Scotty Hopson

Strengths

Right-handed… Big things were expected from the 6'7" shooting guard from the moment he stepped on Tennessee's campus in Knoxville. However, as a freshman, he didn't live up to these lofty expectations. As a sophomore, Hopson got out of the gates quickly, showing scouts and opponents he could live up to his hype… Hopson is an elite draft prospect based on his physical attributes- 6'7" with a 6'10" wingspan. He is one of the nation's best athletes and can leap out of the gym… He is a streaky, but effective outside shooter. He began his sophomore campaign by hitting 14-of-18 from 3-point range, but slowed down after that. His game is built around his outside shot, so when he isn't hitting, he continues to force shots to get him going. After a 1-for-13 stretch late in SEC play, Hopson returned to old form by knocking down 4-of-8 in a big game in Florida. His form looks good and his confidence is high. He has natural scoring instincts… Since Tyler Smith was thrown off the team, Hopson has been the leader. He has accepted his new role and thrived in the situation. If he can consistently knock down shots from outside, he will make the Vols even more dangerous… He has a quick, long first step, allowing him to get past his defender for a mid-range pull-up or a floater in the lane.

Weaknesses

With Hopson's size, athleticism and quickness, he shouldn't be relying on his outside shot. He needs to develop a complementary penetration game. By shying away from contact and rarely going inside, its no wonder Hopson barely gets to the free throw line twice a game. It could be because of his poor free-throw percentage (hovering around 60%). But because of the unlikelihood of going by his defender, defenses simply play him for his outside shot, which he hasn't been hitting all season long. He isn't quite the threat he should be. Working on his perimeter game and shot fake and drives would make Hopson the feared offensive player he should be… Hopson lacks the desire to play defense. He has the physical tools and quickness to develop into a solid defender, but he isn't that interested in digging in and sliding in his defensive stance… He could work on his ball handling more in the offseason, especially with the departure of point guard, Bobby Maze, Hopson would stand out if he could bring the ball up or at least run the offense at times…