2010 NBA Draft Preview: Willie Warren

After deciding to say for another year at Oklahoma, the former Big 12 Freshman of the Year saw his stock fall as the Sooners' season waned.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:48 am

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Jun 17, 2010 6:27 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

Gerald Goodridge
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two seasons ago, Willie Warren was one of the top players in the Big 12.

His first season in Norman he scored 525 points, becoming the second Oklahoma player to score more than 500 points in his first season – the other being Sooner legend Waymon Tisdale. A unanimous selection as the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Second-Team All-Big 12 and Preseason All-American hype gave way to a season plagued by injuries and turnovers.

He was only able to play in 21 of Oklahoma’s 31 games during the 2009-2010 Season, and was hampered by an ankle injury that eventually required season-ending surgery.

The 6-foot-4 208-pound guard is expected by many to be selected in the first few picks of the second round – anywhere from the 33rd pick to the 37th selection.

A guaranteed lottery pick in last year’s draft, Warren’s return to Norman hurt his draft stock, but still has all of the talent he had a season ago that would make him a viable player in the NBA.

Warren is clearly an offense-first combo guard, but his physical attributes and skill set lend greatly to that style of play. He has shown not only the ability to attack the basket to create offense and get to the free throw line and make difficult jump shots when the painted area isn’t available.

Based solely on talent and offensive skill, he could still be a top pick, but his second season in Oklahoma showed some of the deficiencies to his game.

His points per game increased from 14.6 to 16.3, but it wasn’t enough to carry the Sooners through the tough Big 12 schedule. OU ended the season on an eight-game losing streak, including a first-round loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Big 12 tournament.

Warren also showed a penchant to force poor shots – perhaps due to the pressure of having to carry an offense – an apparent lack of interest in playing defense, getting most of his rest on the defensive side of the floor.

Attitude also could prove to be a problem for the guard. If the rumors are to be believed, Warren was one of the players on the team at odds with head coach Jeff Capel. The Sooners’ head man was clearly unhappy with some of his players, and rumored maturity issue from his supposed team leader may have been one of the reasons. He was also arrested for driving with a suspended license after the Sooners’ season was over.

Those factors coupled with his ankle issues could cause a slide in the draft, but anywhere past the first few picks in the second round and he officially becomes a steal. Pairing the scoring guard with one of the top-tier inside men at the top of the board could potentially be a dynamic duo for years to come.