Jordan Mickey, #33

Jordan Mickey – 6’7, 234 lbs. Power Forward (LSU, So.)

Strengths: NBA-caliber length and athleticism. Warrants respect outside of the paint. Good shot blocker.

Weaknesses: Lacks the average strength of an NBA power forward. Slightly undersized as well. Doesn’t appear to have the range to transition over to small forward either. Turns it over in excess.

Yannis’ NBA Comparison: Marvin Williams

Anonymous Coach’s NBA Comparison: David Lee

Draft range projection: Mid-to-late second round

Body/Anthropometric Measurements
Body Fat % Hand Length Hand Width Height w/o Shoes Height w/ Shoes Standing Reach Weight Wingspan
7.20% 8.75" 9.50" 6'7.0" 6'8.25" 8'10.0" 238.0 7'3.25"
Physical Tests
Lane Agility Shuttle Run 3/4 Court Sprint Standing Vertical Leap Max Vertical Leap
11.72 3.13 3.28 33.0" 37.5"
Pros/Cons
Pros Cons
Length Age
Leaping Ability Undersized
Shot Blocking Turnover Prone
Offensive Potential Decision Making
Runs the Floor Must Bulk Up
Why You Might Know HimBy Taylor C. Snow
Only two players in Louisiana State University basketball history have ever tallied at least 100 blocked shots in a single season: Shaquille O’Neal (three times) and Jordan Mickey (twice). At 6-foot-8, Mickey does not have the appearance of an elite shot-blocker, but boasting a 7-3 wingspan, the sophomore led the nation with 3.6 swats per game this past season.

Scouting ReportBy Marc D'Amico | @Marc_DAmico
One thing you can’t miss when you watch Jordan Mickey is his ability to block shots. He’s an elite shot blocker off of the weak side. He has fantastic instincts, timing, length and hand-eye coordination. He’ll be able to block shots at the NBA level. However, I’m not in love with his overall defensive abilities. He shows mediocre defensive mobility and lateral quickness. That’s why he struggles to stay in front of quicker players. He also struggles against true size and bulk, and he’s going to see more of that quickness and bulk at the NBA level. Mickey has skills at the offensive end but is very erratic. He hasn’t nearly reached his full offensive potential. He’s a turnover machine for many reasons, including playing out of control, making poor decisions and not being strong with the ball. He gets swallowed up by double-teams. He oftentimes decides on a move ahead of time rather than reading and reacting. He can finish above the rim with his elite leaping ability, but he rarely does unless it’s an alley-oop. He showcases a move-plus-counter-move, which is intriguing. Mickey also has good form on his jumper and should become reliable from 15 to 20 feet; he could eventually extend to 3-point range. He runs the floor very well. In addition to his shot blocking and his offensive potential, Mickey is also a fantastic rebounder. He attacks loose balls and makes great reads on shots. Those are instincts that almost always translate to the next level.

BiographyBy Taylor C. Snow
Jordan Mickey was born on July 9, 1994 in Dallas, Tex. His father James Wright played center at Abilene Christian University and was the Lone Star Conference MVP in 1984-85 when he averaged 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Mickey attended Arlington Grace Prep for three years, guiding the program to a state championship during his junior season, before transferring to Prime Prep Academy. During his lone campaign with Prime Prep, he averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game. Mickey was an immediate contributor when he began his freshman season at LSU, compiling double-doubles during each of his first three contests. He started all 34 of the Tigers’ games and averaged 12.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. He also became just the second Tiger in program history to block at least 100 shots in a season, joining Shaquille O’Neal. This past season, Mickey led the nation in blocked shots per game (3.6), along with 15.4 PPG and 9.9 RPG. He blocked at least six shots in four straight contests from Dec. 18 through Jan. 3. In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, he tallied 12 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks, but the Tigers were edged by North Carolina State University, 66-65. Mickey declared for the NBA Draft on March 31.

Bio: Mickey has drawn the attention of scouts with his next-level shot-blocking ability, his physical makeup and his overall potential to be a dynamic defensive weapon in the NBA. Mickey posted an incredible 90.2 defensive rating in the 2014-15 season, according to sports-reference.com. As a sophomore, he elevated his production across the board with increased minutes and touches, helping lead LSU to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009. A team bullish on his potential to develop on the offensive end could very reasonably select Mickey in the back end of the first round.

SI Big Board: No. 31

Player comparison: Ed Davis
STRENGTHS

A slightly undersized power forward, Mickey makes up for his lack of height with absurd leaping ability (37.5” max vert) and ridiculous length (7’3.25 wingspan) that he utilized to become one of the fiercest rim protectors in all of college basketball. Mickey led the nation in blocks per game and was second in the country in total blocks. He also possess the athleticism to hedge out on pick-and-rolls and recover in time to clog the paint. Mickey showed flashes of an offensive game last season, preferring to face-up rather than play with his back to the basket, similar to his LSU teammate Jarell Martin
WEAKNESSES

While Mickey can use his prolonged wingspan to block shots and suffocate opponents, his size has hurt him on the offensive end, where he’s struggled to finish against bigger opponents, especially around the rim. He’s had particular difficulty with finishing through contact and he tends to shy away from physical play on the block. His offensive game needs a large amount of refinement, which will ultimately define how successful of a career he creates for himself. He’ll need to figure out how to consistently score when he gets touches at the next level.

NESN wrote:WALTHAM, Mass. — To 6-foot-8 NBA draft prospect Jordan Mickey, height is just a number. And he’s more interested in another number: 3.65.
That’s the number of shots Mickey blocked per game during his sophomore season at LSU, a mark that ranked first in all of Division I. It’s also what the 20-year-old big man pointed toward when asked how he’d respond to critics who say he’s too short to thrive as a rim protector.
“I would say I led college basketball in blocked shots this year,” Mickey said Wednesday after completing a pre-draft workout with the Boston Celtics. “That’s 7-footers, 7-foot-2, 7-foot-5 — all of that. I led the country in blocks, so I feel like height really isn’t a big difference to me.”
Despite his relatively small stature, most draft experts have Mickey pegged as a late first-round pick. With the Celtics owning the 28th overall pick and in the market for shot blocker, it’s no surprise Boston brought him in for a visit.
Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge, for one, didn’t seem overly concerned about Mickey’s height when questioned about it after the workout.
“He can guard multiple guys, he’s athletic, he’s long,” Ainge said. “I think a lot of times height is overrated. We see Paul Millsap’s a great player, I think he’s 6-foot-6. Draymond Green is 6-foot-6, (and he) plays a lot of center. Ben Wallace was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year at 6-foot-7. So, I think a lot of that is overblown. Guys are good at it or they’re not, whether they’re 6-foot-9 or they’re 7-foot-1.”
Mickey named both Millsap and Green as influences, as well as 6-foot-9 Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson. He said he’s been working on the offensive aspects of his game this offseason — “shooting the mid-range jump shot, my ball-handling, getting to the rim, finishing around the basket” — but knows his defense is what makes him a valuable commodity.
“I feel like I can make a great impact,” Mickey said. “That’s something I do: I play defense and block shots. That’s kind of what got me noticed at the collegiate level, so I feel I could do that (in the NBA).”