Micro Skill Spotlight: Our favorite translatable traits
From attacking closeouts to floaters, we shine a spotlight on some 2022 draft prospects who demonstrate these traits that translate to pro success
When going back this Fall to look at film of some returning prospects for the 2022 NBA Draft, we found a few common themes amongst our favorite guys: they make plays in ways that translate to NBA success.
How do we identify such a translatable area? We look at micro-skills: small traits that players have in functional areas which can be replicated on an NBA court and in NBA offenses. Some micro-skills are simple ones: dribble moves, verticality traits, a layup package. More broadly, they are consistent ways that players score or what they do that leads to the score.
We look at three micro-skill segments today, examining a few NBA prospects for the 2022 NBA Draft or that are currently in the G-League searching for roster spots in the process.
Micro Skill: Attacking Closeouts off the Catch
Learning how to play off-ball is a vital skill for every non-superstar in the NBA. Assembling pro-level talent often means taking players who have always been the alpha on their pre-draft teams and teaching them how to blend into an offense when sharing the floor with other elite players.
In some circumstances, the opposite approach can be quite useful: finding players ahead of the draft who have already sacrificed and learned how to blend into an offense. The classic dilemma for finding NBA role players then ensues: should we prefer guys who we know excel within a role that might not have upside for much greater, or do we prioritize the talent and trust that they’ll learn to adjust to their role?
One of the great skills we look for in playing off-ball is knowing when to immediately attack poor closeouts. My defensive philosophy is that closeouts are the most important part of defense, not help rotations. If you can close out to the ball and contain it off the drive, you’ll never need the help defenders behind you. If such a theory is to remain consistent, then finding ways to attack closeouts is vital on offense.
Several players in the NBA have found success attacking their defender before he can even settle the ball. Jaylen Brown stands out as one in particular who is great at what he does:
Shooting plays a role into being guarded with urgency… defenders won’t close out to a player if he isn’t a threat to do anything from where he catches the ball. But defenders aren’t always this disciplined, nor are they aware of who they close out to in split-second situations where their instincts and repetitive habits take over.
There are a few players in this 2022 draft class, returners and international prospects, who have already demonstrated an ability to attack off the catch from the perimeter. Their mechanics are strong with their rips, quickly moving the ball off the catch instead of settling it, holding and then seeing the opportunity to drive.
Some of the best in this draft class: Baylor’s Matthew Mayer, Cibona’s Roko Prkacin, Rutgers’ Ron Harper Jr. and Kansas forward Jalen Wilson. All are bigger wings or forwards, where slower defenders often close out to them and can be exploited with blow-bys much more easily.