Diogu? Blatche? Petro? Taft? Who should Phoenix go after in this draft? Personally, I would say go after Taft. Diogu is good, but will he be the best fit for them? He will make the best impact out of any of the prospects, but what about the future? Stoudemire would still be playing center and Marion would be the only player moving back to his regular position. Petro is a center who will be a perfect fit for them. He?s tall, athletic and those characteristics make him a perfect fit for the Suns, but still, I wouldn?t get him. Steve Nash isn?t getting any younger and by the time Petro is ready to make a significant impact on the court, who knows how old everyone will be. I?d say give him three years; he?s so very raw and his best aspects are his physical attributes. Other than that he?s extremely raw. Blatche is a nice player and it was tough to choose him over Taft, but just like Petro, he?s so incredibly raw and will take a lot of time to grow. He fits in with the Suns? style of play and is a pretty skilled player, but in terms of years until he can produce, it won?t be anytime soon. He?s another project that really should have gone to college. Taft is the player I like for this team. I?m ready to get all of the knocking and everything, but he?s exactly what the Suns? need ? a center that can come in and play defense and fit in with their style. Taft is the most NBA ready player excluding Diogu and can contribute a little of what you need instantly. He?s not a very motivated player, but being drafted so low can stir up something in him. Many scouts thought he could be a lottery pick so if he slips this low to 21, it?s kind of a steal.
Dijon Thompson Scouting Report Birthdate: 2/23/83 NBA Position: Shooting Guard College: UCLA Class: Senior Ht: 6-8 Wt: 209 Hometown: Inglewood, CA High School: Redondo Union Stats Strengths: Versatile wing ... Can score in a variety of ways ... When he?s in a groove, he's nearly impossible to guard ... Good handle ... Stellar body control around the basket ... Finishes well ... Excellent form on his jumper. High release point, perfect rotation, and feather-soft touch ... Range out to college 3-point line and beyond ... Effective as a spot-up shooter ... Top-notch midrange game ... Rare combination of strength and finesse ... Exceptional rebounder (averages almost 9 boards a game) ... Steady ... Doesn?t get too up or too down on himself ... Great crunch-time nerves ... Solid leadership skills ... At 6'8", has great size for NBA 2-guard ... Long arms ... Outstanding post feede ... Very smart player. Makes the correct decision with the ball more often than not ... Commands respect from his teammates ... Hard worker ... Always looking to improve his all-around game ... Like fellow Pac-10 stud Ike Diogu, a ?self-made? basketball player ... Durable... Good at the foul line... Doesn?t force many bad shots ... Let?s the game come to him... Great teammate. Weaknesses: Needs a LOT of work on defense (to his credit, Dijon has improved from ?atrocious? his sophomore/junior seasons to ?passably mediocre? his senior season) ... Plays on his heels far too often ... Gambles for steals and gives up defensive positioning ... Vulnerable to back-cuts ... Picks up too many cheap fouls ... Has a tendency to let his concentration drift on the defensive end ... Not a freak athlete ... Most of his rebounds come as a result of superior positioning, not leaping ability ... Currently lacks the lateral footspeed needed to keep up with NBA 2-guards and small-forwards ... Occasionally falls in love with the 3-point line and doesn?t drive to the basket enough ... Not very good in transition (offensively and defensively) ... Far too hesitant going to his left ... Wwill need to adjust from being ?the Man? at UCLA to being a role player on the next level ...
