Warren's draft stock remains high
Published: 1/22/2010 1:37 PM
Last Modified: 1/22/2010 1:37 PM
No doubt Willie Warren hasn't had the sophomore season many expected he would. His turnovers are up, his shooting percentages are down, and his Oklahoma Sooners head into this weekend's game at Texas Tech with an 11-7 record.
Some wonder if Warren has played himself into a situation where he returns for a junior season.
Well, here was what one pro executive told SI.com NBA writer Ian Thomsen: "If a team needs a big, they'll take (Cole) Aldrich. If they need a point guard, they'll take Willie Warren... He is talented, he's quick, he can shoot it, and I think he can be a (point guard). If he was in last year's draft with all of those point guards, I don't think he would be rated this high. But this year, after John Wall, there is no other point guard."
It's interesting that the exec labels Warren a point guard. He has 71 turnovers this season. The next-closest Sooner in that department is Tommy Mason-Griffin with 41. And Mason-Griffin has played the point at least three quarters of the time this year.
If I'm Warren and I'm seriously thinking about turning pro after this season, I'm working just as hard on ball management as I am on improving my 28.6-percent 3-point percentage.
And I'm working to keep my head up and my spirits high when things go wrong. Warren has been a much better example for teammates since OU's 91-60 loss at Baylor two weeks ago. It's one of the main reasons the Sooners have bought into effort and defense since that game.
At the same time, Warren is working from behind in that department, based on some of the things he did and some of the things coach Jeff Capel said before conference play began.
"A lot of (NBA) guys are down on Warren because of questions about character," the executive told Thomsen. "But Warren is a talented guy and, at the very least, he's going to be a top-10 pick."
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
