ESPN.com - Why McLemore is so dangerous

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Thursday, February 28, 2013
Why McLemore is so dangerous

By Luke Lapinski

Ben McLemore has been a revelation for Kansas this season. Sure, he was expected to deliver a strong year, having arrived in Lawrence ranked No. 49 among all recruits in the 2011 class (one spot ahead of Arizona State's Jahii Carson and one behind Maryland's Dez Wells). And, by all accounts, he made the absolute most of the 2011-12 campaign -- one in which he redshirted, but used the opportunity to hone his game around a group of guys making a run all the way to the National Championship game.

Even with that backdrop, McLemore's rise this season has still managed to impress just about everyone. He's now No. 1 on Chad Ford's big board and NBA scouts everywhere are singing his praises. Should he opt to enter the draft this summer, he's a virtual lock to be one of the very first names off the board. In other words, his basketball future is extremely bright.

The present is looking pretty good too. As our own Seth Greenberg writes, part of the reason McLemore has been so effective this season is because he presents a matchup nightmare at the college level. Opponents know he's going to give them fits, they just don't know exactly when or how he's going to do it. His patience in developing his skill set and figuring out how he can be the most effective asset possible for the Jayhawks has made him the type of player who gets the most from his talents -- and is capable of doing damage all over the court.

Jay Bilas likes what he's seen from the first-year phenom as well. In fact, if he were picking No. 1 overall this summer, McLemore would be his first choice. Not only that, he sees signs that the youngster is only going to get better.

Jay Bilas

Approaching the game the right way

"McLemore has a certain humility about him. He works hard, is not entitled and is a really good teammate. As he matures, both physically and emotionally, I believe he will be more assertive, and take on the personality to be able to take over games. At 6-foot-5, McLemore is an elite leaper and finisher, and I believe he has the tools to be an excellent defender. As he improves his handle and passing, which are already good -- and learns to more efficiently use his body to create space to get his own shot -- I believe he is the best value pick in the NBA draft."