SLAMonline Mock Draft: Earl Clark, No. 13
Indiana needs this tough guy who does it all.
by DeMarco Williams
With the 13th pick in the 2009 SLAMonline Mock Draft, the Indiana Pacers select…
Earl Clark. Drafting players is a lot like meeting a girl on Match.com. Sure, you’ve peeped 10 great pictures of the mystery lady online repeatedly, but until you see her standing at the Cheesecake Factory hostess desk for the first time, you’re not really sure what to expect. Earl Clark, the ridiculously-athletic forward who did Louisville’s dirty work while Terrence Williams was getting the ESPN highlights, is, well, the Pacers’ date for next season.
Indiana finished 36-46 a year ago. In one conference, that record would have been cause for panic. In the other, it’s just another way of saying your team was only one player away from a 6th seed in the playoffs. Thankfully for the Pacers, they play in the latter conference.
Danny Granger, the NBA’s most improved player, was the main reason Indiana came thiiiis close to making the postseason. The two-headed PG of TJ Ford and Jarrett Jack kept things in motion. Troy Murphy manned the middle respectably. And when they weren’t at the doctor’s office, the MDs, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Marquis Daniels, were a headache for the opposition.
The Pacers have potential at every position. Unfortunately for hoops fans in the Hoosier State, they rarely showed it consistently. A do-it-all like Clark would be a heaven send. At 6-10, Clark is long enough to mix it up inside with Murph and Roy Hibbert on occasions, but he’s more than ball hungry enough to help Grange and Dunleavy during any offensive lulls. Lest we forget, Clark led the loaded Louisville Cardinals in scoring last season. The kid simp
ly adores the hoop.
Of course, Indiana’s problem isn’t really with putting the ball in the hole. It’s actually with preventing others from having their way with the scoreboard. Squads averaged 106 ppg versus the Pacers. That’s 5th worst in the League. They gave up 115 or more 21 times. While Clark would be the first –Wait, actually Cardinals coach Rick Pitino might be first- to tell you he needs some work with his defensive fundamentals, things like a growing physique (228 pounds and expanding), a crazy wingspan, sound footwork and a knack for the big block and rebound only make learning that much easier.
Still, the essential point with the Pacers is that they aren’t missing much. Somebody like Clark, a genuinely decent kid with more upside than Facebook in ‘07, can come in, learn his role (hustle, tussle and bust on you) and thrive for Coach Jim O’Brien. There are some who say Wake Forest’s James Johnson could have done the same things. Maybe so. But this whole draft thing is like meeting a virtual crush in person for the first time. Might as well go with the one who appeared the most promising in the pictures.
| 2009 SLAMonline Mock Draft Results | ||
| Pick | Team | Player |
| 1 | L.A. Clippers | Blake Griffin |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies | Hasheem Thabeet |
| 3 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Ricky Rubio |
| 4 | Sacramento Kings | Brandon Jennings |
| 5 | Washington Wizards | Jordan Hill |
| 6 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Demar DeRozan |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors | James Harden |
| 8 | New York Knicks | Stephen Curry |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors | Tyreke Evans |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | Jonny Flynn |
| 11 | New Jersey Nets | DeJuan Blair |
| 12 | Charlotte Bobcats | Terrence Williams |
| 13 | Indiana Pacers | Earl Clark |
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I like the pick, IF Clark lasts this long.
Those that know my work during the college season know how I feel about Clark. Probably 50+ viewings and I still don’t see it with this guy. Looks amazing physically, but I just don’t think he is very good at basketball.
I know this will sound crazy but I wouldn’t draft this guy in the first round. People love him, I just fear they haven’t seen enough to realize what he brings.
Like I’ve said before, this is one of those rare instances where I hope I’m wrong.
LOdom? Wow, gotta totally disagree on that one….(Can u see EClark making an Olympic team?) He will become a solid defensive player due to his physical gifts but he is not an offensive star in the making.
While not as physically imposing as clark (yet-although Daye is 2 inches taller) but his offensive game is light-years ahead of Clark. Although, I wish Daye had stayed one more year in Spokane, as (like Clark) he seems a bit lost at times on the court.
A lot of Clark’s scoring, though, was against MUCH smaller competition, which always scares me at the next level. His shot selection is brutal, too.
Has he grown?? My sources had him at just 6-8 and I know peronally that Daye is slowly creeping on 7-feet. I felt dwarfed by Daye in person.
Jonny Flynn had the highest max vert in the draft at 40″ (suck it Juaki. The kid is a real talent, and will probably end up going top 10 and competing for ROY)
…and I just saw Daye’s vert was a disappointing 28″, one of the worst in the entire camp and he pulled a Durant, being unable to lift the 180 lb bench press even one time. I know weightlifting prowess isn’t importanat for basketball players, and measurables aren’t everything but Daye has to be hurting his stock at this point.
His defense is pretty average (still a heart/want thing rather than a physical ability thing) and he’s not the most athletic but at his height and wingspan, he’ll still get work done.
He’s got a great offensive feel (although he can try to do too much, at times, too) and he improved so much as a rebounder between last 2 seasons.
There are tons of guys who could contribute in the L who will fall to the late first or second round. I can actually see teams looking to save $ by signing younger players with lower minimum salaries, rather than going with more proven but more expensive vets (with less upside)
SOME NAMES OF PLAYERS I LOVE IN THE LATE FIRST -SECOND ROUND:
Toney Douglas
Greivis Vasquez
Sam Young
Patty Mills
Jerel McNeal
Jack McClinton
Gani Lawal
Josh Heytvelt (would be awesome on the Spurs)
Dionte Christmas (Another guy who’d fit in SA)
DaJuan Summers
Dante Cunningham
Tyler Smith
Jermain Taylor
Love that kid, he’s lottery to me.
Another guy that has dropped a bit off the radar is BYU’s Lee Cummard. He might not get drafted but he has an NBA professional career in his future. Baller.
Ciolk, you know, your a Big 12 guy…
Word on DJames, always been a fan.
Step yo game up Spurs front office!!!
1) Eric Maynor
2) Austin Daye
3) Jerel McNeal
4) Jrue Holiday
The ‘online-match.com/crush scenario’ works well. Something tells me that Mr DeMarco “Farmer needs a wife” Williams knows the score….
LeVance Fields
Tyler Hansborough?
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