I could write my own evaluation of a point guard prospect and it would be fine. But I don't know as much about certain pro prospects as the fans who followed them in college every step of the way. This series, will interview the fans and bloggers from the point guard's college to see if we can gain any better insight into their games.
This is an interview with Sean Keeley of SBNation's Syracuse Orangemen Blog "Troy Nunes is An Absolute Magician"
Clark:
What are your thoughts on Carter-Williams’ future in the NBA? What are his strengths and weaknesses moving to the next level?
Sean:
I think that, like so many guys who enter the NBA Draft early, he's a guy with a whole lot of potential but who has a lot of work to do. First and foremost, he's got to put some meat on those bones. That kind of lanky build works fine in college but he'll get pushed around in the pros. Basketball-wise, he's got work to do on his shot and his consistency. He's got great fundamentals (defense, passing) but he can't be a one-trick pony in the NBA. MC-Dubz, as we like to call him, plays smart (mostly) and he's capable of beating you with points, assists or defense, and sometimes all three at the same time.
Clark:
Do you think Carter Williams is ready for the NBA and is there a team or a system that you think would fit his skill set well?
Sean:
Well, I don't know if he's ready but I don't see why he should stay at Syracuse either. He's old for a sophomore and his potential will never be as high. We've accepted that players like him are usually gone after 2-3 years and if teams are saying he's a lottery pick, he'd be crazy not to go. I don't follow the NBA close enough to say exactly where he'd fit well but a place where he can get playing time but isn't being counted on to be the leader would be ideal.
Clark:
Sean:
He does his best work the less he scores. Syracuse's Elite Eight win aside, some of Carter-Williams best games of the season were when he wasn't scoring but was racking up assists like crazy. When he was creating opportunities for others and powering the engine, Syracuse was unstoppable. It was when he became me-first or seemed to put the offense on his shoulders that things sputtered.
There's also that whole Lord & Taylor shoplifting thing. As far as I can tell, it was an isolated, dumb decision by a young kid and with NBA millions on the line, I doubt he's going to do something like that again.
Clark:
What is your prediction for where Michael Carter-Williams will be selected in the draft and by what team?
Sean:
My uneducated guess is that MCW will end up getting drafted in the 10-12 range. He's not exciting enough to go earlier but he's solid enough to go on the edge of the lottery. From what I've seen, the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz seem like good guesses for his destination.
Thanks to Sean for taking a moment to answer some questions. For other great articles on Michael Carter-Williams, please check out the site nunesmagician.com. Or click any of the following links:
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