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Brian Scalabrine

retired
Drafted #34 in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Nets
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
Weight: 241 lbs (109 kg)
Position: PF
High School: Enumclaw High School (Washington)
Hometown: Long Beach, CA
College: USC
Current Team:

Articles

NBA Scouting Reports, Atlantic Division (Part One)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Nov 30, 2008, 10:33 am
Overview: A 6-9 tweener, stuck between the 3 and 4 positions in the NBA, who basically makes a living off his ability to knock down shots and make hustle plays. Strictly a role player, it’s pretty hard to believe that he somehow managed to convince the Celtics to give him a 5-year, 15 million dollar contract considering his limitations. Was a member of the 2008 NBA Championship team.

Offense: Scalabrine plays both the 3 and the 4, almost exclusively facing the basket in an extremely complimentary role. He utilizes his basketball IQ to move off the ball, set effective screens, and knock down open shots when the opportunity arises. In the rare occasion that he puts the ball on the floor, it’s usually to pull up after one dribble, as he’s simply not quick enough to get to the basket before multiple defenders rotate over, and if he does, he doesn’t have anywhere near the explosiveness needed to finish in traffic. Therefore, he almost never gets to the free throw line. Scalabrine’s biggest strength and the only thing remotely keeping him in the NBA is ability to shoot the basketball. He has 3-point range on his shot and is fairly effective when left open. Another strong point is his ability to pass. He is highly unselfish, sees the floor extremely well, and does a really good job at executing his team’s offensive sets and finding the open man.

Defense: Scalabrine possesses below average tools to play either forward spot, as he’s slow, not particularly long, and looks perpetually out of shape. He doesn’t have the lateral quickness to defend perimeter players trying to take him off the dribble, and just isn’t big enough to match up with power players in the paint. To his credit, he does put great effort into this part of his game, and will often get the job done based off sheer smarts and hustle, rather than any outstanding natural talent. He’s not the kind of player you want on the floor against starting caliber players, though, as he just doesn’t have the tools to compete with the elite athletes we find at the 3 and the 4 in the NBA. As a rebounder, Scalabrine does not make up for his shortcomings in the least bit. In fact, he puts up some of the worst numbers of any player in the NBA at his position, largely again due to his lack of size, length, quickness and leaping ability.