Continuing the recent trend on the site of breaking down the Nets youngsters, I figured today would be as good a day as any to discuss Chris Douglas Roberts, the team’s third pick in the 2008 draft and 40th overall. Swing man by trade, Douglas-Roberts has gotten better every season in college and now looks to give the Nets another option off the bench in his first professional season.

Rival.com’s Jerry Meyer in late 2004-

“A wiry combo guard, Douglas-Roberts is a limited athlete with his lack of strength, but he compensates for it with great body control and a very good feel for the game. A mediocre outside shooter with a release from the left side of his body, he prefers to slash to the basket and is very good at finishing. While he can play point on offense, he struggles guarding penetrators on the perimeter.”

A scouting report taken from the Toronto Raptors website just before the 2008 draft-

Strengths: Crafty scorer who finds ways to put the ball in the basket. Excels in the mid-range game and knows how to use the glass to convert opportunities. Uses long wingspan to his advantage on the defensive end. Plays well in big games.

DraftExpress.com April 2, 2008-

Douglas-Roberts is widely expected to declare for the draft this year, and definitely has a strong case to be drafted in the first round, possibly even the top-20. His versatile offensive skills, combined with his size, length, outstanding instincts and overwhelmingly impressive numbers lead you to believe that he will have a long and successful NBA career, particularly when you take into account his intangibles, which are reportedly outstanding. He has a strong work ethic, is an excellent teammate, is very well-spoken, and has a will to succeed and win that can’t be taught.

What I think:

Jerry Meyer’s scouting report, when combined with the information from DraftExpress.com tells a story of a hard-working player that wants to thrive in the NBA. In addition to praising his numbers and instincts, DraftExpress.com also talks about his improved three-point shooting, something that Meyer wasn’t impressed by when Douglas-Robert was in High School. The same thing goes for his defensive ability.

This season, I see Douglas-Roberts playing about 20 minutes a game, playing both guard and forward. However, with the Nets picking up a bevy of bench players this season, Douglas-Roberts is going to have to work extremely hard to separate himself on the court. If his work-ethic and team-first attitude is any indication, I see him thriving, but I feel like the rest of the league won’t consider him a real factor until after th All-Star break, after Nets coach Laurence Frank sees what the rest of the team is capable of.

Photo from Rivals.com