Another in a series profiling some of the top players in the 2012 NBA Draft.

NBA teams in need of a shooting guard could do worse than Jeremy Lamb of Connecticut when it comes to this year's draft.

A lot worse.

When judging Lamb's potential, NBAdraft.net compares him to Reggie Miller. And we all know how dangerous the former Indiana Pacers' star was at the offensive end of the floor.

There are plenty of similarities between Miller and Lamb.

Both are tall and thin – the Hall of Fame-bound Miller was 6-foot-7, 195 pounds and Lamb is 6-5, 185 – both are outstanding shooters from the perimeter and neither has ever been considered a great defensive player.

But they both know how to score.

Florida's Bradley Beal is generally considered the top shooting guard in the draft but at least one observer likes Lamb even better.

"Personally, I'm leaning toward Lamb because of his size, length and effectiveness in an NBA offense's 'sweet spot,' the 15- to 18-foot range," wrote Fran Fraschilla of ESPN.com. "And I'm willing to overlook the Huskies' dysfunctional season with Lamb as their centerpiece because I can't ignore the poise he played with as a freshman.

"And he did go for 23 or more points eight times this past season despite the team's poor chemistry."

In 75 career games during two seasons at Connecticut, Lamb averaged 14.1 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from behind the 3-point stripe.

As a freshman, he started 40 of 41 games and averaged 11.1 points and 4.5 points in helping the Huskies win the NCAA title. As a sophomore, he started 34 games and averaged 17.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting almost 49 percent from the field and almost 37 from 3-point range.

He made the All-Big East Rookie team and All-Big East Tournament team as a freshman and was an honorable mention All-American and first-team All-Big East pick as a sophomore.

ESPN Insider Chad Ford predicts Lamb will be the ninth selection in next month's draft. That's where the Detroit Pistons will most likely pick unless something unusual happens in Wednesday's lottery.

"The Good: Lamb is a super lanky wing player who can score from just about anywhere on the floor," Ford wrote on his pay site. "He's mastered the art of the midrange game and is equally adept at putting the ball on the floor and getting to the basket.

"The Bad: He's struggled with the role of alpha dog in the absence of Kemba Walker. Occasionally, he shows the ability to take over games but he can also just disappear. He too could use a few more pounds on his frame."

Lamb's weight and strength are one of the question marks some draft prognosticators have.

The other is a bit more unsettling and could be a true cause for concern.

"Some question whether Lamb is too laid back," wrote NBA.com's David Aldridge, who rates Lamb as the No. 3 shooting guard behind Beal and Duke's Austin Rivers. "He has been painted with the 'S' word by many evaluators: soft. 'I think that's his deal,' said a Central Division executive. 'It gives you a little bit (of concern) but the program's turned out a lot of good players.

"'I think you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. If you can play for (coach Jim) Calhoun you can play for a lot of coaches. He's got some tools. He's really athletic. And people seem the like the kid, too. He's just pretty passive.'"

Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick calls Lamb a gamble, putting him in the category of "high risk, high reward" players.

"Lamb's skill set, shot, athleticism and smooth scoring are still enough to ensure that he doesn't slide too far in the first round, but he didn't progress the way that many expected after Walker's departure," Amick wrote. "Four of his 10 games with at least 20 points last season came in the first five contests."

SwishScout.com, which says Lamb could be a Rip Hamilton-type player, projects him as the eighth pick in the draft, DraftExpress.com has him going 10th and Yahoo! Sports thinks he'll go 11th.

"In addition to his talents off the dribble, Lamb is also an outstanding jump shooter," DraftExpress.com said in its evaluation. "He has range well past the NBA 3-point line and can shoot the ball with his feet set, off the dribble or running off screens. He's shown nice foot work coming off curls and does an excellent job creating space, squaring himself and elevating to get off his jumper.

"Defensively, Lamb has the physical tools to excel as he has good lateral quickness and instincts and is able to utilize his tremendous wingspan to cause havoc on the ball and in the passing lanes. His energy on this end (was) looking very inconsistent this season, however, not displaying the competitiveness, fundamentals and attention to detail that will likely be demanded from at the NBA level, particularly off the ball."

Email Brendan Savage at bsavage@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/BrendanSavage