Leslie McDonald

Leslie McDonald, two point shooter.

McDonald has always been a scorer, and yet he's always been an inefficient one. A mediocre shooter with occasional hot streaks, McDonald doesn't have poor shot selection necessarily - he's just not the best shot maker. McDonald turns it over very rarely and knows his role, yet this is in part because he does not play on the ball much. Not creative, dynamic, nor good at creating looks for himself or others, McDonald's role is mainly a defensive one. Not overly quick or athletic, McDonald nevertheless stays after his man, stays in front, and competes on defense. He does not have great hands but he also does not gamble much, using his strength and guile rather than any great physical tools.

However, offensively, while his unselfishness and understanding of his limitations is a virtue, his limitations themselves are a problem. McDonald is a shooter and was the only shooter really on this year's incarnation of the Tar Heels, but he just isn't that good of one, both inside or outside the arc (and especially from the foul line, where he rarely gets anyway). A poor finisher at the rim on the rare occasions that he gets there, McDonald cannot create his own, cannot create for others, plays off the ball but without being a particularly good shooter off the catch or the curl, and generally had to assume a bigger offensive role as an upperclassman that he was fit for. Considering this offensive role was not that big, this is something of a concern.

With a better jump shot and a higher volume, McDonald's prognosis is different. But the time for that is now.