Chris Livingston: 6’7” 219 lbs 6’11.25” wingspan 19.7 years old Freshman, Kentucky 6.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.4 spg, 0.4 bpg, 42.9% fg%, 30.9% 3%, 72.2% ft% Overview: Chris Livingston shocked many by entering the NBA Draft this year as opposed to next but his appeal is athleticism, upside defensively, and limited usage at Kentucky hid what his capacities. Livingston has an NBA ready body he will have to use to his advantage to stick in the NBA as a defensively oriented wing.

Strengths: Strong point of attack defender with NBA ready body. Big wing. Plays hard every possession. Active cutter and attacks glass. Battles on the defensive glass. Likely will be able to switch on D between 2-4.

Weaknesses: Struggled to shoot catch and shoots and lacks mid range game. Only a straight line driver. Gets lackadaisical defending off of the ball at times.

Chris Livingston- Kentucky (SF) Age:19.7yrs 6’7 219 (Bruce Brown)

Livingston is a physical body who has a good motor on both ends of the floor. He has quick feet and a good frame to match up with lots of different players on the defensive end. Inviting contact when driving and tries to bully players of his to create space. Has a floater that he can get too. When he is going downhill though he does have tunnel vision and does not get teammates involved well in any area of his game as he does not see the floor well. He did not shoot a great percentage from three and there is certainly something to build off of needing to get his mechanics more consistent.

(34gs 22.4mpg)(6.3ppg, 4.2rb, 0.7ast, 42.9fg%, 30.5 3pt% 3.7 3pa)

Role: Raw Defensive-Minded Wing

• good rebounding wing and good defender

• 5 star prospect in high school that showed much more offensive skill at Oak Hill Academy

• very raw offensively

• not a good shooter

Player Comparison: (Shades of) Justice Winslow

STRENGTHS:

• Good NBA frame at 6'6" with a 7-foot wingspan

• Clearly athletically dominant; uses his strong build to attack the basket and is usually the first to initiate the contact; shot 69% between 3-5 feet

• Coming off of screens is his bread and butter in terms of how he gets to the basket; his burst is elite and knows how to get downhill; prefers to drive right and was elite as a right side of the basket finisher

• He is a solid cutter to the basket and is overall just a methodical finisher at the basket

WEAKNESSES:

• Touch at the basket can be inconsistent, it sometimes looks like missiles are being fired at the basket

• Not a lot of confidence in his shot on the outside, was 3/23 on pull-up jumpers and shot only 19% from three, which can be attributed to his hitch on his release

• His turnovers were an issue; was not very strong handling the ball, especially when he drove to the basket where defenders slapped the ball away with ease; was not a good decision-maker at all, especially on fast-breaks and in transition

• His defense on the perimeter is not the most polished aspect of his game; his quickness in reaction time should be cleaned up; that could make him an excellent turnover causer; there are plenty more positives on this end of the floor than negatives

OUTLOOK: Chris Livingston has a great physical build and great athletic tools that can be tapped into. His defense needs some perfecting in terms of being a fundamental perimeter defender and causing turnovers. Once that area of the floor gets cleaned up, his outlook is much better, especially since he is excellent in using his strength to be bothersome to anyone who is a ball handler or to anyone who is a bruiser down low. His offense is a big work in progress. While his finishing at the basket is his bread and butter, I currently do not see much upside as a shot creator. His shooting mechanics are off and he does not seem to have much confidence in his jump shot. His athletic and physical traits are excellent, which just (emphasize on just) might be an end of the second round player. He'll need some run in the G-League, but there is defensive potential here that makes Chris Livingston an intriguing gamble.

• Player Comparison: Shades of Josh Jackson and Matisse Thybulle

• Projected Draft Position: Picks 50-58/Undrafted

• Best Fits: Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves

Tier 5.5 : One contract player/5 or 6 years in the NBA

Livingston is a strong, physical wing that leverages his explosives and size to play a downhill game. He’s a real threat in transition when he’s got a head of steam and is nearly impossible to slow down. On-and-done out of Lexington, a old 4-star recruit with plenty of potential if well-developed.

Best fit team :

Best Rank : 56. Lowest Rank : 70. Final Rank : 56.

Rank in the 2023 official NBA draft : 58 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

2022-23 Stats (Kentucky - NCAA):

34 Games 6.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.7 APG - 43/31/72 - 64% at the rim, 27% on non-rim two's.

Comp: Max Christie

pros -can throw it down hard -NBA Body as a Freshman -huge burst ability -size, speed, strength (3pc combo)

cons -misses easy looks often -never catch and shoots immediately -relies on high school hype for draft stock\ -left hand finishing

comp: Josh Jackson