How sweet would it be to play alongside Chris Paul? And, on top of that, for your hometown team? Shan Foster may get the chance.Vanderbilt's all-time leading scorer and the 2008 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year impressed the New Orleans Hornets in a predraft workout Tuesday. The Hornets have the 27th pick in the NBA Draft, which takes place on June 26.
Foster, who struggled somewhat during the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, seems to be a good fit for the Hornets, according to coach Byron Scott.
"We think (starter) Mo Peterson did a heck of a job, but we really need a shooting guard that's really athletic and can get up and down the floor," Scott said.
"He can flat out shoot it, and he moves extremely well without the ball. He has a very high, good IQ on the basketball court, knows how to play. He was pretty good all the way around, but when we went three-on-three, he was even better. So that was very exciting just to see this kid come out and play.
"When you get MVP or Player of the Year in the SEC, that says a lot, as well. It holds a lot because you know he's probably basketball-ready, especially for the NBA."
Foster, who grew up in Kenner, La., and attended Bonnabel High School, would undoubtedly be thrilled to play in front of friends and family, and, of course, to be drafted in the first round.
"The thing with Shan that is so impressive is that he has had an outstanding career at Vanderbilt," said Hornets general manager Jeff Bower. "He has great combination of experience, size and scoring ability, and those are all big assets for him."
Foster will work out for several teams over the next two weeks as he tries to secure a spot late in the first round or early in the second. While Foster's ball-handling needs improvement, NBA teams are looking for role players who have certain skill sets and there is no question that he can shoot it with the best of them.
Often times people tend to focus much on what players aren't, instead of what they are. What Shan Foster is is a terrific shooter with good height and athleticism, which is something that all teams are looking for.
Make sure to check back here for more NBA Draft coverage over the next two weeks.
Foster impressive in workout [The Times-Picayune]
Third Saturday in Blogtober [Photo]
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3 comments:
Great news for a great young man. Thanks for the update.
Sometimes having one dominant skill can help you make an NBA team rather than being pretty decent at a lot of things (Steve Kerr vs Derrick Byars for example, there are better ones but that's a start).
At the end of the day though, I don't honestly see him as a first round pick. But if he can make it in the second round and get a roster spot, he can at least make bank and show off fresh suits like the one in the photo.
And speaking of Byars, does anyone think he can catch on with a summer league team and parlay that into a roster spot?
I really hope DB gets a shot. For the second-round picks, it's all about the situation you're drafted into. DB was playing behind a number of young and talented swingmen, which meant he had virtually no shot of sticking with Philly no matter how well he played.
Hopefully Foster will land on a team that's a good fit for him, regardless of where it may be in the second round. Then again, you can't rule out the first round. Last year the Jazz took a shooter named Morris Almond from Rice (who had one dominant skill) over the good-at-everything, great-at-nothing, SEC Player of the Year Derrick Byars despite mock drafts suggesting otherwise so you just never know...
Both DB and Shan are great guys who deserve to have success so we'll certainly be pulling for them to stick in the league.
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