NBA Draft Preview: Fab Melo

   After a drama filled sophomore season Fab Melo decided it was time to turn pro. Melo was not allowed to play in the NCAA tournament after the school deemed him ineligible. He ended the year averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game. His defensive performances helped him earn the Big East Defensive Player of the Year crown. Melo is measured at 7' tall and weighs 255 pounds.
   Pros: At 7 feet tall Melo is a hot commodity in the NBA. In a league where you can never have enough big men, his size is his best asset. He has an overall nose for the ball. He defends extremely well and alters shots consistently. He disrupts players from getting clean drives to the rim, a good help defender. He is a great rebounder.
   Cons: Melo is a work in progress on the offensive end. He has no jump shot. His back to the basket game is satisfactory, but not NBA caliber. He is prone to get in foul trouble.
   Overall Melo is a young enough player that some of these skills can be learned. He has tremendous talent and appears to have a tremendous upside. Most mock drafts have Melo going between pick 22 and 28. There may be a chance a team would trade to get him, but there are some playoff teams in the late first round   that would love to have a defensive 7 footer. I don't see him being a superstar of any kind, but he could develop into a solid center for a team.
   Coming up in the near future will be the Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph draft previews from Syracuse Pros.

Waiters A Possible Guaranteed Lottery Pick

According to a sportingnews.com report Syracuse sophomore Dion Waiters has cancelled all of his remaining workouts. It has been rumored that he has been guaranteed to be picked, possibly by Toronto at No. 8.
Toronto could be a great fit for Waiters. The Raptors have a solid point guard and good inside presence, but they lack at the shooting guard and small forward positions. He could get big minutes in Toronto.

Dion Waiters NBA Draft Preview

Our first in a series of draft articles here at Syracuse Pros features Dion Waiters. Waiters, who after struggling as a freshman, turned it on this past season becoming arguably the best sixth man in the country. After a solid season in which he averaged 12.6 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds, Waiters decided to turn pro. 

PROS: Waiters can put a spark into a team quickly. Consistently over the course of the season Jim Boeheim used him to get the Orange back into the game. He doesn't have to start, which can increase his value in the NBA where the teams with better bench players are often the teams that win games. He shot 48% from the field this past year. His jump shot could use some work, but he can still keep teams honest with it. He can drive the ball and create his own shot. His defensive ability is solid. He is a great anticipater and a gifted athlete.

CONS: Waiters is only 6'4". He would be a small shooting guard based on NBA standards. Although Gerald Henderson has proved you don't have to be huge to effective. Waiters was a 36% 3-point shooter. That percentage is not awful, but you would like to see your shooting guard be in the low 40 percent range. He struggles in the half court against good defenses.

Overall I think Waiters can turn into a very solid pro. He has all the skills and with some hard work can improve his weaknesses. Mock drafts have put him anywhere from 8 to 18. I see him going in the early to mid teens. This is a very talent rich draft and there are some great players in front of him.

Stay connected with Syracuse Pros as we continue our Syracuse draft previews!  

NFL Draft Recap 2012: Syracuse Style

 Seven rounds of the draft have been completed and many of the undrafted free agents have signed. Here is a small recap of where the players from Syracuse are now.
  Chandler Jones was drafted in the first round of the draft, pick number 21 by the New England Patriots. Jones should have a shot to start right off the bat at either defensive end or possibly as a linebacker. Look for big things from Jones and the Patriots this year.
  Andrew Tiller was the only other Syracuse player picked in the draft. The 6'5"guard did not have a great combine which hurt him in the draft. It appears that most likely he will end up as a reserve for the New Orleans Saints.
  Antwon Bailey signed with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent. Bailey had a fine year for the Orange rushing for over 1,000 yards. Bailey grew up in the DC area and is expected to compete for a roster spot as the team's third running back.
  Dorian Graham signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Graham had the fastest reported time in the 40-yard dash during workouts, somewhere in the low 4.2 range. Graham is a longshot to make the team, but his value as a returner always gives him a shot.
  Kevyn Scott signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Miami Dolphins. Scott was not invited to the combine this year. He will need to shine on special teams for the Dolphins in the preseason in order to make the team.
  Micheal Hay signed a free agent deal with the St. Louis Rams. Hay a 6'5", 280-pound right tackle came to Syracuse along with Andrew Tiller after playing at Nassau Community College together. He will have to work hard in preseason to make the team.
  Nick Provo signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Provo was predicted by many experts to be drafted this year. He had a fine year with the Orange last year, finding his way into the school record books. Provo should be able to compete for the third tight end position on the Ravens' roster.
  Phillip Thomas signed an undrafted free agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Thomas was also expected  to be drafted. Thomas led the Orange in tackles a season ago in just 10 games. Thomas should compete for a roster spot, most likely playing special teams.
 Stay with Syracuse Pros all year long as we follow each player's journey to the NFL.

Chandler Jones Drafted 21st By New England Patriots

   Chandler Jones has made 'Cuse nation proud yet again. The former Orange standout was drafted in the first round last night by the New England Patriots. The Patriots traded up to the number 21 pick and selected Jones. The Patriots were rumored by several media outlets to be interested in Jones after the Super Bowl.  Jones was limited to just 7 games last year, but still was able to record 4.5 sacks. Mel Kiper Jr. said that he would've likely been a top ten pick if he'd been healthy the entire year.
   Jones was extremely excited to get selected in the first round saying, "To hear Roger Goodell say my name, that's just a dream come true, I'm excited to be a Patriot." Jones may play both linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, as well as rush as a down lineman. For Bill Belichick and the Patriots to trade up for a player is quite significant. The Patriots are usually the team to move down in the draft in recent years.
    Chandler Jones did give credit to another Syracuse alum and former Orange star, his brother Arthur Jones. He said, "He was basically telling me the way I carry myself off the field, I'm not just representing myself, I'm representing the organization. I feel like having a brother in the NFL is a great advantage." Arthur   Jones currently plays for the Baltimore Ravens.
    Continue to follow Syracuse Pros for continuing coverage on Chandler Jones and the rest of the Syracuse players in the 2012 NFL draft.

Carmelo Records 2nd Career Triple Double In Win

The New York Knicks kept their Atlantic Division title chances alive with a 118-110 victory over the Boston Celtics. The Knicks were red hot from beyond the arc as they hit an NBA record 14 three-pointers made in the first half. They ended the game 19 of 32 from three-point distance. Steve Novak and J.R. Smith were the recipients of some great assists by Carmelo Anthony who ended the game with 10 assists and opened the way for several three's by Smith and Novak.

Carmelo Anthony, a former Syracuse player and national champion, had his second career triple-double in what former NBA player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler called, "the best game of his career". Anthony ended the game with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists for the playoff-bound Knicks. He was 13 of 24 shooting and played 40 minutes in the victory. The most impressive part of his game had to be the ability to find the open man after drawing multiple double teams. He left open shots for his teammates all night.

The victory was pivotal for the Knicks as they moved within 3 games of the division lead. A Celtics victory on Tuesday night would have clinched the division. The Knicks and Carmelo Anthony will take on the New Jersey Nets tonight at 7:30pm.

Fab Melo Enters NBA Draft

  Syracuse center Fab Melo has declared he will enter the NBA Draft. This past season, Melo earned Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors while being suspended twice.
  "Being able to play professional basketball has been my dream since I first starting playing this game and now I have the opportunity to accomplish that dream," Melo said in a statement released by the school.
  He averaged 7.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for Syracuse this past season and led the Big East in blocks per game.