Coach Jon Wyers on the best WAC players

(Jon Wyers, on the left)

Many decades ago, on a visit to New York City, we took in the pleasures of The Cactus Cafe which offered the description "where too much is not enough." Insert 'basketball' in place of The Cactus Cafe and metaphorically Jon Wyers has a courtside seat inscribed with his name there.

Wyers makes his living as a basketball coach but ultimately he is a basketball fan-atic. He teaches at and also coaches men's basketball at Ventura College (previously assisting at Hancock College and San Diego Mesa), plus writes and comments prolifically on basketball at a number of sites on the 'net. He was kind enough to respond to our inquiry about a few top WAC players:

"I am by no means qualified to write an article on these guys lol I am just a draft fan that likes to look at prospects and base opinions off the little I see them play (since I coach it is hard to see a lot of games other than the tournament) and off of what I read out there).

In terms of Jahmar Young, I truthfully don't know anything about the guy.

I think Luke Babbitt is one of those guys that can make it in the NBA as a top bench player because he is so skilled. He is in the same boat as a lot of top college players though in that his physical skills don't translate over to the NBA well. He is a very smart lefty inside/outside guy that can step out and hit the jumper with consistency, shoot off the dribble, and post up where he is good with a ball fake and his turnaround jumpshot. With his offensive package and skills, he has a place in the NBA, but he isn't very athletic or explosive in terms of NBA and is at that tweener size of a 3 and a 4. He definitely wouldn't be an upside pick but would be a you-get-what-you-see type pick. I could see him being a 4-year guy, but definitely think he could be in consideration for next year's draft.

Paul George -- I am real interested to see how he develops this next year because he put up good numbers as a freshman and I think really has a good upside. He is skilled, knows how to play the game, can shoot, and I think he has an NBA body and athleticism which makes him a very intriguing prospect. He is one of those guys that, depending on how he develops this next season, could leave school early, but I could also see him staying at least another year. At this point, I don't know what level I would peg him at NBA-wise for a role.

I know Rodrick Flemings toyed with entering the draft this year. I think if he develops and shows a little more this year skill-wise, he has a chance of getting drafted in the NBA. He is another guy that is an NBA athlete which I think he would be able to translate to the NBA as a slasher and on the defensive end. He isn't the most skilled guy so I think his most likely role in the NBA would be as an athletic roleplaying wing off the bench."

Thank you Coach Wyers for taking the time and sharing your thoughts with Parsing The WAC.