5 Potential Surprise One-and-Done Prospects
Taylor Hendricks went from relative unknown to top-ten pick in a year. Is there another incoming freshman who could make a similar leap that is currently off NBA Draft radars?
Last year, Taylor Hendricks went from relative unknown to top-ten pick. There were probably some scouts better than I who predicted such a rise, but Hendricks was outside the top 80 on most national recruiting databases. With consistent work and continued growth, Taylor blew the competition out of the water his freshman season in the American.
National rankings at the high school level are pretty arbitrary to begin with, and several coaches or programs do a much better job of identifying talent they can win with at the collegiate level. But for NBA upside, there isn’t one college or program to look at that neatly identifies players off the radar to become one-and-done guys.
So today, I’m going to attempt to discuss a few players who I really like that are in the same territory as Hendricks: outside the top 50 on national rankings but players who, thanks to a combination of skill level, NBA translation of their game, and playing time opportunities, could force their way into the conversation this year.
Silas Demary Jr. - PG, Georgia
A huge part of the equation in predicting potential breakout players is seeing them land in a spot where the pathway to minutes — and a major offensive role if they earn those minutes — is available. This Spring, Silas Demary Jr. decommitted from USC once Bronny James joined the fold, opting to go to a spot where he can play with the ball in his hands.
The Bulldogs should play through Demary right away, and he has both the frame and the intelligence to run in the SEC right away. His game is built for patience in ball screens, he has a controlled way of getting to his spots and playing at different paces, and he uses his frame really well to create space. He’s a strong driver who has the right mid-range jumper to complement it. When he wants to get to the rim, he can without many being able to keep him from getting to his spots.
Demary has good size (closer to 6’4” than anything, from the looks of it) and has the traits to really lock guys down on the defensive end. A big guard with defensive aptitude, the poise to play the 1, and a mature game that easily translates to college? Sign me up! Demary has talked about wanting to go to the NBA in part of his college selection process, so I wouldn’t be surprised if a good to above-average season from him propels him to declare next year — even in a guard-heavy class.
Carlton Carrington - CG, Pittsburgh
Here’s another Coach Spins special. I’ve coached against Carrington for the past few years and, by my measure, he was the best guard I went against this year. Poised, versatile as a scorer, and a confident shot-maker, Carrington is one of those guys who I’m confident will far outperform his national ranking (118th)