# DRAFT PROSPECT: Raymond Felton



## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

This thread is to discuss all things Ray. Any other threads created focusing on Ray will be merged with this one from now one.

Draft Prospect: *Raymond Felton*











Position: *PG*
Age at Draft: *21*
Height/Weight/Wingspan/Reach: *6'.25" / 199 lbs / 6'4.25" / 8'2"*
College: *Univ of North Carolina*
Birthplace: *Latta, SC*

Season Avgs 04/05: *12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.9 apg*
Season Avgs 03/04: *11.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 7.1 apg*
Season Avgs 02/03: *12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.7 apg*

Vertical: *33.5"*
Combine Rank: *18*

Projected Pick: *4 to 13*

*Quick Hit:* Felton is another one of my favorites in the draft. He is exciting to watch because of his speed with the ball. Will probably be one of the quickest players end to end in the NBA right off the bat. He's got a great spin move off the dribble - look up whirling dervish and there is a picture of Felton. Could be a devastating guard on a fastbreaking type team. Outside shot will determine how good he can be, IMO.

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*The Questions:*
Is this outside shot good enough?
Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?
Does he play a little too out of control to excel?
What team would suit Felton the best?
Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?
How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

I think a good comparison for Felton would be a quicker Andre Miller. I guess while were on Andre, a team like the Nuggets would be the best type of offense taht Felton would do good in.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

JNice said:


> Is this outside shot good enough?


He doesn't have a very good shot, but if by good _enough_, you mean he can stay on the floor despite his shot, then yes it's good enough. All of the other things he brings far outweigh his shot problems. 



JNice said:


> Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?


He looks strong, and in the NBA today, it's becoming more and more difficult for backcourt players to take advantage of shorter but not necessarily weaker players. Felton can hold his ground strength wise, and he definitely isn't undersized to be a point guard in the league, given the way he plays. 



JNice said:


> Does he play a little too out of control to excel?


No, when he is "out of control" he does way more good things than bad things. He knows what he is doing with the rock, and the tempo he creates will beat a lot of teams this upcoming season, if his teammates are running with him. 



JNice said:


> What team would suit Felton the best?


Any team with guys who can shoot and/or get out and run, but also don't have ballhog players who need the ball all the time. Felton can make players a lot better if you let him, but he needs the ball. 



JNice said:


> Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?


Maybe assist leader, maybe an all star for one or two years. I see him going down the same road that TJ Ford was supposed to. He could be a top 5-10 point guard in this league depending on his shot and his defense. If he somehow develops an above average shot for a point guard, then sky is the limit. 



JNice said:


> How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?


Defensively, he seems aggressive with good instincts, but he just doesn't have the physical attributes to be a _great_ defender. He could probably lock down his own position on most nights, which would be pretty damn good considering the offensive contributions he is capable of, but no all-defensive teams or anything.


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## On Thre3 (Nov 26, 2003)

wow that draft daily site is a joke... luther head going at number 24 to houston? 


anyways on his ball handling part, many sites claim his handles are questionable, but i think it is one of his strong points


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## DHarris34Phan (Oct 28, 2004)

On Thre3 said:


> wow that draft daily site is a joke... luther head going at number 24 to houston?


I think Sean May going in the 2nd Round is more laughable....what a joke.


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## ATLien (Jun 18, 2002)

I like Felton, alot. He plays at such a high speed, and to me he proved he can make big shots like he did in the NCAA tournament. The only negative I see in his game, and it's a big one, is that he is useless in the half-court set. Utterly useless. I don't think he'll fall past the Raptors at 7.


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## FanOfAll8472 (Jun 28, 2003)

Felton is hands down my favorite player in this draft.


JNice said:


> Is this outside shot good enough?


Yes, it's good enough. It's not the best it could be, but it's good enough.


> Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?


Not really. He might struggle with the size problem several times during the season, but not consistently. He's not big, but he's not weak either.


> Does he play a little too out of control to excel?


No. He is out of control at times, but not often enough to inhibit his success.


> What team would suit Felton the best?


A team that runs and a team where he can get players the ball.


> Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?


Possible assist leader, but definitely one of the top 5 in assists. Borderline All-Star, maybe even a couple appearances there.


> How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?


He can be above average defensively. I don't know if he'll ever make it against the bigger point guards, but he certainly has the ability to.



> The only negative I see in his game, and it's a big one, is that he is useless in the half-court set. Utterly useless.


Not really. He can nail the jump shot, he's got a decent drive, and he is still the same general he was in the half-court set. He isn't as lethal, but he is far from useless.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

I believe that Felton can be a very good NBA point guard,but he has the most questions of any of the four top point guards in the draft.The questions about him
are the real questions about any point guard.Can he be relied upon with the game on the line and will he make the correct decisions within the game.

His junior season may have allayed a few of the concerns about him,but he is extremely suspect in the half court.Over the course of his career he has amassed a record of only 60 wins and 35 losses.Many of those losses occurred in games where he had the game in his hands and failed to deliver victory.

In the right situation Felton may develop into an all star quality player,but in the wrong situation he could be relegated to a back up role or even worse.If he is to be a starter in the NBA he has to prove that he can run an offense.If a team was committed to the fastbreak he would be a nice fit.If this was not the case it might be better to take Jarret Jack in front of him.He does not offer the same explosiveness,but there are few questions about him and he is a superior defender who had absolutely no difficulty with Felton in the ACC


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## Giddensfor3 (Sep 14, 2004)

I think the funniest draftdaily pick is Will Bynum and Sean Banks over Rashad McCants. As much as people knock McCant's "attitude problems", Banks is on another level...


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## thekid (Apr 3, 2003)

Felton is gonna be a star! At least I think so..


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I hope a team that drafts Felton allows him to play his game and that's pushing the tempo. None of this walk it up crap.


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## jalen5 (Nov 19, 2004)

The Questions:
*Is this outside shot good enough?*

Definitely. It's not the best in the world, but I think it's good enough. It should only improve as well.

*Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?*

No. I think size is often overrated in the NBA. Athleticism, quickness, and speed are more important intangibles IMO. Of course I'm not incuding the Early Boykins-like players where being 5 and a half feet tall is too short (can you imagine Boykins at 6'!!??) I don't think it's that big of a difference b/tw 5'11", 6', 6'1'-- that's all about the same IMO. 

*Does he play a little too out of control to excel?*

He's fast. He may have seemed a little out of control at times, but I never really worried about his decision making. I think he'll be fine when it comes to that area.

*What team would suit Felton the best?*

As much as I hate to say it and really don't want it to happen, I think he would work well w/ the Lakers. That's a great, speedy backcourt if you add him to Kobe. They sure would be explosive on the fast break. 

*Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?*

All-Star. At the worst, a solid NBA point guard. 

*How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?*

He can be a good defensive player IMO. He has bulked up and gotten stronger which can only help prevent him from being posted up. Jarrett Jack is the best defensive PG in the Draft IMO.


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## Carbo04 (Apr 15, 2005)

Is this outside shot good enough? He's not Ray Allen, or anything. But yea, it is good enough. 

Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG? Not at all.

Does he play a little too out of control to excel? Not at all. Sure he might make a couple of mistakes while going break neck pace, but anyone would. He does far more good.

What team would suit Felton the best? Phoenix needs to work out a trade to get Felton. Playing behind Nash for a couple of years would be great for him. Think of all he'd learn, plus, he needs to be on a fast team.

Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader? All-Star, and assist leader.

How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP? All defensive team? Probably not. But a good defender.


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## bigbabyjesus (Mar 1, 2003)

I think Felton will suprise a lot of people if he is put into the right situation, ala TJ Ford. He could easily win rookie of the year if he is put in a uptempo environment. 

He will be the best point guard in this draft.


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## scapegoat (Feb 20, 2004)

vigilante said:


> I think Felton will suprise a lot of people if he is put into the right situation, ala TJ Ford. He could easily win rookie of the year if he is put in a uptempo environment.
> 
> He will be the best point guard in this draft.


The problem is, what team is right for Felton? I think Boston could construct themselves into a run-and-gun team, and Felton would fit beautifully in with that. Should the Bobcats take him? Well, can Okafor run? Maybe the Clippers?


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

vigilante said:


> I think Felton will suprise a lot of people if he is put into the right situation, ala TJ Ford. He could easily win rookie of the year if he is put in a uptempo environment.
> 
> He will be the best point guard in this draft.



Ford is a pretty good comparison. Like you said, in the right situation, Felton could really help someone next year.


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## OZZY (Jun 14, 2002)

The Questions:
Is this outside shot good enough?
*Yes, he has improved greatly from last year to this year, so why should thta not continue. If he can improve that much in one year, he can improve even more so/*

Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?
*No, he is short yes but he is stocky and tough and that will make up for his 6-0 height. But this is not the NFL, a PG does not always have to be 6-5 to be successful. And Raymonds main ability is passing, not scoring so height is not as much of a concern. And again not football you can pass fine being short in the NBA*

Does he play a little too out of control to excel?
*What? No way, look at the #1 players in the NBA in turnovers and they are all super stars. Felton is a very under control PG and mistakes happen when you handle the ball all game.*

What team would suit Felton the best?
*Utah Jazz without question, perfect fit for him.*

Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?
*Boarderline All Star but not sure he will be that good, and possible a future assist leader, if not that at least top 5.*

How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?
*What is Gary the only player that can play defense at PG? Felton will be fine on defense, but not outstanding. He is a scrappy player though and that will help him.*


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## Charlotte_______ (May 18, 2003)

Felton is better than alot of people say he is. He has improved his FG% from 30 to 50, in the past year, due to taking 600 shots everyday over last summer and fixing his shot release to flick his wrist more and follow through. Also under Roy Williams' system he averaged just 6.5 shots per game, and he avg 12ppg. This guy will be a great player in the league, the only trouble I can see him having is his control, he has had trouble in the past keeping control of the ball and trying to do to much. But just like Tony Parker learned in his first couple of years, he needs to slow down.

Thats why I think Ray Felton = Tony Parker


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## Chris Bosh #4 (Feb 18, 2005)

*Hows this for a Felton comparision?*

A smaller Rod Strickland. He's quick, has a pass first mentality, and can score if he wants to.


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

TJ Ford with better scoring abilities.


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## BBALLSCIENCES (Oct 16, 2004)

*Re: Hows this for a Felton comparision?*



Chris Bosh #4 said:


> A smaller Rod Strickland. He's quick, has a pass first mentality, and can score if he wants to.


Except for that he can't pass as good as Strickland and his handle is sloppy. He can score off of jumpshots, usually stand still 3's, but as far as going to the hole and making something happen, I haven't seen it.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

*Re: Hows this for a Felton comparision?*



BBALLSCIENCES said:


> Except for that he can't pass as good as Strickland and his handle is sloppy. He can score off of jumpshots, usually stand still 3's, but as far as going to the hole and making something happen, I haven't seen it.



Is his handle really sloppy? When I saw him, it looked like his handles were one of his strong points. Stand still 3s? You sure?


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## jalen5 (Nov 19, 2004)

*Re: Hows this for a Felton comparision?*



BBALLSCIENCES said:


> Except for that he can't pass as good as Strickland and his handle is sloppy. He can score off of jumpshots, usually stand still 3's, but as far as going to the hole and making something happen, I haven't seen it.


Dude, you must not have seen Felton play very much. He's a good passer, has good handles, he has improved his shooting quite a bit and will probably continue to improve it. In addition, his best attribute IS getting to the whole and making something happen. People question his shooting way more than his penetration ability.


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## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

*Re: Hows this for a Felton comparision?*



> Is this outside shot good enough?


His jumper got much better this past season, and from every indication at Chicago, it has gotten even better. Has good form and work ethic, so I think he'll be a solid shooter in the NBA, especially out to the NBA 3 (where he has made the most improvement this summer apparently). 



> Is he really under-sized (as some say) to be an NBA PG?


Yes, but it's minimal. His speed more than makes up for any small height disadvantage he has, and since the only PG that posts up much in the NBA is Billups, he doesn't need to worry about getting wrecked on the block often, or at all really. Though, his smaller stature will probably lead to more TOs (can't see the floor as well at 6'0" versus, say, 6'6"), despite his already good decision making abilities. How much more is anyone's guess. 



> Does he play a little too out of control to excel?


Occasionally, but it's minimal. An underrated cerebral player IMO. 



> What team would suit Felton the best?


A fast breaking team, but I honestly think Felton would work well in any offense. He has shown me that he can run a half court offense just fine. He proved it last season and throughout the tournament where he wasn't getting very many fast break opportunities. I think he'll fit best next to a superstar(s) where not a lot of defensive attention is paid to him, which will allow him space to hit jumpers, penetrate, and set up his teammates. 



> Where is the upside? All-Star? Role-player? Future NBA Assist leader?


Borderline All Star PG. Probably has as good a career as Mike Bibby, maybe better. Depends how he develops his individual scoring game (right now he's not _that_ great at creating for himself off the dribble, merely "solid"). 



> How good can he be defensively? Poor man's GP?


IMO Felton has the highest potential to become an All D player out of any PG in this draft. Solid wingspan (6'4"+), great directional and burst speed, and most importantly great lateral movement. His lateral speed is very comparable to someone like GP, but GP had 4 inches of height and couple more inches of wingspan on Felton, so he'll never be GP. Also, GP probably had the most underrated hoop IQ of any defender in modern basketball, which will be tough for Felton to match (though from every indication, Felton has the attitude and brains to play smart All D-level defense). 

Only thing that’ll hurt Felton defensively a little bit is his lack of height. If he were 2-3 inches taller I’d guarantee you on the spot that he’d be First Team All D within two years. 

By the way, his handles are great, in fact that's one of his strong suits. I don't know where people get the idea he doesn't have good handles, it's just not in the least bit true.

And in case you couldn’t tell, he’s one of my favorite players in this draft, if not my favorite.


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## BBALLSCIENCES (Oct 16, 2004)

*Re: Hows this for a Felton comparision?*



jalen5 said:


> Dude, you must not have seen Felton play very much. He's a good passer, has good handles, he has improved his shooting quite a bit and will probably continue to improve it. In addition, his best attribute IS getting to the whole and making something happen. People question his shooting way more than his penetration ability.


Not as good a passer as Strickland. Not even close. Felton's handle is shaky at times, he tries to move too fast for his own good and often loses control of the ball momentarily and has to slow down so as not to lose the ball entirely. I think his best attribute is passing the ball down low to big men.


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