Tobacco Road Report

CBS Sportsline is reporting that Josh McRoberts will leave Duke two years early to enter the NBA draft. The article implies that McRoberts will hire an agent and not just test the waters. For the season, McRoberts averaged 13 points, 7.9 boards, and 3.5 assists per game for the Blue Devils. What do we think?

While we disagree with the "next Larry Bird" comments that a certain announcer likes to throw out about McRoberts, we do like his game. There are not many 6-10 players who can handle the ball well under pressure, and McRoberts is also a solid passer in the half court and transition. He has good range on his set shot which will help him at the next level. We also like the mean streak in McRoberts that will serve him well in the Association.

Our biggest gripe about McRoberts is that he is not a back to the basket big man. He is not likely to successfully post up in the pros which makes him a spot up big for the NBA game. Given his ability to block shots and his offensive skills, teams will covet the big man. We just don't see him as a lottery pick that will change the course of a franchise. His game reminds us of Nowitzski, but he does not have the athleticism that the German wunderkind possesses with the dribble.

For the Dukies, this will be a tough blow to absorb. The highly touted freshman class will likely be on the floor playing major minutes early. This will probably be the first of several early entries from the ACC. Singletary, Wright, Young, and Crittenton will be making decisions in the coming weeks.