In less than 48 hours, former Syracuse Orange point guard Michael Carter-Williams will become property of an NBA franchise when his gets his name called at the 2013 NBA Draft.
Just like his playing career at Syracuse, there's been a lot of skepticism and criticism surrounding the 21-year-old. Yet, for the most part MCDubz has come out of the pre-NBA Draft combines, workouts and interviews ahead, as he is still predicted to go in the top 10 in many mock drafts.
If you're curious how or why this is, well, here's a breakdown of the good and bad of what scouts, NBA decision makers and his former head coach, Jim Boeheim, have said about him in the recent days.
The Good
"He's a competitor. He's quick. He can get to the basket," Boeheim said. "People forget he's only 188 pounds. He's going to put 20 pounds on. If he came back here next year, he would have gained another 10-12 pounds. He would have finished all those shots (at the rim). He would have been a top four pick next year."
"They like him as a player. He's got the tools to be a good point guard," Boeheim said.
Some scout to SI.com's Seth Davis:
"I like him, but don't love him. He's turnover prone. I think he's a year-and-a-half away from making an impact. If he can shoot, he can be a starter, but right now he's a bad shooter. But that's one thing you can get better at if you work at it.
Carter-Williams can be effective when he looks to get into the lane and to the basket. He uses long strides and his body to shield the ball from defenders. He has the ability to finish above the rim, and can finish with either hand, though he will often try to force shots with his right hand.
Carter-Williams is very good in transition, especially pushing the ball quickly up the court. He does a good job keeping his head up and seeing all his options, and he is capable of taking the ball himself to the rim and finishing.
The Bad
Boeheim to Syracuse.com:
"And it just depends. If they feel he can make shots or get better, I think he can go in the top 10. If they feel he can't make shots, he's going to fall just out. I don't think he'll fall too far out.
Davis' Scout:
"I like him, but don't love him. He's turnover prone. I think he's a year-and-a-half away from making an impact. If he can shoot, he can be a starter, but right now he's a bad shooter.
NBADraftBlog:
Carter-Williams needs to work on having the same control with his left hand, and he often tries to force the action to the right. While he can use his left hand for short distances, I would like to see him look to attack the basket more with his left hand, which will mean improving it.
If you were to just look at Carter-Williams' assist numbers this past season, you would likely assume he was much better than he actually was. His turnovers were significantly high for a point guard, and both numbers were very much a product of the Syracuse offense. Still, in the latter parts of the season, Carter-Williams was able to string together some performances that provided a glimpse of the real benefit of a 6'6 point guard. His decision-making is still a work in progress, and his jump shot needs to become much more consistent if he wants to keep defenses from sagging off of him.
The Videos