(Photo: AP/Chuck Burton)
The 76ers hosted five prospects today in their
latest pre-draft workout. They were: Norvel Pelle, Shabazz Muhammad, Kelly
Olynik, Scott Wood, and Mason Plumlee. Most likely, out of these five, you
recognize one name. Muhammad will probably go in the top 10, and my colleague
Jovan Alford wrote a great piece evaluating
him as a prospect. Olynik led his Gonzaga team to a number one seed in this year’s
NCAA Tournament, and I assessed his strengths and weaknesses here.
Now let's talk about the others.
Norvel Pelle (PF/C 6'10", 207)
Peele is probably the most interesting prospect
that the Sixers brought in today. He has never actually played a minute of
college basketball, despite the fact that he originally intended to play
basketball for St. John's when he came out of high school. He ended up being
ruled ineligible in 2011; he then went on to Iona, but was ruled ineligible
once again. So his last real basketball experience was at Los Angeles City
Prep, his high school. He showed great athletic ability while being recruited
out of high school, but his inexperience at the collegiate level has him
projected to be drafted in the late second round, if at all. If the Sixers
drafted Pelle with their last second round pick (#42), he would be a project, to
say the least. He needs to bulk up his upper body in order to play power forward
successfully in this league, and his offense away from the basket is very raw.
He will have to blow away prospects in the pre-draft workouts in order to get
drafted.
Scott Wood (SF 6'6", 169)
Wood played his college ball for the North Carolina
State Wolfpack. He averaged a career best 12.6 points per game this season, and
shot the ball very well from deep (44%). However, Wood's game is very
one-dimensional, as he lacks solid passing and rebounding skills. He is also a
liability on defense, as his size would be taken advantage of by many NBA small
forwards. The Sixers could look at Wood in the second round, but like Pelle,
Wood will have to make a very strong impression on scouts in these pre-draft workouts in order for him to get drafted at all.
Mason Plumlee (C 6'11", 238)
Plumlee is a name you very well may have heard
throughout this year's college basketball season. This year he was a leader of
Duke's men's basketball team, averaging career highs in points (17.1), rebounds
(10.0), and assists (1.9). Plumlee is expected to be a lottery pick, and there
is a good possibility that he will be there for the Sixers at pick 11. The
Sixers could use his offensive competence, as they lack a big man who can
produce consistently at the center position. Plumlee needs to continue working
on his outside shot, but his post offense and his ability to run a solid pick
and roll could be utilized immediately. He can also provide a post presence for
this team. He averaged 1.4 blocks per game last season, and he has proven that
he can hold his own in the paint and on the block. I would be content with the
Sixers choosing Plumlee, but there are other big men out there like Cody
Zeller, or even Rudy Gobert, that
have a higher upside than Plumlee does in this league.
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