It’s always good to have buzz increasing about your draft prospects when you start on the outside of the lottery or even on the fringe of the 1st round. DeJuan Blair’s sudden rise is obvious in no small part because he showed up to the Chicago combines in great physical shape.
Sam Young’s physique has not been in question. Following the freakiness in the Toronto workout, neither has his toughness.
He’s been training to increase his ball handling to be able to play some at the guard position (hat tip to Bryan H).
Meet Sam Young, slam-dunkin’ three-point-drainin’, lockdown defendin’ off guard.
The majority of NBA draftniks consider Young to be a 6-foot-6 small forward at the next level, but he is fully intent to change some minds in the days and months ahead.
“For sure,” Young told Inside Pittsburgh Sports at the NBA Combine. “A lot of people don’t think that I can play the two guard, but my ball-handling has gotten to a point that I will play a lot there. I can even bring the ball up the floor. When all is said and done, I’ll definitely be a two.”
In the last two months, Young spent long hours to acclimate himself to the three-point shot, NBA style. In the pros, the arc is located 23 feet, nine inches from the basket, three feet further than in the college game.
“At the beginning, I thought it would affect me a little bit,” Young said of the added distance. “But now, I’m shooting it pretty consistently, especially at the private workouts and (the NBA Combine).
And to think, there was a point as a sophomore where he bristled at being put at small forward instead of power forward.
Yesterday he was working out for the Golden State Warriors with several other teams in attendance, and the reviews were solid.
According to several observers who saw the two afternoon workouts, Pittsburgh’s Sam Young was the most impressive player. Young, a 6-foot-6 swingman, was in Group 1, and played with/against Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Joe Ingles (Australia), Damion Jones (Texas), Jeff Pendergraph (Arizone State) and Marcus Thornton (LSU).
Five-on-five scrimmaging was not part of the workouts. Instead, players were put through stretching exercises, shooting drills, individual skill work and then some 3-on-3 competition.
It was in the 3-on-3s that Young outplayed Jones and Thornton, according to some.
Of that group, only Thornton seems to get much mention for going in the 1st round. Right in the same mid- to late-20s area where Young has been.
Pitt recruits on the NJ roster:
12 Ray Graham Elizabeth H.S. RB 5’11 188 Pittsburgh
25 Jason Hendricks Hudson Catholic H.S. FS 6’0 180 Pittsburgh
And on the NE roster:
62 Fernando Diaz Cardinal Hayes H.S. C 6’2 290 Pittsburgh
Here are both rosters; PSU owns the NE; RU, Jersey:
link to thefootballclassic.com
I’m wondering what damage the Sun Bowl did to Pitt …. maybe Wanny should take a lesson from is predecessor and leave the offense under total control of Cignetti
So, pardon me if I wait until Pitt has a less than 9 win season in 2009 and LOI day in February yields an incoming class loaded with mostly 1 and 2-star recruits before I jump on the “sky is falling” bandwagon with the rest of the “Chicken Littles” who overpopulate Pitt sports boards.
Fact is this … as good as some of Wanny’s recruiting classes have been, only once has his class been rated above PSU. Sure, recruiting classes are unsure and player development also plays a major role … but nonetheless, PSU has had two BCS teams in last 4 years (during Wanny’s time here.) Also, his past recruiting class was by far his lowest rated (except for his initial class when he got a late start)
Don’t get me wrong … a successful 09 season can certainly turn things around …. but if you don’t think that 100,000+ crowds at PSU and Michigan (and 90,000+ crowd at OSU) are turning the heads of the top local recruits, then you sorely mistaken.
