Tennessee Freshman Strengths: Scrappy, young combo guard with a defensive focus and an expanding offensive game … Didn’t take a ton of threes, but shot 43.5% on them. Shot 81% from the free throw stripe … Easily repeatable jump shot mechanics … Does a very good job of regaining his balance when making offensive moves, allowing him to make difficult shots … Excels at using the rim or his body to protect his shots in the paint by using reverse layups … Smooth athlete who is able to get to the paint against defenders. Is able to create and take away space from defenders to keep them off balance … Is good at making pull up jumpers either off the bounce or off a pseudo post up … Even when defenders expect it, he’s able to get his shot off … Moves well off the ball and is able to use screens effectively … Can be disruptive defensively, had 5 games with 3 steals … Is a willing facilitator, recording 5 or more assists in 7 games …
Weaknesses: Lacks elite explosiveness … Appears to be more of a 2 than a combo, and lacks size on the wing at 6’4 … Doesn’t possess high level athleticism, relies on angles and reading what the defense is giving him. ..Has trouble taking care of the ball, averaging 2.4 turnovers per game … Needs to develop more lead guard skills so that he can be a secondary ball hander at the next level. Could be overmatched athletically and physically at the next level. Shot is mechanically sound, but lacks fluidity and can be slow to load up at times. Relies on others to get his scoring opportunities off of cuts, not somebody that will break people down off the bounce.
Notes: Measured 6’3.0” barefoot, 6’4.25” in shoes 8’3.0” standing reach, 202.0 lbs, and 6’7.75” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine … Springer is a player that can score the ball, but will need to play off of his teammates to do most of his damage … He likely won’t develop into a player that creates a ton of opportunities for himself, but should be a good spot up shooter and cutter …. He should also be a solid defensive player. While he doesn’t project to be elite at anything, he checks enough boxes that he could be a rotational player that carves out a solid career in the league … If he is able to develop into more of a secondary ball handler at the next level as well, he makes himself even more of an asset …
Eric Yearian 5/15/21
Strengths: 6’5 combo guard … Aggressive mindset … Good strength and balance. Plays physical and initiates contact … Attacks the rim off the dribble and is adept getting into the paint … Good midrange pull-up … Can hit shots from 3PT range. Shot 37% 3PT% on 3.4 attempts per game over the Under Armour Association in 2018 and 37.5% 3PT% on 3.4 attempts per game in 2019 … Averaged 13.4 points per game at 50% FG% at adidas Nations in 2017. Finished 3rd in scoring with 21.1 points per game at 47.7% FG% over the Under Armour Association in 2018 and finished 5th with 18 points per game at 51.6% FG% in 2019 … Good free throw shooter. Shot 75% FT% over the Under Armour Association in 2018 and 85.2% FT% in 2019 … Can play on or off the ball … Solid passing ability. Does a good job of baiting the help to dump to the open man. Averaged 2.9 assists to 1.3 turnovers per game over the Under Armour Association in 2019 … Good rebounder for position. Averaged 6.9 rebounds per game over the Under Armour Association in 2018 and 5.7 rebounds per game in 2019 … Good perimeter defender. Puts pressure and sticks when defending on the ball. Averaged 1.5 steals per game over the Under Armour Association in 2018 … Good shot blocker for position. Averaged 1.3 blocks per game over the Under Armour Association in 2018 … Competitive mindset … Younger for his class, turned 18 in September of his freshman year of college …
Weaknesses: Doesn’t have great length relative to height … Good athlete but wouldn’t categorize him as elite. Most of his finishing in the half-court is below the rim … Passing has been solid but he’s not an incredibly advanced playmaker … Despite not having bad 3PT shooting over the Under Armour Association, it’s an area he can still look to improve and mechanics aren’t incredibly fluid … Has been successful scoring in high school but doesn’t have an advanced scoring arsenal that sells him as a top scoring prospect at the next levels. Can expand creating with the ball, especially against a set defense …
Outlook: Tennessee freshman … 2020 McDonald’s All-American … Helped IMG Academy to win GEICO High School Nationals in 2019 … Played in the 2018 Underclassman All-American Game …
Evan Tomes 11/23/20
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