With the draft still on its way, NetsNotes.com takes a look at a couple of players the Nets could get their hands on.
Terrance Williams-Louisville
From CBSSports.com:
One of the more colorful characters in college basketball, to call Williams “unique” would be an understatement. When he first arrived on Louisville’s campus as a freshman, he was a brash, cocky youngster with a me-first attitude, but he quickly adhered to head coach Rick Pitino’s rules. He not only became the team’s leader and “spokesman,” but in this day and age where players opt out of college for a chance to play in the pros, he was very comfortable staying with the Cardinals until his eligibility ran out.
Never at a loss for words, Williams became the media darling on the team and also one who knew how to ignite the spark in his teammates, even though his actions sometimes rattled his opponents. In the 2009 Big East Tournament, Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn described facing Louisville as “being chased by eight pit bulls, and you just got to keep running for your life.”
After Williams led the Cardinals to a 76-66 win over Syracuse in the Big East title game, he jumped on a press table, impersonating Syracuse’s Eric Devendorf for his teammates. He shook the television announcers’ hands at the conclusion of the victory and entertained reporters, saying he saw “Tweety birds” when he took a forearm to the face, and boasting about the 55 text messages he had waiting after Louisville won the Big East.
My Thoughts: It’s obvious the kid grew a lot during his time with Pitino and I love his energy. He’d be a fun addition to the team and given the fact that he’s a good rebounder and a decent three-point shooter, he gives the team even more options.
Jordan Hill-Arizona
From CBSSsports.com:
Hill has made remarkable strides in all areas of his game despite his virtual neophyte status. He rates as one of the premier rebounders eligible for the draft, excelling at attacking the offensive glass with the athleticism to evolve into an offensive threat.
Hill has tremendous explosiveness for a big man, causing problems for defenders trying to stay in front of him. Hill can create contact off the dribble and but defensively he’s nearly a finished production because of his elevation, wing span and explosive leaping ability. He developed into an exceptional shot blocker, and closed out his career ranking sixth in school history with 140 blocked shots.
Hill’s rebounding skills saw him set the school single-season record with 375 as a junior, and his career total of 763 boards place him ninth in Arizona history. A high-percentage shooter, Hill made 65.2 percent of his field goals as a freshman (second-best percentage in Wildcats’ annals) and 62.0 percent of his attempts as a sophomore (fourth on the season list). In 97 games for UA, his field-goal percentage of .578 ranks fifth on the school all-time record list.
My Thoughts: He’s a damn big power forward with great rebounding ability with the potential to be a better offensive player than he is right now. My personal choice for the Nets this season if they can land him.