Doug McDermott to Join Smart at Camp

Mar 15, 2012; Greensboro, NC, USA; Creighton Bluejays forward Doug McDermott (3) shoots during practice before the second round of the 2012 NCAA men

Move over Marcus Smart. After originally being the only college player invited to the Team USA mini camp being held in Las Vegas, Smart is now in the company of another college student. The news was reported by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman yesterday.

Creigthon’s Doug McDermott has been invited to take part in the camp. This has been a busy summer for McDermott, he suited up for the Americans at the World University Games, gave up his scholarship so that his returning teammate could afford school  and will now be playing with and against some of the best forwards in the NBA.

While this will not ultimately judge how McDermott will be as a NBA prospect, getting the chance to size him up earlier than expected against the pros will be something scouts will salivate at. While McDermott plays as a forward in the NCAA, there has been some questions regarding whether or not he can compete at the next level because of his lack of explosiveness. McDermott is a great shooter and can score in a multitude of ways but does not have the athleticism of a Blake Griffin. A good performance at this camp could go a long way towards helping prove himself as a valid NBA prospect, especially in a draft that will be the deepest in a long time.

In college, McDermott should contend for the national player of the year award as he hopes to spend his senior season leading the Creighton Bluejays to another NCAA tournament appearance.