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Trevor Booker profile
Drafted #23 in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Wizards
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
Weight: 236 lbs (107 kg)
Position: PF
High School: Union County High School (South Carolina)
Hometown: Whitmire, SC
College: Clemson
Current Team: The Money Team
Win - Loss: 0 - 1

Articles

NCAA Weekly Performers, 2/19/10

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Joey Whelan
Joey Whelan
Feb 19, 2010, 08:17 am
Kyle Nelson

Going into the new season, Trevor Booker was a borderline first round pick with an expanding skill set. Booker and Clemson went into the year with high expectations and a challenging schedule to match. Despite assuming a greater load of the offense and adding new aspects to his game, Booker may not be having quite the type of season that scouts expected, as his numbers have stagnated or regressed in many key areas. His shooting efficiency inside and outside the arc, free throw percentages and rebounding have fallen off quite a bit, while his assist numbers have risen as opposing teams have made it a point to try and shut him down. Now, as Clemson sits 18-7, firmly on the NCAA bubble, Booker must continue to take advantage of any opportunity to improve upon what has been an up-and-down senior season.

Booker is just 6’7, but he has excellent length and strength, which suggests that his transition to the next level should be smoother than expected from undersized post players. Similarly, his explosiveness and quickness in the open floor will help him overcome his lack of size at the next level. Though undersized big men have done well in the NBA lately, and Booker’s athleticism helps his case significantly, but he still must prove to scouts he has what it takes to operate as a power forward at the next level.

Booker’s offense this season reveals considerable questions, impressive improvement and yet untapped potential. According to Synergy Sports Technology, 35% of Booker’s offense comes on post up plays, something that is probably not all that likely to translate over to the NBA. Though his post repertoire is still limited to more basic moves with few countermoves and his touch is somewhat suspect, he continues to get to the rim by utilizing his athleticism, strength, and improving ball-handling abilities.

Also of note is how he has cut down on his turnover rate impressively, passing out of the post very well when he encounters double teams. His slow, but continued improvement throughout his four years at Clemson, combined with his toughness, suggests that he can continue to improve, though his ability to score against bigger and more athletic players at his size is still a very significant question mark.


Despite being tougher and more athletic than most post players at the collegiate level, Booker has become far more perimeter-oriented and somewhat less efficient on the offensive end. Though his 3-point shooting numbers are down to an unsightly 26.9%, his form is much improved, far more fluid and quick than in past seasons, suggesting that he could develop into a solid shooting option at the next level from inside of the NBA three point line. He also looks considerably more adept on pick and pop plays from mid-range.

Evaluating his ability to attack matchups off the dribble, he appears to have improved as well, looking eager to beat opponents with his terrific first step. Unfortunately, for as much as he has improved his ball handling abilities through the course of his career, he is still not that efficient in this area, looking overly ambitious at times, turning over the ball over in iso situations, not getting quality looks at the basket, and not drawing contact at the rim. Similarly, he does not seem to know his limits, as he lacks the offensive polish and basketball IQ at this point to be a prolific slasher at this level or in the NBA.

All things considered, though, Booker’s improvements from the perimeter as a shot-creator and jump-shooter should be duly noted, despite the fact that it’s hurt his efficiency numbers in the process.

On the defensive end, it is much of the same for Booker, which is both good and bad. While his awareness could always stand to improve, he continues to assert himself defensively and work hard whether he is playing inside or outside.

Despite his outstanding athleticism, which allows him to impact the defense in a variety of ways, his lack of height is still concerning, as he continues to have trouble guarding bigger and more athletic players inside and out. Most troubling, however, is his decreased rebounding numbers, and though he stills grabs 10.4 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted, he must continue to work hard on the boards and use his athleticism and fundamentals to beat bigger players to the ball—something that will be more difficult in the NBA. While his effort-level or toughness will never be questioned, his lack of size continues to be a significant question mark that complicates his draft position.

This season has been a telling one for Booker. He has improved in some areas while stagnating in others. He has improved his scoring numbers, but has struggled for stretches against inferior competition. Nonetheless, he is an interesting prospect, certainly a player with the potential to play in the NBA.

Though his size definitely is an obstacle that he must overcome and he must figure out how to adept accordingly in the post on both ends of the floor, players with Booker’s aggressiveness and athleticism have found success at the next level, often in a huge way. Scouts will be watching to see if Booker can put Clemson on his shoulders in the final stages of his college career and prove that he has what it takes to win games.

USA Basketball Junior National Teams Tryouts: Top Performers

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Jun 20, 2009, 10:04 pm
Somewhat up and down from session to session, Booker was still the most aggressive and athletic big man on either roster, and was able to make quite an impression with the outstanding combination of intensity and toughness he brings to the table—coming up with a number of emphatic blocks and dunks. Despite being severely undersized for the power forward position, Booker makes up for his shortcomings in the height department by just playing much harder than everyone else. He brings a level of physicality to the game that NBA teams crave these days, on the defensive end in particularly, and despite his tendency to force the issue from time to time offensively, the reckless abandon he shows wins you over eventually. On top of that, his ability to take his defender off one or two bounces from the high post seems to be improving, and he even made a couple of mid-range jumpers from time to time.

NCAA Tournament Performers, 3/25/09- Part One

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Joey Whelan
Joey Whelan
Mar 25, 2009, 02:59 am
After steady freshman and sophomore seasons, Trevor Booker finally took the next step with his game as a Junior, stepping up to lead his team in scoring, playing more minutes, upping his production and efficiency across the board, and showing an increased skill level as well.

Looking at his offensive game, Booker didn’t really make great strides in any one particular area, but he did take baby steps with almost every aspect of his game, showing flashes of improvement everywhere. The first place this is evident is with his jump shot, where Booker looks more comfortable and fluid with his mechanics this season, showing better consistency in his motions as well. While not a huge staple of his offense (1.9 possessions per game according to Synergy Sports Technology), Booker shows flashes of the ability to score in pick-and-pop situations, while even showing some three-point range (9-for-22 on the season).

Booker’s shooting form has a noticeable hitch at the beginning of his shot, as he brings the ball above his shoulder prior to shooting, but he’s consistent with his motion and his release speed is adequate, so it’s not something that poses a long-term problem. When he has time to spot up, Booker’s mechanics are quite good, the only problem being a slight tendency to not hold his follow through. Things fall apart, however, when he’s shooting off the dribble or being rushed by a defender, with his mechanics becoming increasingly sloppy. Booker also made some nice strides at the free-throw line this season, up to 71% from 57%, an encouraging sign for the future. Continuing to develop his spot-up jumper and ability to thrive in the pick-and-pop game will be critical for his long-term success, and this season’s improvements are very encouraging.

Booker does the majority of his damage in the painted area, where he does a lot of work with his back to the basket, even though his post game is still pretty raw. Booker relies predominantly on his physical attributes to get it done in the post, being very physical both in establishing position and backing his man down, relying mostly on power spins from deep on the block. When he gets outside of the five feet range, Booker mostly relies on his left-handed hook shot, which he has inconsistent success with, seeing how he rushes many of his attempts, often barely glancing at the basket and seemingly just throwing the ball in the general direction. Booker’s footwork is passable enough to get by when on an island, but he struggles to execute moves when double-teamed. To his credit, however, he does a very good job of recognizing when the double teams are coming, and shows good court vision and passing ability on kick-outs to behind the three-point line.

Because of his size and lack of polish, it’s questionable how big of a post threat Booker could be in the pros, but where he is most dangerous is finishing off the ball, taking advantage of his outstanding explosiveness, mobility, and hands, finishing off pick-and-rolls, offensive rebounds, off-ball cuts, and by leaking out in transition. He shows pretty good creativity and body control at the rim despite the fact that he has no right hand to speak of, something he should be highly focused on developing.

On the defensive end, Booker has made some nice strides this season, showing better attentiveness and activity levels consistently, often playing at the head of Clemson’s unorthodox press attack. Booker uses his length and agility to make a lot of plays, as evidenced by his high steal and block numbers. In the post, Booker plays a very physical game with a decent fundamental base, bodying up the opposition early to try and negate his height disadvantage. On the perimeter, Booker is often matched up with wings and even small guards, and while he doesn’t show the lateral quickness to keep up with them, he does a respectable job, clearly having excellent mobility for his position. He’s a bit too upright in his perimeter stance, however, and his fundamentals here could definitely use some work to maximize his abilities.

There are some rumblings that Booker could test his stock in the draft this season, which makes sense given that he’s a junior with nothing to lose, however it’s expected he’d return to school unless he’s guaranteed a first round pick, as his younger brother, Devin, is committed to join Clemson next season. With the recent success of players like Jason Maxiell and Paul Millsap, Booker’s chances in the pros seem to be improved, as he’s a super-athletic player who makes an impact in many areas of the game, as evidenced by his high PER and EFF/40 (ranked 14th and 10th in our database respectively). Talent evaluators will likely be attracted to the learning curve he’s shown this season, however it might be best for his long term development if he returned to school to continue developing his game.

Top NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC (Part Three: #11-15)

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Joey Whelan
Joey Whelan
Oct 16, 2008, 12:04 am
Trevor Booker is one of most feared presences on both sides of the ball in the ACC. His numbers don’t exactly support such a statement, but his combination of strength, hustle, and athleticism make him a tremendous factor on the low block. Last season did not look spectacular by the numbers, as Booker’s 11.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 1.9 bpg were not significant improvements from his freshman year. He did, however, increase his versatility on the offensive end. If he wants to get a shot playing at the next level, as he is very undersized for the NBA post, he must continue to improve his offensive skill set and work on optimizing his awareness on both sides of the ball.

Even though Booker is undersized for an NBA power forward, he brings a lot to the table physically and athletically. He is 6’7, yes, but at 240 pounds with a 7-foot plus wingspan and very good leaping ability, he is a top-tier athlete at this level.

Thus, it should not be very surprising to learn that Booker’s offensive game very much relies on power and physicality. Nothing he does is particularly creative or good-looking, but he gets the job done, most of the time with his back to the basket. He is good at getting position in the post and has the instincts to kick it out or turn around and take it to the basket. His best weapon at this point is his jump-hook, which he sometimes has trouble getting over taller competition due to his lack of height, but its his go to move, if he has one, in the post.

He has shown some face-up ability in the past by either taking a spot-up jumpshot or using a fake to get his man in the air and then take it to the basket, usually with his left hand. Neither is particularly effective at this point because of his lack of ball handling ability as well as his poor shooting form. He has a very exaggerated hitch in his jumpshot, so much so that he often shoots the ball on the way down, which hinders his ability to shoot over taller defenders. His release doesn’t help either as it is fairly deliberate. If he wants a shot at the next level, he should look to players like Jason Maxiell, Udonis Haslem or even Othello Hunter as inspiration as he must get a consistent set shot and continue to work on expanding his low post offensive repertoire. Put-backs and set-shots won’t cut it at the next level. At this point, he is still raw, but seems like he has a good deal more to learn and is still quite young.

Defensively, Booker shows potential, but has a lot of improvements to make before he can say that he is ready for the next level. He is an outstanding shotblocker, possessing the athleticism and timing to be a menace around the rim. He sometimes can be a tad overzealous, leading to fouls and balls hurtling towards the crowd rather than into the hands of teammates, but the tools are certainly there for him be one of the nation’s best. He shows solid lateral quickness, too, and can guard face-up power forwards out on the perimeter.

He needs to maintain focus, though, and watch out for spot shooters such as Kyle Singler, who was able to get his shot off whenever he wanted because of Booker’s lack of focus and lapses in awareness. He is going to have trouble staying in front of quicker and bigger NBA power forwards in the post because of his lack of size and poor technique. As a rebounder, though, he is very good, as he grabbed 7.3 boards per 26.6 minutes last season, most of the time relying on his quickness and athleticism under the basket, rather than on consistent fundamentals.

Booker is a tough player to evaluate. He plays with high intensity most of the minutes he is on the floor, and despite his lack of skill in some areas, makes up for it in energy, hustle, and tenacity. The problem is that he is only 6’7 and projects as a full-time post player at the next level. The odds are sufficiently stacked against Booker and he is most definitely a four year player, but with guys like Carl Landry, Paul Millsap, and Leon Powe braving the odds to get significant minutes on winning teams, there is always hope. The key is really for Booker to increase his versatility and show scouts that he has the skill, and not just the hustle, to play at the next level.

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