Draft Watch: James Gist

JAMES GIST - 15


Ex-Maryland Terrapin Forward James Gist is eligible for the upcoming NBA Draft later this month.



Gist lists as 6'8" and 223 lbs and at 21 years of age. He should be drafted as an athletic power forward who could also line up as a small forward in the NBA. As a senior, Gist averaged 15.9 points a game, 7.9 rebounds a game, and 2.3 blocks a game in 33 games of action.

According to http://www.draftexpress.com/, Gist is ranked as the 9th best senior and 12th best power forward. In their mock draft, James would be selected at 56 overall by the Seattle Sonics. According to nbadraft.net, Gist would be drafted at 41 overall by the Indiana Pacers. According to Chad Ford and http://www.espn.com/, Gist is ranked as the 68th best player in the draft as of now, pending underclassmen in the draft.

James Gist's strengths (according to nbadraft.net):

Potential is outstanding, especially in faster paced NBA ... Athletically, he can compete with anyone ... Dunks with authority often ... Runs the fast break very well for a power forward... Great length ... Good touch around the basket ... Has the potential to be a lock down defender ... Very good post defender ... Has strong shot blocking instincts ... Good footwork in the post... Improving jump shot ... Developing ability to play on the perimeter ... Incredible on the open floor ... Can get on a roll and look like a budding star ... Has noticeably improved every year of his collegiate career ... Strong free throw shooter.

James Gist's weaknesses (according to nbadraft.net):

Has a tendency to disappear offensively at times ... Not ready to play full time on the wing, as he would likely be asked to do... Poor rebounder for his size ... Not strong enough to play the four in the NBA, and lacks great height at 6'8" ... Very passive overall, doesn't make his presence felt enough ... Must work on consistency and getting open ... A bit of a tweener, but has the potential make the transition to a wing player.

The Orlando Camp wrapped up last week, and some of the observations of Gist are as follow:

"He looked very active defensively in the passing lanes and did a great job getting out in transition, using his athleticism well around the rim and even knocking down a long-range perimeter jumper. The energy he brought to the floor was exactly what the doctor ordered for his draft stock."

"It was a great experience down there," noted Gist. "There was a lot of top competition at the camp, but I played well and got a lot of good feedback from the coaches. It was a chance to play against other players at the highest level, but I really thought I did a good job and raised my draft stock while I was down there."

Gist's combine results were also announced:

Vertical Jump (no step): 30.5"
Vertical Jump (Max): 35''
Bench Press (185 lbs): 5 reps
Lane Agility: 11.37 seconds
3/4 Court Sprint: 3.14 seconds

According to http://www.foxsports.com/, James Gist was listed as one of the top 10 performers at the Orlando camp and here is a blurb from his performance,

"Gist started off like gangbusters with 16 points in his first game on 5-of-8 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the line. Unfortunately, he hit a major cold spell from the field, going a combined 5-for-18 in the final two, averaging just 5.5 in those games. He's a freakish athlete and is the type of specimen that should be able to find a role in the league even if his offensive game never vastly improves (a poor man's Rodman)"

According to http://www.umterps.com/, Gist has scheduled workouts with the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, and the Miami Heat.


-Eric