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2010 NBA Draft Stock
Updated 2/1
2010 NBA Draft Stock: Buying
DeMarcus Cousins, C, Kentucky, Fr. The Wildcat freshman is playing like a man. He has posted four straight double-doubles despite seeing limited action in certain games. Against Arkansas, Cousins compiled 16 points and 14 boards in just 17 minutes, and had 21 and 14 in 24 minutes against Vanderbilt. What stands out is how he has dominated potential second-round picks Michael Washington and A.J. Ogilvy. Where Cousins continues to be hurt is with his overwhelming emotions that he shows on the court. He lets other players get in his head, talks massive amounts of noise on the court, and gets into arguments with Kentucky head coach John Calipari. If he can control those emotions, he is without a doubt a top-10 pick, but scouts continue to worry about his mental makeup which could affect where he is selected.
Devan Downey, PG, South Carolina, Sr. The 5-9 point guard was instrumental in the Gamecocks’ upset of then top-ranked Kentucky. Despite his lack of height, Downey can get a shot off whenever he needs. Even though he attempted 29 field goals against Kentucky, he dropped 30 going up against the likes of John Wall and Eric Bledsoe. Prior to the UK game, Downey blew up for 36 at Florida and most recently scored 33 versus Georgia. He is averaging 31.6 ppg in SEC play. There is no question he is undersized and a shoot-first point guard which might sour some teams, but he has definitely played his way into the second round.
Dominique Jones, SG, South Florida, Jr. Since scoring a season-low five points at Louisville on Dec. 30, Jones has been playing out of his mind since the calendar changed to 2010. He is averaging 29.5 points per game during his last seven contests, including a 46-point, 10-rebound, 8-assist outburst in an overtime win against Providence. The 6-4 junior is still struggling a bit from the outside, but is using his strength and quickness to attack the rim and frequently get to the free throw line. South Florida has won three straight behind Jones’ efforts including an upset victory against Pitt Sunday in which he dropped 37 points. Jones would be a bubble first-round pick if he declared for the draft this summer, but is starting to garner more and more interest as a potential future pro.
Aubrey Coleman, SG, Houston, Sr. The nation’s leading scorer, Coleman has topped the 30-point mark in his last three games. While he is not the most efficient outside shooter in college basketball, he is terrific off the bounce and uses his physical frame to earn many trips to the free throw line and also be an aggressive rebounder. If he were a better perimeter shooter, he would have first-round potential, but still, Coleman has a solid lock on a second-round selection.
2010 NFL Draft Stock: Selling
Willie Warren, G, Oklahoma, Soph. Warren turned out the likelihood of being a lottery pick last summer to return to Norman to be “the guy” in replacing Blake Griffin. Instead, Warren has struggled with his outside shot as Oklahoma has grossly underachieved this season. The Sooner sophomore combo guard returned from a sprained ankle Saturday against Nebraska, but was just 1-of-5 shooting for four points in an embarrassing 17-point loss; hardly proving he is the guy at Oklahoma. If the draft were tomorrow, Warren would very possibly fall out of the lottery.
Michael Washington, PF, Arkansas, Sr. For an undersized post player who was once considered a bubble first-round pick, Washington is having a terrible go of it lately against some talented bigs. He was abused by DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson, and had an awful game against Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado, shooting just 1-of-5 from the field for three points and grabbing only three boards. The Hogs senior has been hampered by foul trouble against these bigger opponents, but did respond nicely with a 22-11 performance in a win at Ole Miss. Still, he is in serious jeopardy of not being drafted at all if he doesn’t elevate his play in the next few weeks.
MISSING
Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
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