Dickie V's draft sleepers
The NBA draft is right around the corner. A lot of players will try to impress the pro scouts and front offices, trying to get their stock to climb.
I have heard some people claim this is going to be a weak draft. I don't buy that. One never knows how it will all shake out. I feel it is wrong to call it weak because you usually need a three-year cycle to fairly evaluate how good a draft is. It takes time to tell if a team made the right move.
Personally, I believe there are a number of athletes that can have an immediate impact. Last year, 10 players in the draft averaged double-figure scoring as a rookie. This crop has several players that will contribute and become positive players on the NBA level.
In fact, let's look at my Rip Van Winkles, sleepers who are not getting that much ink leading up to the draft. We keep hearing about the obvious ones, guys like Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, Jordan Hill, Stephen Curry, Johnny Flynn, Ty Lawson and James Harden.
Keep an eye on USC's DeMar DeRozan. He has the make-up, strength and explosiveness that is utilized at the NBA level, especially with the 24-second clock. He could be a high-wire act. DeRozan is still learning how to play basketball, but he is a young guy with just one season of collegiate experience. I believe he has the potential to be something special.
Not many people are talking about Sam Young because he is not expected to go high in this draft. Keep an eye on him as a late first-rounder or early second-round pick. This guy came up big in every game that Pittsburgh needed points. He has a great build and he can deliver. Young has always had to prove he could play at the next level, working his way up to Pittsburgh. Now he can play in the pros. I feel it would be a mistake to let Mr. Young slip that far.
If he falls into round two, he could be like a Michael Redd, Gilbert Arenas, Manu Ginobili -- all of those guys were passed on in round one. They turned out to be pretty good, right?
Where were the experts known for rating those players when these guys went in round two? The gospel did not quite work out and these second-rounders are mega-millionaires. Hey Sam, hopefully you can land in that range, baby! Another member of my Rip Van Winkle group is North Carolina's Wayne Ellington. I can hear skeptics saying he is not strong enough, doesn't handle the ball well enough, etc. My friends, Ellington can make shots, and there is always room for a player with shooting talents in the NBA. Just look at what he did in the NCAA tournament and under pressure during the Final Four at Ford Field. This Tar Heel is a winner and learned how to play within a team concept under Hall of Famer Roy Williams.
Ellington will be a surprise for someone because he has that special gift, a sweet stroke.
Toney Douglas had a great senior year at Florida State. He never really got the love on a national level. Coaches in the ACC rave about the multi-talented Douglas. Let me tell you, this kid knows how to win; he can defend, can handle the rock and he can score.
Down at Temple, the Owls had a real underrated star in Dionte Christmas. He could really light it up and at 6-5, he can play guard in the pros. Putting points on the board ... NBA scouts can appreciate that trait. Christmas can give a team instant offense coming off of the pine early in his career.
There are my five Rip Van Winkles. Analyze what they do in a three-year period and come back and let me know what you think.
