Introduction

Stephon Castle has been both a huge faller and a huge riser on a lot of big boards this year, including my own. He had a pretty rough start to his season at UConn offensively, but slowly began to turn things around towards the end of the year and in the tournament. This is a tougher evaluation because we have seen different versions of Stephon Castle this year. However, I believe Stephon has loads of potential and will surprise a lot of people with some of the things he will be able to do in the NBA.

Analysis

The best place to start with Stephon Castle is his perimeter defense, which is absolutely the best out of any projected first round draft pick this year. The best perimeter defenders in the NBA play an “in your face” style of defense. They give the ball handler very little room to operate and can completely dictate the outcome of a possession. A lot of these players also are really good at forcing turnovers with active hands and aggressive defense. Jalen Suggs is a great example of this. He gets right up in the ball handlers space and makes it really difficult for them to get a good shot or pass off. He also is really good at getting into passing lanes and poking the ball loose with his lightning fast hands and aggressiveness. He was a big part of why Orlando had such a good defense last season. Stephon Castle plays defense with this type of strength and aggressiveness, and it made him elite at the college level. He did such an excellent job at getting up into ball handlers faces and using his strength to make it impossible for them to do anything of value. He also has excellent screen navigation, which is really just icing on the cake. I don’t think there was a single possession that I watched where a ball handler completely lost Castle off a screen. He is so good at moving around screens, knowing when to go over or under a screen, and recovering in those few instances he does fall a little bit behind. I think the only other freshman I have watched with this level of elite screen navigation was Cason Wallace. It is really incredible to watch Castle do some of the things he does on defense. I suggest you go look at ESPN and look at all of the box scores for teams he played against. He was always tasked with guarding the other team's best guard or wing, and those players always had a really rough night. He would either hold those players to really low scoring totals or really low efficiency. Either way, his perimeter defense was really effective. I think this showed up at its peak in a game against Marquette earlier this year and in the tournament game against Illinois. Tyler Kolek has consistently been one of the best scorers and playmakers in college basketball. He is not an easy guy to stop due to his footwork and dribble ability. He only scored 7 points, went 2-11 from the field, and had more turnovers than assists. That was a really good game for UConn as a team defensively, but Stephon Castle really showed up defensively against Tyler Kolek. He was able to give players like Kolek a really hard time all season long, and it's part of the reason why UConn was able to win. The game against Illinois was arguably even more impressive. Terrence Shannon Jr averages more than 20 points per game and is one of the best scorers in all of college basketball, and he only scored 8 points in that game on 2-12 shooting from the field. UConn as a whole played fantastic defense in that game, but Castle was a huge part of why they were able to shut down Shannon Jr. He averaged 6.7 three point attempts per game during the season, but was only able to get up one shot from beyond the arch in this game against UConn. The pressure Castle put on him in that game made it impossible for him to get off threes, and nobody was scoring inside the arch with Donavan Clingan’s defense masterpiece in that game. These are just two examples of Stephon Castle coming up big for his team and having a huge impact because of his on-ball perimeter defense. He is so good at shutting down guards and wings alike because of how good of a perimeter defender he is. He is a good on-ball defender as a whole too, and I don’t think his ability to hold his own against bigger players gets enough credit. He is so strong and so athletic, and this really helps him when he has to switch onto bigger forwards and some centers. He also is so aggressive and will put up a FIGHT against anyone he has to guard. There were a lot of instances this year where he switched onto players bigger than him in the post and managed to put up a good fight, even when points were eventually scored. He doesn’t back down from any challenge and always puts in the effort to make life hard for whoever he is guarding. There are players who are just too big and strong for him to guard, but I am very confident in his ability to be a player nobody wants to be guarded by. He is going to be an elite perimeter/on-ball defender in the NBA. He definitely isn't as good of a defender away from the ball, but he is not a slouch by any means. He didn’t get a lot of steals this season, but I really like how he is able to disrupt plays with his hands. A lot of this comes from how good of a mover he is. He could be standing in the corner on second and be there to poke the ball away from the ball handler in the paint the next second. He has such great footwork and elite speed+agility to go along with it. I think his steal numbers will go up significantly in the NBA, and he will consistently be near the top of the league in steals+deflections per game. Castle’s elite screen navigation shows up once again with his off-ball defense, and it makes him a really annoying player to play against. Movement shooting isn’t as big of a thing in college as it is in the NBA, but Castle does his best to make sure that good movement shooters can’t get good shots off. He is able to stick with these quick off-ball movers even when a hard screen is set because he is so elite at navigating them and sticking with his defender. His recovery time shows up a lot here as well. He is really good at getting to the open shooter and contesting or even just completely taking away shot attempts. He does foul more than you would like in situations like this, but I don’t think that will be a huge issue in the NBA. The actually somewhat concerning issue I have with his off-ball defense is his communication. He isn’t a bad communicator, but there were too many times where he didn’t properly communicate a switch which led to open shots for the opposing team. I am not super worried about this because I think this is largely due to lack of professional level basketball experience, but he will need to clean this up if he wants to truly maximize his defensive potential. I would also like to see him be more active with his hands. He can be great when he wants to be, but he wasn’t as active as he could have been. I do think this will get better in the NBA though.

This is where the evaluation starts to get more difficult. Castle was a great defender the minute he stepped onto the floor in college basketball, but the same cannot be said for his offense. He had a really rough start to the year. His shots weren’t falling, his confidence was non-existent, and he was consistently creating advantages for him and his teammates. However, he looked much different towards the end of the season. His confidence was back, he was creating a ton of advantages, and his passing looked better than ever. I am going to try and draw from both of the versions that we saw of him in order to accurately judge his offense. There is one thing that I can say with absolute certainty; He is really, really, REALLY good at getting to the rim, and it isn’t in the Ron Holland fashion where he puts his head down and just drives straight to the rim. He is really shifty and slippery with the ball in his hands. His footwork is phenomenal and he has a really great grasp of his handle. Defenders had no idea how to stop him from getting to the rim because of these things. He could break down the defender with his handle or literally just move around them. Dexterity is also huge for him here. He is comfortable dribbling and finishing with either hand, which will be HUGE for him at the next level. It makes him more difficult to guard. I am absolutely confident that he is going to be able to get to and finish around the rim with ease in the NBA. It’s hard not to think about a certain MVP candidate when watching Castle play (more on that later). The problems start to arise when you look at the rest of his scoring ability. He is a really poor shooter at this stage. He shot below 30% from three and below 80% from the free throw line. The weird thing is he actually improved significantly as a shooter over the course of the season. I mentioned his lack of confidence at the beginning of the season, and that was largely a problem with his shooting. He was never able to get in a rhythm, and it led to him actively avoiding taking threes. However, he was much more confident towards the end of the year and especially in the tournament. His efficiency still wasn’t great, but it was improving and he was actually taking threes. He won’t be a good shooter right away in the NBA, but I honestly do not know if he will or won’t improve. There aren’t any signs that strongly favor either side at this point, and it really may end up being determined by how willing he is to try and improve. Ok I’ve waited long enough, I have to talk about the passing now. It is really… weird. There are times where he looks like he can be the lead playmaker for a team and there are times where he looks like he can be a decent connector at best. However, I do think he has potential as a passer. He is good at making reads within the flow of the offense, and I expect that to translate to the next level. He has solid awareness of where his teammates are and his pass execution is pretty good. The main thing he’ll need to improve on if he wants to be a true point guard in the NBA is making high level reads. There were times where I was really impressed with the reads he was able to make, but I think he settles for passing to the first open teammates he sees too much. He doesn’t make that extra effort to look and see if there is a better option available. This is what ends up separating the Dyson Daniels of the world to the Josh Giddeys of the world. Making those high level reads is almost always a requirement for point guards in the NBA, with the only sort of exceptions being the point guards who play with guys like Jokic, Sabonis, and Sengun. Even then, point guards still need to be able make high level reads in a lot of scenarios. This is where there are debates about Castle. Can he make those high level reads and be a true point guard in the NBA. I think he can. He has shown that he is capable of making some of those reads, it just has not been consistent enough. It will depend on what team drafts him, but I think if he lands in the right situation, he can be a true point guard in the NBA. It’s just a matter of being more consistent. That might not be the most popular take, but I believe it to be true. Ok now we have to talk about another really weird aspect of Castle’s skillset; the off-ball movement. Castle is in a weird situation where he is a really good mover off the ball but not a good shooter, so his value there isn’t nearly as high as someone like Gradey Dick or Kevin Huerter. However, it is too intriguing to not talk about. I really like the way he cuts to the basket. His agility shows up here (a common occurrence across his game as you can tell) with his ability to lose defenders. He also is good at moving within the flow of the offense. This will really help him if he ends up not being a point guard in the NBA. Say, for example, the Charlotte Hornets draft him. I think he would be a really good fit as the shooting guard or wing in this scenario because of his ability to move off the ball and his athleticism. The lack of shooting hurts him here, but he is skilled enough to still provide value off the ball.

The most underrated aspect of Stephon Castle’s intrigue is definitely his athleticism. We often think of athleticism in the strict terms of how fast you can run and how high you can jump. This is absolutely not the only kind of athleticism you can have in a basketball sense. Castle may not have the vertical leap that Ron Holland has or the speed that Rob Dillingham has, but he is a top tier talent in just about every aspect of basketball athleticism that we don’t talk about as athleticism, especially with his agility. I’ve talked about his agility in what feels like every sentence of this scouting report because he is SO FREAKING AGILE. The way this kid moves on the court is insane. He can completely move around a player with just a step, and I’ve already explained how this makes him so good in different areas on offense and defense. He isn’t the level of agile as someone like Amen Thompson (who btw is the most athletic player in the league in both the traditional and non traditional way of looking at it), but he is pretty damn close. I think his traditional athleticism is getting underrated too. He doesn’t throw down crazy dunks or blow by players with his speed, but he is still quite fast and has better vertical athleticism than a lot of players. I don’t think he will be in the status of an elite NBA athlete, but a tier or two below because of things like his agility.

Shades of

Now we get to the fun part; comparing Castle to NBA players, or “Shades of” as I call it. I call it that because there will never be a one to one comparison for a prospect. I think we can draw from different examples of NBA players to decipher how Castle might play in the NBA, or what players he has shades of. Let’s just get the big one out of the way and talk about Shai-Gilgeous Alexander. It was really hard for me not to think about that as a comparison because they both have similar ways of getting to and finishing around the rim. Shai has become so deadly in the NBA partly because he is so shifty and gets to the rim without always using speed to blow by a defender. Castle has a similar style of play. He gets to the rim using his shiftiness and footwork to get to the rim and can finish with either hand. They also have similar frames and athletic abilities across the board. However, there are some very key differences between the two, the obvious one being Shai is a good shooter while Castle is not. They also are different types of defenders. Castle is more aggressive and in your face on the ball than Shai is, but Shai is better off the ball and has better hands. So when thinking about this in the “Shades of” format, Castle has shades of Shai with his athleticism, driving, and finishing ability. We need to look elsewhere to find comparisons for other parts of Castle’s game though, and that is where Jalen Suggs comes in. I already talked about that comparison a little bit earlier, but I want to talk about it more now because they are very similar plays on defense. Both of them are in your face and aggressive on-ball defenders who use their strength and athleticism to help make life really hard on the ball handler. The key difference between their styles of defense is Suggs has better hands and Castle is probably a little bit bigger, but they are very similar outside of those things. I think Castle is similar to players like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Alex Caruso for a lot of the same reasons, although there are other differences when comparing Castle to those two players.

Conclusion

Stephon Castle is a really interesting prospect. He is a really good perimeter defender and athlete with lots of potential as a score and playmaker. He will need to improve his shooting if he wants to fully maximize his potential, but I imagine that he will find some sort of role on an NBA team because of his defense. I believe his floor and ceiling are both high enough to justify him being ranked as a top five prospect on my board at this time, and he may even have a shot at being my number one prospect by the end of the draft cycle. I am very confident in his defense being just as elite at the next level, and I think he could be a 20+ point per game scorer in the NBA if his confidence stays high and he ends up in the right situation.

Shades of – Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, Jalen Suggs, Nickeil Alexander-Walker

April: he’s just so good at so many different things, the shooting is for sure the swing skill for me. The defense will translate and be immediately good, and he can be an impactful player based off of his off ball movement, athleticism, and playmaking. The shooting is terrible and there’s a bust chance associated with that, but he brings so many things that correlate to winning that I feel like he will stick. Won’t put a guard who can’t shoot top 3, but I like him a lot

January: I honestly don’t know what he brings to the table. His shooting is so awful, he’s 13% from three and defenders just guard him in the paint because they don’t even have to worry about the pull up. His complete inability to shoot makes him a poor offensive player. I think his pull up middy is decent and sometimes defenders just give that to him, his defense and rebounding look good for his position, but I’m having serious concerns about castle’s future in the nba because I don’t even know what he does. His defense and athleticism could make him a role player, but, unless you’re a 7 footer, role players have to be able to shoot. He can’t get to the rim because they’ll just have a big guy on him because they don’t have to guard him. From my evaluation there’s no real reason he should be anywhere close to lotto.

6’5 Ben Simmons, Jalen Suggs

!!! I really wished there was more good film on Castle. I had little to go off of which made it so I couldn't fully understand him, (for example, I had some worries as to his attitude and body language when things didn't go his way, but I didn't mention those issues because I didn't want to reach since there wasn't enough for me to support that claim or not) and may have missed with some of my takes. !!!

+

Likes:

• Castle is an ok ball handler. Feel like he doesn't show off his ball handling skills all that much, but when he does, it looks solid. It'd be nice if he had better control of the ball at times, there were multiple games where he lost the ball, but this is more of a minor issue and doesn't diminish what he's shown in terms of ball handling.

• Still young, doesn't turn 20 until November.

• Personally, I think one of the most intriguing parts of Castle is his ability to possibly be a point forward. He plays like one, and he has the frame to be one in the NBA. He's 6'6, which is great height for a PG, and not ideal, but not a bad height for a SF. He's also strong enough to be a big PG, and strong enough to run the SF position without too many issues. Castle's camp has made it clear he wants to run the PG position only, but I feel like teams aren't going to allow that considering the playstyle he was using at UConn and his lackluster passing showcase there. If he really wants to create and run the floor, being a point forward would suit him well and might be his best chance of doing so. Could be reaching, but I don't dislike the idea of him doing this at all, and this is basically what he's shown to be on film.

• Castle finished the season with a decent FG percentage of 47% alongside an ok shooting efficiency.

  +

  Worries:

• Castle doesn't really impress me defensively, but he's far from bad. I feel like he doesn't offer much other than being able to apply pressure well, mostly in the post (I think he can still guard the perimeter, but I've seen him be more effective under the basket due to his strength), and having good close-outs on ball, always putting one or two hands up and forcing poor shots / resets. His off-ball defense is ehh... he's much more of an on-ball defender which makes it hard to grasp how good he really is off-ball. From what I was able to see though, he can provide good help and is a really good trapper near the basket, but that's mostly all you'll get from him (which might be enough). He looks less engaged off-ball than on-ball, he just doesn't seem to play with the same level of intensity... but still isn't awful, just not as good. He's fouling too much, averaged 2.4 per game. Castle probably won't be the type of player to have crazy highlight defensive plays, he's not going to be getting a ton of steals (averaged 0.8) or blocks (averaged 0.5), but his constant effort and his ability to press will be enough to make a noticeable impact on the defensive end + his ability to run guard and still guard smaller forwards is appealing. I almost put this as a like, but he doesn't do enough statically, and even in the eye test at times for me to really to put this as a pro of his.

• I'm not sure how much I like Castle's finishing at the rim. He looks to drive, he gets some tough takes, and he's shown he can play through contact, but he fails to convert a lot when at the basket. Some of it is him putting up poor attempts and missing, some of it is him getting fouled, and some of it is him just struggling to play through defenses at times. Too many question marks right now as to how good he is at the rim to put this as a like, even with the good things he's shown he can do.

• One of the main reasons I think Castle should run a point forward role is because his passing ability is subpar. He's not turning the ball over, but he's not developing or creating plays, or making scoring easier for his teammates. He's throwing basic passes most of the time, with a good look thrown once in a while. He's not passing too often either, only got 2.9 assists per game, but had a great assist/turnover ratio of 1.9 (albeit with low volume). A team that really wants to draft a PG probably won't look at Castle as their first option and tend to lean to more to a traditional PG who's shown he can pass more frequently and is overall more impressing. If Castle wants to play make, I really believe his best chance to do so, while keeping his playing style and being the most productive, will be by running the point forward position.

• Castle showed some athleticism but I feel like he's just average though. On film, he showed off his vertical, but it didn't look impressive, and his combine performance supports that statement, with him not excelling, but not bombing the vertical drills. Castle very rarely showcased any quickness, just looked like he wasn't that fast or slow, a statement his combine performance also supports since he just did ok in the agility drills. His alright athleticism isn't a let-down, since he's not completely unathletic and his way of playing makes it so he doesn't have to be athletic to succeed... but still... would've been nice if he was more athletic.

• Castle might not adjust to the NBA that well at first. Although he played for a league caliber coach under Hurley, his position and his style of play may make it hard for him to find his role and succeed at it, plus other issues, such as his shooting and his underwhelming passing skills, may create even more hardships. Really needs to get drafted to the right team to be successful.

• Castle's not that bad of a rebounder. It didn't seem like he ended up with a board all that much on film, but he averaged 4.7 rebounds (1.7 of them being offensive, 3 of them being defensive), which is significantly above the average for a PG. I guess it's not that surprising that he averaged that, since he would make efforts to get the ball (even if they were half-assed and in vain). I'd be lying if I said that what he averaged sells me on his rebounding ability though, because I still think he wasn't that good on tape and his efforts don't fully justify what the stats say he got, but I do think a little bit more highly of him as a rebounder.

• Would be nice if lowered his turnovers, far from a big issue though since he only averaged 1.5.

• His scoring efficiency wasn't that good; it was slightly below mediocre.

  +

  Dislikes:

• Castle is not a good shooter. He was only 26% from three this season. He got left wide open a lot due to him not connecting most of the time. He was really hesitant to put up a shot, he could have a great look and rather drive to the rim as he knew he was probably going to miss. His hesitance to shoot the ball created weird spacing offensively for UConn at times... really don't know how to explain this, but things just looked weird (vacant spaces, Castle near colliding with his teammates), and Castle just seemed like he didn't know what he wanted to do, ruining the flow of the offense. This is a bit minor though since this didn't create any real issues for UConn. What confuses me about Castle's shot is that his form looks solid and not forced, but the shots just don't go in. I think people really hope Castle develops a shot in the future, because he's shown he's not completely awful and can hit shots at times, but his FT percentage not being the greatest at only 75% and him not really looking to shoot the ball doesn't sell me on his potential.

• He doesn't move well off the ball. Rarely cuts and rarely scores from his cuts.

  +

  It took me a long time to write this report on Castle because I felt very conflicted about him (+ he's just an intriguing prospect). I don't hate him, but I don't like him either. I think he's kind of subpar, and his development worries me more than his pros entice me. I guess I see some of the hype surrounding him, but I'm not as high as on him as others might be. Could be a decent player though.

Stephon Castle - UConn (PG/SG - HT: 6’6” - WING: 6’9” - WT: 190 - A: 18y)

- Big guard with tons of wiggle and shot creation
- A scorer who will break you down off the dribble or catch and put it on the floor to drive by you and get to his spot
- Great driver and very good finishing at the rim. Looks like an NBA player there
- Good playmaker but probably a 2 eventually, not a point guard
- Not great yet off ball because he’s not much of a shooter. Rarely takes 3s
- Shades of Jimmy Butler, Devin Vassell, Spencer Dinwiddie

Range: 2 - 12

Poste(s) : SG

Âge : 19 ans

Taille : 1m98

Stats : 10.9pts, 4.5reb, 3.0ast, 0.9stl, 0.6blk

Adresse : 47%fg, 29%3pt, 76%tf

Troublant de ressemblance avec Jimmy Butler pour ce qui est de la dégaine, rien ne dit que Castle connaîtra la même progression hallucinante que Jimmy Bucket, mais il semble en tout cas meilleur que Butler ne l'était au même âge. Puissant et astucieux à la finition, il ne lui manque finalement qu'un tir extérieur. Fort pour changer de rythme et décélérer quand il le faut, Castle a démontré un excellent contrôle du corps et donc une belle coordination en pénétration. Avec sa grande taille (1m98) et sa force (quasi 100kg), il peut facilement se frayer un chemin à travers les intérieurs... NBA-ready en somme. Trop irrégulier à 3pts et à la création, il devrait malgré tout jouer un rôle important dès sa saison rookie, ne serait-ce que sur la base de ses qualités défensives. Il est d'ailleurs un des meilleurs défenseurs de sa cuvée pour ce qui est des les lignes arrières.

Overview:

Stephon Castle is a 6'6", 190-pound combo guard from the University of Connecticut who recently emerged as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. His well-rounded skillset, leadership qualities, and winning mentality make him an intriguing option for teams seeking a versatile guard who can contribute immediately.

Strengths:

Efficiency and craftiness: Castle scores efficiently, utilizing a variety of moves to create his own shot and get to the basket. He finishes layups with good touch and displays a knack for scoring in the paint despite not being the most athletic player. Strong basketball IQ: Castle possesses a high basketball IQ, making smart decisions with the ball and understanding his role within the team. He reads defenses well, finds open teammates with timely passes, and consistently makes positive contributions on the court. Improved shooting: While not a lights-out shooter, Castle has steadily improved his three-point shooting throughout his college career. He can knock down open shots consistently enough to keep defenses honest and create space for himself and teammates. Leadership and winning mentality: Castle demonstrates strong leadership qualities, both vocally and through his actions. He leads by example with his work ethic and positive attitude, contributing to a winning culture for his team.

Weaknesses:

Limited athleticism: Compared to elite NBA guards, Castle lacks elite athleticism. This could limit his explosiveness, particularly when finishing against bigger and stronger defenders at the next level. Average defender: While his effort and IQ are commendable, Castle's lack of elite athleticism and lateral quickness can be liabilities defensively against quicker guards. He needs to improve his footwork and defensive awareness to be a more consistent defender in the NBA. Three-point range inconsistency: While showing improvement, Castle can still be inconsistent with his three-point shooting at times. Expanding his range and becoming a more reliable threat from beyond the arc would significantly elevate his offensive value in the NBA.

Overall:

Stephon Castle is a high-character player with a well-rounded skillset and a winning mentality. His efficient scoring, basketball IQ, and leadership qualities make him a valuable asset. If he can continue refining his shooting, improve his athleticism, and develop into a more consistent defender, he has the potential to become a solid contributor in the NBA.

Additional Notes:

Castle's emergence as a potential first-round pick is a testament to his hard work and dedication to improvement. Some scouts compare him to a young Jrue Holiday due to his leadership, well-rounded skillset, and defensive effort, while others see him as a more offensively-focused player in the mold of Malcolm Brogdon. His leadership, winning mentality, and ability to contribute in various ways make him a good fit for any team seeking a versatile guard who can contribute immediately and grow into a key role player.

Overall, Stephon Castle is a player to watch closely in the lead-up to the 2024 NBA Draft. He has the talent and potential to make a significant impact on the league for years to come.

Breno select

Outro time que necessita de um PG, Castle é listado como PG, mas pode atuar como SG e talvez futuramente até SF.

Comparação: Suggs, SGA, Butler

Sam Vecenie draft guide

"He’s flexible for someone this big, strong and powerful when he drives. He has terrific body control and can maneuver around defenders on both ends. He absorbs contact well on both ends while maintaining his space. He's a very smart player with great spatial awareness when attacking opposing defenses on and off the ball. He processes the game well and plays hard.

Castle moves well off the ball, and his terrific spatial awareness pops up in a big way as a cutter. He found many of his points this season by getting to open areas of the court on 45-degree or opposite-side baseline cuts.

From a skill perspective, Castle showed finishing ability and has always displayed terrific passing acumen. He made 61.1 percent of his shots at the rim this year — including 57.1 percent in half-court settings — but the percentages got even better as he got healthier following his knee injury. He uses his body well as he loads up to get to the rim. He displaces on-ball defenders with his shoulders and hips on drives.

Castle has always put together impressive moments as a passer. In high school, he would throw cross-corner skips regularly out of ball screens, but then would also display sharp touch lobs.

He will be very switchable in the NBA. Connecticut used him across the perimeter this season and asked him to play a shutdown role. He picks up lead initiators far out on the court and makes it tough for them to get into their team’s set. He stays low in his stance and slides with his man. He also does a good job navigating screens and getting skinny when necessary to get around them. After he cuts his man off, he stays high and keeps his hands up to reduce angles and contest shots. If someone beats him, he uses that length and willingness to stay high to recover well and contest from the side and behind.

Castle is polarizing this year because of his jumper. If you believe the touch he’s shown from the free-throw line and around the rim will translate and you think his mechanics are workable, you will probably be higher on him. If you think he doesn’t have enough of a baseline level as a shooter, you probably rank him in the later portion of the lottery.

If his jumper ever develops, he’s one of the few players in this class with a realistic All-Star ceiling.