Over the last couple of weeks, Kira Lewis Jr has been doing workouts and/or interviews with the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, and the Miami Heat. These are an interesting group of teams as they have draft picks all over the board. This shows how varied Lewis’ draft stock is and raises questions of where he will be drafted. Kira Lewis Jr is one of the fastest players in the draft (if not the…
Prospect Analysis Tyrell Terry’s name has soared up draft boards over the last couple of weeks leading up to the draft. Terry is an exceptional shooter who has shown glimpses of smart playmaking. Terry’s shot form is very reminiscent of Kyle Korver’s, and he shoots an excellent percentage from deep on a high volume of attempts. The two big questions about Terry’s game are his lack of size and whether he can become an NBA level playmaker. With reports of…
Tyrese Maxey is one of my favorite players in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was a key proponent of Kentucky’s success this year. While he did not put up the numbers some of his fans hoped he would, his contributions exceed what can be seen on the box score. Maxey is a smart slasher, relentless defender and strong all-round player. Tyrese Maxey possesses an incredibly high work ethic based off of what has been said about him by his peers…
Onyeka Okongwu is the most gifted defensive big man in the 2020 NBA Draft. He possesses the size, length and defensive IQ to defend both forward positions and the centre position. While his defense is already great, and has the chance to be elite, he also appears to be promising on the offensive end. Defense Okongwu’s defensive versatility is incredibly valuable in the modern NBA. While Okongwu is best suited to play center or power forward in the NBA, the…
When it comes to projecting an NBA draft prospect’s shooting potential, players’ free throw percentages have become one of the most important factors. Some draft prospects are incredible shooters at the College and Euroleague level, however in most cases the free throw percentage is the better indicator. This is largely due to the fundamentals of a player’s shot. Free throw shooting is mostly about a player’s shooting form, mechanics and muscle memory. Creating an accurate free throw shot is largely about finding a form that a player can easily replicate. The muscle memory of a free throw shot is gained due to practice and repetition. Because of this we can see that players with high free throw percentage shooters have in almost all cases put in very hard work in practice. This gives a good look at a player’s work ethic to scouts and general managers.
Introduction to Killian Hayes: Killian Hayes is a special NBA prospect. He possesses both an advanced skill set and unteachable abilities. In today’s NBA, Hayes can be an ideal point guard or shooting guard for most teams. His playing style is built around his incredible court vision, shot creating ability and high shooting percentages. He even appears to possess the ideal size for either of these positions. While Hayes is not an unknown in the draft, he is not spoken…
Deni Avdija Overview: Deni Avdija possesses one of the high basketball IQ’s in the 2020 NBA Draft. He takes smart shots and makes smart passes. While most people are high on Deni Avdija, he has some significant red flags that are being overlooked. It’s understandable why scouts and fans are high on Deni Avdija. Avdija will be coming into the NBA with the decision making required from a modern wing. He appears to possess a solid handle as well. These…
James Wiseman is yet another polarizing prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft. Listed by ESPN as the number 1 player in his recruiting class, Wiseman went on to play extremely well at Memphis University. Averaging 19.7 points per game along with 10.7 rebounds per game and a sky high 76.9% field goal in only 23 minutes per game. The problem is he only played 3 games for Memphis. Wiseman being suspended for taking money to help relocate his family to…
An Introduction to LaMelo Ball: LaMelo Ball is the definition of a boom-or-bust prospect. If his game translates to the next level he could be a one-of-a-kind talent, however if he isn’t developed correctly you could waste a top 2 pick on a taller Rubio. While a tall Ricky Rubio would certainly be a good player, a top 3 pick is expected to be a great player. With LaMelo spending the previous season playing for the Illawarra Hawks in Australia,…
An Introduction to Anthony Edwards: You can make an incredibly impressive highlight reel with Anthony Edwards footage. However you could for Dennis Smith Jr, Josh Jackson, Andrew Wiggins, and even Seventh Woods as well. So while Edwards definitely passes the eye test, there is so much else that needs to be given attention. What makes Edwards such a terrifying prospect is his lack of consistency. Some games he locks in and looks like a superstar, whereas other games he looks…