Redick's NBA stock filled with pros, cons

J.J. Redick, the Duke senior, won at least a piece of every national college player of the year award in 2006.

No surprise there.

J.J. Redick, the Duke graduate, won't be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

No surprise there, either.

But Redick, the leading scorer in ACC and Duke men's basketball history, might have much to offer an NBA team.

Here are the pros and cons affecting Redick's status for Wednesday's draft at Madison Square Garden.

Working for him: A great shooting touch. Redick has been shooting NBA-range 3-pointers since late in his grammar school career. But he got better as a shooter and scorer as the defensive pressure he faced in college increased and became more physical.

Redick sharpened his ball skills and became more willing, and able, to score off the dribble.

He averaged 26.7 points per game as a senior, the highest average in the ACC in 14 years. It was also the only season in Redick's college career that he made more 2-point shots (160) than 3-pointers (139).

Now that he has shown he can score inside the 3-point line, Redick will be asked to once again knock down shots beyond the arc.

"So many teams need shooters," said Chris Monter, editor and publisher of Monter Draft News, citing Houston, which has a low-post threat in Yao Ming and a big scorer in Tracy McGrady. Both players draw double-teams.

Working against him: Nearly every play Duke ran was run for him. As Redick became a bigger target for defenses, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski ran more plays for Redick to free him from pressure.

Redick was the focal point of Duke's offense for four years. That's a big reason why he became the all-time leading scorer in men's basketball for both Duke and the ACC, as well as the NCAA's career leader in 3-point field goals.

Former NBA player Cedric Maxwell doesn't think Redick can replicate his college success even if teams ran plays for him.

"I'm not hating on him," said Maxwell, who does radio for the Boston Celtics and offseason work with Charlotte's WFNZ radio. "As a college player he was great but, at his position playing the two-guard, he'll be guarded by guys like Tracy McGrady, Paul Pierce, LeBron James. Do I need to continue?"