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Michigan
Kobe Bufkin

Michigan

Sophomore
HT/WT/WS6' 4"
Age20

PTS

14
  

AST

2.9
  

REB

4.5
  

FG%

48.2
 
Big Board Rankings

Scouting Sources

Jonathan Givony

Community Scouting Reports (61)

Leif Thulin
u/pistoleif

#12

RANK

Kobe Bufkin: 6’5.25” 187 lbs 6’7.75” wingspan 19.7 years old Sophomore, Michigan 14 ppg, 2.9 apg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 spg, 0.7 bpg, 48.2% fg%, 35.5% 3%, 84.9% ft%

Overview: Kobe Bufkin switched to playing point guard this year, his sophomore year, and his game ascended as he complimented his speed and height with scoring guile and improved passing to make himself a potential lottery pick. The lefty shot well according to all metrics. Athletically, he impressed as well, showing a knack for clever finishes near the rim. Bufkin projects as a two way combo guard with untapped ability to run an offense who was good at just about everything in college and has the athletic capacity to carry over his strengths from college and apply them to the NBA.

Strengths: Quick first step on offense and laterally quick on D. Talented finisher! Shot 71% at the rim. Demonstrated athleticism and patience in transition scoring 66% in transition. Untapped potential as a lead guard. Good teammate. (Supports teammates). Was okay at times being 3rd option Despite being thin, he defends hard. Good pick and roll scorer. Scored well in isolation at all 3 levels. Rebounded well. Securing 4.5 rpg. Very good from FT line. 84.9% ft%. Weaknesses: Must get stronger to compete with NBA guards. Not the best ball handler Can be sped up which leads to turnovers Too many turnovers For his talent as a finisher and proclivity to go to rim, he did not shoot that many free throws. (2.6 FTA’s per game). Can he shoot off of the bounce? I am not sure as most were on the catch.


Analysis done by @pistoleif. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Brett Bischel
u/brettbischel

#18

RANK

-----Age:19.8 / Fr
Minutes:34.0
Pts:14.0
Reb:4.5
Ast:2.9
Blk:0.7
Stl:1.3
TO:1.9
PF:2.4
PER:19.2
ORat:112.8
DRat:101.6
3pt:35.5%
2pt:54.6%
FT:84.9% ↑

  • Height w/o shoes: 6'4.25"

  • Wingspan: 6'7.75"

  • Max vertical: 36.0"

  • Michigan went 18-16 and lost in the second round of the NIT Tournament (#3 seed).


Analysis done by @brettbischel. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
ISAIAH COLLIER
u/mrdraft

#22

RANK

Bio: Michigan, September 21, 2003 (19), 6’4.25”, 187 lb, Combo Guard

Stats:

Strengths:

  • Shooting

  • Ball handling

  • Live dribble connective passing

  • Translatability

  • Age

Weaknesses:

  • Doesn’t have a go to move

  • Played on a very post-centric team (Michigan w/Hunter Dickinson)

  • Lack of perceived upside

  • Size is average for modern NBA

Rundown:

This is a guy that scouts love and expect to be an immediate connector piece. Both his ability to shoot the basketball and his ability to make good connective passes make him a key role player target. Bufkin has a strong but wiry frame that he uses to his advantage on defense. Everything screams NBA player, nothing screams superstar.

Shades of: Josh Hart


Analysis done by @mrdraft. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Generic Person
u/amfueg0367

#14

RANK

Kobe Bufkin has been flying up boards in the second half of the draft cycle and for good reason. He didn’t do much as a freshman at Michigan so he wasn’t seen as much of a prospect going into the year. His sophomore year was when he began to start games but nothing really popped out as a draftable quality. He has an all-around game without many identifiable stand-out traits so he didn’t warrant a ton of attention right away. Later on in his second season was when he started to break out. He amped up his level of play in every aspect. He started to thrive as a playmaker, scorer, and defender, and he earned more and more usage. His splits after the first fifteen games of the year were right around the coveted 50/40/90. People have been high on him due to his three-level scoring ability paired with the fact that he is an effective defender. He can score from all over the court. His jump shot is nice and smooth and he gets to space well. His handle is fluid and he keeps the ball at a good distance. Defenders have trouble getting the ball out of his hands off of drives and he can finish ambidextrously which helps him adapt to difficult situations. He gets to the rim very easily despite not holding a huge physical gravity. He moves his feet at an insanely fast pace that opponents just can’t keep up with. He has next level burst which allows him to weave around defenses however he pleases. He’s long and fast but lacks any type of strength so it will be interesting to see how much he relies on downhill attacks. He doesn't have a lot of go-to tenacity. He doesn't go for an aggressive move if he isn't in a straight-line drive. This causes him to not get to the line despite a majority of his baskets coming from around the rim. One thing to look into was the fact that Kobe wasn’t able to truly unleash his cutting capabilities due to a slow-paced Michigan offense. Only about one-quarter of his attempts were assisted around the basket so he had to create for himself a lot more than he should have. I think that he could definitely take a scoring jump if he’s placed in a system that runs in transition a lot more. He could work well as a playmaker and scorer in full-court scenarios so he could end up really thriving with a change of scenery. He’s an acceptable three-point shooter but his production has been good on low attempts. His perimeter skills seem very shaky, he never seems too confident in his shot despite having good form. For him to be an effective combo guard he’s going to need to develop more of a reliance in his range. Adding some self-spacing would be another way to enhance his ability to draw in defenders for drives. I like the way his shooting should progress. He shoots well from the line and there aren’t any glaring problems in his mechanics so I think that he could be a good shooter going forward but I would like to see an increase in volume. Kobe is a very nice connective playmaker. He isn’t a real distributor but he moves the ball around well. He has a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and is clearly a capable passer. Many of his passes are simple and are just a part of the flow of the offense but that’s okay. He’s never going to be treated as a creator for others but he’s worthy of having the ball in his hands. The fact that Michigan didn’t win a ton of games despite being a talented team with him as lead guard is a bit worrying but I don’t see him being a primary playmaker in the league. He’s also an efficient defender. He has good tools and uses his size well to shake up his assignment. He pokes at the ball and keeps his feet planted for movement. I like the way he follows his man on the perimeter while keeping aware of what's going on around or behind him, regardless of whether that is on or off of the ball. He isn’t bullied on the inside as much as you might think when looking at his frame and he usually prevents blow buys anyways. Teams will like his legit two-way ability as combo guards that can play defense has been valuable on winning rosters. He’s basically everything you could want in his position already with some room to grow. He’s very young for a sophomore and actually has a later birthday than a lot of his fellow freshmen in the draft class. He has work to do when increasing his attempts on the outside and filling his frame but other than that he’s a complete package.


Analysis done by @amfueg0367. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
PaoloOwnsYou
u/PaoloOwnsYou

#16

RANK

Kobe Bufkin's breakout 2022-23 campaign with Michigan led him to skyrocket up boards into the first round conversation. He's quick and explosive. He's great on ball with great ball handle and finishing, favoring his left hand. He's crafty and can use both his hands to finish. His mid range shot is good and he provides floor spacing. His 3 point shot is much improved. His defense is solid for his slight frame and he's always a threat to swipe the ball away from you. His impact defensively has improved throughout the year. His game is very well rounded, especially offensively and is versatile in that area. His playmaking is much improved in the PNR offense. He doesn't have any major weaknesses, his biggest flaw being his frame.


Analysis done by @PaoloOwnsYou. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
SimplyCJ18
u/SimplyCJ18

#11

RANK

A poor man’s D’Angelo Russell offensively, with way higher defensive potential. A very effective point guard with a developing offensive game. Playmaking and feel need to improve, but the smooth shooting stroke and ability to stay under control with his dribble are there. Does not have the best first step or burst at the rim, but uses deliberate actions and dribbles to get positioning advantage over his defender and get good shots. Active feet defensively, High IQ off ball defender. Active hands on-ball, pokes loose ball handlers or weak passes. Constantly calls out plays before the opponent runs them. Can be better at screen navigation but often reads the plays well. Rising draft prospect due to defensive activity, fundamentals, and offensive versatility for a point guard.


Analysis done by @SimplyCJ18. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Ben Mackoff
u/benmackoff2

#20

RANK

Kobe Bufkin- Michigan (PG/SG) Age:19.8yrs 6”4 195 (Derick White)

Bufkin is a do it all player on the floor where he does not excel in any area but is good at almost everything. He is a good athlete and an efficient finisher inside the three point line but can also knock it down from deep. Bufkin is also an excellent perimeter defender; he has quick feet to stay in front of opposing players. It is unclear if Bufkin can run the point at the next level consistently though.

(33gs 34.0mpg)(14.0ppg, 4.5rb, 2.9ast, 48.2fg%, 35.5 3pt% 3.7 3pa)


Analysis done by @benmackoff2. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
LakersXWFT
u/kwabenaakuffo

#15

RANK

big wingspan, can poke steals, block shots and walls up on defense good spin move jumper, shoots verywell in the corner and can play off the ball great passer on the move good passer in P and R, quick twitch moves to freeze denders Great finisher 69% on 125 attempts, finishes everything with his left Great Free throe shooter 85% on 86 attempts

Needs to get stronger, can see it on long 3s

High 4 Star Number 45 on 247 40 on ESPN


Analysis done by @kwabenaakuffo. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
Ian Monje
u/iblakem10

#12

RANK

If you want to talk about the aesthetics of the game and who has the most aesthetically pleasing basketball player in the draft, give Kobe Bufkin a watch. He has such a beautiful game. His jumper is awesome, and I think that he has a great three-level scoring skillset. His inside the arc game stood out to me as I watched him play, where he shot close to 55% (!!) on all two-point attempts, including 66% between 3-5 feet. I was really impressed with the way he created space on his shots. It wasn't necessarily that he always had a tight or flashy handle, but he was really good with timing his bumps into the defender or with pump fakes. I also think he can score from three in almost every way, from catch and shoots and off the dribble to transition and off screen. I also saw flashes of playmaking as well. He was always on the same page with guys like Jett Howard and Hunter Dickinson; he was great with his entry passes and knew how to direct traffic at a calm, efficient pace that always found one of those two players open and with the ball. Sure, the 2.6 assists per game is not eye-popping by any means, but we also have to take into account the circumstances that he is placed in; a player who was not the primary ball handler for his Michigan team, and he was by far not the primary or secondary scoring option. He had a lot of production and a lot flashes on the offensive end that leads me to believe that the more touches he receives, he will be more than ready. As a defender, I think that he is solid at running the handler off the line. I also think that he is a handsy guy, which feels like a majority of the players in this class. His hands are quick, strong, and for the arms and hands that he has as a projected 6'4 point guard, I think that he is primed to at least be serviceable. He will struggle with strength and speed, which are aspects that will always lead to question marks about him on that end, but that will not be his primary roll. In all, I think that you can live with him on the defensive end. There is a lot of promise as a shot maker and a distributor. He may not have had the opportunities at Michigan, but he has a great shot to be an immediate contributor and be a great starter in this league.

  • Player Comparison: Shades of Gabe Vincent and Jalen Brunson

  • Projected Draft Position: Picks 15-25

  • Best Fits: Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets


Analysis done by @iblakem10. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.
lockdown scout
u/lockdown_scout

#21

RANK

Role: Solid Starting PG

  • good all around player that flirted with some triple doubles at Michigan

  • plays at his own pace and lets the game come to him

  • really good defensive ability

Player Comparison: (Shades of) Delon Wright/Mike Conley


Analysis done by @lockdown_scout. View their full  draft big board and scouting reports here.