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Topic subjectReal upside as a possible starting PG. Better Patrick Beverly, maybe?
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2741470&mesg_id=2743811
2743811, Real upside as a possible starting PG. Better Patrick Beverly, maybe?
Posted by Frank Longo, Sun Jul-25-21 01:17 PM
Wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as the best on-ball defender of any guard in this draft. 6'2 height isn't ideal, but he's got a huge 6'9 wingspan, a strong 200+ lb frame, and absurd speed, especially laterally. Combine that with an elite motor, and dude could certainly be one of those pesky defenders we see on opposing PGs with regularity. Not purely switchable, but he could defend 1 and 2 with ease, maybe some 3s with length, and then dig in with his great hands and length against bigs if they try to back him down to hopefully turn them over.

He's also, unlike the aforementioned Beverly, a really nice pull-up jump shooter. Good catch-and-shoot guy too-- made something like 50% of his 3s on catch-and-shoot last year on a relatively small sample. He's traditionally played more like a combo guard than a pure PG... but he made a huge leap toward showcasing PG skills last season. He's a good not great passer, but he plays smart, dictates tempo, and doesn't turn it over needlessly.

I think we see him get drafted back half of the first, and if he goes to a contender, he's the sort of guy that could get serious bench minutes right away and sneak into an All-Rookie Team. He's just so tenacious and has flashed all manner of skills that are translatable. I think there's a real chance he's under-drafted on draft night-- he's easily Top 20 on my big board.