It's not often that a player scores just one point, fouls out in 9 minutes of play and yet leaves NBA scouts drooling at his potential for greatness. But amid the hype and hoopla of the Kentucky vs. UConn matchup and beneath all the headlines about the greatness of John Wall and the tenacity of Kemba Walker another NBA prospect was quietly on display. And yeah, he scored only one point and often looked a little behind the speed of the game but Kentucky Freshmen Daniel Orton remains a physical specimen unmatched in college ball and scouts have noticed.
At 6 feet 10 inches tall Orton is a broad shouldered, thick and strong power forward with very good quickness and leaping ability. He has the potential to overpower opponents on the block and is a force on the defensive end. But the thing that separates Orton from some of the other young big men (including teammate DeMarcus Cousins) is his dedication to improving every aspect of his game. He has a quiet demeanor and a focus on playing the game right. He has the work ethic to take his great natural ability to the next level and become a dominant big man in college and in the NBA.
For this year he has the luxury of hiding in the shadows of the other big name players on the UK team but as the season progresses expect the name Daniel Orton to begin falling from the lips of the commentators, scouts and basketball gurus. And by June 2011 expect the name Daniel Orton to be called very early on draft day.
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