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OVERVIEW

A Second-Team Pac-10 performer as a senior, Leunen is known as a good scorer and rebounder inside who needs to improve his mid-range jumper to earn consistent minutes in the NBA.

At Redmond High School in Oregon, Leunen helped lead his team to the state championship in 2003 and a runner-up finish in 2004. He then chose Oregon over Gonzaga University, and went on to play in 127 games (91 starts) for the Ducks.

Leunen increased his scoring average every year at Oregon, topped by his 15.2 points per game last season. He finished his career as Oregon's all-time leader with 903 rebounds, and posted 29 double-doubles. He ranks 17th in school history in scoring (1,259 points), seventh in steals (121), ninth in three-point field goal percentage (.396) and 13th in three-point field goals made (130).

ANALYSIS

Positives: Athletic big man with long arms and a frame that can carry additional bulk without it impacting his overall quickness ... Has a nice shot underneath the basket, but has also developed the ability to connect from mid-range ... Times his leaps well, coming up with a good amount of blocked shots and can also use those arms to reach around, disrupt his man off the dribble and steal the ball ... Sets up screens well and is an efficient short-area passer ... More likely a power forward at the next level, as he lacks the height and reach needed to play center, but shows good ease getting up and down the court ... Does a nice job of fielding the pass and quickly dishing it out to the open outlet ... Uses his long reach to keep the ball high on his drives to the basket ... More comfortable shooting from his strong-side (right) ... Plays better with his back to the basket, but has good hip swerve turning to execute the post-up move ... Gets good elevation crashing the boards and shows good hesitation moves and pump fakes pulling up and firing off a jumper ... Gets most of his scoring on tip-ins or when hitting his jump hook near the basket and is also quite capable of using that shot when playing again a zone/pressure defense ... Has good timing when he gets elevated to block shots, especially from the weak side ... Likes to put the ball on the floor, but this is only effective when he does so in his face-up game ... Has a fluid shooting motion with a high release point, firing the ball out quickly ... Gives good second effort on the boards and will hustle to keep the ball in play ... More alert to double teams playing the high post and has improved his vision locating the man to get the pass out to ... Uses his lateral agility well when coming out of the paint to defend at the perimeter.

Negatives: Has a good mid-range shot that he uses efficiently when forced out of the paint, but needs to use it more often ... Must do a better job of establishing position going for the offensive rebound ... Gets a little passive at times when asked to defend in the post ... Must improve his lower body strength to prevent defenders from boxing him out so often ... Must keep his shoulders squared better when parking himself under the net ... Has to work on his hitch in his free throw shooting, as he has a quick release, but his accuracy is off.

Compares To: BRIAN SCALABRINE-Boston ... Leunen is just discovering his hidden scoring touch and showed that he is very accurate with his turnaround shot and working around the rim. He has the nimble feet to defend on the perimeter, but needs to get more confidence in his mid-range jumper. He is not as physical as he should be in attempts to get position under the basket, but is tenacious fighting for the rebound. His free throw shooting is a liability, but he is a hard worker who will improve in time. Right now, he can give a team a solid 15 minutes off the bench.

CAREER NOTES

Ranks second in school history in rebounds with 903 ... Became just the 25th player in Pac-10 history to reach 900 rebounds ... Is one of only two players in school history with 1,000 career points and 900 career rebounds (Greg Ballard is the other) ... Ranks 17th in scoring with 1,259 points and seventh in steals with 121 ... Career three-point field goal percentage of .396 ranks ninth ... Had 29 career double-doubles.

2007-08 SEASON

Named to the all-Pac-10 second team, the USBWA all-District 9 first team and the NABC all-District 14 second team ... Named the team's most valuable player, the Harry Ritchie scholar athlete award winner and the RADM John Dick defensive player of the year ... The only player on the squad to start all 32 games ... Second on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game and first in rebounding (9.2 rpg) ... Ranked fourth in the Pac-10 in rebounding and 10th in scoring ... His 293 rebounds ranks 10th on the UO single-season list ... Second in the Pac-10 in three-point field goal pct ... (.492), which was the second-best effort in school history ... His .559 overall field goal percentage ranked seventh in the Pac-10 and is fourth on the UO single-season list ... Reached double-figure rebounds in 18 games.

2007-08 GAME ANALYSIS

Had a team-best 29 double-figure scoring games this season; 17 double-doubles in 2007-08. Helped Oregon defeat Arizona in March 8 home finale with 12 points and a season-best 15 rebounds ... Career-high 32 points March 2 at Oregon State. Tallied 17 points with 11 rebounds Feb. 22 at UCLA. Led Ducks with 20 points Feb. 16 vs. No. 21 Washington State. Neared a triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds and a career-best seven assists in 92-70 Feb. 9 win at California ... Double-doubles Jan. 24 and 26 vs. UCLA and USC with 16 pts, 10 reb. vs. the Bruins and 13 and 11 vs. the Trojans. Big weekend with 22 points Jan. 17 at Washington and 20 points, 13 rebounds Jan. 20 at Washington State. Team-high 16 points in Jan. 13 win vs. No. 23 Stanford. Had 18 points and 11 boards in Jan. 10 win vs. California. Solid effort with 13 points and 11 rebounds in Jan. 5 win at No. 21 Arizona. Hit for 26 points (8-of-8 FGs) with 12 rebounds Dec. 28 vs. Mount St. Mary's. Hard-fought 14 points and 14 boards at Kansas State. In being named to the World Vision Invitational all-tournament team, he had a pair of double-figure rebounding games and a double-double (17 pts., 10 reb.) vs. Pacific.

2007 PAN AM GAMES

Competed in the 2007 Pan American Games for Team USA.

2006-07 SEASON

Led the team in rebounding at 8.2 per game (fourth in the Pac-10), while scoring 10.8 points per game (fifth on UO) to earn all-Pac-10 honorable mention status ... His 304 rebounds on the season was the most by an Oregon player in 31 years, since Greg Ballard grabbed 131 in 1975-76 ... Became just the sixth Duck to record a 300-rebound season ... Also best on the team in steals with 51, which was tied for eighth on the UO single-season list ... Led Oregon in rebounding 21 times ... One of two players to start all 37 games ... Shot .414 from three-point range (eighth in the Pac-10) and .786 from the free throw line ... Had 11 double-figure rebounding games and nine double-doubles.

2006-07 GAME ANALYSIS

Opened season with 10 points and 12 rebounds vs. Lehigh. Set a career-high with 17 rebounds Nov. 11 vs. Cal State Northridge, and then did that one better by grabbing 18 boards Dec. 23 vs. Mercer. It was the most rebounds by an Oregon player in nearly 19 years -- since Randy Grant collected 18 boards Feb. 13, 1988, vs. Arizona State. In addition to the 17 rebounds, also scored 18 points vs. CSUN, coming close to becoming Oregon's first 20-20 player since Greg Ballard in 1977. Had career-best five steals vs. Portland State. Named to the Basketball Travelers Classic all-tournament team. Huge effort with 15 points and 12 rebounds in upset win at Georgetown. Recorded his best offensive game with a career-high 24 points to go with 14 rebounds Dec. 28 vs. Portland. Scored 14 points with seven boards in Oregon's first win at Oregon State since 2004. Scored 18 points with seven rebounds in upset of No. 1 UCLA. Solid effort of 14 points and 14 rebounds helped Oregon win at No. 10 Arizona on Jan. 14. Grabbed 11 rebounds in impressive win at Washington State. Had 14 points and 10 rebounds in home win vs. Oregon State. Scored 13 points with five rebounds and five assists in Pac-10 semifinal win vs. California. In the NCAA Tournament: Three solid games helped Oregon advance to the Elite 8. Had 13 points and seven rebounds vs. Miami (Ohio) and 12 points vs. Winthrop. Ninth double-double of the season (11 points, 10 rebounds) came in the Sweet 16 win vs. Nevada-Las Vegas. An all-around player who willed his high school team to back-to-back state title games. Exceptional passing skills and court awareness for a big man. Not afraid to dribble the ball. Was the sixth Oregonian to sign with the Ducks since Ernie Kent became head coach in 1997.

2005-06 SEASON

Great start and solid finish sandwiched around an ankle injury that limited him for a month during the Pac-10 season ... Oregon's top rebounder at 6.1 per game ranked 10th in the league ... Was sixth on the squad in scoring at 7.2 points per game ... Played in 31 games, starting 18 ... Of his nine double-figure scoring games, three came vs ... California ... Six double-figure rebounding games ... Led Oregon in rebounding 17 times and in scoring twice ... Named MVP of the season-opening Hispanic College Fund Classic, averaging nearly a double-double in three games.

2005-06 GAME ANALYSIS

Opened season with 10 rebounds vs. Savannah State. Netted 15 points vs. Bowie State. Finished the event with his first double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) vs. eventual NCAA Tournament entrant Pacific. Collected a career-high 13 rebounds Nov. 26 vs. Rice. Hit for 15 points and 11 rebounds for second double-double vs. Santa Clara. Best all-around game came Jan. 5 at California where he set career highs in points (17), assists (4) and blocks (3) and corralled 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Scored 11 points in the first half of the Jan. 7 game at Stanford before a sprained right ankle knocked him out for the next two games. Struggled to regain his early season form, but found his stroke vs. Cal again scoring 15 points with nine board Feb. 2. Matched career high with 17 points in Feb. 11 win at Arizona State. Grabbed 12 boards in Feb. 18 win vs. Washington State. Had another big game vs. California in the Pac-10 tournament, tying a career high with 17 points.

2004-05 SEASON

One of three freshmen who saw action in all 27 games. Made four starts. Ranked fifth on the team in scoring (5.6 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (4.3 rpg). Led Ducks in rebounding four times.

2004-05 GAME ANALYSIS

Scored a season-high 13 points in Dec. 31 win vs. USC. Netted 12 points vs. Washington and California at McArthur Court. Also had eight rebounds vs. the Huskies. Added 11 points and seven boards in 69-66 defeat of Washington State. Garnered 10 rebounds on three occasions: at Fresno State (nine points), home vs. UCLA and at Washington. Summer notes: Played on the Global Games team with Chamberlain Oguchi and Bryce Taylor.

HIGH SCHOOL

Rated as the 60th-best player nationally by Rivals and the 91st-best by The Insiders ... Rivals also rated him as the nation's No ... 14 power forward, while The Insiders listed him at No. 25 ... The Gatorade state player of the year in 2004 ... Led his Redmond High School team to back-to-back state 4A title games, winning in 2003, before falling short the next season ... Averaged 21 points and 12 rebounds per game as a senior and 20 points and 10 boards as a junior ... A two-time all-state selection by the Oregonian who was also that paper's state player of the year in 2003 ... Also played two seasons of baseball.

PERSONAL

Born Maarten Arthur Leunen Sept. 3, 1985, in Vancouver, Wash ... Parents are Maarten and Marjorie Leunen ... Three younger brothers ... Is the first member of his family to go to college ... Enjoys golfing ... High School (Coach): Redmond (Kelly Bokn) ... Major is economics.