Can do: Bury wide open shots (emphasis on "wide open"). Gravitate to unguarded areas in early offense. Use screens fairly well. Set sturdy screens himself when he has to. Make good passes on the move. Play with great intelligence. Box out (with the costly exception of ignoring Glen Davis on the free-throw line in the closing seconds). Switch well on defense. Make admirable attempts to deny his man on defense.
Can't do: Put the ball on the floor against quick defenders — that's because his dribble is much too high. Show any trickery or deception near the basket (he had three layups blocked). Execute convincing ball-fakes. Play in any other gear but slow-motion. Create his own shot. Play defense with intensity. Avoid turning his head on defense.
Must do: Get quicker, faster, stronger — and, above all, get his dribble down to at least mid-thigh level. Quicken his crossover. Develop stylish moves in the paint. Somehow get some liveliness in his body. Learn to get over, around or under screens. Defend.
Prognosis: [highlight]He's basically a plodder who excelled on a smart team that could take fullest advantage of his minimal skills. At best, Redick is a marginal NBA player, and, indeed, might not even be able to survive in the CBA.[/highlight]
...
Against fellow collegians, Redick was able to motor around screens, fan and receive inside-out passes from his bigs and his point guard and make his straight-line, straight-up-and-down drives hoopwards with considerable success. However, against NBA competition, his smarts will be rendered superfluous by his high-handle and his astounding lack of foot speed.
The quick, springy and long-armed defensive rotations of the NBA's bigs will instantly erase any shots that Redick might attempt in the lane. Even the worst NBA defenders will contain him, and the league's most impotent scorers will have career games against Redick's pitiful defense.
[highlight]Congratulations to J.J. for a super-duper career against immature undergraduates whose coaches were easily outmaneuvered by Coack K. Here's hoping that Redick majored in an academic subject that will provide him and his with a viable livelihood.[/highlight]
