Analysts say point forwards are few and far between

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. -- Julius Randle and Rondae Jefferson are two of the dominant big men at the Nike Peach Jam AAU boys basketball tournament. Through three games, 6-9 Randle, who plays for the Team Texas Titans, leads all scorers with a 26.0 per game average while Jefferson, playing for Team Final from the Philadelphia area, is averaging more assists per game (5.3) than all but two guards.

Thanks to LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, more college basketball recruits such as Randle and Jefferson say they see themselves as point forwards. That's a mistake, say analysts.

"When I think of a point forward, I think of Scottie Pippen," said ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep. "Or I think of Kyle Anderson (now with UCLA) last year. Those guys (Randle and Jefferson) don't ring my bell as point forwards. The first thing that comes to mind with Rondae Jefferson is he's going to catch the ball from the point of attack and he's going through the teeth of the defense. To be a point forward, you have to be a facilitator half of the time and a finisher the other half. I think that takes a skill set that I don't see out here. Julius Randle is a four who can really pass. They both have the ability to take the ball on the block and pass out of double teams really well. Does that make them point forwards? I wouldn't call them that, but I would call them excellent facilitators for their positions."

Veteran recruiting analyst Tom Konchalski said it is a mistake for Randle and Jefferson to get too far away from their power games inside.

"Rondae Jefferson calling himself a point forward is being very generous," Konchalski said. "Julius Randle, at his best, is when he thinks he's Wayman Tisdale. At times, he thinks he's Kevin Durant. He shouldn't wander out and shoot threes because he's a specimen with a God-given body that he should use."

Telep said the influence of James cannot be underestimated on the high school level.

"LeBron is going to shape the thinking for this next generation of guys, a 6-8 man-child who can attack the way he does," Telep said. "That's going to trickle down into high school basketball. Who's not going to want to be like LeBron James? I think you're going to see this next generation of guys certainly view themselves that way. But Julius Randle needs to be Julius Randle and Rondae Jefferson needs to be Rondae Jefferson."