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Friday, March 30
Arizona's pivotal player: Richard Jefferson
By Jay Bilas
Special to ESPN.com
Juan Dixon | Jason Williams | Jason Richardson
Richard Jefferson is an athletic small forward who has size and strength, and loves to attack the basket from the wing. Along
with Michigan State's Jason Richardson, Jefferson is the one of the most athletically gifted small
forwards in the nation, and he makes plays that will cause you to shake your
head in amazement.
|  | | When he's on, Richard Jefferson is often the best player on the court. |
Jefferson is a capable perimeter shooter, but he is
streaky, and is prone to allowing his first few shots to affect his psyche in
any particular game. If he cans his first few shots, Jefferson is likely to
have a great game. But if he misses, it causes him problems on both ends.
When evaluating Jefferson's pro potential, some have questioned his toughness, and the fact that his confidence seems to wane based upon his
shooting. Jefferson is tough on himself, but over the last half of the
season, he has been tough on opponents.
Since Lute Olson returned, Jefferson has been a new
player, and has made a renewed commitment to defense. He is capable
of shutting off an opponent's top scorer, and has done so against the likes
of UCLA's Jason Kapono and Illinois' Frank Williams.
Jefferson is also a
solid rebounder at both ends, when the spirit moves him. He is a player
who rebounds as much as he wants to, and in the latter half of the season,
he has really wanted it. Jefferson is capable of being the best player on
the court, and when he is focused on defense and rebounding first, he often
is.
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