Profiles (67 views)

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Brandon Ingram

SF

6'9"

199

19

Duke

Wingspan, wingspan, wingspan, Ingram is all arms right now, with a +7 reach.  That reach makes him an easy three point shooter, who is unbothered by defenders, as he simply rises above and knocks down shots.  Struggles from the free throw line, but is a hard worker and should iron that out in time, and finishes well enough inside that he'll get plenty of reps. Great passer, given his height/length advantage, as he distributes the ball incredibly well to cutting teammates or players coming off screens for jumpers.  Ingram's biggest weakness is his extreme frailty.  His lateral quickness and footwork defending on the perimeter are both subpar.  On the surface he has the physical tools to become Kevin Durant 2.0, however Ingram has a long ways to go in his development if he wants to ever reach such a lofty goal.

Thon Maker

PF

7'0"

214

19

Sudan

The YouTube wonder is finally here in TMBSL.  Effectively foregoing college, Maker has instead chosen to play an extra developmental year instead of playing in the American system.  He shows some signs of being able to stretch the floor, can make shots off the catch and has range out to high school three-point line.  Scouts believe that can stretch to the TMBSL line in time. With solid length and reach, has the ability to effect shots around the basket, good weak side shot blocker and displays timing to block shots. He gets knocked off balance easily, and has had a lot of trouble establishing himself in the post against stronger defenders. He lacks the fundamentals in a lot of the periphery skills you would want in a player, especially rebounding the ball, but sneaks in well for putbacks. 

Ben Simmons

PG

6'10"

240

20

Louisiana State

An extremely unique talent, combining power forward size and strength, with point guard vision and passing skills.  Highly unselfish, possibly to a fault.  He is incredibly strong and has the frame to add more weight without losing agility.  Has great balance, showing the ability to maneuver through traffic without crashing into defenders and drawing offensive fouls, possesses unique start/stop body control in traffic and finish inside.  While Simmons' form doesn’t have any glaring mechanical flaws, it’s apparent that it’s the one element of his game that he isn’t completely confident in, possibly because he vacillates between shooting hands and doesn't settle on a single approach. He definitely is adverse to the outside shot, only attempting 3 3pt shots over 30+ games during his time on the bayou.  Drains free throws in practice for long stretches, but has a serious mental block in games and is certain to brick freebies to a frustrating degree. He is an excellent rebounder and becomes a one-man transition opportunity every time he grabs a board.  Tallies defensive counting stats well in one on one matchups, but gets lost in team defensive assignments.

Jaylen Brown

SG

6'7"

220

19

California

Brown is a wing with great physical and athletic tools with potential on both ends of the floor. Very long, near 7-foot wingspan with fantastic strength, and explosiveness that help his readiness for the league greatly, plus provides something to build on going forward, he has shown the ability to finish plays above the rim and through contact.  He is built to run, showed ability in transition and can be dangerous off the defensive rebound. Has potential to be a nice combo forward in the current NBA, and could be a mismatch in small ball, where his three point shot and decisiveness would punish slower defenders. Gets to the foul line quite often, not at all afraid of contact and is aggressive driving to the basket, which is beneficial to his team as his shooting mechanics are not broken.  Long known to have issues turning over the ball, his hands have been questioned, he can lose the ball in traffic and will bring the ball low too often. Despite his combination of strength and athletic ability, he has never pulled it all together to be a force on the offensive glass to keep possessions alive, and flat out doesn't try hard enough on defense.

Buddy Hield

SG

6'4"

222

22

Oklahoma

Very rarely do players improve dramatically between their junior, and senior years of college, but Oklahoma senior, Buddy Hield has taken his game to the next level during his 4th collegiate season.  Always a strong outside shooter, Hield has improved his 3 point percentage to a lofty .523% on 7.9 attempts per game. He showcases TMBSL range, and even beyond, rendering him a player that needs to be guarded out to 26 feet away from the hoop, and is very strong from the free throw line as well.  He’s also shown the ability to dribble out of trouble, change speeds, and get past defenders, and those who sell out to take away his three routinely give up the pass he will make to teammates for an easy bucket. 

Domantas Sabonis

PF

6'10"

231

20
Gonzaga

Following in daddy's footsteps, Sabonis is making the leap to TMBSL at a much, much younger age.  He is a relentless rebounder, one of the best of the class, if not the best, attacking the glass all the time.  High high motor, which makes up for some other deficiencies in leaping and wingspan (which is disappointing.) Surprising strength and a low-center of gravity help him box out hard and then locate errant caroms.  Offensively, he can't be stopped at the rim: too strong, too skilled, too crafty.  His shooting mechanics aren’t always consistent, so a patient coach/GM will be helpful in that area, but he comes into the league as a reasonably above average jump shooter for a big man. Drawing double teams as far as 18 feet from the rim, Sabonis picks apart defenses with the pass, encouraging teammates to cut, generating even more easy finishes.  At times he holds the ball too long when he is posting up when he is double teamed, which leads to turnovers. It’s difficult to imagine him being a good shot blocker due to his limited vertical jumping ability and short wingspan, but he knows all the moves just as well on defense as on offense and won't be baited into cheap fouls.

Pascal Siakam

PF
6'9"

229

22

New Mexico State

A high energy four with great length (7-foot-3 wingspan) and solid all around skill set, Siakam has shown tremendous defensive fundamentals, utilizing his huge wingspan and quickness to deny all penetration. He is very fast in the open floor and will outwork his opponent, hustling down the floor on every possession. On top of being a high level run/jump athlete, shows great lateral speed. In pre-draft camps and on the international level he has been very effective guarding both on the perimeter and in the post.  His FT is already solid with the mechanics to grow.  Also has the form to grow from three, but needs a lot of reps to even get to league average there. Strong but not spectacular finisher inside, Siakam's strongest offensive skill right now is his playmaking - makes advanced reads without taking risks.

Jamal Murray

PG
6'5"

200

19

Kentucky

More of a combo-guard than a pure point guard, Murray looks to score more than facilitate.  He possesses a 3pt range that must be respected by defenders, giving him a gravitational pull that will create more space for fellow teammates, and is automatic from midrange.  Murray is comfortable finishing in the lane and has a variety of shots to finish in the paint, using his athleticism to be a creative finisher around the rim.  Putting so much scoring burden on himself leaves him with little energy and less interest in defense.

Malcolm Brogdon

SG

6'5"

218

22

Virginia

Brogdon's 6'10" wingspan allows him to play much larger than he is, leading to more pressure defense and above-average rebounding for his position. Defensively, he has the accolades, as the two-time ACC DPOTY and the reigning NABC National DPOTY. He isn't overly explosive, never demonstrating great burst or leaping ability, which limits his takeaways, but students of the game recognize the shift he puts in on defense.  He passes well and handles even better, but stays within the team scheme rather than hunting for assists.  The same judiciousness gives him excellent shooting percentages from all three levels, and has the leadership to get other players to buy into the team first mentality that won't limit any of their overall points per game.

Fred VanVleet

PG

6'1"

197

22

Wichita State

A steady hand at the point guard position, VanVleet has shown he can be a coach on the floor by being the conductor of an efficient offense. He never gets sped up with the ball and doesn't get fazed by ball pressure or double teams, probably the best handles in the class. He keeps the offense flowing.  His best chance to score off ball screens is by pulling up for a jump shot, usually a crisp midrange off the dribble but does have legitimate three point range. When he penetrates into the paint, he prefers to pass out rather than shoot because he isn't a great finisher.  VanVleet was one of the best defensive point guards in college basketball, jumping passing lanes and even sneaking in for weakside blocks, although he could get bullied by larger guards on the ball.