the Ringer websites pre draft write ups about our rookies

I should have posted this earlier, but its the slow time of the year so maybe a good read.

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

1 5
ROMEO LANGFORD Guard Indiana, freshman
PTS
16.5
19.4 per 40

REB
5.4
6.3 per 40

AST
2.3
2.8 per 40

EFG%
49.1
395 per 40

STL
0.8
0.9 per 40

BLK
0.8
1.0 per 40

3PT%
27.2
125 3PA

FT%
72.2
194 FTA

MAIN SELLING POINT Isolation scoring

AGE19.6

HEIGHT/WEIGHT6'6''/215

WINGSPAN6'11''

STANDING REACH8'7''

Natural scorer at the wing who must refine his decision-making and jumper for his effortless offensive talents to translate in the NBA.

SHADES OF: Larry Hughes, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, MarShon Brooks
PLUSES
Good physical profile with a wiry frame and long arms. He’s agile with or without the ball, and has a quick first step.
Innate scoring instincts show in the way he moves, creates space using crossovers and stepbacks, and handles contact at the rim.
Solid perimeter scorer off the dribble. He’s a confident shooter from anywhere on the floor who smoothly transitions from his dribble into his jumper.
Flashes pick-and-roll playmaking skills; though he’s raw, creating for others off the dribble should be a developmental priority at the NBA level.
Good rebounder for his position. He can turn defensive possessions into offense.
Defensive upside due to his strong body and athleticism; he could be useful switching screens if he starts to try consistently.
MINUSES
Needs to overhaul his shot form or he’ll remain an inefficient shooter. His feet are never set the same and he releases an inaccurate ball due to unusual wrist flexion.
Currently uncomfortable off the ball: He struggles at spot-up shooting and he’s not an aware cutter.
He’s a ball stopper. Though he can complete basic passes to rollers or to shooters for kickout 3s, he has a bad habit of pausing before making a dribble move or picking up his dribble before passing.
Decision-making needs to improve: He dribbles into traffic too often, and though he drew a lot of fouls at Indiana, he’s a below-the-rim player who may not draw as many at the next level.
Spacey defender who falls asleep off the ball and makes slow reads even when he’s paying attention, both serious concerns for his long-term defensive upside.




2 9
GRANT WILLIAMS Forward Tennessee, junior

PTS
18.8
23.6 per 40

REB
7.5
9.4 per 40

AST
3.2
4.0 per 40

EFG%
58.2
415 FGA

STL
1.1
1.4 per 40

BLK
1.5
1.9 per 40

3PT%
32.6
46 3PA

FT%
81.9
260 FTA

MAIN SELLING POINT Glue-guy skills

AGE20.5

HEIGHT/WEIGHT6'7.5''/240

WINGSPAN6'9.75''

STANDING REACH8'8.5''

Team-first player who runs the show from the post in college but will need to expand his game to the perimeter at the next level.

SHADES OF: P.J. Tucker, Spurs-era Boris Diaw, Treveon Graham
PLUSES
Crafty interior scorer who finishes with either hand and uses deceptive pump fakes to create space; loves to carve out space for his left-handed runner.
Excellent screener who can facilitate on the short roll or pop for 3s; can be a playmaking weapon on switches.
Tennessee runs its offense through him on the post; he loves absorbing contact, can finish over either shoulder, and throws accurate fastballs to cutters and shooters.
Improved spot-up 3-point shooter. He must extend his range, but his touch from the line and midrange is a positive indicator for his projected shooting ability.
A high-IQ defender who is always in the right position rotating as a help defender, and plays with strong fundamentals moving laterally.
Plays tough, physical individual defense. He closes out hard and shows active hands, plus he’s an instinctual rebounder who boxes out.
Hard-working, unselfish player. Lost weight and got better each season. He’ll take a charge or dive for a loose ball. Bonus: He does a good job of accentuating contact to draw fouls.

MINUSES
Reluctant to shoot 3s, passes up open looks, and dribbles into short midrange pull ups. Does he lack confidence or is he aware of his limitations?
Lacks verticality, so scoring inside against NBA length will require an adjustment.
He doesn’t project as a shot creator because of his average first step and lack of shake as a ball handler.
Tweeners don’t exist in today’s NBA, but athleticism still matters: He might not have the mobility to be a top-shelf defender on switches against guards and quicker wings.



3 6
CARSEN EDWARDS Point guard Purdue, junior

PTS
24.3
27.4 per 40

REB
3.6
4.1 per 40

AST
2.9
3.3 per 40

EFG%
49.0
703 FGA

STL
1.3
1.5 per 40

BLK
0.3
0.3 per 40

3PT%
35.5
135 3PA

FT%
83.7
185 FTA

MAIN SELLING POINT Scoring

AGE21.2

HEIGHT/WEIGHT6'0.25''/199

WINGSPAN6'6''

STANDING REACH7'10.5''

Undersized with a knack for performing clutch moments; he projects as a classic sixth man scoring guard.

SHADES OF: Lou Williams, Shabazz Napier, Salim Stoudamire
PLUSES
Proficient shooter with limitless range off the dribble. He uses an assortment of moves using his tight handle to generate space to launch from anywhere.
Good shooter off the catch who thrives using screens, and displays the intelligence to move without the ball in space.
He can change a game with his scoring ability, either fueling a break or generating something out of nothing in the half court; in college, he thrived despite intense defensive attention.
Short, but stocky: His at-rim finishing numbers aren’t good, but he’s able to get into the lane whenever he pleases thanks to his handle and strong frame.
MINUSES
Undersized guard who will be targeted on defense by opponents when he’s on the floor.
Subpar at-rim finisher who lacks explosiveness. Doesn’t project as a player who will draw a lot of fouls, either. He’d benefit from adding a floater to his game.
Tasked with scoring at Purdue, not passing. Still, his lack of progress as a playmaker is worrisome, as last season he still forced shots instead of distributing.
Tends to deliver an inaccurate ball when attempting difficult passes, and he tends to stick to basic first reads in the pick-and-roll anyway.




5 5
TREMONT WATERS Point Guard LSU, sophomore

PTS
15.3
18.8 per 40

REB
2.8
3.4 per 40

AST
5.8
7.2 per 40

EFG%
50.0
400 FGA

STL
2.9
3.6 per 40

BLK
0.1
0.1 per 40

3PT%
32.7
171 3PA

FT%
81.3
128 FTA

MAIN SELLING POINT Pure point ability

AGE21.4

HEIGHT/WEIGHT5'10.75''/172

WINGSPAN6'2.25''

STANDING REACH7'9.5''

Tiny, sweet-shooting point guard with an instinctive feel for how to manage tempo.

SHADES OF: Tyler Ulis, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

PLUSES
Controls the game: He skillfully navigates pick-and-rolls and uses his slick handle and sleight of hand to generate passing lanes to find open shooters.
Accurate passer off the dribble who makes good decisions.
Threat to pull up from deep range to hit 3s off the dribble. He’s a constant threat to pull up.
Great spot-up shooter who was rarely used off screens but displays the skills that suggest he can develop shooting prowess off movement.
Plays hard on defense; he slithers through screens, stays in his stance, and focuses off the ball.
MINUSES
Undersized guards rarely thrive in the NBA: He’ll get picked on defensively, like any small player does. While competitive, he won’t be able to reliably switch screens.
Below-the-rim finisher who will need to master his raw floater to be a scoring threat in the paint.