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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Mar 26, 2007
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Wowee, look at that freshman class! And with Darren (and Luc and Alfred?) coming back and Roll and Keefe back to full health, is there a possibility that Josh drops down to shared and perhaps limited playing time if he comes back?
He sure didn't do much for the second half of last season to guarantee himself a starting and starring role. Or will Coach Howland keep giving him the benefit of the doubt?
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 15, 2007
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Keefe is not a small forward so I don't think he'll play the 3. Shipp can still slash to the basket better than Roll and of course Roll's defense still cannot be relied on for 40 minutes. This off season, I am sure Shipp will try to get back to his form and he will need it otherwise the freshmen will take his minutes. He'll probably play the 2 or 3 depending the personnel on the floor. Yes, he was a sinking Shipp 2nd half of the season but as a senior I'll still give him the benefit of the doubt to help the team for our 4th in row to Final Four. Experience does count and I rather have 3 experience starters than 2...
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Reputation:98
Level:Superstar
Since:May 4, 2008
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As a Senior Shipp will be in the mix but may see limited time if his numbers look like the second half of the season. If the freshman class is as good as advertised, Shipp may ride the pine.
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Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:May 7, 2008
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i did hear a rumor in the la times that josh was thinking about quitting basketball entirely does anyone know anything about this
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Reputation:97
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 21, 2006
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Josh is going to either play in the NBDL or overseas if he can't make an NBA roster. His draft stock couldn't really be helped by returning for his final year of eligibility - his minutes will cut and he and Howland didn't see eye to eye on style of play, that is well documented. I think Shipp is talented, but at his size he is the classic tweener in the league. It really is a shame he injured his hips he was better than Farmar and Aflalo in my opinion.
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Reputation:85
Level:All-Star
Since:Jan 15, 2007
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Does it make me a bad guy that I actually WANT Ship to leave school? I was a huge Shipp fan when the big three were all freshmen. I thought his game would make him a great college player for four years. He was scrappy and could score garbage points. He was a good defender and rebounder. I really thought he'd be remembered as a better UCLA player than Afflalo and Farmar because of how hard he played.
It seemed like every year he got less scrappy and became less helpful. Even though his numbers usually improved this was more the result of the added touches and minutes than it was of his improving play. Gone were the days of slashing to the hoop and scoring off of offensive boards. Shipp, in the final days, was relegated to a stand and shoot player who couldn't shoot. I actually wish Coach Howland would have pulled the trigger on him last year and played Luc at the 3 with Keefe and Love. Luc can't shoot either, but at least he brings defense and more consistant effort.
I hope Josh leaves and wish him best of luck. I think the injuries took a major toll on him, probably more than we all know. For the good of the program, we need the back court minutes to go to DC, Lee, Anderson, Roll, and of course Holiday.
The Front court should be occupied by Keefe, Gordon, Luc, and hopefully Aboya, Morgan, and Stephenson.
Assuming one of those front court guys doesn't show (Aboya, Morgan, Stephenson) that's still 10 dudes that need minutes before you even get to Shipp. At best he's the 11th man. I would like to see Coach expand our rotation to get to 9 or 10, but typically we're going to use our best 7 or 8. There is no place for him here.
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Reputation:55
Level:Pro
Since:Mar 25, 2007
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Jrue Holiday | Shooting Guard
Rank: #3
Hometown: North Hollywood, CA
Campbell Hall H.S. (CA)
Position rank: Shooting Guard # 1
Ht: 6'3" Wt: 180
Scouts Grade
92
Evaluation
January, 2008:
December, 2007:
Holiday is arguably the best combo-guard prospect in the country - though we feel his eventual position will be the point. He has a chisled frame with long arms and overall good length. He is extremely explosive in the open court as well as off of the dribble. In the open court he can finish with either hand (unusually strong left hand) utilizing his strength and athleticism. His jump shot is a bit erratic - his release is fine, but he has a tendency to shoot a set shot. When he elevates on his jump shot it's much smoother. In the half court set Holiday is extremely tough to stop off the bounce as he can get to the rim at will. In addition, he has the savvy to find open teammates for numerous assists. Defensively, Holiday can be a menace to his opponents. He can smother perimeter players with his strength, superior lateral quickness, and quick hands - though he can be overly aggressive at times which leads to costly fouls. In addition, he has had some emotional outbursts that have led to a few technicals. Overall, Holiday has a passion for the game and skill package that is rarely seen these days and should be considered one of the top ten prospects in the class of 2008.
Drew Gordon | Power Forward
Rank: #19
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Archbishop Mitty H.S. (CA)
Position rank: Power Forward # 7
Ht: 6'9" Wt: 215
Scouts Grade
91
Evaluation
November, 2007:
October, 2007:
Gordon is one of the more impressive post prospects in the class of 2008. He has a lengthy frame with long arms and soft hands. He has always had eye-dropping athleticism and bounce since we first witnessed his act as a freshman; however, his skills have not developed as much as we would have hoped. His strengths primarily lie in the areas of athletic put-backs, rebounding, and shot blocking. He can hit the 17-foot jump shot on occasion though his release needs some refining. He can run and jump all day and he is one of the quickest leapers around but against players his own size his deficiencies are glaring to say the least. His post game is quite raw with no "go-to" move - other than a dunk. While watching Gordon over the years, part of his problem is he has developed some bad habits. He is so accustomed to jumping over the top of people for dunks that he presently has very little feel for the game. He constantly brings the ball down to gather himself and his pivot moves are almost non-existent - though he did attempt a jump hook in one of the games we saw. We have monitored Gordon's progress over the years and his growth as a player has been slow, however, considering the development of Lorenzo Mata (UCLA) in the last couple of years, Gordon appears to be in good hands after his recent oral commit to Ben Howland's program.
Malcolm Lee | Point Guard
Rank: #27
Scouts Grade
91
Evaluation
Lee is an intriguing prospect really starting to come into his own. At this stage, he's not a true point guard yet and/or a two-guard. However, his overall talent for playing the game is not to be denied. He can score at will due to his extremely quick first step and unlimited range on his jump shot. His shot has a quick release due to his remarkable wrists. He has a great frame with broad shoulders and long arms, and his athleticism (has some definite bounce) has also increased. One area that has significantly improved over the past year is his rebounding. Despite his slight frame, he battled for numerous defensive rebounds and had some impressive tip-ins to boot. In the open court, his decision-making is much improved, as he delivered numerous assists. Defensively, he should turn out to be a devastating defender for UCLA (verbal), due to his long arms and quickness. If there is one area Lee needs to improve, it's going left with the dribble -- he definitely favors going right.
J'Mison Morgan | Center
Rank: #42
Hometown: Dallas, TX
South Oak Cliff High (TX)
Position rank: Center # 8
Ht: 6'10" Wt: 275
Morgan has all the physical tools to be an impact center at the high major level. He has an impressive frame (extremely long arms), broad shoulders, and overall great length for the five spot. Despite his size he gets off of the floor remarkably quick and has excellent timing around the basket at both ends. He is a very good rebounder and possesses nice instincts around the basket. He is capable of running the floor, but is not very fluid in that area of his game. As with most "bigs" his defense is ahead of his offense. Morgan is one of the most prolific shot blockers in the country due to his long arms and quick reactions. Offensively, his post skills are raw and he needs to develop a go-to move other than a dunk. In addition, Morgan needs to utilize his impressive frame more effectively when posting up - he allows defenders to come around him too often to deflect entry passes. However, an area that he is quite good at despite his youth is his patience while posting up - he reads defenses very well and usually delivers a pin-point pass to an open teammate. Overall, despite his raw offensive game, Morgan will be recruited at the highest level and should have a very productive college career.
Jerime Anderson | Point Guard
Rank: #50
Hometown: Anaheim, CA
Canyon H.S. (CA)
Position rank: Point Guard # 5
Ht: 6'2" Wt: 175
Scouts Grade
89
Evaluation
February, 2008:
Southern California Hoop Review:
Anderson started out slow (I was told he hadn't played in about three weeks), but once he shook off the rust, his skill and savvy took over. Anderson is emerging as the No. 1 point guard prospect out west in the class of 2008. Some may be quicker with the ball (Larry Drew) and have a more refined jump shot (Malcolm Lee) than Anderson, but when you combine all the attributes (skill and savvy) needed to be an elite Division I point guard, Anderson has the most upside. At this event, he looked stronger and more athletic than in December at the Orange Holiday Classic. He broke down defenders and either finished at the rim or delivered a pinpoint pass to an open teammate. His jump shot needs some polishing, but his technique looks solid. Defensively, he's a ball hawk and gets many steals on anticipation. Anderson only played on Sunday, but he was by far the best point guard at the event.
He must be considered as one of the top five point guards in the nation for the class of 2008.
Anderson doesn't have elite speed and/or quickness, but his clever handle and overall feel for the game will get him on the court early and often at UCLA next season. He is a late bloomer and like current UCLA standout Russell Westbrook, I feel you're going to see that same transformation in his frame as well. He is the quintessential point guard for the next level. His mid-range game is great and his decision-making is quite sound. Although he had an uncharacteristic amount of turnovers (7) in the game, at least half of those should have been converted into baskets by his teammates. He poured in 28 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and handed out eight assists as he led his team to victory over a well-coached Los Alamitos squad. He did struggle from beyond the stripe (0/4) but with added strength his release is smooth enough where it should be only a matter of time before that area of his game smoothens out. Overall, Anderson demonstrated why he is considered one of the top five point guards in the country. In a camp (2007 Northern Cal Super 100) setting -- where there is very little defense being played and the majority of possessions are of the fast break variety -- Gordon portrays that of a poor man's Amare Stoudamire. He is relentless around the basket due to his "bouncy" nature and he tries to dunk everything regardless of the situation. He shows signs of a developing jump hook, but his post skills and footwork need serious work. I see him getting some minutes as a freshman (UCLA verbal) in the 2008-09 season due to his rebounding and shot blocking ability. However, in the half-court set he'll be an offensive liability. His savvy and skills have not improved since his sophomore year, thus it's going to be interesting to see how he adapts to being taught all the intricacies of the game from the UCLA staff. But if he has the work ethic and willingness to learn he should turn out to have a very solid career for head coach Ben Howland. (2007 Nor Cal Tip-Off) It was definitely refreshing to evaluate Gordon in a different environment (playing with his high school rather than a camp setting) because he displayed some savvy and skill that was non-existent during the AAU season. In 20 minutes his stat line (17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 steals, and 0 turnovers) speaks volumes of how efficient he played. Although his post skills are limited, he displayed the ability to pivot and seal his opponent in the half-court set. In addition, he made a number of fine interior passes that exhibited some savvy on his part. Overall, Gordon, due to his rebounding and shot blocking ability, should see some time coming off the | |
