Here's Seth Davis' report on a few of the other players we've been discussing. I included Herb Jones because he's someone I'd really like to see the Zards buy a second round pick to draft.
Moses Moody, 6-6 freshman guard, Arkansas. “One of the safer picks in the draft. He’ll be a classic 3-and-D guy. I’d like to see more nasty in him. He played the right way as a freshman. The Arkansas staff speaks the world of him. He’s average sized for a shooting guard, but he’s a strong physical kid. He’s not selfish, and he’s a pretty willing defender. His athleticism isn’t dynamic. I don’t know how well he changes directions one on one. He’s not a great shooter, but he’s got a little wiggle to him.”
Trey Murphy III, 6-9 junior forward, Virginia. “He’s a lot bigger than I thought. Big-time athlete. He’s 6-9 and he can shoot and guard. Those guys don’t grow on trees. I’ve been surprised at how well he moves defensively. He’ll probably go in the first round because people see potential for him to defend on the perimeter against smaller guys. He can actually defend a four. Nice kid, very happy go lucky. For a guy with all that length and athleticism, he didn’t rebound it well in college. He needs to be a better finisher. He needs to be a tougher, more hard-nosed player. If you let him jump off two feet he will rock your world. He doesn’t have a great handle but he can do what Cam Johnson does.”
Jared Butler, 6-3 junior guard, Baylor. “Oh man, what an unbelievable kid. He was so impressive in our interview. He’s really small. Not a super quick athlete. A winner and big-time shot-maker. He could be in the 20s without that medical issue. This kid could run for president. He checks all the boxes in terms of culture.”
Sharife Cooper, 6-1 freshman guard Auburn. “Wow, what a great kid. He’s bigger than I thought. Really knows how to change speeds to get in the paint. The poor shooting is really hard to overcome, but he’ll be in the first round because he’s just so elite at getting to spots and making plays. Also at that size, who’s he gonna guard? I don’t think he defends worth a ****. If he was a 35 percent 3-point shooter he’d be at the top of the lottery. He’s got that ball on a string. In our league you have to be able to shoot it. He plays hard and he loves basketball.”
Herbert Jones, 6-8 senior forward, Alabama. “Talk about a guy with elite toughness. He played his junior year with a broken hand. He can guard one through five, he’s a playmaker with the ball. The shooting piece really needs to improve. I know his shooting percentages improved, but he still has a funky looking shot. He could have a Torrey Craig kind of impact on a playoff team. He does a lot of little things. You have to have the right coach who understands what you have with this guy.”