| Although he’s a true freshman, Shakur could have the inside track at the starting point guard spot. He was recruited to compete right away and possesses all of the traits to be the next great Wildcat point guard. Shakur has the added advantage of a year at a prep school. The extra experienced has not only vaulted him into the elite category of point guard recruits, but it also made him a more mature player.
Shakur looks at lot like former Wildcat point guard Jason Terry, but he’s got him by two inches. He’s very long and very quick. He has long arms and can fill passing lanes. He has a lot to learn defensively, but has the athleticism to match up favorably with many of the nation’s high-profile guards.
A great passer, Shakur has amazing floor sense. He’s especially adept in the open court and is the perfect point guard for an up-tempo, fast break offense. He’s already starting to jell with his teammates. In pick-up games he’s found a rapport with Hassan Adams and Andre Iguodala on the alley-oop.
The only suspect part of Shakur’s game is his offense. He’s a streak shooter and when he’s on, he doesn’t miss, but when he’s off, he’s real off. His jumper is a little unusual looking, but it gets the job done. With his quickness he’s also able to get into the lane.
The biggest question mark is how quickly can he adapt to Lute Olson’s system. Freshmen have been able to make an immediate impact at point guard, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get adjusted. The last two freshmen to start were Mike Bibby and Jason Gardner, the only two point guards to lead the Wildcats to the national championship game.
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