Will a big tournament from Nik Stauskas improve his stock for this summer's NBA Draft?
Jonathan Wasserman of BleacherReport.com traced the dramatic transformation of Stauskas from just being a catch-and-shoot player last year to being the main guy for the second seeded Michigan Wolverines.The sophomore is averaging 17.5 points a game, the result of putting more pounds on his frame and completely revamping the way he plays on offense. He is shooting an impressive 44 percent from the three-point area ,and has become more aggressive going to the basket as evidenced by taking 96 more free-throw attempts this year.
"Stauskas hasn't convinced everyone yet he's the scorer his average suggests he might be. But the window of opportunity to do so hasn't closed yet. This NCAA tournament should actually be a terrific chance for Stauskas to really complete his sales pitch to the NBA," Wasserman wrote.
Stauskas is being compared to Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, a legit threat from the outside who can also put the floor on the ball and create shots for himself.
"Michigan has been able to give him the rock from 27 feet away, where he can generate offense without the need of a designed play. Pull-ups, step-backs, jab steps-Stauskas has developed the ability to separate into jumpers from just about anywhere on the floor," wrote Wasserman.
While he has improved his offensive game by leaps and bounds, Stauskas has struggled with his defense. As Wasserman notes, Stauskas lacks the upper body strength to hound his opponents, nor the lateral quickness to keep pace with a player he is guarding.
Wasserman believes Stauskas will make a good supporting player on any NBA team. "With the size, shooting range and basketball IQ, Stauskas should be able to make an impact as a supporting member at the least. But based on the deep and advanced scoring repertoire he's put together as a sophomore, there should be a whole lot more potential reward here."
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