NBA Comparison: Daniel Gafford

Strengths: Four star recruit with elite athletic ability … Plays with a lot of youthful exuberance and energy … Very athletic and explosive leaper who makes a lot of acrobatic finishes at the rim … Tremendous body control … Possesses Versatility, Mobility, Scoring, Size, Potential … Excellent size for a big at 6’10, 210 pounds with a 7’1 wingspan, the North Carolina native is oozing with potential on both sides of the ball …  In his lone G League season, Todd flashed his potential constantly, coming off the bench to average 12.3 points and nearly 5 rebounds in 24.4 minutes of playing time a night … He shot nearly 40% from behind the arc and 82% from the free throw line, proving he has the shooters touch and cannot be left open from deep … Todd moved well without the ball, especially when setting screens in pick-and-pop situations and showed a knack for knocking down mid-range jumpers coming off of screens … He has above average ball skills and finesse for a big man and also runs extremely well in transition …

Weaknesses: At 220 lbs, he has obviously put some work into getting stronger, but still has a lot of room for improvement, getting more weight on his frame … Aditional weight would allow him to bang and play more physical … Due to his lack of physicality, did not make much of an impact as a rebounder and was not an interior defensive presence … Added strength will allow him to play with his back to the basket and also attack the rim off the dribble more often … Neeeds to develop better focus and consistency, though he improved considerably from his high school days in the G-League …

Overall: After choosing to forgo college, Todd instead joined the inaugural G League Ignite team featuring other top prospects in his class such as Jalen Green and Jonathon Kuminga.Todd is an underrated prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft and he has the potential to be a starter and even an all-star if things fall into place … . He has the tools to be a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, with his agility and finesse to go along with his sweet shooting touch. But, he needs to become more consistent with his all-around offensive game, and badly needs to bulk up and fill out his 6’10 frame. He is the prototypical modern-day NBA forward, and can play the small forward, power forward and center positions. The sky is the limit for Isaiah Todd, it is just about putting the work in and transforming his body. The good news for him is that he is only 19 years old, and has a ton of time to develop. I believe that NBA scouts realize this and there is a real chance that he hears his name called at the end of the first round when draft night rolls around …

Notes: Measured 6’8.75” Barefoot, 6’10.0” in shoes 8’11.5” standing reach, 219.0 lbs, and 7’1.25” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine …A former four-star recruit and top 20 ranked player in the 2020 class, Isaiah Todd had the likes of blue-blood programs such as UNC, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, etc. chomping at the bit for his services, and for good reason … Was once rated first in his class early in his high school career …

Jake Feldman 7/25/21

Strengths: 6’10 versatile forward … Good tools with a 7’0 wingspan and 8’11 standing reach … Fluid, well-coordinated, and good athlete. Finishes above the rim with ease and good speed at his size. Solid strength level and can finish through contact … Face-up threat offensively, stretching the floor and getting to the rim off the dribble with ability as a slasher. Shows potential as a three-level scorer … Versatile skillset. Can score from multiple spots on the floor. Good shooting mechanics and shooting range extends to the 3PT line … Averaged 9.9 points per game over the adidas Gauntlet in 2018. Averaged 18.4 points per game on 51.6% FG% over the Nike EYBL in 2019 … Good rebounder on both ends. Can start the offense after grabbing a defensive rebound. Averaged 8.4 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2019 … Good tools and versatility as a defender, defending both the perimeter and in the post throughout high school. Good shot blocker. Averaged 0.8 blocks per game at adidas Nations in 2017. Averaged 1.6 blocks per game at the U16 Americas Championship in 2017. Averaged 1.5 blocks per game over the Nike EYBL in 2019 …

Weaknesses: Feel for the game can improve. Can play inside and out but settles for outside and contested shots at times. Should utilize his superior tools around the basket more as he tends to drift to the perimeter often. Can improve understanding of when to post vs space the floor as well as recognizing mismatches … Good looking jump shot but can improve shooting consistency. Missed his 2 3PT attempts at the U16 Americas Championship and all 8 3PT attempts at adidas Nations in 2017. Shot 20% 3PT% over the adidas Gauntlet in 2018. Shot 28.6% 3PT% over the Nike EYBL in 2019 … Can improve as a free throw shooter. FT stats: 45% FT% (9-20) U16 Americas Championship 2017, 44.4% FT% (4-9) adidas Nations 2017, 47.1% FT% adidas Gauntlet 2018, 62.5% FT% Nike EYBL 2019 … Can tighten up ball handling and cut down on turnovers. A/TO stats: 0.6/2.6 (3/13) A/TO U16 Americas Championship 2017, 0.2/2.2 (1/11) A/TO adidas Nations in 2017, 0.7/1.8 (8/20) A/TO adidas Gauntlet 2018, 1.4/3.8 (3^rd most turnovers) A/TO Nike EYBL  2019 … Will need to improve as an initiator if he’s going to play on the perimeter at the next level, as he didn’t show a lot of creativity or advanced reads throughout high school. He will also need to expand overall perimeter game as many of his possessions ended with him pulling up for a jump shot or a basic straight-line drive … Can commit more to the defensive end … Wears his frustration at times … Good tools but still in the process of putting it all together, which has been the story since he entered high school. While he can do everything at a foundational level, he doesn’t excel in those areas. Has a way to go to maximize his potential …

Outlook: G-League Ignite rookie … 2020 McDonald’s All-American … Named to the 2020 Jordan Brand Classic … Transferred to Word of God Christian Academy for his senior year … Won Gold at the U16 Americas Championship in 2017 … Scored ten points and grabbed seven rebounds in the 2017 Underclassman All-American and played in the 2018 Underclassman All-American Game …

Evan Tomes 11/26/20