#1: Dominic James
5-11, Point Guard, Sophomore, Marquette
Jonathan Watters
Perhaps the premier returning player in a conference that has gone through a lot of turnover in the past two years, Dominic James also might be the top returning point guard prospect in the entire NCAA. Blessed with freakish athleticism and excellent court sense, a season that builds on an incredible freshman year would probably land the speedster a spot in the first round of the upcoming draft.
When a 5-11 true point guards signature fast break move is the reverse dunk, you can bet NBA scouts are going to take notice. There is no denying James elite vertical explosiveness, and the sophomore doesnt just utilize it on breakaways. James, already blessed with a dynamite first step, plays much bigger than his listed size because he can hang in the air for acrobatic finishes around the rim and in the lane. He takes contact well around the basket, and really understands how to slash. His ability to change direction and pace, combined with a dazzling crossover move, also add to the dilemma for a defense trying to keep James out of the lane.
James isnt a consistent outside shooter just yet, but has everything in place to become very dangerous from the perimeter. Where many speedy point guards struggle with their shooting early in their NBA careers because they could get away with shooting more of a set shot against dishonest college defenses, James already gets a ton of elevation on his shot. He needs to firm up the consistency of his release, but one reason for the low percentage a season ago was the tendency for the ball to be in his hands as the shot clock expired. Still, James can probably cut out a few of the contested 3-pointers.
As a point guard, James is a point guard that the entire defense must keep an eye on. Missed shots are especially dangerous, as James is an excellent rebounder for his size and can strike quickly in transition through open court passing or pure ball-in-hand speed. Marquette really doesnt have to worry about full court pressure, as James is the type of point guard that can slice through traps and presses with ease. His ball-handling gets a little sloppy at times, but this is certainly a byproduct of moving at such high speeds. As a passer, he does a good job of playing under control and limiting his mistakes. Marquettes offense didnt flow as well as it could have a season ago, with James having a tendency to overdribble at times. However, James shows great court vision on penetrate and kick plays once he gets into the lane.
Defensively, James isnt putting his athletic gifts to good use just yet. Tom Crean often used defensive specialist and fellow sophomore Jerel McNeal to guard particularly dangerous floor generals, allowing James to focus on help defense and get his wind back for the next offensive possession. Nonetheless, James outstanding lateral quickness and quick hands should allow him to develop into an outstanding ball pressure-type defender down the road.
On the whole, James freshman season was downright scary good. His presence was a major reason for Steve Novaks abrupt emergence as an NBA prospect, and Marquette wouldnt have been close to an NIT bid without James, let alone an NCAA berth. It is also important to keep in mind that James really wore down over the second half of the season, due to his reckless style of play, and that we havent seen much of him at full strength.
James lack of size limits his upside to a certain extent, but my guess is that the further he slides out of the lottery, the more temping he will become for NBA teams. His game elicits numerous pro comparisons, from Travis Best to Jamal Tinsley. If he can add a consistent outside shot, his stock is only going to rise. 1st Team All-America is a legitimate possibility, and a deep NCAA Tournament run probably puts James in the first round whenever he wants to declare.
When a 5-11 true point guards signature fast break move is the reverse dunk, you can bet NBA scouts are going to take notice. There is no denying James elite vertical explosiveness, and the sophomore doesnt just utilize it on breakaways. James, already blessed with a dynamite first step, plays much bigger than his listed size because he can hang in the air for acrobatic finishes around the rim and in the lane. He takes contact well around the basket, and really understands how to slash. His ability to change direction and pace, combined with a dazzling crossover move, also add to the dilemma for a defense trying to keep James out of the lane.
James isnt a consistent outside shooter just yet, but has everything in place to become very dangerous from the perimeter. Where many speedy point guards struggle with their shooting early in their NBA careers because they could get away with shooting more of a set shot against dishonest college defenses, James already gets a ton of elevation on his shot. He needs to firm up the consistency of his release, but one reason for the low percentage a season ago was the tendency for the ball to be in his hands as the shot clock expired. Still, James can probably cut out a few of the contested 3-pointers.
As a point guard, James is a point guard that the entire defense must keep an eye on. Missed shots are especially dangerous, as James is an excellent rebounder for his size and can strike quickly in transition through open court passing or pure ball-in-hand speed. Marquette really doesnt have to worry about full court pressure, as James is the type of point guard that can slice through traps and presses with ease. His ball-handling gets a little sloppy at times, but this is certainly a byproduct of moving at such high speeds. As a passer, he does a good job of playing under control and limiting his mistakes. Marquettes offense didnt flow as well as it could have a season ago, with James having a tendency to overdribble at times. However, James shows great court vision on penetrate and kick plays once he gets into the lane.
Defensively, James isnt putting his athletic gifts to good use just yet. Tom Crean often used defensive specialist and fellow sophomore Jerel McNeal to guard particularly dangerous floor generals, allowing James to focus on help defense and get his wind back for the next offensive possession. Nonetheless, James outstanding lateral quickness and quick hands should allow him to develop into an outstanding ball pressure-type defender down the road.
On the whole, James freshman season was downright scary good. His presence was a major reason for Steve Novaks abrupt emergence as an NBA prospect, and Marquette wouldnt have been close to an NIT bid without James, let alone an NCAA berth. It is also important to keep in mind that James really wore down over the second half of the season, due to his reckless style of play, and that we havent seen much of him at full strength.
James lack of size limits his upside to a certain extent, but my guess is that the further he slides out of the lottery, the more temping he will become for NBA teams. His game elicits numerous pro comparisons, from Travis Best to Jamal Tinsley. If he can add a consistent outside shot, his stock is only going to rise. 1st Team All-America is a legitimate possibility, and a deep NCAA Tournament run probably puts James in the first round whenever he wants to declare.