Raptors Take DeRozan

The Raptors were on the clock at approximately 8:25 tonight. The three players that were rumored to be the prospects for the Raptors were all available. With the ninth pick in the NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors took DeMar DeRozan, the 19 year old freshman out of USC.

The Good
DeMar is an athletic specimen. He has great size for a swingman and its been rumored that he once punched Superman through a brick wall. He is a slasher and is quick in the open court. His ball handling ability is good, but it will need some improvement. He likes to draw contact and play physically, and has shown significant improvement in his only year at USC. DeMar's combination of size, skill, and athleticism draw comparisons to Vince Carter and Rudy Gay.

The Bad
Demar is inconsistent. At time he struggles off the dribble and his jump shot needs improvement. He also shot just 64.7% from the free throw line.

Draft Grade: B+
In picking DeMar, the Raptors addressed their most pressing need: a slashing swingman. However DeMar most likely will not be able to become an impact player as a rookie, his game is simply too unpolished. DeMar does have the tools to become a great player. He dunked his first basketball in grade 6 (beating Vince by a whole 2 years), and his shoulders (pictured below) are wider than the Earth at the equator. Overall, the Raps ended up with a player with great potential, but he must work on his jump shot and dribbling abilities.

Best case scenario: With the help of NBA training staff, he builds strength and improves on his offensive skills, and does a solid job in a 10-15 minute per game role. He then blossoms into a Carter-type all-around scorer, hopefully without the whiny princess attitude. Let's keep his mom away from the ACC.
Worst case scenario: DeRozan's athleticism is not enough to carry him through the NBA, and his skills do not improve enough to match his hops. His love of dunking overtakes his love of basketball, and he becomes the next Gerald Green.