|
|
| The Next Kobe? |
| By Gene Huh
|
The success enjoyed by players who have jumped straight to the NBA directly from high school has made the scouting of high school talent a necessary evil for all NBA franchises. Arguably, three of the five best players in the game - Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett - have arrived in the NBA via this route, necessitating a dramatic change in scouting. No team wants to be the next to draft a player like Todd Fuller ahead of a superstar like Kobe Bryant, as the Golden State Warriors did in 1996. In last year's NBA draft, three of the top five selections were high school players, indicating that teams may have already shifted their strategies. Was the last NBA draft a deviation from the norm or a sign of things to come? We will soon find out.
The following is a list of the most highly regarded pro prospects in the prep ranks.
LeBron James (6-8, G/F, Junior)
St. Vincent (Akron, OH)
Learn his name because it may soon become a household word. Although he is just a junior, James is already considered by most experts to be the premier pro prospect in high school basketball. James has been described as possessing the scoring ability of Michael Jordan and the point guard vision of Magic Johnson. At the Nike All-American Camp last summer, James absolutely demolished the highly regarded Lenny Cooke, a high school senior considered by experts to be a potential 2002 first round pick. James can do anything he wants on the basketball court and already possesses a polished all-around game. Will James flame out like other legendary prep prodigies from the past, such as Marcus Liberty and Roderick Rhodes, or will he mature into greatness as Chris Webber and Jason Kidd have? My guess is that the latter will occur.
Amare Stoudemire (6-10, PF, Senior)
Cypress Creek (Orlando, FL)
This prep basketball vagabond, who has attended six different high schools during his prep career, is unquestionably the premier prospect in the class of 2002. Already a physically mature 6-foot-10 240 pounds, Stoudemire was considered by prep basketball analysts to be have been superior to 2001 lottery picks Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler as an underclassman. Stoudemire has been described as a superb run/jump athlete who dominates at both ends of the court. NBA draft analyst John D. Thompson considers Stoudemire to be an old school throwback to the days when power forwards were more interested in dominating the paint than in playing like big guards. One red flag that should be noted is that Stoudemire's school changing may have been the result of negligent parenting.
Carmelo Anthony (6-8, F/G, Senior)
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, VA)
There is a very solid chance that the versatile Anthony will honor his commitment to Syracuse University and not declare for the 2002 NBA Draft. If he does declare, Anthony will most certainly get drafted high in the first round. A tall wing guard who can pass, handle the ball and drill long-range jumpers, Anthony possesses the complete package of skills to succeed at the next level. Anthony is also a big-time athlete who can throw down monstrous tomahawk jams and really move his feet defensively. Scouts will receive an opportunity to gauge Anthony's talent level in February, when Anthony's Oak Hill Academy faces off against LeBron James and St. Vincent in Trenton, New Jersey.
Lenny Cooke (6-6, G/F, Senior)
North Valley (Old Tappan, NJ)
This over-aged prep athlete was widely considered the top wing player in his class before Anthony's emergence over the summer. An intense competitor, Cooke can score on drives to the basket, in the low post and from the perimeter. An excellent ballhandler and passer, Cooke can play a variety of positions on th floor. Despite his well-rounded game, the 20 year-old Cooke, who is ineligible to play this season for his high school, may not have as much upside as Anthony. Still, due to his reportedly shaky academic credentials, Cooke may be more likely to enter his name into the NBA draft.
|
|
Features
MJ is Hurting
The Next Kobe?
College Hoops Game Reviews
Interview with Draft Analyst John D. Thompson
Scouting Report:
Tony Parker
2001-2002
Western Conference Preview
|
