Mac Koshwal, C

Koshwal was one of the few bright spots for DePaul, a storied program which has featured the likes of college basketball greats George Mikan, Mark Aguirre, Terry Cummings, Rod Strickland and Quentin Richardson. Since the Blue Demons began competing in the sport in 1923, Koshwal was the first player to serve as team captain as a freshman and the first athlete to serve in that capacity three times during his career.

Nayal "Mac" Koshwal is a native of the Sudan, having moved to Canada with his family as a child and then to Chicago at age 16. He became the 46th player in school history to join the 1,000-point club (ranks 44th at 1,019 points) as a junior and was the 14th Blue Demon to register over 300 rebounds in a season (308 in 2008-09 tied for 12th on the DePaul annual record chart).

Koshwal would finish his career 11th in school annals with 750 boards and placed 10th on the university's career record list with an average of 9.26 rebounds per game. He also ranks 12th in field goal percentage (.521) and 23rd with 114 steals. The forward/center scored in double figures 58 times while starting 79-of-81 games for the Blue Demons. He recorded at least ten rebounds in 37 contests and posted 27 double-double performances.

A prep teammate at Boys to Men Academy with DePaul teammate Jeremiah Kelly, Koshwal was rated the 27th-best player in the nation and the sixth-best power forward by Rivals.com. Rivals also tabbed him as the second-best player in the state of Illinois, as he received high honorable mention All-American recognition from Street & Smith's.

Koshwal was regarded as the 26th-best player in the country by Lindy's and The Sporting News. He was ranked 32nd in the nation by CBS Sportsline.com and tabbed as the 37th-best senior by Athlon. He averaged a double-double in each of his three high school seasons (15 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore, 18 points and 15 rebounds as a junior and 18 points and 10 boards as a senior).

Koshwal signed with DePaul on Nov. 13, 2006. He was named to the Big East Conference All-Rookie Team as a freshman, finishing third on the Blue Demons squad in scoring (10.7 points per game). His average of 8.4 rebounds and field goal percentage of .496 paced the team, as he also finished second with 1.2 steals while starting 30-of-32 contests.

The team captain registered eleven double-double performances as a sophomore. He again ranked third on the team with a 12.2-point scoring average, pacing DePaul with 9.6 rebounds per game and with a .527 field goal percentage. He was third on the team in steals (42) and averaged 1.8 assists, the second-best average on the squad.

Koshwal applied for the 2009 NBA Draft and worked out for several NBA teams (Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves) before wisely deciding to withdraw from the draft and return to school for the 2009-10 campaign. Despite missing eight games with a left foot injury and four more with right foot issues, the three-time team captain finished second on the team in scoring (16.1 points per game) while leading the Blue Demons in rebounds (10.1 rebounds per game), steals (1.8 steals per game) and field goal percentage (.544). In 19 games, he reached double figures in scoring 16 times.

After the 2009-10 campaign, Koshwal forfeited his final year of college eligibility by again applying to the NBA Draft.

Positives: Has a long (7-foot-2 wingspan, 9-foot-1 standing reach) frame with good court quickness and above-average leaping ability … Has the reach and agility to attack the boards, getting most of his scoring output on put-backs and dunks … Capable passer who keeps the ball low and away from double-teams … Marked improvement with his post game was a credit to his nimble feet and overall mobility … Has the quickness to run the floor in an up-tempo attack … Showed a developing mid-range jumper as a junior … Has good body flexibility and can get the defender to commit with pump fakes … Gets a better charge to the basket off the dribble when attacking from the right side … Best in a fast-paced attack due to his quickness … Can disrupt his man off the dribble and has functional spin moves away from traffic … Uses his left shoulder efficiently when executing the turnaround while playing in the low post … Once he learns to time explosive leaps better, he could develop into a stronger rebounder … Is too quick and slippery through the lane for the bigger defenders, demonstrating explosive drives to the rim … By playing power forward in the team's three-guard attack, he racked up points last season on put-backs and became much more aggressive attacking the … Still lacks ideal basketball IQ, but shows good urgency and hustle … Decent finisher in transition, but has to learn how to use his long arms when facing up to an opponent in attempts to alter his man's shot.

Negatives: Turnover-prone, as he tried to do too much on a poor team … Does not have ideal basketball IQ and gets by as an athlete too often … Swings his arms wildly trying to alter shots and is easily fooled by pump fakes and hesitation moves that get him to leave his feet early … Marginal shot blocker due to his inability to time the rise of an opponent before the shot is made … Has the ability to draw contact on the way to the basket, but it is almost negated by his poor mechanics and erratic release when taking opportunities from the foul line … Good rebounder at this level, but will struggle in the NBA vs. the more physical opponent until he improves his core strength … For a big man, he spends too much time facing the basket and has to be more alert to establishing his base inside in order for the guards to feed him the ball around the basket … Can be pushed out of the paint by small wing players and has to become more aggressive working in the paint … Has had a recent history of foot problems that might need further medical evaluation … Most of his turnovers occur when he tries to make plays off the dribble … Good crashing the offensive boards, but must show the same intensity on the defensive end … Tries to get fancy with behind-the-back-dribbles and spin moves, only to lose handle on the ball … Does not generate explosion going up with his jumper and must do a better job of creating separation, as he takes too many contested and off-balanced shots.

--Report by Dave-Te' Thomas

Compares To: AL THORNTON, Washington -- Koshwal is a steady rebounder with a developing mid-range game. There are many holes in his game and another year in college would've benefitted Koshwal. He's older than most juniors (23), thus leading to his decision to leave school. Even so, he could spend his first professional season in the D-League.

The team captain missed eight games from 11/23-to-12/19 with a left foot injury and then sat out four more contests from 1/14-to-1/23 with a right foot issue … Started all nineteen games he played in, scoring in double figures 16 times, as he had at least ten rebounds in eleven contests and produced eleven double-double performances … Finished second on the team with a career-best 16.1-point scoring average, as he made 54.4 percent of his field goals (123-of-226), the 13th-best percentage in a season by a Blue Demon … Hit on 60-of-109 free throws (55.0 percent) … Led the team with 191 rebounds (10.1 rebounds per game), as he handed out 38 assists and led the squad with an average of 1.8 steals per game (35) … Also blocked 17 shots.

Was the first freshman in DePaul history to serve as captain … Member of the Big East Conference All-Rookie Team and also was on the league's All-Freshman team selected by Rivals.com … Finished fifth in the league in rebounding (251 total, 8.4 rebounds per game) and 13th in field goal percentage (.496), as he was also named to the national All-American Freshman team by The Sporting News … His rebound total was the third-best ever by a DePaul freshman while his rebounding average was fourth and field goal percentage was fifth … Scored in double figures 18 times and had double figure rebounding efforts 10 times … Recorded 11 rebounds in collegiate debut at Creighton, the first DePaul freshman to have double figure rebounds in his initial game since Andre Brown in 2000 … Became the first freshman to start a season opener under Jerry Wainwright at DePaul and the first Blue Demon fresh-man since Sammy Mejia in 2003 to accomplish that feat.

In 81 career games over three seasons, Koshwal averaged 12.6 points and 9.3 rebounds while starting 76 times … Totaled 27 double-doubles and 58 career games in double-figures … Gathered at least 10 rebounds in 37 career games … Ranked among DePaul's all-time leaders in rebounding average (10thc 9.3 rebounds per game), total rebounds (11th -- 750), field goal percentage (12th -- .521), steals (2nd -- 114 steals) and career scoring (44th -- 1,019 pts.) … In the final game of the 2009-10 regular-season vs. St. John's, he became the 46th player in program history with 1,000 career points, finishing 44th (1,019) … His 308 rebounds as a sophomore tied Jesse Nash (1963-64) for 12th on the school season-record list … His field goal percentage of .544 in 2009-10 rank 13th on the DePaul annual record chart … First freshman to serve as team captain and the first player in school history to serve in that capacity during three campaigns.

Attended Boys To Men Academy (Chicago, Ill.) … Rated the 27th-best player in the nation and the sixth-best power forward by Rivals.com … Rivals also tabbed him as the second-best player in the state of Illinois, as he received high honorable mention All-American recognition from Street & Smith's … Regarded as the 26th-best player in the country by Lindy's and The Sporting News … Ranked 32nd in the nation by CBS Sportsline.com and tabbed as the 37th-best senior by Athlon … Averaged a double-double in each of his three high school seasons (15 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore, 18 points and 15 rebounds as a junior and 18 points and 10 boards as a senior).

Enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences … Son of Martion Koshwal and Franda Akja … Born Nayal Koshwal on 10/19/87 in Sudan … Resides in Chicago, Illinois.