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Daniel Ewing NBA Draft Scouting Report

Daniel Ewing NBA Draft Scouting Report
Jun 04, 2005, 04:01 pm
Strengths
Ewing has excellent physical attributes for the PG position. This makes him an intriguing player for NBA teams if they think he can fit into their system and be molded into what they need him to be. Ewing very good size to play the point (if he can make the transition) at 6-3 and a nice body to go along with it. Athletically, he is extremely solid, possessing a very good combination of strength, quickness, a good first step to go along with a solid and quick vertical leap.

Offensively, Ewing is very good at putting the ball on the floor (sometimes after a strong crossover) and using his athleticism to get to the rim. He is an extremely tough player and can therefore get to the basket, take off (displaying nice body control) and finish strong even after taking contact. What makes Ewing even more interesting is that he compliments his slashing ability with a pretty good outside shot. His mechanics are solid, he gets good (and quick) elevation on his shot, with a solid release, and he can hit it off the dribble or after pulling up from mid-range. He's not a deadeye shooter at this point, but he has plenty of potential to be very solid in this area.

Defensively, Ewing is a tough and hard nosed player who has all the physical tools needed to shut down his man. At times this year he showed great potential in this area, but like many parts of his game, nothing was consistent. He has quick hands and is good at getting in the passing lanes, but sometimes abuses this and leaves his team hanging.

Ewing is a fiery competitor who always leaves everything he has out on the court. He plays with confidence and is not afraid of taking big shots or making mistakes. He certainly has shown the attitude and court demeanor of an NBA player. This was his first year playing the point full time, and Ewing did a pretty good job for the most part with all things considered.

Weaknesses
Ewing's biggest weakness is the fact that he was played as an off guard in his first three seasons of college. Even this past season, he did not log all of his minutes strictly at the point, and it was no secret that Coach K wasn't exactly ecstatic with the job he was doing running the team. Indeed, he is more of a combo guard now more than anything who loves to score, lacking the playmaking instincts that most pure PG's have in the NBA.

His ball-handling skills are good enough to play PG at the NCAA level, but will need some work to be an NBA PG. More than anything, though, it's his decision making that needs to improve the most for him to really stick in the league. For one his shot selection can be downright awful at times, showing no conscious regarding pulling up and jacking up a shot early in the possession even if he isn't really open. He also has a tendency to force the issue when it comes to getting to the basket, lowering his shoulder and bullying his way into the lane while not showing great vision off the dribble to utilize the drive and dish effectively. Turnovers were often an issue for him this past season, as was consistency. Ewing will have to learn to play within himself to make an impact at the next level.

His shot can be very streaky at times. Ewing shot just under 35% from behind the college arc this past year, on a huge number of attempts. That probably has more to do with the fact that he has trouble recognizing the difference between a good and a bad shot, because he really is a good shooter. The three seasons prior when Ewing was played off the ball, he averaged 41%, 40.6% and 46.7% from behind the arc. The fact that Duke's system didn't utilize him as a true PG, and he was often used off the ball didn't seem to help him realize what his true role on the team was. He always wanted the ball in his hands, though, and can get a little bit cranky at times when he doesn't get it.

While he has the tools to be a great defender, especially the size, strength, and athletic ability, that wasn't always the case for him. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that Duke's extremely short bench and numerous injuries last season meant that Ewing rarely left the floor, and therefore needed to conserve some injury by taking off possessions on the defensive end.

Competition
Ewing played on arguably the #1 team in college basketball over the past four seasons, the Duke Blue Devils. He contributed solid minutes (18 per game) in his freshman season, and over the next two got plenty of playing time with 28 and then 30.6 minutes per game, mostly as a role player. In his senior year he was named the starting PG of the team and logged almost 35 minutes per game. He had his ups and downs this past season, but all in all had a good year. His team reached the Sweet 16 and lost there to Michigan State, with Ewing having a pretty poor game in terms of running his team and getting everyone involved (see links).

Outlook
Ewing is automatically eligible as an NCAA senior and looks like a pretty safe bet to get drafted somewhere in the 2nd round. A lot will depend on how he plays at the Chicago pre-draft camp to establish just how high he can end up.



Facts
2003-2004: Played alongside Bucks' guard TJ Ford in the backcourt for his Texas-based high school team, which also featured Baylor's Kenny Taylor; Was named the 2003 ACC Tournament's Most Valuable Player as a sophomore after he averaged 20.7 points a game and led Duke to its fifth consecutive ACC championship.

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