NBA Draft Team Report: Marquette

February 11, 2009


by Doug Ferguson


Marquette has been the conundrum of the Big East so far this season. The Golden Eagles had burned through their early schedule in conference until an untimely loss on Friday at South Florida. They have not been taken seriously as a true contender to an extent due to a very favorable early schedule.

One place they have been taken seriously however is in their backcourt where their three senior guards have exceeded expectations so far this year and have upped their stock for the NBA Draft considerably. Dominic James, Wesley Matthews, and Jerel McNeal have all showed the skill to warrant attention from NBA teams drafting in June.

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PG Dominic James/5-11/SR

At one point in time, Dominic James was the gem of this trio. He dabbled with turning pro after his sophomore season before pulling his name out. After that cup of tea, former Marquette coach Tom Crean instructed him that he wanted his full attention in Milwaukee from then on in and he has stuck to his word.

James is really the engine that makes Marquette go. NBA Scout Ryan Blake says "What really sticks out to him is how well he gels with his teammates." Whether this is a trait he will carry with him to the next level or a product of playing with the same core at Marquette is yet to be seen. He has really deferred to others to score this season and has taken on the distributor role willingly. It has really worked out well for Marquette as it has always suited him better in the first place.

James also has several inconsistencies in his game which will most likely keep him out of the first round. They are the same inconsistencies that have caused him to avoid the draft in previous years. First and foremost, his jump shot leaves a lot to be desired. The form on it leaves me running for the nearest toilet still every time I see it. It is actually surprising that he makes a decent percentage of them. He has also been very inconsistent in past seasons generally speaking, however he has really improved on that flaw in his senior campaign.

James has always been intriguing to NBA teams, but is looked at as not being much more than backup. To succeed in that role, he needs to prove that he can be less erratic than he has in past years.

2008-09 Stats- 11.7 PPG 5.1 APG 3.8 RPG

2009 Draft Projection- Early to Mid 2nd Round



SG Jerel McNeal/6-3/SR

If anyone's stock has risen through the roof with his Big East performance so far this season, it is without a doubt Jerel McNeal. McNeal has taken his game to new highs in 2009, especially in conference. He has already picked up 3 NBE Player of the Week awards with still a month left in the season.

McNeal also has tested the draft waters before, entering his name in last years draft before pulling it out very last minute. It seems as if he made the choice that many more underclassmen should make and correctly returned to school. Although it is likely that he would have been taken somewhere in the 2nd round last year, his stellar performance this year has pretty much solidified him as a first round pick.

What has raised McNeal's stock to bonafied first round status has been his rapid development into a complete offensive player. As last years Co-Defensive Player of the Year, he has always been considered to have NBA value as a defensive stopper. The fact that he plays the 2 and has the size and athleticism to guard the league's premier players at the position cannot be measured in offensive statistics.

The fact that he has shown the potential to be a factor on both ends has really turned him into a sleeper for 2009. He has also shown great intangibles and leadership skills on a team that has overachieved is also a huge factor in his rising stock. NBA Scout Ryan Blake believes that "his great heart could be the big difference for him".

It is very hard to find a sizeable flaw in McNeal's game which is probably what makes him most attractive of all. He is even showing the skills of late to be a legit combo-guard, which makes NBA GM's salivate even more. McNeal has a real shot at being the Big East Player of the Year this year. Look for his stock to continue rising if he continues to play as lights out as he has all season.

2009 Stats- 20.0 PPG 4.6 APG 3.7 RPG

2009 Draft Projection- 1st Round (early to mid-20's)


SG Wes Matthews/6-5/SR

Wes Matthews has often been the one overlooked amongst the talented backcourt trio at Marquette. His solid, consistent play has earned him looks from all directions and will almost surely end with him battling for a spot in an NBA camp come next fall.

Matthews has been a model of consistency for the Golden Eagles this year on the offensive end and has really supplepented them well in the rebounding category, a huge question mark for them at season's start. NBA Scout touted his ability to mesh with his teammates by saying, "he has a game that complements everyone, yet can step up and be the go to guy when need be."

This seems to be what is intriguing to teams about Matthews. He has been extremely productive without demanding hardly any of the spotlight. He has become Marquette's "silent assassin" of sorts. His perimeter and mid-range game is as consistent as it gets. He also gets to the line regularly and converts at a high percentage. He has also really been called on as the go to guy for them when they need to convert key posessions down the stretch.

A consistent effort on the defensive end seems to be his downfall at this point. He really has all the tools to be an above average defender at worst. He has the size and athletic ability to guard 3 positions and shows ability to at times. He usually draws the easiest backcourt assignment against whomever Marquette happens to be playing. He has just seemed to let up too many unnecessary easy baskets to said players which can only be chalked up to either mental lapses or plain laziness.

The fact is however, he would be an extremely safe pick in the second round for a team who needs a versatile swingman, especially one that can give them some consistent scoring. Like his two talented teammates, his stock will likely rise and fall from this point according to the success of his team down the stretch. He is also a guy who can benefit greatly from good showings at the pre-draft camp in Chicago and/or Portsmouth Invitational leading up to the draft.

2009 Stats- 18.9 PPG 5.7 RPG 2.5 APG

2009 Draft Projection- Late 2nd Round