2014 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Xavier Thames

2013 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Home Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor Cameron Bairstow, PF, New Mexico Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky Semaj Christon, PG, Xavier Jordan Clarkson, SG, Missouri Aaron Craft, PG, Ohio State Joel Embiid, C, Kansas Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State Rodney Hood, SF, Duke Nick Johnson, SG, Arizona DeAndre Kane, PG, Iowa State Sean Kilpatrick, SG, Cincinnati James Michael McAdoo, PF, North Carolina K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton Jordan McRae, SG, Tennessee Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut Jabari Parker, SF, Duke Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State Dwight Powell, PF, Stanford Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky JaKarr Sampson, SF, St. John's Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State Russ Smith, PG, Louisville Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee Xavier Thames, PG, San Diego State Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana T.J. Warren, SF, N.C. State Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas Kendall Williams, PG, New Mexico James Young, SG, Kentucky Patric Young, PF, Florida

Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
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2014 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Xavier Thames


Position: Point Guard

Size: 6-3, 195

School: San Diego State, Senior


Strengths:

Outside shooting

Terrific mid-range jumper

Pull-up jumper

Step-back jumper

Free throw shooting

Creating his own shot

Use of pump fakes to create space or drive past defenders

Utilizes floater in the lane

Awesome in pick and roll/pick and pop situations

Quick crossover off the bounce

Solid defender

Weaknesses:

A shooting guard in a point guard’s body

What position does he guard in the NBA?

Not a true distributor

Athleticism

Explosiveness at the rim

Summary: A breakout senior season earned Thames Mountain West Player of the Year honors and put him on the map for NBA teams. He has a deadly mid-range game, but the fact that he is more of a shooting guard in a point guard’s body raises questions about what position he can play at the next level. As a result, Thames will likely be a second-round pick.

Player Comparison: Jannero Pargo. More of a combo guard than a true guard, Pargo has managed to stick around the NBA as a shooter, but he hasn’t really found his true home. Thames faces a similar challenge. He will need to improve his point guard abilities to make a living in the league.

2013 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports - Home Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor Cameron Bairstow, PF, New Mexico Willie Cauley-Stein, C, Kentucky Semaj Christon, PG, Xavier Jordan Clarkson, SG, Missouri Aaron Craft, PG, Ohio State Joel Embiid, C, Kansas Tyler Ennis, PG, Syracuse C.J. Fair, SF, Syracuse Aaron Gordon, PF, Arizona Jerami Grant, SF, Syracuse Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State Rodney Hood, SF, Duke Nick Johnson, SG, Arizona DeAndre Kane, PG, Iowa State Sean Kilpatrick, SG, Cincinnati James Michael McAdoo, PF, North Carolina K.J. McDaniels, SF, Clemson Doug McDermott, SF, Creighton Jordan McRae, SG, Tennessee Shabazz Napier, PG, Connecticut Jabari Parker, SF, Duke Adreian Payne, PF, Michigan State Dwight Powell, PF, Stanford Julius Randle, PF, Kentucky JaKarr Sampson, SF, St. John's Marcus Smart, PG, Oklahoma State Russ Smith, PG, Louisville Nik Stauskas, SG, Michigan Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee Xavier Thames, PG, San Diego State Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana T.J. Warren, SF, N.C. State Andrew Wiggins, SF, Kansas Kendall Williams, PG, New Mexico James Young, SG, Kentucky Patric Young, PF, Florida

RELATED LINKS:


2014 NBA Mock Draft


2015 NBA Mock Draft


2014 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings


2014 NBA Draft Scouting Reports








Written by Paul Banks of the Washington Times, and David Kay of the The Sports Bank.
Send Paul an e-mail here: paulb05 AT hotmail DOT com.
All other e-mail, including advertising and link proposals, send to: [email protected]



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