SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Utah Jazz selected Tennessee Tech guard Kevin Murphy on Thursday night with the 47th overall pick in the NBA draft.
Jun 292012
Jun 282012
In what we all call the NBA, and what some call the “no defense league,” elite scoring is one of the, if not the, most valuable skills when evaluating a draft prospects value.
This year, in the 2012 draft class, there are a number of prospects who are considered to be truly elite scorers.
From the well-known guard out of Florida, Bradley Beal, to the lesser-known guard out of Tennessee Tech, Kevin Murphy, there are a number of players who are ready to make an immediate impact in the NBA based solely on their pure scoring abilities.
Ahead is a ranking of the top 15 pure scorers available in the 2012 NBA draft.
Apr 242012
The 2012 NBA draft is full of familiar faces, but there are also some diamonds in the rough that will emerge as big-time scorers at the next level.
Lottery pick, they are not, and these sleepers aren’t as well-known by most casual fans right now, but they’ll end up becoming household names before too long.
Isaiah Canaan, Point Guard, Murray State
Point guards who can dish and score are a hot commodity in the NBA.
Canaan fits the bill, and the diminutive guard out of Murray State has the game to flourish at the next level even though he played at a small school in college.
Don’t ask Canaan to dunk, but if outside shooting is your preference—46 percent from behind the arc—he’s going to become one of your favorite players to watch the next few years for the team lucky enough to see his worth.
Canaan played extensively all three years for the Racers, getting progressively better each season. During his senior campaign, he scored 19 points while doling out just under four assists per game.
Canaan will continue to grow and develop as a scoring threat from the outside and will become an elite shooter at the point guard position.
Kevin Murphy, Shooting Guard, Tennessee Tech
Another small-school prospect, Murphy proved he can score with the best of them during his four-year career with the Golden Eagles.
Murphy has the range you’re looking for when evaluating NBA shooting guards, and he can hit from anywhere on the floor inside 28 feet.
He is athletic and lithe of frame, much like Houston Rockets guard Kevin Martin, and his game resembles Martin’s as well.
Murphy improved his stats across the board every year while at Tennessee Tech, and his senior year capped off a glorious career as he scored 21 points and snagged five rebounds per game.
He may take a year or two to earn big-time minutes on an NBA roster, but Murphy will end up becoming a prolific scorer at the next level in due time.
Michael Snaer, Shooting Guard, Florida State
After suffering a letdown in his sophomore campaign Snaer improved dramatically during his junior year for the Seminoles in 2011.
Snaer won’t fool you into thinking he’s LeBron James—he isn’t a complete player like that. What he excels at is spot-shooting.
He may never become a 25-point per night kind of stud, but given the right circumstances and team, Snaer will thrive as a trailing guard who will be ready to drain three-pointers when the ball comes his way.
One of the best scenarios for Snaer would actually be to land on a team like the Miami Heat who already have guys that penetrate and dish and need spot-shooters to balance out the offense.
Snaer is a dark horse to become a big-time scorer at the next level, but he has all the talent and physical ability to make it happen.
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