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22 - Taj Gibson

6-10, 214 Power Forward
USC Junior
Birthday
06/24/85 (38.8 yrs)
Hometown
Brooklyn, NY
High School
Calvary Christian
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
8
Size
9
Defense
8
Strength
6
Quickness
8
Leadership
6
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
7
Rebounding
8
Potential
7
Post Skills
8
Intangibles
7

NBA Comparison: Vin Baker

Strengths: An extremely efficient and consistent player … He is an underrated athlete, possessing nice length and the ability to get off the ground quickly … His touch around the basket is very soft, where he prefers to turn to his left shoulder, but is still comfortable going to the left hand … In the post he is extremely patient, he seals well and fights for position … His post-up game mostly consists of drop steps and mini hooks … He is also very dangerous with his faceup game, because he can take slower defenders off the dribble or use his consistent jumpshot … For a big man, he has an extremely effective midrange shot, with a smooth stroke and high release, this could help him in screen and roll situations at the next level … He is a very smart and active rebounder, he attacks the offensive glass, and he reads the bounce to get into good position … His length is also a great weapon defensively, combining with great timing to make him a very good shotblocker … He has great hands, runs the floor well and shows an impressive motor for a big … He has played a secondary role throughout his collegiate career, but he continues to work hard and his improvement is evident …

Weaknesses: He is a bit undersized for the post, but more importantly his body is very frail … Through his time in college, he has failed to add any substantial bulk to a somewhat soft looking frame … At times he becomes robotic in the way he operates, seeming unsure of his moves … Instead of just playing naturally and taking what’s open, he thinks the game too much … His back to the basket repertoire is fairly limited, especially when he faces bigger defenders, he resorts to shooting tough and offbalance shots … He needs to become more comfortable putting the ball on the deck, because with his size he will surely be asked to attack from the high post … His FT shooting has improved, but he still has games where he is inconsistent … He has not shown the demeanor and killer instinct to carry his team in crunch time, he seems content with taking a back seat (part of the problem is the fact that he gets looked off on numerous occasions by his teammates) …

 
Borko Popic – 2/1/2009

Strengths: Gibson has tremendous length and athleticism plus shooting touch making him an effective offensive player He runs the floor very well, and despite a lack of bulk, hes willing to fight for rebounds and defend Excellent rebounder, his quickness and leaping ability help him grab balls out of his immediate area Hes explosive and has a good skill level offensively in the post His huge wingspan makes him a good shot blocker (1.9 per game) Has very good touch around the rim and uses the turnaround hook shot as well as facing up from mid range and knocking down shots consistently Plays aggressively, which helps him get to the line a good deal Although his aggressiveness on defense can lead to foul problems Has big soft hands, catches the ball well, although hell need to limit his turnovers some Had a solid freshman season, and will look to add consistency and become more of a go to player along with OJ Mayo at USC this year

Weaknesses: At 22 years of age, Gibson is still very skinny so there is some doubt about how much muscle he can add to his thin frame He can be a finesse post guy with his ability to use his length as well as score from midrange, but his inability to bang as a 4 limits his overall potential Gibson will likely look to leave school early as he will be 23 by the next draft, while hes seen as a more NBA ready guy which is a good thing, hes also looked at as a guy with less potential to develop as his body is closer to full maturation at 22 than younger prospects Needs to improve upon his free throw shooting (62%) but has a good stroke

Notes: Gibson was leading the way as USC had North Carolina in trouble in the third round of the tourney last year, but Gibson getting into foul trouble led to UNCs comeback and eventual victory. Gibson was significantly outplaying the Tar Heels post players (Hansbrough and B. Wright)

Aran Smith – 7/1/2007

YouTube Clip – 6/14/2009

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