NBA Draft Insider

Selected No. 40  by the Indiana Pacers

College: Cincinnati
Birthday: 9/5/90
NBA Position: Shooting Guard
Class: Freshman
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 210
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
High School: Lincoln
NBA Comparison: Bonzi Wells

Strengths: Lance is a natural scoring threat every time he touches the ball, and has one of the most NBA ready bodies to go with it. His rebounding is good for the position he plays, and he is able to finish strong around the hoop even with contact being applied. With that being said, Stephenson uses an array of skilled moves (crossover, spin move, and floater) to make his path to the rim that much easier. He also has a 6-foot-10 wingspan that allows him to, at times, be a lockdown defender. Being publicized at such a young age in New York City, Stephenson has learned to deal with the pressures of being a high-profile athlete. He has a knack for finding contact while attacking the basket, which is evident in his free throw attempts.

Weaknesses: Offensive decisions can be a detriment to Stephenson’s game. He can pass the ball, but needs to do more of it – especially if he’s going to play the guard position. Shot selection at times can really be questioned with Lance. He also has the tendency to develop tunnel vision when getting frustrated. Another question is his maturity; at times he can cause a disturbance within a locker room which will surely be frowned upon once he is earning a professional paycheck.

Ty’mon Norman – 2/16/2010