NBA Comparison: Jameer Nelson

Strengths: Canaan is a strong, sturdy point guard ... Though slightly undersized, he gives the impression you'd need a running start to knock him over ... Stays low to the ground with his dribble... He's quick with the ball and possesses a bounce to his step that's capable of breaking down the defense ... Runs a lot of pick and rolls at Murray State, an important skill to learn in preparation for the next level ... Phenomenal shooter at 48% from downtown on over 6.5 attempts per game... Makes defenders pay for going under screens thanks to NBA range shooting off the dribble... Shows the athleticism to finish at the rim with acrobatic balance ... Plays with a sense of confidence, passion, intensity and poise

Weaknesses: At 6'0, he lacks vertical explosiveness, which will make it much harder to finish at the next level... Only averaging 3.8 assists/game in 33 minutes, a potential red-flag for an undersized point guard who leads his team in scoring ... Questions surround his ability to be a pass-first point guard... Playing in the OVC, he rarely has the opportunity to go head to head against elite competition, which will always factor in to a scout's evaluation ... Defensively the concerns are fair, as he lacks substantial length, lateral quickness and size in general...

Overall: Canaan is averaging 19 points, and has his Racers one of three teams in the nation with only 1 loss... He has the qualities to become a March Madness phenom, which would obviously give his stock a boost... While he has question marks regarding his size, potential role and transition, he excels in too many areas to count him out... Canaan could go anywhere from the first pick in the second round to the last, but has first round upside if everything checks out and the adjustment process runs smoothly ...

Notes: Measured 6'1 (in shoes) 199 lbs, with a 6'4 wingspan at the 2012 Deron Williams Skills Academy

Jonathan Wasserman 3/2/12