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The Sports Xchange

OVERVIEW

The Jayhawks' highly regarded power forward has been favorably compared Detroit's Antonio McDyess, as both display the natural hands, quick turnaround jumper and the ability to score in the paint. A solid all-around defender with superb lateral agility, Arthur hopes to join his cousin, small forward Quinton Ross of the Los Angeles Clippers, in starring in the NBA next year, after declaring for the 2008 draft recently.

Arthur has an NBA scorer's mentality, excelling in running the floor and operating in the transition game. He has become a very proficient shot blocker, altering 109 of the opposition's attempts in just 78 games, a total that ranks 13th on the school's all-time record list.

A standout performer at South Oak Cliff High School, Arthur guided the team to back-to-back Texas Class 4A state titles in 2005 and 2006 and was the tournament's MVP both years. The McDonald's and Parade All-American was also named the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year in 2006. He added co-Mr. Basketball honors from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) with Nic Wise of Kingwood during his senior season./p>

Arthur was chosen Class 4A Player of the Year by the TABC in 2005 and 2006. He was ranked the 16th-best player overall and third-best power forward in the country by Rivals.com. As a senior, he averaged 17.7 points and 10 rebounds per game, as the team finished 30-7 in 2006. In the 2006 state playoffs and tournament, he averaged 28 points and 13.7 rebounds, coming up with 33 points and 13 rebounds in the semifinals and 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in the championship game.

At the EA Sports Roundball Classic, Arthur scored nine points for the East All-Stars in April 2006. As a sophomore, he participated in the 2005 USA Youth Development Festival in California. After his first season at Kansas, he made the Team USA U-19 squad, but did not participate in the world championships due to a stress fracture.

As a true freshman at Kansas in 2006-07, Arthur started 7-of-38 games. He earned All-Big 12 Conference honorable mention and first-team Big 12 All-Rookie team honors. He also excelled off the court, as he was named to the Kansas Athletic Director's and Big 12 Commissioner's honor rolls for the Spring 2007 semester.

With Brandon Rush clearly running the show, Arthur stepped into an uncustomary supporting role during his first season with the Jayhawks. Still, he led KU in blocked shots with 56, which ranks second on the school freshman list and 11th on the Kansas season-record chart. His average of 1.47 blocked shot per game ranked fourth in the league.

Arthur also ranked on the KU freshman list in points scored (tied for seventh with 374), rebounds (ninth with 177), field goals (fourth with 155) and games played (tied for third with 38). He led the team in scoring five times and in rebounding on six occasions as he posted 18 double-digit scoring games and pulled down seven or more rebounds in eight contests.

During Kansas' 2007-08 national championship run, Arthur started 39 of the 40 games he played in. He picked up All-Big 12 Conference first-team honors, in addition to being named to the NABC All-District XII first-team squad. The Associated Press and The NBA Draft Report accorded him All-American honorable mention and he was on the Naismith Watch List (nation's top player) at mid-season.

As a sophomore, Arthur again led the team with 53 blocked shots and ranked second on the squad in scoring, averaging 12.8 points per game. He scored in double digits 28 times and had four double-double performances, including 20 points and 10 rebounds in the victory over Memphis in the Final Four.

In NCAA Tournament action, Arthur poured in 96 points (9.6 ppg) while shooting .592 from the field, as he grabbed 55 rebounds and blocked 14 shots in 10 games during his two seasons at Kansas. In six Big 12 Conference Tournament games, he averaged 8.2 points and 4.7 rebounds.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Has good size, strength and athleticism for the power forward position, displaying very good lateral agility and superb leaping skills, evident by his ability to alter shots or power his way to the rim for rebounds or put-backs ... His vertical skills and nice spin to generate more elevation has seen him lead the team in blocked shots in each of his two seasons with the Jayhawks ... Has a long frame with good muscle definition, thick chest, broad shoulders, tapered thighs and calves and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk ... Powerful enough to defend vs. four- and five-spot front court players, but also quick enough to defend vs. wings on the perimeter ... Very comfortable playing with his back to the basket, displaying a nice package of post-up moves ... Attacks the rim with good aggression, but needs to play in better control, as he is prone to getting charged with fouls in the paint when he starts tossing around flagrant elbows ... Displays smooth footwork when playing with his back to the basket ... Uses his length with good authority when contesting shots near the basket ... Plays like an experienced veteran on both ends of the court, as he is very alert to the action around him ... Has a quick spring in his step to get down court to neutralize the opponent's fast break ... Can also explode down the court and race by the defender for the quick transition shot ... Possesses fluid footwork that allows him to have good success delivering pivot moves in the post ... Quick off his feet and can mirror even the smaller point guards on the open court ... Might rely too much on his fade-away jumper at times, but he is good at converting it from short-to-mid range ... Seems to pick up his game better the closer he gets to the basket, as he is a good finisher in tight quarters, showing the strength and touch to score inside while drawing contact ... Emerging defensive presence who can hedge screens and shows good ability to take his man off the dribble, getting his hand up high to deflect the pass ... Works well with the other front court teammates to set the trap, doing a good job of forcing the turnover with that double team ... Knows how to stay between the shooter and the basket working the low post ... Has the power to box out his man, keeping himself firmly entrenched to prevent the opponent from attaining inside position going for the rebound ... Can execute the drop step when getting to the open areas, where he shows good confidence in his mini jump-hook ... Has the lateral quickness to stay in front of his man when defending, as he refuses to allow much space or separation (must be conscious of not bumping the shooter, as he is prone to getting caught when the opponent tries to draw him into contact) ... Uses his length well to disrupt the opponent's attempts at the pick-and-roll ... Knows he has the length to alter the opponents shots, as it is nearly impossible for smaller shooters to get their attempts over him without Arthur having success in altering that shot ... Demonstrates very good timing, and improved lower body strength when boxing out ... Has an NBA-caliber mid-range shot and is very fluid running the floor ... Demonstrates very good timing when going vertical and is very effective at drawing contact on the way to the rim ... Improving shooter from the free throw line, with adequate elbow bend and a quick release point ... Good passer out of the post and uses his body well to set screens ... Has the quickness to capitalize on a lethargic defense, slipping right into the open area around the free throw line to pull up and fire a soft jumper ... Thrives in the transition game, where he gets to utilize his explosion running the floor ... Has a developing right hand hook shot, but must work on improving his left-handed shot selection (favors his right hand so much, it has become predictable) ... Mature beyond his years, showing polished post moves ... Lacks three-point range, but has good touch on his mid-range jumper ... Has improved his footwork and can fire the jumper coming off one dribble moves from 12-15 feet out ... With his spin moves and explosive turnaround jumper, the defender is quickly taken off balance, making it tough for his man to get into position to possibly block that shot ... Can finish with either hand and is very good at sealing his opponent ... Has very good touch when firing his turnaround jumper ... While his passing is a bit erratic, he can make the post-entry toss when needed ... More comfortable taking his shot in the paint, evident by his poor three-point range, as he knows his spin moves will get him free to execute his patented jump hook with good regularity ... Has a good feel for the pick-and-roll, as he can get out of the paint to block shots, especially coming from the weak side.

Negatives: Had an erratic sophomore campaign, as he showed dominance on both ends of the court one game and then simply became foul-prone the next ... His biggest problem occurs when he leaves his feet too often, as he will bite on hesitation moves and pump fakes, causing him to commit and generate contact too early (needs to play on his feet more) ... Has become very predictable using his right hand to shoot, lacking any range from beyond five feet out when shooting from his left side ... Has improved his lower body strength, but will need to bulk up more to play power forward at the next level (can play a few minutes at the three-spot, but he does struggle defending vs. smaller slashing shooters) ... Must play with better consistency, as he tends to lose focus at times ... His inconsistency is a concern, as he does not seem to be bothered when he continues to hoist one bad shot after another (needs to improve his mental approach to the game, as he thinks his athleticism can get him by) ... When not involved in the offensive side of the game, he will back off and disappear on the court ... Must do a better job of scanning the floor, as he tends to get tunnel vision with the ball in his hands, attacking the basket with a vengeance rather than look for the open man who might have a much better shot ... The opposition knows about this, resulting in a lot of double teams on Arthur, as this will lead to him turning over the ball ... Might put the ball on the floor for a dribble or two, but is not comfortable going basket to basket with the ball (too right-hand dominant on the dribble to execute crisp spin moves when trying to avoid coming down the floor) ... Good defender, but is prone to making foolish fouls, as he struggles to maintain his concentration ... Gets a bit too aggressive at times trying to box out and this leads to serious foul trouble ... With his length and vertical skills, he should be pulling down more rebounds than he has ... One of the worst passers among four-spot players eligible for the draft (most of his assists came during garbage time or on easy post-entries) ... Any time he tries to drift out to the perimeter, defenses back off, knowing he lacks consistency or a high point release from that area ... Not really instinctive defending vs. solid post moves by the shooter ... Outside of his right-handed hook shot, he does not seem to have much confidence in using any other post moves, especially from his weak side ... Has decent face-the-basket skills, but needs to do a better job of controlling the ball when he does so (will sometimes push the ball too forward, causing it to slide off his fingers) ... Despite having efficient strength, he gets into this rut where he avoid contact and fade away from the paint, an ill-advised move, as he lacks the range to be an effective shooter from the outside (11.8 percent three-point shooter) ... Sometimes gets into this rhythm where once he gets the ball in his hands, he simply just shoots it, not concerned about the defense set-up or looking to spot an open teammate (see 2007-08 Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Cal, Yale, Missouri and North Carolina games).

Compares To: ANTONIO McDYESS-Detroit ... Many scouts liken Arthur to McDyess, as both are known for their athleticism, naturally soft hands around the rim and a true scorer's mentality. But both are also highly inconsistent in their performances, as Arthur seems to lose his focus, especially when not involved in the offensive side of the game. He is better scoring in the paint, but despite good college strength, he will have to add more bulk to battle four-spot defenders in the NBA. He has the quickness needed to excel in the transition game, as he runs the floor like a deer, at times. He has developing face-the-basket skills and can simply kill a lethargic defense with his turnaround jumper. In the paint, he powers his way to the basket or elevates for a mini sky hook with good efficiency. His passing skills are very raw and he lacks the ability and confidence to finish around the basket with his left hand. He has excellent lateral agility to mirror shooters, but as a ball handler and shot selector, these are two areas that might continue to haunt him throughout his pro career.

CAREER NOTES

In 78 games at Kansas, Arthur started 46 times, collecting 884 points (11.3 ppg) on .541 shooting from the field (369-of-682) and .676 from the free throw line (80-of-114), as he hit on 2-of-17 three-point attempts ... Grabbed 427 rebounds (5.5 rpg), with 170 coming from the offensive glass ... Blocked 109 shots and registered 53 steals while collecting 50 assists ... Had at least five rebounds in 48 games and scored 20 or more points seven times ... scored in double figures in 45 contests, leading the team in scoring 15 times, in rebounding 20 times and in blocked shots in 28 games ... Produced seven double-double performances ... His 109 blocked shots rank 13th in school history.

2007-08 SEASON

Earned All-American honorable mention from The NBA Draft Report and Associated Press ... All-Big 12 Conference and NABC All-District XII first-team pick ... Started 39 of the 40 games he played in at power forward ... Ranked second on the team in scoring with 510 points, an average of 12.8 points per game ... Connected on 214-of-394 field goals (54.3 percent ), including 2-of-12 from three-point range, as he also made 80-of-114 free throws (70.2 percent ) ... Collected 250 rebounds (6.3 rpg), including 92 on offense, as he led the team with 53 blocked shots ... Handed out 33 assists and came up with 20 steals ... Fouled out of four contests, as he was charged with 118 personal fouls and 75 turnovers ... Had at least five rebounds in 31 contests and scored at least 20 points in five games ... Produced double-digit performances in 27 contests, as he led KU in scoring 10 times, in blocked shots 15 times and in rebounds 14 times ... Had five double-double efforts.

2007-08 GAME ANALYSIS

Shot just 5-of-12 from the field, finishing with 13 points vs. Missouri-Kansas City, but had 10 boards with three assists, a trio of steals and two blocked shots ... Bounced back with 8-of-10 shooting that totaled 17 points, as he hauled down six boards and blocked three shots vs. Northern Arizona ... Followed with 8-of-13 field goals, 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks in the Arizona clash ... Totaled 10 points to go with eight boards vs. Southern California before fouling out of the game ... Added 15 points, two steals and six rebounds vs. Eastern Washington ... Had 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, as he came up with seven rebounds and two blocks vs. Boston College ... Scored 14 points, blocked two shots and grabbed eight boards vs. Oklahoma ... Tallied 16 points vs. Iowa State, followed by an 18-point performance, as he also took down seven boards vs. Kansas State ... Collected 23 points vs. Baylor, as he came up with a pair of steals, three blocks and 10 rebounds ... Followed with 22 points on 10-of-16 field goals while also taking down six boards vs. Texas ... In the second meeting vs. Iowa State, Arthur scored 18 points, had 10 rebounds and a blocked shot before fouling out ... Was again in foul trouble vs. Kansas State, as he scored 10 points with five rebounds before leaving the game in the third quarter ... Hit on 8-of-10 field goals for 16 points and nine rebounds vs. Texas Tech ... Added 16 points and nine rebounds vs. Texas in the Big 12 Tournament ... Opened NCAA Tournament action with 8-of-10 shooting for 17 points and seven boards vs. Portland State ... In the NCAA Championship Game, Arthur accounted for 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting, as he came up with 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double performance for the season, adding four blocked shots and a pair of assists.

2006-07 SEASON

Member of the Kansas Athletic Director's and Big 12 Conference Commissioner's honor rolls in the Spring of 2007 ... All-Big 12 honorable mention and first-team Big 12 All-Freshman squad choice ... Started 7-of-38 games, finishing fourth on the team in scoring with 374 points (9.8 avg) ... Connected on 53.8 percent of his field goals (155-of-288), missing all five three-point attempts ... Shot .660 from the foul line, making 66-of-99 free throws ... Pulled down 177 rebounds, with 78 coming from the offensive glass ... Credited with 17 assists and 33 steals ... Led the Jayhawks with 56 blocked shots ... Charged with 103 personal fouls and 52 turnovers, twice fouling out of a game ... Had at least five rebounds in 17 games and twice scored 20 points or more ... Scored in double digits 18 times, as he led KU in scoring five times, in rebounds six times and in blocked shots 13 times ... Added a pair of double-double performances.

2006-07 GAME ANALYSIS

Registered two 20-point efforts with 22 vs. Oral Roberts and a season-high 26 in the Towson clash ... Had an efficient game in KU's 82-80 overtime win vs. Florida by scoring 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting and pulling down nine rebounds in 16 minutes ... Recorded back-to-back double-doubles with 13 points and a season-high 12 rebounds at Kansas State and 15 points and 11 rebounds vs. Iowa State.

OTHER BASKETBALL

At the EA Sports Roundball Classic, Arthur scored nine points for the East All-Stars in April 2006 ... As a sophomore in high school, he participated in the 2005 USA Youth Development Festival in California.

INJURY REPORT

2007: Made the Team USA U-19 squad, but did not participate in the world championships due to a stress fracture in his left leg during the off-season.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended South Oak Cliff (Dallas) High School, playing basketball for head coach James Mays II ... Guided the team to back-to-back Texas Class 4A state titles in 2005 and 2006 and was the tournament's MVP both years ... The McDonald's and Parade All-American was also named the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year in 2006 ... Added co-Mr. Basketball honors from the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) with Nic Wise of Kingwood during his senior season ... Chosen Class 4A Player of the Year by the TABC in 2005 and 2006 ... Ranked the 16th-best player overall and third-best power forward in the country by Rivals.com ... As a senior, he averaged 17.7 points and 10 rebounds per game, as the team finished 30-7 in 2006 ... In the 2006 state playoffs and tournament, he averaged 28 points and 13.7 rebounds, coming up with 33 points and 13 rebounds in the semifinals and 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in the championship game.

PERSONAL

General Studies major ... Nickname is Shady ... First cousin, Quinton Ross, is a small forward in the NBA for the Los Angles Clippers ... Is the first Jayhawk to wear jersey #00 since Greg Ostertag (1992-95) ... Son of Sandra Arthur ... Born Darrell Antwonne Arthur on 3/25/88 in Dallas, Texas.