January 10, 2008
Ryan Anderson is a prospect we’ve scouted at length throughout his freshman campaign, so his progress this year definitely warrants another look. Statistically, there are few players in the NCAA who are in the same league as Anderson -- shooting over 50% from the field, over 40% from the perimeter, and 80% from the foul line. The fact that the California Golden Bears are 10-3 even after embarking on their PAC-10 conference schedule, only has increased their and Anderson’s visibility.
On the offensive end, Anderson looks to be a more versatile player this year. For one, he is aggressively attacking the basket and using his ball-handling ability better to penetrate from the perimeter against opposing big men. He utilizes a combination of finesse and good footwork to get around defenders and get the ball into the basket. He’s just as good in the open court, doing a good job of putting the ball in the basket in transition.
His perimeter game is a very important part of his game, as he has become an even more prolific three-point shooter, at an even better percentage, this season. His release looks excellent, with a high release point and quick release, and his range extends all the way to the NBA three-point line. However, he seems to have fallen in love with his perimeter shot to a certain extent, at nearly 4.8 attempts per game.
When Anderson catches the ball in post, he is a little less reliable. He has good footwork, a soft touch, and good intelligence on the offensive end, but he too often finds himself trapped under the basket or turns into a double or triple team. While he is a very good passer out of the paint and has shown very nice awareness in the high post and on the perimeter, he frequently finds himself out of position on the low blocks and then is pressured into a bad shot or decision. This is a trend against big defenders such as
Luke Nevill of Utah and
Kevin Love of UCLA. While he does a very nice job of establishing position and posting up, once the ball gets into his hands, the results are not always as good.
On the defensive end, there are still some concerns about his potential at the next level. He has adequate feet in the post, and uses his length fairly well to guard opposing big men. Against quicker big men, he sometimes gets caught flat-footed trying to stay in front of his man, but for the most part he competes trying to defend the paint. With more upper body strength, though, he could be an even more effective defender in the post, because at this stage, he looks a little weak against bigger opponents. However, where he has trouble is when he has to cover opposing perimeter players. He is not the most athletic player and does not always close out fast enough on smaller players, lacking some lateral quickness here and not doing a great job defending pick and rolls. Some added awareness and intensity on this end of the floor would go a long ways in easing some of the concerns scouts have about his average athletic ability.
As proven by his 9.2 rebounds per game and his six double doubles in the past 13 games, Anderson is a solid rebounder, especially when you consider the monster he plays next to and has to share rebounds with. On the defensive end, he uses his size, terrific hands, and aggressiveness to grab rebounds. His ability to gain position on the offensive end translates into solid positioning for rebounds on the defensive end. Even though he is a very competent offensive rebounder, he still is too far away from the basket at times to make more of a difference on the offensive boards.
Anderson has made a lot of strides in his game since we last analyzed him. He has become an absolutely lights out shooter and a more aggressive player. He has also increased his effectiveness as a rebounder, despite the fact that he is playing with fellow rebounding machine
Devon Hardin. Anderson has a skill set that is coveted in the NBA and with more improvements, combined with continued intensity, he will find himself playing at the next level sooner or later.
