Begarin played well over the course of this season and is rising up draft boards and seems like a second round candidate and surefire pick. He's really athletic and can get above the rim and score. However, his decision making is very underwhelming and we still don't know whether he can score on a consistent basis. He does not give consistent effort and sometimes fails to maximize his skills, similar to Kuminga at the top of the draft. Still, the potential he displayed in his professional league has to be somewhat appealing.

Projected draft range: 35-55

Height 6''6 Wingspan 7 ft Weight 210 lbs

Offense

• Advanced physical frame for an 18 year old, it stands out.

• Plays with a very confident aggressive demeanor.

• 61% FT shooter this year and has struggled with these his entire young career, not a shooter yet.

• His shooting load came too low, and his follow through was pretty slow. He has come a long way in the last half year and there is a fluidity starting to develop.

• Excels as a transition player who gets downhill quickly.

• Great first step, high flyer.

• May be able to get to the free throw line a good amount because he is such an attacker.

• Decision making as a passer has improved. Makes some really nice kick outs and dump offs out of drives. This could end up being a surprising plus in his game, which would go a long way.

• Growing understanding of how to be an off ball threat.

• Handle has tightened up, but still largely a work in progress. He can and does create some separation for jumpers with his speed and a growing desire to use shiftiness.

• Offensively a project, but one that has already come a long way and has the athleticism, length, size, explosiveness, and youth worth investing in.

  Defense

• Raw defensively with upside, when locked in he is tough to get around.

• Not great around screens. Sometimes commits silly fouls.

• Defensive awareness has become much improved - can still focus too much on the ball and not his man.

• Vastly improved sense of how to play the passing lanes. He should be able to collect steals for fast break opportunities on a regular basis.

• A project here, but again all the athleticism, length and upside to be good here.

Swing Factors

• Perimeter Shot - Needs to continue to iron out his shot for long term effectiveness as a floor spacer/C&S threat.

• Handle - If he can make major strides here it unlocks him to all sorts of advanced level skill development. The first purpose this would serve is in his attacking upside, beyond that he may start to work towards more off-dribble shooting and initiation skills.

• Awareness/IQ - Does he possess what it takes to begin to diagnose NBA offenses as a defender? Can the game slow down for him enough when he's on offense?

Role

• A hugely impressive athlete with good transition skills, developing attacking skills and high level energy athleticism for defense. A project player who will have to work his way up the ladder.

• LOW: Begarin fails to make an impact with his shooting and his handles never manifest at the NBA level rendering him ineffective in the league. He goes overseas to hone his skills and has a highly successful career, maybe to return to the NBA one day.

• HIGH: Begarin instantly sees the end of a rotation with his athleticism and energy. As he sees the floor more the game starts to come to him and his shot, handles fill in at acceptable levels. His defense is impactful and he can lock down 1-3. Eventually Begarin becomes a starter/high-end bench player with an intriguing skillset for NBA coaches to deploy on a nightly basis.

Fast Explosive downhill guard

PLUSES

Above-the-rim finisher who can dunk in traffic. He accelerates quickly and fluidly changes directions with the ball in his hands. If his game clicks, he’ll draw a ton of fouls.

Displays good passing vision, though he needs to improve the accuracy of his passes.

Flashes lockdown ability as an on-ball defender thanks to his strong frame, 7-foot wingspan, and agility.

Impactful off-ball defender when he’s in the right position; he’s so bouncy that he’s a threat to block shots from the weak side.

MINUSES

Streaky shooter who lacks touch in the paint and from the free throw line. He has stiff mechanics shooting off the catch and needs to make changes.

Shot selection: He loves midrange jumpers even though it’s not a great shot for him.

Defensive fundamentals require improvement to complement his physical profile.

Lacks awareness defending off-ball. He makes too many mistakes, either because he’s ball-watching or just doesn’t know where to be.

Player Comp= Lonnie Walker