John Butler & Aminu Mohammed: Mini Scouting Reports
Two one-and-dones that were surprise entrants in the draft to many, Butler and Mohammed offer drastically different skill sets to an NBA team
As we wind down the pre-draft process, time is alluding us. There simply isn’t time left for a deep dive into each prospect in the way we’d want to do. No more ten-minute scouting videos, full six-category breakdowns, individually-dedicated scouting reports.
What we can offer instead is a chance to look at two players at a time, perhaps comparing their overlaps or making a point about how differently they’re treated in draft circles. We’ll provide some five-minute scouting report videos, a quick breakdown of our thoughts in written form, and maybe a draft prediction or two based on intel we’re hearing around the league.
This approach — covering more prospects instead of looking at fewer in great detail — seems vital to encompassing the 2022 draft class. The way this draft is shaking out, there could be as many as 50 players in play for a first round selection. Beyond that, the end of the draft is wide open. Of those 50 players we hear rumors about with the first, at least a dozen of them could easily go undrafted as well. There’s a great deal of volatility with draft ranges. As a result, there are probably 75-90 guys we need to look at and prepare for going into draft night.
Two one-and-dones that were surprise entrants in the draft to many, John Butler and Aminu Mohammed offer drastically different skill sets to an NBA team. Butler is a 7’0” shooting guard — if anyone calls him a big man or a center, sue them for malpractice. With such an unorthodox game (and a really underdeveloped body), he is an outside-the-box long-term play.
Mohammed is super raw on the offensive end but is a physical powerhouse, a guy who stands out as a possible glue guy thanks to his defensive prowess and consistent motor. He’s a little bit of a positionless player and doesn’t have a clear place to fit in on offense, so projecting his NBA role and upside can be tricky.