Mike Conley Jr. at full speed? Or just my crappy digital camera...

The Hawks concluded their workouts today, with Florida's Al Horford coming in for a morning session and Ohio State PG Mike Conley, Jr. in for the afternoon.

I tossed my handy digital recorder in the scrum (while also getting a couple pictures at the same time - yes, I'm quite the multi-tasker), and I thought both guys handled themselves well and seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of playing in Atlanta. I know Joakim Noah is the media all-star from Florida's championship winners (and certainly proved himself worthy of that mantle last Friday), but I thought Horford was very poised and thoughtful as well, if not as lively.

Here is the audio from his interviews, and here is Conley's.

So now the workouts are done, and all that is left are 72 hours or so to spend speculating on what the team is going to do. What do you think? Let us know...

Horford shows for the ball in a post drill

Conley Jr. begins a drive towards the hole

Conley talks to the media after his workout

Horford shows his touch around the basket

Wednesday the Hawks began the process of bringing in some of the prospects that are potential draft targets in the upcoming NBA Draft. We will be bringing you some coverage of the workouts over the next several days, but I have to admit my personal bias right at the start. Individual workouts don't really mean that much, for the most part. As Hawks GM Billy Knight told the media a couple weeks ago, it's really just for the coaches to get a chance to see the players in person and to be able to talk to them face-to-face for a closer look. The bulk of these players' resumes come from the actual meaningful games they played - a lights-out shooting performance in a workout can only sway someone's opinion so much.

Another disclaimer - because the Hawks don't want to give anything away to other teams as to their plans, I can't really get into any details about how the guys performed. But, like I say, I don't think anything I'd have to say about someone would be particularly meaningful anyway, unless the NBA adopts new rules that call for cones to be placed all over the court.

This morning's session involved a few of the prominent point guard prospects; Acie Law of Texas A&M, Atlanta's own Javaris Crittenton from Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech's Jamon Gordon. North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright was in for the afternoon for a solo workout.

I took some pictures of the action and stood in on the media scrums to get the players' thoughts on how they thought the workouts went, which I am posting below. In addition, I spent a couple minutes talking about the life of a draft prospect with Va Tech's Gordon, who is hoping to show enough in these workouts to convince a team to take a flyer on him later on in the draft. He was a good kid, and I found him refreshingly honest about the whole process.

Check out what they had to say about the process and some pictures from the day below:

Acie Law talks about being a four-year player
Javaris Crittenton discusses wanting to play in his home town
Hawks coach Mike Woodson on his impressions of the PG workout
Brandan Wright on possibly joining fellow Tar Heel Marvin Williams
Jamon Gordon talks about trying to make a name for himself in the pre-draft workouts

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we look at a guy many consider to be the top shooting guard prospect in the draft, Florida's Corey Brewer.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and has already previewed Al Horford and Joakim Noah for us. Here are his words on the third of the Gators' lottery prospects:

Corey Brewer:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: 2007 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player

Strengths: Best defensive player in the draft, versatile, freakishly long, poster-quality finisher.

Weaknesses: Ball-handling, ability to shoot from NBA 3-point range.

Why Hawks fans should want him: Instantly the best defensive player on the team. Completes the dream "All 6-foot-9" lineup including Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams and Joe Johnson.

What might give Hawks fans pause: Come on, ANOTHER swingman?!

What current player he reminds you of: Josh Howard, Manu Ginobili

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Texas A&M point guard Acie Law, who many think the Hawks are interested in at #11.

Today's guest analyst is Peter Bean from Burnt Orange Nation, which technically is a University of Texas blog, but he saw plenty of Acie's games this season and hey, no one from A&M wanted to write me back, so what can I tell you. Peter knows what he's talking about though, I can promise you that.

Here's what he had to say about the Aggies lead guard:

Acie Law:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Law’s road to stardom was hardly preordained. Recruited to A&M by dysfunctional coach Melvin Watkins, the Aggies were winless in the Big 12 during Law’s freshman year. Watkins was fired, and Law very nearly transferred after Billie Gillispie was hired and immediately put his team through a two-week boot camp.

Law stuck around, though, and saw immediate dividends on his investment. Texas A&M was respectable during Law’s sophomore season, then NCAA Tournament bound for Law’s junior and senior seasons.

His “breakout” moment may have come near the end of his junior campaign, when he sank an 18 foot jump shot at the buzzer to beat Texas.

Strengths:
Law’s mental game may be his greatest asset, as he possesses all those intangible qualities that great point guards enjoy. He makes his teammates better, understands spacing and passing lanes, and uses his body and feet well to finish around the rim.

Law has developed an unbelievable reputation as a “clutch” performer, beginning with his game-winner against Texas. In his senior season, he hit a three-pointer to beat Kansas in Lawrence, and two simply unbelievable three point shots in a double-overtime loss to Texas (both threes extended the game an extra period). Law’s unafraid of the big shot, and seems to thrive when there’s a lot at stake.

Weaknesses:
Law needs to improve his consistency from the outside as a shooter to take a big step forward in his game. He’s already a great penetrator, but he needs the shooting game to complement it. Law also will need to add some upper body strength if he’s going to be able to be effective in the same way he was in college.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
Leadership, leadership, leadership. The guy’s a winner, makes his teammates better, and is fearless when the game’s on the line. Often, when a team is struggling to get over the hump, they need a point guard who can get everyone playing with a winner’s mentality.

Why Hawks fans should pause:
Consistency is a big issue with Law, and I wonder whether he’s got enough raw scoring ability to be more than a bench player. If he can take his scoring ability up another level, he’ll be everything scouts hope. If not, he won’t be the kind of player who can consistently lead a team to the playoffs.

What current player he reminds you of:
His upside is Sam Cassell, a point guard who can score quite a bit, use his height to work mismatches, and play heady basketball at all times. We’re not talking about a franchise player, per se, but he’s a guy you’d love to have on your team.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Chinese 7-footer Yi Jianlian, who is a possibility for the Hawks at #3.

We really got lucky with the preview today, as the writer of The China Sports Blog went well above and beyond the call of duty and got Ma Yue, the basketball editor for the Chinese edition of Sports Illustrated, to give us the scouting report on Jianlian (with translation by June Chan and Mary Nicole Nazzaro).

Not bad, eh? Here's what Ma had to say about the mysterious Chinese big man:

Yi Jianlian:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Just like the Chinese men who preceded him to the NBA draft, Wang Zhizhi and Yao Ming, Yi also had to leap a barrier before finally being able to enter the draft. In 2005, Yi had the chance to enter the NBA draft, but his China Basketball Association club, the Guangdong Hongyuan Tigers, forced him to withdraw his name from consideration. After almost two years of negotiations, in November 2006 Yi's club announced that Yi would be eligible for the 2007 draft. It is believed that the Hongyuan team has an agreement in place with Yi regarding both sides' business interests. (This would be similar to the deal struck by the Shanghai Sharks to allow Yao Ming to enter the 2002 draft.)

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) says that they fully support Yi in his development in the NBA, but they also point out that Yi's new NBA team must sign a contract with the CBA to promise that Yi will be made available for the Chinese national team whenever he is needed. Again, this is similar to Yao Ming's deal with the Houston Rockets - both Yao and Yi will be cornerstones of the Chinese national team at the 2008 Olympics.

Strengths:
Yi is tall and he has long arms. He is a good runner and jumper, and he is very athletic. He is also an excellent shooter.

Weaknesses:
Yi needs to work on his post-up game. He may also find it is hard to fit one position perfectly, because he is too lean and weak to play power forward, and he may be a little slow to play small forward. He needs to improve both his offensive and defensive skills.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
He has excellent basketball IQ and works very hard, which means he is a good learner. He is a 7-footer low-post player, whose movement is very quick considering his size, and this kind of player is seen more and more in the NBA nowadays. (Nicole adds: And the Hawks will inherit a brand new legion of fans from China should Yi Jianlian join the team - the NBA is extremely popular throughout mainland China and the Rockets' games are all broadcast on live television.)

What might give Hawks fans pause:
There are many big men who can run and jump in the NBA - so Yi might not stand out as a superior talent compared to others with the same skill set.

What current player he reminds you of:
To be honest, he reminds me of nobody. There are people who say Yi is like Kevin Garnett, Toni Kukoc and Dirk Nowitzki, but in my opinion they just don't know him. Perhaps he would remind an NBA fan of Andris Biedrins, but Yi's shooting is better.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, Jr., who the Hawks could take at #3 or gamble and perhaps draft at #11.

Our guest expert today is Sean Sheehan, who writes about the Buckeyes for the blog Around The Oval. Here's what he had to say about the Buckeyes' other freshman phenom:

Mike Conley, Jr..:
Draft Express profile

How he got here:
Mike Conley came to OSU as a highly-touted freshman, but many Ohio State fans viewed him as a guy just brought in to make Greg Oden happy. Once the season started, Conley quickly proved those people wrong. He started at point guard from the first game and did a great job. All season, he demonstrated excellent court vision and passing skills, as well as a knack for coming up with steals on the defensive end. Toward the end of the season, he became a more aggressive player offensively, using his speed to drive to the basket almost at will. While Oden got most of the headlines, Conley was the most consistent player on the team, and arguably the best.

Strengths:
Conley's biggest strengths are his court vision and passing skills. He almost always made the right pass at Ohio State, whether he was driving and dishing to an open shooter or threading the needle between two defenders on a fast break. While he's very good at finding and making the right pass, he's even more impressive when he's making passes other point guards wouldn't even consider. He repeatedly got the ball to teammates in ways that didn't seem possible until after the fact, making impressive passes on fast breaks or wrapping passes around defenders inside. Even with these seemingly higher-risk passes, Conley was still making good decisions. He finished the season with a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio, one of the top marks in the country. He also possesses outstanding speed, which allowed him to get into the lane against just about everyone and either get a layup or a pass to an open teammate for a three. When he gets to the basket, he can finish with either hand (in fact, while he's left-handed, it almost seems to me that he prefers to finish with his right). While I wouldn't call him outstanding defensively, Conley is a solid on-ball defender and is very good playing passing lanes (he finished the season with 2.2 steals per game, good for 26th in D1 basketball).

Weaknesses:
The most glaring weakness in Conley's game is he isn't much of a shooter right now. He only hit 30% of his threes, and from the free throw line he was only 69.4%. I believe he can eventually get those numbers up to respectable levels, but I don't think he'll ever be better than a decent shooter. A second concern would be one of Conley's favorite shots, a floater that he'll take near the top of the lane. It doesn't look especially pretty, but it was effective all season. While it may continue to work in the NBA, I am a little concerned that the bigger, more athletic big men in the NBA might be able to swat that thing to the other end of the court. Conley's size is a minor concern. At 6'1, 175 lbs., he isn't small for a point guard, but he doesn't possess ideal size, either.

Why Hawks fans should want him:
He combines a high basketball IQ with the ability to make big plays. When people call someone "a smart player," they usually mean "he's boring, but at least he doesn't do dumb things." Conley manages to avoid doing dumb things while also doing exciting things. He was a steady, consistent performer all season who was equally capable of distributing the ball to his teammates and scoring on his own. Furthermore, he seemed just as happy to feed the ball to his teammates as he did to score himself. A shooter like Joe Johnson would benefit from Conley drawing defenders away while driving to the basket, while guys like Marvin Williams and Josh Smith would benefit from Conley's ability to get the ball to them whether they're posted up or cutting to the basket. Point guard seems to be the Hawks' position of greatest need, and Conley is the best point guard in the draft with the highest upside.

What might give Hawks fans pause:
Other than the above weaknesses, the biggest concern would probably be Conley's lack of experience. While he played some talented teams in high school and college, he only played one year of college ball and didn't face a high level of competition week in and week out. It remains to be seen how he'll respond to the competition he'll face in the NBA (though that is a concern for most players in the draft). Another concern is how Conley will fare without Oden down low. He did get some experience in early in the season when Oden was injured, but most of those games were against pretty poor competition. It's a lot easier to look good with one of the best center prospects in years in the low post, and we don't really know how Conley will play without him (though I wouldn't be too worried about it).

What current player he reminds you of:
T.J. Ford. Both are very quick point guards with excellent passing skills, and neither is much of a three-point shooter. I think, though, that Conley is ahead of where Ford was when he was in the draft, both in terms of defense and decision-making, and will end up being quite a bit better than Ford.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Florida big man Joakim Noah, who could slot in for the Hawks anywhere from #3 to #11.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and has already took a look at Al Horford for us last week. For now, here are his words on the Gators' other big man:

Joakim Noah:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: 2006 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Could have been the No. 1 overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft.

Strengths:  Energy, selflessness, great passer for a 7-footer, shot-blocking, ability to play up-tempo, magnetic presence.

Weaknesses: Shooting. Don't expect him to be a 1st, 2nd or even 3rd option on offense. But he'll get his points through hustle.

Why Hawks fans should want him: Fantastic complement to the team's gunners. Plus, if you're not going to win, you can at least show your fans you care about playing hard and with passion. From that perspective, he can be the face of the franchise.

What might give Hawks fans pause:  At what point does "high energy" tip into annoyance?

What current player he reminds you of: Andrei Kirilenko, Andy Varejao.

As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Georgetown forward Jeff Green, who could potentially be available for the Hawks with the #11 pick.

Our guest expert today is Dan Steinberg, who write the DC Sports Bog for the Washington Post, one of the best blogs out there on the Internet. Here are his words on the Hoya forward, with a large assist from Camille Powell, the Post's Georgetown beat writer:

Jeff Green:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: Late-blooming HS star in nearby Prince George's County; three-year starter; Big East co-rookie of the year with Rudy Gay; Big East player of the year; most outstanding player at Big East tournament and NCAA East regional.

Strengths: Versatile -- occasionally brought the ball up for the Hoyas and played point-forward. Excellent passer -- particularly loves the backdoor bounce pass. Really understands the game and makes good decisions -- John Thompson III says he's the smartest player he's ever coached. Unselfish. Not super-athletic, but is explosive -- recall his big one-handed put-back dunk against Boston College in the NCAA second round. Never seems hurried or flustered. At the college level, he was the guy you prayed would foul out if you rooted against Georgetown; having the ball in the hands at the end of the game was never a good sign.

Weaknesses: Inconsistent outside shot. Not always aggressive in looking for his own shot. Took a lot of heat for not being more aggressive in the Final Four, but don't make too much out of one tourney game. People were ready to coronate Noah greatest player in NCAA history after six tournament games last spring. They also say Green lacks footspeed. I'm guessing he'd be able to beat me in a race.

Why Hawks fans should want him: He's a winner -- he led Northwestern HS to its first Maryland state title in 17 years, and Georgetown to its first Final Four in 22 years. Hit three game-winning shots as a junior. Hoyas were 72-30 in his three seasons. Many observers thought he was the best player through the first four rounds of the NCAA tourney.

What might give Hawks fans pause: What position will he play in the NBA? Does he have the quickness and outside shooting to play the 3? Will fans in the Southeast confuse him with NASCAR's Jeff Green?

What current player he reminds you of: Responses vary in WaPo land. Boris Diaw seems to be the most popular pick. His stats in his senior year, averaged over a 48-minute game, compare more closely to David West than anyone else in the league, but he probably won't develop into that type of a scorer.

As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we continue our series with Washington big man Spencer Hawes, who is projected as a possibility for the Hawks with the #11 pick.

Our guest expert today is Zach Landres-Schnur, who authors UDubDish, a blog that covers the University of Washington sports scene, and is a contributor to the sports blog The Big Picture. Here are his words on the Huskies' big man:

Spencer Hawes:
Draft Express profile

How they got here: Hawes had a decent freshman year, leading UW in scoring and changing the dynamic of the game when he was on the court. He showed his best stuff on the big stage, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 boards in a loss at Pitt. Going up against fellow 7-footer Aaron Gray, he held the Panthers' big man to just five points.

Strengths: He's a seven-footer, soft touch, 7-footer, good turn-around jumper, 7-footer

Weaknesses: Lack of experience, not assertive enough, not a shot-blocker

Why Hawks fans should want him: Did I mention he's 7-feet?

What might give Hawks fans pause: He was supposed to be the guy to come to Seattle and help the Huskies make a deep NCAA Tourney run. Washington didn't even make the NIT. He's shown his potential at times, but right now, that's pretty much all he has: potential.

What current player he reminds you of: Does Shawn Bradley still play?

As we start getting closer and closer to the June 28th NBA Draft, I thought it would be a good idea to start taking a closer look at some of the players who might be plying their trade in Atlanta next season.

Though I am a huge college basketball fan, I didn't really see most of the guys projected to be available to us enough times to comment on them at length.

Fortunately, one of the beautiful things about this here Internet is there are many blogs out there that follow these guys all year long and can give insight into what kinds of players they are and what they are capable of becoming.

Today we will begin our series with Florida big man Al Horford.

Our guest expert today is Dan Shanoff, who you may know from his work at www.danshanoff.com and from his time writing for ESPN.com. Shanoff is a huge Gator supporter and will have previews of other UF players in the coming weeks. For now, here are his words on the Gators' big man:

Al Horford:
Draft Express profile

Stats: 6'10", 235 lbs. Averaged 13.2 ppg and 9.5 rpg as a Junior in 2006-07.

Strengths: Physically, the most NBA-ready player in the draft. Ferocious rebounder and finisher. Deft passer. Consistent jumper out to the elbow. Runs the court like a guard. And, picking his spots, he can lead the break with the dribble.

Weaknesses: Not much. Can always be a better outside shooter.

Why Hawks fans should want him: I think he could step in and immediately be one of the Top 3 power forwards in the East.

What might give Hawks fans pause: They just spent a Lottery pick on a power forward a year ago. Can he and Sheldon play together?

What current player he reminds you of: Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand