EXPERT ANALYSIS

"Everyone has an opinion on whether William Avery is making a good decision entering the NBA draft, and he has distinguished himself as the first Duke basketball player to leave early without the blessing of his coach. That aside, there is no doubt that Avery has very good skills and will be a top-15 pick. Avery is a great athlete that excels in the open court. He has very good speed with and without the ball, and has the strength to get into a defender and into the lane. Avery showed that he could play the point, even though he is primarily an off-guard. Avery has, by far, the deepest shooting range of any point guard and hits his free throws, too. He has the athletic skill and shooting ability to run the screen and roll effectively, and along with Steve Francis and Baron Davis, could wind up as the best guards in the draft. The concerns with Avery, as with most players, are on the defensive end. Avery did not always defend effectively by staying in front of his man, but overall, he puts good pressure on the ball and can move his feet. He has the athletic ability to be a good defender. The big question on Avery: Can he play the point effectively and run a team, or is he more of a glorified scoring point that cannot get others involved?" -- ESPN's Jay Bilas

College: Duke
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180 pounds
Position: Guard
Age: 19 (Aug. 8, 1979)
Birthplace: Augusta, Ga.

Career highlights