Eric Maynor

Eric Maynor, #3 PG, VCU

Strengths:
- Great shooting range
- Speed with ball
- Floater in lane
- GREAT court vision
- Ability to control tempo
- Driving and creating contact
- Quickness
- Playmaking for self and teammates
- Mid-range game

Weaknesses:
- Defensive commitment
- Slower shot release for a scorer
- Tendency to do too much on offense
- Size and strength

Summary:
Eric Maynor first caught my eye when he played against Duke in the 2007 NCAA tournament. If you don't recall, that was the game where he hit the game winner to beat Duke in the first round. Since that game, he has not been a disappointment. Most recently, I watched his VCU Rams take on the UCLA Bruins in the first round of the 2009 NCAA tournament. I left very impressed.

I quickly noticed how comfortable Maynor looked with the ball in his hands. He demonstrated that he could change his speed with the ball in his hands at the drop of a dime. He was comfortable dribbling with both his right or his left, although it was apparent he preferred his right, depending on what the defense gave him. Maynor was very capable of reading the UCLA defense and taking advantage of what the defense gave him. He would pull up and make a NBA range three pointer on one possession or drive the lane. When he was able to penetrate, he was able to take advantage and execute many different options. He would dish the ball to an open teammate for a shot, pull up for a mid-range jumper, shoot a floater in the lane or take it in for a layup. Although his floater (and most other shots) was not falling on this night, I have seen him make this shot numerous times before. If Maynor opted to take the ball to the rack, he showed he could create contact and still get the shot off. If he was fouled, he would step to the line and make his free throws.

Maynor is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He is capable of getting shots for himself or other teammates because of his court vision. He has a great ability to find others on the court, especially when he is double-teamed. This allows for open shots for his teammates. To go along with his offensive awareness, Maynor is capable of controlling a games tempo. Against UCLA, he was able to run a half-court offense several possessions, only to execute a fast-paced offense the next possession. These abilities alone make him a promising NBA talent.

He has several weaknesses on the offensive side of the ball. He has a tendency to do too much with the ball in his hands. He can do too much with his dribble, causing him to get into trouble and taking questionable shots. When the ball is not in his hands, he is more apt to standing somewhere along the perimeter. He has the quickness to maneuver around screens to get open in a Richard Hamilton-esque fashion though. This is especially beneficial because he does not have the most consistent or quickest release for a scorer. If he becomes more willing to move without the ball, he'll get more open looks for himself and others. If he puts on some more muscle, it will only making him better.

Maynor is at his best in the clutch. As in the Duke game in 2007, the conference championship game against George Mason, or against UCLA this year, he wants the ball in his hands. He took the game winning shot against Duke; he elevated his defensive intensity against George Mason; he wanted the final shot against UCLA. I have attached a video clip that demonstrates Maynor's ability to elevate his game in the clutch.



Maynor finished his career with a field goal percentage of 44.9%. He improved his scoring average every year at VCU, but most importantly, he demonstrated he can take care of the ball by posting an assist to turnover ratio of 2.12/1 (which may have been higher if his team did not require him to score more).

Maynor's biggest weakness is his defense. He is very lackadaisical on this end of the floor. He typically is not set in a defensive stance and often relies on reaching in an attempt to steal the ball from the offense rather than play solid defense on and off the ball. He seldom fought through a screen against UCLA, relying more on his teammates for defensive help. It would be nice to see him cut down on these poor defensive behaviors. If he can dedicate himself on this side of the floor he could potentially be a starter in the league. The only time he really elevates his defensive intensity is during crunch time. It shows that he is capable of playing good defense, but it may take being challenged by coaches or teammates to get him to commit to these types of behaviors.

Projection: mid- to late- first round (15-25)
Update: I originally projected Maynor as a mid- to late-first rounder. I think that their is a strong likelihood that Maynor will slide into the second round. I doubt he falls beyond the mid-40s.

Best fit:
- Atlanta: this would be an interesting fit. The Hawks passed over Chris Paul who would have been a perfect fit for the team. Since then, they have tried drafting other PG's, mainly in the second round, to fill the void. It has not been very successful for them. They looked poised to re-sign Bibby to a new contract this off-season. He fits their team perfectly, but getting a backup may prove to be important, especially come playoffs time. The team has a nice young core they are building around in Smith, Williams, Horford, and Johnson. By bringing in a guard with Maynor's skill set, he can have the opportunity to learn from the veteran Bibby and grow with the team's young core.
- Philadelphia: at the moment, the 76ers are in limbo at the point guard position. Andre Miller is an expiring contract, and it is uncertain if he will resign (some reports say he will, others say he will not). Lou Williams has been reported to be the next guy in line, but he plays better as an off guard. Maynor is a better facilitator than Williams. He could step in and serve as a backup until he learned more about the game at the NBA level and then step in fulltime. He would also be able to stretch defenses with his shooting.
- Sacramento: just as I mentioned in my report about Jonny Flynn, Maynor could step into the Kings young rotation. Maynor has the ability to create for himself and others around him, something that would be beneficial for a young, rebuilding team.