2014 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Russ Smith

2013 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Home Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor Cameron Bairstow, PF, New Mexico Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky Semaj Christon, PG, Xavier Jordan Clarkson, SG, Missouri Aaron Craft, PG, Ohio State Joel Embiid, C, Kansas Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State Rodney Hood, SF, Duke Nick Johnson, SG, Arizona DeAndre Kane, PG, Iowa State Sean Kilpatrick, SG, Cincinnati James Michael McAdoo, PF, North Carolina K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton Jordan McRae, SG, Tennessee Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut Jabari Parker, SF, Duke Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State Dwight Powell, PF, Stanford Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky JaKarr Sampson, SF, St. John's Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State Russ Smith, PG, Louisville Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee Xavier Thames, PG, San Diego State Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana T.J. Warren, SF, N.C. State Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas Kendall Williams, PG, New Mexico James Young, SG, Kentucky Patric Young, PF, Florida

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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2014 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Russ Smith


Position: Point Guard

Size: 6-0, 165

School: Louisville, Senior


Strengths:

Scoring ability

Outside shooting

Step back/pull-up jumper

Speed in the open floor

Fearless attacking the tin

Athleticism

Does an amazing job finding driving lanes

Creative scorer at the rim

Quick handles

Has become a better distributor during his senior year

Pesky on-the-ball defender

Weaknesses:

Too often plays out of control

Shot selection

Decision-making

Streaky outside shooter

A shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body

Will be a defensive liability if he plays the two

Summary: Part of what makes Smith such a threat on the floor is his aggressiveness on both ends. However, that also tends to be his downfall as his decision-making and shot selection are very questionable at times since he tries to force too much. Although Smith is a 6-foot-1 combo guard, he still possesses a ton of talent and figures to be a second-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Player Comparison: Patrick Beverly.

Beverly is a 6-foot-1 shooting guard who has struggled in trying to transition to play the point, which is why he spent the beginning of his pro career in Europe before playing with the Rockets last year. Smith faces a similar challenge. Both guys are athletic, aggressive defenders who are at their best off the bounce, and think they are better outside shooters than they actually are.

2013 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Home Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor Cameron Bairstow, PF, New Mexico Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky Semaj Christon, PG, Xavier Jordan Clarkson, SG, Missouri Aaron Craft, PG, Ohio State Joel Embiid, C, Kansas Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State Rodney Hood, SF, Duke Nick Johnson, SG, Arizona DeAndre Kane, PG, Iowa State Sean Kilpatrick, SG, Cincinnati James Michael McAdoo, PF, North Carolina K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton Jordan McRae, SG, Tennessee Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut Jabari Parker, SF, Duke Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State Dwight Powell, PF, Stanford Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky JaKarr Sampson, SF, St. John's Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State Russ Smith, PG, Louisville Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee Xavier Thames, PG, San Diego State Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana T.J. Warren, SF, N.C. State Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas Kendall Williams, PG, New Mexico James Young, SG, Kentucky Patric Young, PF, Florida

RELATED LINKS:


2014 NBA Mock Draft


2015 NBA Mock Draft


2014 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings


2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports








Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: [email protected]



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