Dionte Christmas is 6’5", 205 pounds and a junior at Temple. Dionte had a rapid increase with his scoring last season: His freshman year he only averaged 3.5 ppg, and his sophomore year he averaged 20 ppg. He has become a legitimate number one option for his team, and he forms a nice 1-2 punch with forward Mark Tyndale. Dionte’s ability to shoot and score is excellent. He loves to catch and shoot the ball quickly. He has a talent for drawing fouls, and he is a very good free throw shooter. He is a good decision-maker when it comes to passing and shooting. He has pretty good quickness and he runs the floor well.
Dionte works hard on both sides of the floor. His defensive skills are solid and he is able to create steals with his good anticipation. Dionte is an underrated rebounder for his size; he averages 6 boards a game. One of the things I like about watching Dionte play is his creativity as a scorer; you never know how he is going to score his next point, but you know he is going to get it.
Dionte is a solid athlete, but not great. He also lacks body strength. He could still use some work when it comes to shooting off the dribble. At 6’5" he may have to become a guard when he gets to the NBA, at least according to some scouts. But I think he plays pretty well for his size and can hold his own at the 2-spot in the NBA. Currently Dionte is averaging 19.7 ppg, and I have a feeling that could increase as the season progresses. I also feel that Dionte will be a steal for any team that drafts him. Right now he is still projected to be a second-round pick. When I watch Dionte play, I feel at best he could be a Michael Redd-type player, and at worst a Monta Ellis-type player. You can’t go wrong either way.
