2022 Draft Follow-Up: Have Players Tightened Their Pre-Draft Improvement Areas?
A look into some film from Summer League to try and answer those questions for four second-year pros
While the rookies get a ton of focus for their performances at Summer League, it's oftentimes the second-year guys who show meaningful areas of improvement from the last time we got to see them. Because I spend the vast majority of my film-watching time on pre-NBA prospects, Summer League tends to be one of the few times I get to tune in to watch where some players have improved — especially those who don’t play consistent minutes at the NBA level.
In the spirit of checking out areas where players can or have improved, I decided to compare the shortcomings of some of these players pre-draft with what they showed during their first NBA season and during 2023 NBA Summer League. For each player, I have a 4-5 minute narrated video that describes what I observed from them pre-draft as a shortcoming, then use film from the regular season and Summer League to show how they’ve either improved or continued to struggle.
Improvement is, in my opinion, what watching film is literally for. These are not meant to be negative or critical breakdowns, but helpful in terms of showing what goes into the process of getting better and, quite frankly, why progress is usually slower than most fans would like. Join us here as we break down that progress from Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Max Christie, and Dalen Terry.
Jabari Smith, Houston Rockets
Improvement Area: Face-Up Finishing
The Why: Smith has been a statistically-solid finisher at the rim because he has nice touch and can utilize both hands well. But the process of getting to the bucket has been a challenge for Jabari dating back to his college days. He looks awkward trying to put the ball on the floor and does not create enough separation from his man. While playing the 4 in Houston, Smith will have to get more fluid with his first step to gain separation from perimeter defenders and stronger in his core to finish through bigger rim protectors.
What We Said Pre-Draft:
“Smith is auspiciously slow off the bounce, creating little to no separation from his man despite long strides and athleticism. I’m no biomechanical expert, but there is something off with his body type, his hips and his strides. Those factors limit his ability to handle at speed, to separate from a standstill, to take off with athleticism and the rim and to change direction.
The lack of quickness changes how he’s used. He likely will never be a pick-and-roll handler because of the separation issues. Face-up isolations on the perimeter won’t yield rim attacks. Ball handling worries make him a target to be pressured with the ball and give little remedy to beat that pressure.” — from the 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report
The Film:
The Conclusion: Smith has gotten better in some key microskill areas to convert more frequently at the rim. His body looks like it’s getting stronger in functional ways. But the separation (speed, fluidity, first step, extended dribble) could all stand to keep getting better. It’s a great start though, and one that should pay immediate dividends.