NBA Comparison: Shake Milton/Matt Harpring

Strengths: Sensabaugh is a burly SF/PF at around 6’5 230, with a build resembling that of an NFL tight end … Also a solid athlete for his dimensions; shows good burst, body control and explosiveness … An offensive machine with mismatch scoring tools; has real 3-level scoring ability and can do damage in a variety of ways (16.3 PPG as a Fr.) … Soft touch shows up all in his 3-point shooting (40 3FG% on 4.5 3FGA/G), mid-range game, finishing around the rim, and as a post-up player (52 FG% inside the arc, 48 FG% overall) … Fluid release and shoots with confidence, making him a factor hitting shots when left open or against closeouts when spotting up … Strong first step and frame allow him to steamroll defenders on his slashes to the rim, particularly when operating on the perimeter against wings … Has a wide, sturdy base to power through contact; built for physical play and picked up a number of ‘and-1s’ this past season (83 FT% on 3 FTA/G) … Will occasionally flash some juice as a leaper and finish above the rim when he has momentum … Can seal in the low and mid post areas & has a good feel for using his shoulders to create space for his fadeaway & turnaround jumper … Outstanding production in the 15-18 ft area; is a threat facing up on short kickouts, screens or pulling up off 1 or 2 dribbles and sticking shots when chased off the line … Adequate ball-handling ability with both hands to create space & will use simple crossovers and stepbacks when overplayed … Makes sound reads and knows how to find open spots on the court, making him a promising off-ball scorer who won’t always have to create his own shots … A relative late bloomer who could just be scratching the surface after shooting up the HS rankings as a Sr. and enjoying a better than expected Fr. season; wasn’t on any 2023 draft boards prior to the season … Has a clear niche and that gives him a somewhat high floor as a prospect …

Weaknesses: Unconventional physical tools with average height and length by NBA standards despite his wider frame, and is more powerful than athletic … Not especially quick or light on his feet, and his leaping ability & speed while not poor are that of a “build-up” variety … More of a below the rim player, particularly in the halfcourt … Physical nature and strength can be used against him at times, leading to his picking up charges against more savvy defenders…Defense is a work in progress currently; poor fundamentals and overall awareness at times landed him in the doghouse at Ohio State despite his offensive prowess … There are some legitimate questions about what positions he projects to consistently defend at the NBA level … Was often directly targeted by opponents at the point of attack but also seemed to be a step behind off the ball when it came to locating shooters and making controlled closeouts, which led to plenty of possessions with team defensive collapses and easy shot attempts … Doesn’t force many turnovers or disrupt passing lanes (0.5 SPG)…Fared slightly better defending post-ups and frontcourt players, but still gets shot over easily due to his lack of height, length and static leaping skills (0.4 BPG)…Average overall rebounding skills (5.4 RPG) and won’t grab many boards outside of his general area…Doesn’t pass the ball much; mostly wired to get his own shots and displayed a bit of tunnel vision (1.2 APG)…Should monitor his conditioning and diet closely (only played 24 MPG), as he has a body type that could easily struggle with injuries or weight issues in the future if he’s not careful

Overall: Brice Sensabaugh was a consensus 4-star prospect out of the Orlando area coming out of HS, where he won Florida’s Mr Basketball award as a Sr…In the summer leading into Sensabaugh’s Fr. season, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann told anybody who would listen that Sensabaugh, the last signee in the Buckeyes’ top 10 ranked 2022 HS class, would be an impact player due to his vast offensive repertoire and he wasn’t wrong … He ended up leading the team in scoring while being one of the most prolific “per-minute” scorers in the country, showing the ability to hit from 3, mid-range and in the post at a high level…His combination of brawn, touch, confidence and mismatch ability are the main reason why he’s seen as one of the best pure scorers in the 2023 Draft Class … He is a bit one-dimensional in that he doesn’t have much impact elsewhere though, and he especially has a ton of work to do on the defensive end of the floor, where he was often so much of a liability that he was unplayable for significant spurts throughout the year for a disappointing OSU team … He also should be mindful of the attrition that comes with an 82 game season, as Sensabaugh is thickly built and will need to focus on staying in shape to get the most out of himself…Still, his scoring and strength are intriguing & if he can round out the rest of his game he will have a solid chance of realizing his full potential … Sensabaugh has a draft range that could be anywhere from late lottery to the early 2nd round, with most mocks having him firmly in the 1st round currently …

Jorrye Nixon 5/29/23