Post by jhb on May 19, 2021 14:10:44 GMT -5
Loy Vaught
PF
6'9"
230
22
Michigan
Vaught is an interesting piece in this draft that scouts are torn on in their assessments. On one hand, he's good athlete who showed as a college player that he's fairly well-rounded and lacks a major weakness in his game. On another hand, he only broke into the starting lineup permanently about halfway through his junior season and was the clear third wheel as a senior to fellow prospects Terry Mills and Rumeal Robinson on a team that got unceremoniously booted from the second round of the NCAA tournament by Bo Kimble and the Loyola Marymount Lions. Some scouts argue that he doesn't have an elite skill that will allow him to stick while other scouts argue that he doesn't have a huge flaw in his game and even if he doesn't develop much further, he's one of the highest floor players available.
Vaught certainly has shown that he can make it as a role player. In Ann Arbor, he played solid team defense and has the athleticism to work both in the paint and on the perimeter as a bit of a combo forward. While he doesn't quite have the elite length to become much of a rim protection threat, he makes up for that by being in the right places at the right times and constantly challenging his man to take tough shots. He's a solid rebounder on both ends that won't give away anything to his opponent because of his consistent focus and hustle. Offensively, he isn't much of an initiator, but he does do a good job of moving without the ball, giving good screens to his teammates both on and off the ball, and he has a high basketball IQ. He never takes a shot that isn't open, and even though he can't create for himself he is a very efficient finisher when he does get an opportunity. He's great at getting the backdoor cut for the easy lay-in or sneaking in past the opposing defense for the tip in. He's got a smooth jump shot that he hits when his teammates find him open in the mid-range and even though he doesn't get to the line a lot, he converts his opportunities when he does get there. He rarely turns the ball over and he doesn't put things in harm's way.
While he may not ever turn into a superstar, it's hard to imagine that Vaught won't find a way to stick somewhere in at least a rotational capacity. What's to decide now for front offices is how valuable this a player that profiles like this truly is.