One of the great joys in my sporting life is the time I spent scouting for the Marty Blake Agency in Atlanta for the NBA.

Each year about this time, I flash back to the players I looked at and submitted reports on their potential play in the big show.

Guys like Maryland’s Brad Davis, who would end up in Dallas after a brief stint in the Continental Basketball Association, top a list of outstanding players who worked hard and who eventually made their mark in the NBA.

There were others, too.

Iona’s Jeff Ruland was a muscle man at an early age and eventually landed in Washington with the Bullets.

Rick Carlisle, who currently coaches the Indiana Pacers, transferred from coach Skip Chappelle’s program at UMaine to coach Terry Holland’s program in Virginia. Carlisle landed a spot on New Jersey’s roster, and he also spent time in Boston where he began a friendship with a guy named Larry Bird.

Carlisle’s association with Larry Legend led to an assistant coaching job with the aforementioned Pacers, and the rest, as they say, is history.

As a University of Maryland product, Deering High of Portland grad Nik Caner-Medley can call on a host of other NBA guys who have paved the way for others in the pro ranks as Maryland graduates.

Len Elmore, John Lucas and the aforementioned Davis, to name a few, have taken their Terrapin heritage and used the rigors of the Atlantic Coast Conference to strengthen their chances for success at basketball’s highest level of play.

What struck me first when I saw this kid play were his size and his versatility.

My, oh my, I’m thinking. This youngster reminds me of former Philadelphia 76er Bobby Jones, right down to the way he shoots and releases the basketball.

Jones attacked the basket like Nik does, and at 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, Caner-Medley likes to mix it up inside, too.

In Maryland coach Gary Williams’ helter-skelter, run-and- gun system, Caner-Medley has prepared himself for the tough full-court action of professional basketball. Factor into that equation Nik’s penchant for knocking down critical long-range shots, and you have the makings of a pro.

This year’s Maryland squad failed to get an NCAA bid. Maryland participated in the NIT tournament and was tough-luck losers to Manhattan in opening round play 87-84.

Caner-Medley’s stats this year were impressive. The senior forward – he can actually play all three positions, including point guard – averaged 15.3 points per game, while pulling down 6.2 rebounds and dishing out 2.1 assists per contest.

As a former scout, I can tell you the most attractive aspect of this young man’s chances at pro success rest in his size and his versatility.

In a nutshell, this kid is a workhorse, and, more importantly, he is durable.

I have also been impressed with Nik’s stamina. The Deering of Portland grad averaged 32.3 minutes per contest in each of the 32 games played. College basketball teams play 40-minute games. NBA games are 48 minutes long.

From this corner, let’s hope we see this fine young prospect hook on with an NBA team in the upcoming June draft.

NEWS columnist Ron Brown, a retired high school basketball coach, can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net