WR

[slu72]

Pete Gillen on TV tonight said a couple of times WR is a legit NBA prospect because of his athleticism. He also added he's got to improve his offense. Ok, so maybe after next year he declares, but still in the games I've seen him on actual TV, I'm wondering about his hands. He seems to lose some easy passes and rebounds that he should be able to just glom onto. I know glom's not a word, but I hope it doesn't get filtered out.

[NH]

Pete Gillen on TV tonight said a couple of times WR is a legit NBA prospect because of his athleticism. He also added he's got to improve his offense. Ok, so maybe after next year he declares, but still in the games I've seen him on actual TV, I'm wondering about his hands. He seems to lose some easy passes and rebounds that he should be able to just glom onto. I know glom's not a word, but I hope it doesn't get filtered out.

He does appear to not have great hands, but maybe some of that comes with strength as well.

[kmbilliken]

I don't see it. Watch an NBA game. No way he can play in that league. Maybe if continues to develope he could sit on the end of the bench 4 or 5 years down the road. I think he can have a good 4 years at SLU and make a good living playing in Europe, but if he leaves early he's making a huge mistake.

[slu72]

He does appear to not have great hands, but maybe some of that comes with strength as well.

The NBA will check out his hand size. Especially after Greg Oden was so highly drafted out of OSU. I heard on a sports show the other day, even if he recovers from his injuries, there are serious questions about his hands and how effective he can be in the NBA. You gotta catch the ball and then hold onto it when some really big nasty guys are trying to rip off your fingers.

[NH]

I don't see it. Watch an NBA game. No way he can play in that league. Maybe if continues to develope he could sit on the end of the bench 4 or 5 years down the road. I think he can have a good 4 years at SLU and make a good living playing in Europe, but if he leaves early he's making a huge mistake.

He can definitely play in the NBA. Hes got all the physical tools, just needs the wight and some skills. Willie is a very, very good sophomore big man for someone so raw. To say he cant play in the NBA is Ridiculous.

[doowop]

Some people are talking about WR leaving early. I have yet to read where he has said he is even thinking about leaving.

[Taj79]

Yeah but ..... there's always a but. Willie COULD be the best big man ever in SLU's modern history and his potential is really unlimited. I am not going to say right here and now NBA or no NBA, but he's got a long way to go. To see him ansd Ellis develop a nice big man inside/outside game would be a very nice benefit over the next two years. But to go now, I just don't know.

The NBA has a lock on drafting "potential." I think they would do it in as heartbeat. But I've seen some really good big men now do much when it comes to the NBA ---- to include Chris Wilcox, Rodney White, Kwame Brown, Larry Johnson, Joe Smith, Adam Morrison, Bryant Reeves, and many others. I think it has a lot to do with desire. And yet unknowns like Scottie Pippen, Ben Wallace, Shawn Kemp and Charles Oakley come out of relative nowhere.

Willie has a future that the sky is the limit, but there is tremendous room for improvement. I still see a potential Doug Smith and Kenyon Martin in the making, but as Gillen said, he has to want it. Earlier this year, I thought Idrus Hillard for St. Joe's was going to replace some of Ahmad Nivens. Even tonight, that didn't happen. Willie was swarmed on multiple occasions tonight and failed a few of those tests. I don't see much in terms of a post-up game or a 10- to 14-foot jump shot. Even with the O'Brien stiff playing him.

[dlarry]

2011 NBA mock draft has willie going in the first at No. 16

mock draft

Now making a 2011 mock draft before the 2010 draft even happens is pretty stupid

But it does show you that he is on NBA radars.

I think that is awfully high but then again I think NBA basketball blows so what do I know

1 New Jersey Hassan Whiteside 7-0 235 C Marshall Fr.

2 Minnesota Harrison Barnes 6-8 209 SG/SF North Carolina HSSr.

3 Golden St. Perry Jones 6-11 230 SF Baylor HSSr.

4 Sacramento Paul George 6-8 210 SF Fresno St. So.

5 Washington Alec Burks 6-6 185 SG Colorado Fr.

6 Detroit Eric Bledsoe 6-1 195 PG Kentucky Fr.

7 Indiana Devin Ebanks 6-7 204 SF West Virginia So.

8 New York Greg Smith 6-10 250 PF/C Fresno St. Fr.

9 Philadelphia Kyrie Irving 6-2 172 PG Duke HSSr.

10 LA Clippers Arnett Moultrie 6-10 225 PF UTEP So.

11 Milwaukee Brandon Knight 6-3 185 PG Undecided HSSr.

12 Memphis Alex Oriakhi 6-9 240 PF UConn Fr.

13 New Orleans Elliot Williams 6-4 180 SG Memphis So.

14 Houston Willie Warren 6-4 207 PG/SG Oklahoma So.

15 Miami Cory Joseph 6-3 180 PG Undecided HSSr.

16 Charlotte Willie Reed 6-9 220 PF St. Louis So

[brianstl]

Willie will need to develop a jumper, improve his defense, and show the ability to go straight up in traffic to go anywhere close to where that mock draft has him projected. He has a lot of work to do to get to that point. Talking about him and the NBA right now is a lot like talking about TL III and the NBA when he was at the same point in his college career.

[DirtyRican]

Not saying he is going to the NBA but if he did get a shot I see it as a good thing. Sure we would miss him but how great would it be for the future of the program to have a player go in the first round again. Right now we hang our hat on Larry the Legend and I can't keep up with what team he is on these days. I hope Willie gets his even if we lose him early.

[GOSLU68]

Willie will need to develop a jumper, improve his defense, and show the ability to go straight up in traffic to go anywhere close to where that mock draft has him projected. He has a lot of work to do to get to that point. Talking about him and the NBA right now is a lot like talking about TL III and the NBA when he was at the same point in his college career.

TLIII and Monroe Douglas both peaked by Soph years; I think there is more upside to WR.

That being said I don't think he is near the quality of Greg Oden or Joe Smith.

He does not have a pro power forward body or strength, yet.

He is very young.

I would like to see him do better than Anthony Bonner who never developed a very good jump shot but could leap

from free throw line to the basket and rebound with any college player of his era.

[SluSignGuy]

2011 NBA mock draft has willie going in the first at No. 16

mock draft

Now making a 2011 mock draft before the 2010 draft even happens is pretty stupid

But it does show you that he is on NBA radars.

I think that is awfully high but then again I think NBA basketball blows so what do I know

1 New Jersey Hassan Whiteside 7-0 235 C Marshall Fr.

2 Minnesota Harrison Barnes 6-8 209 SG/SF North Carolina HSSr.

3 Golden St. Perry Jones 6-11 230 SF Baylor HSSr.

4 Sacramento Paul George 6-8 210 SF Fresno St. So.

5 Washington Alec Burks 6-6 185 SG Colorado Fr.

6 Detroit Eric Bledsoe 6-1 195 PG Kentucky Fr.

7 Indiana Devin Ebanks 6-7 204 SF West Virginia So.

8 New York Greg Smith 6-10 250 PF/C Fresno St. Fr.

9 Philadelphia Kyrie Irving 6-2 172 PG Duke HSSr.

10 LA Clippers Arnett Moultrie 6-10 225 PF UTEP So.

11 Milwaukee Brandon Knight 6-3 185 PG Undecided HSSr.

12 Memphis Alex Oriakhi 6-9 240 PF UConn Fr.

13 New Orleans Elliot Williams 6-4 180 SG Memphis So.

14 Houston Willie Warren 6-4 207 PG/SG Oklahoma So.

15 Miami Cory Joseph 6-3 180 PG Undecided HSSr.

16 Charlotte Willie Reed 6-9 220 PF St. Louis So

Don't let Willie see that post

[GOSLU68]

Don't let Willie see that post

WR and other bigs such as Loe should consider what Rick Majerus has been able to do for bigs in the past.

If they want one contract and struggle for playing time they should go early before they develop skills and are able

to play 30 minutes a game.

They are going to take a pounding with the minutes and number of games in the NBA.

We all see players who play during the season and sit the bench for the play offs; all they are doing is letting the stars

rest for the big games.

From what we see of Willie he like being a star and will want to go with his best potential instead of being a sub for

3-5 years.

Ask Rich Niemann if he really enjoyed being on the bench behind one of the greatest players in the NBA with the Celtics?

I don't know his answer but it maybe the game turns into showing up for work-a job. Would you rather be Bill Russell,

Easy Ed Mc Cauley, Rich Niemann, or Anthony Bonner?

These guys were all great college basketball players and two of them dominated the NBA-there is only one way for

Willie Reed to know if he can be truly great and that is get instruction for a truly great coach-RM

[kevinfootes]

TLIII and Monroe Douglas both peaked by Soph years; I think there is more upside to WR.

That being said I don't think he is near the quality of Greg Oden or Joe Smith.

He does not have a pro power forward body or strength, yet.

He is very young.

I would like to see him do better than Anthony Bonner who never developed a very good jump shot but could leap

from free throw line to the basket and rebound with any college player of his era.

If Willie Reed plays 6 years in the NBA with better numbers, I'll say he's better than Bonner.

[SluSignGuy]

One thing though is Willie's conditioning. Last year we attributed it to him not playing before coming to SLU, but it was apparent tonight at times that he was tired. I am not sure what it is, as he has to be in excellent shape. But this is only a 30 game season. Somehow (even with less minutes) he is going to need to get up to an 80 game season.

[Billikan]

One thing though is Willie's conditioning. Last year we attributed it to him not playing before coming to SLU, but it was apparent tonight at times that he was tired. I am not sure what it is, as he has to be in excellent shape. But this is only a 30 game season. Somehow (even with less minutes) he is going to need to get up to an 80 game season.

He is not yet in excellent shape but he is sure in much better shape than last year when he could not play more than about 3 minutes at a time.

The truth is that the jury is still out with regard to Willie and his future. He is right now one of the better centers we have had over the past 20 years but he also has a lot of growth potential in terms of strength, conditioning and his ability to play inside/outside. If he continues to really work hard and get much stronger his whole game will get better and his confidence will be sky high. It all depends on how hard he wants to work and learn.