VITALS: 6-4, 210, Missouri OVERVIEW: Paulding may have made a mistake by returning for his senior season at Missouri. He averaged 17.4 points and shot 45 percent in his junior campaign and those numbers dipped to 15.1 and 39.7 percent this past season. His rebounding and 3-point accuracy also suffered. Once considered a top perimeter threat, Paulding brings more question marks to the table than answers. The Detroit native's quickness and defensive ability also were lacking and his athleticism does not favorably compare to many prospects. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: Paulding is a mid-second-rounder. That is a far cry from where most experts would have guessed he would be at this time last year. A mediocre senior season killed Paulding's stock and he is no longer a projected lottery pick. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Jason Richardson COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: James Cotton ROLE PROJECTION: Reserve POSITIVES: Paulding has a terrific NBA body and is a super athlete. He had some extraordinary games during his Missouri career and can really light it up when his shot is on target. He finishes, rebounds, passes and defends at an NBA level. Paulding has the potential to have a long career, which is unusual for a projected second-rounder. SHORTCOMINGS: Paulding shot less than 40 percent from the field as a senior. His 3-point shot especially fell off, which is not surprising, because he always had a reputation as a streaky shooter, even when he was shooting well from the arc. If Paulding does not learn to play with consistency, he will not last very long in the NBA. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "Coming into the season , I think he was a prospect that a lot of people were trying to get a handle on. He was projected to go very high in the draft. Certainly he's come here (Chicago) and proven he can be an effective scorer from the 2-guard position. Whether he's helped himself or where he's put himself in the draft remains to be seen but I think what you're seeing is that he has some NBA athleticism and can score. I know a lot of people came here to watch him perform." - Milwaukee Bucks general manager Larry Harris
