Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Non-BCS Conferences (Part Four: #21-26) November 19, 2008 Senior wing Michael Bramos entered this season with a reputation for being one of the best scorers in the MAC, averaging 16.3 ppg on 43.5% FG, 84.1% FT, 36.3% 3FG shooting. Even after a late season hand injury slowed him down, he still powered the RedHawks to their fourth consecutive post-season appearance. This year, he has already been named to the Pre-Season First Team All-MAC, and is expected to be the first option on one of the more dangerous mid-major teams in the country. Already, he is showing improvement as a player, most notably through a 22 point, 3 rebound, 2 assist, and two block performance in near upset against UCLA.
Physically, there is a reason Bramos excels at this level, but still does not project particularly well at the next level. At 6’5, he is somewhat undersized for both the shooting guard and small forward position, though his strong 221-pound frame and long wingspan certainly help his cause. He is also quite an athlete, with a solid vertical leap as well as good quickness on the perimeter. His lack of height, however, does not help his cause, and whether or not he can develop into a marksman from beyond the arc is certainly something scouts will be paying attention to this season.
Offensively, he is very much a tweener at the next level. His jumpshot is a work in progress, looking great with space, but less solid when contested. The problem for Bramos seems to be two things: his slow release and his shot selection. His motion is fluid and his form does generally look nice, but his release is slow and susceptible to being blocked. Quickening his release would do wonders for him at the next level, whether it be overseas or in the NBA. His shot selection does not seem to the best, as he settles for some very questionable shots on the perimeter that both hurt his team as well as his percentages. Seeing as he gets most of his shots as a jumpshooter and this seems to be the way that he will make a living at the next level, he must improve upon last year’s shooting averages of 43.5% FG and 36.3% 3FG.
He does show the ability to score elsewhere on the floor, though on some nights and against good defenders, you would never know it. He shows semblances of an in between game, including a solid pull-up jump-shot, but his lack of ball handling ability, and therefore, his sub-par first step really hurt him. Similarly, his shaky handle also negatively affects his slashing game. Against smaller and weaker MAC competition, he was able to get to the basket based off of his strength and athleticism, but against the likes of Brandon Rush, Terrence Williams, and most recently Sam Young, his power slashing game shows little results.
Bramos does show a lot of promise on the defensive end, as well, seen in his averages of 1.3 spg and 1.5 bpg. His long arms and solid lateral quickness help him stay in front of his man on the perimeter and, should he get beaten, remain a presence around the basket. While he sometimes gets caught off-guard by a fake, in which case he is usually called for a foul, Bramos is a good man defender at this level. His defensive awareness in the team defense, though, seems somewhat lacking. Bramos often roams around on defense, looking for easy steals and shots to block. The problem with this is, however, that he is often out of position, giving his man on the perimeter plenty of time and room to launch a shot. He also isn’t much of a rebounder, averaging just 4.5 rebounds per 40 minutes. With his size and athleticism at this level, Bramos’s production should be better here.
Bramos is an interesting prospect because he is a solid scorer and defender at this stage of his career. That said, he must become better at both. The key for him is to maintain his focus at all times and let his solid basketball IQ guide his game. Too often, he tries to force things on both sides of the court, which will not be acceptable this year if he wishes to find success at the next level. Part of the problem is that it looks as though he is being asked to do too much, and is simply failing because he is playing outside of his skill level, when he would be better suited acting as a role player. This season, he must prove to scouts that he can be consistent shooter at the next level and be able to match up defensively on the wing on a nightly basis. We’re yet to see what his bread and butter will be in the pros. [Read Full Article]
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