| Jeff Withey |
|---|
 | | Recent Tweets |
|---|
| All Tweets | DraftExpress: Jeff Withey blocks 15.14% of the shots taken while he's on the court, according to @kenpomeroy. Davis blocks 13.95%. http://t.co/n9gknNqe
2012-03-31 09:50:06 | DraftExpress: Not just a 7-footer, but the best shot-blocker in college basketball actually (Jeff Withey). That's pretty impressive.
2012-03-31 09:44:11 | DraftExpress: He hasn't shown anything yet, but he's still a better NBA prospect than anyone we didn't write about. RT @Jason_Madson: Jeff Withey? Really?
2011-10-04 12:04:37 | DraftExpress: Top NBA Prospects in the Big 12 (#11-15) http://t.co/x5RlpmOK - Cameron Clark, Jeff Withey, Kourtney Roberson, Melvin Ejim, David Loubeau
2011-10-04 11:52:45 |
|
| Team:
Kansas, Junior
|
| Physicals | Positions | Rankings | Misc |
|---|
H: 6' 11"
W: 240 lbs
Bday: 03/07/1990
(22 Years Old)
|
Current: C
NBA: C
Possible: C
| Round: 1 Pick: 19 in 2013 Mock Draft
Rank 11 in NCAA Juniors
RSCI: 29
|
High School: Horizon
Hometown: San Diego, Calif.
|
|
Basic Per Game Statistics - Comprehensive Stats - Statistical Top 25s |
Player Page | Player Stats | Mock Draft History | Related Articles | Add to My Draft Express
| Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Big 12, Part Three (#11-15)
October 4, 2011
 | | Icon SMI |
Kyle Nelson
Jeff Withey averaged just 2.5 points per game as a sophomore at Kansas and has never scored more than eight points in a game during his career. Yet the 7-foot redshirt junior was ranked ahead of NBA lottery picks Klay Thompson and former teammates Marcus and Markieff Morris coming out of high school. Now that the Morris brothers are in the NBA, scouts will be watching to see if he can assume a larger role and live up to his significant high school hype.
Originally committed to Louisville, Withey started his college career initially at Arizona. He requested to leave the program following the abrupt retirement of Lute Olson just weeks before the start of his freshman season, but was denied. Eventually he was given his release and transferred to Kansas, where he sat out a full year and became eligible after essentially missing out on the first season and a half of his college career, something that undoubtedly set him back.
Withey looks the part of an NBA center, standing around 7'0 with an excellent wingspan and a broad-shouldered, though underdeveloped, 240-pound frame. He is a year older than most of his classmates so it will be interesting to see how much stronger he looks after another offseason of strength and conditioning in Lawrence. He is a good athlete for his size, though, both mobile and reasonably explosive around the basket.
Withey is still an extremely raw player despite going into his fourth year of college--not a surprise considering that he has only seen around 200 minutes of actual game time in his career thus far. He's never really been a part of any meaningful playing time, usually playing at the tail end of blowout wins or losses, so it is difficult to evaluate him on either side of the ball.
While watching him in the post, it is clear that Withey lacks toughness at the moment, not possessing the strength or aggressiveness needed to back his man down, often choosing to fade away from contact. His footwork is equally unrefined and untested, but he did show some basic moves from jump hooks to drop steps that, combined with his soft touch around the basket, suggest his post-game could develop with greater minutes. He struggles nearly every time he has to put the ball on the floor, however, and ranks as one of the most turnover prone centers in our database, coughing the ball up on over 22% of his possessions.
On defense, his lateral quickness seems below average and he therefore struggles significantly chasing his man onto the perimeter. Though he lacked the strength to be a factor in the post as a sophomore, he is a solid shot blocker due to his timing, showing good timing in limited minutes last season. Conversely, he is also the most foul-prone player amongst prospects in our database, averaging 6.4 fouls per 40 minutes pace adjusted, which partially explains, among many reasons, why he did not see many minutes.
Obviously, Withey has a long way to go before realizing his potential at the collegiate level. While he is very raw from a skills perspective, players in his mold are rare commodities at the professional level. Considering his pedigree, as well as Kansas' track record with developing big men, he's certainly a player worthy of keeping a close eye on. There is no doubting his intriguing physical tools, but scouts will be watching to see if he can take a significant step as a junior and contribute for the first time in his career.
 [Read Full Article]
| |
