2013 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Georgia)

Name: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Age: 20

Height: 6-foot-6

Position: Shooting Guard

School/Country: Georgia

Latest Stats: 18.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.0 spg, 1.8 apg

Georgia sophomore guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is making a great decision by declaring for the 2013 NBA Draft. Caldwell-Pope was one of the top prospects in the class of 2011 coming out of high school, committing to his home state Bulldogs. While Georgia struggled collectively as a group, Caldwell-Pope molded himself into one of the more under-appreciated players in the college basketball. Well, now he is about to get the credit he deserves.

Caldwell-Pope averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game this past season, both of which were increases from his freshman campaign. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard can score in a variety of ways and can utilize his size particularly well. Caldwell-Pope is looking like a mid first round lock in this June’s draft.

Strengths: Caldwell-Pope is a scorer. He made significant strides in his second season at Georgia, becoming one of the top offensive threats in the SEC. With no real conscious, Caldwell-Pope could presents some great attributes as an off-guard at the NBA level. If he can continue to maintain his offensive production, he could have a nice future in the professional ranks. At 6-foot-6, he has also shown the athleticism to play above the rim and rebound from the guard position.

Weaknesses: For as much as Caldwell-Pope can score, he does need to work on his offensive game as a whole. Caldwell-Pope needs to get better on putting the ball on the floor and although he has showcased his ability to get to the rim, it’s a whole different world in the NBA. Caldwell-Pope also had free range at Georgia, which won’t be the case at the next level. The shooting guard will need to find a way to be more efficient in his shot selection.

Draft Projection: Mid First Round

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