2023 NBA Draft Final Big Board
The final and complete iteration of our 2023 board, with over 60 scouting report videos, 750 minutes of videos to watch, and 35,000 words.
It’s here.
Finally.
Less than a week away, I am ready to hit publish on the final version of the 2023 NBA Draft Big Board. Below you will see in-depth breakdowns of these prospects, as well as video scouting reports and an explanation of the tiers my board abides by.
I also am taking a new approach this year. Instead of ranking all the way down to #150 like I did last year, I’m going to start at #65 with my physical rankings, start the ten-tiered approach of evaluation from there, and then have a list of players I am interested in seeing more of/ believe are talented enough to stick in the G-League.
As an aside, thank you all for the support you’ve given during this draft cycle. I’ve seen this Substack more than quadruple in size over the last six months, and I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for your willingness to keep fueling my passion to study the NBA Draft. That growth wouldn’t be possible without Sam Vecenie over at The Athletic — for all he did to invite me in as his co-host on The Game Theory Podcast and expand my platform. Thank you, Sam, for your friendship and vote of confidence in bringing me aboard.
With all that out of the way, here is the final version of my 2023 NBA Draft Big Board:
The G-League Mainstays
We start with a list of guys who, while I see some upside, I can’t quite wrap my head around a draft selection for them and think they’re more of a flier to take in the G-League. I would expect these guys to get a fair shake there next year, and perhaps one or two climb up to the NBA in the right context.
Point Guards
Tyger Campbell, UCLA
Kendric Davis, Memphis
Umoja Gibson, DePaul
Jazian Gortman, Overtime Elite
Darius McGhee, Liberty
Grant Sherfield, Oklahoma
Combo Guards
Malcolm Cazalon, Mega
D’Moi Hodge, Missouri
Jaren Holmes, Iowa State
Omari Moore, San Jose State
Justin Powell, Washington State
Wings
Tajion Jones, UNC-Asheville
Gabe Kalscheur, Iowa State
Mojave King, G-League Ignite
Jaylen Martin, Overtime Elite
Matthew Mayer, Illinois
Hunter Tyson, Clemson
Forwards
Tosan Evbuomwan, Princeton
Pete Nance, North Carolina
Race Thompson, Indiana
Vincent Valerio-Bodon, Sopron KC
Posts
Efe Abogidi, G-League Ignite
Charles Bediako, Alabama
Trey Jemison, UAB
Nathan Mensah, San Diego State
Liam Robbins, Vanderbilt
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona
Athlete
Alex Fudge, Florida
Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State
Tevian Jones, Southern Utah
Taevion Kinsey, Marshall
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Jacob Toppin, Kentucky
Tier 10: Priority Two-Way/ Late 2nd Round Targets
In essence, this tier is a listing of people who I would want to snatch up either on draft night or immediately after. I try to go at least to #65 on my board in this tier to make sure there are plenty of options no matter where I’d theoretically be on the clock. The constantly-evolving draft landscape dictates that there’s much more fluidity between being drafted in the 45-50 range and going undrafted to sign a two-way deal, which means winning around the margins is about finding players who can deliver two-way value eventually in this range.
65. Sir’Jabari Rice - PG, Texas
64. Craig Porter Jr. - PG, Wichita State
63. Jalen Wilson - F, Kansas
62. Patrick Gardner - P, Marist
61. Ricky Council - CG, Arkansas
60. Seth Lundy - W, Penn State
Rice and Porter have bought caught my eye for their competitive zeal. Porter is undersized at 6’1” but plays with real athletic burst and is intense on both ends of the floor. Few guys are as slippery at changing direction and speed with the ball in their hands, and he’s a tremendous finisher for an undersized guard. His standout trait is that he blocks a ton of shots for a guard.
As for Rice, the experienced 24-year-old has a 6’9” wingspan and uses every inch to guard 1s and 2s. His shot fake is amongst the most lethal I’ve ever seen; it’s a tremendous counterpunch to his 37% 3-point shooting. The former New Mexico State guard was a solid defender this year and just seems to make the right basketball play more times than not.
Wilson has been on my second-round draft board for about four years now, and I haven’t felt like he’s gotten significantly better at parts of his game that will be scalable to an NBA role. Wilson should be lauded for stepping into a lead role at Kansas this year, taking the reigns for the National Champions and averaging 20 points per game. But he’s an inconsistent shooter (never finished above 34% from 3), doesn’t have great burst off the bounce, and is smaller than you think at 6’6” with a 6’8” wingspan. There’s defensive upside, but the lack of floor-spacing hurts him in my book.
I’m a big fan of guys with nontraditional pathways to the league, as they are the ones who continue to keep chipping away and are built for the grind of earning their next contract. Patrick Gardner of Marist is a former D2 transfer from Saint Michaels in Vermont. He’s a big, skilled mismatch 5 with real touch and handling chops. He’s incredibly nimble creating on the perimeter while also stretching the floor. From an offensive skill perspective, he checks a ton of boxes. If he can scale down his game and continue to make high-IQ reads as a guy who isn’t the focal point, I expect we’ll see him get a call-up to the league. Defense will always be a challenge, though.
From an athletic perspective, Ricky Council IV looks like a first-rounder. Elite leaper and has elite burst in transition. He’s huge for a guard and can defend on wings. Put the ball in his hands and he’s happy to create for himself, while also being a smart cutter off-ball. The shooting range has been the question for Ricky throughout his time at Arkansas; he’s great in the mid-range when he can isolate, but quick decisions and off-ball shots aren’t his forte. A bet on Council is a bet on his raw tools translating and some improvements to the shot sticking.
A legitimate floor-spacer is Seth Lundy out of Penn State. He shot 40% from 3 this year at Penn State and made some difficult ones. He’s got a strong frame to guard up or down the lineup, and his propensity for contact is what sets him apart from other hybrid wings. He can hit shots on the move going to his right, and there are stretches of adequate defense. Floor-spacers always get a shot, and Lundy’s dependability should allow him to hear his name called on draft night.
59. Adama Sanogo - P, Connecticut
58. Mouhamed Gueye - P, Washington State
57. Jaylen Clark - W, UCLA
56. Toumani Camara - ATH, Dayton
55. Adam Flagler - PG, Baylor
54. Emoni Bates - ATH, Eastern Michigan
Upon my latest re-watch of UConn film, Adama Sanogo really impressed me. There were moments where he was (fittingly) dominant on the interior with his size and frame. He’s definitely undersized at about 6’8”, but there’s more skill than meets the eye. He had impressive games creating out of the short roll (see Gonzaga) and actually shot 36.5% from 3 on a sturdy number of attempts. He eats up space on defense, is an effective rebounder, and is best as a show-and-recover big. He doesn’t block enough shots to play in Drop and mobility can get exposed in space. He’s a solid informed bet in the back portion of the second round.
From a long-term standpoint, Mo Gueye checks a lot of boxes of what NBA teams are looking for as a unique big man. He’s long and lean, but incredibly fluid with his movement patterns. There have been some really good games of his this year, especially on the defensive end. If you believe Gueye can shoot, I get taking him inside the top 50. I’m not quite there, but he’s young enough and really fluid that getting to develop him could yield some high returns.
Clark is a defensive savant. While he’s undersized at 6’4”, his length and instincts allow him to play up the lineup and guard 1 thru 3. His off-ball IQ is off the charts and he sneaks around for steals like it’s nobody’s business. He’s no slouch on ball, using quick hands and lateral mobility to thwart drivers. The issue with Clark is that the offense is still a non-starter. He’s a fantastic cutter, but his shot is really inconsistent and he’s not skilled enough or explosive enough to create with the ball in his hands. The handle is weak and he’s not really a threat to score. Clark can find a home in the league as a defensive stopper.
A 6’7” Belgian, Camara has become just an impactful athlete on both ends of the floor. He’s switchable on defense with his 7’0” wingspan and strong lateral quickness traits. He drilled 36.8% of his catch-and-shoot jumpers this year, knows how to play off the ball, and plays a style that allows him to coexist next to other good players. He definitely needs a tighter handle if he wants to create, and the shooting spike this season is a little bit difficult to trust with his track record. Camara looks the part, but he’s a little bit under-skilled for the modern NBA.
Flagler might be one of the best shooters you can find in the late portion of the second round. He’s a true professional who attacks the game with care and is super smart. After testing the waters last year, he went back to Baylor to improve his ‘point guard skills’ — he’s only 6’1” with underwhelming length, so playing the 1 is a necessity. The results were solid, with a great 4.6 AST and 1.7 TO on the year. He’s a strong-bodied defender who holds up well against bigger drivers, too.
Let’s not spend time talking about what Emoni Bates once was thought to be. Right now, he’s an unabashed gunner who doesn’t make those around him better. He can absolutely go nuclear, with deep range and the highest degree of difficulty shot-making possible. But he’s reliant on those difficult ones, as he creates no simple shots for himself and requires the longest leash possible to tolerate his shot selection. There’s an upside swing in there for Emoni to… just see if he can tone things down on an NBA floor and be a really good spot-up guy. The lack of athleticism and the low defensive ceiling continues to drive down the point when that swing is worth it.
53. Jalen Pickett - PG, Penn State
52. Isaiah Wong - CG, Miami (FL)
51. Jordan Miller - W, Miami (FL)
50. Tristan Vukcevic - F, Partizan
49. Terquavion Smith - CG, NC State
48. Justyn Mutts - F, Virginia Tech
Pickett’s dominance with ass ball this year at Penn State showed just how unique of a player he can be. Within a system catered to his strengths, Pickett bowling-balled his way to the hoop and physically overpowered other point guards. He’s a really good playmaker out of ball screens and has awesome touch as a scorer inside 15 feet. Where Pickett falls short is on the defensive end (where he’s not that quick to guard the 1) and as a floor-spacer (his shooting stroke is a little unreliable and his range doesn’t extend beyond the line). I’m curious if a team in the NBA can put Pickett in enough situations where he’s comfortable and can use his methodical, patient game to put points on the board.
Isaiah Wong is a really live-bodied creator who has a general shiftiness that is difficult to contain. He’s slippery when driving, really bouncy at the hoop, and has a tremendous ability to change gears. The pull-up scoring ties all those traits together and is a lethal one-two punch with his hesitation dribble and stop-start athleticism. Wong isn’t a pure creator and is a tad undersized for a lot of off-ball roles in the NBA. He needs to lean into being a primary scorer. I worry about him guarding in high volume against ball screens or at the point of attack, one of the main reasons he falls farther down my board… because I really dig the scoring.
There are a lot of fans of Jordan Miller’s out there, and a really strong run through the NCAA Tournament for the Miami Hurricanes helped cement him as a draftable prospect. While he shot 35% from 3 this year, he’s still somewhat reluctant to shoot it. His elite finishing (64% at the rim), consistent effort on the glass and strong connective passing help him find positive offensive impact regardless. Miller should be on draft radars for his defense — he’s got an unreal 7’0” wingspan and is switchable 2 thru 4 as a result. Miller isn’t a lockdown guy against the elite of the elite, but he’s a mistake-free defender who just seems to make energy plays happen.
The Serbian seven-footer Vukcevic really looks awkward on a basketball court. He runs and moves in a goofy fashion, and there’s not a really high probability that he finds a position to reliably defend. Still, seven-footers who drill shots in the way he can do not grow on trees. He shot 37.7% from deep this year combined from Adriatic and Euroleague play. He has some ability to do things off the bounce, mostly to create tough shots for himself that he can drill with his sweet shooting stroke. I don’t really know what to do with Vukcevic as a defender, both in terms of who he guards and how he finds a way to have a positive impact. If he can make some athletic gains, he could turn into a specialty floor spacer as a big.
A year ago, Terquavion Smith figured to be a first-round pick, but went back to school to bet on himself. He also added more playmaking to his arsenal, doubling his assist numbers from freshman to sophomore years. But Terq’s shooting took a nosedive, and for the second straight year he shot under 40% from the field. Efficiency like that isn’t great for a guy who needs and likes the ball in his hands. I love Terquavion’s confidence as a shooter and how he stretches the floor off-ball. It’s just hard to justify taking the swing on him very early in the draft.
Mutts might be one of my favorite underrated gambles in this class. He’s 24 and super smart — he has two Master’s Degrees! He uses his brain to be one of the better frontcourt passers you’ll find and a guy who thrives inside or out depending on what he’s asked to do. He’s not a scorer by any means and his jumper has never been too consistent, but he makes everyone around him better. He’s got a 7’3” wingspan and can play the 4 or the 5. He’s versatile on defense, tests out well analytically, and just has a really good feel for the game. I know he’s old, but he’s a prime Two Way guy for me.
47. Jalen Slawson - F, Furman
46. Mike Miles - PG, TCU
45. Chris Livingston - W, Kentucky
44. Colin Castleton - P, Florida
43. Landers Nolley - W, Cincinnati
Cut from a similar cloth as Mutts, Jalen Slawson’s brain is one of his top traits. On defense, he’s a sensational processor and helper. His size and switchability helps him play positionless basketball. Offensively, he thrived in a system that was built around him with the ball in his hands at the elbows and atop the key. He’s a quick-twitch decision-maker and is really fluid in the open floor. However, the shooting has to continue to improve, and I do have slight worries about how he impacts on offense outside of a system built around him.
Mike Miles is the youngest junior in this draft class and has a much more well-rounded game than he gets credit for. He’s a really good movement shooter and deep-range shooter off the catch, he can create and score at all three levels out of the pick-and-roll, and he’s built like a fullback to defend at the point of attack. Miles is just really undersized. Ten years ago, I would’ve had a first round grade on the kid for all his toughness and the scalability of his offensive game.
Livingston has been an enigma throughout this process, but the mass exodus at the withdrawal deadline has him sitting as one of the few young second-round prospects on the wings. He doesn’t shoot it consistently but has solid mechanics and has gotten by on his physicality as a driver his whole life. He’ll desperately need to add some skill to the bag to stay on the floor. Where I recently came away impressed by Livingston was on defense, where that physical strength really helps him guard different wings and play the 3 or the 4. He’s a long-term investment gamble, but the right one to make in the middle part of the second round.
From a defensive perspective, Colin Castleton is about 20 pounds away from being excellent. He’s just a tad thin for the physical nature of the league, but he’s tremendous with his positioning on the interior and against the pick-and-roll. Castleton moves his feet well enough to show on the perimeter while also contesting in Drop coverage with his 7’4” wingspan. Switching wasn’t a disaster for him, either. An underrated passer on offense, Castleton doesn’t have the sexiest game, but he produces in dependable ways within the framework of what NBA bigs are asked to do.
I might be the highest in the draft space on Landers Nolley. A reliable 3-and-D wing, Nolley flew under the radar after transferring from Memphis to Cincinnati. He shot 41.7% from 3 this year on over 6 attempts per game, averaged 1.5 stocks, and has had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio each of the past two years. Scalability is the name of the game, and I am a big believer in what he brings as a hidden gem in this class.
Tier 9: Late-Round Value Picks
I use tiers in my draft analysis because there are often ledges of talent and large gaps between where we see one group of prospects and another. Typically, this is a group that we would find at the bottom half of the second round. I could understand or justify them going a little higher to the right situation but these are guys I’d feel more comfortable taking that gamble on in the 40s and 50s — at least in most drafts.
This year, the second-round depth in the class was obliterated by international withdrawals, upperclassmen valuing NIL deals, and the proliferation of the transfer portal in college basketball. This is a much thinner tier than normal, but instead of trying to jam some players from above the board into it, I figured I would let the lack of depth in this class get reflected at this point.
9.42 - Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Trayce Jackson-Davis’ ascent in college was somewhat slow, though. He was always seen as an intriguing pro prospect due to his movement patterns and just how natural he looks on the floor. He’s long-armed and athletic, with decent size at 6’8” (maybe 6’9” if we’re being generous). Year after year, the feedback was the same for TJD: as an undersized big, he needs to do two things: add a skill set outside of just post-ups and improve as a shooter.
The college arsenal has always been post-up-driven. His right hand has never improved. And he still doesn’t take jump shots. But going into his senior season with the Hoosiers, Jackson-Davis finally added a new element to his game that could silence those criticisms about a lack of evolution. He became a skilled passer and facilitator atop the key, a rebound-and-run threat, and a guy who can break down a defense in a variety of ways.
To me, Jackson-Davis will be best as a slightly-undersized pick-and-roll big. While he’s a solid passer and can do some damage out of Delay series on offense, the slow-driving makes it a little harder for me to envision him existing as a main creation hub. He’s better using his great athletic reach out of ball screens. He’s a good lob catcher, has great dexterity to catch and take one bounce to finish, and has good touch around the rim with his left.
Where TJD’s playmaking and skill comes into play most is off the short roll. I think he’d be an excellent partner with a point guard or lead scorer who faces frequent traps. Of course, Jackson-Davis definitely has limitations. There is no jump shot in his arsenal whatsoever, a disappointment for a multi-year college guy. He’s supremely left-hand-dominant and really fails to finish when going right. Those limitations are scary ones for me, but if he’s predominantly a lob target, he can still be pretty impactful playing next to good guards.
Playing more as a 5, Jackson-Davis can be used as the anchor in multiple types of pick-and-roll coverage on defense. He’s good in Drop coverage near the rim, excellent at playing at the level without giving up the rim, and is mobile enough to blitz and recover. He’s so smart with angles and has added a great deal of polish guarding the pick-and-roll.
Overall, Jackson-Davis is an older big man with a proven record of scoring on the interior and using his athleticism to impact the game on both ends. I wish he were a little bit bigger, but in the middle portion of the second round, he’s a skilled enough change-of-pace big man option to be in consideration.
9.41 - Amari Bailey, UCLA
Amari Bailey bought into his role with UCLA this year, even if the results weren’t always pretty. He split backcourt reps with Tyger Campbell, was third or fourth in the pecking order on offense at all times, worked with poor spacing thanks to Adem Bona and the constant Jaime Jaquez post-ups, and had some pretty tough performances throughout the year.
By the end of the season, Bailey had figured out how to fit with that group. He was starting to be more aggressive on offense, was less erratic with the ball in his hands, and seemingly was trusted a great deal more by his teammates. Over UCLA’s final six games (coming at the most important time of the year), Bailey averaged 17.3 points on 56/47/82 splits, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and only 2.5 turnovers a game.
That’s a wildly small sample, though it is important to know the context of a player peaking at the right time.
When projecting Bailey forward, I keep searching for that go-to skill of his on offense. He’s a fairly well-rounded player statistically, a big guard who was effective off-ball and had moments of on-ball creation. But the tape doesn’t show enough juice as a scorer, facilitator, driver, or shooter to look at and say “yes, that’s what Bailey does better than other guards.”
The threshold of being an effective do-it-all guard is supremely high. Bailey might have what it takes, from an intangible and athleticism perspective, to tap into those traits and become such a guy. But without a track record of harnessing those skills, it’s hard to trust an inconsistent pull-up shooter and a guy who had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio as the right option to be given the keys to an offense at the next level.
I think Bailey is the right long-term bet to make in the second round. He’s one of the better young guards that would still be on the board and has legitimately workable pick-and-roll traits. The jumper could be much better than the numbers indicate, and with his defensive ceiling, Bailey can be a two-way force. There’s a lot of upside here left to tap into.
9.40 - Marcus Sasser, Houston
Marcus Sasser has all the traits of a proven winner and a two-way force. He’s as tenacious of an on-ball defender as you’ll find, a confident shot-maker with the ball in his hands or without it, and has helped rebuild Houston into a perennial national powerhouse.
The issue is glaring when you see Sasser play: he’s 6’1” trying to make it in a league that is trending away from anybody under 6’5” and without elite offensive aptitude. I believe in my heart of hearts that Sasser is an NBA player — I’ve bought into that for over a year now. The question is where or when in a draft class do you take that type of swing on a smaller guy who, likely at his apex, is more of a bench unit point guard?
Sasser is ideal for a team looking to extend their pressure high above ball screens and that wants to really dictate tempo or intensity. His ability to whip overtop physical picks and contest shots or passes is one of a kind. He’ll get picked on in the post if he switches or gets cross-matched, so Sasser isn’t sensible for a team looking to design switch.
Offensively, he combines on-ball creation and confidence with some movement shooting traits. He’s excellent at pulling as soon as he has room coming off ball screens and has range deep behind the 3-point line. Off-ball, he’s got that same shooter’s mentality while also being able to drill shots coming off baseline screening actions.
Sasser is undersized, so his finishing is somewhat hit-or-miss on the interior. He’s found ways to improve and compensate for those challenges, but he’s always going to gravitate more toward the 3-point line when trying to score. I think Sasser is an adequate passer, but the lack of rim pressure can lead to possessions that stall out or where he over-dribbles coming off a pick.
Ultimately, the early 40s is the right spot for a guy like Sasser in my mind. The returns from guys in this range aren’t often great, so if Sasser ends up logging legitimate minutes for an NBA team, he’s a good get. It’s just really hard to justify the theory of taking him above the multitude of longer, younger wings on the board in Tier 8 just ahead of him. In order to do so, you’d have to have the perfect team-based scheme and ultimate faith in the translation of his playmaking to the point where he can run a second unit.
Tier 8: Priority Targets Outside the First Round
We’re at the point where there are two pathways forming. There are the higher-risk investments, the guys who have a lot of raw tools, a playstyle that is conducive to high impact if it all gets harnessed or simply not ready for NBA minutes. Then there are the more dependable role players, the guys who likely don’t have star power in the NBA and, at best, will stick as complementary pieces. They don’t have the same floor of boom-or-bust that the other higher-risk guys have. Based on a team’s risk profile or what type of impact they’re looking for (long-term payoff or short-term role fulfillment), they will look for different prospects.
In the past, I would separate these players into two different tiers. I no longer think that’s appropriate. The differentiation between them on team-specific boards will be about that team’s propensity to take a risk. For me, it’s time to combine them into one category and order them based on my perceived hit rate: who is most likely to move up and eventually provide first-round value?
8.39 - Andre Jackson, Connecticut
Connecticut’s Andre Jackson seems like my type of player. He functioned, in essence, as a big lead guard for the Huskies. He’s athletic, he has terrific feel as a passer, he defends multiple positions (and can play the de facto 1, which gives him real positional size).
Jackson is also a winner. He just cut down the nets with the Connecticut Huskies and has been labeled by their coaching staff as the ultimate winner. Head coach Dan Hurley called him the “most selfless, best leader, best captain you’ll ever come across.” A freshman on the team, Alex Karaban, called him his “favorite teammate [Karaban has] ever played with.”
I feel confident in saying one thing: Andre will find a way to maximize his tools. My evaluation of those tools might not be as glowing as the intel about Jackson. The term scalability is an important one in the NBA. Even without the biggest trait that I look for in role players (spot-up shooting ability), Jackson has a lot to offer.
Nobody guards him on the perimeter due to the absence of a jump shot or ability to score from outside 15 feet. According to Synergy, he was 25-90 (27.8%) on 3-point attempts, and a combined 14-37 (37.8%) on other shots away from the rim. He averaged 2.87 PPG away from the rim or the free throw line, far too low of an amount. The jump shot is the questionable part of Jackson’s arsenal, and it commands almost no respect from opponents. Jackson was 0-16 on guarded catch-and-shoot looks.
That said, Jackson has learned to really play within a strong offense despite his absence of a jump shot. He’s great at making backdoor cuts out of the corners if his man over-helps. He can play in the dunker spot. He can pinch post and be a creator there a la Shaun Livingston. There are a lot of ways to make that work.
When it comes to defense, Jackson is incredibly toolsy. He’s athletic with fluid hips and good size (6’10” wingspan), allowing him to swallow up smaller drivers or guys who pick up their dribble. He also has decent functional strength, allowing him to take contact to his chest. The length and athletic tools help him block shots or contest from behind, meaning he can pressure on the perimeter a little more than most and get away with it.
Utilizing Jackson the right way is possible. But offensively, is the juice worth the squeeze? I believe that Jackson can and will be a big regular-season contributor. He’s a culture driver, will provide effort on nights when others might not, defends in a versatile manner, and won’t receive that drastic treatment as a non-shooter from opponent gameplans every night during the regular season.
NBA Role: Jumbo facilitator, off-ball cutter, versatile wing defender
Favorite Fits: Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz
Click Here for the Full Andre Jackson Scouting Report
8.38 - Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
This year’s candidate (or early frontrunner) for Draft Twitter Darling is Santa Clara combo guard Brandin Podziemski. A 6’5” sophomore guard who transferred to the Broncos from Illinois, Podziemski exploded this year as a top option for the NIT-qualifying program out of the WCC. Brandin averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 43.8% from deep on high volume.
On one hand, Podziemski is a guy with an unreal statistical profile, is only 20 years old, has elite touch and fantastic shooting, and so many other peers who I respect see the value in. On the other, my worries about his athleticism and scalability to the next level were not assuaged on a deep dive. The Podziemski experience really clashes with the other lessons that I’ve learned recently as a scout: to value athletic tools on defense, to value real positional size and length, and to really trust my gut.
At Santa Clara, he was given a really long leash to be able to get to those shots and utilize his touch from three levels. The Broncos ran ball screens for him, got him catching the ball on the move in dribble handoffs or chase actions, sent him on the move off-ball, would mismatch post him and clearout sides of the floor for him, and let him dribble the ball for 15 seconds at a time waiting for the right opportunity to occur.
To me, the best role for Podziemski in the NBA is more akin to a Luke Kennard type of role, where he uses his shooting to become his calling card. Podziemski is an efficient shooter from all over the floor. He’s good on pull-ups, he’s good on catch-and-shoots, he’s capable on the move going either direction, and he has range beyond the 3-point line. There’s a slight dip in efficiency when he steps farther back from the line, but he is capable of making them.
The teardrop runner is the signature move that makes Podziemski stand out. If he can get the slightest bit of room on the move to get back to his left hand, he’s going to be able to fire up an accurate shot more times than not. According to Synergy, Podz was 38-84 (45.2%) on runners, a top-10 rate in the country for anyone who attempted at least 80.
Podziemski is severely left-hand dominant. He does very little with his right near the basket, he tries to wiggle back to his left on nearly every drive, and his first step is really slow going to his right. While he’s still a threat to spin and pivot his way back to his left hand for floaters and step-thru finishes, he’s also prone to flinging up some pretty ugly attempts.
In order to scale up and be passable on the wings defensively, Podziemski is going to need more muscle. Bulking up will be crucial for holding his ground against other wings; there’s some core strength that he already possesses, but the NBA is on a whole different level of physicality.
The saving grace for Podziemski defensively is that he has pretty quick hands, which help him in terms of reactivity to steals and deflections. They’re helpful traits within a team construct and in the moments he can keep guys in front, but we’ve seen far too many blow-bys and straight-line drives for the defense to come out as a positive on the whole.
To put it bluntly, Podziemski has to be really elite on offense and continue this level of efficiency from Santa Clara to become a rotation mainstay. The defensive and athletic tools have not won me over through a deep re-watch, and they are actual points of worry for me. Can an NBA team and coach put him in those positions where he can succeed? Absolutely, and I feel like Podziemski will be solid off screens and dribble handoffs. We just need to manage expectations about his impact on defense.
NBA Role: Scoring combo guard, movement shooter, perimeter advantage-sustainer
Favorite Fits: Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers
Click Here for the Full Brandin Podziemski Scouting Report
8.37 - Jordan Walsh, Arkansas
It’s hard to call Walsh’s season at Arkansas an overt success or a troubling display. It’s somewhere in between. The Razorbacks, for all their top-tier talent, lacked floor spacing. Everyone got exposed as a result, though Walsh’s role as a non-shooter became actively harmful to whatever spacing they were trying to create. He would be absent during big moments and only played about 24 minutes a game.
Yet the Razorbacks were clearly better with Walsh on the floor. Analytically, his minutes rate out as some of the most positive on the team. He makes winning plays, creates extra possession, is a legitimate connective passer, and knows how to combat some of his limitations.
What’s troublesome is the way that Walsh is guarded and the net impact that has on his team from a spacing perspective. When stationed in the corner, teams will safely ignore Walsh and help off of him onto drivers. They pack the lane and force the ball to go to Walsh in an area where the only thing he can really do is let it fly.
Defensively, Walsh is excellent on-ball, sliding his feet and competing with the best of them. His over 7’0” wingspan is really disruptive at the point of attack, allowing him to switch across different matchups. I see him best served as a ‘wing-stopper’, taking the assignments of guarding the biggest wings in the league more frequently. There are so many of those guys in the league right now that Walsh can bring a lot of value to the table in that role, especially if he’s surrounded by shooting.
Guys like Walsh and these non-scoring, slashing, defensive-minded wings can be generally helpful through the regular season. They’re just a jump shot away, and since shooting can be developed, there always comes a point where the reward is worth the risk.
Walsh’s pro outlook is going to be linked to his shooting ability in some regard. It’s the safety net that all wings need if they’re going to play off-ball. And while Walsh can rebound-and-run and has some intriguing traits as a passer, he doesn’t have anywhere near the scoring punch to command a major creative role. Not even close.
While I’m generally averse to these non-shooting wings, Walsh brings so many intangibles to the table that it’s difficult to ignore the possibility that he could be the one guy who outperforms his draft position and makes himself into a winning player regardless of what the shooting metrics indicate.
NBA Role: Versatile wing defender, baseline cutter, transition playmaker
Favorite Fits: Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs
Click Here for the Full Jordan Walsh Scouting Report
8.36 - James Nnaji, Barcelona
A little over a year ago, I first watched Nnaji play. I was so impressed with his aptitude on defense at a young age. He was smart and disciplined in drop coverage, athletic when placed in space, and constantly giving maximum effort. Nnaji got into the game very late in life. The Nigerian big man didn’t start playing until 2016, so it’s easy to understand why his skill level is as far behind other players his age as it is.
Still, Nnaji is rather underdeveloped on offense. He’s long and bouncy, so lob sets are always there for him, as are pick-and-roll dives to the tin. But a player this raw who hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time this year smells like a ‘draft and stash’ pick.
Nnaji is your classic screen-and-roll big. Right now, no other part of his offensive arsenal is developed in a meaningful way. Nnaji is a pogo stick on the inside when he has a runway to take off. But Nnaji has poor footwork on the inside when he catches the ball and doesn’t have an immediate dunk. He tries to move too fast for himself, the clear sign of his inexperience and the lack of repetition he’s gotten with the ball in his hands. Worse than his footwork is his touch, where Nnaji tries to use both hands near the rim but is successful with neither.
Nnaji has preferences — he’s more of a touch-and-go screener right now. When he does try to set screens, he’ll pick up occasional illegals, so the touch-and-go strategy was a smart one from his coaching staff. He’s very active on the offensive glass, and getting extra possessions is the best use of his rudimentary skill level when he’s on the floor.
The defensive side of the floor is where Nnaji is likely to make his money. He’s huge and mobile, two great starting points for a rim protector.
Sarunas Jasikevicius and Barcelona have played him in tons of different coverages: drop coverage, at the level, felt comfortable with him switching, dabbled in some intentional cross-matching, and even played Nnaji atop a zone to roam on the perimeter. That comfort level in a teenager suggests that Nnaji can be far more than just a rim protector.
The switchability needs some work, though. I have my concerns long-term with Nnaji moving his feet on the perimeter and avoiding reaching in. He’s very handsy, and while that can be taught and repped with time, I don’t know if the removal of hands will allow him to cut guys off from getting to their spots.
Big men take a while to come into their own as anchoring defenders. Nnaji has been moved in so many different areas defensively that it shows off his versatility. But he still needs to become much better at all those coverages before making an NBA impact. Combine that with the lack of conversion on offense other than with dunks and I’m just a little too worried about Nnaji to have him in the first round. The tools are there and impressive. But feel wins in today’s NBA.
NBA Role: Rim protecting big, screen-and-roll finisher, dunker spot finisher
Favorite Fits: Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets
Click Here for the Full James Nnaji Scouting Report
8.35 - Julian Phillips, Tennessee
Phillips has a lot of really appealing traits that land him on the first-round radar and garner a pretty strong level of intrigue from scouts across the league. His size is what stands out most — he’s a thin, long wing with a 6’11” wingspan that somehow looks longer than that. Phillips is decently bouncy, light on his feet, quick laterally, and effectively fast end-to-end. He’s a good athlete with the tools that scream future NBA defender.
In reality, Phillips had one of the more confusing freshman seasons in some time, especially considering where he was in AAU competition. He’s raw and athletic but severely underdeveloped on offense, and inconsistent in some head-scratching ways.
Phillips brings a dizzying array of questions to the table. This year, he shot 23.9% from 3-point range — and finished the season 1-13 from deep over his last 13 games. It could be the freshman wall, but there’s some added context that makes this seem like the continuation of a concerning trend.
Two years ago in AAU, Phillips was 23-57 (40.4%) and followed that up by purportedly shooting 38% from deep his senior year in high school. That’s a really good twelve-month sample that is important to know and understand when contextualizing Phillips. Yet there were some concerning changes in Phillips’ shooting mechanics, both in a spot-up role and off the dribble. His base really widened out in a way that it wasn’t before.
The rest of his offensive skill set is mediocre at best. Subpar feel off the bounce this year at Tennessee, mundane finishing (he needs to attack closeouts quickly), and no pull-up jumper whatsoever. Phillips does have real IQ and knows how to cut — it’s a nice bonus in his game, but works best when paired with shooting, not in place of shooting.
Phillips jumps off the page athletically with his length and quickness combinations. He moves his feet really well and somehow plays longer than he’s listed at 6’11” with his wingspan. He seemed okay to me against mismatch posts and more physical guys, he can crowd bigger 4s on the perimeter and cause problems, and he uses his length well to contest step-back or pull-up jumpers.
Phillips is also a tad jumpy. He bites on some fakes, both in the lane and on the perimeter. Shot fakes off the catch cause him to rise out of his stance, so guys can drive past him with a quick show-and-go move. It’s a tendency thing that can be broken, but it’s caught my eye enough to think his defensive upside is more in theory (the tools) than in reality (what they produce for his team).
To summarize above: worried by the shooting changes, buy the athleticism, love the defense, and think he’s a high-character teammate, but don’t see the offensive role that keeps him on the floor. In the past, I’d put a bow on a player with that archetype and projection and slap him in the mid-30s to early 40s. In a slightly shallow draft class, that ends up being the middle part of the 30s.
NBA Role: Versatile wing defender, (hopefully) spot-up shooter
Favorite Fits: Charlotte Hornets, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs
Click Here for the Full Julian Phillips Scouting Report
8.34 - Noah Clowney, Alabama
Noah Clowney, freshman from Alabama, is a bit of the ying to the yang of some of the other frontcourt prospects in this class. I think of Clowney more as a forward because I see his best NBA position being primarily as playing the 4.
The idea of Clowney is pretty clear. Few 6’10” guys have as smooth-looking of a shot and the defensive length to challenge on the interior as he does. There are natural movement patterns that have many buying into him as a switchable defender who can really survive on the perimeter long-term. But the idea of Clowney is different than the actualization of him. Prospect analysis is difficult in striking the balance between these terms, especially with an 18-year-old who is still so early in his basketball journey.
I see real obstacles in his ability to drive to the rim from the perimeter. He has long strides but takes a while to get going, he’s got a fairly basic handle, and he doesn’t finish at an impactful level. If Clowney were to play the 4 and be chased off the line or in a position to attack off the catch, I do worry about how he scores. There are flashes of adequate passing — nothing in high volume to be sure — but no mid-range scoring and very frail, slow drives.
If he isn’t going to be a great slasher, Clowney’s perimeter upside on offense is distinctly tied to his 3-point shooting. The form looks very projectable for Clowney. He spent most of his time spotting up in the corners and got a ton of quality looks there. But he only shot 29.1% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, a mark far too low for my liking for a guy whose primary function on offense is likely to be as a shooter. Without the driving ability as a perimeter player, he needs to really improve the reliability of his shot.
Like on offense, the positional versatility to play both the 4 and the 5 has Clowney in drastically different spots. Around the basket, I’ve seen some shot-blocking instincts from Clowney. He does have real length, instinctual moments, and is good rotating to the rim. But we haven’t seen a ton from him in the pick-and-roll as the 5-man.
He spent more possessions guarding the ball after switches than playing in Drop or hedges. If Clowney plays the 5, that’s the likely scheme for him — and that’s fine. It’s just nice to know that before he’s drafted because it makes him much more of a short-term fix at the 5, not a viable long-term option there.
Additionally, Clowney got put in space and hunted by other good teams. Missouri took advantage of how willing Alabama was to switch with him and attacked him. Their guards drove past him, and the bigger bodies muscled him. He has to be much more disciplined to stay low and win the first step more often.
Clowney has a lot of potential for the modern NBA. The way he moves at his size is a great foundational point for intrigue. There are smaller functional areas right now that are not up to snuff. But he is a draft pick on potential, and that potential is clear: a 3-and-D 4-man who can play the small-ball 5. He’s a guy who, if he hits, unlocks a ton of versatility for his team. He just needs to improve both his lateral quickness and shooting consistency in order to unlock that — one without the other still leaves him played off the floor in many situations.
NBA Role: Stretch-shooting big, switchable 4/5 defender
Favorite Fits: Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers
Click Here for the Full Noah Clowney Scouting Report
8.33 - Colby Jones, Xavier
The boxes that Colby Jones checks as a high-feel player with good spot-up shooting and effective point-of-attack defense are important ones in the modern NBA. His game is rather fundamentally sound and not the sexiest by any means, but he is dependable and continues to make winning plays game after game. There’s a little bit of Josh Hart to his game.
The best trait Jones brings to the offensive end of the floor is probably his runner. Jones has superb touch near the basket when driving to his right. He struggles to score (or at least rarely does score) on the left side of the rim. He’s got touch for high-lofting layups. He just rarely gets clean looks at the rim, instead taking a ton of runners proactively or tough stride-stop turnarounds when he drives.
The trouble with Jones’ top trait is that he isn’t a skilled enough scorer to constantly command the ball in his hands. His first step is hit-or-miss. There are examples of real burst and shake with his first step, and other times where it feels like he’s really dependent on pre-catch movement to get downhill. When he comes off ball screens, he wants to use the hostage dribble a lot. That goes hand-in-hand with his sensational runner, but also means he doesn’t get a ton of clean dribble pull-ups.
Those traits lead to a lack of faith in his on-ball prowess at the next level. Jones is adequate as a pick-and-roll passer, and I love the runner. Nothing else about his offense (even the athletic tools) indicates high-volume success.
Thankfully for Jones, he has emerged as an above-average catch-and-shoot threat. With the jump shot as strong as it is in a spot-up situation (42.5% on catch-and-shoot jumpers this year), the ancillary skills make much more sense functionally. When run off the line, I’m not worried about his lack of eye-popping athleticism or first step — the runner can be his go-to move. He can make connective tissue passes or come off dribble handoffs to create for others. Everything fits together much better thanks to the shot.
Colby’s defense is generally really good. There are some games this year that he won almost single-handedly thanks to his effort. Jones is really strong with long arms and quick feet. Those combinations almost always bode well for point-of-attack defense. His quickness is good enough to slide with quicker guards, and his chest strong enough to hold his own when guarding up against mismatch posts.
While I think Jones does better against 3s than 1s in space, his best defensive trait is his ability to slither through screens unscathed. On ball screens, Jones has perfected the leg whip and getting skinny to avoid contact. He recovers with a strong effort, and thanks to his length can contest from behind. More complex actions, such as Zoom or other off-ball screens, don’t trip him up that often, either.
Jones does have an Achilles heel on defense. He gambles. A lot. Moreso off-ball than on-ball, Colby will get in trouble trying to make the home run play.
With his offensive role limited by a lack of self-creation, Colby is essentially a 3-and-D combo guard. That’s not a role in the NBA that I tend to think has an immense amount of positional versatility; Jones is the exception on defense. That’s also not a role I tend to think is the most valuable to draft for; Jones is hoping to be the exception.
NBA Role: Playmaking combo, versatile on-ball defender
Favorite Fits: Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics
Click Here for the Full Colby Jones Scouting Report
8.32 - Julian Strawther, Gonzaga
In almost every place you look, Julian Strawther’s offensive output metrics are incredibly positive. A 60.2% true shooting percentage for a bonafide shooting specialist is pretty damn enticing, and the evidence of touch in the mid-range area is spectacular. Strawther is efficient in so many shot areas and places on the floor.
But Strawther is also a subpar defender. At 6’7”, he lacks the quickness to guard down the lineup and hasn’t yet put together the strength to guard up the lineup. At Gonzaga and in the WCC, where there are not many wings with an athletic translation to the NBA, Strawther was able to avoid those poor matchups, and thus was not exposed in a negative way.
It’s also worth noting that Gonzaga did a great job of using him in ways that covered up some of his smaller deficiencies. Everything off the bounce came going to his right hand. He was utilized off some screens but not enough to expose some footwork challenges as a movement shooter.
As a shooter, his mechanics are good but not pristine — the shot is low, though quick enough that the release point may not be a negative factor. Strawther gets his hips turned and aligned to the basket quickly when he catches the ball from his right or while moving away from the hoop. He’s a hop shooter, and that gives him a ton of speed to the release.
I do have small questions about the versatility of his shooting. Hop form isn’t always the best for movement, and we see that illustrated for Strawther. When coming off screens or Ghost actions, he needs to feel open before the catch in order for his footwork to be effective for either shooting or attacking. If he catches and doesn’t feel open, he tends to drive the ball right away. It shows up in particular on wide pindowns, where he really likes to curl to his right hand.
The attacking off the bounce wouldn’t be so concerning if I had more faith in Strawther getting to the basket. He feels so reliant on his runner — he took 89 of them last year! That’s 2.4 per game! While he scores really effectively there, he doesn’t force rotational defenses to collapse in a way that could allow him to be a playmaker for others when he gets run off the line.
For months, I’ve described Strawther as a ‘try hard’ on defense. Even with some of his shortcomings on-ball, Strawther’s effort to contest pull-ups and try to move his feet has cushioned a lot of the issues that guys with goofy feet tend to face. For all the concerns that I have, I tend to excuse Strawther from being seen as an awful defender because he does seem to care a lot. Guys who want to become passable defenders at his height can find a way to do so.
The pathway forward just isn’t clearly jumping out at me for how to do that. Strawther is limited to certain matchups on-ball. Smaller guys drive right around him. Bigger wings give him the same issues. He doesn’t have physical strength to battle on the interior. Mismatch posts tend to score on him, and he tries to overcompensate for those mismatches by jumping to block shots. He gets airborne and picks up fouls on pump fakes regularly, despite an effort to make a play and not just be a statue. Again, the effort is half the battle here, but there are a lot of ways really talented athletes and scorers can hunt him.
Strawther is a good help defender but an overall poor off-ball defender. What I mean by that is that Strawther makes impactful and timely rotations to the basket on a regular basis. He’s tall enough and in tune enough to make positive team plays as a helper. But in pursuit of being a good helper and staring down the ball when he’s on the opposite side of the floor, simple plays and off-ball movement can really confuse him.
Strawther particularly struggles with flare screens, down screens, and complex movements. He plays a tad stiff and upright with clunky feet, so getting through action gracefully isn’t an option. But he gets himself into trouble by standing up off-ball and coming out of his stance, training his eyes on the ball and not enough on the moving assignment.
The surface level is pretty clear with Strawther. He shoots, he shoots well, he’s big for a wing, and he plays with effort. As much as I’m not too high on the minutia when it comes to Strawther, I cannot deny his productivity in those simple areas that are so important. The optimist in me is clamoring for his shooting impact to be enough to carry him into a rotational role. But I think there’s more to clean up here than meets the eye, knocking Strawther out of a legitimate first-round grade in my eyes.
NBA Role: Floor-spacing wing, non-switchable wing defender
Favorite Fits: Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons
Click Here for the Full Julian Strawther Scouting Report
8.31 - Jaime Jaquez, UCLA
Jaime Jaquez has a lot of respect amongst other high-caliber NBA players for the multitude of ways he can make a positive impact on a basketball game. Incredibly fundamentally sound, Jaquez put together an exceptional four-year career at UCLA that featured a Final Four run and countless individual honors.
With the Bruins, Jaquez functioned as their top offensive option, a role he is unlikely to carry moving forward into his professional career. The individual traits that make up his ascent to leading man in Pauley Pavilion, however, translate to a multitude of avenues for role-player success.
His tremendous basketball IQ and overall well-rounded game allow him to pop within structure. He is so good in complex actions and doing different things based on the matchups. If he can continue to buy into doing whatever is needed for his team to win, Jaquez will make it as a long-time NBA veteran.
There are skill tweaks to make, though. Jaquez is a career 32% 3-point shooter, a low mark for a guy whose pro career doesn’t figure to be built around his on-ball prowess. He’s a below-average athlete in many regards; while a strong-bodied 6’7”, lateral quickness and explosiveness near the rim are both in short supply for him.
Jaquez has a deep bag of isolation moves and tricks up his sleeve. He’s incredibly patient with pivots and spin moves, uses his frame well, and has elite touch in the mid-range. Jaquez likes to mismatch post and play near the blocks and the elbows. He has enough juice off the bounce to go at bigger bodies if teams try to throw size on him to prevent those back-to-the-basket isolation plays. Due to his overall craftiness, put him in space and give him time to operate and great things happen.
I worry about what his role will be at the next level on offense. Very few of his drives left end up in layup attempts. When he goes left, he wants to either have a soft-touch runner across his body or a fake-spin back to his right that leads to a fadeaway jumper. Because he’s not explosive and lives off mid-range jumpers, he may not command those clearout isolations as a member of an NBA starting unit. It’s plausible he gets them on bench units and is utilized at the elbows a lot as a playmaker, though.
Jaquez can shoot the ball, and I think he’ll be fine as a spot-up option. He has small mechanical things to tweak, and I don’t think he’s quick enough to get to the rim attacking closeouts. But as a shooter on his own, he’ll be somewhere in the ‘adequate enough’ designation to command the respect of defenses.
For a long time, I’ve wondered just what the natural position is for Jaime Jaquez to defend at the NBA level. He’s a little too slow-footed to handle the best perimeter wings who can drive past him, and switching ball screens to place him on guards only exacerbates those issues.
His off-ball presence is genuinely positive. Jaquez has such a high basketball IQ on offense that it clearly translates to defense. He’s rarely caught out of position and is very in-tune as a rotational defender. When he needs to rotate to the rim, he does. When he needs to close out, he does. He’s always aware of where the ball is.
It might be a little unfair to call Jaquez a poor defender. He’s a positionless player in some regards and a tweener in others. He doesn’t really have a natural position to guard. My sense is that he’ll be targeted often while on the floor in an on-ball sense. If a team can provide the right infrastructure to protect him, we won’t notice the issues he brings on that end as much.
The intangibles stand out with Jaquez. He plays hard while being an incredibly smart player on both ends. He’s always hustling, has a real energy about him, and makes winning plays. Jaquez will roll up his sleeves and do whatever is asked of him to stick in the league. He’ll dive on loose balls, crash the glass, contest at the rim with verticality… whatever his team needs. That helps him project more cleanly as a really solid, dependable role player in the NBA.
NBA Role: Inside-outside scorer, non-switchable wing defender, playmaking wing
Favorite Fits: Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks
Click Here for the Full Jaime Jaquez Scouting Report
8.30 - Rayan Rupert, NZ Breakers
Despite being a teenager, all reports out of New Zealand are that 19-year-old prospect Rayan Rupert is hell-bent on embracing the roles that he’s given. Rupert joined the New Zealand Breakers this year from France and grew into a starting position on a team that made the NBL Championship. Rupert earned that spot by embracing an off-ball position on offense, playing with energy on defense, and fitting into a winning environment.
Push all the skills aside for a moment: that in itself is wildly attractive. Few teenagers — especially in the modern era with team-jumpers, transfer portals, and such pressure on these kids to live up to their recruiting hype — are able to approach a season with such maturity and team-centric views.
At 6’7” with a 7’3” wingspan and some fluid athleticism, his raw tools are very appealing on their own. They are what got him on scout radars in the first place. There is a ton of work to be done for Rupert on the offensive end, and massive strides must be made physically in order for him to be more than a wing who solely cross-matches onto guards.
Offensively, Rupert gets low on his rim attacks and when getting past closeouts, a sign of comfort as a driver and natural bend. There have been some slight flashes of rudimentary passing reads when he draws two defenders. He has enough of a handle to push tempo in transition and get to the bucket. He’s developed a go-to move on the inside that is built around a unique cadence and uses his unique size to throw off defenders.
Those alone don’t constitute a positive offensive impact. Rupert is incredibly raw on this end. In the NBA, roles are often simplified for players who don’t demonstrate exceptional skill flashes at young ages. The best way to keep the game simple for Rupert and salvage an offensive role is for him to turn into an effective spot-up threat, space him into the corners, and make him a guy who punishes defenses for ignoring him.
This year, Rupert was 14-52 (26.9%) on catch-and-shoot looks with the Breakers. He was 9-34 (26.5%) on unguarded ones, which meant opponents would safely ignore him. He badly needs the catch-and-shoot stuff to come along. It can — he isn’t that far away from a mechanical standpoint. There are minor things to clean up with ball dip, footwork, base, and extra movement on his raise. But touch exists for Rupert, and that should give NBA teams some encouragement about him finding a role long-term.
Rupert is excellent as an on-ball defender. His clear advantage comes in how he can move his feet against other really good drivers. In playoff season, he’ll be able to cross-match and guard true point guards, using his length and quickness for on-ball steals to his advantage. In time, I hope he can add strength and physicality to his frame so that he holds up well against contact. There aren’t many wings he’ll be able to guard right away inside the arc.
I have hopes that Rupert will be a strong help defender. His processing speed and basketball IQ are ahead-of-schedule for someone his age, and with his length on the weak side, I can really see him being impactful reading skip passes, digging down on drives, denying great scorers so they don’t get a touch, or even rotating to challenge at the basket. He needs more time and seasoning to understand these concepts and be able to consistently execute different coverages.
The film does reveal that, at this point, the offensive game is driven solely by those tools and is incredibly unrefined. What Rupert was able to emerge as this year — a backcourt defensive specialist who uses his physical gifts as a disruptor — has clearly-translatable benefits to the modern NBA.
NBA Role: Mismatch point-of-attack defender, spot-up shooter, mismatch handler
Favorite Fits: Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors
Click Here for the Full Rayan Rupert Scouting Report
8.29 - Ben Sheppard, Belmont
Belmont wing Ben Sheppard is definitely my kind of guy. So many of the boxes that I look for are checked by Sheppard. He’s a long, lanky 6’6” with decent positional size. He’s got a terrific feel for the game from growing up as a point guard; he’s posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio each of the last three years. He’s also an exceptional shooter with a buttery stroke and insanely impressive metrics. Tall guys with high feel who can shoot work in today’s NBA and have a high likelihood of sticking as role players.
From a skill perspective, Sheppard has enough to hang. We love the fact that he has a signature skill as a 3-point shooter who can provide floor spacing off-ball. He’s tall enough at 6’6” to be an NBA wing, and good enough as a passer with his background to do more than just stand on the 3-point line.
Of course, he’s excellent there… he knocked down a whopping 49.1% of his unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts, according to Synergy. My favorite trait of Sheppard’s is how he relocates without the basketball around that dribble penetration. He’s mastered loops and slides on the perimeter, knowing how to find the shooting pocket for his teammate.
Sheppard doesn’t have to be entirely a catch-and-shoot guy, though. He’s quite solid as a passer due to those old point guard traits; he hit a late growth spurt, and guys who grew up as traditional lead guards and transition to the wings are a great archetype for connective wings at the next level. His feel translates more toward connective tissue passing and general high-IQ plays, like the ‘one more’ passes he makes that we really love within the flow of offense.
Athletically, Sheppard’s big concern on offense comes with his vertical burst. Sure, he’s played above the rim a fair amount. But many of those opportunities come in space or in transition. Teams with good rim protectors in the MVC (mainly Indiana State and Drake, who played in a deeper drop and would meet him at the rim) really gave Sheppard trouble.
Where I have some worries is on the defensive end. At first glance, Sheppard has some length (though we cannot verify his wingspan at this time) and a solid steal rate. He was named to the All-MVC Defensive Team as a senior, clearly showing he’s respected by the coaches in the league. But from a biomechanical perspective, there are questions.
For one, Sheppard digs his heels in on the perimeter once he settles the basketball. He’s not light or quick on his feet in a reactive manner. He’s also incredibly upright. Sheppard bends at his waist instead of lowering his hips. There are times he can do it, but it seems he’s more comfortable with his legs being upright. It’s a worrisome position for a guy who will likely enter the league as a bottom-third-percentile athlete. He won’t have any margin for error, and his technique or upright positions will see struggles with his reactivity.
Are those defensive issues worth the gamble in the early portions of the second round or once all guys with first-round grades are off the board? I think so. He’s a smart, quick processor, has real length, and is a very mature and polished guy who will come in and contribute positively to the culture of any NBA club. Self-aware role players are the guys who can overcome some physical disadvantages, and Sheppard’s well-rounded offensive game pops best when he’s next to other great players.
NBA Role: Spot-up shooter, perimeter advantage-sustainer, long-armed backcourt defender
Favorite Fits: Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks
Click Here for the Full Ben Sheppard Scouting Report
Tier 7: Risk-Reward Guys w/First-Round Grades
In the past, I called this tier “High Upside Guys w/ First-Round Grades.” I think it’s time to do away with the idea of a high-upside player here. Instead, let’s lean into the idea of risky prospects… some have more risk than others, and some have the boom for a higher return if they pay off.
At the same time, I think there’s a level of risk inherent in drafting this late. In any given draft class, about 19-24 players end up hitting and reliably staying in the rotation beyond their rookie deal. So instead of siphoning off players in that area or range as “role players” or “high-upside swings”, I’m viewing them all as risk-reward players. Some have the reward button a little lower than others, but their risk is also pretty low and notable.
Hoo, boy… this is a PACKED tier. I don’t know if I’ve ever had TWELVE guys in Tier 7, but here we are. The depth of this tier speaks to the volatility of this class and the wide range of outcomes that are possible on draft night. Up to this point, I haven’t been swung enough by all these guys to keep them in my top 15 despite seeing legitimate ways they can return top-15 value.
7.28 - Maxwell Lewis, Pepperdine
Coming into the season, Maxwell Lewis was a rising sophomore at Pepperdine with a lot of raw tools and upside. There were flashes from his freshman season, and plenty of scouts who were already turned onto his upside. A hot start to the season only propelled those musings. I wrote about Lewis this January in the midst of a tremendous 18-game stretch. Even then, I was somewhat skeptical about how raw he was on defense and the path that would lie ahead to harness his offensive skills in a translatable fashion.
Lewis is burgeoning with potential. But there's still a long road to harnessing that upside. Over his final twelve games, Lewis averaged 13.1 points on 37/23/72 splits, posted a 46.6% TS%, and had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio (2.9 assists, 3.6 turnovers). The Waves lost 16 of their final 18 games, and Max really struggled to adjust to the extra attention he received as Pepperdine’s top option.
The place to start with Lewis is with the translatability of his scoring arsenal to the NBA. The role he was asked to fill at Pepperdine — primary scorer and a one-on-one creator — is unlikely to be the same with any pro team. That isn’t to say that Lewis’ traits and skills off the bounce are to be ignored, just that he’ll likely have a steadier diet of spot-up looks. His spot-up jumper has potential to be the best part of his arsenal: he’s got a high release, smooth form, and shot 43.1% on catch-and-shoot jumpers.
Some of my questions about Lewis really come with the validity of his upside as a playmaker. On its face, putting together a 17.2% assist rate and 2.8 assists per game as a 6’7” wing is encouraging about his future to create for others.
The feel and understanding of what he’s doing aren’t well-developed for a team setting, though. The ball routinely sticks in his hands when he catches on the perimeter, especially when there are open teammates he can quickly reverse the ball to. In second-side pick-and-rolls, he’s often thwarted by pressure and struggles to do anything with his left hand. He’ll over-dribble at times and routinely throws inaccurate ones to his rollers, or simply cannot get the timing right between them. Aggressive defenses in ball screens bother him, and switches create mismatches that he tries to shoot over.
Where the real variation in his long-term upside comes in is with trying to predict how much of an on-ball scorer he’ll become. There are flashes of high-level pull-up scoring and self-creation. With a 6’10” wingspan, the ability to shoot over the top of others is valuable.
Yet Lewis has one biomechanical shortcoming that irks me and really gives me pause that he can be a space creator at the next level and not just a tough-shot-maker. Lewis gets both feet tethered to the ground in a very square and clunky fashion before he rises into a pull-up. His hips are a tad tight, he isn’t flexible when jumping off one foot, and the remedy right now seems to be taking jump shots or simply not getting separation from his man.
Lewis doesn’t know how to defend yet. Off the ball is where Lewis has the most work to do. He gets caught ball-watching a lot, which leads to backdoor cuts or simple relocations from his man that result in shots or driving lanes. He stands up a bit and isn’t very low to the ground, limiting his quick reactions in those moments he isn’t highly tuned in. Rotations to protect the basket are hit-or-miss.
A lack of discipline can really haunt him. He’ll come out of his stance a little too often, falling for hesi dribbles or shot fakes that open him up to get driven past. For as athletic as he is, Lewis sometimes digs his heels in and doesn’t play up on his toes enough. As his feet sink into the court, he fails to react to straight-line drives.
Anybody at his size with the athletic burst he brings to the table has the upside to improve as an on-ball defender. His track record of pull-up shot-making, high-level catch-and-shoot metrics, and bursty finishing in transition are all appealing on offense. But Lewis needs to put those traits together into a role he can thrive in, and unfortunately, the lower-end feel and lack of basketball reps could make it hard for that role to be much more than a spot-up one.
NBA Role: Spot-up shooting wing, athletic play finisher, high-ceiling offensive creator
Favorite Fits: Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers
Click Here for the Full Max Lewis Scouting Report
7.27 - Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
Despite playing only 24.5 minutes per game as a freshman, Brice Sensabaugh finished 8th in the entire Big Ten in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game. On a per-40 basis, he is the most lethal freshman in the nation: 26.6 points per 40 minutes, a rate closely aligned with other high-volume-scoring freshmen like Cam Thomas (27.1) from back in 2021.
Sensabaugh is going to score at the professional level. He’s wired to do so, with a bevy of isolation moves, sweet touch across the floor, and the strong frame to bully guys in one-on-one situations. Nobody seems to question whether Sensabaugh will be able to score at the pro level, although some debate exists about where or what role he’ll fill in order to make that happen.
Sensabaugh needs to be billed first and foremost as a great shooter. He registered a 58.2 eFG% on all jump shots this year, made 45.8% of his catch-and-shoot jumpers, and was consistent throughout the entirety of his season. There are so many positive indicators that Brice will be able to play off-ball, including the spot-up shooting metrics and how he takes difficult ones without hesitation over tight contests.
The self-confidence that he exudes as a scorer is incredible. I don’t just see translatable shooting touch due to how he hits them with little-to-no space. I see a guy who is willing to take all the tough shots and believes in himself to do so. He probably needs the ball in his hands to help build that confidence, thus making the spot-up shooting more a great compliment to his top skills than the one that he’ll most frequently hang his hat on.
With the ball in his hands, Sensabaugh uses his really wide shoulders and strong frame in everything he does. He’s a 6’6” bowling ball without the fastest first step or insane acceleration traits. He’ll be reliant a bit on being a tough shot-maker — which is exactly what he is at this point.
Sensabaugh only generated a rim attempt on 16% of his half-court FGAs, taking only 1.5 shots at the bucket a game. Even for his size and physicality, Sensabaugh doesn’t get there too often. He’s also a poor pull-up shooter from 3, going 6-28 (21.4%) on triples off the bounce. Put those together and Sensabaugh’s self-creation needs to be re-branded as mid-range artistry. It’s wildly effective as he’s shown a real propensity to create his own shot, finish it with touch, and beat different defenders in isolation. It’s just not quite as dynamic as you would hope right now.
With Sensabaugh’s defense, he’s just so far behind with the feel, processing, technique, and reactivity that it’s really difficult to say if he can reach a point where his lack of defensive IQ doesn’t hamstring him. There are flashes of really solid tools in isolation: strong chest, good length, and an ability to guard up the lineup against mismatch posts because of his strength.
There are just so many areas to clean up. On-ball, Sensabaugh really struggles with consistency of his angles. He’ll get out of position trying to beat a guy to a spot or on a post move, only to give them a clear avenue to the hoop on a counter-move. He stands up out of a stance to finish a play, thinking that’s a vertical contest and walling up when it just zaps his athleticism. He is way too reactive to pump fakes and shot fakes as well.
Off-ball, his basic positioning is off, he routinely stands up out of a stance, and he loses his man off-ball about once every five minutes. Until those improve, it’s difficult to envision Sensabaugh being on the court a lot as a rookie.
As a mid-range-heavy ISO scorer with the defensive tape he boasts, I have to wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze. There aren’t a ton of unique pathways for Sensabaugh to be successful, though the ones that present themselves are tantalizing. The ceiling is incredibly high thanks to his touch and scoring ability — he could hit and become one of the top overall scorers from this draft class.
Or he could be a porous defender with a low feel, score-first instincts, and a lot less positional flexibility than other scorers can offer.
NBA Role: Spot-up shooting wing, high-volume 1v1 scorer, undersized wing defender
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic
Click Here for the Full Brice Sensabaugh Scouting Report
7.26 - Jordan Hawkins, Connecticut
After two years in Storrs, it’s clear what Jordan Hawkins brings to an NBA team: shooting. He can be the guy in the half-court who consistently drills shots and serves as a gravity-creator for others. He can be a Kyle Korver or Buddy Hield piece who unlocks the playbook for a creative coach. He can change the course of a game once he gets in the zone.
The questions for Hawkins revolve much more around whether he does enough of the other things to consistently see the court. The Huskies finished the season with a top-10 adjusted defense, positional length everywhere, and two elite rim protectors. Hawkins contributed in a positive manner to the defense, but he clearly benefitted from having great personnel next to him.
I love movement shooters and what they can do next to star players; Hawkins is the most seasoned movement threat in this class. He’s also got some frustrating points where he statistically does so little to impact the game other than score. The only players drafted in the last 15 years with as low of a rebound, steal, and assist rate at his size are John Jenkins and Cameron Thomas. Not exactly beacons of well-rounded play.
That buttery shooting stroke that Hawkins possesses: it almost never takes a night off. He’s wildly consistent and ultra-confident. Hawkins showed up big when it mattered most, but that shouldn’t overshadow the consistency he plays with. He was 40-81 (49.4%) on spot-up catch-and-shoot looks, which are those half-court attempts where he isn’t darting off a screen. His footwork is good (not great, but good) to catch on the move when he is coming off those screens. He compensates with an innate ability to shoot from deep off somewhat goofy footwork or without his hips fully aligned pre-catch.
While his smooth shooting mechanics translate to pull-up jumpers, Hawkins is very limited off the bounce. He doesn’t do much as a passer for others, his first step is really slow (he dribbles the ball by his side instead of extending it out), and there isn’t a ton of creativity with his handle. Those aren’t major issues for an off-ball player like Hawkins. But I’d like to see the finishing improve around the basket. He wasn’t very good there this year (47.6% in the half-court) and left a ton of points on the table with how contact-averse he was.
The defensive evaluation of Hawkins has been one of great internal consternation. I don’t want to overthink him as a prospect because of it, but I do have some concerns as he’s really undersized to play the 2.
Hawkins is a try-hard. He cares about defense, competes on nearly every possession, and is willing to guard other good players. He is very good at getting through screening actions unscathed. That’s mostly potent off-ball, where he runs off sets like he’s a shooter. Hawkins also blocked a decent amount of shots for a guard.
The polish and overall clunkiness of his footwork does stand out in space as a potential negative. Hawkins opens up his hips rather quickly, falling for jab steps or simply over-anticipating ball screen coverage that’s about to happen. Drivers may have a field day refusing ball screens he’s trying to force them to, getting straight-line drive opportunities, or throwing him off with one small fake. He’s very thin and has little muscle; bigger wings bully him inside. He needs a lot of work or refinement to guard ball screens on high volume.
Every time I try to move Hawkins into the lottery on my big board, I keep wishing he impacted the game in just one more way. That he could rebound well, make solid secondary passes, take a few more risks and pressure in passing lanes on defense — something!
But it’s hard to bet against that movement shooting. In the right team or system where the playbook is unleashed around Hawkins and he’s blanketed by defensive length, his impact can be just like it was at Connecticut. That version of Hawkins is a borderline lottery guy. As a purely spot-up threat who isn’t given forethought on the defensive end, Hawkins may struggle to stay on the court.
NBA Role: Movement shooting specialist, off-ball undersized wing
Favorite Fits: Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic
Click Here for the Full Jordan Hawkins Scouting Report
7.25 - Kobe Brown, Missouri
Kobe Brown turned 23 during the season and is one of the older, more accomplished players in this draft class. He experienced one of the rarest single-season shooting spikes in recent memory; a career 23% 3-point shooter turned into a 45% shooter this season.
Both of those traits are atypical for somebody to receive a first-round grade, and even make Brown somewhat risky as a 23-year-old to draft this high. But Kobe checks every box from a character, work ethic, and versatility standpoint. The way he can blend his game next to others stands out, and his high basketball IQ is so translatable in any aspect of his offensive arsenal that he’s one of my favorite bets to just become a winning role player.
Kobe is an unbelievably polished young man, a great leader and a high-character teammate. He’s got size at 6’8” with a strong frame and over a seven-foot wingspan. He’s gotten better every year in college and can handle the ball a little bit. He’s a versatile scorer, but he’s not a high-volume creator. His pull-up and fluidity off the bounce aren’t primary option material. He needs his jumper to stick in the NBA.
Two reasons why I’m optimistic about the shot. First: mechanical tweaks. His form is pretty good now. Second: few players shoot the ball with as much confidence as Brown anywhere in the country. He took over three a game, and the situations he took them in are associated with guys who really believe their shot will fall.
Brown is an uber-quick processor of the game. One bounce or less in traffic and he knows where he’s going with the ball. He’s a smart extra passer, can make plays attacking closeouts, and makes the right team play. Those guys, who are a threat to sustain an advantage created for them, belong on the floor. His playmaking when attacking closeouts is likely my favorite part of Kobe’s game for its upside in the league.
At 6’8” with a 7’0” wingspan and a 240+ pound body, his spot in the lineup can be described as anywhere from the 3 to the perimeter-oriented 5. The farther up the lineup he goes, the more his game resembles that of a big man in functional ways. As a wing, he can physically body defenders and steamroll them on his way to the rim. Teams can slide him up the lineup and play him as a skilled, small-ball 5. I do believe that will be Brown’s ultimately best chance to be on the floor with closing lineups for a team that wants to ditch going bigger and switch everything on defense late.
His overall productivity on the defensive end is the major selling point. He’s been coachable up the wazoo and has textbook form on accepting switches. At 6’8” with some elements of quickness, Missouri utilized him in a switching scheme once Gates got there. I think it’s the right way to use Brown, where he can alter between 4s and smaller guys when jumping out on the perimeter.
Yet there are smaller concerns for Kobe as a defender in space. He lacks what I call lateral reactivity. In essence, crossover dribbles, hesitation moves, and other changes of pace leave him a little disarmed as a defender. He has slightly heavy feet, he commits fouls on drives a fair amount, and his reactivity on closeouts leaves a little bit to be desired.
He’s an offensive mismatch nightmare without having to be the guy the primary action is run for, and he brings a smart basketball sense and connective tissue IQ into each realm he steps into. There’s a term to describe that: winning basketball player.
NBA Role: Mismatch switchable forward, connective inside-outside playmaker
Favorite Fits: Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics
Click Here for the Full Kobe Brown Scouting Report
7.24 - Leonard Miller, G-League Ignite
For the last two-to-three years, Leonard Miller has been a name on scout’s radars. Since he was young, he’s shown promising handles while being huge, has a track record of comfort taking jump shots, and is an imposing athlete.
Although ugly at times, this year’s growth process with the G-League Ignite was a wildly positive one from Miller. He’s become one of the more reliable young players on the Ignite program, all while making one of the biggest single-year competition-level leaps I can remember.
Since we first saw Miller, the term thrown around with his skill set was ‘versatility’. It’s rare to see guys his size who can handle and move as fluidly as he does. Versatility feels a tad misleading with Miller’s long-term upside, though. When most folks think of versatility, they envision guys who do can play multiple roles on the offensive end.
Ultimately, I find Miller’s offensive game to be somewhat limited and not built around versatility. He struggles to shoot the ball from the perimeter and hasn’t shown enough growth there this season to make me believe he will eventually shoot at a high level. A lack of shooting tends to hinder his versatility in some regard, and it changes the construction of the lineups he’s part of.
Miller’s real versatility and upside, in my eyes, comes on the defensive end. With his physical profile and natural strength, he can be a really important piece for an NBA team locking down opposing star wings, rotating as a help defender to protect the basket, and using his great rebounding prowess.
Miller’s first few months playing defense with the Ignite were pretty rough. On-ball, his tools could carry him to success on most possessions. As the season went on, he started to learn how to use those tools better and gain discipline. He’ll strike the right control with his tools and the confidence will come with repetition. Getting to play through many of his early mistakes helped him form positive habits and exhibit a huge in-season improvement on the whole.
One of my favorite signs of maturity in his game is how Miller walls up and uses his length near the rim. He’s great at throwing his arms straight up and forcing guys to try to score over him. That discipline carried over to his movements as a help defender. He has become one of the better rotation defenders who can get to the basket and challenge shots.
Miller is best defending other wings. He’s good at moving his feet and using his length to cut guys off. Smaller guys can change speeds and directions a little more fluidly. But wings are more deliberate and cannot get past him with long strides. He keeps them in front and encourages jumpers, then contests them with his lanky wingspan.
His best ‘position’ is likely as an NBA 4-man and swing forward, which means he will likely need to be a guy who goes from guarding the weak side corners to helping at the rim. Miller can play the small-ball 5 in a pinch if a team is committed to switching ball screens.
6’10” and skilled, Miller is a bizarro offensive piece. Leonard loves transition and the open floor. It’s where his tools pop the most, especially since the half-court is an underdeveloped part of his arsenal right now. The handle has clear limitations right now. It’s not very good in tight spaces, he loses control often against pressure, and tries to go behind his back way too much. Worst of all, he takes nearly all of his bounces with his left hand. He’s super raw.
As a finisher, Miller is excellent. With such a high usage in transition, his half-court stats are ones that really go to show different methods of upside for a guy like him. But Synergy rates him out at shooting 61.1% at the rim in the half-court, likely one of the highest numbers in this class. When he can get to the basket cleanly, generally good things happen.
Miller is a pretty poor decision-maker with the ball in his hands. He doesn’t process the game at an incredibly high level. He makes some really strange mistakes that are borne by his professional immaturity; he tries to play too casual and it catches up to him in major moments. I have a hard time seeing him operate as an offensive creator as a result.
The shooting is another red flag. Dating back to last year, the footwork and base of his jumper has been the major issue. Miller’s feet are too close together on the catch, and he tends to lack power as a result. He’s sometimes square and sometimes angled, staggers his feet on his landing occasionally, and slows down or speeds up his release based on who is around him. He needs to gain a reliable jumper in order to stay on the floor.
This may seem pretty low for Miller in comparison to other mainstream boards. I’m just having a really difficult time buying into the offensive production despite some obvious flashes of skills that he’s shown. At his size, he’s still worth a first-round investment and a lot of patience from an organization. But the lion’s share of development still lies ahead for him.
NBA Role: Mismatch switchable forward, transition playmaker, downhill rim-attacker
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder
Click Here for the Full Leonard Miller Scouting Report
7.23 - GG Jackson, South Carolina
GG Jackson’s immaturity showed throughout the season, both on the court and off it. Without access to interviews, first-hand information, or understanding how Jackson might not have been ready for the social aspects of joining a college program, it’s really hard to know what to do with the elements of immaturity we saw on screen. If he’s going to become a legitimate NBA player and be worth a first-round pick, any team taking him has to be able to project Jackson as willing and able to listen, mature, and buy into a role that isn’t about him staying in his comfort zone.
What Jackson dealt with at South Carolina was a pretty atrocious group. They were undertalented for the SEC, ill-conceived in terms of how the pieces fit together, and not forced to play in a cohesive, team-centric scheme. The keys were clearly handed to a 17-year-old, which made accountability and productivity tank. But that may not be Jackson’s fault, providing further confusion to an already-difficult evaluation.
Jackson wants desperately to be a scoring hub. He’s worked to overhaul his offensive game over the last 18 months and shows really promising flashes of self-creation. The mechanics look super clean, to the point you’d never know that Jackson was almost exclusively used as an interior big not that long ago. He trusts his jumper, too. His confidence is unmatched in isolation situations.
Guys his age and build aren’t typically as skilled with the ball in his possession. He has coordination between his hands and his feet to control the ball and get into those difficult jump shots. His footwork is tremendous.
Jackson has a pretty quick trigger with his shot selection. He misses open teammates and chooses the highest degree of difficulty looks over the simple play. What’s more frustrating is that there are so many possessions where nobody else touches the ball, where GG dribbles down in semi-transition and jacks up a quick jumper, isolates atop the key, or tries to shoot his team back into a game they’re trailing in.
He’ll need to do more than just score if he wants a primary role on one of the 30 best teams in the world. The question is whether processing speed, playmaking feel, and overall facilitation skills can be taught. His historically low assist rate (6.6%) for his usage (30.8%) is clearly indicative that there’s a long road ahead.
Jackson’s jumper extends to his catch-and-shoot ability. Again, he should be a senior in high school and he’s shooting 35% on catch-and-shoots against SEC competition. His spot-up metrics (35.8% on spot-up catch-and-shoots) does give hope that he can blend in well with others. The obstacles to him being a good off-ball player would be far more mental than physical.
There isn’t much sugarcoating you can do to make Jackson’s defensive effort at South Carolina taste sweet. He put in very little effort on that end and was particularly porous as a help defender. Jackson didn’t have a great understanding of defensive coverages, either.
Many of his issues show a lack of experience and no attention to detail. He stands up off-ball or as soon as his man passes it, and he gets burned by movement as a result. He was easy to screen, missed rotations to the basket from the weak side, and really struggled against the pick-and-roll. He guarded handlers more than screeners, but was ineffective against both.
As a switchable 3 and 4, he can find success and had enough flashes of on-ball impact to have me optimistic for the future. It might take several years before he’s competent against ball screens (guarding either the screener or the handler) and that’s a big worry for impact early in his career. South Carolina is just a really difficult environment to evaluate and determine what is on him and what is on their program.
As a result of those difficulties, most people are trending toward avoiding Jackson. He’s got a lot of risky red flags around him, be it his feel or desire to pass on offense, his maturity and work ethic off the court, or his defensive aptitude and buy-in on that end. From my vantage point, it really is hard to know how much of that conversation is driven by continued perpetuation of a stereotype that was created for him early on as a difficult kid to work with. If I felt like I had positive intel enough for Jackson to not be on a ‘do not draft’ list, this is the range where I think his skill set warrants a selection.
NBA Role: Giant wing self-creator, tunnel-vision scorer, jumbo initiator
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets
Click Here for the Full GG Jackson Scouting Report
7.22 - Jett Howard, Michigan
Jett Howard is one of the best shooters and overall shot-makers in this draft class. He’s 6’8”, spaces the floor well next to other stars, shoots on the move, and knows how to create for others within a system. He’s the ideal fourth option on a good team while having enough one-on-one flashes to give confidence that he’ll someday be able to create his own.
Howard is also a very unathletic 6’8”. His length is pretty mundane and his vertical burst is nonexistent (he has three dunks on the season, only one of which came through half-court offense). He gets targeted endlessly on the defensive end, where the lack of bend, physicality, and quick footwork can doom him at times.
His shooting form is quick, his footwork really strong, and his confidence incredibly high. He should be a high-volume 3-point threat at the next level and an effective one. He’s 6’8” and understands how to move without the basketball. He cannot be left alone, either. Stick him on the perimeter next to playmakers who can get him easy, open shots and Howard will provide positive value for his team on offense.
A guy like Jett really can open up the playbook for a team. His versatility pops a lot more when he is the fourth or fifth option. He has a great knack for coming off screens, is effective off handoffs, and has incredibly fluid hips to align quickly. When opponents are trained on him less, Howard can be a really good movement shooter who allows his team to do a ton of fascinating things on the offensive end.
Early in the season, I was enthused with Howard as a secondary playmaker, or at least someone who could run a second-side pick-and-roll. He showed a good feel for his roller, split picks to get downhill with his shoulders square to the rim, and was willing to share the ball in a connective manner. Time has revealed some of his limitations of them or explanations for why they occur. Howard hates driving to his left, and it seems like every time he bounces it in that direction he’s looking to pass. His playmaking is very much systems-dependent and is contingent on him getting the ball with momentum already going to the rim.
Howard really struggled at getting to and converting at the rim this year. According to his Synergy page, he took 26 shots at the rim in a half-court setting all season (he played 29 games). Howard struggles to separate off the bounce, with a slow first step and a tendency to be a wide driver. He’s contact-averse near the rim, gets very little vertical lift, and struggles immensely with size and strength protecting the basket.
A lack of rim pressure is a deal-breaker for a go-to scorer, making Howard much more of a spot-up and movement threat. All the statistical indicators point to him being a long-range gunner, so I value the flashes of mid-range turnarounds and step-backs a little less.
Jett is one of those guys who struggles to get into a stance. He’s slightly high-waisted and bends at his back, not at his hips. That hunches his stance a bit, makes him less able to react to quick footwork, navigate in traffic, or utilize his length laterally for on-ball steals. He gets targeted a lot, and I can only see that getting worse or more frequent in the NBA — especially in the postseason.
He can eventually learn to maneuver himself to be as protected as possible. The high-waisted stance issues might seem like they’re imminently fixable, but they give me a fair deal of pause when the rest of the portfolio is pretty unathletic. There really is no ideal position for him to defend. Screen navigation is a struggle and faster guys zip right past him, so using his length against opposing guards can be ruled out. Quicker wings do the same. Bigger, more physical wings try to mismatch post him, and easily discard him on the blocks. I’m not very optimistic about the defense.
Still, what he provides on offense (and the fact he’s a legitimate 6’8”) means Jett is valuable within the right team construct. There are teams who need floor-spacers to bring out the best in their stars and can provide the defensive infrastructure to help Jett avoid as much harm as possible when getting targeted.
NBA Role: Movement shooting specialist, pre-catch movement secondary creator
Favorite Fits: Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers
Click Here for the Full Jett Howard Scouting Report
7.21 - Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Marquette
Coming out of the 2023 NBA Draft Combine, Olivier-Maxence Prosper (known as O-Max) was one of the biggest stock risers. He played exceptionally well in the first scrimmage, to the point where he removed himself from playing the second day and worked to solidify himself as a first-round talent.
Prosper is coming off a great season with the Marquette Golden Eagles, averaging 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 51/34/73. The stats don’t tell the story, though. Prosper was the team’s fourth option on offense, playing nearly 30 minutes a night to be their frontcourt defensive stopper. A great deal of his offense came in transition or in effort plays.
But Prosper was arguably as valuable to anyone on that Golden Eagles team despite being a fringe threat on offense. He fit like a glove in their switching defense, utilizing his athleticism and 7’1” wingspan to bother different styles of players. Prosper would also take on the top defensive assignment and not switch at times. In the talented Big East, Prosper’s versatility allowed Marquette to tailor their defensive gameplans to their opponents.
In the NBA, O-Max hopes to fill that same type of role. He’s more than capable of doing so, and the proof we’ve already gathered from the past season at Marquette makes him one of the most translatable defenders to the league.
Prosper is one of the most versatile on-ball defenders in the class. He has the quickness to slide his feet on the perimeter and use his length against smaller guards. He bothers big wings in space and beats them to spots, turning them into jump shooters. He can truly guard 2 thru 4 at a really high level, can switch ball screens to contest smaller 1s in space, and even had moments where Marquette would have him guard the 5 (see the Butler game). He is switchable and can play in switching schemes, but because he’s so good on-ball, I’d think he’s more useful to a team that doesn’t switch and just needs a lockdown defender who can guard different guys.
Against Xavier, Prosper guarded 6’5” combo guard and potential first-round pick Colby Jones. Colby had very mundane showings against the Golden Eagles, with two 3-turnover contests and perhaps his worst game of the season coming in the Big East Tournament with O-Max on him. Against Villanova, O-Max took the challenge of guarding lottery pick Cam Whitmore. Cam averaged 9.5 points with six turnovers in the two games against Marquette. His best showing came against Jordan Hawkins of Connecticut, the movement shooter who darted off screens nonstop within the Huskies offense. Prosper gave him fits, stayed attached the entire game on those off-ball actions and wouldn’t let Hawkins get loose for easy looks.
That versatility positionally is massive. Because Prosper can guard so many types of scorers, he is a great chess piece to have in the rotation. Marquette deployed him as a point-of-attack threat, and his metrics as a shot blocker or help defender plummeted. Despite having a 7’1” wingspan, Prosper blocked only 5 shots this year. It’s hard to know exactly what to do with that low mark, though it does feel easily excused by how much time he spent guarding above the free throw line.
Offensively, Prosper’s offensive arsenal simply does not feature on-ball creation. His handle is pretty choppy, his movement patterns a tad too wide instead of being very straight-line oriented (his hips aren’t great) and there is no evidence of an in-between game. Even attacking closeouts is a tall order for Prosper at times. He can be slow to rip the ball off the catch, which lets defenders establish balance and position.
This year, O-Max shot 33.6% on catch-and-shoot jumpers while taking 113 of them (more than three a game). The efficiency isn’t all that to brag about, but his willingness to take them and the continual smoothing of his form is a positive. Prosper did improve during the season. From January 1st onward, O-Max shot 35.6% from 3-point range and registered a TS% of 59.3%. He’s a big part of the reason the Golden Eagles went 18-3 to finish the year, and that growth seems to have sustainably carried forward into a reportedly strong pre-draft workout process.
What I really like about Prosper’s offense is his knowledge and understanding of how to offset many of these concerns. He is smart as a cutter and efficient as a finisher near the basket, which helps him find impact even if the shot is a question mark. He already knows how to play the role he’ll have to fill in the NBA.
Prosper is climbing — both on my board and in the minds of front office executives. He’s wildly competitive and is willing to bet on himself, evidenced by the multitude of pre-draft workouts he’s conducted. Prosper may never average 10 PPG in the NBA, but he brings insatiable defensive hunger and real versatility to the table. A team looking for the right role player (and that feels comfortable with the continued shooting growth) should view Prosper as a borderline top-20 guy.
NBA Role: Versatile wing defender, low-usage off-ball player
Favorite Fits: Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat
Click Here for the Full Olivier-Maxence Prosper Scouting Report
7.20 - Keyonte George, Baylor
Since watching Keyonte George play at IMG prior to college, I’ve seen a natural scorer with all the unique traits that go with being a top guy at the highest levels. He’s always confident, has elite touch, scores consistently off wrong footwork, embraces physicality for his advantage, and can fill it up on all three levels.
It’s not a stretch to say that George is one of a handful of players in this class who have clear #1 option potential. Over his first 24 games, Baylor went 18-6 and it was clear he could lead a team successfully on offense. George averaged 17.5 points, 3.0 assists (with 2.9 turnovers), shot 44.5% from two-point range, and got to the line 5.3 times every game. He wasn’t insanely efficient, but was efficient enough on his volume to establish himself as a top-seven guy on my mid-season board.
Since that point, George has steadily dropped down to the middle to late portion of the first round, due in some regard to his shaky feel as a passer, the late-season drop-off in production (which could be excused by injury), and the boom-or-bust nature for guys like him whose game is almost fully built around scoring.
How George continues to evolve and adapt as a playmaker will have a major outcome on his NBA career. There are flashes of competence that have always been there, but a full-season view shows that there are too many places where his game can be disrupted by the defense right now. He needs to fix those in order to truly be a professional threat with the ball in his hands.
George’s scoring ability in one-on-one situations is a highlight and has made him attractive as a prospect for years. His jump shot is as pristine as it comes, both off the catch and the dribble. His release is high and quick, he has very few (if any) mechanical inconsistencies, and confidence in his jumper to take them on high volume. George wants to be a scorer, embraces that role, and takes a high volume of his shots from behind the 3-point arc.
George is really confident in creating his own. At the first level, George isn’t an exceptional finisher. His burst to separate from his man one-on-one isn’t great, and he routinely needs fancy dribble moves and combos to create separation. What saves him in those situations is his heat-seeking physicality. George loves to bump and initiate contact on primary and secondary defenders alike, and draws a ton of free throws as a result.
While he has a sweet stroke from deep and gets to the free throw line, George impressed me a lot with how he gets to his pull-up. He has the trait of many natural scorers: he gets his makes with unorthodox footwork and can raise up whenever he wants while still making shots. The step-back. The pull-back crossover. There’s a real speed and smoothness to his moves that are really tough to teach.
His feel and well-roundedness as a creator just don’t seem to be there in a few key areas that matter quite a bit. The first (and main) challenge that stood out about Keyonte is how he handles on-ball pressure. At 6’4”, George isn’t exactly huge for a guard, and he’s certainly not quick from a standstill. He doesn’t have great deceleration, bigger wings hounded him, and he’d routinely get stranded in the mid-range off of two feet. His decision-making faltered in the face of pressure, and he was trapped a lot, as teams tried to turn him into a passer.
George is an adequate passer. When he’s in control and playing at his desired speeds, he makes some solid reads out of ball screens. But when sped up or driving at his max, those passes often go out the window. I don’t feel confident or comfortable in him making reads that aren’t pre-determined by the offense — a reason why I’m dropping him down my board to this range.
Keyonte improved a lot during the season as a defender, and when he was engaged in locked in, he was solid. As a 6’4” combo, he’ll likely be asked to defend smaller, faster guards more often in the NBA. Those guys are elite and hard to contain. Other teams really tried to attack Keyonte in space. He doesn’t do a good enough job of moving his feet and keeping contact square to his chest. His effort is a tad underwhelming in those situations. He seems to have prioritized getting into elite shape during this pre-draft process, and perhaps a more professional approach to strength training will alleviate a few of these concerns.
Off-ball, Keyonte gambles a little bit. He can dig his heels in and be slow to react, but the most frustrating habit is the desire to go for steals he had, especially early in the season. He hung his teammates out to dry on a few occasions and needs to be a little more risk-averse on that end.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think Keyonte is going to be a really bad defender at the next level. I just think he isn’t going to be a great one, and that simply raises the margin for error as a scorer and playmaker.
NBA Role: On-ball/ off-ball scorer, potential three-level scorer
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans
Click Here for the Full Keyonte George Scouting Report
7.19 - Bilal Coulibaly, Metropolitans 92
At first glance, Bilal Coulibaly has so many of the traits that I love in a prospect. He’s super athletic, both in his vertical pop and how he moves laterally. He projects as an excellent, versatile, multi-positional defender. He’s super young and making an impact in a professional league at a high level, helping Metropolitans 92 make a push toward an LNB Pro A championship.
I’ve watched a lot of Metropolitans 92 this year, as they have the top prospect in the world, Victor Wembanyama, on their team. Coulibaly has advanced in their system and carved out a larger role for himself as the season has gone on, going from out of the rotation to an important piece during the postseason. It’s gotten to the point where he’s one of their three most important players on the floor in the playoffs.
The level of defensive tools that Coulibaly has are rare and difficult to find. Combine those with great athletic traits to become a downhill slasher and the in-season improvements he’s undergone and it is understandable why he’s darting up draft boards into lottery territory.
Despite the recent uptick in usage, Coulibaly is often hesitant on the offensive end. He’s taking only 6.9 FGA per 36 minutes for Metropolitans; only two non-centers had a lower rate in the NBA this season (Alex Caruso and PJ Tucker).
As a shooter, I have some real reservations. Coulibaly’s touch isn’t really strong, and he struggles in catch-and-shoot and one-dribble pull-up mechanics. His shot is pretty slow, really stiff, and almost too square. For such a fluid athlete, he becomes the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz whenever he has to take a jump shot. There’s been some improvement as the season has gone on and he’s starting to look a little more fluid. Still, close contests crush him and he is guarded like a complete non-shooter.
All that means Coulibaly probably needs to garner a role with the ball in his hands to become a two-way force. He’s proven lately that there’s real potential ahead, but harnessing that potential into consistent production might be difficult. It’s possible that he turns into the “automatic paint touch” guy because of his athleticism, and he already looks decently natural trying to attack closeouts quickly. He’s fast as shit.
However, there isn’t a lot of craftiness or feel that Coulibaly has shown just yet. He’s the definition of a charge candidate, a guy who doesn’t decelerate in the lane and just goes 100 MPH while driving into contact. I’m also not blown away by live-dribble passing feel. He’s too hit-or-miss, with some decent passes but so many that show little understanding of what the help defense is doing. His handle is choppy with his left hand in particular. His kickouts are often inaccurate.
Combine those and I’m torn on Coulibaly being the type of guy who can provide positive value with the ball in his hands. Being able to generate a paint touch is important, but leveraging the right decision once you get there is more vital. Coulibaly doesn’t have consistent last-step quickness or wiggle on his drives, he’s too contact-prone, isn’t a quick decision-maker, and is too limited with his handle. He needs a lot of work.
The rubber really does hit the road on the defensive end with Coulibaly. I’ve seen a lot of raw tools, instincts, and competitiveness to really buy into the upside he brings to be a lockdown defender. Coulibaly’s defensive impact isn’t really encapsulated well enough by blocks or steals and those metrics, but in the difficulty of shots he forces when guys try to score over him.
With his 7’2” wingspan, Coulibaly is always a threat to bother jump shooters on the perimeter. I absolutely love his ground coverage on closeouts, an important skill for any defender to have. On-ball, that length is really impressive when guys try to put the ball on the floor and go past him. Coulibaly does a sensational job contesting pull-ups or step-backs, and he’s quick enough laterally to cut those guys off in the first place. He’ll be effective against 2s and 3s in the NBA. I also see upside for Coulibaly to guard the 4 once he fills into his body a bit.
Full switchability 1 thru 4 isn’t quite on the menu for me. Coulibaly is quick and long, and his length allows him to contest shots from behind. But there are some small areas he still has to improve for functionality, especially on those smaller guys. Couliably tends to die on screens or not be great at getting through contact to his core.
It’s hard to ignore the mainstream noise picking up around Coulibaly these last few weeks. I have some fear about the late-riser who is the last guy still playing in the draft cycle and becoming enamored with his late-season production. That’s the challenge in pre-draft evaluation, though. Coulibaly clearly has a high ceiling, is really young in his basketball journey, oozes raw potential, and has made significant strides. I just think the offensive challenges drive him farther down toward a late-first developmental swing as opposed to a lottery target.
NBA Role: Versatile mismatch defender, downhill transition slasher
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Toronto Raptors
Click Here for the Full Bilal Coulibaly Scouting Report
7.18 - Nick Smith, Arkansas
Coming into the draft cycle, Nick Smith was seen as a potential top-10 pick. Beloved by many for his very real length (6’5” with a 6’8” wingspan), quick handle, and on or off-ball scoring abilities, Smith never got things going as a freshman.
Now, he’s looking to do what only Ziaire Williams has done over the last 15 years: get drafted in the first round despite posting a negative BPM (box plus-minus) as a freshman.
The flashes we did see from Smith which were positive were pretty encouraging, though. On a full re-watch of his games and action, I noticed just how much he cares and competes on both ends. He’s fearless, highly energetic, and wants the ball in the big moments. His touch and shot-making are incredibly enticing, and the fact he can play off-ball will help him blend into the NBA far better than other guard scorers.
This year is difficult to put into context for Smith. He battled an injury to his knee throughout the season, and it definitely hampered how he moved when in the lineup. Some games featured minimal roles and minutes — he was out from December 17th until mid-February and didn’t look himself once again in the NCAA Tournament.
The best trait Smith possesses is his touch in the mid-range with his runner. It’s part of the reason he can operate with the ball in his hands and is effective if chased off the line as a spot-up threat. I love the way Smith can score in the mid-range going to his right. His two-foot floater is ultra quick and his touch with that right hand is evident. It’s not as polished going to his left, but it’s a dangerous shot against teams that give him space. Smith does struggle to generate rim pressure in the half-court. It’s part of the reason why he’s got such a runner-heavy diet, and he was that way in high school, too.
While the touch bodes well for his pick-and-roll scoring prowess, I have my concerns with his feel as a creator for others. Smith hasn’t seemed willing to pass at a high volume — and while the spacing at Arkansas makes it hard to hold him fully accountable, he’s been a low-assist guy for a long time. The feel really isn’t there, and he leaves his feet a ton without a plan.
That forces him to be a lot more of a score-first guy, and without the versatile feel in his game, he’s going to have to be fantastic at creating for himself and a legitimate Jamal Crawford-esque scorer. Because of how shifty he is at all times, Smith still has decent upside to turn into a pull-up scorer. He was especially smooth back in high school, and anybody buying into Smith as a first-round prospect does so understanding the high ceiling he could reach that was on full display before coming to Arkansas.
Off the ball, I’m not sure if Smith is a lethal shooter. He’s definitely streaky: can get molten hot in some games and is absent in others. There’s at least enough shooting for him that he can play next to other stars and make an impact even if he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. There’s evidence of movement upside, and his mechanics are strong, even if the release point is sometimes a tad low.
Despite what the reputation might be, I think Smith genuinely cares about playing defense. His effort has been high at several points throughout the season, he’s active on-ball, and he raises his competitiveness in late-game situations.
That hasn’t stopped him from being a focal point of opponent attacks. He is very slender and not switchable up the lineup at his current frame, making him an easy target to get picked on. He has ‘happy feet’ a bit and opens up his hips to jab steps or fakes a little too easily. Those are fixable tendencies, and his long arms are what really bother ball handlers.
The tools are there, though, to be a good point-of-attack defender. He’s especially bothersome from behind, which helps to create one of my favorite micro-skills in this class. Smith uses his length very well from behind on drivers and ball screen handlers. He blocks shots from behind or alters them by attaching to the driver with one hand and sticking his other straight in the air. I’m more optimistic about Smith’s defensive upside than many other scouting outlets. By no means is Smith going to be an elite defender. He’s thin, non-switchable, and has his errors and issues off-ball. But what he brings to the table is workable.
I get it. I see the appeal and upside in Smith. There’s a chance he turns into a really potent NBA player, a long-armed combo guard craved by many teams, and a 20 PPG scorer or higher. He’s a good kid by all accounts and could have an impact in the NBA as a scoring specialist. There’s a lot to clean up, but if he’s healthy, I’d expect the offensive production to be much more positive than it’s getting made out to be.
NBA Role: Scoring-minded combo
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns
Click Here for the Full Nick Smith Scouting Report
7.17 - Sidy Cissoko, G-League Ignite
Some folks subscribe to the team-building strategy of “draft a bunch of dudes you just don’t want to play against.” Sidy Cissoko from the G-League Ignite falls into that category.
He has great physical tools for a teenager that will make him a bully wing down the line and an exhausting individual assignment. Most importantly, Cissoko is a hard-wired competitor. He talks his shit and backs it up with a supremely physical style of play. There aren’t any plays beneath him to make; he’ll dive on the floor, take a foul to save a basket, guard across the lineup, or hit any driver on their ass. Some guys pop off the screen as intense competitors, and this kid is one of them.
Cissoko averaged 4.3 assists per 40 minutes on the Ignite while sharing the floor with ball-dominant Scoot. Guys who have his level of experience who can get a nearly two-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio at 18 (he played the entire Ignite season at 18 years old) are highly valuable. Yet Sidy, even for a high-feel teenager, is still pretty raw. There are gains in his arsenal that need to take place for me to trust his on-ball creation reps, and as a scorer, he certainly isn’t polished enough to deserve an on-ball role within an NBA offense.
Cissoko’s game pops most in transition right now. His handle is fairly advanced for his size and position, and his overall downhill aggression pops the most. Cissoko gets to the free throw line a fair amount and is not bashful about going straight into people’s bodies. He’s not an incredibly explosive athlete but he has a little bit of sneaky burst when he gets himself momentum toward the bucket. More than anything, he’s like a freight train with how strong he is while dribbling full speed.
As we know, half-court impact is really important for staying on the floor in late-game situations. Cissoko has real passing traits and some pretty good feel. Many of his assists come within the flow of play and because he is a subpar accelerator off the dribble. Instead, he uses a bevy of hostage dribbles and hesitations (and his frame) to get to his spots. He’s not a great threat to attack closeouts because of that subpar first step. That was an area I was tipped off on most recently in giving a late re-watch on Cissoko, and it’s part of why I have lowered him down into this tier. I just have questions about how he’ll make an offensive impact if he doesn’t shoot it.
Shooting was a clear area of weakness heading into this season with the Ignite. Last year, he was 28-113 (24.8%) on triples, an incredibly poor number. For him to shoot 33.9% on catch-and-shoot looks this year is a step in the right direction, and he topped 36% from 3 overall from January 15th to March 15th, a respectable two-month run that showed some meaningful improvement to his mechanics. But Cissoko is still pretty far away from impact as a shooter. While we’ve seen growth, there are some really bad games — the performance from one night to another is hard to predict.
Defensively, Sidy is a decent help-side rim protector, and though he’s only 6’7”, he blocks a fair amount of shots. His timing, length, and desire to meet guys at the hoop are rare for a teenager. He was really good at playing with energy for the Ignite, helping him offset some of the unpolished moments that he and their teenage core would muster.
The real juice from Cissoko comes on-ball, though. He’s a unique puzzle piece in a positionless era of basketball because he can defend every position with some impact. He has long arms and enough quickness to move with smalls. He stonewalls physical drivers diving into his chest. He was strong enough to switch onto the post and contest with verticality while not getting physically backed down.
Sidy isn’t just a toolsy athlete. He’s a hard-wired competitive MFer. He’s going to have a little bit of a Draymond Green, Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen-esque villain side to him. Cissoko is super physical on both ends and has a fiery personality to pair with it. Cissoko is a little foul-prone right now, and some of those tendencies don’t bode well for being an on-ball defensive stopper. That said, the physical traits to guard so many spots and guard them effectively far outweigh the foul concerns.
Cissoko is a good athlete, but not a great one. His raw tools, though, are what are impressive. He’s a bull in a China shop on both ends, sensationally physical, and has true positionless ability that is appealing. He’s a good basketball player with a competitive spirit and projectable growth over the last two years. I believe in betting on hard-wired competitors, big wings with playmaking skill, and guys who have produced pre-draft in a professional league. Cissoko checks all those boxes, but the reliance on his shot to improve makes it hard to have him higher in the ‘dependable role player’ tier.
NBA Role: Versatile wing defender, mismatch transition handler, perimeter advantage sustainer
Favorite Fits: Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks
Click Here for the Full Sidy Cissoko Scouting Report
7.16 - Dariq Whitehead, Duke
Coming into this season, Dariq Whitehead was my top college basketball prospect for the 2023 NBA Draft and a guy I saw as a top-five pick. The confidence and mental approach he had in high school, combined with real size at 6’6” and three-level scoring flashes, felt so legitimate and tantalizing.
Unfortunately, nearly a year later and a bumpy path knocked that cart off the road. Whitehead suffered a foot fracture in August while working out for the Blue Devils, a fracture that has now required two surgeries to fix. Now it’s difficult to know (especially without pre-draft workouts available) what kind of athlete Whitehead can be long-term, whether the surgeries are going to help him return to pre-college form, or if he’s permanently zapped of some of the burst that once made him special. That’s a really dangerous spot to be in pre-draft.
Whitehead’s freshman season got better as it went along. He pushed through, despite keeping his minutes somewhere between 15 and 30 minutes a night. His role was almost entirely as a spot-up shooter, with occasional bursts of self-creation or mid-range pull-ups. He was blending into a switching scheme at Duke that encouraged him to pass off assignments as soon as he would get driven past.
A year ago, I would’ve told you that 3-point shooting range was an area I’d want to see Whitehead really buckle down on and make sure was a strength of his game. The ability to play off-ball is important at higher levels, and Whitehead making shots off the bounce from deep could unlock major scoring upside.
Now, the 3-point jumper is developing into a major strength, and very few (if any) mechanical flaws exist. Other Freshmen who shot 42.5% from 3, made over 40 3-pointers in a season, and were drafted all seemed to become reliable shooters at the next level. An off-ball role helps save Whitehead from falling out of the first round due to injury concerns.
At the very least, I do have faith in Whitehead’s shooting touch translating beyond the spot-up role. He’s got incredibly consistency on his mechanics, which is great for evaluation purposes. When he’s in the mid-range, his touch stands out as terrific. The short mid-range features so many soft finishes, and his wrist flick on mid-range jumpers is as pure as you’ll find. His mid-range pull-up is his best on-ball tool right now, and it can lead to a few isolation moves in his bag. He’s not an over-dribbler in those situations, but he also doesn’t create a ton of easy looks for himself.
The burst and athleticism to create separation to the rim were a little more present in high school but were never strengths of his game. Whitehead registered only 2 dunk attempts in the half-court on the season with the Blue Devils. That may not be due to the foot: in 22 games logged by Synergy that he played at Montverde, Whitehead only had 6.
Whitehead didn’t have a very good year defensively at Duke. The Blue Devils would switch on-ball, especially as the backcourt would chase over-the-top and funnel the ball toward the lane. Whitehead, therefore, wasn’t asked to guard out in space a ton if he got ball screen actions — instead, he’d pass off the rotation to someone else.
There were a lot of mental breakdowns from Whitehead this year in knowing when to pass them off and when not to. His ability to quickly recover from a half-second error in timing or communication was hampered by the lack of lateral quickness, which was clearly impacted by the foot injury. His innate feel on the defensive end is not all too high.
Whitehead has a strong chest, and when he is able to be balanced and in early guarding position against strong drivers, that chest allows him to win some battles near the rim. There are some workable traits on defense. Again, it’s hard to know how much of his lateral quickness can be recovered post-surgery.
NBA Role: Scoring-minded combo
Favorite Fits: Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Phoenix Suns
Click Here for the Full Dariq Whitehead Scouting Report
Tier 6: Bankable Role Players with First-Round Grades
If Tier 7 was based on weighing the risk-reward, Tier 6 emerges as a mini-tier of players who might project more as role players, but are guys who I think have an exceptionally high floor. The risk simply isn’t very high with these guys, and I will have a difficult time seeing them not make an NBA rotation someday.
There’s also not quite the value that they bring to place them into the “highest value role players” category in Tier 4. These guys aren’t really elite connective pieces, or still have one flaw that can be exploited in late-game situations.
It’s a mini-tier and one that almost emerged out of necessity in this draft class. I finally put my foot down, re-worked the phrasing around Tier 6 to accommodate these low-risk role players, and put them in an area where I feel they are a little undervalued at the moment.
…and by ‘they’, I mean he.
6.15 - Kris Murray, Iowa
He’s just…good.
I keep finding myself saying this about Kris Murray, the Iowa Hawkeyes latest high-volume scorer to find himself as a draftable prospect. Kris is 22 and will turn 23 before he plays in his first NBA regular season game. He’s a full four years older than some other first-round prospects, so the expectation should be that he’s more developed and ready to help an NBA team than other potential first-rounders
Kris has a different game from his twin brother Keegan, who currently is playing a starting role for the Sacramento Kings. While Keegan was jettisoned to the perimeter and turned into a floor-spacer, he was much more well-rounded off the bounce in college. Kris doesn’t have the same explosion or wiggle off the bounce, and therefore will be more reliant on the 3-point stroke to see the floor. He’s a slightly less toolsy defender (especially as a helper) than his twin as well.
But seeing what Keegan has done as a rookie and how projectable he is as a career role player could do wonders for Kris this year. Similarly, Kris is a mistake-free driver and handler with insanely low turnover rates. He has a nice-looking jump shot, is efficient near the basket, and knows how to play without the ball. There are real similarities here, even if Kris doesn’t have the same high-end impact or well-rounded game as Keegan.
Inside the arc, the numbers indicate a positive impact from Kris, as he shot 66.1% at the rim. Kris is left-handed and pretty much only likes to go to his left, but is strong and broad-shouldered enough to get to his spots a fair amount. He needs to continue to be a ‘two dribbles or less’ guy who makes simple plays only.
Murray is a good finisher when he gets there, but struggles to generate rim attempts as a perimeter player. Most of the looks that he converts come from mismatch post-ups, patient drives where the floor is cleared out for him, or backdoor cuts. The reason he needs those slower, methodical drives is that he has trouble separating from a standstill. His first step isn’t too long, he doesn’t push the ball out on dribbles, and takes his first bounce right by his side.
Because there isn’t much of a threat for Murray to take guys off the dribble, I feel like opponents in a postseason series will view him as a guy they can hide their worst defender or biggest guy on. Cross-matching is popular in the playoffs, and Kris has documented struggles taking bigs off the bounce.
This year was a strange one for Murray from a 3-point shooting perspective. His numbers dipped to below 34% from deep, which is an average rate and a solid litmus test for pro success. Kris was much better a season ago, though, almost at 39% and terrific on catch-and-shoot looks (39.3%). One common trend among both years is that Kris is a deadeye shooter when left alone. On unguarded catch-and-shoot looks, according to Synergy Sports Tech, he was 45.7% in 2021-22 and 41.0% in 2022-23.
For those reasons, I’m not overly worried about Kris standing in the corners and having a spot-up role. He’ll likely be a fourth or fifth option on his NBA team, and guys who are in that position and spotting up tend to get a larger share of their catch-and-shoots classified as unguarded. He’s really good in the corners.
On the final watch-through of his season footage, I came away impressed by Murray’s on-ball defense. He does a nice job of using his physicality against bigger wing drivers. He’d be effective against 3s and 4s, but mostly the bigger and physical 4s who want to bowl guys over on their drives. He’s pretty quick, and held up okay on switches or against smaller defenders.
Kris picks up a lot of on-ball blocks. His 3.4% BLK rate is a good number for a non-big, especially considering how many of them come as an on-ball defender and not a helper. His instincts are really strong for when to poke at balls, and because he slides with guys, he is close enough to alter their step-backs or pull-up jumpers without a cushion of space being created between them.
None of this is to say that Kris is highly switchable by design. He’s still best served against 4s and the brawny players in the league. He’s just not too bad in other situations, which is important to trust that he’ll hold his own out there. By nature, Kris has a style of play that allows him to easily blend in on the floor.
It’s easy to overlook the value of having a classic spot-up, long-armed wing like him and feel like those guys are really replaceable. In reality, they are not — and the rarity of finding high-end 3-and-D pieces helps Kris stay in this tier of prospect on my big board.
NBA Role: Spot-up shooter, long-armed wing defender
Favorite Fits: Sacramento Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, Dallas Mavericks
Click Here for the Full Kris Murray Scouting Report
Tier 5: High-Upside (Lottery) Swings
Before delving into the depths of the ‘role player’ or ‘upside swing’ tiers on draft night, there are players who split the difference in some regard. There are guys who, at the tail end of the lottery, have both really high ceilings to provide impact as a quality starter/ key offensive piece and the high floor to make an impact in more scaled-down roles.
Those guys are really important to accumulate on a roster when they’re available, and they often find their way into the lottery as a result. To me, they are the best-informed bets you can find in the draft.
On my 2023 board, there are only three of them in this tier — and they may not be the three guys you would expect. I see them turning into rotational mainstays at the least, but also believe in their pathways forward to become a true top-three option for their team on offense.
5.14 - Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
Thanks to an explosive final five weeks of the season, Kobe Bufkin is no longer hiding in plain sight. He broke out as a true first-round candidate half-way through his sophomore season. From February 1st onward, he averaged 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 52-45-89 splits.
Right now, Bufkin is more of the ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ guard. He’s got good size and athletic traits, a really projectable shot off the bounce or the catch, efficient finishing with both hands, and the quick hands and instincts to be a plus defender. Even while he’s been statistically impactful and flashed all those skills as positives, he doesn’t really have a signature skill or area where he impacts the game.
He’s not a proven high-volume creator for himself or others. The knock on Bufkin isn’t really about what he can do, but how frequently he can put all these traits together. If he has visions of becoming a top scoring option or a true starting guard, consistency is going to be the name of the game — and with his late-season ascent, it’s simply hard to know how much to trust in him consistently in that lead guard role.
Still, the traits are too great to ignore. He’s a young sophomore who has played different roles in college and adapted well to them all.
As a combo guard, Bufkin provides value by being effective off-ball and being a really projectable creator with the ball in his hands. The off-ball work is simple. Bufkin is a good three-point shooter. According to Synergy Sports, he was 36-100 on catch-and-shoot jumpers this year, which is a commendable mark. He was good in the corners and has all the little indicators that lead to success: a replicable stroke, smooth and quick release, some hip mobility to shoot on the move, and the discipline to have his butt down and hands ready pre-catch.
The intrigue with Bufkin comes with the ball in his hands. Bufkin is wired to score first. He’s left-handed and prefers to go to his left or use his left around the rim. But I wouldn’t consider him ‘left-hand dominant’. He uses his inside hand effectively on either side, shows an ability to pass with his right hand off a live dribble, and will drive in either direction. Bufkin’s finishing off ball screens comes from his quick first step and how he can beat guys around the corner. He’s really quick with the ball in his hands and slithers through tight spaces to squeeze off accurate layups.
Bufkin converted at an insane 71.1% rate at the rim this year. That doesn’t happen on accident, or for guys who are bound to finish with only one hand or drive in one direction.
Bufkin is also a good pull-up shooter in that second range. His runner is fine (nothing elite but certainly not deserving of negative attention). The pull-up is where his second paycheck will likely come from. Everything about his shooting form makes it feel like it can be a major weapon. He drills them going in either direction.
Bufkin is not a poor or even an unwilling passer out of ball screens. The improvement areas he has to make are minor. There are occasional kickouts that he misses by forcing some finishes at the rim, but the times he’s failed to hit open teammates are not large enough to be a red flag on their own. Where he’s weakest right now is against aggressive pick-and-roll coverages, though I do believe those issues can be fixed with repetition. It’s an important fix for him to make, as he projects as a solid pull-up shooter out to 3, meaning defenses may have to be more aggressive in showing and getting the ball out of his hands.
As an on-ball defender, Bufkin shows many positive traits. His length helps him contest pull-ups or recover to alter shots from behind when beat. He also has razor-quick hands for on-ball steals. When Bufkin defends lead ball handlers, he’s great in space when picking up his pressure and when he isn’t worried about screen coverages. It’s one of my favorite microskills of the year because he just pokes balls loose and gets himself out into transition so damn often.
It’s worth noting that Bufkin played more at the 2 for Michigan defensively, as the undersized Dug McDaniel took the smaller assignments on the floor. Bufkin’s length and propensity for rear view contests could only have more value as he’s placed at the 1 more often, guarding players where he has a marginal length advantage and going against the pick-and-roll more often. There are some PNR habits he has to improve, but he was one of the few positive defenders on a rough Michigan squad this year.
As a help defender, Bufkin is quite good. He’s a sensational shot-blocker for his size, with long arms and tremendous instincts. He gets back in transition, rotates to take things away as a helper, and can make up for mistakes his teammates make.
Kobe is incredibly talented and can make impacts on both ends of the floor. I see the vision and the upside for him to turn into that quality lead guard who plays on-ball and off-ball. He was clearly one of the fourteen best prospects down the stretch run of the season, and that’s why he belongs in this lottery swing tier.
NBA Role: Scoring-minded combo guard, long-armed perimeter defender, potential three-level scorer
Favorite Fits: Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies
Click Here for the Full Kobe Bufkin Scouting Report
5.13 - Ausar Thompson, Overtime Elite
There’s a lot of risk involved in a player from an unproven, non-traditional pathway like the Overtime Elite program. By all accounts, the way Ausar Thompson is wired mentally and how he approaches the game cerebrally helps alleviate some of those concerns. As a 6’7” athletic player with real burst and imposing length, there’s a real pathway for Ausar to become an Andre Iguodala type of player: a connective wing on offense with lockdown defensive traits on the other end.
When Ausar is down in a stance and engaged, he’s a wildly disruptive on-ball defender. I can see him successfully guarding 1 thru 3 in the NBA, with his best role as a pest against opposing handlers. Ausar loves to pressure at half-court or beyond and really get into the basketball. If he’s quick and engaged, good athletes have a difficult time getting separation from him. His first step laterally is pretty impressive.
Ausar is a tremendous help defender, too. He’ll be one of the better rim protectors as a wing, at least in terms of weak-side rotations. He does gamble a fair amount (likely a byproduct of the Overtime Elite system) and shoots the gap for passing lane steals a lot. His athleticism and ability to create in transition are too great to dampen those instincts, though.
So many of even his offensive rim attempts come in what I’d deem semi-transition. He thrives in the open floor offensively and uses his strong defensive tools to help him get out in the open floor.
In the half-court, Ausar’s role and impact are both still very questionable to me. On the whole, Ausar shot 36.7% on all field goal attempts in the half-court, with an eFG% of 43.6%. He also only converted on 40.5% of his layups in the half-court. Those are wildly concerning marks for a guy who seems to have such a marginal advantage athletically over the guys he’s going against. Yet he still was really jumper heavy, which is puzzling for a player who hasn’t proven he can consistently drill those type of shots.
Floor spacing could be a valid excuse for why 63% of his field goal attempts were jump shots and only 21.4% came at the rim. So could the fact he shared the floor with his twin brother Amen, another non-shooting, ball-dominant slasher. But an increase in athleticism at the point of attack, better interior defenders, and sagged-off defense could keep the numbers closer to where they are now.
Guys like Ausar who struggle to improvise on the interior tend to be more measured and calculated as passers. Speed causes a loss of control, so they compensate by playing a very controlled style. An indicator of that desire is what I refer to as the decision point, an area where ball screen initiators make their decision as to whether they’ll come off to score or pass.
Right now, Ausar’s decision-point is really early. He is a sensational passer with a really high basketball IQ. You’ll see that in the reads he makes and how quickly he delivers strikes to his rollers. But he has a tendency, even in those positive possessions, to pick up his dribble at or above the free throw line. One dribble off a screen and he freezes to read the defense, puts the ball above his head, and snaps a pass off to a teammate before he even enters the lane. The player he reminds me of most here: Tyrese Haliburton.
That play style only really pops with a great roll man and a ton of floor spacing around him. Even then, I struggle to see Ausar actually becoming a top option as a scorer — the main difference between how he harnesses his proactive passing and how Tyrese does. He went 17-56 (30.4%) on half-court pull-ups this year and had a lot of space to get his shots off. Ausar was played throughout the year like a non-shooter, with teams practically begging him to take the shot.
There is hope for Ausar to become a solid off-ball option, which would allow him to more naturally use his high-IQ passing without the high burden of self-creation. The mechanics on the jumper have started to take a step forward from a catch-and-shoot standpoint. Ausar was the hero of the playoffs for the City Reapers and shot 38.9% from 3-point range across their sample. Almost all his makes were of the catch-and-shoot variety, with an increase in rhythm and fluidity off the catch.
Ausar is, at least in my eyes, the best cutter in the 2023 class. He’s so smart about when to go, feels slips and backdoors instantly, cuts violently and has the explosion to finish above the rim when he gets there. He’s going to find ways to be productive off-ball. He’s also able to use his elite basketball IQ within the flow of offense. He’s a great connective tissue passer, which is why his impact doesn’t solely hinge upon scoring ability.
I’m not buying into Ausar as a top option, even though I see the potential for elite playmaking for others that could buoy him into such a role. But I have come around of late on Ausar having ways to provide two-way impact even without such a role or an elite jump shot. Despite his finishing and scoring concerns in the half-court, the athleticism, feel and basketball IQ pop in very tangible ways. In a modern NBA driven by acquiring high-feel, positionally-long athletes, Ausar checks too many of those boxes to not be the right ‘informed bet’ in the lottery.
NBA Role: Slashing connective wing, versatile point-of-attack defender, transition athlete
Favorite Fits: Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors
Click Here for the Full Ausar Thompson Scouting Report
5.12 - Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
In today’s NBA, it’s easy to see why big point guards are the ones who make it. Defensive switchability and versatility are en vogue, and smaller guys get played off the court frequently.
Indiana freshman Jalen Hood-Schifino stands out as a guard who has size. He’s around 6’6” with a long 6’10” wingspan and plays like a true point guard. His feel with the ball in his hands is outstanding, and at his size, he plays with a physical ability to get to wherever he wants to go.
With size often (but not always) comes athleticism. And while Hood-Schifino is tremendously proficient in ball screens and deserving of a high-volume projection with the ball in his hands, Hood-Schifino does not play a very athletic style of basketball. In fact, his vertical burst is one of his weaker points as a prospect.
Jalen is a mesmerizingly poised ball handler and person. He’s unflappable through pressure and makes the right, simple play nearly every time. He showed throughout the year that he can counter nearly every type of ball screen coverage and is best served with a dangerous big who can make plays happen off the short roll.
Because of his size, Hood-Schifino can see over the top of most defenses that will play more aggressive coverages against him. That enables Jalen to throw corner skips, hit corner raise shooters, and find the roll man on short rolls when he’s blitzed. He doesn’t over-penetrate or force too much, instead continually trusting the team’s way to break that pressure: bait the defense high, hit the short roll, and play 4-on-3 elsewhere. Often, assist numbers do not do justice to the plays that he makes or show just how much he makes the right play — and without a doubt, Hood-Schifino is a guy who just keeps trying to make the right play.
Against Drop coverages, Hood-Schifino is a true scoring threat with awesome mid-range touch. His pull-up is legitimate, and he’s great going to his right. He gets there frequently with his tight handle and patience off the bounce to take space. As a big guard who can use his physicality to create more space, he’s really good once he gets a step on his primary defender. The runner is legit, too. He’s so crafty at changing paces from fast-to-slow or slow-to-fast and reads the defense in front of him.
Being a high-volume pick-and-roll creator requires being a threat to score on multiple levels. The third level — behind the 3-point arc — has been one of maddening inconsistency this year, and is one that is important to ensure that Hood-Schifino can get his primary defender on his back, where he thrives most. There are slight mechanical tweaks that Hood-Schifino can make, but a lot of his ability to thrive as a high-volume creator depends on him adding the pull-up triple into his arsenal.
The finishing is a bit of a concern, to be honest. He rarely elevates off the ground, and while his change of pace is excellent with the ball in his hands to exploit openings to drive, he doesn’t do enough to finish in traffic. Too often he’s avoiding contact instead of seeking it out with his rugged frame. Maybe increased NBA spacing helps mitigate some of those concerns, but he finished 23-50 (46%) at the rim in the half-court with only two dunks. Not helping matters is the fact that Hood-Schifino rarely gets to the free throw line either.
Perhaps the most under-discussed part of Hood-Schifino’s portfolio is his on-ball defense. While he isn’t an elite athlete or one of the quickest guys you’ll find, his technique is excellent and he rarely takes plays off. He’s great at the point of attack and has enough strength to move up the lineup if it’s asked of him.
He does well against smaller guards or bigger ones. He has textbook guarding form, is always engaged, and beats one-on-one scorers to spots. Put him in isolation against some of the better scoring guards in the NBA and he will produce some really quality possessions. He pressures away from the basket and has super quick hands for deflections and steals.
What is most impactful about Hood-Schifino’s defense, though, is how difficult he is to screen. He’s great at fighting over the top of picks without losing the lateral ability to move his feet. That’s tough at his size when keeping up with smaller, quicker guys. He can do the same going under, weaving through tight spaces on his toes and not getting clipped by savvy bigs trying to get him hung up underneath.
There are some real hang-ups with Hood-Schifino on offense if the jumper does not go in consistently from 3-point range. He isn’t a great athlete, and touch in the mid-range isn’t enough to overcome that for a guy who wants to be a high-volume offensive creator. We need something else — either production at the rim or from deep.
But Hood-Schifino showed the takeover gene in big games, torched Drop coverage with incredible poise, and is a jump shot away from being the ideal modern point guard in the NBA. That’s the type of guy you want to take a stab at inside the lottery.
NBA Role: Ball-dominant PNR guard, long-armed point-of-attack defender
Favorite Fits: Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs
Click Here for the Full Jalen Hood-Schifino Scouting Report
Tier 4: The Safest, High-Value Role Players/ Connective Starters
As we enter the top-four tiers, I’m looking for guys that I can feel really comfortable predicting to be part of a rotation in the future. There are fewer red flags that would cause us to be out on a guy or think they could flunk out of the league. There’s also a little bit less of that superstar, potential franchise pillar upside present than some higher tiers.
Tier 4 tends to be closer to the back half of the lottery, though for the right team, some of these guys make sense in the top half. But when placed next to primary scorers and the pillars of an NBA team, these are the guys who figure to be the most impactful at allowing them to be at their best.
This draft class has a fair amount of depth in Tier 4. I have grown to feel pretty comfortable with all these guys as dependable role players and the right prospects to take inside the lottery. There are 11 players remaining on my overall board, and there feels like a legitimately large break between the guys in this tier and the tiers beneath.
4.11 - Gradey Dick, Kansas
In this class, no player may be more important to watch full games on than Gradey Dick. The freshman was a revelation for the Kansas Jayhawks, especially early in the season, before Big Twelve opponents worked harder to take him away, attacked him frequently on the defensive end, and viewed Gradey as the top player for them to hone in on.
The numbers are pretty strong, the defensive targeting is pretty real, but the balance found to figure out just where Dick should be valued on draft night comes from seeing just how damn good Kansas was when he was on the floor.
We all know what Gradey is known for and what main trait he brings to the table: shooting. At 6’8”, Dick has pretty quick mechanics that are aided by a consistent ability to shoot without dipping the ball below his waist, or even his chest. That quickness and smooth form combo make him a threat to shoot over the top of closeouts, to catch bad passes and get into a quality shot, and be a legitimate spot-up threat.
His percentages are very strong as well: 38.4% on all catch-and-shoot looks and a very nice 54% FG% in transition thanks to the accuracy he boasts as a wing-sprinting shooter. Most mesmerizing is the speed at which he can get those shots off in transition. His feet always look prepared pre-catch, he really busts out to create separation in the open floor, and he draws extra attention in transition when teams know he’s loose.
While Gradey is a great shooter when square and set, the value that a high-quality shooter brings is in the multitude of sets and designed plays that get them on the move. Shooters who come off screens can draw two defenders, create misdirections that lead to buckets for other teammates, and open up layers upon layers of offense that non-threats simply cannot.
He’s really effective when starting in the corners, coming off wide pindowns or dribble handoffs to the middle of the floor. Kansas ran a lot of action for him in these regards, especially on empty sides where Gradey could get a feel for if he was overplayed, top-locked, or could use the screen and get to the middle. He provides real gravity for his team while darting off screens, and when surrounded by great screeners and other high-impact scorers, Gradey can create a ton of space for his teammates to operate.
Statistically speaking, Gradey was an effective pull-up shooter. To me, his pull-up is much more translatable to side-steps and counter-moves when he’s not allowed to get a 3-pointer off. He had some struggles in getting his hips aligned and his shot off coming off second-side handoffs or ball screens where he had to take an extra bounce or two for separation. Most of those struggles came while trying to dribble and separate going to his left. To me, he should be a player who rarely takes more than one dribble. The best mode for him is to utilize the side-step 3-pointer or one-dribble pull-up to his right hand and take a ton of jumpers.
The reputation is certainly out there that Gradey Dick is a poor defender. I would push back on the choice of the word ‘poor’. It’s a little over-simplified and a little bit strong.
Gradey Dick is a targeted defender. Whenever he’s on the floor, he has a giant target on his chest and is often the subject of getting hunted. There are real reasons for that. Dick doesn’t move his feet incredibly well on-ball. He struggles to get through contact fighting over the top of ball screens. While he’s 6’8” with real length, his core is still ultra skinny and light, making him an easy target to move.
Because of that, any type of player can take advantage of him. Smaller guys dribble around him with speed or can abuse him in ball screens. Bigger wings physically maul him on the interior with their drives or mismatch post him. He picks up a lot of fouls in both situations, either from being too handsy or trying to flop and take charges too frequently.
Dick isn’t a poor defender because he fights and does care and try on all of these possessions. He’s 6’8” and can bother enough people with his length that so long as he’s positionally sound, he’ll have a chance. But Dick is likely to be the weakest link on any floor he’s on in the NBA, and because of that, teams will seek him out a ton.
There are overwhelmingly more positives than negatives for Gradey as a pro prospect. The versatility and floor-spacing he unlocks on offense has to be counteracted with a roster already built for versatility on defense. In essence, he is an incredibly high-value role player on one end of the floor while being smart and caring on the other end. For all that he provides to primary scorers next to him, Dick is worthy of being valued as one of the highest-quality role players in this draft class.
NBA Role: Movement shooting specialist, spot-up floor-spacer
Favorite Fits: Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves
Click Here for the Full Gradey Dick Scouting Report
4.10 - Dereck Lively, Duke
It was a strange freshman season for Duke big man Dereck Lively. He really struggled out of the gates with foul issues, some minor positioning concerns on defense, and didn’t impact the game enough on offense to offset those concerns. It got to the point where the Blue Devils started big man Ryan Young and removed Lively from the starting lineup.
Lively found his stride by the end of the season. From January 21st to the end of the year, Lively averaged 6.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and shot 69% from the field while playing 25 minutes a night. Duke was 14-4 in that span. He had one of the most dominant single-game defensive performances I’ve seen in the NCAA Tournament against Oral Roberts, too.
Let’s put it this way: his second half of the season was so dominant that his total season metrics rank among the best and most consistent rim protecting prospects of the last 15 years. He has the potential to be really special in drop coverage and as a help rim protector. And I don’t use the word ‘special’ too lightly.
At his best, Lively is a drop defender. He has stupid length with his 7’7” wingspan, is quick off the floor, and does make an effort to contest with verticality. What’s scary is that Lively still isn’t perfect with his discipline or his use of verticality. Often, he got caught between being disciplined with verticality and leaving his feet a tad too early or late. Knowing there’s still areas for him to get better as a rim protector leaves me wondering just how high his defensive ceiling can get to.
There is also some small switchability upside due to his length and overall movement patterns. We saw it for glimpses in AAU, and I’d expect it possible he dabbles with it in the league. His movement patterns are natural, and I do think he can be a guy who plays at the level against ball screens. That type of versatility (to play in Drop, Switch, or Hedging coverages) provides so much value for a team in the postseason or a do-or-die game that Lively becomes one of the rare big men who can stay on the floor against so many different types of big men.
Lively didn’t get a ton of opportunities to do much beyond just catch-and-finish once the second half of the season got underway. He seemed to thrive in the confines he was given, as it simplified his role and gave him clear ways to contribute. Nearly everything was on pick-and-roll lobs or standing in the dunker spot. He was active on the offensive glass (2.7 offensive rebounds over that final 18-game stretch) and played with immense energy.
His catch radius on lobs is absurd, his ground coverage ridiculous, and he’s really quick in leaping off the floor. Lively is the ideal pick-and-roll partner for a scoring guard, though he does require a lot of shooting around him right now. Expecting more offensive production from Lively (who averaged a disappointing 10.1 points per 40 minutes at Duke) early in his career would be expecting too much.
Where Lively’s offensive game remains largely untapped is away from the rim. At the AAU and high school levels, Lively showed flashes of real perimeter skill. None of them were refined yet, but they were encouraging enough to have even the brightest scouts believing he could become a sturdy two-way big.
Atop the list of traits Lively showed was a little bit of passing touch. Both at Westtown and for Team Final, Lively played with other bigs, forcing him to the perimeter. He was never great at making decisions on the fly, but showed enough to have intriguing short roll upside.
Beyond that playmaking was shooting. Lively shot 34% from 3-point range on the EYBL circuit, all while leading the country in blocks per game (3.7). That combination is certainly tantalizing. The fluidity of his form is so rare for someone his size. A lot has been made about Lively’s shooting during the pre-draft process, but it is worth noting that this isn’t a new revelation — in the right developmental system with a shooting coach, Lively could turn into a stretch-5.
Lively doesn’t seem to need versatility in order to provide true value. The impact he brings as a rim protector and help defender has the potential to be so strong that versatility may not matter. It’s rare to find a big man prospect who fits that bill, and it takes a guy with the size of Lively to deserve the hype. But it’s nice to know there are hidden pockets of versatility to be explored — both with his switchability on D and shooting on offense. I’m really intrigued by Lively, but at the very least, have bought into his rim protection being dominant enough to keep him on an NBA floor in most matchups.
NBA Role: Rim protector, versatile PNR defender, roll man finisher
Favorite Fits: Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
Click Here for the Full Dereck Lively Scouting Report
4.9 - Cason Wallace, Kentucky
There is a long track record of Kentucky guards dominating in the NBA and showing more versatility on offense than they were able to in Lexington. Regardless of whether Cason Wallace projects to follow the long line of All-Star scorers who have departed Calipari’s program, he brings one skill to the table that virtually none of those others can boast: he is an elite on-ball defender.
The metrics are pretty strong for Wallace despite being a slightly-undersized 6’3” guard. He averaged 3.0 stocks per 40 minutes, the product of a 1.6% BLK rate and 3.7% STL rate. He figures to be the first freshman draft pick to hit those numbers while making at least 40 3-pointers since 2009.
The eye test for Cason is so much more impactful. His off-ball rotations are instinctual and impactful. His lockdown strength to guard up the lineup is notable, and his discipline to stay down against shot fakes or win first steps against drivers is commendable.
Cason burst onto the scene with star-making early-seasons defensive performances against Michigan State and Gonzaga. He had 12 steals combined in those two games, ranging from pick-pockets to ‘gimme that’ rips, weak-side blitzes to full-court sneak attacks. He was stout on-ball right away into his college career, and somehow even smarter to make winning plays off-ball.
Think of Wallace like the best guy to be able to guard in space. He’s long, quick, competitive, physical without fouling, and disciplined. He has many Patrick Beverley or Jrue Holiday-like mental traits that could make him a specialist and guy who maximizes his tools. He makes really smart, instinctual rotations, can fly around for basket-saving swats at the rim, and knows when to gamble — a really important feel for the game that cannot always be taught.
I do have one complaint about Wallace’s functional defense. He is not great at avoiding contact on screens. I think his screen navigation is generally positive in the sense that he knows what his body is supposed to do, he challenges anyway he can when hung up, and he points for peel switches quickly when necessary.
Wallace is one of the few players John Calipari has given the leeway to show the versatility of his offensive game at Kentucky. Wallace’s in-season shift from off-ball guard to point guard was somewhat borne of necessity, as a change to the rotation took place in mid-January. But a glimpse into his impact as a spot-up shooter and as a self-creator should impress upon teams that he’s a far better offensive player than the shackles placed upon him in either role allowed him to consistently show.
The arc to the season for Wallace was interrupted by injuries, both to him and teammates. But that did not stop him from having a positive impact on the Wildcats.
With Sahvir Wheeler as the starting point guard (until January 10th), the Wildcats posted a 109.3 adjusted offensive rating, according to Barttorvik. After that point, when Wallace was given the reigns, the Wildcats boasted a 115.7 adjusted offensive rating, which was a top-20 mark in the country over that period.
Prior to that January 10th date when Wheeler was sidelined, Wallace was shooting 41.9% from 3-point range on five attempts a game while maintaining a more than two-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio. During the next game, Wallace began to suffer back spasms, and his role and minutes for the rest of the season fluctuated. The back injury seemed to really mess with his shot, and I do want to applaud Cason for continuing to play through the pain — a true mark of his mental and physical toughness.
The on-ball self-creation isn’t quite as optimism-inducing as the shooting. Even prior to the injury, Wallace was a square, boxy mover with the ball in his hands. He has so many awesome elements as a driver or pick-and-roll creator, though. He’s a good decision-maker and passer. He’s patient. He changes speeds effectively. He’s got impressive touch on either side of the basket. But he’s still somewhat stiff in a way that’s worrisome for a potential top option. Wallace plays off two feet a lot when slow or off one when speeding around guys. He doesn’t have much bend, especially with his last-step shiftiness around contact.
That doesn’t mean the ball should be taken out of Cason’s hands, though. Perhaps some of those concerns become alleviated when he’s in a better-spaced and more modern offense than the one he played in at Kentucky.
Every indication is that Cason is a winning player, winning person, and a guy who will maximize his tools. He’s dependable, and with more offensive upside than he was able to show at Kentucky, he’s the right guard to be on for overperforming his physical frame and just finding a way to be an impactful chameleon on a playoff team.
NBA Role: Backcourt defensive-stopper, versatile combo guard
Favorite Fits: Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards
Click Here for the Full Cason Wallace Scouting Report
4.8 - Taylor Hendricks, Central Florida
Twelve months ago, very few draft pundits (if any) had Taylor Hendricks as a potential top-ten selection in 2023. Yet through hard work and consistency throughout his freshman campaign, Hendricks proved that he’s a reliable and versatile player tailor-made for the modern NBA.
Hendricks blocked 1.7 shots per game as a freshman, many of which did not come from the role as a traditional drop big or rim protector. He was alert and insanely active in transition, sprinting back to save baskets frequently. His motor and instincts meet, and he makes his opponents worry about him coming from the weak side.
What UCF did was what many NBA teams will do: put him in a position to guard the corners so that he can be the guy who rotates over to protect the basket when his team sends help to the ball.
I’m not sure if I’ve seen a better prospect at meeting dunk attempts at the rim and stuffing them. Hendricks has huge hands and swallows up the ball, spiking it backward or palming it to snag it in the air. His rotations and timeliness are great, but the physical capability to do this game after game is jaw-dropping.
Hendricks isn’t just effective as a helper. He’s really good and really versatile as an on-ball defender. UCF played him as a small-ball 5 quite frequently, and he held his own in the post against teams who would target him down there frequently. He can play the 5 in a pinch if the team needs it, but his primary role is guarding the 4 on-ball and helping a team with his lateral quickness and switchability.
His length is overwhelming against smalls. He looks gargantuan on some of his closeouts but is wildly fluid with his lateral quickness when guarding point guards. He keeps smaller guys in front on switches, stays down and patient against their fakes or hesitation dribbles, and swallows them up pretty quickly when they try to move past him:
From the jump, Hendricks’ best role on offense will be as a spot-up shooter. He’s very consistent from deep with good mechanics, is proficient in the corners, and has the ability to drill shots over the top of any closeout.
Hendricks can play the 4 or the 5 in different lineups because he’s got such long arms and is bursty as an athlete. As an explosive guy, he can stand in the dunker spot and finish. He’s good off the roll because he can finish. He can also be a pop guy who shoots well and is utilized in late-clock situations as a ghost screener. That versatility makes Hendricks far more than just a corner spot-up shooter.
There are some offensive concerns for Hendricks, to be fair. He’s a one-and-done without proven feel on the offensive end and he’s behind from a perimeter skill standpoint. Versatility on offense is more about how he can be used around other scorers, not becoming a major scorer in his own right or doing much with the ball in his hands. His playmaking for others is wildly unrefined and his perimeter skill lags behind the rest of his natural talent. He isn’t a high-feel guy, a connective tissue passer, or a secondary playmaker.
The biggest complaint I have with Hendricks as a perimeter scorer is that he’s a poor finisher at the bucket when driving to the rim. He gets a surprisingly high amount of shots blocked for a guy his size and burstiness. His touch is hit or miss, and it feels like his big hands are often over the top of the ball instead of underneath it. Some of those concerns are fixable with added strength to his frame.
There were a few positive signs from Hendricks. He made a few pull-up jumpers and has enough of a handle in space to get some separation off the bounce. There’s enough fluidity with his handle and comfort operating in these situations that it would be a waste to just jettison him to the corner. But he’s really raw with the ball in his hands. If he’s going to have a role as a creator or even a connective, downhill scorer in the future, he’ll need reps and time to gain the polish that helps him avoid committing turnovers.
Hendricks derives his value from being a strong two-way player. The term 3-and-D feels a little antiquated in an era where all five players on the floor have to be strong decision-makers. If Hendricks can keep improving his decision-making on offense, he’s going to check so many boxes and be a two-way force that can beat opponents in a variety of ways.
NBA Role: Switchable wing defender, spot-up shooter, transition athlete
Favorite Fits: Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons
Click Here for the Full Taylor Hendricks Scouting Report
4.7 - Jarace Walker, Houston
With a thick frame and rugged strength unnatural for a freshman, Jarace Walker set the world on fire as a role player — something we rarely see in the one-and-done era. Jarace’s stat line is rather pedestrian: 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 46/35/66 shooting splits, and 1.8 assists per game. He scored over 20 points on only five occasions, and had two or fewer points on four.
Walker doesn’t need to score to have a major impact on a basketball court, which is why he’s projectable as more of a high-end role player than anything else. Walker sits atop this tier of prospect because of his overall dependability, the right trait to go hand-in-hand with so much untapped versatility.
Even if Walker wasn’t a great scorer or had an off night offensively, his defensive aptitude on and off the ball was consistent. Walker averaged 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks and anchored their defense as a helper. He was pristine in his rim coverages from the weak side. He guarded and switched onto other great players, preventing them from ever getting a clean look at the rim. He blitzed and hard-hedged ball screens, jumped passing lanes, and turned the intensity up on every single possession.
From a tools perspective, Walker has so much to work with. His strong frame prevents him from being bullied down low and guarding much bigger guys. The 7’2” wingspan doesn’t hurt there, either.
His quick feet and long arms swallow up perimeter drivers, whether it’s a wing or a true guard. Walker has a higher likelihood of success against the wings who are less likely to quick drive around him, but he can switch onto small guards with speed. He moves his feet without fouling, walls up at the end of drives, and doesn’t often bite on pump or ball fakes. He’s so disciplined, and when discipline meets versatility, we often see consistent value result.
My favorite thing about Jarace’s defense is just how he impacts the game as a help defender. He’s always in the right position. I’m amazed at the consistency with which he places himself in the correct spot as if he knows what’s about to happen. when he’s on the back line while his frontcourt mates are the ones hard-hedging, he’s supremely aware of where and when to step up to rollers and how to protect the basket while momentarily disadvantaged.
From the weak side, Walker challenges and blocks shots there at a high level. He’s positionally sound (and physically strong) enough to deter those shots, but when they occur, he’s likely to send them backward. If he can prove useful in Drop coverage (something he didn’t get to do at all at Houston), he can check every box imaginable defensively for a guy to play as the small-ball 5 in closing lineups.
Walker already does and can continue to make a positive impact offensively in a variety of ways. He is a sound, smart passer and a more developed floor-spacer than several 19-year-olds of his size. Walker’s versatility wasn’t fully tapped into at Houston. He was used predominantly as a floor-spacer, where about 30% of his overall shot attempts were catch-and-shoot looks.
That’s probably a positive development for him long-term. Jarace shot the ball well this year at Houston: 37.8% on catch-and-shoot looks, and 34.7% from 3-point range overall. There are small mechanical areas to tweak, and until they get improved, he’s going to be difficult to fully trust as a reliable floor-spacer. But the trajectory he’s on is generally a positive one.
What Walker doesn’t do well right now is put the ball on the floor and get to the bucket. He is slow to attack closeouts off the catch, his footwork leads to a lot of turnovers trying to go from catching to driving, and he’s so square and stiff as a shooter that a quick rip doesn’t look like a very fluid or natural process for him.
Walker is a bruising physical specimen, yet he only takes the most graceful, delicate runners in the mid-range area. It’s like pulling teeth to get him to bowl guys over in the half-court. In the half-court, he took 50 runners and 53 rim attempts, according to Synergy. He had 21 dunk attempts in the half-court, only one of which involved him catching the ball outside of 12 feet.
Rim pressure was much more present for him in high school and AAU levels. I remain optimistic about an NBA team tapping into versatile offensive impact due to the flashes he showed at those levels. He’s capable of being a bully, mismatch driver. He’s really smart with dribble handoff keepers to get to the rim. He can and must keep tapping into those traits.
Where I’m most optimistic about Walker’s offensive development is as a connective passer and creator within designed sets. Walker is a great passer at the elbows and he can facilitate during scripted set plays there. He’s got a great fake dribble handoff and keeper game. He’s most underutilized as a screen-and-roll option. His controlled finishing, catch radius, and athleticism allow him to score in a multitude of ways. His short roll passing pops as having potential to be great next to elite scorers.
Walker’s versatility blends in well for a guy who can be a small-ball 5. No two positions are more different on offense these days than the 4 and the 5, and there’s often a different expectation on defense as well. I love that he can do both, and I believe his positional archetype is one that NBA teams need to have to match up with different styles of opponents.
For the intangibles, the defensive buy-in, and the ways he can impact the game on offense that he didn’t show at Houston, I’m really high on Jarace Walker.
NBA Role: Switchable frontcourt defender, connective offensive piece, small-ball 5
Favorite Fits: Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets
Click Here for the Full Jarace Walker Scouting Report
Tier 3: Tremendous Upside, But I Have A Few Reservations
Over the few years prior, I’ve called this tier the “fringe All-Stars and good third options” category, but I want to try to reframe that discussion. I think Tier 3 is a similar alpha upside/ high-end trajectory to what I see in Tier 2, just with guys who I’m not quite as confident in.
The shift to this method keeps a certain group of players listed above the Tier 4 role players due to their upside to eventually become that franchise pillar. It’s still what I believe teams should draft for at the very top of the draft — and now I have three separate tiers to sort those players into based on my degree of confidence in them to pan out.
Within this section, I plan on addressing very slightly the reservations that I have on each prospect which keeps them out of the top and second tiers.
3.6 - Cam Whitmore, Villanova
At 6’6”, Cam Whitmore is a power wing. He combines bully tactics with grace in a way very few can. He drives through people’s chests and seeks out contact, but rarely looks out of control. He’s a two-foot leaper and is constantly on balance, yet still can explode up for a slam with his head at or above the rim. He dishes out punishment on nearly every drive and is rarely hampered by the insane amount of physicality he endures.
He’s so strong and physical, plus explosive of a leaper, that he plays like he’s 6’8”. With decent length and the stocky frame to guard up the lineup, Whitmore can be a multi-positional defender. He doesn’t need to measure well in order for his game to translate.
What he does need, however, is polish on his offensive arsenal. Through watching his games at Villanova, there were some signs of lower feel and pre-determined reads that Whitmore would make. He wants to score near the bucket and misses lots of opportunities to create open looks for others. That’s the big concern and hold up for Whitmore moving into a higher tier of prospect — his feel as a playmaker is severely underdeveloped.
Defenders first and foremost have to take away the drive from Whitmore. The hard bounce to get to the rim, where he shoots an elite 64.2% in the half-court, is far and away his signature skill and translatable to the next level. Guys who have inside position and wall up cannot prevent Cam from going through them because of his physical strength. He’s got real bend to play low to get to his spots off the bounce and has the patience and balance to be controlled on his finish.
The ‘who’ of who defends him doesn’t seem to matter. He bowls over smaller guards, and with his low handle doesn’t get the ball poked away while trying to do so. Bigger guys cannot stop him, either, as he gets balanced off two feet and powers through those that wall up at the hoop. He may be a two-foot leaper, but Whitmore is wildly under control as a result.
The elite driving ability changes how he is guarded across the board. With his power and quickness combination, you would think Whitmore would get a cushion on the perimeter. He is a poor mid-range shooter, so sagging off and daring him to be a mid-range threat could be a viable strategy.
However, Whitmore is really good as a pull-up shooter when he has time, rendering the sag off strategy useless. The release off the bounce is a tad slower and more square than we see from top offensive options; his hips aren’t incredibly fluid and his deceleration is not very good right now. He needs that time, but gets it because of the fear of his driving prowess.
He also generates a lot of space from his step-backs, not because he has a tight handle, but because as soon as he bounces it, defenders back up and try to play the hard drive to the rim. They bite on every jab step because, quite frankly, they have to.
With that space, Whitmore has turned into a strong shooter in a spot-up role. He’s developed a pretty reliable catch-and-shoot stroke, making 40% of catch-and-shoot opportunities at Villanova. He needs to be set and square, but the shot is legitimate, and can lead to a believable shot fake that helps open up space for those drives he covets.
Playing him super tight doesn’t work, either. That’s where Whitmore thrives and gets to power through people, using his contact to methodically bully his way to the bucket. That’s the beauty of his offensive arsenal: the drive and the pull-up with space complement each other so nicely that he’s already an effective scorer.
Instead, the best way to defend Cam is to sell out for help, making him finish through multiple bodies and dare him to physically take on two defenders. Right now, Whitmore is behind on his development as a passer. He misses a ton of easy reads and gets a severe case of tunnel vision on his drives. The combination of over-dribbling and not being able to slow down to make reads as a passer makes him really easy to collapse on. We haven’t seen enough from his pick-and-roll sampling to believe that he will be a good creator in those situations. If that fails to develop he’ll continue to be a guy who defenses collapse on.
I’ve long believed that for Whitmore, playing quickly off the catch and not holding to survey the defense is of the utmost importance. If he’s quicker off the catch, his finishing numbers may somehow increase. He’d get easier looks at the rim (with a better-spaced court in the NBA), and on-ball defenders may lose a step as they close out. More importantly, the turnovers could decrease and kickout lanes could be clarified. What that means for his role as more of a primary option or someone who plays off other stars will depend on how he improves as a quick driver & decision-maker.
On-ball, Whitmore was fine. A tad jumpy on shot fakes, but the physical tools and lateral quickness are worth buying into. Positionally, he’s really good as a 2 thru 4 defender because of those quick first steps. He has length and strength to guard up, too. Based on his tools, he looks like he’ll be at least a solid, dependable guy.
There were a ton of issues with Whitmore as a help defender. He was objectively bad off-ball. He was slow to react to tags, stood up off-ball once his man passed it, didn’t recognize or communicate switches (which led to domino effects on the possession), and lost his man frequently when darting off screens.
Most basic, however, was the over-helping he’d do from one pass away. Whitmore gave up a ton of kickout 3-pointers trying to swipe at the ball as it was driven underneath him. This is insanely correctable, and not a reason to hold Whitmore down draft-wise. What it does illustrate, however, is just how far away he is from being NBA-ready on that end.
It’s worth remembering that Whitmore, who won’t turn 19 until July 8th, is one of the younger players in this year’s class. He also missed substantial time in high school due to injuries: his sophomore season was cut short, and then COVID truncated his junior year. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and Whitmore’s habits must be formed quickly for winning basketball. His tools are so immense that it’s difficult not to have Whitmore this high on a big board.
NBA Role: Downhill athletic scorer, versatile wing defender, isolation self-creator
Favorite Fits: Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers
Click Here for the Full Cam Whitmore Scouting Report
3.5 - Anthony Black, Arkansas
Continually, Anthony Black has taken the path less traveled. He went from unranked to top-25 nationall in a single year, played at public high schools, and for an independent and grassroots AAU team. The guy simply loves basketball, quietly and humbly goes about his business, and works every day to get better. I don’t doubt that other prospects and players are doing the same — but it’s the manner by which Black works without caring about credit convinced me that he’s a winning player.
Despite an underwhelming season for the team and mundane statistical metrics, Black checks so many boxes that NBA teams look for. He aces the personality tests and competitive checks. He’s got real positional size, standing 6’7” with a reportedly near 7’0” wingspan. He’s insanely smart with high feel on both ends.
Anthony Black has such impressive playmaking chops that stand at the center of his offensive impact. His ability to get into the lane as an athlete helps him create advantages, but it’s his brain and skill level that sustains them.
In ball screens, Black’s feel is off the charts. Black is so quick at diagnosing the opening in the defense and making the pass to exploit it. Because he’s 6’7” with great burst, he can see and throw passes overtop the help defense.
I love the pace and varying speeds he plays with. He knows when to use his burst/ strength as a driver to pressure the rim and when to use his size to engage in hostage dribbles. That balance, as well as his craftiness to get back to his right hand so frequently, is impressive.
Of course, Black can legitimize his role as a passer by combining that with effective scoring. High-volume on-ball reps are rare these days for those who do not score at a high clip; his 14.7 points per 40 minutes are indeed a low mark, but the evidence is there that better spacing will flesh out his scoring acumen.
Black is best scoring out of ball screens that lead him to his right, where he can muscle his way to the bucket. The kid is super strong and has excellent touch with his right. He can also engage in hostage dribbles or more patient moves at the point of attack, relying on floaters and craftily slow finishes while playing a cat-and-mouse game with the defense.
Black still needs to get better at going to his left. There were more turnover concerns I found when he’d be going that way, and smart teams could key into forcing him to his weak hand. The bigger worry for Black comes with his self-creation outside of the rim. His pull-up jumper isn’t terrible, but it is slow and features the same funky mechanics as the rest of his shots. He’s a very set shooter, barely jumping off the ground and preferring to be fully set instead of rising into his shot. That limits his flexibility to score in space, though his runner and polish to counter drop coverage don’t make the mid-range as large of a concern.
My fear is that teams will go underneath ball screens, daring him to shoot. It was a strategy he faced frequently this year at Arkansas and didn’t have a great counter for. He’d have plenty of time but still need to get square and set. The clunky mechanics certainly need to be sorted out, too.
Right now, Anthony was able to knock down 32.2% of his 3-pointers off the catch, but in very low volume and with similarly stiff and troublesome mechanics. There’s a lot that needs to be smoothed out, especially considering Black needs to be so set on the catch.
Even if the primary role never comes around, Black is still an insane processor of the game and the exact right guy to pop in a winning system. He makes fantastic connective tissue passes, such as one-more looks on the perimeter and quick reads in advantaged situations. I love how he can take one bounce attacking a closeout and diagnose the right pass to sustain the advantage. Those are winning plays that fit the mold of a positionless NBA. Because Black is 6’7” he can play a slashing, connective wing on offense without much concern.
Defensively, everything starts with his physical profile. Black is a super long-armed 6’7” with unreal lateral quickness. Few guys boast that combination. He can defend up the lineup against wings in isolation (he needs to add strength to do it full-time) or pressure smaller ball handlers in the full-court.
On the perimeter, he looks absolutely huge when guarding smaller guards. He’s crowding the ball and moving his feet to prevent the drive, a rare feat for a 6’7” guard. Combine that with Black’s razor-sharp hands and he racks up a ton of on-ball deflections and plays in the full-court just being a gnat. Small complaints exist about how he gets through screens by being so upright and tall, though he has the length to contest from behind in a meaningful way. Recovering is so much easier with an almost seven-foot wingspan.
Few freshmen are as pristine and smart with their defense rotations as Black, crafty with their on-ball defense, and filled with consistent effort. He’s active and flies around, but he also puts pressure on opposing ball handlers to make decisions or at least be aware of Black’s presence. As a ball handler on offense, he’s so good at manipulating the help defense and forcing them to go where he wants — both with his eyes and his pace. As a defender, Black turns that on its head and simply does what high-IQ ball handlers hate. He’s unpredictable and thinking one step ahead.
There are warts for Black to be able to work through, most meaningfully the shot. But I’ve learned to really value large initiators with elite basketball IQ and defensive versatility. The shot can come around and develop a bit. If it does, you’re not going to want to be the guy ho passed on Black.
NBA Role: Jumbo PNR initiator, long-armed point-of-attack defender, elite offensive connector
Favorite Fits: Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic
Click Here for the Full Anthony Black Scouting Report
Tier 2: Alpha Upside with High-End Trajectory
We’re getting up to the guys who really are franchise pillars, the guys who build an offense around at the NBA level. To me, that’s what you draft for at the top of the draft, and if any of the players in the top two tiers are on the board, there isn’t much of an excuse to replace them with someone from a tier farther down the line.
The rankings are, in essence, a reflection of how much faith I have in each guy reaching All-Star status and getting to that level. The higher in this tier, the more comfortable we feel with them pushing into the top tier as a franchise cornerstone. Regardless of how close they are to that level, I feel comfortable enough with our evaluation and their skill to project them as a top-two option with whatever team will draft them.
2.4 - Amen Thompson, Overtime Elite
A trailblazer of the highest order, Overtime Elite prospect Amen Thompson has set out to create his own path getting to the NBA. A productive second season at OTE down in Atlanta has kept Amen in the same territory he started this draft cycle in, as a mysterious top-five pick with massive upside, incredible intangibles, and absolutely no jump shot.
Amen is a supremely talented prospect, albeit with his fair share of flaws. Amen’s style of play and overall trajectory are fairly boom-or-bust: he’ll either be the star of a team and a legitimate top option or have a tough time sticking in the league. His game as currently constructed doesn’t mesh well into a smaller role. He’s not a spot-up guy or an off-ball threat, he’s not a second-side creator who plays off of other stars. He’s going to be the guy with the ball in his hands. That level of risk and reward colors his evaluation: the reward (and my optimism that it’ll come to fruition) is definitely in this tier, and the risk is why he’s at the bottom of this tier.
Amen is a legitimate 6’7” with an insane vertical leap and the fastest first step from a standstill I’ve ever scouted. Those traits are already elite and separate Amen from the rest of the crowd… even his twin brother. They’re why he’s unstoppable in the open floor and such a force of nature when he gets to attack a defense that isn’t set. They’re why he got 71 attempts at the bucket even as a complete non-entity outside of ten feet. He’s the elite of the elite as a driver.
Thompson has been a great finisher — 59.2% at the rim is a solid mark, and could increase in a better-spaced offense. There’s evidence of touch with his runner, and his layup totals crawled up after a somewhat-inefficient regular season. If Amen is going to make it as a top option in the NBA, he’s going to need to add to his bag and develop the ability to score outside of six feet.
What Amen does so well to convert at the basket is utilize touch with his right hand. The floater and extended layup game could progress, but he’s big and physical, and doesn’t always need to score with teardrops over bigs when he can finish around or through them. One out of every eight layup attempts ended in free throws (12.5%), and his touch going right when spinning shots off the glass is sensational. The acrobatics are impressive, and the touch is what has us believing he’ll have a relatively low bar to clear in order to convert at the basket.
Teams tend to go underneath any ball screen he’s involved in. Going under is the obvious solution for a defense dealing with non-shooters. Amen gets dared to shoot, and his primary guy can stay lane protected to try and keep the ball in front. The sag is so exaggerated with Amen right now that in isolations, defenders start backing up as soon as he catches the ball.
Off-ball, his impact is clearly hampered. The lack of a catch-and-shoot game is a significant hurdle he’ll have to clear at some point. Thompson has a future as a lead guard, but even the best scorers and operators with the ball in their hands need to learn how to play with other stars if they want to win. Currently, he’s a mess mechanically, with changing releases, almost a two-motion form, and a weird follow-through that bows out and causes the ball to come off his hand left-to-right.
Amen is a threat to get a paint touch whenever he puts the ball on the deck — even if teams try to go underneath screens. Because he’s a really effective finisher at the hoop, help defenders must trap the box on baseline drives or collapse on middle drives.
When the defense does swarm to Amen, he’s proven himself a willing distributor and very timely passer. He’s proactive at kicking it when he gets into the teeth of the defense — especially in a Spread PNR scheme or scenario. When both corners are filled and legit shooting threats exist, Amen leverages his quick decision-making to get his team an open shot. He’s got a ton of zip on his passes, is a wildly accurate passer, and generates some wide open looks for his teammates.
Just on its own, the 9.2 assists per 40 minutes he averaged is elite for a prospect. Amen is already a gifted passer at reading the low man, and the shiftiness with the ball and change of speeds he can utilize makes him a danger… even if he isn’t going to pull up from 15 feet. He’s one of the premiere passers I’ve evaluated these last six years and will only look better when surrounded by proper spacing.
Defensively, the tools that Amen brings to the table should make him really good at the point of attack. Long, lanky and quick, Amen has quick hands to create on-ball steals and disrupt passing avenues. He can pressure the ball and win the first step when guys try to drive around him. His body mechanics are a tad out of sync, though the overall impact at the point of attack should be quite high simply because he can guard 1 thru 3 athletically.
It’s not all roses for Amen as an on-ball defender. He’s easily-screened and doesn’t play low enough to fight through contact. He comes out of his stance and tries to slither through traffic instead of getting lower and turning his hips. Those are small technique improvements that can happen over time.
Where Amen needs most help is off-ball. He doesn’t really know how to play yet within a team construct. Some could see that as a negative, where he’s constantly chasing for steals to play in transition, gambling for highlight plays, or missing key rotations. But it’s hard to know how his problems might be influenced by the desire to push in transition since his marginal advantage comes from there. It feels like his half-court defensive tendencies are going to be tied to his confidence to create in a half-court setting on offense.
Amen has the largest canvas upon which a great skill development coach can paint. He’s the type of guy you want to let color outside the lines, the rare athlete who is so imposing that the skill gap isn’t too troublesome. And, of course, Amen is really skilled with the ball in his hands as a handler and a potentially elite passer. There’s clearly a lot of risk, but the reward is as tantalizing as it comes.
NBA Role: Elite downhill athlete, PNR playmaker, versatile point-of-attack defender
Favorite Fits: Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic
Click Here for the Full Amen Thompson Scouting Report
2.3 - Brandon Miller, Alabama
When all else fails, bank on guys who have the combination of positional size, shooting ability, and feel. Brandon Miller, somehow, has all of those traits and more. He’s a 6’9” wing with real length and handling upside. He shoots the piss out of the ball, drilling 38.4% of his 3-pointers this season with tons of touch in the mid-range. He’s demonstrated sharp passing traits at times as well.
And with all those skills, Miller was insanely effective on high volume. He anchored the offense for the #1 seed in the country heading into the NCAA Tournament, averaging over 23 points per 40 minutes as a freshman. He got so much better as the year went on, too, learning how to play more controlled and set up his scores at the basket off two feet. His passing feel and pace got better, and he was part of an electric defense where his role was overwhelmingly positive.
I love Miller’s upside and how well his game fits next to so many different types of players at the next level. What I’ve found, watching the tape back and doing a deep and detailed dive into Miller, are a few areas that give me some concerns about handing him the keys as a number-one option.
The area of concern for Brandon, especially early in the season, was with his finishing. I’ve been guilty of perpetuating that a great deal of in-season improvement from Miller helped him overcome those challenges. According to Synergy Sports, Miller shot a mere 33-84 (39.3%) in the half-court. Yes, 39% at the rim in the half-court, with only 3 dunks. Fewer than 14% of his overall field goal attempts were taken at the bucket — and that comes in one of the best-spaced offenses in college basketball under Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
The in-season improvement points we’ve seen from Miller were and are real. He learned to play off two feet and gather more consistently. He varied some of his finishes and just got to his right hand more often. He took more runners. Those were band-aids to prevent his flaws from getting exposed, not fixes to the flaws themselves.
Oats’ analytically-driven style also took Miller away from the mid-range a fair amount, but he was excellent in those areas back in high school and AAU. His propensity for tough one-on-one pull-ups might pop more under a coach who would encourage him to take them.
I’ve been pretty impressed with the flashes of passing I’ve seen from Miller this year. He can make some really nice reads out of the pick-and-roll. His quick diagnosis of open teammates while the floor is spread is really nice. He throws leading passes to his roll man, can hit them with lobs and has the appropriate pace to freeze help defenders. Miller is one of the best at hitting teammates with one-handed snap passes, wraparounds, lobs, or baseline drifts with his left hand. He’s more wired to score than to pass, but there’s enough balance that his shot selection isn’t a major issue. There’s a lot to work with.
Before a rough four-game stretch to finish the season (at the wrong time, no doubt), Miller was at 40.7% from 3-point range on an unreal 7.4 attempts per game. He is a pure shooter without question. His form is fluid and quick, he has deep range, decent hips while moving to the right, and real confidence to pull even over the top of closeouts. He snipes on-ball and off-ball.
My favorite use of Miller came in late-clock situations in Ghost pick-and-pop actions. Miller can be the handler in those situations, but he can also be the screener. He doesn’t need long to get his feet set, has deep range, and is a natural sniper.
Miller is, in my estimation, pretty impactful as an on-ball defender. He’s somewhat boxed in positionally; not quick enough at the point-of-attack to be fully switchable, and too skinny right now to offer much guarding up the lineup. He’s a 3 on defense, and that’s perfectly okay.
The concerns come in biomechanically when Miller has to face smaller foes. He’s a guy who tends to bend with his back instead of his hips or waist, resulting in several possessions where he looks really hunched over. Reacting to dribble moves is difficult in that stance, and the result is him opening up his hips and biting on jab moves or changes of direction.
Versatility is a buzzword in the modern NBA, and Miller’s offensive arsenal does project as being supremely versatile. He can create for himself, is too good of a self-creator and passer to take the ball out of his hands entirely, runs some pick-and-rolls with grace, and is an excellent spot-up shooter. At his size, he can play next to or with so many different types of players and help construct a really large or really small lineup.
While that versatility isn’t as malleable on defense, Miller’s length, shot-making, and generally solid, all-around game make him the right guy to take a stab at inside the top four. He’s going to blend in well next to other stars, a great sign for him helping contribute to a winning culture or roster.
NBA Role: Three-level scorer & playmaker, off-ball scorer, long-armed wing defender
Favorite Fits: Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers
Click Here for the Full Brandon Miller Scouting Report
Tier 1: Franchise-Changing Alphas
The best of the best. The pillars of an organization. The guys every team should covet and want to build around.
The level of talent and faith I have in players within this tier is off the charts. These are the guys who I never consider trading down out of my draft slot once they become available where I’m picking. Take them, take them every time, and buy into them becoming the elite of the elite players.
1.2 - Scoot Henderson, G-League Ignite
Scoot Henderson has ‘it’.
For Henderson, both the stats and the film are wildly impressive. As a teenager starting at point guard and being the number-one option in a professional basketball league, Henderson averaged 17.6 points and 6.4 assists per game. His body-builder physique at 6’2” (or generously 6’3”) with a 6’9” wingspan and absolutely massive hands stand out at first glance. His elite vertical athleticism, top-end speed with the ball, and general craftiness captivate you as you watch the film.
But it’s the intangibles that make Scoot so fascinating and in the territory to become a franchise-changing star. Very few players under 6’3” make it in today’s NBA, let alone become stars. The amount of skill, scoring burst, and overall alpha mentality that is needed trims out all but a handful of players.
I think Scoot’s passing is his most consistently impactful trait. It’s enabled because he’s a real threat to play with burst whenever he drives to the lane, forcing defenders to feel like they have to help. But because he has such a tight handle, Henderson throws darts to open guys whenever they’re collapsed upon. His passes are accurate, but his decisions are the right ones with insane frequency.
Beating Drop coverage is where Scoot thrives the most right now as a scorer. When big men play in center field (a deep drop) or retreat straight to the rim, Scoot uses his fantastic pull-up jumper to his advantage. He’s got a really good runner that consistently goes in regardless of whether he’s driving left or right — his hands are massive and cup the ball to drag it from live dribble move to one-handed push shot. He’s already armed with snake moves, can get defenders on their heels by charging full speed off a screen, and has fantastic pace with his hang dribble, allowing him to get rim protectors out of their stance and onto their toes.
Scoot is a tremendous two-level scorer right now off ball screens. He’s got unbelievable command of his dribble and uses his athletic burst to blow past guys. His in-and-out dribble is sensational and creates real separation. He’s a master of what I call ‘last step flexibility’, where he can contort himself around the defense and rim protectors to avoid contact.
Some might want to see Scoot get more free throw attempts and embrace that contact. He shoots 75% and only takes 2.9 attempts per game, though that number is low thanks to the G-League’s free throw rules. With how flexible he is, with those massive hands, and because he shoots 58.5% at the rim in the half-court as a 6’2” guard, I’me in no hurry to change or alter his approach at the basket. Long-term, that could be a nice addition. It’s not very important for him right now.
In the mid-range, Scoot has proven himself a masterful shooter. He’s got great body control and consistent form. We’ve seen him be so elite and consistent from that range that we’re willing to bet on the shot adding range out to 3-point land eventually. It may not translate to catch-and-shoot territory (he rarely gets those reps with his volume anyway) but he can and should be better off the bounce.
Scoot does not, however, have a deep bag of one-on-one moves. He’s creative to be able to get past guys one-on-one and can bend his way to the rim. But he does not have a ton of difficult shot-making in his arsenal as a jump shooter right now. While we’re overwhelmingly optimistic about his ability to shoot long-term, there will need to be a lot of growth in order for him to be a creator without a ball screen.
The first thing we have to mention when trying to evaluate Scoot Henderson’s defensive performance: the Ignite’s PNR defense was terrible all season. It’s hard to know just how much of that can be attributed to Scoot, or if there’s more versatility that he can bring to the table than he was able to show. Knowing his size, he’ll be limited to certain coverages and should avoid switching, but his physical frame does indicate a little bit of flexibility to guard up the lineup.
I think Scoot’s athleticism and tools will make him quite alright at the point of attack. He’s strong and won’t get abused by bigger guards muscling him to their spots. Additional craft in getting through ball screens must improve, but better defensive teammates will assuredly make him look better.
The early-season game against Victor Wembanyama and Metropolitans showcased Scoot’s competitive drive, fearlessness, and ability to balance the spotlight that was on him with making the right decisions for his team. He feels coverages around him, senses when different teams are keying in on him, and just makes the right play to penalize the defense. He doesn’t over-dribble a ton. He’s quick on his reads and makes the right play. When he’s dared to score, he will. When he has to share it, he will.
I don’t know how to describe ‘it’. But he’s got it. I can’t find a spot for him other than as a Tier 1 prospect.
NBA Role: High-volume PNR creator, transition athlete, point-of-attack defender
Favorite Fits: Portland Trail Blazers, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans
Click Here for the Full Scoot Henderson Scouting Report
Tier 0: The Best Prospect I’ve Ever Evaluated
0.1 - Victor Wembanyama, Metropolitans 92
Standing 7’4” in shoes with a reported 8’0” wingspan, we’ve never seen anything like Victor Wembanyama before. A surefire lock to go #1 overall, Wembanyama is the best prospect I’ve ever evaluated because of how dominant he is on both ends, the rare physical traits that unlock that dominance, and the intel about his competitiveness, work ethic, humility, and other intangibles that go into creating a winner.
Wembanyama’s physical profile is the main feature of his game. Defensively he locks down the lane and alters shots everywhere — on the perimeter, at the hoop, or in transition. Opponents play fearful of Victor coming out of nowhere and swatting their jumper, stuffing their pull-up attempts, and are unaware of his insane ground coverage on closeouts. With his size and movement ability, Wembanyama’s defensive ceiling has always been incredibly high. He changes the geometry of the court and forces the most difficult shots to be taken.
What’s scary is that there’s still upside for him to get better. As he gets stronger, he’ll handle the NBA’s best post players better in isolation. As he gets smarter, he’ll avoid putting himself in positions where he has to use his length for rear contests.
What we’ve seen over the last few months is the major development of Wembanyama’s offensive game as a primary option, shooter from distance, and polished scorer across many levels. Transition is where Wembanyama has a marginal advantage over anybody else. He’s so fluid with the ball in his hands, and his lockdown defensive prowess causes leakouts that he can take advantage of. Ground coverage is elite, and he covers ground quickly in a multitude of ways in the open floor.
In the half-court, Wembanyama surprises first with his handle. Because he’s huge, it won’t ever be tight in the sense that he can navigate through traffic and use a dizzying array of quick-twitch moves. Instead, he has great control over the ball for his size in a way that allows him to maneuver around on-ball defenders and create space for the functional moves he’ll get into. I think Wemby is a smart passer, he just has physical limitations that prevent him from making a ton of quick reads as a playmaker on the move.
More than anything, Wembanyama has become a laughable self-creator on offense. He’s unstoppable in so many disciplines as a one-on-one scorer. His long strides allow him to get rim pressure from spins at the free throw line. His turnaround jumper is unguardable thanks to his heightened release and already-mesmerizing size. He has great shooting touch, uses the glass effectively, and counter move after counter move.
Wemby has started to stretch defenses out behind the 3-point arc. He takes difficult ones, but his spot-up mechanics are super consistent and he’s a monster out of the pick-and-pop. There’s even movement comfort on his end, aligning his hips while he rises into a shot. It’s actually absurd to watch.
Of course, with his size advantage comes monstrous finishing around the rim — the one part of his game that is probably impossible to take away. When he catches the ball with his back to the basket, Wemby is a terrific low post scorer. He uses quick spins or fadeaways when he needs, but his hook shot is solid and his long arms allow him to slam several drop step flushes. In the dunker spot, his gravity is elite, and he covers ground in a hurry.
With the right pick-and-roll partner, Wemby will have the most impactful roll gravity in the NBA. His catch radius for lobs is absurd, his touch notable when he needs to use it, and the multitude of rim-rattling flushes is enough to force taggers to come down on him. Look for the Spurs to surround him with great spacing to unlock that on the offensive end.
I get that injury concerns do exist for guys of his size. But Wemby and his camp have been ultra careful to properly train him for injury prevention and maximum flexibility. A huge part of drafting Wembanyama is bringing in the team he’s already comfortable with that can help him keep developing his once-in-a-lifetime frame.
Whatever happens in the future with his pro career, do not let revisionist history creep in. With all the information we have right now and the dominance that Victor has displayed in a tough professional league, there is no question that he should be the top pick in this draft — and likely in any draft class over the last twenty years. We use the word ‘generational’ a little too much in draft circles.
Make no mistake: Victor Wembanyama is generational.
I really appreciate your work. It’s thorough and sober and insightful. You lay out all your observations along with your ruminating and measuring of pros and cons against each other, so everyone can get something out of your scout even if they have a different formula to convert data into ranking.
It’s really cool to see how much you have continued to grow since our old days at Bballbreakdown.com!