DraftExpress: What a dinosaur sounds like RT @tsnmike Would say it was an incredible night for Mason Plumlee, but hesitate to do so w/out checking his PER 2012-01-26 10:36:04
DraftExpress: Check out his profile on DraftExpress. All your answers are there. RT @TheBWN: Where does Mason Plumlee stand right now with scouts? 2011-11-18 12:02:07
DraftExpress: Coach K has no choice but to get Rivers up to speed. Has no other ball-handlers. Only other guy than can create something is Mason Plumlee? 2011-11-15 09:12:03
DraftExpress: Mich State attacking Mason Plumlee relentlessly, who's doing his best to avoid contact. Getting deep position but not finishing good looks. 2011-11-15 08:39:38
DraftExpress: DX: Top NBA Prospects in the ACC (#1-5) http://t.co/4D9Dh5fJ - Harrison Barnes, John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Mason Plumlee, Kendall Marshall 2011-09-16 10:30:26
Top NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC, Part One (#1-5) September 16, 2011
Icon SMI
Joseph Treutlein
Coming off a limited but intriguing freshman season, Mason Plumlee saw his minutes expand as a sophomore, but remains largely the same player from a skills perspective. A player with excellent physical tools and hints of skills in a few areas, Plumlee has yet to put it all together consistently at the collegiate level, but will have yet another chance as a junior.
The biggest area where Plumlee made strides as a sophomore is his propensity to get open in off-ball cut and pick-and-roll type situations. Possessing great size, hands, and mobility, along with an impressive knack for elevating quickly around the rim, Plumlee is a massive and reliable target in this area of his game. This is the one area of his game where he displays consistent toughness in his style of play, really excelling to the best of his abilities.
While he does a good job getting open in this aspect of his offense, he's still heavily reliant on his point guards to consistently perform, something that became more evident when teammate Kyrie Irving was out with injury. From a stylistic standpoint, this propensity in the pick-and-roll game combined with the increased talent level could theoretically make Plumlee a more effective offensive threat in the NBA if he lands in the right situation.
The other area Plumlee made strides with on the offensive end this past season is with his rebounding—where his production increased by nearly 50% on a per-minute basis from his freshman to sophomore seasons. He's placed more of an emphasis on crashing the glass consistently, showing a decent nose for the ball and pursuit ability. His good hands and excellent bounce allow him to get a lot of put-back attempts in this manner, but he could be more assertive as a finisher in this area, occasionally shying from contact and hurting his ability to finish consistently.
As for Plumlee's developing individual offense, there was really nothing to see from a face-up perspective this season, as his ball-handling remains largely undeveloped. His post-up game is featured much more frequently, but it also remains raw. Plumlee shows an excellent ability to consistently separate with his size and athletic ability, but he often relies on hook shots and turnaround jumpers in the 5-10 foot range, where he doesn't show great touch and shies away from contact.
Developing more of a power post game where he can take better advantage of his physical tools and mitigate his lack of touch would be helpful for him in the long term. He rarely makes power drop step moves despite having the quickness to get by his man and bounciness to easily elevate around the rim, and this is something he should focus on.
Plumlee's free throw shooting regressed last year, from an already mediocre 54% to an even more dismal 44%, which hints at the struggles he's had performing under pressure at times.
On the defensive end, Plumlee once again has good physical tools and shows flashes of ability in man-to-man defense, but his awareness is lagging behind. He has a groundwork of fundamentals in post defense and does a decent job using his mobility to stick with the opposition on face-up drives, but is prone to being caught out of position and can lose focus easily. This is the area where Plumlee could see the most dramatic improvement if he put in the work, as his physical tools make him uniquely positioned to be an above average shot blocker, post defender, perimeter defender, and pick-and-roll defender from an NBA perspective, but it would require much more commitment and improvement on this end of the floor, particularly from a mental perspective.
Looking forward, Plumlee obviously has a lot of talent and potential to improve, but hasn't shown a significant learning curve in his two years in Durham. With many of last year's leading minute-getters moving on to the NBA, Plumlee has an opportunity to step up into more of a leadership role this season, and will have ample opportunity to expand his game and develop more consistency.
Going into his junior year, Plumlee cannot rest on the laurels of his upside any longer. NBA scouts will want to see clear signs of maturation both physically and especially in terms of his mental toughness, something that there are some doubts about at the moment. Plumlee can ease those concerns with a productive and consistent season as a key cog on one of the deepest and most talented teams in college basketball. [Read Full Article] Top NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC, Part One (#1-5) October 17, 2010 Joseph Treutlein
One of the most talented freshmen in the country last season, Mason Plumlee played a role much smaller than what he was capable of due to the incredibly deep Duke championship squad. Relegated mostly to finishing on cuts and offensive rebounds on the offensive end, Plumlee played his role well while also showing occasional flashes of why he's so highly regarded as a prospect.
Standing 6'11 with a decent frame, average length, and superb overall athleticism, Plumlee has the prototypical physical profile for an NBA power forward. Extremely explosive and agile with great coordination and a very high motor, Plumlee has the potential to excel anywhere on the court on the offensive end should he develop the requisite skills.
While Plumlee did most of his damage on simple finishes around the rim for the Blue Devils, he shows the groundwork of skills in a variety of areas when he gets the occasional chance to create his own offense, being at least adequately capable of dribble drives, perimeter jumpers, and back-to-the-basket moves.
Plumlee's post game is probably the most underdeveloped area of his offense, as he's very lacking in instincts while having a limited repertoire of moves. Despite this, he still shows immense potential in this area, as his counter-moves are incredibly rangy, he already is showing flashes of ambidexterity finishing, and he has a decent turnaround jumper off both shoulders. Developing his hook shot and becoming more comfortable with all his moves in general should be among his priorities here.
While Plumlee could develop into a good back-to-the-basket player in the NBA should he put in the work, he's probably best suited as a stretch four, as he's lacking in upper body mass right now and probably isn't capable of putting on substantially more weight without sacrificing some of his athleticism. Operating out of the face-up position either from the high post or wing, Plumlee looks much more comfortable and that's probably where his potential is highest.
Possessing a great first step, incredibly rangy strides, and already a decent handle with both his left and right hands, Plumlee is very dangerous when he gets straight line opening to the basket, something that should open up far more in the NBA's better spaced, more isolation-oriented game. While Plumlee will occasionally flash an impressive spin move in the lane, he struggles with other changes of direction on drives and his game certainly lacks a degree of polish in this area. Regardless, his physical tools and groundwork of skills alone make this an effective staple of his game, though it still has room to improve substantially.
The area of Plumlee's game that was utilized the least as a freshman was his perimeter jump shot, as he took just 16 jumpers on the entire season according to Synergy Sports Technology, though half of them came from behind the three-point arc. Plumlee has good form with a high and quick release, though he seems to lack confidence in his shot, or possibly is tentative to use it because of all the other perimeter shooting options on the Blue Devils. His 54% free-throw shooting is also quite poor, though it was on a small sample size of just 46 attempts.
One of the most encouraging aspects of Plumlee's offensive game from a future development standpoint is his excellent set of intangibles, as he possesses a high motor, good basketball IQ, and clearly buys into a team concept given the role he accepted. Plumlee moves well off the ball, attacks the offensive glass, sets excellent screens, and shows very good court vision on passes out of the high post, finding lots of little ways to contribute even though he doesn't get many touches.
Defensively, Plumlee likewise shows a very high motor and excellent fundamental base, being attentive and composed both in the post and on the perimeter. While he lacks a certain degree of physical toughness in the post and is prone to giving up position down low before the ball gets to his man, Plumlee does a pretty good job using leverage once his man has the ball, uses his hands and forearms well, and does a great job using his average
length to contest shots. On the perimeter, Plumlee's versatility is very impressive, as he has an excellent stance, is very active moving his feet, and shows a great level of mobility both in man-to-man and pick-and-roll situations. He hedges very aggressively on screens while also being comfortable switching onto smaller guards when the situation calls for it. The one thing Plumlee could improve on defensively is his defensive rebounding, as he pulled them in at a lackluster rate last season.
Looking forward, Plumlee is obviously still very early in his development, and Duke's very deep roster certainly hasn't helped jumpstart his growth, but things should open up a bit for him this season with Brian Zoubek and Lance Thomas both graduated. Despite his small numbers, there is a reason Plumlee is our #1 ranked returning prospect in the ACC, as he's capable of improving immensely in a variety of offensive areas, something he should have plenty of chances to do this year. His game is also likely much better suited for the NBA game, where the increased spacing and more isolation/pick-and-roll opportunities very much play to his strengths. A likely lottery pick whenever he decides to declare as long as he continues developing, Plumlee's ceiling is very high and he should have the intangibles to give him every chance to reach it. [Read Full Article]
adidas Nations Experience Dunking Drills September 9, 2010
[Read Full Article] Nike Hoop Summit, High School Prospects April 16, 2009 Headed to Duke next season, Mason Plumlee didn't make a huge impact in this game, though he did show a nice set of skills on both ends of the floor throughout the week. The big man has a decent frame, and shows an excellent all-around physical profile, standing around 6'11". His leaping ability was on full display as he blocked 2 shots in the game, and showing excellent recovery speed in the process.
Offensively, the big man would rather face the basket and take his man off the dribble than play in the post, but he can also drive to the basket with either hand. To take his game to the next level, Plumlee could work on scoring from the low-post by further developing his footwork.
It will probably take some time before we can really begin to talk about Mason Plumlee and the NBA draft, but he has excellent upside thanks to his physical profile, hustle, and developing offensive game. He will add to a very nice group of talent at Duke, yet still have a chance to see plenty of playing time as a freshman. [Read Full Article]
Player Evaluations, McDonald’s All-American Game (West Team) April 3, 2009 This future Duke big man is quite an interesting prospect, combining great size with terrific athleticism and a budding skill-level, which gives him great upside to continue to develop down the road. Plumlee (#19 Scout, #42 Rivals, #11 ESPN) made some truly jaw-dropping plays in the private scrimmage the day before the real game, exploding off the ground for some highlight reel caliber plays that made both benches erupt with glee. He’s quick off his feet, extremely explosive and has a real penchant for the spectacular, as he displayed in the dunk contest as well.
Plumlee can put the ball on the floor a bit and is also capable of knocking down an occasional 3-pointer, while his leaping ability makes him quite a presence on the offensive glass. His limitations are pretty glaring though, as he lacks the strength or footwork to do much of anything with his back to the basket, and despite his nice touch, is still too streaky from the outside to be relied on as much of a perimeter threat at this stage. His body and feel for the game need quite a bit of work as well, but there is no doubt that he’s a player to keep an eye on down the road, as he could become a very high-level prospect as he fills out and gains more experience. [Read Full Article] Initial Scouting Reports, High School Class of 2009 (#11-150 Recruits) July 30, 2008 As far as long-term prospects go, Mason Plumlee (#12 Scout, #25 Rivals, #19 ESPN) is definitely one of the most talented big men we saw in the month of July. 6-10, with a great frame and very nice athleticism, Plumlee has a great physical profile for an NBA power forward prospect. He also shows flashes of the budding skill level needed, as he can put the ball on the floor from the perimeter with big strides and very nice ball-handling skills, hit 3-pointers, pull-up off the dribble, and is an absolutely outstanding passer.
He is so skilled that his AAU team even runs him at the point guard position, which is not something that is really conducive to winning games at a higher level of competition, but tells you a little bit about how versatile he is. Plumlee would regularly grab a rebound at the U-18 National Team tryouts and then ignite the fast break on his own, showing very nice dexterity in the open court and an advanced feel for the game.
As intriguing as Plumee might be, he still has a long ways to go in many facets of the game. He’s not very effective inside, showing virtually no moves around the paint, limited ability to finish through contact, and a concerning lack of toughness at times. He seems to offer up his glimpses of potential in small doses, and has a tendency to coast as far as his intensity is concerned in others. His court awareness inside the arc is surprisingly underdeveloped, and that translates to the defensive end of the floor as well, where he is extremely weak. Adding strength to his excellent frame will be a priority once he reaches the college level.
Plumlee is definitely a name for scouts to keep in the back of their mind, but they’ll probably have to be patient with him. [Read Full Article]
2008 King James Classic: Top Big Men May 4, 2008 The premature departure of Atlanta forward Derrick Favors left Plumlee as the top big man the King James Classic had to offer. Despite standing a legit 6’11, he owns a game that is more suited for a small forward then a player approaching the seven foot mark. The North Carolina prep possesses quickness uncommon for most face the basket power forwards and has an awfully strong lower body, surprising many with his above average leaping ability. While having a physically weak upper body, he has a frame that definitely has the potential to grow once he spends some time in the weight room.
Just as surprising are his slithery moves off of the dribble for a player his size, which he showed a number of times when beating future UCONN wing Jamaal Coombs off of the dribble. Mason handled the ball well in the open floor, even going coast to coast on a few occasions. As far as shooting is concerned, he displays an absolutely gorgeous jumper with range that extends out to the collegiate three point line. Plumlee’s soft touch and perimeter oriented game will make him a perfect “pick and pop” guy under Coach K’s system at Duke.
Though Mason has skills that most players his height don’t possess, he owns very little in terms of a back to the basket game. Every time he received the ball within 8 feet of the rim he would turn and face, looking incredibly uncomfortable even when facing that close. Likewise he will have to vastly improve upon his strength if he hopes to compete on the blocks in the ACC, standing far too weak presently to fight in the trenches down low. Added strength would also help Plumlee become a better positional defender in the post considering the asset that he could be as a shot blocker with his height and nice leaping ability.
It seems like Duke will be a perfect fit for Mason in terms of style of play, given their history of letting big men play on the perimeter. Hopefully he will continue to develop his game over the next year and his tenure at Duke, so he doesn’t wind up like talented prep stars Shavlik Randolph and Josh McRoberts who struggled to make any significant progress as players in their time in Durham. [Read Full Article]
[