NBA Draft: Thomas Robinson playing himself toward top of lottery

With college basketball about to heat up in March, here’s a look at who’s been helping their NBA draft prospects, and who’s falling down teams' boards.

Stock check—who’s up?

John Jenkins, SG, Vanderbilt

Jenkins came into the year with a reputation as one of the best shooters in the SEC, with a 40.8 3-point percentage as a sophomore. He has only gotten better as a junior, shooting 46.7 percent on 3s, and has been especially good lately. He was the key to Vanderbilt’s upset of Florida this week, with 22 points and 6-for-9 shooting from the arc, and over his last seven games, he is averaging 21.4 points and shooting 57.7 percent on 3s. Jenkins is only 6-4 and is strictly a shooter—no one is under the delusion that he can be a combo guard—but he is a good enough shooter to be a top 20 pick.

Thomas Robinson, PF, Kansas

Robinson has established himself as one of the top big-man prospects in this year’s draft, with impressive numbers—17.8 points and 11.8 rebounds. But one thing scouts really like about him is the way he elevates his game when his team needs him. In eight games against ranked teams this year, including Saturday’s overtime win against Missouri in which Robinson posted 28 points and 12 boards, he is averaging 19.8 points and 12.3 rebounds.

Stock check—who’s down?
Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor

All indications are that Miller will return to Baylor for his sophomore year, and barring a rip-roaring performance in the upcoming tournaments, that’s probably a good idea. Miller has lottery potential, but he has been inconsistent this year, and playing with another talented small forward—Perry Jones—has hindered Miller, draft-wise. If he comes back next year, he will have an opportunity to play with friend and AAU teammate Deuce Bello, who has gotten limited minutes as a freshman.

Scout’s spot
Damian Lillard, PG, Weber State

More and more scouts are making the trek to Ogden, Utah, for a look at Lillard, the nation’s second leading scorer at 24.5 points per game. Lillard broke his foot last year and took a redshirt, but he came back stronger, shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from the 3-point line.

“He could wind up in the lottery,” one scout told Sporting News. “He is that good with the ball. It is hard to gauge his ability to be a point guard because that team asks him to do so much offensively and he does not have the weapons around him. But he attacks the rim, he gets to the line, he finishes in the paint, he does not make a lot of mistakes—he is a little like Chauncey Billups that way. He is a smart player, and as long as there is a team that thinks he can make the jump from a small conference to an NBA point guard, he will be a high pick.”

Pro’s view
Kendall Marshall, PG, North Carolina

Former North Carolina guard Kenny Smith—now an analyst with TNT—doesn’t think that Marshall, a sophomore point guard, will come out in this year’s draft. But many scouts disagree. Marshall is not a scoring point guard in the vein of Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, but he is an elite passer who would fit nicely with a team that has scorers at other spots.

“He has the unique ability to find people,” Smith said. “What helps him is he is 6-4. He can guard multiple positions, he can guard the shooting guard and play the points. He has multiple skill sets. He is only going to become a better shooter as he plays more basketball.

“Playmaking—that is the word. If it is scoring, if it is passing, if you can dominate the game by playmaking—scoring or passing---you are an NBA prospect. He can do those things.”