I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Every time I watch college sports, all I think about is what kind of pros the players would make.
It's a problem and it really only gets worse when the college teams I follow inevitably disappoint me and lose games that they shouldn't. You know who you are.
Add to that the fact that my pathetic obsession with the NBA has led me to cheer for the Minnesota Timberwolves, a team that is perennially in the draft lottery and it is little wonder why my focus is on what players can do at the next level and not what they can do at their current level.
But since none of you probably care who the Wolves draft come June (I was at a Wolves vs. Cavs game over break and 75 percent of the crowd left when LeBron was pulled in the fourth quarter), I will force myself to address one of the Marquette players with draft aspirations.
How much does being the best player on a nationally-ranked team affect one's draft stock? Not as much as you might think.
Jerel McNeal created some noise at the end of last season after turning in 50 points in two NCAA Tournament games and finally taking his team past the first round. But he still failed to garner as much attention as he would have liked.
This season he has improved his game even further (see Building his strength).
McNeal has always been known for his defense. Following Marquette's Jan. 24 victory over DePaul, Blue Demons coach Jerry Wainwright said this of the senior: "If you have Jerel McNeal guarding you it's never easy. He's like the in-law that comes over to your house, and he's got a suitcase when you answer the door; he doesn't go away."
But the biggest knock on the guard up until this point has been his lack of range on his jump shot. He has always been considered a slasher who makes his living in the immediate basket area. This season, however, McNeal has shown enormous improvement in that area, shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 47.2 percent from 3-point range.
The other doubt about McNeal revolves around his size. Generously listed at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he lacks the ideal size of an NBA two guard-his natural position. But McNeal has done a lot to overcome this as well. He has improved his assist-to-turnover ratio to 1.42 — the best of his career — which will help convince scouts he can play the point in the pros.
McNeal is currently listed as a late second rounder on most draft boards, but with another strong postseason he could become an early second round prospect. His play reminds me of a poor man's Russell Westbrook (an elite defender, with a suspect jumper and questionable point skills), and his draft stock reminds me of Mario Chalmers' (a good player on a good team that was overlooked because he doesn't have the ideal size).
With that said, McNeal has a few things working for him. The NBA is a league of copycats. Execs see other teams find success with young combo guards manning the point and they become more willing to take a flier on a player like McNeal.
In the end, I think scouts will take notice of McNeal's improved outside shot, reduction in turnovers and potential to be a dangerous ball thief. He'll probably get drafted somewhere in the middle of the second round — not No. 5 overall like another Marquette guard, but not bad.