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About the Author - CriticalFanatic
"Kevin Pritchard is working over the NBA"

Jason
Chicago, IL
Male 28 years old

About Me:
Somehow remain a passionate sports fan despite living and dying with the Chicago Cubs and Michigan State athletics. Born in California, grew up in Michigan and went to college at Miami U (Ohio). All of which have shaped my sports fandom. Also a featured blogger and editor of this fine website you might have heard about called FanIQ.
NBA Draft: What's Wrong With Alando Tucker?
by CriticalFanatic CriticalFanatic | >7 days ago9 Comment Comments »
NBA Draft: What's Wrong With Alando Tucker? PhotoDid I miss something?

Prior to his senior season Alando Tucker was considered a Lottery Pick and rightfully so after earning 1st Team All Big Ten honors and averaging 19.0 points per game. His final year should have done nothing to cause Tucker's stock to plummet, merely earning 1st Team All American honors while improving in his scoring ability and rebounding.

Now Tucker is projected to be taken with the 42nd pick in Chad Ford's latest Mock Draft 32.0 and NBA Draft Net has him going to Utah at a more respectable 25th.

What gives?

Doesn't Tucker remind you of Josh Howard. Roughly the very same size, both quietly drop 20+ games, above average rebounder for position, and most of all a very high basketball IQ and drive to win.

ESPN says the following about Tucker: Lacks reliable perimeter skills. Not much range from three-point line. Below- average free throw shooter. Not a great ballhandler. Undersized for his position. A power forward in a two guard's body. Had an excellent season for Wisconsin, but questions about his fit in the NBA continue to hurt his stock. On the first-round bubble, but teams are intrigued.

NBA Draft Net tends to agree: Defensively Tucker could stand to improve on his intensity … Doesn’t seem to possess great anticipation skills nor the awareness to play the passing lanes … Ball handling, while improved, still isn’t great … Perimeter shooting remains prone to streakiness … Not a great shooter coming off screens … Solid three point shooter when his feet are set but struggles to hit with regularity due in part to his slow release.

I can't disagree with the general assessment of Tucker's weaknesses above. However, there seems to be a formula for success in the NBA for a veteran 3-4 year collegiate player with high IQ that just found ways to score regardless of how it looked. Josh Howard, Tayshaun Prince, and Michael Redd all fit this description, yet have been extremely successful despite being overlooked. We'll see where Alando actually ends up, teams could just be quiet, but it appears NBA teams haven't learned from these examples. Alando Tucker should be taken in the 10-15 range.

Where do you think Tucker will end up? Where should he be drafted?

Read Related:  NBA

  
9 Comments | Sorted by Most Recent First

Vote for your favorite comments. Fans decide the Top Comment (3+ votes) and also hide poor quality comments (4+ votes).
#1 | 374 days ago

I think the Sixers could get him. I've loved the guy, and think he is a great player. This is what makes the draft such a good thing. Some teams change their mind, and instead he could be a late first round pick, or a 2nd round master piece.
#2 | 374 days ago

Excellent write-up.  I think that Howard is a little bigger/longer than Tucker but other than that I think you're dead right.

I would love to see the Rockets get him.
#3 | 374 days ago

Ty wrote:
Excellent write-up.  I think that Howard is a little bigger/longer than Tucker but other than that I think you're dead right.

I would love to see the Rockets get him.
They're actual quite similar

Tucker 6'6 210

Howard when drafted 6'7 203
#4 | 374 days ago

I think this draft is just really deep with players that are around the same level, after the first 10 or so.  I could see him going anywhere from 14 for the Clippers to midway through the 2nd round.
#5 | 374 days ago

Hey CF, aren't you giving Acie Law some of the same treatment. Sure, maybe he (Law) will be a bust, but here's another skilled player with smarts who had a great college career. Obviously, Law and Tucker are two different players, but didn't Kevin Durant, a great scorer who's much taller than Law say that Acie beat him every time they played one-on-one while in LA for one of the POY awards? Or something like that...?
#6 | 374 days ago

blipper21 wrote:
Hey CF, aren't you giving Acie Law some of the same treatment. Sure, maybe he (Law) will be a bust, but here's another skilled player with smarts who had a great college career. Obviously, Law and Tucker are two different players, but didn't Kevin Durant, a great scorer who's much taller than Law say that Acie beat him every time they played one-on-one while in LA for one of the POY awards? Or something like that...?
Yes, I firmly believe Law is a bust relative where he's being projected. Tucker has nothing to do with Law. You have to evaluate those two positions completely different, and Law seems to fit the mold of some previously successful college point men who didn't cut it in the Pros (Mateen Cleaves being on).

Law, while clutch at the end of games (like Cleaves), isn't a great perimeter shooter. He's not horribly fast, not a big time assist guy, and not entirely strong. More of a gut feeling than anything.

One on one doesn't tell me much. Rafer Alston would beat a lot of guys at that.

Having just read Hollinger's new analysis, this further confirms me belief. He point system has Acie Law near the end of the first round.
#7 | 372 days ago

(Edited 06/28/07 12:09AM by blipper21)
CriticalFanatic wrote:
Yes, I firmly believe Law is a bust relative where he's being projected. Tucker has nothing to do with Law. You have to evaluate those two positions completely different, and Law seems to fit the mold of some previously successful college point men who didn't cut it in the Pros (Mateen Cleaves being on).

Law, while clutch at the end of games (like Cleaves), isn't a great perimeter shooter. He's not horribly fast, not a big time assist guy, and not entirely strong. More of a gut feeling than anything.

One on one doesn't tell me much. Rafer Alston would beat a lot of guys at that.

Having just read Hollinger's new analysis, this further confirms me belief. He point system has Acie Law near the end of the first round.
I'll just say this:

Perhaps Law will go the Cleaves route, but I believe he has a reasonable chance (not necessarily a stellar chance, but also not a pipe dream) of carving out a solid NBA career.
#8 | 372 days ago

blipper21 wrote:
I'll just say this:

Perhaps Law will go the Cleaves route, but I believe he has a reasonable chance (not necessarily a stellar chance, but also not a pipe dream) of carving out a solid NBA career.
He'll be more successful than Cleaves, no doubt. At the peak of his career he'll be in the 8 man rotation. Not a starter, but could pull of a Howard Eisley like career for sure.

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