A Draft Express update on Paul George

The best NBA draft site around is Draft Express. Nothing else is as comprehensive or worldwide in scope, plus the player evaluations are done after lengthy viewing of each talent. The following is the latest on Fresno State's Paul George:

Paul George 6-7, Sophomore, Small Forward, Fresno State
16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 steals, 3.1 turnovers, 43 FG%, 36 3P%, 91 FT%

Scott Nadler, Assistant Director of Scouting
Draft Express
March 10, 2010

Fresno State’s Paul George has steadily been climbing NBA draft boards since he broke out onto the national scene as a freshman last season. We were high on him a year ago and he’s certainly made improvements to his game – living up to the preseason hype that surrounded him in the beginning of the year. His versatility, athleticism and scoring ability are all part of the package of this highly talented small forward, and in a draft class limited with skilled wing players; George could be one of the best options at that position come June.

George has made huge strides from last season to this season, which is extremely encouraging considering the fact that he’s the go-to-guy on a struggling Bulldogs team and the focal point of every opposing defense. Despite all the attention, he’s averaging an impressive 20.3 points per 40 pace adjusted – getting the bulk of his points in transition and in spot up situations.

With a long and wiry frame, George runs the floor well and is good for a highlight reel dunk or strong finish at least once a game – which is one of his biggest improvements from last season. In ’08-’09, George converted a measly 39.3% of his shots around the basket. This year however, he’s finishing at a much higher rate, shooting a fantastic 55.8% at the rim, which dispels some of the questions regarding his lack of toughness...

Go here for the remainder.

Draft Express on Armon Johnson

The Draft Express site offers an evaluation update on Nevada's Armon Johnson:

Armon Johnson, 6’3, Point Guard, Junior, Nevada
15.9 points, 5.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 3.3 turnovers, 50% FG, 21% 3PT, 65% FT

Joseph Treutlein
Assistant Director of Scouting
Draft Express
February 16, 2010

Coming off a very strong sophomore season, Armon Johnson has made some strides with his game as a junior, but also has taken a step back in some areas. While his assist numbers have steadily climbed his three years in college, he’s shooting the worst numbers for his career from the three-point and free-throw lines this season, certainly not something you want to see from a player whose biggest question mark coming into the season was his shooting ability.

Looking at his offensive game, it’s quite clear that Johnson has an abundance of talent and skills, but his problem continues to be consistently putting them to good use. As a shooter, the interesting thing about Johnson is he actually appears to have pretty good natural shooting ability, as he is very effective when he’s shooting in rhythm, with his shoulders aligned to the basket, and not moving from side to side, but too often he settles for incredibly ill-advised shots with his body contorted, his momentum going away from the basket, a hand in his face, etc.

According to Synergy Sports Technology, of the plays they’ve logged for Johnson this season, he’s attempted just 13 catch and shoot jumpers as opposed to 54 jumpers off the dribble, an incredible ratio even for a point guard. What Johnson needs to do more than anything is get into a gym with a shooting coach and get all the bad tendencies out of his system, putting a focus on keeping his mechanics consistent and understanding the difference between good and bad shots. Johnson’s decision-making in general is a cause for concern, as he will frequently not only take the aforementioned ill-advised jumpers, but he’ll do it 5 or 10 seconds into the shot clock, settling for a very low percentage shot for no reason...

Go here for the remiander.

Sylvester Seay featured on the Draft Express site

The folks at the Draft Express site just posted an evaluation of Fresno's Sylvester Seay:

Kyle Nelson, Assistant Director of Scouting
Draft Express
December 31, 2009

Despite a 12-20 finish last season and an underwhelming 7-7 start, the Fresno State Bulldogs still boast one of the more interesting frontcourts in the West from an NBA perspective. Everybody knows the name Paul George, but his frontcourt-mate, power forward Sylvester Seay, is certainly worth a look as well.

Though he started his career as a rotation player at Arizona State, Seay has found his rhythm after transferring to Fresno State, and has developed into a productive and versatile big man at the collegiate level.

Seay has decent size for the post, standing 6’9 with a long and wiry 220-pound frame, but would likely have to get stronger in order to compete and produce in the NBA. Though he is a good athlete, Seay rarely shows his explosiveness due to his style of play and fixation with hoisting contested jumpshots, as opposed to playing closer to the basket. He has very good mobility and quickness in the post, both of which could help him significantly at the next level...

Go here for the remainder (requires some scrolling down).