Insider (Ford): South Austin Regional Prospects

[Weez]

Austin regional lacks NBA talent

By Chad Ford, ESPN Insider

Chad Ford Archive

Sometimes the NCAA Tournament can be feast or famine for NBA scouts.

ESPN Insider talked to multiple NBA scouts and GMs to give you a look at the Top 5 NBA prospects they'll be watching in each NCAA region.

On Monday, Insider broke down the East "Syracuse" region, which has as many as seven lottery picks and a host of other potential first rounders in it.

The South "Austin" region, on the other hand, has only one legit lottery pick and a plethora of talented tweener big men whose NBA stock is all over the board. It's the weakest region, talent-wise, in the tournament – by far.

Today, Insider will take a look at the South "Austin" bracket. Wednesday, we'll tackle the Midwest "Chicago" bracket.

For the inside scoop on every team in the tournament, check out Insider's in-depth Tournament Guide.

South Austin Region NBA Prospects1. Andrew Bogut, F/C, Utah

The Skinny: 6-foot-11, 245 pounds, Sophomore. 20.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg on 63 percent shooting.

The Good: Bogut does a little bit of everything. He's an excellent, physical rebounder with nice hands. He's a tremendous passer for a big. He's very difficult to guard because of his ability to score in both the high and low posts. Overall, he just has an excellent feel for the game.

The Bad: The only thing Bogut lacks is athleticism. While not a terrible athlete, he isn't a good one either. Doesn't have much lift, and lacks the lateral quickness he's going to need to guard most NBA players. After being a little overwhelmed by the athleticism in the NCAA his freshman year, he learned how to compensate this season. It's going to be a much bigger jump at the next level, however.

The Upside: Bogut may be the most complete college player in the country right now. How will he fare in the pros? Comparisons range from Vlade Divac to Brad Miller, which seems about right. Both players have excelled despite playing below the rim. Bogut is right there with both players on his skill level. Right now, he looks like a lock for the top five, and a great performance in the tournament could get him even higher. It's hard to believe that he'd be the No. 1 pick in the draft given his lack of athleticism, but if Chris Paul and Marvin Williams stay in school, he's the only guy left on the board with the talent to justify the pick.

2. Taj Gray, F, Oklahoma

The Skinny: 6-foot-9, 235 lbs, Junior. 14.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 56 percent shooting from the field.

The Good: Gray is a big-time athlete with great hops and an NBA body. Gray likes to play with his back to the basket, and he's also fantastic in the open court. Likes to get physical in the paint and knows how to get to the line. A good rebounder and shot blocker who has a surprisingly well-rounded game. Plays with a lot of energy and isn't afraid to do the dirty work.

The Bad: Size and experience. Scouts believe he's closer to 6-foot-8, which is the bare minimum for NBA power forwards. While he has a nice perimeter game, his bread and butter is in the paint, so scouts don't expect him to make the transition to the three in the pros. Foul prone.

The Upside: Gray has been on NBA radar screens for awhile as one of the top juco players in the country. It's only been within the last few months that his name has been mentioned as a possible first-round pick. He's a guy with a lot to gain by having a great tournament. Right now, he's stuck somewhere in the late first round, but his stock could really rise if he dominates in the tournament.

3. Shelden Williams, PF, Duke

The Skinny: 6-foot-9, 250 lbs, Junior. 15.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.8 bpg, 59 percent shooting from the field.

The Good: Williams is the best shot blocker in the country and also one of the NCAA's best rebounders. He's a beast in the paint. He has the bulk, strength and toughness to mix it up with anyone down low. Doesn't look like a great athlete, but he's an explosive jumper that gets off the floor quickly.

The Bad: Williams is a 6-foot-9 center who is going to have to make the transition to the four in the pros. He doesn't have much of a face-up game right now and commits a lot of turnovers for a big man. He doesn't possess great passing skills.

The Upside: Scouts are all over the board on Williams. He doesn't look the part of a lottery pick, but he has two key skills that almost always translate from college to pros: rebounding and shot blocking. He'll have to make some adjustments to his game at the next level, but Williams has a future in the league. Look for him to be a mid- to late-first-round pick.

4. Hakim Warrick, F, Syracuse

The Skinny: 6-foot-9, 218 lbs, Senior. 21.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 55 percent shooting from the field.

The Good: Warrick is an incredible athlete who jumps like he's on a trampoline. He improved in almost every aspect of his game this year. He added a nice mid-range jumper. He put on some weight and found ways to score down low. He's very quick, posing match-up problems at both small forward and power forward. He gets to the line a lot.

The Bad: No one is sure exactly what position he would play in the NBA. He doesn't have the perimeter or ball-handling skills to really be a three. He doesn't have the strength or low-post moves to excel at the four. Scouts wonder if he's the second coming of Darius Miles, an athletic big man without a go-to skill.

The Upside: Some scouts think he could be a very good four, because of his length and quickness. They believe he'll get stronger and be just fine in the post once he gets on an NBA strength training regimen. Only a few of them see him having a future at the three. He could go anywhere between the mid-first round to the early second. A strong tournament might help his stock, but really, he's an eye-of-the-beholder type player.

5. J.J. Redick, SG, Duke

The Skinny: 6-foot-4, 190 lbs, Junior. 22.8 ppg, 42 percent shooting from three.

The Good: One of the two or three best pure shooters in the country. His shooting mechanics are flawless, and he possesses very deep range on his jumper. Has a quick release that lets him get his shot off in most situations. He's also a dead-eye from the free throw line and has shown some point guard abilities this year for Duke. Despite a general lack of athleticism, he's not a bad defender.

The Bad: He's undersized to play the two in the NBA. Combine that with a lack of athleticism, and scouts aren't sure exactly how his game will translate at the next level. Has had a few off-the-court issues that also don't help his stock.

The Upside: Good luck trying to find two scouts with exactly the same take on Redick. With the increased emphasis on shooting in the NBA, some see him as a mid-first-round pick. "He'd be one of the top five shooters in the NBA right now," one scout said. Others claim that his game is so one dimensional that he'll never be more than a role player in the league and is better suited for the late first round, early second.

Sleeper: Taylor Coppenrath, F, Vermont

The Skinny: 6-foot-9, 250 lbs, Senior. 25.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 54 percent shooting from the field.

The Good: The best scorer in the country does it from everywhere. He's very strong around the basket and has a killer mid-range jumper. He's also one of the best offensive rebounders in the country averaging 4.2 offensive rebounds per game. A blue-collar workhorse with great toughness. He has a legendary work ethic and has found ways to improve his game each year.

The Bad: Athleticism is a real question. Despite that great mid-range jumper, he doesn't take or make NBA 3s. His defense could use some work.

The Ugly: The guy has suffered the inevitable comparisons to Larry Bird, which is unfair. His game is different. The question is fit at the next level. If you want energy, hustle, heart and skill – teams have to consider him. A great run in the tournament might be enough to get him into the first round.

Others to watch: Daniel Ewing, PG, Duke; Rajon Rondo, PG, Kentucky; Randolph Morris, C, Kentucky; Lawrence Roberts, PF, Mississippi State; Kelenna Azubuike, G/F, Kentucky; Terrell Everett, PG, Oklahoma; Paul Davis, PF, Michigan State; Jason Maxiell, PF, Cincinnati; Roy Bright, G/F, Cincinnati; Jeff Horner, PG, Iowa; Omar Thomas, F, UTEP; Filiberto Rivera, PG, UTEP; Juan Mendez, F, Niagara

Chad Ford covers the NBA Draft for ESPN Insider.