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Bonzi Wells

Drafted #11 in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Pistons
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
Weight: 213 lbs (97 kg)
Position: SF
High School: Muncie Central High School (Indiana)
Hometown: Muncie, IN
College: Ball St
Current Team:

Articles

NBA Scouting Reports, Southwestern Division (Part Two)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
May 27, 2008, 12:50 am
Overview: A veteran shooting guard who has proven to be a very gifted offensive talented when he’s able to put it all together. Has great bulk for a shooting guard. May even be a little bit overweight, but he hasn’t done much about it. Possesses decent athleticism. Displays all the talents you look for in a volume off the bench scorer. Shoots it well from mid-range. Uses his dribble well. Makes some plays at the rim. Even shows some effort defensively, but not often enough. Was a dominant player at Ball State garnering the MAC Player of the Year Award in 1996 and 1998. Has had his share of problems off the court and with coaches, and has bounced around the league considerably for that reason. Shot-selection, body language is often questionable. Will be a free agent in the summer of 2008. At age 31, and considering his off-court track record and recent decline after foolishly turning down a massive contract offer from Sacramento, he isn’t quite as attractive a prospect as he once was.

Offense: Somewhat of an undersized 4-man who has semi-effectively made the transition to playing on the perimeter, but still retained many of his advantages as a mismatch threat. Capable scorer who can put up bigger numbers inefficiently. Gets a quarter of his touches in spot up situations with another third coming off of isolations and post ups. Has a reliable jumper, but isn’t very consistent from three point range. Can really score from midrange and in. Knows how to use his body to create separation. Not a great catch and shoot guy. Likes to use his dribble to set up his shots. Likes to go to the basket when driving left. Needs to improve his free throw percentage. Adequate ball handler. Moves to ball well around the perimeter. Gets a little too aggressive off the dribble at times, leading to excessive turnovers. Good post game. Great hands, touch around the rim. Uses fakes to create opportunities around the basket. Solid finisher due to his strength and length. Very good offensive rebounder.

Defense: A solid defender who doesn’t always bring the effort he needs to. Has improved since his rookie season, but still won’t exert himself consistently. Doesn’t have the quickness to keep some swingmen out of the lane. Can use his strength against those same players to push them off the block if they try to post up. Would rather go after rebounds than close out shooters. Much more apt at defending forwards than guards. Good rebounder. Will swipe and the ball and strip it away once a game or so. Plays smarter than he once did. Doesn’t always maximize that.