2010 NBA Draft Preview: Tiny Gallonhttp://admin.Oklahoma Sports/uploadedImages/Oklahoma Sports/OK_Sports/Levels/College/Oklahoma/CBK/News/20100401-Tiny-Gallon.jpg

Gallon was almost constantly in the headlines, but not always for the right reasons.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:48 am

By: News On 6

2010 NBA Draft Preview: Tiny Gallonhttp://admin.Oklahoma Sports/uploadedImages/Oklahoma Sports/OK_Sports/Levels/College/Oklahoma/CBK/News/20100401-Tiny-Gallon.jpg

Originally Published: Jun 18, 2010 7:11 PM CDT

2010 NBA Draft previews from Oklahoma Sports:
- Latavious Williams
- James Anderson
- Tommy Mason-Griffin
- Tiny Gallon
- Willie Warren
- Ben Uzoh
- Jerome Jordan
- Ekpe Udoh
- Daniel Orton
- Xavier Henry

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tiny Gallon’s departure from OU left a wake of disappointment and unanswered questions, none of which will help him make an NBA roster.

Gallon had a mediocre year on the court, but an even worse one off it. It started with his apparent lack of interest in being a team player, as he was benched in the Sooners’ first game against Texas Tech for skipping team meetings.

Head coach Jeff Capel later mentioned being worried that Gallon had grown complacent and was not working to get better. He then suffered knee injuries that sidelined him, and finally his problems culminated into reports that he violated NCAA rules.

As the season wound down, news surfaced that Gallon was accused of accepting $3,000 from financial advisor Jeffrey Hausinger. OU launched an investigation into the charges, and Gallon announced he would leave the Sooners to pursue a career in the NBA.

Standing at 6-foot-9 and 270 pounds, he has the size to play at the next level. He can be a great rebounder when he puts his mind to it, but last season he often tried too hard to be a scorer. He would settle for long jump shots instead of working under the basket, leaving him out of position.

He is also a major liability on the defense end, especially against athletic and agile opponents. He does not have good reaction time or lateral movement, which are difficult problems to fix.

Gallon would have been best served coming back to college for at least one more year, but the charges against him forced his hand. He bolted for the NBA before the investigation could be completed.

Gallon’s unpolished and erratic play alone would have been enough to scare some teams off, but now with off-the-court problems added on he has become a huge question mark. It is unlikely he will be drafted, but that does not mean his basketball dream is dead.

He still could be a late addition to an NBA roster or assigned to a D-League affiliate. If he is given some time to polish his game and learn to play to his strengths rather than trying to become something he’s not, he has the potential to become a legitimate big man.