With both the college and NBA basketball seasons closing in, it’s time to revive our regular roundup feature, where we whip around the world of basketball and see what’s happening that’s interesting right now.
First off, Lebron James did a cool Q&A on Twitter, which makes us wonder – would MJ or Magic have done something like that? Pretty sure Magic would have, but not so sure about His Airness.
Derrick Rose is not only ready physically for the season, he’s been slowly increasing his conversation as well, most recently saying that the only true rival for the Chigago Bulls right now are the Miami Heat.
“Well, I didn’t look at it as the banner thing. I just look at it as putting our guys up…. Listen, I think this is our arena when we play,” Rivers said. “So I just thought it would be good that we show our guys. No disrespect to them. But when we play, it’s the Clippers’ arena as far as I know.”
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Finally, Hall of Fame center Bill Russell was arrested for carrying a loaded handgun into an airport inside of his luggage. No explanation was given but Russell has apologized for the incident.
(Reports from UNC @ Wake game on January 31, 2012)
Harrison Barnes, 6’8”, F, SO
Strengths
Showed grit and toughness on the boards (4 rebounds in first 6 minutes). Rebounding numbers per game are down a bit from last season, 5.8 to 4.6 so far this year- but strong performance shown tonight. Hard to get rebounds when you have Henson and Zeller feasting on the back boards. Form is picture perfect. Excellent physique and NBA level build.
Weaknesses
Must improve defensively- watching this game- seems to have almost taken steps backward in this area- poor close outs- had a tough time defending Nikita Mescheriakov. Slow release- won’t be able to be a player who gets shots off in the NBA coming off curl screens or cuts with an NBA 3 guarding him.
Overview
Looked focused in warm- ups. His straight away set 3’s looked good- strongest spot and shot. He also shot a lot of 1 dribble pull ups going to his left. Has a high release, but it has not seemed to speed up any from last year. Hard worker- will be a true professional- a player you won’t have to worry about both on and off the court. Will be a top 10 pick- speed and athleticism are average compared to an NBA SF, which is what he will play- better shooter though than average 3.
Tyler Zeller, 7’0”, F/C, SR
Strengths
Had a nice pass to Barnes out of double team- improved passer from last year. Great rebounder- sticks with it- physically dominated Wake Forests bigs inside. Does a great job of absorbing contact and takes advantage on the FT line (over a 75% FT shooter)- nice touch on FT line. Very strong base. Hook shot is pro-ready.
Weaknesses
Limited offensively- back to the basket offense only- hasn’t showed me the ability to step out or face up yet. Questions about his ability to stop pro-level guards from turning the corner.
Overview
Warm-ups- His right hook shot over his left shoulder looked good- shot over 30 of them from multiple angles- even looked good from 3rd hash mark. He also practiced a spin into a left hook shot that banked in. Went to Zeller a lot early. Averaging almost 10 rpg and shooting almost 60% from the field for the season ( both career best). Did very well against Wake Forests post players, but I still question how he will do against NBA centers. He is a safe first rounder.
John Henson, 6’10”, F, JR
Strengths
Left hand hook is pro ready. Athleticism allows him to shade on screens and get back to man quickly. Influences every shot taken in his vicinity. His midrange game looks better, but he will need to continue to work on it. Excellent defensive rebounder- chins ball every time (154 def. boards for season- leads team- averages 9.9 rpg- also leads team)
Weaknesses
Must improve perimeter defense- stands up instead of getting low in defensive position. Brought ball down too low when in post. FT’s are very inconsistent. Has added muscle (220lbs), but must continue to get stronger- got pushed too deep several times.
Overview
In warm-ups FT’s looked better then last year, but still must improve in that area (shooting 45% from line this year). His off hand placement needs to be more consistent, sometimes it floats on top of the ball and when this happens his misses are all over the place. When he keeps his hand on the side it looked good. Henson has improved every season- he has put on muscle, developed a solid post game, and continues to influence the game defensively in the paint. In my opinion he is on the verge of being a lottery pick in a deep upcoming draft. Will fit in nicely with a team who needs a long, athletic PF, full of upside.
Kendall Marshall, 6’3”, PG, SO
Strengths
Moves the ball with precision, accuracy, and quickness against man 2 man and zones. Hit an open in game set 3- good arc, rotation- looked just like warm-ups. Knows exactly where teammates are going to open up, cut, etc. and gives the ball in perfect scoring position. Passes the ball up-court better then any PG in America. Quick hands defensively- deceptive.
Weaknesses
Slow lateral movement defensively- really struggles to keep opposing guards out of paint. Needs to develop a shot off the dribble. Too passive offensively (shooting only 43% from field on barely over 5 shot attempts per game)
Overview
In warm-ups his set 3 ball was not near as flat as it was last season- his arc is better. In Marshall you know you are getting a poised, pass first PG (over 200 assists 21 games into season). I question how well he is going to do in the pros because of his defensive woes. A team will and should take a chance on him in the second round- I don’t know if his skills warrant a first round selection.
(Reports from Wake @ UNC game on February 15, 2011)
Harrison Barnes, 6’8”, F, UNC
Strengths
Good shooter who follows his shot. He never misses right to left and rarely leaves the ball short- good misses when he does miss a shot. Strong upper body. Had several nice passes to post players against the Wake Forest zone. Showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to rim where he can finish with either hand. Good defender when he wants to be. Although he is not known to be a superb athlete- he did have several athletic above the rim finishes late in the second half, including a drop step dunk in traffic.
Weaknesses
Although he is a good shooter, he doesn’t have the quickest release. Potential to be a great defender (he showed this towards the end of the game), but seems to take some defensive possessions off. Has a bad habit of putting the ball over his head and holding it against the zone- needs to bring the ball down and protect it in triple threat position, so he can be a threat at all times.
Overview
Solid game from Barnes, who finished with 17 points and 4 assist. He seems to be getting better and better each game and is looking more comfortable. Did not force the issue and took much better shots than the last time I saw him play earlier in the year vs. Kentucky. Will definitely be a top 5 pick.
Tyler Zeller, 7’0”, F/C, UNC
Strengths
Gets great post up position-very deep. Has good post moves- very effective hook shot. Runs the floor well. Good strong rebounder. Ty Walker’s (Wake Forest, 6’11”) shot blocking ability had no effect on Zeller today (6-9 FG). He was getting whatever he wanted on the offensive end.
Weaknesses
Needs to improve passing ability out of post.
Overview
Zeller continues to impress. Zeller does not really make you say “Wow” with anything he does, but he is a solid player, who does many things- rebounds, scores, and defends. Not the most athletic player, but he will play in the NBA.
John Henson, 6’10”, F, UNC
Strengths
Active player on both ends of the floor. Great rebounder, especially on the offensive end. Does a good job of keeping the ball alive and tipping the ball the ball in basket, even when he does not have great position. Good shot blocker, who either blocks or alters most shots in his vicinity. Does a good job of keeping space between himself and offensive player so he can block the shot. Athletic player. Showed off an improved low post/all-around offensive game with some nifty moves around the basket. Good footwork. Right handed player who loves to go left. Very long- length causes havoc on defensive end. He guards the inbound pass under the goal- had several deflections and caused some steals b/c of active hands and length- makes it difficult for opponents to get ball in bounds, let alone getting a score.
Weaknesses
Must get stronger. Needs to improve FT shooting- 4-10 FT for the game. His shooting form is not bad, but the consistency is not there- the shot might miss short, long, left, or right. He needs to develop a mid range jumper.
Overview
Good game today from Henson, who finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Has a never ending motor. Henson has made major strides in his offensive game, but there is still room for improvement. Will be a good fit for most NBA teams.
Kendall Marshall, 6’3”, PG, UNC
Strengths
Great passer. Does a lot of little things well. Directs the offense- very poised and savvy player, especially for a freshman PG. Good in transition- makes good decisions, high basketball IQ. Ability to create own shot. Uses creativity to get into the pain.
Weaknesses
High dribble. His jump shot needs improvement. His shot is flat, but his mechanics look OK. Needs to improve his overall offense.
Overview
Marshall is now going to be leaned upon even more at PG since the departure of Drew. Very good assist to turnover ratio. Finished with 8 assist, 3 rebounds, and 3 points. A player to keep an eye on.
