NBA Comparison: Andre Drummond Strengths: 6’10 big man … Great length with a 7’5 wingspan and big hands … Very good mobility … Explosive athlete, gets up quick and effortless. Good second jump. Dunks everything within close … Efficient around the basket. Uses glass when appropriate. Averaged 10.3 points per game on 62.5% FG% at the U16 Americas Championship in 2019 … Good rebounder on both ends. Converts offensive boards into baskets and is good for a few tip-slams a game. Averaged 8.2 rebounds per game at the U16 Americas Championship in 2019 … Very good shot blocker and does a good job of contesting without fouling. Averaged 2 blocks per game at the U16 Americas Championship in 2019 … Grown man strength and frame. Finishes well through contact … Weaknesses: Isn’t always heavily involved with the offense. Limited in scoring and typically spends the majority of possessions sitting in the post. A bit reliant on put backs, lobs, and being found in position to score. Still has a way to go developing scoring technique and touch, as well as expanding post-game … Doesn’t set many on ball screens, will add more showing ability as a pick and roll big man … Face up game and ability to stretch the floor has a long way to go. Poor free throw shooter. Shot 40% (2-5) FT% at the U16 Americas Championship in 2019 … Minimal ability to put the ball on the floor, generally hands off to a guard after a defensive rebound or steal … Often times, the last player up the floor … Has a way to go in developing skills that are valued in big men for today’s game … Jalen Duren is a big, powerful center who was pretty much born with an NBA center’s frame. Since he was born in 2003 Jalen is eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft and projects as a likely lottery pick with top 6 potential. He doesn’t have the expansive offensive game of a player like Chet but then again, he’s 1.5 years younger than Chet and has plenty of time to develop his skill-set. Jalen is a physically imposing force who is too much to handle for most opposing bigs. He’s a man among boys. He dunks everything around the rim and is an intimidator on both ends of the floor. He’s got extremely long arms and big hands, which help him control lob passes and offensive rebounds with ease. There might not be a better rebounder in college basketball and this is a skill that will translate to the highest level of play. Protecting the rim is one of his biggest strengths, thanks again to his great length and powerful build. He’s a quick leaper and gets high above the rim with ease and also knows how to keep his feet and jump last on defense. Even when he doesn’t get the block he alters lots of shots in the lane and is a big presence around the basket, where his length is an X factor for him.
NBA Comparison: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Strengths: Shooting guard with solid all around skill and understanding … Davis is capable of driving to the basket with either hand and finishes well around the rim with both hands … Crafty slasher who is deadly in the midrange and showcases a variety of post-scoring moves … Excellent shooter from all three levels with a 44/34/86 shooting split through ten games of his sophomore season … One of, if not the most, improved players in all of college basketball … Averaging 21 points per game for Wisconsin after averaging only 7 as a freshman … Outstanding intangibles and leadership skills … Big shot maker who never backs down from big moments … Great rebounding guard who averages more than 6 boards per game … Improving as a playmaker and passer every game and does a good job limiting turnovers despite his high usage rate (2.3 AST, 1.9 TO) … 34% three-point shooter with four attempts per game. Can knock down threes off the dribble or spotting up, but mostly creates for himself as the primary ball-handler without playmaking guards around him … Can flourish in any role, but his development as a star this year is putting him into lottery discussion … Physical, aggressive defender who can guard 1-4 and disrupt passing lanes off the ball. Currently averaging 1.6 steals per game which is fourth in the Big Ten … Easy to notice his long arms with his disruption and ability to alter and block shots as a guard with nearly a block per game … Moves very well laterally defensively to stay in front of defenders and avoid foul trouble. His fouls per 40 minutes are down from 3.5 to 1.6 this season … Could flourish as a 3-and-D guard early in his career before embracing his current role as a shot-creator with more development and bulkier frame … High potential player who is just starting to scratch the surface of his skill set … Weaknesses: Lacks ideal size at 6’5 for a shooting guard, but we’ve seen more players with this size find success in the league in recent years … Doesn’t always create a lot of space for himself on jumpers, but gets away with making contested jumpers against smaller defenders … Solid athlete with good wingspan, however … Doesn’t always appear to create separation against top level athletes. Speed remains one of his biggest question marks … Lacks elite level lateral speed … Needs to continue to improve as a playmaker and not just as a scorer off the dribble … Good, but not great athleticism, which raises concerns again about creating space for himself and also guarding top-level NBA guards … A/TO ratio is just 1-1, so he can stand to improve his passing, ball handling and decision making to become a more well rounded shooting guard … Johnny Davis is a hard-nosed gamer of a guard who does it all on the court. He’s a talented scorer and is really crafty with the ball in his hands, showing a nice ability to get past his man and score from mid range or deep in the lane. He’s got good burst and a quick first step. Operates the pick and role well. Davis is a decent outside shooter but isn’t yet a pure knockdown shooter from deep. This will be one of his biggest areas to work on to find true success in the NBA. Although he’s not an elite above the rim athlete Davis has plenty of athletic tools, good size and length and plays with toughness. He’s slippery with the ball and has a knack for getting into the lane and scoring in traffic. He’s the type of guy you want on your team and isn’t afraid of stepping up in the big moments of a game. Davis projects as a complimentary piece at the next level. He might not be a superstar but should be a long time starter with some All Star level potential.
A product of Canada, Sharpe is an explosive athlete with a nose for the rim. He loves to catch, face and is tough to stop because of an electric first step and his ability to get downhill, into the lane and then finish around the rim. Over the last year, Sharpe has improved tremendously as a ball handler, pull-up jump shooter and shot maker from beyond the three point line. The improved ball handling has allowed him to be much more creative as a scorer and playmaker for others. Sharpe has long arms, moves well laterally and has all of the tools to develop into a player who is just as disruptive on the defensive end of the floor as he is on offense. Sharpe is a big, quick, bouncy wing prospect with long arms and all the tools you want to see in a high level NBA prospect. After sitting out a season at Kentucky he projects as a possible top 4-8 pick in the 2022 draft. The first thing that stands out about Sharpe is his size. He’s got a very strong build with a lot of lower body strength and an overall very solid frame. He’s got ideal height for a wing with good length as well. While I wouldn’t say he’s an elite level athlete Sharpe has all the tools to be elite at the next level. He’s got a quick first step and gets to the rim with ease and can really finish through contact. He’s a great slasher and a good off ball cutter who always looks to take advantage of his nice finishing ability by making moves to the rim. He’s a ferocious dunker who can bring the house down with his monster dunking ability. Is very dangerous on backdoor cuts. Sharpe is still developing his ball handling, play-making and outside shooting game but his progression over the years has been impressive and he’s well on his way to being a knockdown shooter. He also has the makings of a nice pull up jump shot and gets good rhythm with the dribble before rising up for the shot. He’s not a pure shooter but shows a lot of promise and can be streaky hot at times. Can play a little wild at times and over shoot the ball. His shot selection could use some work, but that should come when playing alongside NBA talent.
NBA Comparison: Otto Porter Strengths: A 6’8 225 frontcourt player with the frame, length, and mobility to play minutes all along the frontcourt in the NBA, especially as he fills out his frame … Agile; moves well laterally and has pretty decent leaping skills too, gets off the floor quickly off one or 2 feet … A smooth frontcourt player with the ability to move better than many similarly sized players, making him a big mismatch offensively at the college level with some translatable skills to the pros … Very good floor spacer, has a soft shooting touch and consistent shot mechanics from all 3 levels of the floor, and can do damage spotting up and hitting shots from long range (nearly 40% 3FG on 4.7 attempts), pulling up off the bounce and attacking closeouts, or using turnaround jumpers from the low or mid post … Also is effective in pick-and-pop situations, and shows budding ability to hit some jumpers with range off screens … Possesses a rangy 1st step that college frontcourt players struggled to defend all season when he attacked off the dribble, and knows how to slither in tight spaces or spin into the lane under control for high percentage shots when defenders happen to cut off his driving lanes … Solid post-up player, particularly when matched up on smaller players, and has a good command of jump hooks & up and under moves when he establishes position … More of a finesse player than physical, but shouldn’t be confused with a player who is afraid of contact in the paint, and will occasionally finish with authority at the rim … His huge production jump from his Freshman to Sophomore season (from 7.2 ppg to 23.5 ppg) is eye-opening and encouraging; but his shot selection to get that production was also outstanding (55% FG, career 54%) and he rarely looks like he’s forcing scoring opportunities outside of the offensive flow … Looks comfortable as a ball handler initiating transition opportunities after missed shots or turnovers … Will make some hustle plays and is active moving without the ball, gets a fair share of points without having plays drawn up for him as a cutter and in transition … Rebounds his area well (nearly 9 rpg), but is particularly effective as an offensive rebounder (nearly 3 Orpg as a Soph.) who regularly got put backs by being active on the glass and using his long arms … Effective shot-blocker (nearly 2 bpg as a Soph, career 1.6 bpg) showing nice timing and using his length to alter shots near the rim or get back into plays when beat off the bounce … Moves his feet well, rarely gets in foul trouble, and also has quick hands (over 1 spg); has the tools needed to be able to switch onto the perimeter and hold his own and sometimes even smother smaller matchups while guarding along the frontline as well … Gets to the line at a decent clip (over 5 attempts per game at around 75 FT%) … Doesn’t turn the ball over much (just 1.1 topg), especially for his usage … High IQ player and late bloomer who clearly works hard on his game giving his emergence from his 1st season to now … Weaknesses: Will have some questions about his true position at the next level; though his length allows him to play bigger than he is, at 6’8 he may be better suited as more of a PF or ‘small ball’ C than the combo forward he is seen as at the college level, especially as he fills out his frame … For as productive a scorer as he was for Iowa as a Soph., Murray didn’t quite prove to be a natural perimeter shot creator … Is comfortable handling in the open court and he’s hard to contain in the mid and high post, but he can be loose with the ball from the perimeter off the dribble and it’s tough to project him facing up and breaking down NBA level combo forwards on the perimeter consistently … Was an efficient shooter, but did have some inconsistency from deep this season at times and is still improving … Seems to prefer to drive and finish with his right, did have some awkward possessions when that side of the rim was cut off and he had to use his off hand … Defensively, Murray on occasion will rely too much on his length to gamble for steals/deflections by fronting post entry passes with no help around, and it can lead to easier shots in the paint when he’s unsuccessful … May struggle to defend on the perimeter as his lateral speed is not exceptional … May have been a function of his role on the team because he doesn’t seem selfish, but Murray doesn’t pass the ball much … Has underrated strength, but did at times struggle with his efficiency when defended by physical match ups who could contain his dribble penetration … Older than your average Soph. after spending a year in prep school before attending Iowa, will be 22 years old at the start of his rookie season Keegan Murray is a very efficient player who projects as a high end role player, floor spacer and do-everything forward at the next level. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands much to be effective and he makes the most of his shots, hitting a very high percentage from the floor, from the FT line and from 3. He’s having a breakout sophomore season for the Hawkeyes, after a very good freshman campaign, becoming a star in the Big 10. Murray is a versatile defender who shows a lot of smarts and awareness on that end of the floor. He plays with great positioning and solid fundamentals and has enough mobility to step out and guard in space. He’s also a committed rebounder who works hard on the glass. He’s not a great rim protector but that won’t be his role at the next level. Murray is a smooth athlete for a 6-8+ player with easy movement skills. He’s got plenty of length, with a reported 6-11 wingspan and has all the size and physical tools to be a big time NBA player. …
Big time physical tools with ideal size and length. High level frame and plus athleticism. Natural small forward but due to size, length and physical gifts, could easily play small ball four. Improving stroke with range to perimeter. Has good vision for position. Elite upside as versatile defender; should be able to guard 2 through 4. Could stand to improve as rebounder given size and athleticism. Motor is inconsistent. Has extreme upside; further development of skill and motor will determine ultimate stock. Should be lottery pick with continued development. Son of the former NBA player by the same name, Jr. is a powerful wing/big guard who plays with intensity and brings it on both ends of the floor. He has nice athleticism, a very solid frame and a ton of natural talent. Griffin is built like a linebacker with thick shoulders and sort of a low center of gravity but that doesn’t keep him from making plays above the rim. He gets off his feet well, can defend at the rim and has impressive vertical explosion. Injuries have been a concern over the past few years and will be something to take into account on draft day. If he goes through the rest of the season healthy it’ll alleviate a lot of those concerns.
Mathurin is an intriguing wing prospect with upside. He has good size, pushing 6-6 with long arms, an athletic build and impressive athleticism. Offensively, Mathurin is still an effective playmaker and scorer. He has good instincts, makes plays in transition, does a good job of making plays off the bounce and is an improving shooter from long-range off the catch. One thing Mathurin does really well is finish around the rim through contact and over contests. Defensively, Mathurin has potential to be a good multi-positional defender as he has the tools, athleticism and instincts to defend both wings and ones if he has too. Mathurin is an intriguing wing prospect who possess all the tools to excel at the next level and shows flashes of All Star level talent. He went from a solid freshmen season to a breakout sophomore campaign and has played his way into the lottery. At 6-6 with good length and athletic ability he’s got ideal size for a wing. He’s got a strong upper body and a solid base and plays under control. He’s not the most twitchy player you’ll ever see but he’s got good burst, a quick first step and plenty of bounce to get above the rim. He’s got a compact and consistent shooting stroke and a soft touch on his shot. Is a good iso scorer, either gaining separation for his jumper or making power drives into the lane and using his elite abilities to score in the paint. Is a pretty efficient on good volume, hitting 37% from 3pt and 77% from the FT line. He still has to tighten up his handles a bit and put more consistent pressure on the rim.
Duren. And yeah im 100% on team upside. Thats why I'm not as concerned about college production as much as some others.
I think, more than anything else, Blazers need versatile 2-way wings. Guys who can roll between SG-SF-PF and be solid on defense and better on offense. So whoever fits that best
Of the guys with high upside, Duren is probably the one that could help most right away on defense. His defense highlights start at 3:41. Damn. He's good.
I'm all in on this ... the league is all about having versatile wings, it's the one thing I don't think you can have too much of in the NBA. Personally I like Murray and Sharpe the best with Griffin 3rd, not sure I'd want to touch Mathurin or Davis.
Read this , and decided to change my vote: "Keegan Murray is a very efficient player who projects as a high end role player." Maybe Mathurin or Griffith? Don't really like the Drummond comparison on Duren.
