In terms of scoring the ball, Demetris Nichols was probably the most consistently impressive scorer here at the camp, showing just how deadly he can be as a shooter and how quickly he can put points on the board, going on a few scoring runs where he hit multiple shots in minutes. Looking at the final statlines of all the players here, one of the most notable ways a player really separated himself was how Nichols shot the ball from NBA three-point range. He hit a remarkable 9-of-13 from behind the arc, shooting a ridiculous .692. Other than Nichols, only one player at the camp even hit four NBA three-pointers.
Nichols is extremely confident with his outside shooting, and its interesting how in all the times weve seen Nichols in drills, both here at Orlando and at a private workout we viewed last week, hes probably just as good a shooter in the real games, coming off screens, with a hand in his face, as he is taking place in the simulated drills. Other spot-up shooting forwards have come through this camp in recent years, with Steve Novak first coming to mind. Nichols did a good job in separating himself from these other players, in that its evident that he doesnt consistently need players run for him and that he really makes the most of his possessions, finding open space on the floor and getting off a good shot attempt most times he touches the ball.
Nichols didnt really impact the game in many other ways when he was on the floor, not filling up the stat sheet in any way other than scoring, but he played pretty good perimeter defense for the most part, showing he can play outside of Syracuses zone. Nichols didnt do much to dispel the concerns about his ball-handling abilities, but he did make a few moves off one or two dribbles and got to the basket when there were open lanes, and he shows that he has the potential to improve his ball-handling over time.
The things that Nichols does excel at should definitely translate to the NBA, so theres a very good chance he can make a contribution in his first year, coming off the bench and providing a scoring punch, as he doesnt need much space to get off a high-percentage shot attempt from long range. Nichols will likely be an early second round pick in the draft, and its not tough to envision him having a Jason Kapono type season not too far down the road.
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