NCAAs offer spotlight for prospects to show their stuff

Jerryd Bayless has proved he can score at the collegiate level, but he might have to become a point guard in the NBA. Chris Williams/Icon SMI

No matter the NBA draft order, Kansas State freshman power forward Michael Beasley and Memphis freshman point guard Derrick Rose are widely expected to lead the parade of new players onto the stage to shake David Stern's hand June 26. Beyond the top two, though, is anyone's guess right now.

Before the potential draftees enter a world of workouts and tryouts, they have one final chance to burnish their résumés in the NCAA and NIT tournaments. And for all but Beasley and Rose, questions remain.

SI.com spoke to an NBA scout who focuses on college basketball to assess what teams are looking for from those players playing in the postseason who are top candidates to become first-round picks. This, of course, assumes that all of the underclassmen on the following list (presented alphabetically) will declare for the draft.

Darrell Arthur, Soph., PF, Kansas

What he's shown: "In time, he may be skilled enough to be able to play some 3 in our league -- not a ball-handling type of 3, but a space-the-floor type. I don't think he'll ever be a great rebounder, but I think he'll be able to make some deeper shots. He's skilled, he's bouncy and he's long."

What he needs to show: "If you're looking for greater statistics out of him, you won't get them. He's on a team where they play six, seven, eight guys and they all average 10-12 points. Some of it, though, may also be that he isn't as assertive and as tough as you may like."

D.J. Augustin, Soph., PG, Texas

What he's shown: "He's really, really tiny. Unlike T.J. Ford and some of the other smaller guards, he doesn't have that crazy breakaway speed. But he's a better shooter and he's very clever. He's a really good player."

What he needs to show: The 6-foot, 180-pound Augustin is at a loss here. "My biggest concern, and he'll never be able to fix this, is his size," the scout said. "At that size, without being a crazy athlete, he will raise some concerns -- not to the point where he won't be drafted -- about whether he can transfer what he does in college to the NBA."

Jerryd Bayless, Fr., G, Arizona

What he's shown: "Bayless is a talented kid who's more of a combo guard. He can really score."

What he needs to show: "At his size -- he's strong, but he's not all that big [6-3, 199 pounds] -- no one is convinced he can be a 2-guard in the league. If he's going to be a point guard, does he have the ability to be more of a passer than a shooter? I'm not saying he has to be Jason Kidd or Steve Nash, because scoring point guards are what they are. But can he be a facilitator and a distributor more than what he is right now? That's something we'll monitor."

Chase Budinger, Soph., G/F, Arizona

What he's shown: "He can make shots and he's a very good passer. I don't see him making all kinds of great plays in the open court and driving and creating, but he really does see the floor. He's a decent, but not a great, ball handler; he's a two-bounce player -- he can get from the wing to the basket."

What he needs to show: "He lets the game come to him, but sometimes I wonder how aggressive he is. He can be a little laissez faire and nonchalant. As talented as he is, I'd like him to be more aggressive. I'd like to see him offensive-rebound and maybe post up a little bit."

Nick Calathes, Fr., PG, Florida (playing in NIT)

What he's shown: "He's got a basketball IQ that's off the charts. He's got great size and really quick, happy feet. I think he's almost better laterally than he is north and south. He has great coaching and he's a blue-collar kid, so he'll want to get better."

What he needs to show: "He's a bit of a high-risk, high-reward type of player. He'll throw lobs from half court that have no chance of connecting and they just become turnovers. It's fun and it's sexy when all those crazy passes work, but when they don't, they hurt your team. I'd also like to see him be a more consistent shooter [he's shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from three-point range]."

Eric Gordon, Fr. SG, Indiana

What he's shown: "Most guys have to grow into NBA three-point shooters because the adjustment from the college three-point line to the NBA line is significant. Gordon doesn't have that problem. He's a little small, but he's thick [6-4, 215 pounds], which helps him compensate for his lack of height with size and strength."

What he needs to show: "Sometimes his shot selection gets a little out of hand, but that happens with young players. That is something to watch. I'd also like to see him become a better defender."

Donte Greene, Fr., F, Syracuse (NIT)

What he's shown: "He's not ready to come in and impact our league. Green has probably been playing way too many minutes on a team decimated with injuries. They're asking him to get every rebound and score from the perimeter. He's very talented, but he's found out that if you're 6-10 in high school, you're just better than everybody; if you're 6-10 in college, there are a lot of other guys like that and they beat the hell out of you."

What he needs to show: "He's fallen in love with his three-point shot. I'd love to see him do more things around the basket. That would come with some strength, and that would increase his endurance. It's a learning thing. You can tell kids all you want that they're not strong enough, and then they get through 35 games and hit the wall -- and that's only a third of our season. He's got a chance to be a very good player because his skill level is so high at his size, but he needs to demonstrate that he's a more consistent shooter."

Blake Griffin, Fr., PF, Oklahoma

What he's shown: "He's a great athlete -- really strong and physical. He is not a great offensive player, but he will figure out those things. He'll figure out how to score, he'll work on his jumper a little bit so he can maybe run pick-and-pop or extend a little bit."

What he needs to show: "He's had a couple of injuries, so the first thing we're going to ask is, 'Are you healthy?' He doesn't have a signature go-to move in the post; you can double him and attack him and force him into some turnovers because he's not a great passer out of the post. But I think a lot of his things are just because he's young [Griffin celebrated his 19th birthday on Selection Sunday]. He needs to just get healthy and get a more refined offensive game."

Tyler Hansbrough, Jr., PF, North Carolina

What he's shown: "He wins, he's tough and he'll fight you to get tough rebounds. But he'll never be a great post player because he's not great vertically. Still, he finds ways to get the ball in the basket and draw contact, and he lives at the free-throw line. He's also lost a lot of weight, which has made him quicker."

What he needs to show: Everyone loves a winner, and the NBA is no different. But while Hansbrough's mix of tenacity and passion may well carry the Tar Heels to San Antonio, his ability to offer a similar spark in the NBA will require more than a national title. "He needs to become a much better passer," the scout said. "He can't pass at all; he doesn't even want to pass. And because he's not going to be able to dominate in the low post, he's got to be able to make some pick-and-pop shots. I think he'll be able to do that because you know he's going to work. If you tell him he needs to make 15-foot elbow jumpers, then he'll say, 'OK, I'll take 10,000 a day.' "

Roy Hibbert, Sr., C, Georgetown

What he's shown: "He'll never dominate a game in the NBA because he's limited athletically. His quickness isn't great and he doesn't have a high upside. What makes him good is his size and his basketball IQ. He's a legitimate 7-2, so he's going to protect the basket with his size. If you leave him open, he's going to make a shot. And if you single-cover him, he can make some shots."

What he needs to show: "From where he was in high school to where he is now is a tribute to him for how hard he's worked. But I think he is what he is. However, there are little things he can improve; he can refine his game. He can become a better shooter and his free throws could improve to 75 percent." That, of course, would be over the course of his NBA career, not in the next few weeks.

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