As we enter the new basketball season, we are now secure in our knowledge that Sean Singletary will remain with us for one more year. We mustn't be so naïve, however, to believe that Singletary's decision to stay was merely a pledge of loyalty to the Virginia faithful. Among what I am sure were many factors that led to his return was the opportunity for Singletary to raise his status in the minds of NBA scouts prior to his (second) declaration into the NBA draft. I therefore find it as appropriate a time as ever to examine the pros and the cons of Singletary's game not as a loyal fan, but rather from the perspective of an impartial NBA scout. In a nutshell, here is what I see as the six most important qualities that scouts will be looking at in Singletary's final year.
1. Speed. Cavalier fans swoon at the site of Singletary faking the socks out of a defender, and they should; Singletary's speed is lights out. The question, however, is whether his speed will make up for his lack of size. A player of Singletary's height must compensate with speed that even most NBA guards can't keep up with. The prototypical undersized, speedy guard in the NBA is Allen Iverson, but players like T.J. Ford (5-foot-11), Craig "Speedy" Claxton (5-foot-11) and Nate Robinson (5-foot-9) are also fine examples. Singletary is lightning fast; whether he's as fast as these roadrunners is a judgment we will have to reserve for when he arrives.
Overall, is Singletary fast enough to out-quick NBA guards on a regular basis? That depends on who is guarding him, and whether he can stay healthy. One area, however, where Singletary is a virtual lock to excel is in ...
2. Shooting. Not only does he have NBA range (the NBA three-point line lies three feet beyond the college line), but he also doesn't have to spot up to nail perimeter shots. Singletary can stop on a dime and hit the 25-footer on the fast break or off the pick-and-roll, even with a taller defender contesting him. Everyone loves a shooter at all skill levels, and the NBA is no exception. Even if Singletary turns out to be nothing more than a three-point specialist as a pro, he will always find a home in the NBA.
3. Ball-handling. This is another aspect of Singletary's game that will serve him well in the NBA. I can't recall ever seeing anyone take the ball from Singletary last season, and he picks apart a press as well as any point guard in the NCAA. The ability to handle the ball under pressure is a must for an NBA point guard, and Singletary has certainly demonstrated that capacity.
4. Passing and court vision. Singletary was decent in this area statistically last season by NBA standards, but not great. While he may be given some slack for some missed lay-ups from the Cavalier front line, even rounding off his assist total to five per game doesn't put him in the top 50 in the country in this category. He did, however, show that eyes-in-the-back-of-his-head quality that NBA teams look for in a good point guard. With Singletary seeing more double teams this season due to the loss of J.R. Reynolds, he will be given ample opportunities to show off that ability and augment his assist numbers before next year's draft.
Singletary, in turn, says he's ready to be more of a play maker if the team needs it.
"First and foremost, I'm going to do whatever my team needs to win, whatever it calls for," Singletary said"If it calls for me to score, if it calls for me to pass, then that's just what I have to do."
5. Leadership. This is always a good quality to have in a point guard, and Singletary certainly had his moments last season. We all remember that piercing, fearless stare he gave the camera after he nailed the game-winner against Duke, as if to say, "Yeah, that was me." This edge will serve Singletary well when he turns pro.
"A basketball mind wants to see from a point guard, not only an NBA scout but just anybody that knows basketball and knows what it takes to be successful in basketball, they're going to look for leadership," Singletary said. "They're going to look for how you make everybody else on the team better."
6. Durability. Another issue with any guard of Singletary's small stature is his ability to endure the grueling 82-game NBA season. Although Singletary did manage to start all 32 games last year with the 'Hoos, he admitted that he is only now healthy for the first time in his college career. Can his 6-foot-none 185-pound frame handle the grueling 82-game schedule? You can bet that NBA scouts will be keeping a close eye on Singletary's health this season.
Naturally, Singletary isn't thinking much about his future NBA career at the moment; his attitude
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