College Hoops Video

At 6ft 7in. tall and 220lbs, Demar DeRozan has caught the attention of many NBA GM’s and scouts. This young man who hails from Compton, California most likely will find himself being chosen in the latter part of the first round in the upcoming 2009 NBA Draft. The consensus of opinion is that DeRozan’s best fit as a pro will be that of shooting guard. His height, quickness and athleticism should make him a natural for the position. Although he is only 19yrs. old, DeRozan has shown talent and maturity that go way beyond his years. Will he make an immediate impact in the NBA? For many, the answer is “yes”. What is obvious is that DeRozan recognized that now is the time to take his game to the next level and turn pro instead of returning for another season at USC.

Demar DeRozan’s Collegiate Career at USC

Let’s face it, Demar DeRozan doesn’t have a whole lot of collegiate career to talk about. He was heavily recruited by many schools but chose USC most likely due to wanting to stay in his home state. He was going to be counted on to make an impact on the program starting from day one. And when you stop to think about it, those expectations were derived from the fact that DeRozan ended up his senior season in high school with tons of post season rewards. Just to name a few, McDonald’s All American, Parade All American and named to the California All State Team. In his debut season as a Trojan, DeRozan averaged over 33minutes per game to go along with a 13.9pts per game and 5.7 rebounds. The last third of the season is when DeRozan seemed to kick his game into overdrive with 9 straight games of double figure scoring that was highlighted by knocking down 25 against UCLA and 21 againstArizona State. To finish his season he scored 18 points against Michigan State in the 74-69 NCAA Tournament loss that seemed to cement his position as a possible NBA first round draft pick.

Demar DeRozans 2009 NBA Draft Prospects

It is no secret that DeRozan, with his superior athleticism, explosive leaping ability and a lightning quick first step that he will most likely be moved to the shooting guard position to take advantage of all these qualities. His upside has been his consistency with his midrange jumper that will easily set up his ability to drive and slash to the basket. He does have to improve his 3pt accuracy to be considered the all around threat that most teams are looking for.Many scouts feel that DeRozan has all the tools to become a force in this league if he sets his mind to it. The one small knock that has been thrown aroundat times is that he  will lose focus and intensity during a game. After all is said and done, look for DeRozan to be chosen before the end of the first round in this years 2009 NBA Draft.

Refs:

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Demar-DeRozan-1319/

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=41016

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/demar-derozan

http://ballhype.com/story/nba_draft_2009_player_spotlight_demar_derozan/

http://usc.fandome.com/video/112309/DeMar-DeRozan-2009-NBA-Draft/

http://www.collegehoopsvideo.com/2009/06/complete-2009-nba-mock-draft-rounds-1-and-2/