NBA Comparison: Wesley Iwundu

Strengths: An extremely lengthy wing who broke out in a big way for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season … Stands at 6’8 with a seven-foot wingspan and has all of the tools to be a facilitating wing with plus defending … Earned SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors for his work as a senior in Tuscaloosa … His defensive prowess is due to his incredible length and lateral movement that allows him to guard any position on the floor and shut them down while doing so … Selfless leader who separated himself as one of the best players in the country despite only averaging 11.2 points per game … Handles the ball extremely well for his size and is able to run the offense and see the floor well to make the open pass … Above average passing accuracy and extremely unselfish ball-handler who looks to pass first, but is more than capable of taking it to the rim when he decides to play selfish … Long arms and strides allow him to get to the rim in a few steps and finish above the tin … Improved from 1-14 from beyond the arc his junior year to 35%, which was an integral part of Nate Oats’ three-point barrage style of play being as much of a success as it was in 2020-21 … Averaged close to two steals per game and over a block per game for the Tide and often took on the best offensive player across from him … Good rebounder who crashes the glass and elevates well due to his wingspan and vertical … Improved at the free-throw line a ton from 50-71% during his four-year career showing that he works hard and can improve flaws in his game … His standout season could be a sign of what is to come in his development as he continues to become more comfortable in his body … High floor player who should be able to contribute to any team immediately with quality bench minutes …

Weaknesses: Jones improved as a shooter, but he still has a long way to go in order to grow into the modern style of jump-shooting in the NBA … He struggles to shoot away from the basket on the move as most of his points come from spot-ups or drives to the rim. NBA defenders should be able to take away the slashing part of his game for the most part as he lacks elite speed to get by defenders … Outside shooting is not enough of a threat to unlock his slashing ability, so unless he is able to threaten opponents with a confident outside jumper, Jones projects to be solely a spark defender with limited minutes and weak job security off the bench … Jones will also turn 23 before the season even begins making him one of the oldest players in the draft … As the offense ran through him more and more, his turnovers also went up to nearly three per game, which is another red flag with his offensive game … On the defensive end, he can also be too aggressive averaging over three and a half fouls per game as a junior in only 26 minutes per game … How Jones takes advantage of his limited minutes as a rookie, and how much he is able to improve his perimeter jumper, will ultimately determine how long his career is in the NBA

Outlook: 2020-21 SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year … Two-Time SEC All-Defense … Two-way lengthy wing who should be able to earn some minutes with defensive tenacity and disruptiveness, but his perimeter shooting will be the critical aspect of his longevity in the league … Turns 23 in October

Notes: Measured: 6’6.0” barefoot, 6’7.25” in shoes, 8’10.0” standing reach, 206.4 lbs, 7’0.25” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine …

Derek Bast 7/29/21