Part 3: The First Annual Showman Preseason Awards
Part 3 of the First Annual Showman Preseason Awards is here….. you can check out Part 1 Here & Part 2 Here.
The “This Kid is Way Too Athletic” Award
Chimezie Metu, F, University of Southern California
Let’s see why do I love Chimezie Metu… Well, he has a killer Twitter game, loves Seinfeld, plays in the Drew League from time to time, and most importantly, is an athletic freak who is improving his game rapidly. Metu has all the measurables any NBA executive would want in their rim-protecting big, as he stands 6'11 with close to a 7'0 wingspan. At first glance, his measurables combined with his small frame may leave room for doubt, but his leaping ability alone is reason enough for me to think he will be drafted in the middle of the first round. His freshman campaign consisted mostly of dunks and he showed little in terms of low-post offense, but in my opinion that shouldn’t be an issue moving forward. Metu is the type of player who may never have a legitimate low-post game, but rather develop into more of a spot up shooter or eventually have the foundation to take his man off the dribble due to his supreme athleticism. In terms of player development, Metu has a long way to go, and his sophomore year will be a make or break season for the young athlete. If Metu can improve his role within the Trojan offense to contribute more than just dunks, we might see him shooting up the draft boards come the winter and spring. When watching Metu play, his game is reminiscent of Clint Capela in terms of raw athleticism and raw untapped potential, just waiting to be unleashed.
The “This Kid is Going to Make a GM Look Very Smart in Three Years” Award
DJ Hogg, F, Texas A&M
Last year was a great learning opportunity for DJ Hogg as he was able to play meaningful minutes for the Aggies while also getting to watch two amazing college players, Jalen Jones and Danuel House, demonstrate what it takes to succeed at a high level. With both Jones and House gone, Hogg is ready to go from freshman gunner off the bench to go-to wing scorer. Two things that immediately stand out when watching him play are his ability to shoot from deep and his picture perfect form. His numbers might not show how pure of a shooter he actually is, as he only shot 33% from distance, but that should dramatically improve with more touches. Although his bread and butter will always be his shot, Hogg also has the athleticism to take his man off the dribble and finish at the rim. Two areas of improvement for Hogg in the upcoming season are strengthening his ball skills and adding muscle to his 6'8 frame. If Hogg can improve in those two areas, there is no doubt that he can jump into the lottery. When it is all said and done, I do believe Hogg could end up being one of the better players from this draft, as he reminds me a lot of Klay Thompson in terms of playing style. The Aggies should pose a serious threat to contend for SEC supremacy again, and it will be Hogg leading the way from the wing.
The “ Not the Sophomore Slump but the Sophomore Surprise” Award
PJ Dozier, G, University of South Carolina
I don’t think there was a more disappointing five star freshman last year than South Carolina’s PJ Dozier. As the gem of Frank Martin’s first recruiting class, Dozier came in with all the talent in the world and an impressive length for the PG position. Standing at 6'6, Dozier should have been able to use his height to impose his will against the smaller guards in the SEC, but he had little success doing so in his freshman season. Although to say last year was a disappointment is a big understatement, things can only look up for Dozier in the upcoming year. While at first Dozier seemed to be settling for jumpshots (23 3P%) rather than using his length to take the ball to the rim, as the season progressed, it seemed that things started to slow down for him. When looking at Dozier’s frame and skillset, it is very easy to compare him to Dejounte Murray who went 29th to the Spurs in the most recent draft: Both are tall, lanky guards who excel in the open floor, and struggle with consistency when shooting. I don’t think it would be too far fetched to think that Dozier could have a very similar season to what Murray had last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get drafted in the second round if he came out this year, and mid first next year.
The “Hey Fuck Prime Prep and the NCAA” Award
Terrance Ferguson*, G/F, Adelaide 36ers
Like Emmanuel Mudiay and Brandon Jennings before him, I don’t think there is a more interesting prospect in 2017 than 6'7 guard Terrance Ferguson. After originally committing to Arizona, Ferguson did the old Under Armour switcheroo and decided to take his talents overseas to Australia, where he will suit up for the Adelaide 36ers. When it comes to Ferguson and his style of play, the only word that can be used to describe him is ELECTRIC. He has the skill to shoot from NBA range while also being one of the most impressive players when it comes to leaping ability. Ferguson’s athleticism is off the charts, but he has a long way to go before he can produce on an NBA team, and I do think this season in Australia will be extremely beneficial for his future. The first thing that Ferguson needs to do is hit the weight room because that boy is ridiculously skinny, and he will be pushed around with ease at the next level if he doesn’t get bigger fast. When looking at Ferguson, fans might initially want to compare him to Terrence Ross, as both are uber-athletic guards, can shoot from distance, and lack the strength of typical two guards. Unlike Ross, though, I see Ferguson improving on his perimeter defense and blossoming into a starter on a playoff contending team. When looking at the ceiling for Ferguson, I would think his best bet would be DeMar DeRozan with a better perimeter game and worse ball skills. Ferguson, like DJ Hogg, will be a guy that teams in the top half of the draft will later be kicking themselves over not drafting.
*DISCLAIMER: I know I said strictly NCAA guys, but too bad. I enjoy 2K Ferguson too much.
