Greg Nelson/SI

Javaris Crittenton SELECTED BY: Los Angeles Lakers, Round 1(19)

SI Grade 7 10 - Worthy of top pick 9 - Top 10 pick 8 - Late lottery pick 7 - Mid first round 6 - Late first round 5 - End of first/Start of second round 4 - First half of second round 3 - Middle of second round 2 - Late second round 1 - Fringe draft pick to free agent Close

PPG	FG%	RPG	APG	FT%
14.4	45	3.7	5.8	78.3

BIOGRAPHY: Crittenton should be a first-round pick in a thin class for point guards. He was a major reason why Georgia Tech returned to the NCAA tournament after a one-year absence, averaging 14.4 points to tie fellow freshman Thaddeus Young for the team lead. Crittenton was a terrific playmaker for Georgia Tech throughout the season and played his best basketball down the stretch, averaging 16.9 points and 6.2 assists in the final 11 games. He has shown a penchant for getting to the basket and led the Yellow Jackets with 138 free-throw attempts because of his ability to drive the ball past defenders. Solid on defense, with a team-high 65 steals, and his size and rangy frame make him a difficult assignment for opposing point guards. Played in high school with current Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard, a factor in his development as a distributor. Prone to turnovers, averaging 3.9 per game to rank 17th-worst in the country in that department. Had a total of 12 turnovers in losses to Wake Forest in the ACC tournament and UNLV in the NCAA tournament. Crittenton's shooting is average, at best, making 35.6 percent of his 3-pointers. Despite those drawbacks, the guard certainly has the talent to play in the NBA and should be a solid selection for a team that is willing to give him time to develop.