Taking A Look At Youngsters
October 11, 2007 by Stephen Kersey
Filed under NBA News, NFL Player Analysis
More preseason games, more players to observe for fantasy potential. With six games on the schedule on Wednesday, there were a lot of players to look at. Here are some young players who stood out:
Julian Wright, New Orleans Hornets
While all indications point to Wright coming off the bench for the Hornets, it’s hard to ignore what he’s doing in preseason. In Wednesday’s game against the Pacers, Wright had eight points, ten rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in 26 minutes. So far in the preseason, Wright has 18 rebounds in 36 minutes of playing time. That’s very impressive, especially for a guy who should develop into a capable wing player. Keep an eye on him in redraft leagues, however it’s dynasty leagues where Wright looks to be a very good selection.
JJ Redick, Orlando Magic
The Magic seem to be giving Redick a chance to earn a starting spot in their rotation. So far, so good for Redick. Against the Bobcats, Redick started and scored 17 points while knocking down 5-of-8 three point attempts. While he’s never going to be a great defender, rebounder or assist man, Redick can flat out shoot the ball. If he starts and plays big minutes, he’s going to take and make a lot of three-pointers.
Ronnie Brewer, Utah Jazz
Brewer has been the talk of Utah’s training camp and that seemed to carry over into the first game of preseason. Brewer led the Jazz with 17 points, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the floor. Even more impressive, he scored those 17 points in 21 minutes. If Brewer continues to play at this level, he could easily win the starting shooting guard spot for the Jazz.
Martell Webster, Portland Trail Blazers
Webster has been a disappointment so far in his Portland career after being a high lottery pick. Perhaps that’s about to change after Webster had an outstanding first preseason game. He scored 28 points and connected on 11-of-14 shots from the field, including 4-for-6 on three-pointers. Webster is still only 20-year-old, so he has plenty of time to grow as a player. This game could be a springboard onto bigger and better days for Webster.
