Draft Prospect: Hassan Whiteside

[Bruno]

Height: 7-0
Weight: 235 lbs
Birthday: 06/13/1989
College: Marshall

DraftExpress
nbadraft

[DynastyBuilder]

DX Weekly Performers 3/17/10

Three months after posting our initial impressions of Hassan Whiteside’s freshman season (our first scouting report on him actually came back in 2008), the dust has settled and has allowed us a much clearer picture of his strengths and weaknesses.

Whiteside has emerged about as quickly as a prospect can when looking at where he was this time last year—a raw, rail-thin, anonymous big man coming off the bench in prep school, committed to play for a small Conference USA team in West Virginia. Whiteside faced significant question marks regarding his ability to even get eligible at Marshall from an academic standpoint, and was not receiving very much attention from the recruiting services.

Fast-forward a year and Whiteside is fresh off being named C-USA’s top freshman and defensive player of the year, after leading the NCAA in blocked shots. He’s elevated his NBA draft stock significantly in the process, to the point that he’s being mentioned by many as a potential lottery pick and perhaps even higher.

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[BadOne]

I've been payin attention to this dude in the mock drafts. He sounds like he could be a really good big in the league. I wonder if S.A. could trade up for the guy. A few mock drafts have him going around # 10. No way SA ends up with that high of a pick.

-BADONE

[benefactor]

He is WAY to much of a project to waste a first round pick on. The Spurs are just now getting to the end waiting for one project 7 footer to pan out that never did. They don't need to waste guaranteed money on another one.

[AFBlue]

He is WAY to much of a project to waste a first round pick on. The Spurs are just now getting to the end waiting for one project 7 footer to pan out that never did. They don't need to waste guaranteed money on another one.

Agreed. I'd much rather the Spurs trade up in the second round and snag Jarvis Varnado to fill the athletic, shot-blocking big role.

[AFBlue]

Whiteside is in per NBAdraft.net. Seems like a high-upside guy that will end up going in the lottery before the Spurs have a shot at him, but who knows.

[DynastyBuilder]

Draft Report: Hassan Whiteside Of Marshall

http://realgm.com/src_feature_pieces...e_of_marshall/

[benefactor]

DX now has the Spurs drafting him at 20.

Do not want.

[yavozerb]

DX now has the Spurs drafting him at 20.

Do not want.

If George,babbitt,hayward, and henry are all off the board (which according DX in this mock they would be)I would be glad to take on this guy.

[Mr Bones]

His block/foul ratio is amazing, more than 2/1. This was better than anyone else in the NCAA. Playing at Marshall, his level of compe ion was lower than that of other prospects, so it's hard to evaluate-- but that's a good sign, since the hardest thing to teach young shot blockers is how differentiate between good block attempts and bad, and how to avoid foul trouble... something Mahinmi could never seem to master, either in France, the D league, or the NBA. If all of the desirable SFs are gone by the 20th pick, I'd be very happy with this pick. The possibility of Splitter playing 25+ mpg and Whiteside playing 7+ mpg would be very interesting IMO.

[scottspurs]

This guy could be a great shot blocker, but he is going to take time. If the spurs develop him right they could have a defensive weapon if they draft Whiteside.

[yavozerb]

This guy is already an above average shot blocker and I think he will become one of the better currently in the NBA. Its the rest of his game that may take a while. Also, notice how most of his blocks stay in bounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD5U3eQY-k0

[Gino2882]

His measurable numbers were also out of this world. Legit 7 feet in shoes, 7'7 wingspan and he average 5.7 blocks a game at Marshall.

Chad Ford has been talking about him a lot recently saying how Whiteside has an at ude and a sense of en lement. This is obviously something the Spurs would have to be comfortable with.

As for his game. I actually like his offensive game. He has some range to his shot. The defensive game is where he will earn his time. He is an excellent shot blocker. He is very thin and may have trouble holding position early in his career. Everything I have read said his best attribute is his ability to block shots from the weakside.

[AFBlue]

The guy he gets compared to most often is Marcus Camby...a player many on this board have been clamoring to pair with Duncan for years. Obviously he's not ready to be that player yet, but his skill-set (athleticism, shot-blocking) is intriguing.

I stick to my original statement that I'd rather see the Spurs address another need with their first pick, but I don't think grabbing a guy with Whiteside skill set and upside would be a bad decision.

[benefactor]

In Givony's write up of him he stopped just short of saying he was dumb as a brick. Confused in Marshall's simple offense, barley got into college/has to go to the draft because he's too stupid to stay eligible, poor fundamentals, poor BBIQ...the list goes on and on. Oh yeah, he will be 21 next month, which makes him pretty old to be so underdeveloped.

Do the Spurs really want to pay guaranteed money to a guy that won't play a single minute in a Spurs uniform next year? Or possibly the year after that?

Do. Not. Want.

[yavozerb]

In Givony's write up of him he stopped just short of saying he was dumb as a brick. Confused in Marshall's simple offense, barley got into college/has to go to the draft because he's too stupid to stay eligible, poor fundamentals, poor BBIQ...the list goes on and on. Oh yeah, he will be 21 next month, which makes him pretty old to be so underdeveloped.

Do the Spurs really want to pay guaranteed money to a guy that won't play a single minute in a Spurs uniform next year? Or possibly the year after that?

Do. Not. Want.

1st off you have no idea if he would play or not so to say that is simply trying to paint an even darker picture of this kid sense you are only guessing he would not play. 2nd, 21 being to old? are you kidding me, I am not sure how old Blair is but I think he is about the same age, so I guess its ok for him, huh? Most of the kids who play one and done are not some of the brightest student athletes on campus. Do you really think they dont get alot, alot, and I mean alot of help in passing there classes so they can play basketball?I honestly dont even think he will make it to #20, so I will not waste to much time on this, but his BASKETBALL talent level is definatly lottery pick and I hope some of the gm's around the league think like you do and pass on this kid cause I would be very happy with him at #20

[benefactor]

Blair wasn't stupid...and he was actually pretty polished from a player standpoint.

And how many "talented" players have come through the league that fans have watched and said, "Man, that guy would be amazing if he wasn't so damn stupid."

He's a project...period. That means that no matter what he is going to take at least a few season to figure out the NBA game, if he does at all. With this pick the Spurs should be looking for players that can offer some sort of help next year.

[benefactor]

BTW...didn't the Spurs sign a shot blocking specialist last year that could do much besides that? What happened to him? Oh, that's right...they never played him then traded him away for a second round pick in 2125.

[yavozerb]

Blair wasn't stupid...and he was actually pretty polished from a player standpoint.

And how many "talented" players have come through the league that fans have watched and said, "Man, that guy would be amazing if he wasn't so damn stupid."

He's a project...period. That means that no matter what he is going to take at least a few season to figure out the NBA game, if he does at all. With this pick the Spurs should be looking for players that can offer some sort of help next year.

If this kid is still around, I gurantee that all of the sf's which most of us believe would help next season are off the board..Some of yall are acting as if we have a lottery pick, our pick is #20, yes I agree this is a deep draft but to find a player this late in the draft who will help right away is very hard to do in the NBA (not impossible).

[DesignatedT]

seems pretty raw. obviously no way we draft him if we get word from splitter but could definitely see us taking him if that falls through. they're are much better options though IMO.

[Mr Bones]

I've read quite a few things about him recently and they vary from some calling very "naive" to others defending him as simply very shy.... so I can't speak about the personality characteristics. But, remember, Brandon Jennings skipped college because he was essentially caught cheating on the SATs and also had serious academic trouble. It's a big leap to label the guy "dumb as a rock" if you aren't familiar with him. I like George Hill quite a bit too, and I wouldn't exactly call him a brilliant scholar based on his interviews, but he is a player who constantly strives to improve and has a good at ude. Whiteside went in one season from being almost unknown to being the leading shotblocker in the country, the defensive player of the year in his conference, and a guy who could register triple doubles... I'd guess he worked pretty hard to grow so much in one year.

[Mr. Body]

Sounds like he has horrible basketball IQ and is questionable off the court. I can't see the Spurs taking a flier on a guy like this.

Bringing up Blair is senseless. Blair has an excellent feel for the game.

[yavozerb]

Sounds like he has horrible basketball IQ and is questionable off the court. I can't see the Spurs taking a flier on a guy like this.

Bringing up Blair is senseless. Blair has an excellent feel for the game.

Blair was brought up due to his age being similar to whiteside, not senseless at all..

[benefactor]

Blair was brought up due to his age being similar to whiteside, not senseless at all..

It is senseless. Blair at 21 was a potential lottery pick and an NBA ready player. Whiteside is a project that might not ever be anything. Big difference.

[yavozerb]

It is senseless. Blair at 21 was a potential lottery pick and an NBA ready player. Whiteside is a project that might not ever be anything. Big difference.

Other than rebounding what exactly was Blair NBA ready at? Most had predicted his offense would only come from put backs and that was accurate due to his size. How is Whiteside who led the nation in blocks at 5 per game any less of a project than blair? They both do a particular thing very well (blair= rebounding and Whiteside=blocks) and must work on other parts of their game.