VITALS: 6-7, 260, Cincinnati OVERVIEW: One of the top defensive players in the nation, Maxiell led Conference USA in blocks with 2.8 per game, and finished his collegiate career fourth in the league history with 252. Maxiell, who did not miss a game in his four-year career at Cincinnati, finished 11th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,566 points. He scored a career-high 30 points and blocked seven shots in a win over Longwood this season. He was named C-USA Sixth Man of the Year in his freshman season and was second team all-league selection his final two years. LIKELY DRAFT POSITION: There has been speculation that Maxiell has received a promise in the late first round from an unidentified team. It is certainly possible, but if not true, then Maxiell could be picked anywhere in the second round. Some teams don't like undersized power forwards, while others feel they can be productive in the right setting. COMPARATIVE UPSIDE: Danny Fortson COMPARATIVE DOWNSIDE: Reggie Slater ROLE PROJECTION: Small power forward. POSITIVES: Maxiell has explosive leaping ability and uncommon strength. He is an undersized power player in the Charles Barkley vein who is most effective when he is battling in the trenches. Furthermore, he has has a shocking 7-3 wingspan that enables him to play much bigger than his listed height. Maxiell will be even more effective in the NBA, where he will be a role player unconcerned about picking up a couple of fouls for being so aggressive. SHORTCOMINGS: Maxiell doesn't have much shooting range for his height. He is a great jumper and is used to getting shots off close to the basket against bigger people, but the next step in his development as a player is to increase the range on his shots. If he could consistently make a 15-footer, it would put him in an entirely different category than he is right now. For now, he is simply a huge effort player.
