Jeremy Lamb
5/30/92
Shooting Guard, University of Connecticut (2 years)
Official Measurements from NBA Combine in Chicago
Height (with shoes): 6'5.25"
Weight: 179 lbs.
Wingspan: 6'11"
It seems like every time I sit down I find myself writing yet another article on a player who has brought me so much emotional pain. During his first year at UCONN Lamb shared the backcourt with Kemba Walker, and the two of them lead the Huskies on a ferocious run through the Big East and NCAA tournaments on their way to a National Championship (knocking out Arizona along the way). As Lamb and company cut down the net in Houston the national exposure had skyrocketed his NBA stock. However, Jeremy chose to return to school for his sophomore season and unfortunately for him he underwhelmed in his role as the team's leader and best player.
Succeeding with little to no expectations is much easier than succeeding after you've already won a National Championship and the spotlight is fixed steadily upon you. In his sophomore campaign, with Kemba long gone to the NBA, the Huskies were a measly 8-10 in conference play and capped off the year by losing to Iowa State in the first round of the tournament. Despite the team's woes, Lamb was the leading scorer averaging just under 18 PPG shooting 47.8% from the field. While these numbers are certainly respectable, the team had numerous chemistry issues throughout the season, and as the team's leader the blame for this must fall substantially on Lamb's hands.
Putting aside his shaky sophomore season for a moment there are some definite positives about his game. In 2012 the key physical quality that all the scouts seem to be salivating over is how "long" a player is. Well, Jeremy Lamb is nothing if not long. While only being 6'5" in stature - his lanky arms and long legs let him play much bigger which is a clear advantage at the off guard position. Again, he's only 19 and has some major work to do in regards to strengthening his upper body, but if he can put on some muscle he could really become a force at the 2. Another highly valued aspect of his game is his ability to use the dribble to create his own midrange shot. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how valuable that skill can be to a half-court heavy team.
Perhaps it's the Warriors fan in me that makes me weary of this pick. I've just watched so many draft busts on wings like this that I'm not too excited about his professional potential. However, there's always room on an NBA roster for a quality shooter so who knows?
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