Denzel Bowles NBA Draft

[JMU John]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/F...NBA-mock-draft

Picked up from the JMU boards. First mock draft we have seen for 2011.

Bowles is listed as first pick in second round though they have him listed as a sophmore.

[TomGMU]

I heard reports that he will be going in the first round, but that he won't actually make it to the Radio City Music Hall stage until the 2nd round due to lollygagging and a general lack of interest.

[JMU John]

lollygagging and a general lack of interest.

Some may say those two traits and the NBA go hand in hand.

[smudge12]

It'd be really huge for the CAA (and JMU) if the Association had three straight years where a player was drafted. Hopefully Bowles can get it together on the defensive end of things and rise to a 1st round pick.

[TomGMU]

Some may say those two traits and the NBA go hand in hand.

Fair point. He might be a perfect fit in that regard. In all seriousness, I think Bowles is one of the most physically-gifted offensive players this league has ever seen. I just hate his propensity for taking off plays and picking up cheap fouls. If he committed to playing 100-percent all the time and getting into much better physical shape, there is no reason why he shouldn't be a 1st-round pick.

[Longhorn]

I just hate his propensity for taking off plays and picking up cheap fouls. If he committed to playing 100-percent all the time and getting into much better physical shape, there is no reason why he shouldn't be a 1st-round pick.

This is near total nonsense, and simply perpetuates a myth about Bowles physical stamina and effort. Bowles and Wells were "it" last year for JMU, and often had to dial it back on D simply to stay on the floor...but this season, joined by a monster PF in Goins and more effective (and healthy) point guard play on both ends of the floor (i.e effective perimeter D) Bowles will shine, and should be the CAA POY this coming season.

[JMU John]

Bowles and Brady have both admitted over the past couple of weeks that Bowles needs to step up with his motivation, stamina, and work ethic to help JMU next year and to possibly go to the next level. Longhorn is correct that part of Bowles lack of commitment was to stay on the floor but he sure did look like he sleep-walked a lot though.

Bowles was a man vs boys last year in JMU practices last year due to our short bench. Goins needs to push Bowles real hard in practice to pick up his overall game.

[CAAWinner]

Bowles averaged 33 minutes per game last year, which is way too much for a big man. This year hopefully he could get down under 30, maybe 28ish and imo he will be that much more effective. It is also important to remember that he had to sit out a year as a transfer. I am sure he wasn't in his best basketball shape last year (like most transfers are), which is scary to think about it given his production. As for the fouling, Bowles averaged less than three fouls per game, which is pretty good for a big man and only fouled out twice given that amount of minutes he played. I definitely think he has NBA talent, I just worry that he will get the sigma that most dominating big men get at the mid-major level that he is doing it against worse competition and can't do it against better big men.

[TomGMU]

This is near total nonsense, and simply perpetuates a myth about Bowles physical stamina and effort.

I'm not perpetuating anything, Longhorn. I saw JMU play at least 10 times last season, and Bowles mailed it in defensively several times in each of those games. I would venture that at least half of his fouls were due to being out of position or just being too lazy to get back on defense after missing a shot.

Now, I will concede your point that he had to play too many minutes due to your injuries, but that's no excuse for half-assing it up and down the court. As JMU John said, even Brady said Bowles needs to get in better shape.

I absolutely agree with CAA Winner that Bowles has the talent to be the preseason POY this year. The only question I have is does he have the heart and drive to put up the kind of numbers that warrants being POY when the season is over.

[JMU DUUUKES LAW]

you'd think the sheer fact that you could play in the NBA and be great in college would motivate you enough to play hard every game. I can't believe these people sometimes play slacker ball because they are disinterested. makes no sense to me.

Even if you are losing, playing hard makes you better and gets you to your goals.

I hate studying for this #@$#@ bar exam all day every day, but i'm trying my hardest to reach my goals, and TRUST me playing basketball is way more fun than studying. He has no excuse in my mind.