Dallas Lauderdale

Walker Beeken

The Ohio State Buckeyes put together a strong season in 2009-2010, winning the Big Ten Tournament and earning a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, before eventually falling in the Sweet 16. They'll strive for similar results this season, and they'll need a solid season from senior Dallas Lauderdale to make it happen. Lauderdale will need to grow in a few key areas this season to help the Buckeyes' reach their potential, and to establish himself as a legitimate prospect for the 2011 NBA Draft.

At 6'8”, 260 pounds, with a freakishly long wingspan, Lauderdale started at the center position for Ohio State last season in a four out, one in system where he was surrounded by perimeter players. As the team's lone big man, he was clearly the fifth option offensively, with his touches limited mainly to dump offs around the basket and offensive rebound opportunities. He made the most of his shot attempts, however, leading all players in our database shooting an incredible 77.3% from the field. Lauderdale's offensive game is still very raw at this point though. He is a horrendous free throw shooter (40.7% last season) and his face up game is nonexistent. His post moves are limited as well, but he has started to develop a basic jump hook with decent touch, which he seems to be comfortable shooting turning to either shoulder and using either hand.

Lauderdale is a much more intriguing prospect on the defensive end. He has a big, strong frame and a tremendous wingspan that allows him to defend players much taller than him in the post. He also blocked 3.5 shots per forty minutes pace adjusted last season, which ranked him 13th of all players in our database. The obstacle Lauderdale will face on this end as a pro is which position he'll be able to defend. Although he does play much taller than his 6'8, it may be a stretch for him to guard some of the bigger centers in the NBA in the paint at times. And while he does have good feet and runs the floor pretty well for a guy his size, he doesn't possess the lateral quickness to cover face up power forwards.

The biggest concern when evaluating Lauderdale as a prospect are his underwhelming rebounding numbers. He averaged a paltry 8.5 rebounds per forty minutes pace adjusted last season, despite having all of the physical tools to be dominant on the glass. This will be the most important area to watch him this season, as a player with his lack of polish offensively has to be a top notch rebounder in order to find a niche at the NBA level. Much of the problem with Lauderdale comes down to simply playing with more energy. He has just an average motor and his conditioning level is also questionable, which prevents him from being as active as he needs to be going after rebounds. Becoming more judicious with when to pursue weak-side blocks and when to stay home could help as well.

This will be Lauderdale's last season to impress NBA scouts, and he'll have to make strides to show that he's a legit NBA player. We've seen there is a place in the NBA for undersized big men with limited offensive skills who can block shots, but those who have succeeded have also been great energy guys and beasts on the glass. More likely than not, Lauderdale is a guy we'll be seeing at Portsmouth this upcoming April.

Kyle Nelson

Dallas Lauderdale is a relative unknown in scouting circles, though, he was a starter for most of last season and was considered to be the defensive anchor for the 22-11 Ohio State Buckeyes. He has backed up Kosta Koufos and shared time with B.J. Mullens during their brief stays in Columbus and, despite seeing his minutes nearly quadruple last season, still commands just 7.1% of his team's offensive possessions. With Mullens now fighting for minutes as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Lauderdale has a tremendous opportunity this season to prove himself in an even bigger role this season.

Standing just 6'8, Lauderdale is undersized for a power forward, let alone a center, at the next level. He compensates for his lack of height, however, with a gigantic wingspan that is reputed to be over 7'6, and an incredibly strong 255-pound frame. While Lauderdale runs the floor well, he is just an average athlete, lacking the lateral quickness and agility to stay with perimeter oriented big men and the lift to play consistently above the rim.

His offensive game improved last season, but he is still very raw and has a lot of work to do to convince scouts that he will be able to contribute at the next level. He is still very limited in the post, but his footwork is developing and he has incorporated some nice, albeit simple, moves into his repertoire. He has a good, soft touch inside and though most of his offense consists of catch-and-dunks and put-backs, he definitely could add a reliable jump hook or baby hook in the next year. He lacks counter-moves, though, which is not only symbolic of his need to become more comfortable using his left hand, but also results in him being foul prone and turnover prone when he tries to do too much.

Outside of the post, he is still extremely awkward, although he does move much better without the ball, and, considering his size and flashes he showed throughout last season, he could develop into a reliable finisher on pick-and-roll opportunities.

On the defensive end, he is a mixed bag, primarily because he is a center in a power forward's body. His wingspan and good timing allow him to be a good shot blocker on the collegiate level, as does his above average quickness in the post. He alters many shots, as well, and is an intimidating presence in the post. That said, he oftentimes compromises his defensive positioning looking for shots to block and while recovering, commits unnecessary fouls.

Even more concerning is the fact that he is not nearly as active as he could be on the defensive end. This is evident while looking at his rebounding ability. For a player with his physical advantage at the collegiate level, 7.2 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted is simply not good enough. Last year, he grabbed just 3.6 rebounds per 21.5 minutes and most of those rebounds are in his immediate vicinity. Increasing his defensive intensity would increase his stock in scouts' eyes, not to mention solidify his playing time and impact in the Ohio State frontcourt.

With questions about his size and position, not to mention how raw he is on both ends of the floor, Lauderdale is anything but a sure-fire NBA prospect at this point. He has reportedly working very hard this off-season, though, and may still be able to make significant strides on his all-around game. His combination of length, strength, and shot blocking ability are nearly unrivaled at the collegiate level and if the rest of his game continues to develop, scouts will certainly take notice.