As a freshman, Jordan Hamilton clearly had the necessary tools one looks for in an NBA prospect: ideal size for his position, adequate athleticism, and good offensive skills. Despite that, his selfish play (see: shot selection) and inconsistent effort, especially defensively, really had me questioning his NBA future. While there are still questions about his mentality, he has shown improvement in those questionable areas this year. Also, having adjusted to the collegiate level, Hamilton is showing that he can flat out score, leading a talented Texas team in scoring at 18.7 PPG (46.5% FG, 40.7% 3PT). Right now, Jordan Hamilton is a mid-first round NBA draft prospect, which is an improvement over last season. (Updated February 13, 2011.)
While Perry Jones entered the season with a lot of hype due to his unique physical gifts, he took some time to adjust to the collegiate level. But in Big 12 play, Jones has really improved his offensive play, increasing his scoring average to 17.6 PPG from 14.6 PPG in conference play. While he needs to continue to develop defensively, Jones has really solidified himself as a top-3 pick. (Updated February 13, 2011.)
While many considered Plumlee a potential top-10 pick in 2011, his development as a sophomore has been somewhat disappointing. Despite his obvious physical talents, Plumlee's improvement this season have been limited, especially offensively. Plumlee will likely need an additional season to improve his draft stock. (Updated February 13, 2011.)
