With the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets selected Brook Lopez from Stanford. This was a DY-NO-MITE pick for the Nets, as Lopez was a highly rated draft prospect. I’m not sure why he slid to the 10th pick, but Jay Bilas of ESPN had Lopez rated as the third best prospect in this year’s draft. Lopez also fills a need for the Nets, as they did not have a great big man coming into the draft. As many NBA fans know, there have been some pretty good selections used on the 10th overall pick in recent years. Some examples include Paul Pierce in 1998, Jason Terry in 1999, Joe Johnson in 2001, Caron Butler in 2002 and Andrew Bynum in 2005. Here is the ESPN scouting report on Brook Lopez:
Brook was suspended from the basketball team because of academic issues and missed the first 9 games of 2007-08 season for Stanford. His twin brother, Robin, also played for Stanford.
Positives: Big, athletic center who is has a strong offensive game with the ability to score both inside and out. Has a great body and uses it well. Long arms. Smart player who maximizes his strengths. Has a decent low-post game and has shown an array of basic moves around the basket. Is a good shooter with the ability to knock down the 18-foot jump shot. He can even hit a college 3-pointer from time to time. He is an excellent defender and can be a good shot-blocker at times, though he’s inconsistent in that area. Improving free-throw shooter.
Negatives: Takes bad shots from time to time. Although he’s a good athlete for his size, he’s not particularly explosive. Not a dominant rebounder.
Summary: Brook’s stellar play toward the end of his freshman season turned a lot of NBA scouts’ heads. His sophomore season was fantastic for Stanford. Although scouts wish he was a little more athletic and a better rebounder, he’ll challenge DeAndre Jordan as the first center off the board.
Filed under: NBA - Nets, Writer - Bill Slattery
