Name: James Ennis
Age: 22
Height: 6-foot-7
Position: Small Forward
School/Country: Long Beach State
Latest Stats: 16.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.3 bpg
James Ennis has been a great success story up to this point, making the climb from the junior college ranks to the Division I level to the 2013 NBA Draft. Ennis began his career at Ventura College, scoring 1,053 points in just two seasons. He then committed to Long Beach State and his offensive firepower and immediate impact did not slow down there. Ennis has now molded himself into a likely draft selection after averaging 16.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this past season for the 49ers.
Some believe that second round selections should be geared more towards drafting “basketball players.” Well Ennis fits that philosophy to perfection. Ennis stands at 6-foot-7 and he will be turning 23 years of age in the week following the draft. Yet he can play, there’s no denying that. Ennis has molded himself into a legitimate NBA prospect and he should hear his name called within the middle portion of this June’s draft.
Strengths: Ennis has good size for the small forward position, measuring in at 6-foot-7. Ennis’ game features a great skill set of offensive tools that he uses well. Ennis can slash and get to the rim, but he can also step out and knock down the three ball. Ennis is aggressive and can stuff the stat sheet in a variety of ways. That versatility includes rebounding the basketball, blocking shots and simply being a pest on the defensive end.
Weaknesses: Ennis can be a bit sloppy at times and sometimes his energy is a little too much for its own good. Ennis can be turnover prone at times, forcing passes and making bad decisions overall. He also lacks the initial ability to blow up a defender off the catch. Ennis needs to showcase a higher level of physicality in the NBA if he hopes to maintain a roster spot.
Draft Projection: Mid Second Round
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