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| Wesley Witherspoon |
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| Team: Memphis, Sophomore |
| Physicals | Positions | Rankings | Misc |
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H: 6' 8"
W: 185 lbs
Bday: 01/27/1990
(19 Years Old)
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Current: SF
NBA: SF
Possible: SF
| Round: 1 Pick: 27 in 2011 Mock Draft
Rank 33 in NCAA Sophomores
Rank 65 in Top 100 Prospects
RSCI: 40
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High School: Berkmar HS
Hometown: Lilburn, GA
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| Basic Per Game Statistics - Comprehensive Stats - Statistical Top 25s |
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| Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Non-BCS Conferences, Part Two
November 4, 2009
Scott Nadler
After a tumultuous off season for the Memphis Tigers which was highlighted by John Calipari’s move to Lexington and the ongoing allegations regarding Derrick Rose’s faulty SAT scores, the Memphis faithful can finally look forward to on court issues with the start of the season upon us. One player that has the fans hopeful for a return to the NCAA tournament is the highly talented and versatile forward Wesley Witherspoon.
Despite seeing limited action last season (13.7 mpg), Witherspoon earned 6th man of the year honors in Conference USA and will certainly be expected to carry more of a load this year. He’s bouncy, sinewy and plays with high energy on both ends of the court. His rare combination of size and athleticism coupled with a wide skill set make him an intriguing prospect. He can already play 3 positions, showing the ability to pass, handle the ball, rebound, and defend on the perimeter, all impressive skills for someone who’s 6-8. Even with the high praise, Witherspoon is hardly a finished product and still has a lot of room to grow.
As a shooter, Witherspoon’s shot is still a work in progress (to say the least), as he continues to shoot on his way down, as mentioned in a previous article, resulting in a flat arc. He has a nice looking follow through to compensate for this, but in order to become a more effective shooter he’ll have to correct the flaw. He shot 52.3% on 2 point shots on only three attempts per game last season and was a non factor from 3 point range – an area he must improve upon to truly create more buzz around him. He can pull-up off the dribble, preferring to go left most of the time, and with his long wingspan is able to get his shot off against the outstretched arms of bigger players.
Witherspoon averaged a paltry 11.3 points per-40 pace adjusted last season, which illustrates his struggles as a scorer, although there is reason to believe he can improve these numbers. He only shot 51.3% last season from the charity stripe and got there at a decent rate of 4.3 times a game per 40 pace adjusted. With a few adjustments made to his shot and a growing confidence to continue to get to the basket, he may be able to score with more regularity this season.
Although his responsibilities as a ball handler were limited last season, the few opportunities we were able to see showed a player who was comfortable handling the ball against pressure in the dribble drive motion offense. He can dribble with either hand and can get into the paint on a regular basis. Getting by his man wasn’t the problem for Witherspoon, but his indecisiveness when met by the help forced him into turnovers where he often left his feet to make a pass – a cardinal sin in basketball. He turned the ball over on an astounding 23% of his limited offensive possessions (4.3 per game) and had a negative assist to turnover ratio (0.83), which is common of most freshmen. Those numbers must improve substantially if he is going to handle the ball as much as he’s expected to.
The area in which he really excelled last season was on the defensive end. He did an excellent job at contesting shots – utilizing his long wingspan to get a hand up and close out on shooters. He rarely conceded open shots, which speaks volumes about his effort on this end of the floor. He has very good lateral speed and is not afraid to extend his pressure beyond the three point line. He averaged 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per 40 pace adjusted last season, further emphasizing his commitment to defense. What’s more is his knack for rebounding, pulling down 6.1 rebounds per 40 pace adjusted despite his slight build. His frame however does affect his interior defense, often being pushed around under the hoop or bumped on a dribble drive to shed him away. Spending more time in the weight room would serve him well in terms of eliminating those shortcomings.
With rookie coach Josh Pastner leading the helm and Tyreke Evans running the show for the Sacramento Kings, Witherspoon has been given a grand opportunity become a key fixture in the new era of Memphis basketball. He doesn’t do one thing great, but has a great deal of upside still left to tap into. Witherspoon is good at a lot of things and improvements with his shot and strength could quickly make him a hot name amongst scouts sometime down the road.
 [Read Full Article]
Jordan Brand Classic Scrimmage (Day Two)
April 19, 2008
Wesley Witherspoon did much of the same, playing strong defense, taking the ball coast to coast nicely on another occasion, looking smart and athletic and probably much better than the recruiting services are giving him credit for. He is ranked as the 56th best prospect in his class by both Scout and Rivals, and #72 by ESPN, but has a bigger upside than a lot of guys slotted ahead of him. The main thing he needs to work on from what we could tell is his jump-shot—he shoots the ball on the way down and generally has questionable mechanics. He was getting the full-court press from Worldwide Wes (probably recruiting for Memphis) at the end of the game, and also mentioned to us yesterday that recent Memphis signee Tyreke Evans has also had some words of advice for him.
[Read Full Article]
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