Erick Green can be summed up with just one word: Point scorer. Wait, that’s two words. Scratch that.
Player: Erick Green
Position: Point Guard
Size: 6-3/180
Age: 22
School: Virginia Tech
Last Season Stats: 25.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists
THE GOOD:
A crafty scorer, with a great wing span (6-5) and a nice shooting touch, Green led the nation in scoring this past season.
The furthest thing from one dimensional, Green is capable of hitting the long ball or driving the ball to the rim. He’s quick and athletic and does a superb job off screens and pick-and-rolls. I personally love his patience. There were numerous times a defender would lock him up, relax and the next thing he knows, he’s by him.
Because he’s a bit of a lightweight, Green can sometimes run into a little trouble finishing among the trees, but he did a great job forcing contact and getting to the line this past season. He averaged 9.1 free throws per 40 minutes.
Did I mention that he can score? Good, because he can.
THE BAD:
He’s listed a 6-3, but that’s with shoes. Without the footwear, he was measured at 6-1.5 at the NBA Combine and that’s not going to make the scouts happy.
The reality is, with his ability to put the ball in the basket, his game is a better fit for the shooting guard spot, but he’s just too small. He needs to be a point guard, but he’s never proven to be a great floor general or an elite passer (he produced a so-so 3.8 assists as a senior).
Of course, the biggest knock on Green is on the defensive end. He struggles off the screen and when he’s facing a bigger body, he can easily be bounced around and beaten to the basket.
THE PROJECTION:
Right now Green is hoping to become the first Hokies basketball player since Dell Curry (1986) to be drafted in the first round. Will it happen? All I can say is, Green is tough to figure out. You look at the experts and some have him going late in the first-round, while others don’t have him being draft at all.
Personally, I don’t see any way he gets taken in the first-round, because he’s a fringe top-10 point guard heading into the draft and he didn’t get the opportunity to prove that he is when he got hurt during the second day of the NBA combine. That was the day he needed to show off his point guard skills. It will hurt.
I think there is zero chance he gets taken in round one. However, I see the Philadelphia 76ers taking him with their second pick in the second round (number 42).
