SYRACUSE LOOKS IN ON JAMES SOUTHERLAND

Assistant Mike Hopkins visits Desert to watch Southerland


James Southerland, a 6-foot-7 forward from New York City has recently announced he will return to prep school, likely Notre Dame Academy, for another prep year rather than enroll at Syracuse this fall. The NBE Basketball Report's Doug Ferguson was recently joined in Arizona by Mike Hopkins as an interested observer in Southerland's game.


Schools of Interest- Verbal Commit to Syracuse

Strength: Very versatile on the offensive end; can score on all three layers of the defense.

Area of Improvement: Needs to develop a better overall feel for the game

Skinny: Being watched very closely by Mike Hopkins, a man who could one day be his head coach, Sutherland displayed why Syracuse is extremely excited to have him. Then in a matter of one or two possesions, he showed why they are a bit apprehensive.

Sutherland will bring back memories of recent NBA draftee Donte Greene out of Syracuse. Both are loaded with talent and upside, yet both have yet to figure out how to get maximum value out of it. They also have very simialar styles. Greene has 2 to 3 inches on Southerland, making him the better NBA prospect. Southerland has the same scorer's mentality though. He believes he is the team's best player and when the ball is in his hands the result is his team has the best chance to score. What some players don't realize is that is true MOST OF THE TIME, not all of the time. Once Southerland realizes that nothing good comes out of a no pass shot 5-10 seconds into a posession he will be very dangerous. For now, he is a poor man's version recent of Greene who also is a high ceiling player that is still working to improve his all around feel for the game.