Jared Dudley

Limited early on by foul trouble and sparse playing time before we arrived in Orlando, Jared Dudley seemed to have saved his best for the final three games that we personally took in after arriving from Las Vegas. We saw one of the most skilled and confident rookies of any of the first round picks, a player who looks ready to step in and get serious playing time from day one with the Bobcats.

If you saw Dudley play in college, then you have a pretty good idea of how he played in the summer league as well. The only differences would be in the way his body looks and the fact that he’s expanded his shooting range considerably over the past 3-4 months. Dudley has lost at least 20 pounds since his BC days and is now in absolutely phenomenal shape. This has helped his lateral quickness considerably, and he indeed did a fine job throughout the camp defending the small forward position with his typical intensity and fundamental play. Putting the ball on the floor, Dudley looked noticeably quicker in his initial first step, and is now more adept at getting off the ground and finishing thanks to his improved leaping ability and body control. If the lane was too clogged, Dudley showed no problem pulling up off the dribble for a mid-range jumper, or hitting a spot-up 3-pointer from NBA range. To round out his game, Dudley also contributed his typical toughness and intensity on the glass.

It will be interesting to see if Dudley will be able to crack Charlotte’s rotation this year, since they could very well be the most stacked team in the NBA now at his position. Dudley will have to show that he can defend NBA caliber small forwards to do so, as well as display his improved perimeter shooting stroke once training camp begins.

Our staff’s unanimous MVP, Jared Dudley embodies exactly the type of underrated role-player that NBA teams can seek out here to help them win games. He did a terrific job showing off the many facets of his game, crashing the boards with 14 rebounds in 40 minutes over the last two games, pushing the ball up the floor with terrific poise, dishing out some excellent assists, playing very smart, tough defense at the small forward position, and shooting the ball extremely well from 18-22 feet out. He played unselfish, winning basketball—shooting 60% from the field and 89% from the free throw line—showing outstanding leadership skills amongst his teammates and carrying Team Four on his back late in the last game when they needed some clutch points to pull off the victory. As it turns out, he didn’t lead the strongest conference in America in points and rebounds while shooting 56% from the field and 44% from behind the arc and dishing out 3 assists per game for nothing. Who would have thought?

While most ACC player of the year award winners wouldn’t come anywhere this event if not for the physical only portion of the camp, Dudley was here showing NBA executives how he can be of service to them next year. He certainly has his limitations—shot-creating ability, a lack of explosiveness around the rim, lateral quickness—but to his credit, he is very much aware of them and wants to be drafted by a team where he can minimize them in an effort to compliment other players and win games. He clearly has the basketball IQ to do so, already having “figured out” how to get the most of his skills. Now that he’s figured out that he needs to abandon the college mentality of outmuscling the competition to outquicking them (he’s already lost over 12 pounds), he’s already improving his physical attributes, with even more room to go. His teammate Craig Smith at Boston College was underappreciated by draft gurus (DraftExpress included) similarly exactly one year ago, and went onto be one of the best rookies in the NBA this past season. We learned our lesson not to dismiss the non-prototypes even if they don’t physically look exactly like most NBA superstars…will NBA GMs do the same?

Jared Dudley started off this game slow, not doing much for the first 37 minutes of the game, but he really came on strong with 3 minutes to go, going on a tear and really making an impact in many ways for his team in what was a very close game. Dudley started off the game by making a few offensive rebounds, scoring off one and missing off the other. He had a nice cut into the lane in which he caught the ball and quickly shot a fadeaway jumper from five feet out, drawing the foul on the play as well. He made a few nice passes over the course of the game, but missed on both of his outside shot attempts leading up to the final three minutes.

In the final three minutes of the game, Dudley aggressively pursued the basketball and showed how dangerous of a player he can be. He made an extremely nice play on a left-handed drive off a cut, drawing contact and fading away for a floater from eight feet, also getting the and-1 on the play. Next he pulled up from 15 feet for a very smooth mid-range jumper, followed by a putback tip on the next possession. Finally, he secured an offensive rebound with 15 seconds to go with his team up one, securing the game for his team. He crashed the boards aggressively throughout the game, always being amidst the crowd.

Dudley has a very good chance of being the highest player taken from this camp, and has a definite shot to go in the first round, where he would be a nice pick-up late for a team already in playoff contention every year. He has a winner’s attitude about him and his tough-nosed style of play coupled with his mid-range shooting and ability to finish at the basket and get to the free throw line will allow him to make fast contributions wherever he goes.

No, Jared Dudley doesn’t appear to have a natural NBA position. It doesn’t look like he’s worked much on his physique since the season ended. But after today’s phenomenal performance, it is fairly obvious that he will find a place in the NBA. His predecessor at Boston College, Craig Smith, had a phenomenal year in Minnesota and Dudley brings much of the same court savvy and experience to the table.

Dudley positively impacted the game nearly every time he touched the ball, whether it was finding teammates with beautiful passes (the 1 assist he was credited with in the box score is flat out wrong), hitting the glass with reckless abandon, always making the right decision on whether to take off up the court on his own or fire off a crisp outlet pass, or knocking down the open jumper with ease. Dudley is clearly on a different level in terms of his understanding of the game, and even though his team didn’t always get him looks in the halfcourt, Dudley found a way to make his presence felt.

Dudley is going to be the type of player that every successful team needs. He might not blow anybody away with any fancy individual skill, but the remarkable efficiency with which he seeks out small ways to contribute and converts is going to get him drafted, perhaps in the first round.

7 points in 17 minutes on three field goal attempts was probably not the way Jared Dudley wanted to finish his first game, but considering the incredibly poor level of play that was displayed by virtually everyone on the floor, it probably wasn’t all that bad. To his credit, he did look very smart and skilled in the drills this morning. In the actual game, Dudley was pretty vocal amongst his teammates, taking the ball to the basket and finishing in transition. He also swished an NBA 3-pointer when left open. His shot-creating skills didn’t look great, but he didn’t necessarily force the issue. Defensively, he did a nice job. Considering that he led the ACC in rebounds while standing 6-7, we tend to think that him only grabbing one rebound today should be an aberration.

Dudley once again showed those who were in attendance why he was such a celebrated player in the ACC. Nothing Dudley did was spectacular, but he was able to read the court and create plays for himself and teammates.

Dudley scored the ball on a couple of plays from his preferred elbow position and fed the ball around the perimeter, even lobbing a nice entry pass on occasion into a cutting teammate for the easy bucket.

Dudley is down 10 pounds since the season ended according to what he told us, from 229 to 219. Considering his size and relative lack of athleticism, he will almost certainly need to play quite a bit of small forward, meaning that getting into tip-top shape is an absolute necessity. He still has another 8-10 pounds he can shed off his frame before the draft rolls around from what we can tell, and it should help him get quicker and more explosive on both ends of the floor.

Dudley was one of the more impressive guys we’ve seen in shooting drills so far. His mechanics are excellent, featuring a high release point well above his head and a very nice following through. The most important thing here is that his shot looks identical every single time he shoots it, and so do the results for the most part. Dudley barely missed on the one-dribble pull-ups, showing great footwork, terrific touch and the utmost confidence in himself. He hit about 80% of his college 3-pointers (36/45), and a scintillating 38/50 NBA 3-pointers (76%).

In the one on one drills against Marcus Williams his weaknesses began to come out, though. Williams took him off the dribble with ease for the most part, exposing his lack of lateral quickness and biting too often for the series of pump-fakes and jab-steps he threw his way. Offensively he attempted to create his own shot off the dribble exclusively rather than taking advantage of the strength advantage he has on him in the post, which revealed his average first step.

Dudley did not have the benefit of a five on five setting (he went home before the second day) to show off the strengths that make him such a unique player, including his passing, rebounding, back to the basket skills, and overall feel for the game. He is a player that thrives in the team setting and needs shots created for him, freeing him up to do all the little things for his team. His numbers—19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 55% FG and 44% 3P—speak for themself, and it will be interesting to see how he translates his floor game to the unique setting of the Orlando pre-draft camp. He’s a guy that won’t jump off the page at you unless you really watch him closely to take in all the different things he brings to the table.

It was a slow start for Jared Dudley against Texas Tech, but his effort in the game went far beyond the numbers. Foul trouble was a key factor for him throughout the day—with 3 fouls in the first half-- but his effort down the stretch was essential in Boston College getting past a tough Texas Tech team.

Though Dudley has displayed the ability to step out and hit the three point shot this season, he struggled to get it going from the perimeter against the Red Raider’s defense. He started the game with a strong power move down on the block, but was immediately tagged with an offensive foul. He was able to make a back to the basket move and score a couple possessions later, but generally struggled to find his touch.

In the second half, Dudley started strong, scoring on an offensive rebound tip-in, and making a beautiful pass to a cutting teammate. The perimeter game never appeared for him today, and he missed a couple of outside looks badly. His inside game was dominant however. Dudley scored a number of his points by receiving the ball in the post, where he is a threat to either face up or back his way to the basket. The combination of footwork, ball handling, power, and touch all came together for Dudley, giving him the edge any time he touched the ball in the second half.

When it comes to the NBA, Dudley will be thought of as a tweener, but he has displayed the ability to shoot the three and handle the ball this season. Though he displayed his array of skills inside today, it will be important for him to get his perimeter game going for the next round of the NCAA tournament.

Dudley came into this game with only 22 made 3-pointers under his belt all season, but that didn’t stop him from knocking down 4 of his 5 attempts to lift his percentages into the 50% range on the year. He picked his spots beautifully and found open spaces on the floor from which to get his shot off all game long despite being the clear focal point of the defense, moving off the ball with precision, setting and using screens intelligently and always being in the right place at the right time to make a productive play. He showed why he’s ranked the 2nd best rebounder in the ACC right now, coming away with 7 offensive boards and converting many of them instantly into two points off a tip-in or put-back. Dudley has massive hands and is terrific at using his body to box players out off the block, and his super high basketball IQ and outstanding instincts do the rest in terms of getting the job done.

In the half-court offense, Dudley is never going to wow you, but he just makes plays and always sets the tempo for his team. He likes to set up with his back to the basket and use his excellent footwork to create contact and spin off his man towards the hoop, showing great touch and awareness to convert smoothly off the glass, and drawing plenty of fouls in the process. Facing the basket, he’s terrific at using pump-fakes to get his man in the air and then take the ball to the cup, usually to pull up off the dribble for a nice looking mid-range jumper. He is severely lacking in the first step department and really does not like to put the ball on the floor that often, but is actually a pretty good ball-handler when he has some space to maneuver around defenses. His lack of athleticism is obviously a hindrance here, though.

Coming off screens, Dudley has become very good at knocking down shots with his feet set, showing excellent shooting mechanics even if his release isn’t super quick. If the perimeter is too crowded, he won’t stop moving off the ball and will look for a seam in the defense to cut backdoor instead. He’s a patient guy who doesn’t force a thing and gets every point of production well within the flow of the offense. His best attribute as a player might actually be his passing, coming up at right around 3.3 assists for the third season in a row, which tells you a little bit about just how smart he is.

Generally speaking, Dudley is not exactly the prototype NBA scouts look for in a small forward. He’s pretty slow and there are major question marks about his ability to create offense for himself off the dribble or defend his position. With that said, there is certainly a place for someone who understands his role and is capable of being a skilled role player in a structured system. His intangibles are off the charts both in the way he carries himself on the court and especially his work ethic and attitude off it, always being described as an absolute basketball junkie and an outstanding teammate. There’s also something to be said for a guy who has put up huge numbers in arguably the best conference in America over the course of four years, and has won plenty of games in the process. If he lands in the right situation, don’t be surprised if he ends up having a Ryan Gomes-type impact in the pros. His weaknesses are pretty obvious on first glance and he won’t blow anyone away with his upside, but he’s the type of player playoff teams need to help win games, and is ready to step in and produce from day one.

During his first three years at Boston College, Jared Dudley established himself as one of the most difficult matchups in the NCAA at the forward position. Entering his senior year, he not only has to take over his team’s leading role after Craig Smith finished his career at BC, but he also needs to show NBA scouts that his game will translate to the next level. After averaging 16.7 PPG last year, Dudley will probably need to score even more now, and will almost certainly need to quickly adjust to being a focal point of defensive efforts from opposing teams. He will have a chance to show even more passing skills than last season (3.2 assists per game), since without Craig Smith it will now be him who should draw double teams on nightly basis. Thanks to his very advanced interior passing game, players like Sean Williams or John Oates should get plenty of easy lay-ups or dunks.

But for now there are more questions than clear answers regarding his NBA future. And it isn't always Dudley's fault - part of the problem is the system and size of BC’s team. With so many teams starting 3-guards, a player like Dudley who is 6'7 and weighed around 240 pounds last year had a clear size advantage at the Small Forward spot. His size, as well as his aggressive and physical style of play, allows him to post-up smaller defenders and score the majority of his points from inside the paint. Is it successful? Absolutely. Will he be able to play the same way in NBA? Most likely not. Without being a Corliss Williamson-type player, it's impossible to imagine that a 6'7 Small Forward can find a niche in the NBA operating mostly inside the paint.

If Jared Dudley wants to be considered a serious NBA Draft prospect, he has to show more perimeter skills in this upcoming season. For now he is a consistent mid-range shooter and can also hit spot-up 3-pointers on a decent percentage (35% last season), but on a low number of attempts (under one make per game). He has a high release point on his jumper, but probably isn't ready yet to shoot consistently from the NBA 3-point line, particularly when off-balance. He also rarely beats his opponent off the dribble, mostly because of his lack of quickness and average ball-handling skills. He also has problems on the defensive end – he is not quick enough chasing opposing players through screens or staying in front of them in man to man. He usually works hard on both ends of the floor and rarely takes plays off, but he clearly isn't athletic enough in defending the perimeter, and just like on the offensive end, he looks much more comfortable when operating closer to the basket.

It would be a surprise to see Al Skinner changing Dudley's role on offense, after it worked so well over the last few years. So we can expect to again see him destroying smaller and/or weaker defenders and operating mostly around the rim. In this case, a good showing at pre-draft camps and private workouts, where he will have a chance to demonstrate his legit perimeter game, will be crucial for him. The news out of BC this offseason says that Dudley has lost close to 20 pounds, which is an interesting development to follow.

Dudley is a talented forward who started his collegiate career as more of a power forward, but is slowly moving his game out to the perimeter. His outside shot has improved greatly over the past two years, and his three point field goal percentage is up to 34% this season. To really attract the attention of NBA scouts, Dudley will need to further develop his ball handling skills, and keep working on his perimeter shot. He is not a superb athlete, but makes up for this with the way he contributes in other parts of the game, mainly his toughness.

In the NCAA tournament, Dudley will be asked to create more shots for himself than he’d probably prefer, but will be able to do so because of the fact that he plays heavy minutes at the power forward position going up against players that are slower than him. When Boston College goes big with Smith at the 4 and Williams at the 5, look for Dudley to use his back to the basket game facing up with smaller players. If Dudley can constantly be a match-up problem for the opposition during the NCAA tournament, it will vastly improve Boston College’s chances of winning games. Dudley is a smart player and a hard worker, and though it’s tough to see him be anything better than a second round pick at this point because of his average perimeter skills and athletic ability. Another summer of polish could greatly help Jared Dudley’s draft stock going into the 2006-2007 season.