One Fan's UCLA Basketball Blog
News, analysis, and commentary about the UCLA Bruins basketball program
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
 
HoopsHype with final words on the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp
From Day 4, regarding Dijon Thompson:
18 points, 8/15 shooting, 3 rebounds – Thompson really showed off his midrange game all throughout camp, knocking down collegiate three pointers as if they were layups. The smooth wing did not really stand out in any other area of the game, but definitely showed the ability to create his own shot and consistently put points on the board at the next level. It's a shame that he won't put the ball on the floor more and take the ball to the basket, or use his height and length to rebound or play defense, because otherwise he would be a lock to make the league next year.
Ouch, that's a little harsh. I'll agree that Thompson could be a much better defender than he is, but I think he proved throughout all of last year that he is willing to rebound. I also agree that he should take the ball to the rack more, but hey, if the shots are open and the jumper is falling, why bother? It's also interesting to me that one of the comments is that he can create his own shot, because it seemed to me that he often needed to receive passes after coming off of picks to get open looks. If he truly can create consistent offense for himself against NBA-caliber players, then he might be in good shape, as this is a very valuable skill. Perhaps someday he can develop into a quality NBA sixth man, providing "instant offense" for his team. But yes, he still has plenty of work to do before he gets to that point.

Based on these and other comments I've read about Thompson, it seems like his overall demeanor might be hurting him. I don't think I've ever read or heard anyone describe his play as "intense". Conversely, the one word I see most often describing his game is "smooth". It's quite possible that most observers can't tell if he really is lacking effort, or if he is giving 100% and it merely looks "effortless". I remember that JR Henderson had to deal with similar criticism.

Anyway, HoopsHype also gives a brief recap for each of the camps' participants, including Thompson:
Had a good camp but didn’t jump ahead of too many players. He can shoot it, run the floor and defend, but may not do anything all that well.
So it would seem that Thompson remains a likely second round pick. We'll see how things shake out over the next couple of weeks, especially with the deadline for NCAA players to withdraw being June 21.
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