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Darrell Arthur

Darrell Arthur profile
Drafted #27 in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Grizzlies
RCSI: 12 (2006)
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
Weight: 216 lbs (98 kg)
Position: PF
High School: South Oak Cliff High School (Texas)
Hometown: Dallas, TX
College: Kansas
Current Team: Nuggets
Win - Loss: 47 - 21

Articles

Las Vegas Summer League Day Four

Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Jul 16, 2008, 12:06 am
Arthur made a killing today, showing tremendous touch on his midrange jumper. He routinely hit a handful of catch and shoot jumpers from as far out as the college three point line. When he wasn’t floating around outside, Arthur made some nice cuts to the rim for easy dunks. He didn’t show much with his back to the basket, but did make one nice pass in traffic when he was about to have his shot blocked. He showed good mobility, and athleticism defensively, but didn’t show great dedication on the glass. On one occasion, Arthur saw a shot coming from the post and nearly jumper over his teammate to emphatically block the shot into the stands. This was the first great performance we’ve seen from Arthur offensively, and if he shows the same consistency from the perimeter that he showed today, it won’t be the last.

Blogging through Championship Week (Part Five)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Mar 18, 2008, 02:59 am
Arthur has been one of the most inconsistent draft prospects we’ve followed over the past few months, often following up one good performance with two bad ones, and then getting back on track the next game as if nothing happened. As we’ve expressed in the past when evaluating him, very few of our concerns with Arthur revolve around his physical tools or skill-set…for him, it’s all about the mental aspect of the game and whether the light bulb is on on any particular day.

In this particular game, Arthur showed up, and in a big way, to the tune of 16 points and 9 rebounds. That was huge for KU’s chances of defeating Texas in the Big 12 tournament final, particularly with Darnell Jackson rendered ineffective with foul trouble.

Arthur showed why many think so highly of him in terms of his pure talent, displaying fabulous footwork coming up with a couple of outstanding pivot moves in the post, phenomenal touch knocking down turnaround jumpers, and superb athleticism running the floor and finishing explosively inside the paint. He played a big role in picking apart Texas’ zone defense, slipping right into the sweet spot around the free throw line and either knocking down a 15-foot jumper, making a pretty post-entry pass, or moving the ball around the perimeter sharply to keep KU’s offense flowing smoothly.

Defensively, Arthur seemed to be trying to avoid the ticky-tack foul problems that have plagued him all season and played a huge role in his struggles staying on the court for Kansas. He did show very quick feet hedging screens on the perimeter, though, which is very nice to have from your power forward in today’s pick and roll infatuated NBA. Despite the 9 rebounds he pulled down, we again saw why he struggles so badly in this area, as he still suffers those mental lapses forgetting to box out his opponents. Last time we checked up on him, he ranked 79th in rebounding per 40 minutes pace adjusted. He’s now moved up to 58th, which is better, but still fairly disappointing for a player with his combination of terrific length, athleticism and hands. He’s also improved his passing and assist to turnover ratio, which is good to see.

More than most players in this draft, who already typically have a decent body of work to fall back on from the regular season, Darrell Arthur could use a strong NCAA tournament showing to quell some of the many concerns about him. If he can’t show better effort, focus and all-around consistency in what will be the most important games of his basketball career thus far, he will give decision marks some serious room for pause when it comes time to evaluate his draft stock.

NCAA Weekly Performers, 1/9/08-- Part One

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Jan 09, 2008, 03:07 am
Heralded as one of the top power forward prospects in the country coming into this season, Darrell Arthur has had a good, but not outstanding sophomore campaign so far. His minutes are up, as is his production, and his skill-set has noticeably improved, but there are parts of his game that are beginning to emerge as somewhat lacking as far as his NBA draft profile is concerned.

Arthur is still the same superb athlete he’s always been—quick off his feet, explosive, and terrific running the floor—making him a terrific weapon to have in transition, where KU thrives. He has a scoring mentality, with great hands and a hunger for the basketball, and has added some bulk to his lanky frame, although he could still clearly use more.

Most of Arthur’s points come in the paint, where he shows plenty of raw talent and a number of solid moves. He has an excellent turnaround jumper and a solid jump-hook, as well as some solid spins and terrific overall touch. He has excellent potential as a finisher thanks to his supreme length and athleticism, although he doesn’t always capitalize here due to his lack of strength and tendency to fade away from contact at times. His left hand is average and he clearly prefers not to use it, sometimes missing close-range shots for that reason.

This year we are starting to see even more of that intriguing face-up game that Arthur showed sparks of last season in small doses. He looks much more willing to put the ball and the floor attack his man off the dribble, showing a terrific first step, but still not being a good enough ball-handler to really make this a consistent enough weapon quite yet. He can get by his man (going left or right), but is often out of control by the end of his drives (and thus struggles to finish), due to his average handle.

In terms of his jump-shot—Arthur seems to be making strides here too. He’s already knocked down two 3-pointers on the season (last year zero) as well as a number of 18 footers, although he’s showing some questionable shot-selection from time to time in the process (hitting just 25% of his 3-point attempts). His shooting mechanics could still be cleaned up a bit, particularly when he’s rushed, but this appears to be a part of his game that should develop nicely in time. Kansas is even bringing Arthur off some short screens at times—taking advantage of his excellent touch—running some basic pick and pop plays for him if the matchup calls for it, and Arthur has delivered fairly well, on a limited number of attempts.

Defensively, Arthur has been very solid as well, showing excellent lateral quickness (especially hedging pick and rolls), staying in front of his man nicely, not giving up much space, and showing a good all-around commitment to stopping his man. Bill Self wants his players to give everything they have for every moment they are on the floor, and this, coupled with Arthur’s average awareness, leads to some foul problems at times—which KU will probably live with. It does limit the amount of minutes Arthur can play at times, though, hovering around 24 per game on the season so far.

Rebounding wise, he leaves a lot to be desired at times, not always showing the same hunger and intensity you’d hope for, and coming up a bit short in the production department too—with just 9.7 rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted game, which ranks him 79th in that category amongst all draft prospects who play more than 20 minutes per game.

That same lack of effort seems to show up in other parts of his game as well, leaving you wondering at times about his combination of toughness and intensity, which seems to be just average. He doesn’t always seem to be giving 100%, and will look pretty lost out on the court from time to time if his team doesn’t make a concerted effort to keep him involved offensively. There are question marks about his focus and overall awareness—often chalked up to his freshman status last year, but still very much coming into play this season early on so far.

Something that is clearly not in question is his extremely poor passing ability. Amongst all NCAA prospects, he ranks statistically as one of the worst at gathering assists, and also amongst the worst in the assist to turnover ratio category. He often looks like a black hole in the post, calling for the ball with all his might, and then trying to bully his way to the basket at all costs, almost never surveying the floor and looking for the open man when the double team inevitably comes.

With that said, Arthur is still an extremely gifted prospect, with an outstanding combination of physical tools and scoring instincts. Players like him are always coveted in the NBA draft. Kansas is having an outstanding season, and his stock will continue to hover around the lottery or better as long as he continues to win and produce the way he has so far. To truly reach his full potential as a player, though, he still has plenty of work to do, and might be better off staying another season.

Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Big 12 (Part One: #1-#5)

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Kyle Nelson
Kyle Nelson
Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Joey Whelan
Joey Whelan
Oct 08, 2007, 01:41 am
Darrell Arthur is one of the most promising returning collegians this year, and his excellent physical tools are a big reason why. Standing 6’9, Arthur already has a strong build for a power forward, with very good length and elite athleticism to boot, while still having room to add more strength to his frame. Arthur averaged just 19 minutes per game last season on Kansas’ deep frontline of upperclassmen, but he is poised to step into a larger role this year. Arthur did make good use of his minutes last season, though, putting up many strong performances and showing flashes of his outstanding potential.

Most of Arthur’s game comes from the painted area, where he has the groundwork of a very strong post game, though he still has a lot of work to do. He heavily relies on a turnaround fadeaway jumper from the 5-10 foot range, which he converts fairly well, but it’s not effective and consistent enough to be an elite, go-to move. Arthur uses a right-handed hook shot from the post as well, though it’s fairly sloppy at this stage, usually rushed, without consistent form, and therefore isn’t always converted. Arthur has also shown flashes of other post moves such as drop-steps and up-and-unders, but he isn’t very instinctive with them yet, something he should work on.

Possibly the most impressive part of Arthur’s game is how good of a finisher he is within five feet of the basket, as he shows excellent awareness in this area, to go along with very good touch and the strength and explosiveness to finish over the opposition while taking contact. His length also helps him maneuvering when underneath the hoop, getting off good shots where many others cannot. Arthur needs to take advantage of this great strength of his by relying less on post moves going away from the basket (i.e. turnaround jumpers and hook shots), and more on moves going towards the basket (i.e. drop-steps, up-fakes, step-throughs, etc).

Arthur also has a formidable mid-range game, possessing a good spot-up jump shot from inside 15 feet, especially when uncontested. His accuracy suffers and he loses consistency when contested or when he drifts farther onto the perimeter, but his shot has fairly good form with a high release point, so it should only improve with repetition. Arthur hasn’t really shown any dribble-drive game yet, but with his athleticism, it’s definitely something he can add, using the threat of his shot to help get a step on his defender. Similarly, Arthur should also work on his ball-handling, at least getting to the point where he can make a few right-handed dribbles to the basket.

On the defensive end, Arthur spends most of his time defending the post, where he doesn’t mind being backed down, often relying on his length and athleticism to block or contest shots, as most opponents at this level are unable to put up shots going over him. This works for the time being, but he’ll probably need to add some more lower body strength and work on holding position on the block in the future. Arthur is also vulnerable to quick moves going around him in the post, not having developed great instincts defending advanced post moves yet.

On the perimeter, Arthur shows a very good understanding of the pick-and-roll to go along with a solid understanding of perimeter defense for a big man, allowing him to help out there often. His lateral quickness is also great for his size, and he shows good effort getting out to contest shots. Arthur also shows good court awareness, and that coupled with his athleticism and length make him a shot-blocking threat from the weakside. In terms of rebounding the ball, Arthur can track down long balls with his athleticism or battle for rebounds near the basket with his strength. He boxes out fairly well and has a good sense of timing, but could improve, as he has the potential to be a dominant rebounder.

Arthur is already a very good player, but the sky’s the limit on his potential. As outlined above, there are many areas he could stand to improve, and if he does make some good strides with his game this year and maintain a good work ethic, he should be a lottery pick in the draft, should he decide to declare. Arthur has elite athleticism for a power forward, and has the potential to be a potent inside-out offensive player at the next level, to go along with a formidable inside-out defender, though there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Stock Watch-- Tournament Week (Part One, Stock Up)

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Joseph Treutlein
Joseph Treutlein
Nov 27, 2006, 02:57 am
While most have always maintained that Arthur had a future in the NBA, many questioned his decision to attend Kansas. The Jayhawk frontcourt was already loaded, and with questions about Arthur's approach to the game and a so-so Spring, it appeared that it might take some time for the Texas native to emerge.

So much for that idea.

Arthur only played 16 minutes against the Gators, but he poured in 19 absolutely crucial points and grabbed 9 rebounds against Florida's accomplished frontcourt. He scored at will the entire night and in a variety of ways, converting on a beautiful spin-hook against Al Horford, catching the Gators completely off guard with several remarkably comfortable-looking midrange jumpers in the lane, emphatically finishing at the rim, and knocking down pressure-packed free throws with a quiet confidence rarely seen in seasoned NBA veterans.

All things considered, the extreme athletic upside and remarkable composure/feel for the game Arthur displayed Saturday night is something very rarely seen from a big man prospect so inexperienced. Where most elite frontcourt prospects in this vein tend to be one-dimensional and have a tendency to force things, Arthur rarely makes a bad decision. The midrange jumper is a truly unique weapon in today's game, but he doesn't overdo it. He knows his place is in the post at the moment, and has provided an excellent traditional low post presence in the absence of Kaun. Arthur knows how to use his body on the blocks, and utilizes a variety of back to the basket moves.

It is hard to believe that a prospect as talented and mature as Darrell Arthur wasn't even considered a top 10 prospect in the 2006 freshman class. The season is a long one and he is sure to have his fair share of ups and downs, but the early returns are extremely impressive. The Florida game was far from a fluke, as Arthur scored 22 points in the loss to Oral Roberts and was leading the Jayhawks in scoring headed into the game. His polish and ability to play within the team concept at this early stage are very, very unique.

He may have to fight to hold onto his role with Kaun back on the court and Darnell Jackson a trusted member of Self's rotation, but if Darrell Arthur can play out the season at this same level he is probably a lottery pick whenever he wants to make the jump. That could be sooner rather than later.

Roundball Classic: Game Recap

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Apr 12, 2006, 04:00 am
Darrell had a decent performance at the Roundball, but not what you’d expect out of the most coveted unsigned player out there. He looked very comfortable facing the basket, knocking down a couple of fluid mid range jumpers. He also showed great hands, catching a few tough passes, and finishing and/or getting fouled at the rim. Aside from that however, he didn’t really do that much and seemed frustrated out on the floor, looking like his head wasn’t really in the game. The Dallas native has narrowed his college choices to Oklahoma, Kansas, Baylor, and Texas, but some are speculating that Indiana could get back in the mix with the hiring of Kelvin Sampson. Some project Arthur as a SF at the next level because of his great coordination and skills facing the basket, although we see him more as a face the basket PF.

Roundball Classic: Practice Reports

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Apr 11, 2006, 12:45 am
The Dallas native showed flashes of why he is so highly touted, but never put it all together to give a dominant performance. Arthur had a spectacular spin move, topped off with a left handed layup at the rim, showing the quickness and athleticism that everyone constantly raves about. He then stepped out and knocked down 2 three pointers, but totally disappeared for the remainder of the scrimmage, as he decided to float on the perimeter the whole time. Darrell has expressed the desire to play small forward at the next level, but really needs a ton of work in order for that to happen. We feel that he would be much better suited staying right where he is now on the court at power forward.

2006 McDonald's All-American Game, individual player breakdown

Rodger Bohn
Rodger Bohn
Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Mar 30, 2006, 09:39 am
Arthur didn’t get a whole lot of minutes in the game, but displayed some nice skills in the short time he was on the floor. He proved he can hit the three ball, showing off a smooth shooting stroke with a quick release. In addition, Darrell showed nice finishing ability near the basket, and even made it to the free throw line a couple of times. Arthur is very athletic, and showed off his leaping ability during the dunk contest. He will need to improve his ball handling ability in the future, and add some weight on his frame while improving his basketball IQ, but right now Arthur has the makings of a good NBA prospect. Darrell Arthur is currently undecided on what college to attend, but is certainly a player to keep an eye on once he makes his decision.

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