NBA Draft 2013: Erick Green scouting report

SB Nation is posting scouting reports of each prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft. Learn more about Virginia Tech point guard Erick Green.

NAME: Erick Green.

SCHOOL: Virginia Tech.

AGE ON DRAFT DAY: 22 years, one month.

POSITION: Point guard.

MEASUREMENTS: 6'3, 178 pounds, 6'5.75 wingspan, 8'2 standing reach.

STATS:

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RELEVANT ADVANCED STATS: 27 percent assist percentage this season. Not bad considering how few other options Green had at Virginia Tech.

SB NATION BIG BOARD POSITION: No. 17.

NBA CEILING: Lou Williams.

NBA FLOOR: Mario Chalmers.

JONATHAN TJARKS' ANALYSIS

Through no fault of his own, Erick Green saw the Virginia Tech program collapse around him. Seth Greenberg, the coach who recruited him, was fired following the 2011-2012 season after too many years of falling on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. This past season, Green's senior year, things bottomed out under new head coach James Johnson. Green led the nation in scoring, but few noticed on a team that went 13-19, including 4-14 in ACC play.

However, despite his team's poor record, Green was still the ACC Player of the Year. He was the Hokies' primary scorer and playmaker, averaging 25 points, four rebounds and four assists on 48 percent shooting from the field, 39 percent from three-point range and 82 percent from the free throw line.

Green, unlike most players who lead the NCAA in scoring, wasn't a volume shooter. He was a dominant player who beat the defense in a number of ways. The problem was that too many of his teammates just weren't ACC-caliber players.

At 6'3 and 178 pounds with a 6'5.75 wingspan, he has the size and speed to be a starting point guard. He has the tools to hold his own on the defensive end, although his wiry frame will pose problems against stronger guards.

He came into college as a combo guard with an inconsistent jumper, but he transformed himself into a lights-out shooter with the ability to run point. While he's still more scorer than playmaker, he did an excellent job this season of running the offense and picking spots when to attack.

Green can create space for himself off the dribble and shoot out to 25 feet, so he will be able to score at the next level. The question will be how his efficiency numbers hold up against the longer and quicker defenders. His best role may be as a high-level sixth man, but he could start as a scoring point guard for the right team.

DRAFT EXPRESS SCOUTING VIDEO

OTHER SCOUTING REPORTS

Gobbler Country, SB Nation's Virginia Tech blog:

A year ago, nobody saw Green as anything more than a fringe-pro prospect, nor should they have. But Green's continual evolution that saw him be among the most improved players in college basketball each year over his four-year career has altered the perceptions of a lot of those doubters, and subsequently, caused him to steadily rise up the draft boards. Many feel that not only is Green a lock to be drafted, but that he is also quite likely to be a first-round pick.

Burnt Orange Nation:

Green is a fabulous basketball player. As a senior, the 6-3 guard basically was the Virginia Tech offense, or at least all of the good parts of it. Green can shoot and he almost never turns the ball over. While on the floor, he took a third of the Hokies shots, and he buried them. Over his last two seasons, he averaged 38 percent shooting from three point range. ACC defenses were able to key on him completely, and he still scored without trouble.

Posting and Toasting:

Scoring an efficient 25 PPG last season for the Hokies, Erick Green firmly established himself as the most prolific scorer in college basketball. He has a diverse offensive game and can put points on the board from anywhere on the floor. He shoots the ball extremely well off the dribble, scoring on over 40% of his jumpers in that situation. Green does a fantastic job creating space, using both a tight handle on the ball and great scoring instincts. He reads the defense well and simply takes what he wants. Green has a well-developed step-back jumper and does a great job squaring his shoulders to the rim when shooting, allowing him to convert extremely difficult shots with regularity. He also gets great elevation on every jump shot, making it hard for defenders to contest after he raises up.

In addition to his ability to shoot off the bounce, Green looks extremely comfortable spotting up and knocking down shots (shooting 44.7% in catch-and-shoot situations). Green has clear NBA range, and his 38.9% from three last season belies his ability as a shooter as he dealt with constant defensive pressure. He can shoot the ball running off of screens, scoring a very efficient 1.32 PPP when coming off of screens. It is difficult for defenders to keep up with Green as he races around screens to lift up for shots. He elevates quickly off of the catch gives the defense very little opportunity to contest. It would be no exaggeration to say that Green was among the most versatile perimeters scorers in college basketball last season.

Complementing his ability to shoot the ball, Green utilizes an advanced set of dribble moves to get wherever he wants on the court. As the #1 (and often #s 2 and 3) option on offense for VA Tech, Green has seen his fair share of double-teams during his career and does a great job of splitting the double to put the defense at a massive disadvantage. While Green is not the best finisher you'll find in the draft, he has an NBA-ready floater that will serve him well against the increased length and athleticism of pro basketball. The lanky guard compensates for his mediocre finishing ability around the basket (49%) by embracing contact and attempted a fantastic 9.1 free throws per 40 minutes (leads all guard and wing prospects in DraftExpress' top 100). Erick Green's ability to produce points from the charity stripe in addition to the 3-point line help make him a fascinating prospect at the next level.

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