Terrance Leather and the NBA

[Velcro]

Lack of perimeter game?  if you mean he can't shoot the 3, that is absurd.  He shot something like 55% from 3 for the season last season.  for 6'8, he has a decent outside shot.  It will get better too.  We used him more in the post, but he has a good outside shot.

3-POINT PERCENTAGE   3FG ATT   Pct

LEATHER, Terrence...   6  11  .545

PREKEVICIUS, Marius.  33  82  .402

SWIFT, Brian........  76 209  .364

HOLMES, James.......  31  91  .341

He didn't take many shots, but every one he took was HUGE.

[aragingbull]

Not at the NBA level. The NBA game is much different in terms of creating your shots off the dribble and having the ability to catch and shoot. Yes he hit some 3's and could bang the 10 footer on the college level. The NBA game, as fast as it is, requires a tad more quickness and catch-and-shoot skills at his size. I wish the best for Terence and maybe he can prove me wrong. And finally at 6'8" most teams have guards his size.

[Velcro]

I don't think he'll be in the league any time soon, I agree he doesn't have the quickness to create his own shot if he is being guarded by a 6'8 guard or a KG type of player, but I don't agree that most teams have 6'8 guards, unless you are counting SF's as guards.

Tracy McGrady is probably one of the only 6'8 or taller guards.

I would guess that TL is a tweener between SF and PF.  If he can put on some more size, MAYBE he'll have a shot at a roster, there are 6'8 and 6'9 PF's in the league but they are much bulkier or wider (example Danny Fortson).  There aren't alot of PF's that can shoot the 3.  There in lies the opportunity, but it'll take a ton of work to get there.  I don't think he could make a roster as a SF as he'd get eaten alive.

[aragingbull]

I agree He's kind of slim and would need to bulk up to be a power forward in the NBA. Small Forward?  The aforementioned points would apply. Most SF's  can swing as a shooting guard or even a point guard in the NBA on certian situations where the opposition is small or big or whatever the case might be with matchups. TL doen't have the latitude for that in his game. One thing I did notice during the season is he would get in teammates faces when things got out of hand. Very vocal and took the lead at crunch time. This could be the determining factor on his pro ball future. He's a fighter and has some swagger in him. This could go over well in places like France and Italy. They like that !

[Metro_Retro_Bull]

A still drool at the thought of this frontline: SF Joey Graham, PF Terrance Leather...

Even the brothers' teammate Sredrick Powe (who all shared the Times player of the year award at Brandon) would have been a decent recruit. Instead he goes to Tally CC and then Birmingham Southern ...

[Markeymark]

Stephen was an NBA prospect himself...time for another defense to this argument Sheriff. Just point out that Seth made a mistake in this instance, it's not that big a deal. If the NBA draft was 3 rounds I think Stephen would have gone....he was on a lot of draft boards as a bubble 2nd rounder.

A still drool at the thought of this frontline: SF Joey Graham, PF Terrance Leather...

This is getting away from the original topic, but do you really think Joey Graham would have developed, made it to the Final Four, gotten all the pub if he came to USF? The answer is "no" in case you're still thinking about it...

[Guest S.  Bien]

I am definitely not a Seth apologist, but from my understanding of the situation they had already given a schollie to Baxter, and had one left.  He offered for stephen to walk-on and earn a scholarship, but that wasn't good enough for the twins.  UCF swooped in with two offers and the rest is history.

TL to slow for SF, and doesn't have the hops.  He needs to add 20lbs of strength and size to become a PF.   He's closer to 6-9 then 6-8, so he's got the height, and is a more than capable leaper for a PF.   With his shooting ability, and having him around  245lbs would make him an ideal pick-up for an NBA team.  He's got to much versatility not to be.

[wagers]

Yes, no doubt Joey Graham would have been as good at USF.  Actually, I have said this before....but I had Joey, Stephen, Terrance, Sredrick Powe, Nick Smith, Jeff James, James Anthony and JR Russell all on my year 2000 AAU team, in which I was head coach.  All wanted to go to USF, all were rejected for one reason or another.  

As a die-hard USF fan, this was sickening to see.  We won the Florida gold medal and blew everyone out at nationals in the 19-u age group.  We played about 50 of the top 100 kids in the nation.  None of our kids were ranked, but I knew and everyone else knew our kids were better and tougher than everyone else.....including the McDonald's All-Americans we faced.  The twins, Terrance, Nick, Sredrick and JR Russell were all clearly better than everyone else.

Development??  Yes, they were pretty much good from the get go at UCF.  Both twins averaged exactly the same points, boards and assists and nearly beat USF as sophs.  Mark my words....Stephen Graham is just as good as Joey and actually was our leading scorer on that team.  He will be in the NBA as well.  He got a raw deal at Okla State, Bobik was the coaches favorite.  As you saw....Stoudamire hit the winning shot over Bobik to win the game.  Why was he out there, when you have 6-7 Stephen on the bench?  

Back to Terrance.  I agree with some of the things said about his game.  Yes, he doesn't have the hops as mentioned, but he does have great on the ball defensive skills and can guard both big and small players.  That is valuable in the "League".  It will take a few years overseas for him.  I think we will see Stephen in the league first.

Sredrick Powe.....he was a great player.  Could shoot outside, had great power inside, and could play a 'thinking man's' game.  He was actually a better version of Chonsey Asbury.  He went to TCC b/c he wanted to be a Florida Gator one day.  He turned down offers to Nebraska and Fresno State (with Tarkanian).

Here's what the 2000-2001 team could have looked like:

BB Waldon

Altron Jackson

Theron Smith (orginally signed with Fla Southern...went to Ball State)

Joey Graham

Stephen Graham

Nick Smith

Terrance Leather

Sredrick Powe

JR Russell (as a football recruit and dual sport athlete)

This team easily would have been a top 15 team and probably #1 in CUSA.

[TripleB]

Yes, no doubt Joey Graham would have been as good at USF.  Actually, I have said this before....but I had Joey, Stephen, Terrance, Sredrick Powe, Nick Smith, Jeff James, James Anthony and JR Russell all on my year 2000 AAU team, in which I was head coach.  All wanted to go to USF, all were rejected for one reason or another.

I know the story on the twins but why were all the others rejected by USF?

[wagers]

Powe- Seth thought he was an undersized power foward

JR Russell- Hobbie coached him in HS, and thought he had an attitude problem.  His only attitude was that he wanted to win so bad.

Theron Smith- signed with Seth's friend at D2 Florida Southern.  Then changed his mind and went to Ball State.  Seth claims that Ray McCallum bought Smith.

Nick Smith- Seth thought he was a stiff.  He actually would have been decent here....and was even better than Casey Sanders.

Jeff James- went to Butler, and was a bit raw.

James Anthony-was good, but not good enough to play at USF.  He could have been a good backup here though.