2012 NBA Draft Prospect Stock Watch: Terrence Ross
Name: Terrence Ross
Hometown: Portland, OR
Physicals: 6′ 6″, 200 lbs, 21 years old
College: Washington
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
Current Stats: 16.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2.0 TPG, 45.7% FG, 77.4% FT, 37.1% 3P
Washington sophomore Terrence Ross had a season pretty much like the rest of his team-lots of ups, and lots of downs.
He came into the year a favorite to break out, but, like much of his Huskies teammates, failed to perform to his expectations.
That isn’t to say that Ross is a bad player-far from it. He’s got everything you look for in a very solid NBA level wing. He’s a great shooter, with deep range and a consistent stroke. He’s solid when he has his feet set, he’s solid in transition pull-ups, and he’s solid when coming off a pick and roll screen. Pretty much, he’s solid from anywhere.
He’s also an above average defender. He’s not a ball hawk, but he’s very solid, getting 1.3 steals a contest. He’s a bit undersized weight wise, and needs to add a bit of strength so he doesn’t get posted up by bigger guards. But he’s quick enough and athletic enough to keep up with most wings in the league.
Hit the jump for the rest of Bryant’s scouting report…
His problems are mainly three fold. First off, he’s not a great ball-handler or passer. He averaged just 1.4 assists a contest to 2.0 turnovers a game, and faster guards will easily pick off him in the NBA. Second, he was a big part of Washington’s poor basketball IQ. He (and, to be fair, the whole team) could never harness their true potential because they could never figure out how to be effective. Third, and most troubling in a guard, is his shot selection. Despite the fact that he can hit from nearly anywhere, he never learned when he should shoot and when he should pass. Hopefully, a coach can help him start develop a consistent passing game and he can learn to be part of an efficient offense.
While he was up and down for much of the year, he picked it up in the NIT tournament, averaging 25 points, 5.5 rebounds and 47.9 percent shooting in four games. Those performances probably helped him out quite a bit, and if he doesn’t go in the top 20 or so picks in the draft, it’ll be surprising.
Current Mock Draft Rankings:
Draftexpress.com: 17th Overall
NBADraft.net: 17th Overall
ESPN.com: 19th Overall
Draft Watch: Ross is considered the draft’s third or fourth best shooting guard, fighting with Austin Rivers for that slot. Both are behind Jeremy Lamb and miles behind Bradley Beal, and are expected to go mid-teens to about 20 or so.
A good fit for Ross would be Philadelphia. The 76ers have talent pretty much everywhere and can afford to pick BPA, and Ross fits a nice need. Philadelphia has talented wings (Evan Turner, Thad Young, Andre Iguodala) but only Jodi Meeks is a consistent three point threat. Doug Collins has lost his team a bit towards the end of the season, but Philadelphia is a perfect example of “team basketball” and would be a good learning situation for Ross.
Houston has two first round draft picks, and while their biggest need is bigs, they could use one of the two on Ross. Kevin Martin’s injury history is well documented at this point, and Ross would provide depth at the guards, especially if Houston loses Goran Dragic. Not that anyone should play Ross at PG, of course.
Finally, Denver would be an interesting fit. They have enough small forwards that it would let Ross continue to play shooting guard, and Denver is a squad that emphasizes unselfish play. Ross would provide another very capable weapon for George Karl to mold.
Conclusion: If Ross learns to become part of a system and develops a stronger basketball IQ, he has the shooting talents and athleticism to be a very good shooting guard. As he is, he’s certainly worth a top 20 pick.
About the Author
Bryant West, Columnist Graduate from Saint Mary's College of California, former Editor-in-Chief of the Saint Mary's Collegian Newspaper and beat writer for the Saint Mary's men's basketball team. Self-diagnosed spelling failure. Long time basketball follower, huge Sacramento Kings fanatic. Fan of the San Francisco Giants, the San Francisco 49ers and the Saint Mary's Gaels. This world is made - of LOVE and PEACE! Check out my NBA Draft Big Board, where I break down the top of the 2012 draft class! - And follow me on twitter at @BSWest5.
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