• Charles Gardner has all the highlights from the Richard Jefferson press conference. Bucks.com has the full transcript and video highlights, while the JS has audio. Jefferson's a pretty candid guy, so it was fairly interesting as far as these kinds of things go.  Let's start with his reaction to playing for Skiles, who has been a fan of Jefferson's for some time:
  

  It’s awesome. I’ve heard multiple times from different people over the years how Scott Skiles tried to get me in Chicago. That gives me a little bit of a comfort knowing that the coach wanted me here, he’s going to work with me. I’m far from a perfect player. I made some solid gains in my game last season and it’s only from hard work and I’ve got to work just as hard to try and make the same gains this year. Sometimes to get out of that comfort zone or bubble that you’ve been in. To go to a new place and get a new outlook or get somebody that’s pushing you again.

  In the video you can see Skiles smile as he talks about Jefferson's game, so it's definitely a positive that he seems to be a fan of the Bucks' big offseason acquisition. And it also suggests that Skiles and John Hammond are on the same page, which shouldn't be a surprise. Perhaps more importantly, Jefferson acknowledged that defense will be a renewed focus for him in 08/09.
  

  I think right now it’s an area in which I need to improve. I think the last few years people have criticized my defense a little bit. I’m still a person that believes in it. I understand that every good team I’ve ever been on we’ve had good defense. It’s an area, because of my role expanding the amounts of minutes I’ve been playing and the amount of scoring I’ve been asked to do, it has gone down.
  
  It takes a little bit of a hit to your ego when people are talking about ‘you’re not as good defensively’ because that’s something I take pride in. It’s something I look forward to improving on and also having an impact. That’s probably going to be my focus now with a guy like Michael Redd and the balance across the board I don’t think there’s as much a need for me to ‘hey, we need you to score 25 points tonight.’ If you can go and stop their best player and give us 18, 19, 20, that’s where I’d like to be.

• Garry Howard sees good things for the Bucks and Brewers.
• Last week Charlie provided us a sneak peek at the Bucks' summer league roster, and today the Bucks released the full roster. In addition to Ramon Sessions and Joe Alexander, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is expected to play for the Bucks rather than join the Cameroonian national team at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens. Awvee Storey will also be on the roster in spite of the Bucks' (reasonable) decision not to pick up his 08/09 option. Storey will look to duplicate his performance last summer when he parlayed a spot on the Bucks' summer league team into a full-time gig with the team.

• Charles Gardner reports that Richard Jefferson will finally be in town tomorrow for his first official press conference as a Buck.
  
• Alex takes a look at the Bucks' highly offensive starting unit.
• Tom Ziller of FanHouse and SacTown Royalty fame knows that "combo guard" isn't a four-letter word.

  Some of our best point guards (Parker, Billups) are not pure in any sense, but we shun the combo guard. On a league level, assists having nothing to do with offensive production, but we dismiss those who can't drop eight dimes a game. This is all very absurd, as four conference finalists are showing us right now. It must stop.

  So of course Tom took note of John Hammond's open-minded approach towards point guards.

  Jefferson and Redd have been very efficient scorers in the recent past. If Williams and the frontcourt can also score efficiently, there will be little problem overall with Milwaukee's offense. And there shouldn't be -- this is a talented offensive team. The real consternation regarding the Buck backcourt should come on the other end, where neither Williams nor Redd have shown they can be consistently stout defenders.

  That last part is really the key to me. 
• Patrick McManamon of the Akron Beacon Journal writes that the Cavs are still thinking about Mike Redd, though the RJ trade would seem to make Redd less likely to be dealt. That said...

  Varejao's agent is Daniel Fegan, who also represents Yi Jianlian, who was traded to the Nets for Jefferson. This might indicate the Bucks need another ''big,'' and if that's Varejao in a deal for Redd, it makes sense that Fegan was eager and pleased to get his Yi out of Milwaukee to make playing time and salary cap room for Varejao.
  
  Pure guess, by the way. Take that as nothing more than conjecture

  No one expects Varejao back in Cleveland in 2009 given the nasty holdout he had last year, and he would fit the bill in Milwaukee as an above-average rebounder who can defend both big spots (which immediately makes him better than Dan Gadzuric).  And of course he would also combine with Bogut to form the NBA's most dynamic flopping charge-drawing duo. Unfortunately, I'm not sure there's an obvious deal here. For better or worse the Cavs seem fairly content with Delonte West/Daniel Gibson at the point, though Mo Williams' scoring punch would seem to be a clear upgrade and both West and Gibson are RFAs.
  
• I don't speak Spanish, but the translations over at HoopsHype and RealGM suggest that Ersan Ilyasova will need to decide by July 15 if he's coming back to the NBA.  
• Julian Garcia of the NY Daily News reports on Nets coach Lawrence Frank's reaction to the Jefferson trade. Here's the bad part from a Bucks' perspective:

  Members of the organization have said privately that trading Jefferson was necessary partly because of his selfish behavior behind the scenes.

Remember that story about Scott Skiles' small forwards? How he's coached the likes of Shawn Marion and Luol Deng? What could possibly prevent you from recalling that rousing Friday night of reading, I don't know.

In any event, the recent big trade reminded me. Now, with Richard Jefferson in the fold, as well as Joe Alexander and Desmond Mason, the Bucks have quickly turned a need into a surplus. And Skiles yet again has a premier small forward at his disposal.

The trade also netted the Bucks a player that just might feature in a fearsome offensive foursome. And I mean "offensive" in a very good way.

No team in the NBA finished the season with four 15.0+ point scorers in 2007-08, according to our research.

With the addition of Jefferson (22.6 ppg last year), the Bucks have a legitimate chance to boast a quartet of guys that could hit the 15.0 per game mark next season, along with Michael Redd (22.7), Mo Williams (17.2), and Andrew Bogut (14.3).

Offensive juggernaut in the making?

Continue reading this post »

Here's the third part of our interview with Bucks GM John Hammond. Check out Part I and Part II here.  Thanks again to John for so generously providing his time last Friday.

Viewed individually, it was easy to like the three players John Hammond acquired on draft day. Richard Jefferson provided the Bucks an athletic, all-star caliber small forward. Joe Alexander brought athleticism and upside in spades, as well as the attitude and coachability to reach that potential.  And in the second round, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute gave the Bucks another athletic forward who prided his game on defense--a novel concept for pro basketball in Wisconsin.

Taken together however, the acquisition of three small forwards in one day begs the question of whether the Bucks would have been better off giving more weight to positional need, especially given the power forward shortage created by Yi's departure.  Not surprisingly, Hammond is unapologetic over acquiring the guys he felt were the best players available and sees his forwards' flexibility as key attributes going forward.

"Our goal is to have the best players you can possibly have.  Someone told me years ago that you are what you guard, and I think Richard Jefferson can guard multiple positions.  I think Joe can and I think Luc can.  So I think those guys are all multiple position players."

Continue reading this post »

• Tom Enlund reports on Luc Richard Mbah a Moute's introduction to Milwaukee.  Head over to the Sportsbubbler where Dan Walsh delivers the Luc video. If you're still wondering why the Bucks took LRMaM over Chris Douglas-Roberts, read the following quote.

  "I love playing defense. That’s the best part about basketball. Defense wins championships, and I’m proof of that. Ever since I’ve played basketball, I’ve played for a program that put a big emphasis on defense and I’ve always been successful at it, so I’m hoping to do the same here in Milwaukee."

  The cynic in me says that we heard similar talk when Desmond Mason, Michael Ruffin and Royal Ivey were signed last year, but Mbah a Moute has one thing going for him that those guys didn't have: Scott Skiles. And the whole Cameroonian royalty thing. That won't hurt Luc's case, either.
• Bob Wolfley is doing his best to get to the bottom of the Richard Jefferson situation.
• The Philly press names Charlie Villanueva as a possible plan B should the Sixers fail in their pursuit of Hawks' RFA Josh Smith.

  If the Sixers make an offer to Smith and the Hawks do match it, Stefanski would likely try to nab a power forward such as the Trail Blazers' Channing Frye, the SuperSonics' Chris Wilcox or the Bucks' Charlie Villanueva via trade.

• Meanwhile, AZCentral.com reports that the Bucks are among five teams interested in former Hawks PG Tyronn Lue.  Lue's a very solid backup who had some of his best moments lighting up Steve Blake and Mo Williams, but it does seem interesting that the Bucks would be interested in using some of their limited free agent dollars on a PG when they already have Mo Williams, Ramon Sessions and Charlie Bell on the roster.  Perhaps they're preparing to trade one of those guys?
• Now that it's over, I've been trying to find some time to write in more detail about the Yi Jianlian era, but fortunately Don Walker is already all over it. Yesterday he wrote that the Yi trade suggests Herb Kohl really is letting John Hammond call the shots, which was one of the first things I thought when the deal went down.
• Mike McGraw of the Chicago Daily Herald sees promise in the Bucks offseason, but says there's still work to be done.

  Now Hammond must find a way to exchange Mo Williams for a point guard who will pass the ball inside once in a while. Miami showed interest in Williams last summer, and the Bucks made a mistake by not sending him south. Williams is a bad fit next to Michael Redd.
  
  Some might say Kirk Hinrich would be a good match for Milwaukee. But even if the Bulls move Hinrich this summer, they would want more in return than unfocused power forward Charlie Villanueva, which is about the extent of the Bucks' assets.

• Check out the video above and get to know Bucks second rounder Luc Richard Mbah a Moute. Given Luc's native Cameroon is fighting for a spot in Beijing, Jill Painter of InsideSoCal.com asked him about his Olympic plans:

  ``I don't know about that,'' Mbah a Moute said. ``Right now, I'm just trying to focus on making the team and getting accustomed to the team. I'll think about Olympic stuff after that.''

  Makes sense.  Given the Bucks' crowded small forward position he'll no doubt want to get off on the right foot with the coaching staff, so expect him to be in Vegas with the Bucks' summer league squad in a couple weeks. And as much as I love that name, I'm going to be using a lot of "Luc" and "LRMaM" from here on out. 
  
• Few expected Charlie Villanueva would outlast Yi Jianlian as a member of the Bucks (myself included), but Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes that Villanueva is likely to be shipped out soon as well.

  No surprise that the Bucks are looking to send Charlie Villanueva to the first place they can find. He'll never last with Scott Skiles.

  Not many people would argue with that last point, though the problem is that Villanueva is now the only true power forward currently on the Bucks' roster. Given their lack of cap space and the threat of luxury tax issues in 09/10, the Bucks are unlikely to find more than a stop-gap solution to their power forward problem in free agency this summer.  Especially given that Joe Alexander is expected to sign within the next week or so, thus making him untradable for 30 days, that leaves John Hammond with Villanueva, Mo Williams and Desmond Mason as assets he can use to solve his PF shortage (yes, I'll assume Redd is unlikely to be moved at this point).  Trading Mo for a PF leaves the Bucks a bit short at the point, so in simplest terms Hammond would probably have to pull off a pair of trades (Mo for a PF and CV for a PG), and even then he'd still likely need another PF.  I'm less optimistic that Desmond Mason's expiring $5.4 million deal would fetch a quality 4. 
  
• How about bringing back Michael Ruffin on another minimum-level deal?  No, he can't do anything offensively and you don't want him playing a lot of minutes, but he still provided enough rebounding and defense to be a very good value last year.  In fact, Ruffin led the Bucks in net +/-, and his lack of offensive ambition isn't as problematic with the likes of Redd, Jefferson, Bogut and Williams (if he's around) on the roster. You don't want to sign him with the intent of making him a starter, but the Bucks don't have that many options right now.
  
• Michael Hunt writes that Mike Redd and his fellow Olympians have only one option: gold.
• Joe Alexander's rise from probable first rounder to mid-lottery pick has been well-chronicled, but if you have ESPN Insider be sure to take a look at Chad Ford's report on Alexander's pre-draft work with Joe Abunassar. Given the debate about whether he can play PF, I found it interesting that Alexander measured 6'7.25" without shoes and 6'8.25" with shoes in Orlando, yet Ford reports that he measured 6'7.75" in socks and 6'9" in shoes during his pre-draft training.  Why am I not surprised?  And aside from some nice workout video, Ford also does his part to add to the legend of Joe:

  Steve said that Alexander would spend hours in the basement dribbling a basketball with headphones on. One time, he and his wife left to go shopping. He yelled at Alexander in the basement and told him they'd be right back. Three hours later they returned and Alexander was still in the basement, dripping with sweat, still dribbling the basketball.
  
  "Joe didn't really have a girlfriend in school," Steve said. "If he could've dated his basketball, then I guess, he would have dated. Basketball has always been his one true love."

• John Hollinger writes that the Jefferson deal was all business for the Nets, but makes the Bucks better immediately.

  Jefferson can guard the opponent's top perimeter threat, much like he did in New Jersey, and should be effective in that role. Additionally, the presence of Michael Redd and Mo Williams means Jefferson won't be asked to be the creator that he was in New Jersey, saving everyone some headaches. It's enough to make you take Milwaukee's playoff hopes seriously again.

• It's just a start, but Michael Hunt likes what he saw on Thursday. John Hammond sounded last night like he prefers to keep Michael Redd, and this morning Hunt thinks so, too.
  

  Second, the Bucks apparently intend to keep Michael Redd. I don't think Hammond was blowing smoke when he said the goal was to surround their Olympian with quality players. That means they still must find a point guard, because Mo Williams cannot stay in the same backcourt with Redd.

• Dave Heller at the JS collects league reaction to the Alexander pick.
• Ted Bauer at ESPN The Mag is feeling good about the Bucks.
• Trevor Smith at Hoops Addict chronicles the long journey that brought Alexander to Milwaukee.
• Tom Enlund writes Alexander is excited to be a Buck.  What a novel change of pace from 2007, eh?
• Bill Simmons isn't sounding bitter about being passed over for the Bucks' GM gig.

  5:18: Milwaukee takes Joe Alexander with the eighth pick, a good idea because Bilas thinks he's a "freak of an athlete" and has "freakish athleticism." And if that's not enough, he was born in Taiwan and speaks Mandarini. I like what I'm doing as the new Bucks GM -- I stole Richard Jefferson for a broken-down Bobby Simmons and the Chairman, and I drafted a proven college player with freakish athleticism who speaks Mandarin and gives the state of Wisconsin a white guy to rally around. I'm 2-for-2! YES WE CAN!

• For audio/video from the draft, check out Bucks.com.
• Let's start with the obvious: the Bucks started the day with a decided weakness at the small forward spot but ended it with an embarrassment of riches at the position. Naturally, there's plenty of second-guessing among fans about why the Bucks would draft two small forwards after acquiring an all-star at the position only hours earlier. The biggest question to me is whether Alexander can legitimately play as a PF, which the Bucks are saying he can. However, that also suggests he might be more of a tweener than originally thought.  Alexander might be on the short end of the PF spectrum, but he's strong, athletic and played the position in college. More importantly, even if he ends up being more of a small forward, it probably would have been unfair to expect Alexander to be a productive starter as a rookie. While he was the best player on a very good West Virginia team last year, Alexander is in many ways still learning the finer points of the game.  
• Changing the culture of the Bucks has been a theme since John Hammond was hired, and the moves today certainly underscore that Scott Skiles' team will bring a different mentality than Larry Krystkowiak's sorry 07/08 squad.  While he may not be the top shelf defender he once was, Jefferson provides a major upgrade at the offensive end while also bringing a two-way mentality that Skiles should appreciate.  Alexander meanwhile could be Skiles' long-lost son, exuding an intensity and dedication that makes him a fairly safe pick. Lastly, Mbah a Moute doesn't have the sex appeal of a CDR, but he has a clear role and his success isn't dependent on being a scorer like CDR. Last year the Bucks tried to infuse some defensive intensity into the team by adding lunchpail role players such as Mike Ruffin and Royal Ivey, but they found out the hard way that your 13th guy doesn't get your team to play defense. Alexander and Mbah a Moute won't be leaders next year, but Jefferson will help set a more responsible defensive tone that the young guys will no doubt pick up on.
• Assuming Alexander is here to stay, then it would seem obvious that Desmond Mason would be on the move this summer. On a personal side, I hate to see Mason shipped out again given the sort of guy he is, but with an expiring $5.4 million deal he'll be a key bargaining chip who can be easily combined with someone like Mo Williams or Charlie Villanueva in a bigger deal.
• So where do the Bucks go from here?  Hammond said he spoke to Michael Redd last week about acquiring players to complement Redd, so for now it sounds like trading Redd isn't a priority.  If that's the case then the Bucks will have two 20+ ppg guys on the wings and will probably look to shop Mo Williams.  Both the Cavs (Anderson Varejao) and Heat (Udonis Haslem) could be good trade partners, as each could use a scoring point and can offer defensive power forwards to help fill the gap now faced by the Bucks at the 4. Especially with O.J. Mayo joining the backcourt mix in Memphis, Hammond could then try to use Charlie Villanueva to acquire Memphis' Kyle Lowry, a more defensive, game-managing point who would seem to complement Sessions.  Either way, the Bucks have plenty of time to shuffle their roster before camp breaks in October.

• We'll probably have some final pre-draft notes tomorrow afternoon, and of course reaction to the picks--or the trade(s)--when they happen. I know Alex is still partial to Randolph, but I've been scared off by some of the statistical analyses/projections (hey, I have an econ degree, this is how I think) and have come around on Alexander. One thing I find interesting is that a lot of people have really gotten attached to the idea of drafting Alexander, so it will be interesting to see what fan reaction will be if someone else is chosen or if the pick is traded. I'm guessing it will be more negative than it probably should be.
  
• Tom Enlund leads his draft day article with Joe Alexander, while Charles Gardner weighs in with his mock draft and thinks Alexander's the guy.
  

  Yes, this guy can play for Scott Skiles. The gritty Alexander impressed Skiles and general manager John Hammond, and he fills a desperate need at small forward. Alexander survived and thrived under Bob Huggins and had a blockbuster 34-point game against Connecticut in the Big East tournament.

  Like some other mocks, Gardner sees Anthony Randolph falling out of the lottery.
  
• Tom Enlund blogs about the Alexander/Ranolph debate. While we all knew Alexander stopped by the Bucks' offices on Monday, Enlund writes that the Bucks also spoke with Randolph by phone.

  "Very good," said Alexander when asked during a pre-draft media session Wednesday how his second session with the Bucks went. "It was just a meeting where they got to know me better and I got the impression that they were impressed. They just wanted to know about my personal life, what I do off the court, what I'm like."
  
  Said Randolph, "I talked to Milwaukee (Monday) and they seemed pretty interested. That looks like a place I could probably end up. It's a nice city, I liked it. It's a little more mellow and I'm kind of a mellow guy so I think I could fit in with it. They showed me the lake and everything. I'm a big fisherman so that's good."

• Jonathan Givony at DraftExpress isn't mincing words: "At #8, it looks pretty much set that Milwaukee will take Joe Alexander."
• Ian Thomsen at SI.com predicts Alexander will be a Buck, ahead of both Randolph and Jerryd Bayless.
• Tom Withers writes the Cavs are still targeting Michael Redd. Even if the Bucks do decide to dump Redd to the Cavs, don't expect anything tomorrow. The two guys Withers mentions as targets for the Bucks can't easily be dealt at the moment--Anderson Varejao is BYC until July and has a no-trade clause until December, while Daniel Gibson is a restricted free agent.
• NBADraft.net sees Alexander over Love (#9) and Randolph (#11).
• Over at Pro Basketball News, Tony Mejia is also predicting Alexander.  But PBN's Sam Amico projects the Bucks will bite on a sliding Bayless over Randolph (#9) and Alexander (#12) while nabbing Australian big Nathan Jawai at #37, passing on Richard Hendrix (#39) and Joey Dorsey (#46).
• As for Amico's theory that the Wolves could trade back to select Alexander, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that earlier Alexander turned down a workout in Minnesota to focus on more likely destinations. However, he did a phone interview with Minnesota this week.
• Charles Gardner blogs about Alexander's language skills.
• Speaking of which, Darren Rovell at CNBC notes that Alexander could find Milwaukee to be a very profitable destination. How long until China offers him a passport and a spot on the national team?
• DX has video interviews with a bunch of guys, including Randolph. Among other things, he mentions Lamar Odom as a role model.  Given his length and ball-handling ability, that's probably a good choice (but a LONG way away).
  
• Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning-News profiles local product Randolph. Most people know Randolph is one of the few (only?) lotto prospects who played on a sub-.500 team last year, but here's a new bit of scary info: Randolph's high school teams didn't win a playoff game his last two seasons and finished 13-15 his senior year.  I don't know much about Texas high school basketball, but I find that fact rather amazing...and unsettling.
• No news on the Andrew Bogut extension front.

  "I can't discuss anything with the team until July 1," he said.
  
  "It is frustrating for me but it is the NBA rules and league wide."
  
  "It is like buying a car, it will take eight or nine days. You get a first offer a second offer and then a third offer and hopefully something will be done by about July 10. If we don't, it will be done next year."

Most of our focus and speculation about tomorrow's draft has been on the Bucks' first round pick, and rightfully so. The Alexander/Randolph discussion is only getting juicier.

But we'd be remiss to not mention the team's second round (37th overall) draft choice. After all, we're talking about a team with unofficially the best second round backcourt in the NBA.

Michael Redd was drafted 43rd back in 2000. Mo Williams went 47th three years later in 2003. Last June, the Bucks nabbed Ramon Sessions 56th, the fifth to last player selected. Throw in the fact that Charlie Bell went undrafted and Royal Ivey was another second rounder in 2004, and we've got quite a guard anomaly running around Milwaukee.

With that in mind, the 37th pick shouldn't be afterthought, not after the diamonds (or at least quartzes) already found in previous draft's rough.

And while the Bucks are having problems scheduling workouts for top picks, the team has gotten good looks at many potential second rounders.

Yesterday, a group including Richard Hendrix, Jamont Gordon, and Wisconsin senior Brian Butch took part in workouts for the Bucks.

Brett at The Bratwurst has steadfastly endorsed Hendrix, dubbing the Alabama forward the draft's supersleeper, making a pretty compelling case to back up his claim.

I just can't understand why he is flying under the radar so much: he put up great numbers, has a track record of improvement (so it's not like he had a fluke season), carried a weakened team on his back in a tough conference to a .500 record, and apparently doesn't have any character questions. If you are an NBA GM who wants a power forward who can grab loose balls, bang around in the paint, and shoot well enough to keep defenses honest, why would you look any further?

Among the others who have worked out at the Cousins Center in front of the Bucks are Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Malik Hairston, Mike Green, and Damjan Rudez.

I had a chance to briefly chat with Green after his workout a couple weeks ago. Green knew the city from his four years playing in the Horizon League for Butler against the likes of UW-Milwaukee. He also knew some draft history, rattling off some second round success stories such as Manu Ginobili.

With last year's second rounder, Sessions, exceeding expectations, the Bucks aren't likely to look for a one in the second round, but Mo Williams trade rumors make a play for a point guard possible. Then again, Green isn't projected to be drafted by at all according to Draft Express, ESPN, or NBADraft.net.

Here's who those three websites have going 37th to the Bucks in their latest mocks:

Draft Express: Nathan Jawai

ESPN: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

NBADraft.net: Gary Forbes

Jawai would give the Bucks an Australian big man tag-team. Mbah a Moute is an athletic defensive-minded forward, and has been an important player on one of the most successful teams in college basketball the past few seasons at UCLA. If that sounds familiar it's probably because of the similarities to the Bucks' 2006 draft pick, David Noel, who is no longer with the team. Forbes worked out for the Bucks on Monday, and despite worrying low shooting percentages (40.7 field goal %, 29.2 % on three's) he's helped himself a lot since in pre-draft workouts according to Draft Express.

No player has done more for their stock in the pre-draft camps than Gary Forbes. The physically imposing swingman rode on the momentum he picked up from the Portsmouth Invitational to an MVP performance at this year’s Orlando Pre-Draft Camp. While he stood out amongst his peers at both venues, he was one of the few players here that showed an ability to carry his team when it mattered. That won’t be a skill that necessarily will need to translate to the NBA for him, but there is something to be said for stepping up and being a leader in a setting like this one where everyone is trying to earn a job.

It's difficult enough to figure out the lottery prospects, so determining which second round picks is perhaps an even more trying task. Nonetheless, here are ten players we are intrigued by, and that the Bucks might consider with their second round choice:

Malik Hairston: DX: 45 ESPN: 51 NBDN: -

Hairston was a really highly regarded prospect as a freshman at Oregon, and used his four years to steadily improve, especially as a shooter, hitting .525/.433/.732 as a senior after going .509/.333/.472 in his first year on campus. He can score without needing the ball constantly, is strong, and takes care of the ball pretty well. He fell in between Russell Westbrook and Anthony Randolph in John Hollinger's PER projections of wings.

D.J. White: DX: 34 ESPN: 36 NBDN: 44

White has an extremely nice touch on his mid-range jumper, particularly for a big-bodied 6'9" post player. He's has an up-and-down career at Indiana but finished strongly, going for 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 60.5 % from the field as a senior. He's on the short side for a power forward and doesn't blow you away athletically.

Richard Hendrix: DX: - ESPN: 38 NBDN: 50

Hendrix is relentless on the glass and, like White, offers an efficient offensive game, shooting 59.8 % and then 60.2 % from the field in his final two seasons at Alabama. Also like White, he's considered undersized at 6'8". Hendrix also got worse from the line throughout his college career, culminating in a 53.7 % mark as a junior from the stripe. Still, his sixth rated PER in the nation is a testament to his well-rounded overall game.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute: DX: ESPN: 37 NBDN: 46

David Noel comparisons aside, the Bucks badly need some semblance of a defensive identity, and Mbah a Moute could help, if ever so slightly, bring one.

Joey Dorsey: DX: 42 ESPN: 45 NBDN: 43

Dorsey is a physically imposing forward who excels at rebounding the basketball and on the defensive end in general. To make a name for himself in the NBA, he'll need to straight-up dominate in those areas, because he's destined to struggle to make an impact offensively on the next level. He shot 64.7 % from the field as a senior, but made only 2.8 field goals per game, and hit just 37.8 % of his free throws.

Nathan Jawai: DX: 37 ESPN: 34 NBDN: -

The NBL might be only a letter different, but it's about as far away as Australia is from United States on a map as the basketball league Jawai played in is from the NBA. But this guy looks pretty decent, and umm, big, in video form.

Bill Walker: DX: 29 ESPN: 38 NBDN: 34

There is some evidence to suggest Walker could be available at 37, though it's far from a sure thing. He's suffered two ACL injuries, reducing some of his incredible athleticism. Still he remains a strong, aggressive player, traits he displayed in the tournament against USC and Wisconsin, when he averaged 20.0 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Kyle Weaver: DX: 39 ESPN: 32 NBDN: -

This Beloit product helped lead Washington St. from irrelevance to prominence in part through the smart play and defensive-oriented approach instilled by the Bennetts.

Gary Forbes: DX: 50 ESPN: - NBDN: 37

Already noted some of Forbes' weaknesses, but he does fill up the boxscore and finds himself on the free throw line quite a lot.

Sonny Weems: DX: 52 ESPN: 52 NBDN: 41

Wicked cool name and some serious, serious hops, while we're on a video kick.

Update: The numbers following the players are where they landed in the site's mock drafts, but the mocks are ever-changing.