Hancock

[ponystudent]

I don't think he will go to the NBA. His penetration is his only strong point, and I think it wouldn't work in the NBA. His shot isn't good enough. He is athletic enough, but lacks height. His defense isn't good enough.

Sasser was a 6-6 point guard with better ball handling, better shot, better defense, and better court leader...at one time. Hancock is not enough of a passer. I think to be a 6-3 point guard like Damon, you need to have an unbelievable shot, defense, and passer to make it to the league.

What do you all think?

[SMUPonyFan]

Who knows if he will go. All it takes is one team to see something they really like in him. I was surprised to see Sasser go when he did, I thought he might have played himself out of the draft. We will just have to wait and see.

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Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[Pony_Fan]

Very tough to say. If Sassafras went 1st round...I just don't know what they saw in him. I'm not a scout but I watched him enough to determine I wouldn't want him on my NBA team that is for sure.

Hanock is quick off the dribble but if he is a 2 guard in the NBA, he doesn't have a good wide open shot IMO. Watch him go 1st round..haa haa.

[whatasteve]

Don't be so sure. I talked to a scout who came to a game last year to watch Sasser, and he said Hancock will be a better pro, and taken higher, than Sasser was. He said the fact that Hancock is much quicker and a lot stronger than Sass made him more appealing to NBA scouts that Sasser was. He also said that although Damon's jumper is not always consistent, his mechanics are much better -- he gets a lot more lift from his legs that Sasser, and has much better shooting mechanics. He has a nice arc and rotation on his shot, rather than Sasser's corkscrew flinging style. Sasser is more of a streaky shooter (we all remember the 39 he threw in against UTEP last year), but the scout said Hancock will be a much more consistent scorer, and said he's a much better defender than Sasser. (Who isn't?) I think Damon will get drafted, maybe at the end of the first round, and that he'll be a decent -- if not great -- pro player for many years. The scout even called Hancock, because of his quickness, strength and defense, a "poor man's Jason Kidd." If he's even a shadow of Jason Kidd, he'll do fine in the NBA.

[Bballer]

Umm...a poor man's Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd passes the ball. Better rethink or restate that.

[Pony_Fan]

That's funny. This scout has no idea what he's talking about. He may have watched H for a game...that's ridiculous. And he has a floater shot..no rotation. Watch next game.

[D]

I always find it interesting to look at this site although I'm not sure how accurate it is. Last year they had Sasser going in the middle of the second round. This year they show Damon as an honorable mention selection (outside the top 100). Earlier in the year, he was listed as the last pick in the second round. I don't know what he has done to fall off, but he has pretty dramatically.
I would disagree that he'll be taken in the end of the first round. If you look at some of the people they are listing at the end of the first and early second, I don't see him going before many of them - Prince (KY), Haslem (FL), etc. To me, these guys seem like less of a risk although I think Damon can find a place and be successful at the next level.
As for his passing, I would wait to see what he does when he has more talent around him and is not required to create the offense. I could see him being a pretty good distributor off the dribble if he has confidence in the others on the floor with him. Unfortunately, while at SMU our erratic big man play has probably left him more prone to shoot then dish. Anyway, here is the link - <A HREF="http://www.nbadraft.net/2002prospects.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nbadraft.net/2002prospects.htm</A>

[Bballer]

I looked at that site and it has Q as an honorable mention Jr. That is good news.

Also, there was a link to high schoolers that I checked out. It has Bracy Wright ranked 10 spots above Hopkins! What is that. I saw Wright play last year and he did not impress me at all. Has anyone else seen Bhop and Wright play? Who would you take? I would take Hopkins in a second.

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Ponies to the NCAA Tourney in 2002!

[Mustang Fan]

i think he has potential, but i won't be surprised if he doesn't

[MustangOrange]

If Damon gets drafted, it's because of potential only...he would be a "work-in progress" like Sasser is. The things that would turn a team away are his turnovers (4.3/game) and 3-point shooting (29%); however, he can create off the dribble and drive the lane really well. I predict that he will make the NBA, but not through the draft unless he really steps up in the WAC tourney.

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