hoop, hit the midrange shot or find the open teammate for the easy bucket. Thomas has exceptional handles and a professional understanding of how to run an offense. He can and will look to score when his team needs it or when he sees a matchup he can exploit. He can hit the outside shot or finish strong in traffic and will not shy away from contact. He's not only a great offensive weapon but he plays excellent defense as well. He isn't the biggest player out there but his combination of quickness, intensity and desire allows him to harrass opposing guards and to disrupt opposing offenses over the course of a game . Thomas plays defense with a passion and will not let up until the final buzzer sounds.
Isiah finds himself in a good situation to start his career. He will have the likes of Amare Stoudemire, Sam Dalembert and Mike Woodson to play with which will make the transition from college to the pros much easier. The Clippers were a team in need of a leader and they may have found exactly what they were looking for in Thomas.
With the third overall selection in the draft the Dallas Mavericks selected 6'10 forward Larry Nance out of Clemson. Like Thomas, Nance has special talent written all over him. The third pick possesses a well rounded game and should have no trouble adapting to his new environment. Nance has a very high basketball IQ which enables him to remain one step ahead of the competition. Depsite his size, or lack there of, Larry always seems to get the job done, on both ends of the court. He is an exceptional defender and excellent shot blocker. Infact, defense is the strongest part of his game which is unusual for a rookie. He has the ability to take his man out of the game and is well respected by his teammates for the timely and consistant help-defense he provides. Nance is an intimidating presence and can change the outcome of a game with his defensive abilities alone. He is also an excellent rebounder and always seems to know where the ball is going to come off of the backboard. His ability to leap quickly gives him an edge over the bigger and slower bigmen he often faces. Nance isn't only a defensive presence as he also possesses a consisant offensive game. He is able to use his quickness and athleticism to get by bigger and stronger players and once he's by them he knows how to finish. He is not a great shooter at this point in his career and prefers to do most of his scoring down low where he uses a variety of fakes and very good footwork to his advantage. Nance is a player that leads by example and plays hard every night.
Larry should see plenty of playing time in Dallas and will probably be counted on to be their main low post scorer. While Nance will improve Dallas's low post game his biggest impact will come on defense and in the rebounding department. He has a young and talented team around him that has a bright future ahead of itself. This may not be the year Dallas turns the corner but they should be there very soon with Larry leading the way.
Courtney
Minerva
Lesley
Sharona
Telisa
