FanPost

Antonio "Scoop" Jardine and the NBA

There are fan posts and stories dedicated to all of the other departing Orange and their NBA prospects. It seems only fair that we do the same for Antonio.

The general consensus is that, outside of the sneaky athletic Brandon Reese, Scoop's NBA chances are the slimmest among those that are leaving. Honestly, it's a fair assessment. He's old for a rooke, his numbers are run of the mill and he lacks the athleticism that makes NBA execs salivate, a la Derrick Rose or John Wall.

Much like Kris Joseph, Scoop's NBA potential has much less to do with statistics or measureables and more to do with the intangible aspects of what he can bring to a team. What Scoop lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with craftiness and savvy. He was never the quickest guy, but I've yet to see a player who could effectively stay in front of him. And five years of college ball have refined Scoop's decesion making to the point where he can make difficult plays without an abundance of turnovers.

So, the question becomes, does what he brings to the table outweigh the things he can't? He's clearly never going to be a superstar PG. Not an all star or even a starter. But he has value in an offensive system that relies on the PG to make plays, not score, especially a pick and roll offense. Scoop has shown over his last two seasons at Syracuse that he really has a good feel for making decisions on the move; when to shoot, when to dish, when to pull things out and start over. He's not going to be a guy that can create offense, but he will be a guy who can be trusted to make the right decision in an offensive set. Those qualities could land him a spot on someone's bench. I'm not sure he'll be drafted, but I think he'll at least get an invite to a summer league. If he can play well there, the right GM might see the value Scoop has.

Much like KJ, think Scoop's chances also lie in his defense and his shooting. He's not big enough or talented enough for any team to want him if he's a liability on defense. And part of being a system PG is being able to consistently knock down a jumper. His ability to run an offense could get him a shot in the League, his D and shooting will be what keeps him around.