Bennedict Mathurin: 6'6" 205 lbs

Bennedict Mathurin played on an excellent Arizona team where he established himself as the Alpha and thrived playing in their uptempo system. Mathurin should succeed as a plus athlete with a beautiful shooting stroke and impressive confidence. Mathurin possesses upside to be more than the 3 and D he is billed as if he works on his individual creation ability.

Strengths:

• Has a prototypical NBA frame for 3 and D player.

• Excellent shooter who can be better than the college stats indicate as he was the MAN for the team and shot difficult shots often.

• 45.1% on catch & shoot opportunities. 43.8% guarded and 46.2% unguarded. 91st percentile as a jumpshooter.

• Very good positional rebounder. (6.2 per 36 mins).

• Explosive vertical athlete who flies up and down court in up tempo Arizona attack.

• Can be more than a shooter on offense.

Concerns:

• Sometimes becomes reliant on his jumper. (Whether reliance or lack of ability to create going toward basket is yet to be seen).

• Does not go toward the rim off of the bounce and as a result he shoots pullup jumpers.

• Handle is limited but he wasn't asked to isolate often due to pace of play and egalitarian attack for a loaded team.

• Does not facilitate well.

Mathurin projects as an impactful 3 and D player right away who possesses the traits that could lead to him becoming more than a 3 and D player who is picked around 7-11 a la Gordon Hayward or Paul George who were selected 9th and 10th respectively. Mathurin can become a half court scorer through developing his handle and attacking more North-South as opposed to East-West which should help him be more effective in attacking closeouts as well. Mathurin will be a solid player that I think will reach the 18 ppg threshold a few times and could be a crucial piece on a winning team with his impressive shooting traits and defensive upside.

Bennedict Mathurin

The Rundown:

I have finally seen the light with Mathurin, I apologize for taking so long to understand a prospect that is so obviously molded for the modern-day NBA. So, even if he does have his (rather obvious and under-talked-about) flaws, it’s really tough to see a world where he drops out of the NBA altogether, just by the sum of his skills that are built to give him success in the league. Before I say anything else, just a daily reminder to WATCH ARIZONA BASKETBALL! 3 guys are solidly in the first round in my book, and they are playing an objectively appealing style of basketball, they will not waste your time. One thing that must be understood for my entire piece on Mathurin, and that I should get out of the way early, is that I do not believe the height number given for Bennedict Mathurin. I also do not say that lightly; 99% of the time I trust these official heights given. However, I have seen Ben Mathurin listed as tall as 6’8, which is just patently incorrect. He looks a lot closer to 6’4 or 6’5 in my eyes, which isn’t terrible, his height hasn’t been a detriment up to this point and there’s a chance that he simply appears shorter because of the insane height of that Arizona team. However, I will be evaluating him as mostly a shooting guard, and as more of a guard than a wing.

The thing that I find the most fun to watch in Mathurins game actually happens to be his defense, and more specifically his positional rebounding. Height or no height, the dude gets UP when skying for rebounds, and it more than makes up for 2 or 3 inches that he may or may not have. He can track balls with the best of them, understanding the bounce off the rim quicker than players that may have a couple inches on him. He uses his wingspan well to almost vacuum in boards that he has no business getting. Mathurin isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, which ruins some of the comps that I have seen for him online of athletic two guards that can sometimes seem soft when it comes to battling in the paint (Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Zach Lavine, there are other problems with these comparisons but this one sticks out in this particular subject). Mathurin is a very tough cookie, using his underrated physique and strength to carve out space and box out. This toughness makes me think that he could still play up the 4 in spots, even if he isn’t 6’8. It also shows out when it comes to navigating screens. He almost never “dies” on these picks, and often succeeds at getting skinny and chasing players around them, but when he does get caught he can muscle his way through and make a commendable recovery when need be His strength comes through again when guarding on the perimeter, in his ability to take up space and hold it. His feet are very quick, nothing otherworldly for his size and position, but make due most of the time. However, it is the quickness of the feet combined with his lower body strength that gives him the ability to get his ground and hold it. This is perhaps the most underrated part of perimeter defense; it doesn’t matter how fast your feet move if you don’t have the strength to ensure that you are going to be keeping the space that you carve out. Essentially becoming a moving stone wall is how to ensure true perimeter prowess, and Mathurins build makes this very possible. Putting him on the quickest of point guards will be an issue, and the strongest of power forwards will give him pause, but Mathurin should be a fairly versatile defender at the next level due to his speed, strength, and length. However, there are some concerns. The stock numbers (.8 block percentage and 1.7 steal percentage) are less than ideal for an athlete of his caliber; he is decidedly not causing any havoc on that end. On paper, a player with a sound basketball mind, quick processing, and wonderful athleticism should be able to provide some passing lane coverage and weak side rim protection, but I haven’t seen very much of that. He often finds himself in the right positions, but he prefers to play sound defense compared to advantage creation defense. There are two types of defenders, reactors and effectors. Mathurin is squarely in the reactor category, basing his movements on the movements of the offense, instead of trying to influence the movement of the offense. At the end of the day, I think he will be a solid plus at this end, locking up when need be and understanding vast defensive concepts, but he shouldn’t be the best perimeter defender in a lineup; he won’t be making any all defensive teams. The best comparison I have for Mathurin, defensively at least, is Royce O’Neale. Not great stocks numbers in college, strong frames and long arms, quick feet but nothing exceptional, excellent positional rebounder, very tough and understands team defense without often making mistakes. Heck, both of them are listed taller in college than they will be in the NBA, with Royce being called 6’6 instead of the 6’4 that is more accurate. Royce is a good to great defender, but not one that you want taking the best matchup on any given night.

Offensively is where much of the appeal comes in with Bennedict. The percentages don’t always shoot it, but he has a strong argument to be considered a top 5 jump shooter in this class, with the entire package in this particular avenue. He is a little bit like what some people thought Keon Johnson was on offense last year; an athletic wing who rises up ridiculously high on his jump shots, is a great finisher and an excellent cutter. However, Keon is actually terrible on offense so that is a nice little tweek to the status quo by Mathurin. I will say this first though, loud and clear for all to hear, MATHURIN IS NOT A FIRST OPTION AT THE NEXT LEVEL, HE WILL BE BETTER AS AN OFF BALL PLAYER. This seems to the most common sentiments of those overrating Bennedict, it is completely unfair expectations. This isn’t even a bad thing! His off ball proficiency is perhaps my favorite part of his game, he can fit seamlessly into an offense. However, expecting him to run an offense just isn’t fair. He is a good passer with exciting flashes, but he is better at hitting the player after the play has developed instead of anticipating as the play will develop, which is a mark of a great playmaker that he just lacks. Mathurin can dribble, but is obviously better at straight line drives, with not a lot of shift with the ball in his hands. Sometimes it feels that the aesthetic bias that a player like Mathurin creates (long athletic shooting guard that can pull up from 2 levels) gives unfair expectations. This is a bit too negative though, lets talk about the good parts of Bens game. His movement shooting is phenomenal, as he is able to get set and rise up at an astounding rate. Be it off of screens or pindowns, Mathurin is always ready to shoot, and when that is added to his monster elevation on his jump shots he is also almost always open. He is even better on the catch and shoot without movement; given the time to set his feet he is automatic. Defenses know this, and Mathurin loves to take advantage of the poor closeouts with powerful straight-line drives. He has a great burst going to the rim off of the catch, exploding to the hoop. When he isn’t asked to perform any complicated dribble moves, his handle is clean and efficient, and he has great first and second jump ability to let him be a force in the paint when need be. Mathurin also has the ability to pull up in the mid-range when the paint seems clogged (a common occurrence in this Arizona offense).

One of the more encouraging facets of his game this year is his playmaking improvement. Mathurin has the ability to take advantage of his very impactful gravity on the perimeter or in the paint, and he puts lots of velocity and accuracy on his passes. This very much helps his two-man game capabilities, where he has dominated with Christian Koloko, at the top of the key or in the mid-post. Perhaps the most obvious of these improvements has come in the pick and roll, where he has developed the ability to read and execute basic screen reads, hitting accurate looks in a clogged paint. As I said earlier, he tends to make these passes AFTER his intended target has made his way to this final destination instead of leading his target to that destination, which limits his upside in this regard but increases his upside as a high level connecting piece. Connectors HAVE to be able to quickly make the extra pass, which is often to a wide open and stationary teammate. This does help his upside on his drive and kick game, which again I think is going to be reliant on his teammates but is still intriguing. At the end of the day, even with the obvious flaws and limitations on his upside, a young, athletic, tough, strong-minded shooter will always have a premium role in the NBA, as long as a team understands those aforementioned limitations and gives him a role suitable to his skill level.

The Synopsis: 

A long, athletic wing who doesn’t fade out of the game very often, a strong and quick defender with good second jumping abilities for rebounds, very very tough, excellent movement shooter and offball player in general with developing passing, the simplistic handle and poor anticipation limits his upside

Shades Of:

Josh Richardson, Reggie Bullock, Royce O’Neale, Will Barton, Gary Trent Jr.

Coming out of last season of college basketball Mathurin was projected to be a borderline second round pick. However, momentum for him built up through the end of last season into the beginning of this season. He has lived well up to expectations as a long and strong athletic wing. He doesn’t have great shot creation off the dribble, but he is a solid shooter off the catch. He is a great finisher in transition and can worm his way around opponents. He's mostly a run and gun player, however he has many fundamental skills. He has potential to be an elite defensive option.

Comparison: Kawhi Leonard Lite Lite

Projected Draft Range: 6-15

Best Team Fits: Atlanta, Brooklyn, LAC

Height 6'7 Weight 210 lbs Wingspan 6'9 DOB 6/19/22 (Draft Age: 20) Pre-Draft Team Arizona Wildcats

Offense

• Has adapted well to being more of a primary scorer in year two for Arizona.

• Has been a much better shooter, more efficient shooter than originally advertised coming out of high school. Good looking stroke, but the ball comes a little too low, still a fairly quick release. 40% from 3 career & 80 FT%

• Comfortable coming off-ball to C&S.

• Will crash offensive glass to clean up.

• Active, moves without the ball. Really smart cutter, with smart timing of when to go.

• Long strides that cover a lot of ground. Fun transition player.

• Likes to dunk ferociously. Oop threat.

• Does a good job of limiting turnovers and an improving passer.

Defense

• Terrific rebounder.

• Improved competent wing defender. Still hasn't filled his potential.

• Will occasionally lose track of his man and ball watch.

• Not sure that he has elite foot speed for the perimeter.

• Can improve on closeouts and getting around screens.

Swing Factors

• Shot creation

• Defensive potential

Role

• Two-way wing shooter who is effective in transition.

• LOW:

• HIGH:

Ranking Scale:

Athleticism: 7/8

3pt shot: 9/10

Finishing: 3/10

Handle: 4/10

Playmaking: 3/8

Defensive Versatility: 7/10

Defensive Positioning: 4/8

Rebounding: 5/6

NBA Fit: 8/10

Total Score: 50/80

Tier 3

Floor: Solidified rotation player

Bullseye: Secondary starter, 6th man

Ceiling: Core starter, top 15 movement shooter in NBA, mid-high-volume scorer

OFFENSE

Pass - Grade: 77

Notes: Mathurin's passing improved substantially from his freshman year at Arizona to his sophomore year. Mathurin is a much better passer than he is able to consistently display because his ball handling ability holds him back significantly. Mathurin began to understand how his gravity could open opportunities for others and take pressure off of himself as he reached the next level as a scorer:

Assists per game

First 11 games: 1.8

Last 26 games: 2.8

Turnovers per game

First 11 games: 3.4

Last 26 games: 1.7

Mathurin has shown he can hit bigs on the in creative and versatile ways, has good timing on his passes, puts zip on his passes, can pass on the move, and can see over the defense. Mathurin showed he can even throw live dribble passes as well as hook passes with both hands. Mathurin's court mapping is solid, but his tunnel vision/ball handling get in his way far too often. Mathurin misses easy windows and open shooters due to his poor ball control. Mathurin's role as a ball-handler will likely decrease in his first few NBA seasons, suggesting that he has a good chance to be a solid passer in his role within the flow of an NBA offense. Mathurin is a very solid PnR passer but his ball-handling is too poor to facilitate PnRs. Mathurin was solid when running spread PnR. Mathurin's lack of ball-handling prevents him from being able to manipulate defenses, and therefore from ever becoming a next level passer. While there has been substantial improvement from him in this area, his ceiling has firm lid on it unless his ball-handling takes a very drastic leap. Mathurin is best at hitting bigs for dump offs, and showed flashes of being able to hit shooters on his drives. His poise/control on his drives was not at a level where he will be able to make reliable decisions consistently. Mathurin has solid vision and deliveries but has significant limitations as a passer.

Dribble - Grade: 67

Notes: Mathurin's ball-handling ability is bad. Mathurin doesn't have much twitch, has a poor first step for the level of athlete he is, has no real go-to moves, has not shown an ability to change speeds, and is just very rigid with the ball in his hands. Mathurin has very poor ball control on his drives, and doesn't have great footwork either. Mathurin is strictly a one move guy, and will be this way in the NBA for the foreseeable future. Mathurin's ball-handling will force him to play strictly off the ball for a very long time, and it is extremely unlikely Mathurin will ever be able to reach a secondary playmaker status. Mathurin's handle is reminiscent of Ben McLemore coming out of Kansas. Mathurin's lack of control and inability to change pace completely prevents him from being able to attack downhill despite being an awesome athlete and having tremendous shooting gravity. Mathurin just lacks the ability to create any real advantages using his ball-handling. Mathurin also lacks physicality on his drives, making it hard to envision any path to for him to becoming a high-level slasher in the NBA. His open court ball-handling is also very poor. His ball control has undoubtedly improved from last season, when he struggled to simply bring the ball up the court. Mathurin has a very long way to go as ball-handler, especially for a guard. The first step for Mathurin needs to be getting to a point where he can use his handle to create positive situations when attacking closeouts. The next step may be working on PnR situations as the ball-handler. Mathurin's shooting, passing, and explosiveness are at a level where he could be a solid PnR player if he just becomes competent as a PnR handler. If Mathurin can learn how to put defenders in jail and just display some minor change of pace abilities then he would be able to be at least neutral as a PnR ball-handler, which would be important in late shot clock type situations. Mathurin's poor handle puts a significant cap on his potential to become a great NBA scorer and his overall ceiling as a player.

3pt shooting - Grade: 90

Notes: Mathurin may be the best traditional running off screens movement shooter in the draft. Mathurin is elite at coming off screens and rising up with a high release point. Mathurin has beautiful shot mechanics, with an elite ability to stay square in the air with his feet either fading or being off balance. Mathurin is a great fading shooter, and has a nice side-step and step-back that will translate nicely to the NBA. Mathurin shot 37% on 6.1 attempts. Mathurin is a versatile 3pt shooter, being able to shoot off the catch and dribble in any situation. Mathurin's going to have to further increase his volume and his ability to get open off the ball in order for him to reach reliable starter status in the NBA, otherwise he doesn't provide enough offensive value. Mathurin uses his athleticism when shooting off the dribble rather than actual moves to get open. His elevation and release point are so high, and Mathurin is a good shooter even with a hand in his face. Mathurin took a very large percentage of his threes from above the break and the top of the key. 121/316 on threes in his 2 year career.

Mid-range shooting - Grade: 75

Notes: Mathurin shot 18/57 on mid-range jumpers this season, got for 31.5%. These were usually forced, inefficient looks that stemmed from Mathurin's inability to create going downhill. Mathurin has no real go-to mid-range shots. Mathurin could benefit from adding a 1 dribble pull up when attacking closeouts.

Finishing - Grade: 84

Notes: Mathurin got to the rim at a solid volume and was efficient when he got there, going 114/196 (58%) at the rim this season. Mathurin got the majority of these looks as a cutter, in transition, and capitalizing on defense breakdowns. Mathurin being able to get to high and efficient volume at the rim despite his downhill struggles is a very encouraging sign when projecting his NBA scoring profile. Mathurin's ability to move off the ball is great, and he maximizes on his athleticism as a finisher and being creative in his downhill opportunities. Mathurin can take off from super far, and is lethal when he is given space. In all situations where Mathurin doesn't have to beat a POA defender off the dribble, he can maximize his ability to get to and finish at the rim. Mathurin has great body control when finishing at the rim, and great adaptability when finishing in traffic. Mathurin is great at utilizing his hang time and length to find angles to finish in tough situations. Mathurin can finish amongst the trees, and his off-ball shooting gravity will allow him to get plenty of opportunities at the rim as a cutter. Mathurin's inability to get to the rim without his teammates help isn't ideal, but his explosiveness and body control will allow him to be a solid finisher in the NBA when the opportunities arise.

Off-ball playmaking - Grade: 90

Notes: Mathurin is awesome off the ball. Mathurin thrives running off screens and cutting. Arizona ran a lot of off-ball sets for him, it is a bit unclear how opportunistic of a cutter he is on his merit but he showed enough to suggest he is an opportunistic cutter at times. Mathurin's elite running off the ball, and it results in a ton of good things for himself and his team's offense.

Offensive rebounding - Grade: 82

Notes: Mathurin was an opportunistic offensive rebounder, always hoping for an opportunity to crash for a put-back dunk. Mathurin's athleticism and motor allowed him to get a 1.4 OREB this season, very solid for his size and position.

Offensive Summary: 86

Mathurin has significant limitations on the offensive end, but has the potential to be a superstar in his role. Mathurin's athleticism and movement shooting combination could result in him being one of the more valuable off-ball guards in the NBA. Mathurin should not be counted on for any ball-handling or isolation responsibilities for the early years of his career, at least. Mathurin is going to be in a complimentary role, flying off screens and shooting threes at high volume while finding ways to get looks in the paint a few times a game. His gravity, shooting, and athleticism will be valuable to any NBA offense. Mathurin's major lapses as a ball-handler and lack of a mid-range game significantly cap his potential to ever become a reliable playmaker or go-to scorer. Mathurin's game goes south when he's forced to play outside the confines of himself, and he needs to be in a situation where this isn't required or expected of him. Mathurin projects to be a more athletic version of a Max Strus, Malik Beasley, or Gary Trent - which would be a very valuable player who certainly has a solidified role on contending teams in today's NBA.

Defense

Engagement - Grade: 73

Notes: Mathurin's defensive engagement was inconsistent and mostly poor. Mathurin focused enough to play solid defense in big time matchups or when he felt his team needed a stop, but his normal game-to-game possession-to-possession engagement on defense was not good. Hopefully this can change when his offensive role in the NBA is significantly decreased and use much more mental and physical energy on the defensive end of the floor.

Containment - Grade: 74

Notes: Mathurin has shown that he has the capability to strap up as a POA defender situationally - but his habits right now are bad. Mathurin often gives up way to much space, allowing himself to be screened with ease. Mathurin often does not apply nearly as much pressure on the ball as he should be. Mathurin also struggles with getting back into the play once he's beat, does not have a knack for rearview contests. A lot of the time, Mathurin does not even make multiple efforts to get back into the play - dies on screens often. Gets caught sleeping/leaning on the ball regularly. Mathurin has the tools to become a consistent POA defender in the NBA, but has a lot of work to do before he could possibly get there. Will likely be a minus as a POA defender in the NBA for the first few years of his career at least.

Team Defense - Grade: 67

Notes: Mathurin's team defense is very bad. Mathurin's often late on closeouts, is unaggressive in the passing lanes, and is prone to miscommunications. Mathurin is always reluctant or doesn't stick his nose into physical situations, often totally ignores his role as the help defender. Mathurin's intensity and effort off the ball can be very alarming at times. This is a big concern for him defensively, just a textbook bad team defender on nearly all accounts.

Rim Protection - Grade: 65

Notes: Mathurin had just 12 blocks total in his two year college career, which is very bad for a player with his athleticism and length. Mathurin does not put himself in position to contest shots, will settle for a light contest on the perimeter and at the rim.

Playmaking - Grade: 75

Notes: Mathurin was able to get a steal a game this year, but Mathurin is not a plus in the stocks department. Mathurin isn't aggressive in the passing lanes, and usually sticks his nose out most in transition.

Versatility - Grade: 68

Notes: Mathurin's defensive role needs to be the one of a chaser. Mathurin projects to be a lot like Buddy Hield on defense, who has now actually become one of the better off-ball screener navigators on defense in the league since the only role he can play somewhat effectively on defense is the role of a chaser. Mathurin may be able to check smaller threes too.

Defensive Rebounding - Grade: 78

Notes: Mathurin's 5.6 rebounds per game might overate Mathurin as a rebounder. Mathurin has a decent motor crashing the glass, but he doesn't like to stick his nose in often. Mathurin likes to soar and rise up to get uncontested rebounds, and he does crash often, but there are a solid amount of plays where Mathurin steers clear of the glass because of a crowded paint.

Defensive Summary: 72

Notes: Mathurin is bad defender in all aspects. Mathurin has shown flashes of motor and POA prowess, but is ultimately just bad at defense. His effort, intensity, engagement, activity, and awareness are all consistently poor. Mathurin's strength, frame, and athleticism along with an appearance of a real will to compete offer signs of hope. Hopefully Mathurin is just behind the learning curve as a defender and had to bear so much of the offensive load for Arizona last season that he didn't have the consistent mental/physical energy to bring it on defense. If this is who Mathurin is on defense, his ceiling is being an elite chaser/off ball screen navigator. Mathurin is a guy who you would want to be able to guard the opposing team's best guard, but he is far from that. Mathurin's lack of ball-handling/playmaking mean he needs to play next to a true offensive initiator, and the majority of offensive initiators in the NBA at the point guard spot prefer to not guard the opposing team's best guard. His ideal landing spot is in between two plus defender at the 1 and the 3, one of which is a great ball-handler on offense. That's a pretty specific role to slot in someone who should be way more versatile considering their natural athletic gifts, size, and shooting ability. Mathurin will need to a take a massive leap in his defense or playmaking to warrant his selection in the top 7 of this draft.

Measurables: 85

Combine measurements

Height: 6'6

Weight: 204

Wingspan: 6'9

Solid frame

Functional Athleticism: 93

Elite vertical

Great speed

Great explosiveness

Good lateral mobility

Good burst

Another high value player in terms of player archetype. Every team on the league could use a 3 and D player and Mathurin is likely above average on both. Probably never a star player but the kind of player your team is always wondering if they can trade for him.

Best fits: idk probably every team that has an open wing spot lol

Age: 19

Ben Mathurin is the best scorer on the second best team in the country. While his team got bounced in the sweet 16 to Houston, this doesn’t mean he won’t succeed in the pros. He is an elite shooter who can shoot off the dribble and off screens. He has a strong frame despite being at just 6’6. He’s also made strides as a ball handler and passer. However, his defense is a struggle, as he has looked like Arizona’s weak link at times. Sometimes he just looks completely unfocused defensively when off-ball. However, he is a great rebounder for being just 6’6. He also has a great wingspan which shoudk help his defensive prospects. His feet are quick and he is strong, so he flashes major defensive upside.

In conclusion, Ben Mathurin is a great shooter who should develop into a pretty good playmaker in time. He is also not a great defender now, but flashes potential.

Player analysis

Bennedict Mathurin is a two-way player who can score on three levels, he was the lead ball handler for a powerhouse Arizona team as only a sophomore in college. He shot around 38% from three and translated tantalizing splits from last year into higher production, he was in the 2021 draft until pulling out due to advice from scouts and a promised bigger role in college. Mathurin uses his physicality and bounce to rise above defenses and finish strong at the basket; he was a highlight reel despite not relying on drives to the rim as often as most slashers at his level. Bennedict can create his own shot from the midrange and often brought up the ball on set plays almost as if he was the point guard. Mathurin is also very strong on defense, he uses his length for a wing player to stay in front of his man in order to cause a bad shot. Although not a big number producer when it comes to defensive stats, don't let that fool you, he is definitely a positive on that end of the floor and can likely come in immediately as league average. Many teams he is projected to in draft talks have him as a secondary ball handler at best so he might be more of a shooter and slasher rather than a real offensive creator early on in his career. Best case scenario would be for a team to transition him into handling the ball more and more in order to replicate his college production.

Projection

Draft range: [ 6 - 11 ]

Comp: [ Prime Oladipo ]