SI Ranks JJ, Moore As Top 10 Senior NBA Prospects
By Editorial Staff
The Boiling Point: Purdue seniors JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore rank sixth and ninth, respectively, on Sports Illustrated’s Top 15 Senior NBA Draft Prospects list.
There’s been a lot of talk about where Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore will be taken in the upcoming NBA Draft. Most think JJ is a late-first rounder with Moore maybe going undrafted. Sports Illustrated has ranked them both in the Top 10 of the seniors who are draft prospects with Johnson at No. 6 and Moore at No. 9.
Read what they had to say about the two after the jump.
Here’s what they had to say about Johnson.
"Strengths: Extremely skilled big man with length and athleticism. Shows range out to NCAA three-point line, and is effective in the post. Very productive scorer. Can block shots. All-America candidate from a strong college program who has won a ton of games. Not a finished product if his body continues to fill out.Needs Work: Possesses a narrow frame that may not carry a great deal of additional weight. Struggles defensively in the post. Lacks strength and toughness. Not a great hustler. Below-average rebounder. May not be able to score as effectively in the paint in the NBA, especially without plays being run for him."
And Moore.
"Strengths: Highly productive, versatile shooting guard who shows many of the traits NBA teams covet in role players. Smart, competitive, skilled and mistake-free. Can score in a variety of ways, especially as a perimeter shooter. Excellent defender who crashes the glass well. Academic All-American who possesses superb intangibles. Needs Work: Average athlete by NBA standards, and not exceptionally big, strong or long to compensate, which could hurt him defensively. Lacks a great first step, and has a difficult time scoring efficiently inside the arc. Doesn’t jump off the page with his upside."
What may come as a surprise is that JJ is ranked ahead of Oakland big man Keith Benson, who many have projected to go before Johnson in the draft itself. The top four includes Duke’s Kyle Singler at four, Illinois’ Demetri McCamey at three, Duke’s Nolan Smith at two and the Jimmer at one.