Can Arizona's Johnson improve in NBA?Arizona's Stanley Johnson is in the top 10 of many mock drafts, and will probably go very high in the first round. But Johnson has yet to officially declare, reportedly looking for assurances he'll go in the top 10 before putting his name in the Draft.
If he does declare, the 18-year-old has got a lot of work to do at the next level despite being named the Pac 12's Freshman of the Year and being a first-team all-Pac 12 selection. He was also a finalist for the U.S. Basketball Writers' Association Wayman Tisdale Award, given to the nation's top freshman.
He's strong going to the basket. Probably can play some wing and two. Solid ballhandler. He can get where he wants to go, especially to create a basket.
– College coach on Stanley Johnson
"I think what people have a concern with him is that he may have plateaued a little bit, as opposed to Winslow," one veteran scout said.
Johnson, who won four straight state titles at storied Mater Dei High in California, is viewed as an undersized three by pro scouts, who aren't sure he's 6-foot-7 as listed by Arizona. Like Winslow, Johnson shot the college 3-pointer well (37 percent), but isn't viewed as a great NBA perimeter threat.
"He's got to work on his stroke a great deal," a Southeast Division scout said. "He's got some strength and some athleticism, but he's got to work on a lot more. I see Stanley more in the three box than the four box. He's not going to post up any ... as far as that being his bread and butter, come on and get me a bucket, that's not what he's going to do. The three is where his advantage is going to be. Every time I've seen him, his biggest thing was facing up. He would go to the mid-post some, but in our league, going down there with fours, I can't see him going down there with LaMarcus (Aldridge)."
Jason Carter
Stanley Johnson has a strong dribble-drive game.
Listed at 245 pounds, Johnson may be a classic tweener -- too small to guard most NBA fours. But he's a cut 245.
"He must have been a (handful) in high school," a Southwest Division executive said. "His body, he's got a (Metta) World Peace type of body. I can't imagine anybody dealing with him in high school. He's strong, he's powerful. He has to work on his shot and I don't know what his work ethic is. I see these mocks in the top 10, but I wouldn't want to pull the trigger.