Name: Isaiah Canaan
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-1
Position: Point Guard
School/Country: Murray State
Latest Stats: 21.8 ppg, 4.3 apg, 3.5 rpg
Isaiah Canaan burst onto the scene during the 2011-12 season when Murray State began the year with a flurry of wins. Canaan is a dynamite scorer who has averaged double-figures in each of his four seasons at the collegiate level. As a junior and senior, Canaan took his game and his scoring ability to the next level, setting career highs in each of the past two seasons.
Canaan stands at 6-foot-1 and he is entering the 2013 NBA Draft as a point guard. With that being said, Canaan is obviously a score-first point guard, but he has shown the ability in the past to run and even carry a team at times. Now, Canaan won’t have to carry any NBA franchise that’s for sure, but his prolific ability to produce points could certainly make him a valuable commodity.
Canaan has a wide range of potential in this year’s NBA Draft, which ranks anywhere from the latter portion of the first round straight through the middle of the pack in the second.
Strengths: Canaan can shoot the lights out. He can advance the ball in transition and hit off the pull up or he catch and knock down shots if he is not closely guarded. Canaan launched over eight three pointers per game this past, converting on an average of three per game. Despite standing at just 6-foot-1, Canaan also showcased a great knack for getting to the free throw line. Although he played at Murray State, Canaan still showcased star potential on numerous occasions.
Weaknesses: Canaan is used to be the guy and a score-first point guard. That will likely change at the NBA level. Whichever team decides to drafts Canaan is not going to tell him to stop shooting, but he needs to refine his skills a bit more in terms of running an offense. He only averaged 4.3 assists in over 36 minutes of action this past season. Canaan lacks substantial height and quickness on the perimeter, so he needs to find a way to avoid being a defensive liability against quicker, more athletic point guards in the NBA.
Draft Projection: Late First, Early Second Round
Follow Paul Seaver on Twitter: @PaulSeaverRS
