2010 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Lance Stephenson

Written by Paul Banks of NBC Chicago and 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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2010 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Lance Stephenson


Position: Shooting Guard

Size: 6-5, 210

School: Cincinnati, Freshman


Strengths:
  • Has a natural feel for scoring the basketball
  • Can break a defender down off the dribble
  • Quick first step
  • Deadly change of pace dribble
  • Strong finisher
  • NBA-ready build
  • Knows how to use his strength when attacking the basket
  • Great play-making abilities
  • Good rebounder for a wing player



    Weaknesses:
  • Shot selection is questionable at times
  • Very inconsistent from beyond the arc
  • Needs to make more of a commitment on the defensive end
  • Dribbles too much in one-on-one situations
  • Tends to gets rattled if things aren’t going his way during the course of a game
  • Stands around too much on offense if the ball isn’t in his hands
  • Free-throw shooting

    Summary: Nicknamed “Born Ready,” Stephenson failed to live up to the lofty expectations put on him when he arrived at Cincy. Early in the season, I had him as a late-lottery pick based on his natural ability and potential, but he just didn’t put it all together in his freshman year as he still has plenty of maturing to do both mentally and as a player. He is reportedly leaning toward returning to school and that would be the wise decision since he would have no guarantee of being a first-round pick.

    Player Comparison: Isaiah Rider Rider was a tremendous natural talent who just never truly panned up in the NBA. Stephenson is loaded with natural ability and like Rider, uses it like a switch where he can seemingly turn his game “on” or “off” in the blink of the eye. Three-point shooting was never a strength of Rider’s and it’s something Stephenson needs to work on before he takes the step to the next level.



    RELATED LINKS:


    2010 NBA Mock Draft


    2010 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings


    2010 NBA Draft Scouting Reports








    Written by Paul Banks of NBC Chicago and 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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