'Cuse's Nichols displays pure stroke; Gray impressive

	Forward Demetris Nichols is in position to be drafted based in large part on his perimeter shooting ability. AP
	RELATED • EKSTRAND: Predraft camp Day 1 notes

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- From the moment an NBA scout starts to develop an opinion on a prospect, he's looking for it: the one identifiable NBA-level skill a player possesses and can provide with such consistency that it will be the foundation of his playing career.

To gain a foothold in the league, a player must demonstrate that skill time and again in college or international play. Once he establishes that ability, he can start to build on it by improving the other parts of his game. NBA superstars may possess a handful or more of these skills, but many players today are specialists and are expected to enter a game and immediately display their talent, whether it be shooting, rebounding, defending or playmaking.

For Syracuse forward Demetris Nichols, that NBA-level skill is perimeter shooting. He averaged 18.9 points as a senior, shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range and making 100 three-pointers in 35 games. A likely second-round pick in the June 28 draft, Nichols has certainly demonstrated his one skill to draft-day decision-makers over the first two days of the predraft camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

In two games, Nichols, owner of a flawless release and superior weight balance, made 13-of-16 shots, including 7-for-9 from three-point range. He scored a combined 35 points, putting him among the camp's leaders. His other stats over two games: six rebounds and two assists.

Although most of the conversation Thursday among the NBA intelligentsia here was about the triumvirate of new coaching hires -- Billy Donovan by the Orlando Magic, Jim O'Brien by the Indiana Pacers and Marc Iavaroni by the Memphis Grizzlies -- NBA types did spend some time viewing the performances of draft hopefuls. Here are a few examples of what they saw:

• Taurean Green of Florida brought his game and his own personal cheering section to Thursday's early-evening game. Green tallied 10 points and five assists, and two of the game's best plays showed off his smooth point guard skills. On one play, he maneuvered around his man and penetrated deep into the lane, drawing another defender before dishing to Oklahoma State's Mario Boggan for a layup. He then beat Cal State Fullerton guard Bobby Brown, a good defender, all the way to the basket and connected on a slick banking layup following a freeing crossover dribble. Fellow Florida national championship team members Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer cheered Green's efforts from behind the team's bench, although they also merrily heckled him for his mistakes. "We don't like these three turnovers," Horford said facetiously.

• Pittsburgh center Aaron Gray continued to show off his streamlined physique and bulked-up offensive game. After delivering 15 points and nine rebounds Wednesday, Gray returned with a 16-point, five-rebound effort Thursday. Gray has shown scouts that he has a traditional big man's power game, muscling up shots close to the basket while also being active on both backboards. Gray has been a bigger presence in the lane than he was when I saw him during the season for the Panthers.

• Trey Johnson of Jackson State, who finished second in the nation in scoring with 27.1 points per game, shook off a forgettable first game here, bouncing back with a 16-point performance in his team's 88-85 victory. Johnson is that rare big-time college scorer who doesn't shoot many three-pointers. The physically strong shooting guard prefers to drive his defender back with a power dribble or two, and then pull up for a mid-range shot.