NBA Comparison: Earl Watson

Strengths: For a guy who doesn’t hear his name on the national scene that often, Denis Clemente helped lead Kansas State to the Elite 8 and a #2 seeding in the National tournament … He’s about 6’1 max in shoes, and played the point however was better at creating offense for himself as opposed to setting up teammates… His best offensive weapon is his ability to shoot off the dribble from long or midrange, and has the ability to penetrate and get into the paint… He’s at his best in transition, where he uses good speed and a good feel for the open floor… Has the ability to catch fire, and becomes more of a scoring combo guard then a playmaker… Good feel for the basket, can hit tough, off balance shots… though undersized in regards to height and strength, and is not overly explosive or athletic, he shows great intensity and competitiveness on both sides of the ball, which can help energize teammates and the crowd…

Weaknesses: Unfortunately for Clemente, he’s not a pure playmaker and his offensive game is too inconsistant, and when you combine that with his limited physical tools, success in the NBA seems like a longshot… He shot 34% from downtown, illustrating his on and off again stroke… He gets little elevation on his jump shot, and at his height he will have trouble getting open looks at the next level… He’s not adept at finishing around the rim, and it only gets more difficult in the pro’s… Every game he tends to take a few difficult, unconventional shots in the paint, as opposed to keeping his dribble or looking for a better scoring opportunity from a teammate… Defensively his physical limitations don’t project to success against stronger, quicker, taller and more athletic guards… Already 24 years of age limited his upside …

Overall: Being asked to carry the load with fellow guard Jacob Pullen, Clemente will have a different role from here on out… He will have to show scouts that he can be a legit playmaker, because the 16 points per game he scored in college are not likely to translate… he will need to improve consistency on his range, build some strength and learn to draw the foul as opposed to taking off balance shots… If the NBA is not a realistic place for him, there are plenty of other leagues overseas where players like himself can thrive and get better…

Jonathan Wasserman 6/11/10