95 Power Forwards

[Zyme]

Top 5 1995 Power Forwards

Rasheed Wallace:
B- C+ C- C+ C+ A

Few players in the nation performed better than Wallace this season. If it were not for a late surge, Rasheed would likely have the Naismith award rather than his positional rival Joe Smith. The Tarheel was the driving force behind North Carolina's run to the final four. They played a hard-fought game with Arkansas before fading down the stretch. Roscoe looks like he was chiseled to play the power forward position at 6'10" 230. He is is a force in the post, both strong and supporting a very deep bad of tricks. While he prefers to play down there, he does have the ability to step out and hit the high post shot when he needs to and can surprise his matchup with just how deep he can take it. He plays a gritty, straight up style on defense but his greatest weakness is his fouls, he has always struggled to keep his cool and led the NCAA in technical fouls and ejections. The consensus among scouts is a bright future. If he can ever get his temper in check, he could be a force for a long time to come.

Joe Smith:
B- C D C+ C+ B
'The man who bested Wallace for the Naismith Award this season. The Forward out of Maryland played all over the court. While he played most of his time at center, there were jumbo packages where he shifted all the way down to the Small Forward position. He had a very well developed low-post game and showed great fight getting around screens on defense and he has astounding quickness when moving out to guard the perimeter. He is very long and lanky and, when at the forward positions, racked up a fair number of rejections. While he doesn't have the top potential in this class, scouts think it isn't a worry and should find himself in a post or forward rotation for some time.

Theo Ratliff:
C+ C- C+ B- C+ C

Big time man in a small pond out of Wyoming. Theo dominated his leagues and ended as the walk away conference player of the year. He lead the 'Pokes to a 1st round exit in the NCAA tournament against eventual winner's Arkansas. One of the big reasons for his unanimous selection for CPOY was his ball control, he turned the ball over once the entire season, and only ten in his entire four-year career. He is an excellent defender and shows good timing on this shot contests, a fair number ending up in row Zed. He isn't the strongest post player in the class, but in no way was he pushed around this season. Scouts are torn, he was a really good player in college, but when he declined to attend the combine they were concerned and frustrated. This led to a poor grading out and think he has potential to make it in the association, but feel he cannot go around acting like he's already there.

Don Ried:
C+ D+ D- C+ C+ B

Someone of his size simply shouldn't be able to move like Ried. The 250lb F/C out of powerhouse Georgetown simply dominated defending the big east. He moves around screens extremely well and uses his weight for leverage in the post (and his closeout after switches isn't bad neither). At the combine his quick hands blew the scouts away and he showed enough on the low block to be graded out as solid. Decent rebounder, but could use work on his footwork. He tends to be a bit of a black hold down low, but when you are able to slam the ball home as well as Ried, it is hard to blame him too much. Very Good motor and his potential is solid.

Cherokee Parks:
C+ C D C B- A

Very well put together big man out of Duke University. He was the 1st man off the bench for the 1993 championship squad and anchored the post during the last 2 deep tournament runs by the Blue Devils. He is part Cherokee (grandmother on his mother's side). He is a very dedicated man to his craft, and his physical tools have led him to be one oof the most polished rebounders of this class. He has outstanding footwork and a great motor on the offensive boards to go with it. He ranked in the top ten at the combine at the bench press and gets around screens quite well. His problem is he isn't the quickest man on the court and this has hurt him on the defensive glass. If he gets sucked out, he struggles to keep up with his man going toward the basket. Very solid potential, if only his jumper would hit more consistently would he become a real force.

Other PF prospects:

Corliss Williamson
C+ C C- C+ C+ A

Really talented undersized forward. He lead the attack that ened with the Razorback holding the national title. His size limits his ability to block but his motor is relentless. Very too potential, if he were another five inches taller, nobody would be able to stop him.

Mario Bennett:
C+ D- D- C+ C+ C

Man does this kid show flashes, but he just has never put it together. He was having an excellent junior year until his right ACL gave out on him during the tournament. He was in rehab until the tail end of the next season and just didn't look the match fit, but in the tournament show flashes of his former glory. If he can stay healthy, he could be great, but the combine docs are worried he compensated for his right and his left ACL could go at any time.

Cedric Lewis:
C+ D F+ C+ C A

The partner in the post for Joe sSmith. Very good inside finisher in his own right and very good on the defensive side. Scouts are concerned he may have been riding Smith's coattails.

Dwayne Whitfield:
C+ D+ F+ C+ C C

Small school prospect out of Jackson State. Walked away with CPOY, but it was a really down year. Solid defender. Average potential