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1 - Travis Leslie

6-4, 205 Shooting Guard/Small Forward
Georgia Junior
Birthday
03/29/90 (34 yrs)
Hometown
Atlanta, GA
High School
Columbia
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
10
Size
7
Defense
7
Strength
8
Quickness
8
Leadership
7
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
7
Ball Handling
6
Potential
9
Passing
6
Intangibles
6

NBA Comparison: Kelenna Azubuike/Jeff Trepagnier

Strengths: Amongst the top physical specimens in the ’11 draft class, with rare athleticism, length and strength at 6’4 … Thrives in open space utilizing his end-to- end speed and explosive leaping ability … Powerful, compact frame. More than capable of withstanding a blow and finishing when contacted … Not a comfortable sight for defenders while charging at the hoop: he’ll either dunk over you or take you with him through the rim … Body control, in-air adjustments and hang time are sublime … A high percentage of his points (14.4) come as a result of the transition game and crashing the offensive glass (3.2 off) … His mid-range shooting stroke is much improved, especially when afforded a couple of habit dribbles to get his legs underneath the shot … Realistic range out to 15-18 feet … Shot selection is a mainstay, recognizing his strengths and playing within them … Shoots an efficient 49% from the floor and 80% from the foul line … Playmaking is not a staple, but he’s capable of getting inside the lane with a lightning quick first step … Assist figures are on the rise (0.6 to 2.5 to 2.9). Versatile defender. Able to guard multiple positions using his combination of strength and agility … An attacking presence defensively, trusting his physical gifts … Quick hands and plays passing lanes well (1.1 career stl) … Blocked a shot per game as a sophomore. 

Weaknesses:
Doesn’t fit the traditional shooting guard mold … In a league infatuated with the three-point shot, Leslie has no extended range (0.4 3pt makes) … Despite a spike in attempts (1.3), he’ll never be a natural distance shooter … Catch and shoot is not in his vocabulary … Squares his body well, but needs time to eye the target … When opponents lay off him on the perimeter you can feel the doubts creep into his mind … Needs to be more free flowing and aggressive … He starts thinking rather than reacting, usually leaving the burden to a teammate … No defined offensive game at this stage in the half court set … While ball handling has improved somewhat, it still inhibits his effectiveness in the face up game … His off the dribble repertoire is elementary and lacks any real imagination … For a two-guard, that’s a difficult shortcoming to hide … Less panache and attempts at the extraordinary, more attacking and getting to the FT line (4.1 attempts) … His freakish athleticism will shine through regardless … Seems satisfied to be a complimentary part.

Notes: Has signed with an agent so he has committed to remain in the 2011 draft.

Adam Ganeles 4/15/11

Strengths: An undersized 2-guard with elite level leaping ability and body control … Specimen type athlete who has shown steady improvement in his offensive skills … A very fast and explosive athlete, making him a tremendous open court player … Routinely makes jaw dropping dunks … Has a good shooting stroke and a developing pull up and turnaround jumper … Big wingspan helps to make up for his lack of ideal height … Excellent body strength allows him to finish at the rim and fight through contact … Does a solid job of limiting turnovers … A constant threat on back door cuts for ally oops … Strong rebounder from the guard position, showing tenacity attacking the glass … Solid defender. Quick reflexes and anticipation allows him to jump passing lanes and get out for break away dunks … Plays with a high level of energy, showing a "high motor" … Shooting, while raw, shows promise (75% ft) although his mid-range shooting numbers remain low (35%) … An excellent shot blocker for a guard with great anticipation and timing for blocks (1.1 bpg) … Equally effective jumping off one or two feet … Still must learn to cut down on unnecessary attempting "wow" plays, but in general does a great job of staying under control and "playing within himself" for such a great athlete …

Weaknesses: Still developing his perimeter skills. Lacks great range and consistency on his shot, but showing some real promise as a perimeter shooter … One-on-one skills are a work in progress. Struggles to effectively create in isolation situations despite having an explosive first step and excellent athleticism. His ISO game has a lot of room for growth … His ball handling is decent and showing improvement but still not at the level where he can comfortably handle the ball like it’s second nature and create offense consistently …

Notes: Has shown excellent improvement between his freshman and sophomore seasons doubling both his ppg and mpg outputs … Has had the dunk of the (2009-10 season)(below) on DeMarcus Cousins of Kentucky …

Aran Smith 1/25/10

YouTube Clip – 1/10/2010

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