Ebanks is almost sure to make the team, as not only does he possess talent, athletic ability and defensive prowess that has been likened by many to a young Trevor Ariza, he actually does fill a need in shoring up a wing position of questionable depth due to Luke Walton's injury issues. Now if only he could shoot, he would crack the rotation. Then again, if he could shoot, he'd be a near-lottery pick. Caracter is less of a sure thing, but if he does make the team he has high potential. His talent is undeniable, but his character issues and weight/lack-of-conditioning held him back from being a mid-first rounder. Mitch has already touched on both these issues in press conference, and if Caracter can show signs of having rectified these issues by training camp, he's likely to make the squad. Devin Ebanks, 20, 6'8" 208lbs, Small Forward, West Virginia University Devin Ebanks is a long, athletic player who revels in playing defense. He measures in at 6'8.25" inches with shoes and weighs 208lbs according to Draft Express, with a 7'0.25" wingspan. He possesses a 32" vertical, decent for a player of his height, and is said to be quick. Nbadraft.net had him projected as going as the 25th pick in their mock draft, and rated him as the fifth-best Small Forward in the draft, making him a seeming steal at #43. His game is truly Ariza-esque in that he is considered adept at running the floor and scoring in transition, is a good finisher around the rim with a soft touch, and possesses the skills and will to play as a defensive specialist and defend the opposition's best scorer. He also possesses many of the drawbacks Ariza suffered from, ranging from a complete absence of an outside shot (though, in truly Ariza-esque fashion, his jumpshot is said to 'show potential', particularly from the midrange and free throw line), to a shaky handle and an extremely slight frame that has trouble handling contact. Ebanks sounds exceptionally promising from Kupchak's point of view, with Mitch stating (from the K Brothers): "They're similar in a lot of ways. I think Devin may be able to shoot the ball a little bit better than Trevor did when he came out of college. And Trevor, when he was with us, got to the point where he could shoot the ball really well. He worked at his game. If I had to pick one dramatic difference, I would say Devin is a more rounded, maybe a better offensive player than Trevor was coming out of college. When Trevor came out of college, he was primarily a defensive player." Of course, GMs always tout their own picks, so Kupchak's praise must be taken with a grain of salt, though Kupchak has already previously stated that it's rare for a second-round pick to make a team. Ebanks, however, may be the exception to the rule. As Ryan Blake, the NBA's Director of Scouting says: "He's got a huge upside. You've got a guy who's 6-foot-9, but he's still developing. How long is it going to take him?" Ebanks' main technical issue is his total lack of range on his jumpshot. He shot 20% on jump shots last season, and only 10% (3-30) on the NCAA three-ball. However, as Nbadraft.net's scouting report states, " Knows how to get shots off in the paint ... Exhibits excellent body control ... Shows promise with his mid-range jumper ... Gets good elevation and has picturesque shooting mechanics ... Appears comfortable at the free throw stripe where he shoots 74% ... " Much of the same was said about Trevor Ariza by Lakers' assistant coaches when he came to LA, that he showed potential as a shooter, and we all know how that ended up. It's quite possible that by the end of the year he develops what amounts to an at least serviceable jump-shot, and even if he does not he brings the slasher role that the Triangle has been missing since Ariza's departure. But, his primary asset is definitely his defense. Once again from Nbadraft.net: Versatile defender with the ability to guard multiple positions ... Often matches up with the opponent's top perimeter threat ... Moves his feet pretty well for 6-9, and his length can bail him out if he's beaten off the bounce ... Long arms and quick hands net him a steal per contest ... Has a fire in his eyes at the defensive side, something very rare. That last bit, in italics, almost guarantees him a roster spot. While there is plenty of potential for Ebanks to earn playing time, likely most of his contribution to the team will be in practise, where he will scrimmage with the second team and push Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant in ways that Adam Morrison simply could not. Here's him discussing his defense: Ebanks also said he has no problem focusing on defense. "That's what I do," he said. "I take defense very seriously and I take it personally." Ebanks is also a prolific rebounder, averaging 8.1 boards per game in his sophomore year despite his slight frame, a testament to his length, athleticism and mentality. What was likely a prime reason Ebanks was not drafted earlier was his pedestrian scoring average, 12.1 points per game. However, his shooting percentage was an efficient 47%, a function of his excellent shot selection, and his lack of points is generally credited to his lack of assertiveness on offense, highlighted in the Tournament game against Duke, where WVU leading scorer Da'sean Butler went down with injury halfway through the second half but Ebanks did not assertively step up, finishing the game with only 8 shots. That, however, would be a boon in playing with the Lakers, as this is a team with plenty of scorers and a need for people willing to defend, rebound, make the hustle plays, and make the right decisions with the ball. Ebanks has also been said to have some character issues, from reportedly getting into a fistfight with a teammate to a three-game suspension for unknown reasons, but these seem minor issues compared to his upside, especially for a 43rd pick. And his quotes about playing for the Lakers show that he is likely one of the players that will be positively influenced by the personalities of the Laker locker room, particularly considering that he knew Lamar Odom and Ron Artest growing up, living in the same neighbourhood as them. Ebanks is likely to make the roster as a garbage time player as he is the cheapest method of filling up one of the Lakers' roster spots to make the minimum of 13, will be a hard worker in practise, pushing the starters, and has a high upside with potential to eventually evolve into a rotation player. In fact, if Luke Walton's back problems do not clear up, Ebanks may make the rotation earlier than expected. Last season, when Walton initially injured his back, Buss declined to pick up a Free Agent, instead allowing Kobe and Ron's minutes to be extended. Now with advancing age, it is unlikely that would be allowed to happen again, and Ebanks is the sort of player who could step in and play 10-15 minutes a night in the Regular Season as an injury-reserve. Who knows, his potential may even shine through in that role and allow him to permanently crack the rotation. His good shot-selection, passing skills and ability to make good decisions with the ball certainly aid him in this cause. Source: SSR
