Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Scouting Report: Francisco Garcia

Last season, guard Kevin Martin made a significant leap with the Sacramento Kings. After averaging 26.6 minutes per game and 10.8 points per game in 2006-07, Martin put up averages of 35.2 minutes per game and 20.2 points per game this past season. This year, the Kings are hoping that Francisco Garcia can make a similar leap in production.

Player Name: Francisco Garcia
Current Team: Sacramento Kings
Ideal Position: SF
Drafted: 23rd
Height/Weight: 6'7"/195
Birthdate: 12/31/81
Hometown: Bronx, NY
High School: Winchendon School
College: Univsersity of Louisville
Agent: Aaron Goodwin

Contract:
2005-06 $1,016,400
2006-07 $1,092,600
2007-08 $1,168,800
2008-09 $1,983,453 (Team Option)
2009-10 $2,885,924 (Qualifying Offer)
2010-11 $2,885,924 (Qualifying Offer)

Notes:
Nickname is the "Latin Assassin"; Younger brother died in December of 2003; Only current NBA player born in the Dominican Republic; Twice named to the Louisville Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for a GPA of 3.0 or better; Majored in communications at Louisville; Played basketball and baseball in high school; Participated in the 2005 FIBA America’s World Championship Qualifying Tournament held in the Dominican Republic as a member of the Dominican Republic National Team; Finished collegiate career ranked fourth in Louisville history in three pointers made, third in free throw percentage, eighth in blocked shots, and 23rd in points scored; Named to the 2005 NABC All-America second-team and Wooden All-American team honors; Earned First Team All-Conference USA accolades and was named as a member of the C-USA All-Decade team.

Strengths:
Great shooter; Strong interior passer; Great attitude; Has overcome a great deal of adversity; Provides great leadership and is a real team player; Versatility on offense allows him to be able to play point guard, shooting guard, and small forward; Has range on his shot and gets it off quickly; Excellent court vision; Great work ethic and passion for the game; Good shot blocker for a wing player; Tough; Scrappy; Willing to take the big shot.

Weaknesses:
Too thin; Settles for the jump shot too frequently; In-between game has room to improve; Not a high leaper; Turnover prone; Probably not quick enough to defend shooting guards, but not strong enough to guard many small forwards; Has had some foot and ankle injuries previously; Prefers to score off the dribble rather than catch-and-shoot.

Outlook:
Garcia is a versatile player who can play multiple positions and has great value to his team. He comes off as a great kid and a terrific teammate. Garcia's ceiling is the third scorer on a strong team. At this point, it looks like his strength will never increase, but he has shown that he is an above-average defensive player.

Video:

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