Profile Players (1,530 views)

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Antonella Riva
SF
6'5"
220
28
Italy
Experience 8

"Una macchina per secchio" [translation needed], Riva scores a ton, from all the locations of the court. He is decent at picking up steals and doesn't really turn the ball over. However, there are just as many holes in his game as there are positives. He averaged 2 boards a game across the past 4 seasons. 2. Two. Due. He averaged even fewer assists. He has blocked 2 total shots in the last 4 years... so he is a very specifically talented player. He'll score in bunches for you but not really bring a lot else to the table. He seems perfectly pegged for a 6th Man type to lead a 2nd unit.

[killybing]

Jarvis Lang

PF

6'7

240

24

UNC-Charlotte

Experience 0

As a freshman he led all NCAA Division I fresman in scoring (19.6) and rebounding (10.6) per game and named Metro Conference Freshman of the Year. He went down to injury and was forced to medical redshirt and had a dud of a sophomore season but rebounded his junior and senior seasons recording an average of 16.4 pts, 8.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals and blocks per game to be Metro Conference Player of the Year.

Lauded for being tough in the post offensively slamming it down with authority, making up for his lack of height with impressive hops and powerful strength. However, he struggles to put the ball on the floor and is not adept at finding teammates when double-teamed in the post. His jumper is also mostly a lost cause, shooting barely 60% from the stripe his senior season. Defensively, he isn't a stopper due to his lack of size in the post, with taller bigs and those with a deft touch being able to score over him fairly easily, but he still defends adequately for his size. Even though he is older (24) scouts still think he has room to grow his basketball skills due to lack of polish from an injury plagued (yet heralded) college career at Charlotte.

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Pierluigi Marzorati
PG
6'2"
200
34
Italy
Experience 17

A maestro with perfect tempo, Marzorati has led his club and international teams to great success. He has found recently that he wants more, so he's coming to TMBSL with something to prove even after 17 years playing professionally. He is the consummate professional and teammate, allowing others to shine on offense and leading an aggressive trapping and stealing front on defense. He can function as the assist-maker in any offense. His lobs and fastballs alike find streaking and leaping scorers. He gets the ball to the post every time and never fails to deliver. He doesn't want to shoot much himself, especially from deep, but he can knock down free throws in a pinch.

[killybing]

John Calipari
PG
6'2
180
20
UNC-Wilmington
Experience 0

The floor general of UNC-Wilmington's best team in history, John Calipari has declared for the TMBSL creation draft 2 years early, forgoing two years of eligibility to take advantage of fecta overdrafting another young player with good grades and high potential.

While John struggles to finish inside against most competition, his jumpshot is silky smooth, and his 3 point shot isn't bad either -- shooting 38% from the college line both years as a player in the CAA under head coach Mel Gibson. He's fantastic at finding the open man, both in transition doing long passes across half court for easy buckets (showing surprising strength for his size), and in half court sets. However, while his handles are very good for his lack of hand/foot speed, the sheer amount of passes he makes leads to a decent number of turnovers for his position. Defensively, he plays intelligently but lacks the quickness to stay in front of the faster guards at the next level.

Scouts think if he can continue to add strength in the pros, and become more comfortable taking the open shot instead of the flashy pass, he can become a strong pass-first floor general in the league.

[jhb]

Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell
PG
32
5'10"
185
Cal State-Hayward
Experience 10

Demetrius Mitchell aka Hook aka Waliyy Abdur-Rahim is a streetball and prison league legend who now after a release is trying to make his way back into the professional leagues. A troubled childhood led him away from the traditional path but his insane athleticism and streetball flair have put him in the position to now make it to the highest level at 32 years old. You can see the quotes above from his peers that his game is highly respected despite never plying his trades at the highest level. Run-ins with the police kept him from being able to leave his home state to take a basketball scholarship at SC State, he played partial seasons with Merritt College and two years at Contra Costa before playing a partial senior season with Cal State-Hayward (now CSU-East Bay) that was abbreviated because people realized he wasn't actually enrolled as a student.

There have been sensational tales about his dunking ability, from dunking over Manute Bol in a pickup game to videos of him jumping clear over cars to stories about local hustlers paying him per posterizing dunk in streetball and 3 on 3 leagues. He's been said to be the greatest dunker BVC (before Vince Carter). Obviously, he has the strength and handle to get to the rim and finish strong through contact. He's mostly focused on getting his on the offensive end though, sometimes to the chagrin of his teammates who get to spend a lot of time watching him break down perimeter defenders and then embarrass their taller teammates in meetings at the rim. In addition to his devastating array of dunks, he has an arsenal of floaters and is a master of the double clutch reverse layup to keep post defenders off balance. His jumper is good enough to get defenders to respect the step back and not sag off of him, but he isn't much of a catch and shoot threat from three as he prefers to mix it up in the paint to hunt his next poster victim. His time away from organized ball has not diminished his athletic ability as video from a documentary of him dominating prison leagues show him still playing well above the rim.

Like a lot of streetballers who never played much organized basketball, there are major questions about how he'll perform on the defensive end and he isn't said to be very interested in rebounding although he clearly has the tools to do both.

[killybing]

Jon Davis
PG
6'3
195
23
UNC-Charlotte
Experience 1

Top 2 in 49ers history in both Points and Assists Jon Davis did it for all the shit-tier 49ers squad for 4 straight years. Taking a gap year to "find himself" he returns mentally ready to play in TMBSL. Why did he go to "find himself" you ask? Well because he is also 2nd in 49ers history in Turnovers.

A volume scorer because of his extremely high usage rate in those lean UNCC years, he uses finesse and strength to stuff the stat sheet with points in the paint, and regularly leaps over bigs to do it. His jumper is suspect -- but improving as he shot nearly 73% from the line his senior season, but 3s are not in his repertoire at the moment. His handles are just average for the position, and when combined with high usage and willingness to pass it can leads to his historic turnover numbers.

He completely ignores the defensive end of the ball as well, instead daydreaming about the next sweet shot or highlight reel pass he will attempt on the other end of the court. However, he is a great rebounder at his position snagging 5.3 per game over his career in college, with no reason to believe that will let up. He has a lot of stuff to work on, and scouts are split over whether he has enough in him to fix the glaring flaws to become more than a one-man show (and disaster).

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Theodoros Papaloukas
PG
6'7"
222
27
Greece
Experience 7

A Swiss-army knife (Greek-army blade of some sort?) point guard who has led his team to titles and was nabbed FIBA European Player of the Year 2 years ago. He is renowned in the old country for being a super-sub, replacing every position except center off the bench and competing admirably at all spots. He is strong, smart, and rebounds tenaciously. He isn't a volume scorer, but he's very efficient. He's a solid defender across the board, but isn't a shot blocker or volume stealer of the ball. He should fit with any team in TMBSL, in any style.

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Ramunas Siskauskas
SG
6'5"
219
35
Lithuania
Experience 17

An aged veteran looking for one last flash of glory, Ramunas is headed to TMBSL as part of the great Euro invasion of the year 2000. Known for his strong drives into the paint and feathery touch on floaters and at the rim, Siskauskas has maintained his scoring edge even as he's aged because he has never relied on speed or leaping to do it. He's never shot below .500 in his career, but how much longer will his career last? He has won titles in 4 countries, but seems really eager to grab #5 in America. He has enjoyed an extended prime and hasn't really regressed much. He's a solid team defender, has fast hands (that lead to steals), and blocks out well for boards.

[killybing]

Chief Kickingstallionsims
C
7'1
265
26
Alabama State
Experience 1

After transferring to Alabama State his junior year Chief Kickingstallionsims (yes that is his name) finally got a chance to shine -- and was able to carve out a role for 8.5 pts, 4.0 boards and 2.4 blocks in just 20 minutes per game. He then went overseas and was able to showcase his abilities averaging 17.4 points, 14.2 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in the very elite Saudi Premier League. He's back and he's better than ever and ready to ride in and take TMBSL by storm.

An absolutely massive native american man, his first name Grlenntys means "strength of a falling rock" and he lives up to it, being perhaps the strongest player in the creation draft. He has problems controlling his extremely strong and long freak body, leading to an abundance of fouls and turnovers anytime he touches the ball against non-Saudi competition. He However, he cleans up on the offensive side of the glass and can somehow shoot the ball out to 16 feet without taking his feet off the ground.

Chief is not an extremely smart defender, but when his big arms start swinging around a lot of shots get blocked, but this leaves him out of position making him a fairly poor defensive rebounder.

Scouts think he has potential and know he will definitely make an impact on the league, but can it be on a competitive team?

[TimPig]

Isaiah Austin
C
7'1
225
23
Baylor
Experience 1

One of the most highly touted prospects in the country as a senior in high school, Austin was well on his way to being a first round TMBSL pick after two seasons at Baylor, but sadly had to leave the game of basketball after being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. After being cleared to return to basketball two years later, he played one season professionally in Israel but is now ready to return to the States. Some of the potential has faded, but most still believe there is plenty of room to grow. While he shows natural instincts down low, there are major concerns about whether he'll ever have the strength to live up to the TMBSL grind, as two years without a refined conditioning program combined with his naturally slight build led to him disappearing from many games against bigger, stronger competition. While his inability to get position down low is frustrating, it has led to him settling for more mid-range shots and he has therefore developed a better jump shot than most similarly sized and similarly aged players. On the flipside, this leaves him out of position for rebounds, a skill that is woefully underdeveloped for a player of his height. Defensively, his excellent length allows him to block a good number of shots, but that's been difficult for many coaches to accept when coupled with his other deficiencies.

[TimPig]

Joshua Smith
C
6'10
310
27
Georgetown
Experience 4

If you couldn't tell from the picture above, there aren't many players in the world larger than Joshua Smith, and his game reflects that. He shows amazing ability for someone his size, but his weight and conditioning have plagued him since his teenage years. He possesses incredible strength that is reflective of his size, but is also surprisingly nimble and adept as a scorer down low, shooting almost 60% from the field during his college career. Unfortunately, he wasn't on the court very often, never playing more than 22 minutes per game in a season. He didn't have the energy to spend on defense, so there are major question marks about his ability to contribute on that side of the ball. He can't move laterally and doesn't jump, so he likely never becomes an excellent rebounder or shot blocker. His jumper is also an area that needs major improvement - he attempted only six jump shots his entire senior season - though he did make a passable 60% of his free throws. One thing that coaches have appreciated about Smith is that he always holds on to the ball with two hands down low and is a smart passer, so turnovers have never been much of an issue.

[jhb]

Kenny George
7'8"
370
24
UNC-Asheville
Experience 0

There's never been a prospect like Kenny George to run the gamut of opinions from different sections of the scouting community. Obviously you can't teach that size, and some scouts salivate over the untapped potential of having a prospect with a height that's been listed between 7'7" and 7'9" and a wingspan at almost 8 and a half feet wide. However, his movement skills are awful and some scouts have said he's a total statue with two left feet. The only box jump he's ever completed was onto a flattened cardboard box. The same scouts that question his athleticism worry that the injury issues he's had and his poor conditioning will keep him from ever reaching the potential of his size because he struggles to stay on the floor, averaging at most 19.5 minutes per game and never playing a full season in his years in college.

His footwork is a mess and he's struggled at times to defend his men on the block, often overreacting to their first move and playing his way out of position. His wingspan allowed him to erase a lot of those mistakes in college but that won't play as well when he's facing tougher competition. He will be a major liability in pick and roll defense or if he ever gets switched onto a player with any amount of quickness, but in the right defensive system you could really harness his other-worldly ability to go up and block shots (almost 6.5 blocks per 36 in college). Despite his wingspan and shot-blocking he was hilariously allergic to collecting steals, as he totaled only three in his entire college career. While he has had the size to go up and clean the glass at a high level over the pitiful bigs of the Big South, he projects to be an average rebounder at the next level as his lack of movement skills mean he isn't going to be able to get himself into position for a rebound if he's not already there when a shot goes up.

The big question for Kenny's future is how he is going to translate to the offensive end in TMBSL. He's never going to be a threat outside of about 6 feet from the basket and like many tall players with gigantic hands he's had his struggles at the free throw line (although he did manage to work his way to a more respectable 65% from the free throw line in his senior season at UNC-A). His size and the attention it creates will help draw double teams to create opportunities for his teammates, but unfortunately he hasn't seemed to grasp that yet and capitalize by dishing back out to open shots for his shooters. Don't expect anything more than maybe one dribble and a take to the rim. He has the same problem many tall players have where his dribbles are long and ripe for steal attempts from guards that stealthily double from the backside but his hesitancy to ever put the ball on the floor much helped him avoid any major turnover issues in college. He also never had to develop a repertoire of post moves and counters to get to the rim as he's always been able to rely on his elite size and strength to absolutely bully everyone in his way to shooting nearly 72% from the field in his college experience. How will that translate when he steps up the competition level from what he sees at UNC-A to TMBSL bigs with more elite size and strength?

[Deleted]

Retin Obasohan
PG
6'2"
210
24
Alabama
Experience 2

After limited production his first three years at Alabama, Obasohan exploded onto the scene leading the Tide to a just over .500 record. You may be thinking "wow, they suck and so does he" but you're only half right. That team was indeed terrible but Obasohan is the only reason they won as many games as they did. His assist numbers were quite low despite clearly being a good ball handler (lol) but you have to wonder if that was due to his limitations or those of his teammates. One Alabama fan had this to say "oh you wanna talk 'bout Retin? lemme tell you wut, he was a damn good player held back by that coward Avery Johnson. Avery if you're listening, meet me down at the mud hole and let me show you what my lifted Nissan truck can do!" and really its tough to argue with any of that. "Retin" is an excellent scorer from the paint but is highly inconsitent from the line and three; the shots do go in occasionally so you can tell the potential for growth is there. Defensively he's a little stiff but still manages to consistently make some plays. Really solid rebounder for a guard as well.

[Druce]

Ed Cota
PG
6'2
197
21
North Carolina
Experience 0

If you looked up "pass first point guard" in a basketball reference book, right next to the definition you'd find a photo of Ed Cota. Ed's vision and passing ability is second to none, leading the ACC in assists in each of his 4 years in the league. Not only can Ed find open teammates with ease, he also does so without making many mistakes. The turnovers he creates on defense are about equal to those he commits on the other end. One might think with such sublime handle that Ed could get to the bucket with ease, but he is not a scorer in the least. His junior and senior seasons he was barely able to eclipse double digits in scoring despite the team having a need for an offensive option to emerge. That said, surround Ed with shooters and he will certainly get them an abundance of shots. Athletically Ed is never going to wow you with his leaping ability, and he's got about average quicks. As a shooter he can knock down the 3 a little bit and his mid range game is about average. You're not drafting Cota if you need a back court scoring punch, but as a facilitator and defender there aren't many who are better.

[Druce]

Jason Capel
SF
6'8"
225
27
North Carolina
Experience 5

Capel is a classic example of a good at a bunch of stuff but great at nothing player. He has range and can shoot from anywhere, but when forced into being the lead dog as a senior he struggled mightily. He's not cut out to be the alpha, his turnovers rise, his shot selection suffers and he's just all around better off the bench in a support role. He would be a very good 3 and D role player in today's game and he's well above average rebounding the basketball from the wing position. Despite his size he struggles getting to the rack and finishing, and doesn't play well through contact. He's much more comfortable in a catch and shoot role than an attacking one. Won't block many shots at all, but should swipe a few steals.

[Majic]

David Lighty
SF
6'6
216
27
Ohio State
Experience: 5

At 6’6 216, Lighty has adequate size for a swingman. One of the most experienced players coming out of college and has been exposed to winning. Plays very smart and mistake-free basketball. Highly unselfish and doesn’t need the ball to be effective. Shows decent athleticism, and certainly has good enough footwork to compete athletically. Very good at knowing when to take risks for the sake of his team on defense. Has the strength, savvy and adequate size to defend SG’s and SF’s effectively. Uses his strong footwork to deny penetration. Played extended time as a PF in his career, and it shows in his toughness and physicality on the floor. Effective straight-line slasher and keeps his body low with the strength to take contact and finish.

Functional athlete, but certainly not anything special for sim league standards. He doesn’t make mistakes, but he’s also not going to be a risk taker. Won’t be asked to create offense in sim league and he only possesses an average handle and 1st step. Struggles to finish over taller, athletic frontcourt players. Never carried the offense, and will ideally never be more than a 4th or 5th option when he’s on the floor. Much more effective spot-up shooter than he is on the move and will not be nearly the transition threat he was in college. Past injuries ACL and foot injuries make his durability a minor concern going forward

[Majic]

Jon Diebler
SG
6'6
197
30
Ohio State
Experience 8

One of the best three point shooters in the NCAA, hitting over 50% his senior year. At 6-6, can get his shot up over most defenders with nearly limitless range on his jumper. Doesn’t get enough credit for his passing ability and has a high basketball IQ, very effective at finding openings on the perimeter … Complements his jumpshot with very effective pump fakes and not afraid to put the ball on the floor to create space for himself. Gets down the floor well in transition … Always finds a way to set his feet, allowing him to be effective making moves and shots while off balance. Incredibly efficient scorer, especially for somebody who spends his time on the perimeter.

Fairly one dimensional player with a thin frame that will result in him being pushed around on defense. Doesn’t possess great speed or quickness and athleticism of an NBA guard. Streaky shooter who if he goes cold struggles to impact the game. Not physical and doesn’t get to the free throw line enough for an 82% shooter. Lacks star power with liimited potential. Will be stretched as a top scoring option but great as a shooter coming off the bench. Only average lateral quickness will result in him struggling to defend quicker players.

[Druce]

J.P. Tokoto
SG
6'6"
200
31
North Carolina
Experience: 9

Tokoto is a top shelf athlete that can have an impact just based on how much energy and effort he gives on a nightly basis. He’s a gifted perimeter defender and is a more than capable rebounder given his position and size. Jump shot needs major work, needs to rework his entire form from feet to release. His length allows him to apply pressure on the dribbler and lets him be active in passing lanes. His combination of length, speed and athleticism make him a consistent threat to finish the break. His attacks to the basket often ended above the rim. If he wasn’t finishing he often made the right play whether it was an outlet pass or finding the open man. Shot an abysmal 54 percent from the free throw line over three years. It was even more ghastly from deep, where he shot 26 percent for his career.

[Druce]

Kennedy Meeks
PF
6'9"
265
25
North Carolina
Experience 3

A large, strong post presence Meeks found his form as a senior dropping significant weight and improving his footwork in the post. Moving Meeks off the block on either end of the floor will be a chore for even the strongest opposition. An adequate rebounder, no one will ever confuse Meeks for Dennis Rodman on the glass. The boards he gets are a result of positioning rather than effort. He'll block an occasional shot but doesn't have great time or quickness to be a true rim protector. On offense he'll get his but likely won't ever be a dominant scorer. Solid if not spectacular from the line, his range extends a bit past 12 feet, but he's certainly no stretch 4. If Meeks can find his form he has the potential to take the his game to the next level with proper coaching given his new found penchant for conditioning.

[Majic]

Aaron Craft
PG
6'2
192
25
Ohio State
Experience 3


Excellent on-ball defender with an incredible basketball IQ. Incredibly pesky defender whose on-ball pressure causes his man to make mistakes and turn the ball over. Very intelligent kid who knows exactly how to play the game, he’s almost like a coach on the floor. Makes all the little plays to help his team win and hustles like few other prospects in this draft or any draft. Very good floor vision, he knows how to run an offense and keeps the ball moving on the perimeter. Possesses good body control and a solid finisher. Decently quick first step and a set of good hesitation moves, although he’ll have more trouble getting by sim league defenders.

Doesn’t have traditional sim league measurables or athleticism. He stands at under 6’2" with a 6’2" wingspan and has a poor vertical leap. Lacks a consistent outside shot, Shot only 30% on 1.5 three’s per game his final year of college. Bad shooting form with a hitch that will require some help. his outside shooting limits his ability to space the floor and limits his options on the pick-and-roll as defenders disregard his shot and don’t step out on him.

[Druce]

Luke Maye
SF
6'8"
240
22
North Carolina
Experience 0

Maye is a player who benefitted greatly playing under Roy Williams. He's grown from an end of the bench player as a freshman and sophomore to a player of the year candidate as a senior. Maye is a bit of a tweener at the professional level but should settle on the wing as he likely isn't strong enough to bang down low. He does have a variety of post moves and can finish over either shoulder, especially against wing defenders. Good catch and shoot shooter, but could struggle to get his own shot against quicker players. Range extends to the deep ball, though he at times struggled at the line in college. Will naturally be well above average as a rebounder from the wing given his transition from being a college post player. With continued work on the outside he could blossom into a potential star, or he could fall flat on his face and be overwhelmed by professional competition.

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Kyle Hines
PF
6'7"
245
33
UNC-Greensboro
Experience 12

After stints in Italy, Germany, Greece, Russia, and now Italy again... Hines is ready to come back to America after reveling in his jersey retirement ceremony at UNCG. He is a defensive stalwart, having won the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the year recently. He rebounds like a mad man and can guard anyone on the court, from the fastest guards to the tallest centers, because of his elite speed and balance and his incredible wingspan. He's improved from bad to mediocre over the years from the free throw line, but that is about all you can say about his shooting game. He is incredibly efficient around the rim, because he basically either dunks or doesn't shoot, so he constantly shoots over 60% from the field... but he struggles mightily to create his own shot, so he'll be dependent on teammates to set him up.

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

Bojan Dubljevic
C
6'9"
254
26
Montenegro
Experience 4

An absolute stud on the inside, Dubljevic is a scoring machine for Valencia Basket in Spain. He's made the All-EuroLeague 1st or 2nd Team in all 4 professional seasons. He is the rare big man with touch, shooting 50/40/90 in the past 3 years. However, he really fails on the defensive end. He's too stiff to guard quicker players and his reaction times are not sufficient for shot blocking or stealing. He's only averaged around 8 boards per 36, which would be great for a wing... but he's not a wing. There are definite lumps to take with Dubljevic (like spelling his name correctly on Depth Charts), but lots of scouts see him as one of the Euro-wave players with upside.

[TimPig]

Shawn Kemp Jr.
PF
6'9
250
22
Washington
Experience 2

Following in the footsteps of his father's 5.0 dominance, Shawn Kemp Jr. enters the next iteration of TMBSL with many of the same calling cards that his father possessed, though perhaps not quite as refined at this point. Kemp is a remarkable athlete and appeared to be really coming around as a basketball player until being diagnosed with Graves' disease, which significantly hampered his ability to train and kept him off the court for multiple offseasons. With everything now under control, Kemp looks forward to capitalizing on his immense potential in TMBSL. He plays above the rim and displays freakish strength, but doesn't currently possess the footwork or post moves to come in and dominate TMBSL immediately. During his limited minutes in college, he wasn't the turnover machine that his father was, but some scouts worry that with increased usage, it could become a problem. Understanding that he's a project, many scouts are still very intrigued by Kemp because his unlimited potential combined with excellent athleticism give him an extraordinarily high ceiling.

[Majic]

William Buford
SG
6'5
215
23
Ohio State

Experience 1


Buford looks like a standard NBA SG physically, having both respectable strength and length. Buford is also a solid athlete, who shows decent explosiveness and leaping skills as well as speed and quickness. Offensively, Buford makes hay with his jump shot, he has a very effective mid-range shooter, where his pull-up elbow shot is his favorite move to utilize. He has NBA range on his shot and a very nice stroke with his jumper. Shooting fundamentals are very consistent and prototypical, good form, release speed and nice elevation. Generally is an unselfish player, and isn’t a bad passer. Plays a very smooth, controlled game and rarely ever appears to be in a rush to make things happen. Has no problems playing within the offense, and doesn’t need to dominate the ball to be effective. Doesn’t look bad playing in transition, being a threat to trail for jumpers or make basic finishes at the rim in the open floor. A willing defender and solid rebounder for a wing. Good FT shooter.


Buford doesn’t have any truly elite characteristics. His biggest weakness right now is his ball-handling skills as he can turn it over at times. He rarely ever makes it to the rim in half-court situations…He’s a pretty average athlete by sim league standards, the ball can slow him down when he looks to operate off the dribble. Not much of a factor as an isolation player and can struggle against more athletic matchups offensively, who can crowd him without worrying about him beating them off the dribble often. Not the best finisher around the rim when amongst the trees.

[jhb]

Antonio Gates
SF
6'4"
255
23
Kent State
Experience 2

Antonio is making the switch back to professional basketball after deciding two years of professional football just wasn't worth the CTE risk. He was a standout forward at Kent State in college and believes he can still make the jump after two years away from the game playing football. He was a relatively raw player in his time in college and made big strides in his game each season; he still oozes potential as a 23 year old. He is a brutally strong athlete with great lateral movement skills and a solid vertical leap for a man of his heft. His movement skills and strength will make him a tough defender on the perimeter and against driving opponents, but don't expect him to rack up many steals. He focuses on being more technically sound than trying to create turnovers. He showed some shot blocking chops early in his career at Eastern Michigan before transferring, but once he got to Kent State and moved further from the rim, he didn't show as much of that part of his game. He is also incredibly diligent and sound at getting into position to rebound and boxing out and can be a force on both ends of the court cleaning the boards.

There are more questions about how Gates will transition to the pro game on the offensive end. In his senior season, he showed some traits as a point forward and dished out over 4 assists per game. That worked at the collegiate level but some question if he has the handle to consistently facilitate offense at the next level. Nonetheless, he should be able to get into the paint and mix it up a bit. His strength and athleticism will get him to the rim but he needs to continue to refine his arsenal of offensive moves to turn those opportunities into points. He has a fundamentally sound shooting stroke, but is still a bit hesitant to pull up and shoot from distance. He made over 70% of his free throws at Kent State so the talent is there, but he just needs more confidence. He was shooting almost 1.5 threes per game by his senior year and making 35% of them, so there is a chance he continues to develop there and becomes a much bigger threat from distance.

[TimPig]

Lenny Cooke
SG
6'6
205
24
La Salle Academy
Experience 3

Before Majic was bitching about LeBron James, he was bitching about Lenny Cooke. After exhausting his high school eligibility but without a diploma, Cooke spent much of his final prep year playing in various showcases around the country, which ultimately limited his visibility and led to questions being raised about his character. Now, he's back and ready to show the country what made him so highly regarded years ago. During his peak high school days, Cooke was averaging over 30 points and 15 rebounds per game and was the MVP of the renowned ABCD Basketball Camp as a rising junior. However, it was that same camp that ultimately began his downfall. Up by two on James' team in the tournament championship, LeBron hit a three in Cooke's face to seal the victory for his team. His confidence plummeted and, combined with the high school eligibility issues, he faded out of the spotlight. Now he's back and displaying the same talents he did when he was a star. A volume scorer from 16 feet and in who racked up an eye-popping number of rebounds, Cooke struggled with the same issues many high-usage players do, particularly around turnovers. While he is exceptionally strong for his size, his athleticism is otherwise lacking. His perimeter shooting is also a work-in-progress, as is the case for many high school stars, and he never was able to work out those kinks in an organized college system.

[Muzunga]

Spot saver for Mark Titus-tOSU SG

[Muzunga]

Spot saver for Blake Stepp-SG Gonzaga

[👨🏼‍⚕️delapandemic🚑]

54 total profiles to this point, with 3 placeholders that have not yet been completed

Position breakdown thus far:

PG: 17

SG: 12

SF: 10

PF: 6

C: 9