The Sports Xchange

OVERVIEW

Shan Foster began playing basketball at age five, shooting a basketball through a hole in a bush at his grandmother's house. Even then, he showed great shooting range.

Foster ranked as one of college basketball's elite 3-point shooters. He would go on to set school records with 2,011 points scored and 699 field goals. His 367 3-point field goals made also set a school all-time record, ranking second in Southeastern Conference history.

Well-respected on campus, both on and off the court, Foster's work ethic and family upbringing are evident in the way he tries to deflect from his tireless community involvement. You could often find Foster on Sundays playing the keyboard or singing in the church choir. He made numerous appearances speaking at Nashville area high schools and mentors a handful of middle school and high school children in the Music City.

Foster rarely turns down requests to speak to community organizations and churches and he has volunteered his time with developmentally disabled youngsters at the Susan Gray School, part of the John F. Kennedy Center at Vanderbilt.

The public school system in New Orleans prepared him well for the rigors of college, he said, but he had to get used to "a different intensity" at Vanderbilt. At Bonnabel High School, he was named first-team All-State, All-Metro Most Valuable Player, All-City and All-District as a senior while averaging 23.4 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. He helped lead the Bruins to a 21-9 overall mark, a District VII title and second-round appearance in the Class 5-A state playoffs his final campaign.

Foster was tabbed the ninth-best forward in the nation by Insiders.com and among the top 150 prospects by Rivals.com. He received first-team All-District, All-Metro and All-City accolades as a junior. He started all four years in basketball and served as captain his sophomore through senior years. He was also named to school's academic honor roll.

Vanderbilt wasn't a school on his radar screen as a high school student, but his father convinced Foster to give the program a look. "People here cared about me as a person instead of just a basketball player. I could feel that," he said of his initial visit. When he enrolled in classes, he learned that his professors "expected the same out of me in the classroom as on the court."

Starting 24-of-34 games in his first year at Vanderbilt, Foster earned Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team honors from the league's coaches. He set the school season-record for freshmen for most three-pointers (69) and points (312).

Foster led the SEC first-year players in 3-point shooting percent (.455) during league play and finished second in the league, shooting 44.5 percent from 3-point range for all games. He was fifth in the SEC, hitting 2.5 3-pointers per game and ranked third on the team in scoring (9.2 per game), as he posted 10 or more points 15 times.

As a sophomore, Foster started all 30 games, earning first-team All-SEC accolades from the league's coaches. He was chosen to the USBWA All- District IV squad and NABC All-District VI team. He ranked sixth in the SEC in scoring, averaging 15.9 points.

He also ranked among the league leaders in 3-pointers per game (second with 3.00), 3-point shooting percentage (fourth at .415) and field-goal percentage (ninth at .451). He set the school record for most career 3-pointers made by a Commodore by the end of his sophomore year (159), as he hit 90 3-pointers during the 2005-06 season, fourth in school history.

In 2006-07, Foster was a second-team All-SEC pick and named NABC All-District VII second-team. He started all 34 games for the Commodores, finishing eighth in the SEC in scoring with 15.6 points per game. He ranked ninth in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.18), 11th in field-goal shooting percentage (.449) and 14th in 3-point field goal shooting percentage (.346).

That year, Foster scored in double figures in 27 games while posting 20 or more points in 10 contests. He reached double digits in scoring in eight of Vanderbilt's 10 games vs. ranked opponents, averaging 16.7 points and 4.4 rebounds, as he made at least one three-pointer in 28 of 34 games played.

As a senior, Foster was chosen SEC Player of the Year by league's coaches and media, adding unanimous All-SEC and NABC All-District VII honors. Scout.com named him as a first-team All-American and Rivals.com ranked him the best shooting guard in the nation in their final power rankings. He was also named second-team All-American by The Sporting News.

He was the 22nd player in conference history to score over 2,000 points (2,011) in a career. He led the league in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game, as he also paced the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.469) and 3-pointers made per game (3.94). His 691 points and 242 field goals made rank second on the school list, while his 134 3-pointers made set Vanderbilt and SEC annual records.

ANALYSIS

Positives: Classic two-guard type with the scoring touch and athleticism to take a shot from anywhere on the court ... Has the size and strength to create mismatches vs. most backcourt types, along with the wingspan (83 inches) and standing reach (8' 8 1/2") to take on forwards battling for boards ... With his court speed, he is capable of getting in front on the fast break, taking the bounce pass and flying high to the rim for an emphatic dunk ... Shows good lateral agility and does a nice job of using his court speed to beat his man coming off screens (his catch-and-shoot ability is one of the best of any player in this draft and he is also adept at putting the ball on the floor for a few dribbles before executing a quick jumper) ... Needs to do a better job of drawing contact, but has good shooting mechanics getting to the foul line ... Shows good stamina, playing long stretches without needing a breather ... Hard worker in the weight room, evident by the way he was able to power through traffic better as a senior (shot a career-high 52.3% from the field, more than seven percent better than the previous season) ... Lacks explosion to simply fly by the defender, but is a long strider with good change-of-direction agility and the ability to angle his way through the crowd on the way to the rim ... Right-hand dominant, especially from long range, but can take shots from 10-12 feet out with his left hand ... Has the foot speed to take his man off the dribble and a quick spin move that he utilizes to get a good portion of his points off catch-and-shoot situations ... Sets his feet and shows a high release point to take his shot from 3-point range, consistently getting the ball up and over the outstretched arms of the taller defenders ... Shows good hesitation moves and pump fakes setting up the defender, as he has the power to then drive past his man on the way to the basket or simply pull up and fire off a jumper after creating space to take his shot ... A bit unorthodox with his shot, generally releasing the ball from behind his head, but the height on his tosses make it tough for the opponent to alter ... Comfortable shooting from the perimeter or from the top of the key, but his improved scoring ability as a senior was the result of improving mini sky hook and a smooth turnaround jumper that he has gained confidence in using when playing in the post ... Does a nice job of fading away from contact with his mid-range jumper ... Active with his hands causing disruption in the passing lanes, producing 76 of his 109 career steals the last two years ... Does a decent job of hedging on screens ... With his long arms and leaping ability, he could earn several minutes at the three-spot, as he has no problems out-battling wing players going for the rebound ... Not really a point guard, but can push and handle the ball, showing good cross-over and a solid handle, keeping the ball tight to his frame and low to the floor, making defenders cautious of generating a foul when they try to disrupt him in the passing lane.

Negatives: Not creative off the dribble ... Needs to do a better job driving to the rim and drawing contact, as he is more of a mid-range or perimeter shooter, which negates his excellent free-throw shooting -- does not get to the foul line as often as he should (never had more than 96 free-throw attempts in any of his four years at Vanderbilt, yet is a 79.1% shooter) ... Has good strength to handle smaller guards, but will have to bulk up more in order to combat NBA wing players ... Can be taken out of his element and start forcing too many shots when pressured by a more physical opponent (see 2007-08 Valparaiso, Utah State, South Carolina, LSU and Florida games) ... Has had good success with his overhead shooting style, but he will get into a rhythm where he simply shot puts the ball (right arm slot tends to drift) ... Steps back from contact a lot, and while he needs just a little room to take his quick shot, he does not have that explosive initial step to fly past defenders and attack the rim (prefers to park on the outside than draw contact on the inside game) ... Must do a better job of distributing the ball and locating open teammates, especially when he gets into a cold streak and can't make his shot ... Good help defender, but needs to do a better job of using his lateral agility to stay in front of the long range shooters, as he struggles to come off screens and defend in one-on-one situations ... Even when shooting outside, he gets caught in the trap quite a bit and he lacks the ball-handling skills to put the sphere on the floor for more than a few dribbles ... While he has a tight handle on the ball, he does not seem to have the court vision you look for in a player that might need to play a few minutes at the point but has to show better overall reactions against double-teams and help defense.

Compares To: MICHAEL REDD-Milwaukee ... Like Redd, Foster is a shooter. He has very good range to make NBA 3-pointers, but he struggles with his inside game, failing to draw contact in order to get to the charity stripe. Considering his success as a free-throw shooter, improving his ability to penetrate would be ideal. He has good size and has worked hard this offseason to improve his strength, but could use more bulk. He has the long arms and high release point to cause defenders to struggle trying to block his shot, but like Redd, his shooting style is a bit unorthodox -- he will shoot well above or just behind his head. He lacks the explosive initial step to get past his man and his ball-handling skills are lacking if he puts the ball on the floor for more than a dribble or two. He struggles to fight through screens and his poor court vision will usually see him toss the ball into traffic often. If a team needs a quick spurt of offense, Foster can deliver, he'll be only a bit player in the NBA, at least initially.

CAREER NOTES

Holds the school all-time scoring record with 2,011 points (15.2 per game), topping the old mark of 1,891 points by Matt Freije (2001-04), as he became the 22nd player in Southeastern Conference annals to score over 2,000 points ... His 691 points scored in 2007-08 rank second on the school season-record list behind Billy McCaffrey (699, 1992-93) ... Scored a career-high 42 points vs. Mississippi State (3/05/08) in his final home game, tying Bo Wyenandt (vs. Alabama, 2/11/67) for the second-best game total in school annals, topped only by Tom Hagan (44 vs. Mississippi State, 3/08/69) ... Holds the school career-record with 699 field goals made (1,483 attempts, 47.1%), surpassing the previous mark of 683 by Charles Davis (1977-81) ... His 242 field goals made in 2007-08 rank second in Vanderbilt annual annals behind Tom Hagan (480, 1968-69) ... Made 367-of-872 three-point field goals during his career, topping the old school record of 296 by Ronnie McMahan (1992-95), as that total also rank second on the SEC season-record chart behind Chris Lofton of Tennessee (431, 2005-2008) ... His three-point percentage of .421 tied Derrick Wilcox (1987-90) for sixth on the school career-record list ... Shattered the school and SEC season-record with 134 three-point field goals made in 2007-08, surpassing the previous league mark of 117 by Jamel Bradley of South Carolina (2001-02) and the old Vanderbilt mark of 103 by Frank Seckar (1995-96).

2007-08 SEASON

All-American first-team selection by Scout.com, adding second-team honors from The NBA Draft Report and The Sporting News ... Unanimous All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection and named SEC Player of the Year by league's coaches and media ... All-District VII first-team pick by the NABC, adding USBWA All-District IV accolades ... Started all 34 games, leading the league in scoring (691 points, 20.3 per game), 3-point field goal percentage (.469) and set the league season-record with 134 3-pointers made (286 attempts) ... Hit on 242-of-463 field goals (52.3%) and 73-of-96 free throws (76.0%), as he was rated the best shooting guard in the country by Rivals.com ... Pulled down a career-high 167 rebounds (4.9 per game), as he added 56 assists (1.6 per game), 36 steals (1.1 per game) and blocked eight shots ... Charged with 58 turnovers and 66 personal fouls.

2007-08 GAME ANALYSIS

Had 42 points in senior night (3/08) vs. Mississippi State - the only 40-plus point performance in the SEC this season ... .Added 21 points vs. Austin Peay, all coming on treys (seven) ... Also scored 21 points at Toledo and was named SEC Player of the Week...Named the South Padre Island Invitational MVP after averaging 18.5 points per game...Tallied 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the SPI Championship game vs. Bradley and recorded his third career double-double vs. Tennessee State, scoring 22 points and bringing down a career-high 12 rebounds...Made his 100th career start at Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee-Martin ... Earned his third SEC Player of the Week honor after scoring 32 points and knocking down a career-high eight 3-pointers vs. Massachusetts...Broke Ronnie McMahan's school record for most three-point field goals made in a career in the SEC opener vs. South Carolina, as he totaled 21 points and made five treys in the win (2/09) ... Scored game-high 29 points in a win over Georgia...Tallied 32 points and set new single-season record for three-pointers made with 107 vs. Tennessee and became the new all-time leading scorer in Vanderbilt history with 22 points at Arkansas ... Poured in 26 points and made six treys in the SEC Tournament win over Auburn ... Closed out his career with six rebounds and 13 points in an NCAA Tournament opening round loss to Siena.

2007 SUMMER BASKETBALL

Chosen from a pool of 32 college players to the 12-member USA Basketball Pan American Games team that competed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 25-29...Finished the event as the squad's second-leading scorer (9.4 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (4.4 per game)...Team USA took fifth place at the competition, winning its final three games with Foster in the starting lineup.

2006-07 SEASON

Named second-team All-SEC by the league's coaches, adding honorable mention from the Associated Press...Earned NABC All-District VII second-team, as he started all 34 games for the Commodores, averaging a team-high 32.4 minutes per game...Finished eighth in the SEC in scoring with 15.6 points per game (531 total)...Ranked ninth in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.18), 11th in field-goal shooting percentage (.449, 191-of-425)) and 14th in 3-point field goal shooting percentage (.346, 74-of-214)...Credited with 158 rebounds (4.6 per game), as he totaled 78 assists (2.3 apg), 40 steals (1.2 per game) and blocked 14 shots (0.4 per game) ... Scored in double figures in 27 games while posting 20 or more points in 10 contests...Reached double digits in scoring in eight of Vanderbilt's 10 games vs. ranked opponents, averaging 16.7 points and 4.4 rebounds...Made at least one three-pointer in 28 of 34 games played.

2006-07 GAME ANALYSIS

Scored a season-high 33 points in Vanderbilt's 99-90 overtime win at South Carolina...Tied Derrick Byars for game-high honors in scoring with 24 points to go along with five three-pointers in the Commodores' 83-70 win over No. 1 Florida...Netted a season-high seven three-pointers vs. East Tennessee State, as he tallied double-doubles on the season with 29 points and 10 rebounds ... Collected 14 points and 10 rebounds at Auburn.

2005-06 SEASON

Named first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches and second-team by the Associated Press...Chosen to the USBWA All- District IV squad and NABC All-District second-team...Started all 30 games for Vanderbilt, averaging 32.2 minutes...Ranked sixth in the SEC in scoring, averaging 15.9 points (477)...Ranked among the league leaders in three-pointers per game (second with 3.00, 90 total on 217 attempts), 3-point shooting percentage (fourth at .415) and field goal percentage (ninth at .451, making 162-of-359)...Ranked second in three-pointers per game (3.19) and 3-point shooting percentage (.440) during conference play...Set the school record for 3-pointers made by a Commodore by the end of his sophomore year (159)...Hit 90 3-pointers during the 2005-06 season, ranking fourth in school history ... Attempted 217 3-pointers, tying for fifth in school history...Hit at least one 3-pointer in 28 of Vanderbilt's 30 games...Had 89 rebounds (3.0 per game), 48 assists (1.6 per game), 14 steals (0.5 per game) and six blocked shots ... Scored in double figures in 25 games, as he had 20 or more points in eight contests...Led the Commodores in scoring 15 times and steals five times.

2005-06 GAME ANALYSIS

Scored a season-high 30 points, hitting 11-of-20 from the field with six three-pointers at Alabama...Totaled 27 points with six three-pointers vs. New Orleans.

2004-05 SEASON

Named to the All-SEC freshman team by the league's coaches...Played in all 34 games with 24 starts, averaging 22.8 minutes...Claimed the Vanderbilt season-record for most three-pointers (69) and points (312) by a freshman...Led SEC freshmen, shooting 45.5 percent from three-point range during league play ... Finished second in the league, shooting 44.5 percent from three-point range for all games...Ranked fifth in the SEC, hitting 2.5 3-pointers per game during league play...Ranked third on the team in scoring (9.2 per game, 312 total)...Posted 10 or more points 15 times ... Led Vanderbilt in scoring five times, rebounds and blocks four times and steals three times.

INJURY REPORT

No injuries reported.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Bonnabel (New Orleans, La.) High School, playing basketball for head coach Glenn Dyer ... Named first-team All-State, All-Metro Most Valuable Player, All-City and All-District as a senior while averaging 23.4 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks ... Helped lead the Bruins to a 21-9 overall mark, a District VII title and second-round appearance in the Class 5-A state playoffs his final campaign ... Tabbed the ninth-best forward in the nation by Insiders.com and among the top 150 prospects by Rivals.com ... Received first-team All-District, All-Metro and All-City accolades as a junior ... Started all four years in basketball and served as captain his sophomore through senior years ... Named to school's academic honor roll.

PERSONAL

Graduated in May, 2008 with a degree in Human and Organizational Development ... Son of Anita Harris and John Brown...Born Shan Donte Foster on 8/20/86 in Laurel, Mississippi ... Resides in Kenner, Louisiana.