Big Board Rankings

Strengths

• "Great size for a lead guard at 6-5. Strong frame. Has the tools to defend either guard spot when fully motivated. Can change speeds and directions with the ball. Fairly fluid athlete who can use his size to overpower smaller guards."

• "Playmaking is his best skill. He can whip passes off the dribble with accuracy and hit cutters or rollers with precision."

• "Creative pick-and-roll facilitator. Despite his weak right hand

• he gets where he wants and knows how to manipulate defenses to create passing angles and openings to score."

• "Fluid ball handler with the size to outmuscle smaller guards."

• "Excellent touch with his left hand finishing difficult floaters and runners

• often after initiating contact."

• "Displays major potential as an off-the-dribble 3-point shooter with Hardenesque moves. Added a stepback and sidestep 3 to his arsenal and uses hesitations to get into pull-ups."

• "His catch-and-shoot shooting numbers are concerning

• but he has smooth form

• a soft touch inside

• and a free throw percentage over 80—all of which suggest he’ll figure it out."

• "Tall

• with a strong frame and long arms

• making him a projectably versatile defender against guards and wings."

• "Active off-ball menace who could develop into a disruptive defensive helper."

• "Possesses great court vision and has passing skills to match it"

• "Crafty with the ball in his hands and able to create off the dribble

• both for himself and for teammates"

• "Developing tool in his arsenal: a James Harden-like stepback move that''s near-impossible to defend"

• "Smooth

• fluid left-handed release with great touch from deep and in the lane

• at the free throw line and on floaters"

• "Good positional size"

• "Can read the game at a high level in an instant

• making him a threat to thrive in the modern

• pick-and-roll heavy NBA"

Areas to Improve

• "Average athletically both in terms of burst and vertical explosion. Struggles with aggressive ball pressure. Turned the ball over on 25% of his possessions. Can change speeds and directions but doesn''t quite have the shiftiness to beat rangy defenders off the dribble consistently. Will have to become a more consistent shooter to combat that. Doesn''t get to the free throw line at a high rate."

• "Left-hand dominant: He might as well tie his right hand behind his back considering how little he uses it—there are some passes he can’t make since he relies on his left hand so much."

• "Limited athlete who lacks burst and bounce

• which hinders his finishing ability

• especially since he rarely uses his right hand."

• "Lacks an advanced handle. Picks up his dribble too often

• which gets him into trouble. He’s shifty but doesn’t create a ton of separation and doesn’t string together advanced moves to break down defenses."

• "Experiences lapses on defense

• missing rotations and falling out of his on-ball stance."

• "He needs to be more vocal as a lead guard to take better command of the team."

• "Average athlete with no real burst to blow by defenders"

• "Below average 3-point shooter; improved in EuroCup play

• but larger sample suggests it could be a swing skill"

• "Ambidexterity remains a work in progress; largely lefty dominant s a dribbler

• passer and finisher"

Traits

Scouting Sources

"Mike Schmitz", "Kevin O''Conner", "CBS Sports"