Travis Leslie, SG

Even though Lee joined fellow junior, power forward Trey Thompkins, in leaving Georgia to enter the 2011 NBA Draft, both had completed their quest before leaving the university- getting Georgia into the NCAA Tournament. Blessed with excellent quickness and leaping ability, talent evaluators feel that Leslie will offer an NBA team a viable option coming off the bench at both small forward and shooting guard.

Lee started 68-of-90 games he played in for the Bulldogs. He became the 40th player in school history to score over 1,000 points in a career, as his 1,099 points rank 30th in school annals. In just three seasons, he amassed 551 rebounds, the 17th-best career total by a Bulldog. He also handed out 191 assists while blocking 63 shots and coming up with 101 steals.

Before starring for Georgia, Leslie was named the Class AAAA Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2008 while a senior at Columbia High School. He averaged 21.3 points and 9.0 rebounds and four assists per game that season for Columbia, which won the 2008 Georgia state 4A title, its second in three years. He also was named the AJC's Slam Dunk champion for the 2007-08 season and was rated the 18th-best small forward prospect in the nation, according to online recruiting service Rivals.com.

Leslie started four games as a true freshman, seeing action in 26 games before being ruled academically ineligible. He finished the 2008-09 seasons with averages of 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He started all 31 contests at small forward during his sophomore season. Named the Southeastern Conference's Most Improved Player, he upped his scoring touch to an average of 14.8 points per game. He also averaged 6.8 rebounds per contest and handed out 78 assists while blocking 30 shots.

Leslie received All-Southeastern Conference second-team honors from the league's coaches as a junior in 2010-11. He was tabbed the best dunker in the collegiate ranks by ESPN, finishing with a 14.4-point scoring average, as he snatched 237 rebounds (7.1 rpg) to go with a career-high 97 assists and 40 steals.

On April 12th, 2011, Leslie announced that he was leaving Georgia to enter the NBA Draft. "I would like to thank UGA for giving me the opportunity, as well as Coach [Mark] Fox and the staff in helping me to improve my game," Leslie said in a statement. "Last but not least, I'd like to thank the Georgia fans for their support over the past three years."

Positives: Outstanding leaper who utilizes his power to attack the rim, generating high elevation that has scouts calling him the best leaper in this draft class … Very physical crashing the boards and even centers have problems getting him out of the paint, as he relishes contact and has made good use of it, as he is slowly improving his ability at the foul line (a 57.5 clip at the free throw line as a freshman has improved to 80.1% last year) …

All-out hustler, especially in the paint and for a player with a guard-type body, he's had good success as a rebounder (7.18 rpg in 2010-11) … Uses the boards well, combining it with his leaping ability to have good success on put-backs (second on the team with 56 offensive rebounds as a junior) … Very good finisher around the basket (made 51.74% of his shots away from the perimeter) … Simply explodes off the floor on the way to the rim and can hang in the air for a long time, creating some nice highlight reel-like dunks … Has a great work ethic pressuring shooting guards around the basket, getting lots of his steals when guarding vs. the dribble drive … Runs the court very quickly, and this allows him to go long distance on the fast break, where he will then simply deliver a resounding dunk or feather the ball into the basket … Shows very good bounce and arm extension to create scoring opportunities for himself from the offensive glass … Not really a playmaker, but does fire out crisp passes and has improved at feeding other scoring options (has 175 assists in his last 64 games) … With his leaping ability, strength and reach, he is able to defend vs. multiple positions working around the basket … Has also shown quick hands to disrupt the passing lane (40 steals in each of his last two campaigns) … Has cat-like moves that allow the other guards to feed him on back-door cuts … Shows good timing and ball anticipation to get up and over the rim as a shot blocker (altered 50 shots the last two years) … With his quickness and reflexes, he's made a nice living jumping the passing lanes … Gets lots of his production from cuts and offensive rebounds, as he has secure hands to excel on catch-&-finish plays … An all-out nuisance working in the paint vs. the bigger men, as he is too quick and agile for the tall forwards to get space in attempts to take their shot, as his hands move around like he's an octopus trying to steal the ball and his above average lateral quickness prevents the slower opponent from spacing vs. him.

Negatives: While an impressive-looking athlete with incredible leaping ability, Leslie is sort of a man without a position … With his strength and physicality, you would look to use him in the frontcourt, but he is too undersized to stay at his collegiate position- power forward, and lacks the defensive know-how to guard vs. perimeter shooters … More likely to be drafted as a two-guard, he does not have the polished shooting mechanics and displays just marginal range from the three-point area to provide an NBA team with a starter at the shooting guard slot … Also, any thought of putting him in the backcourt leads to serious questions about his poor ball handle … shooting, dribbling and passing are key elements to anyone hoping for quality minutes at either the two- or three-spot, and these are areas that are the weakest of his game … Shows poor mechanics and sloppy footwork shooting away from the basket (jumper needs a major overhaul), and what is a big concern is his lack of extended range at the perimeter (made 33.3% of his treys, but 43 of his 57 attempts did not come until last year) … Does not have the soft hands to be an effective scorer from catch-&-shoot situations and when he is forced out of the paint, defenders are comfortable not chasing after him, knowing that he is too inconsistent in making his shot from more than ten feet away from the rim … Does not show much creativity on isolation plays, failing to use his length and explosive first step to his advantage … Because of his marginal shooting skills, he is not used much in transition, relegating more to spot-up chances … Lacks natural instincts and when caught with the defense rotating, he hesitates what to do and this indecision leads to turnovers, as he will try to kick the ball out to a target not there … With his inability to convert off the dribble, that will limit the minutes he could have earned at the off-guard spot … You get the feeling that he will be complacent as a role player, rather than one who will develop into an integral part of the team's offensive scheme … Needs to find a patient coach to work on his mechanics, follow-through and release point with his spot-up jumper.

Compares To: RONNIE BREWER, Chicago -- While Leslie has yet to refine even an adequate offensive game away from the basket, he is a physical "freak of nature" for a two-guard, so much so, that his coach often used him to guard power forwards the last two years. There is not a better leaper in this draft class and he is one of the best rebounders among the guard crop, getting lots of his points from the offensive glass. He is still a work in progress with his jumper and it will be tough to use him in the front court due to his size, even with that explosive leaping ability, but as raw of a talent that he is, if he puts it all together, he will be a future all star.

--Dave-Te' Thomas

Leslie earned All-Southeastern Conference second-team honors from the league's coaches … Started all 33 games for the Bulldogs, finishing second on the team in scoring with a career-high 476 points (14.424 ppg) … Made 177-of-360 field goals (49.2%), 13-of-43 three-pointers (30.2%) and 109-of-136 free throws (80.1%) … Snatched 237 rebounds (7.182 rpg) and had 40 steals (1.212 bpg) … Credited with a career-high 97 assists (2.939 apg) and accounted for 20 blocked shots … Compiled six double-doubles this season, including both SEC Tournament games … Was recently tabbed as the best dunker in college basketball by a panel of voters on ESPN's College Gameday show.

Started four early season games and appeared in 26 contests before being ruled academically ineligible … Finished with 165 points (6.3 ppg), 102 rebounds (3.9 rpg), 16 assists, 13 blocked shots and 21 steals … Shot 44.7% from the field (71-of-159) and 57.5% from the charity stripe (23-of-40).

Leslie started 68-of-90 games at Georgia, seeing action at small forward and shooting guard … Ranks 30th in school history in scoring with 1,099 points (12.211 ppg), as he hit on 417-of-866 field goals (48.2%), 19-of-57 three-pointers (33.3%) and 246-of-331 free throws (74.3%) … Ranks 17th on the school career-record chart with 551 rebounds (6.122 rpg), as he also blocked 63 shots, had 101 steals (1.122 spg) and was credited with 191 assists (2.122 apg) … Switched to jersey #1 as a sophomore after wearing #22 his first season.

Attended Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) High School, earning Class AAAA Player of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2008 … Averaged 21.3 points and 9.0 rebounds and four assists per game that season for Columbia, which won the 2008 Georgia state 4A title, its second in three years … Named the AJC's Slam Dunk champion for the 2007-08 season and was rated the 18th-best small forward prospect in the nation, according to Rivals.com …

Averaged 15.3 points and 8.0 rebounds as a junior, adding 11.0 points as a sophomore on the 2006 state titlist team at Columbia.

General Studies major … Nicknamed "Trabo," "T-Bird," "T-Leslie" … Born Travis Demetrius Leslie on 3/29/90 in Atlanta, Georgia … Resides in Decatur, Georgia.