NBA Comparison: Kristaps Porzingis

Strengths: Extremely skilled frontcourt player who can initiate offense at every level of the floor … Has shown flashes of going coast-to-coast in the open floor, taking his defender off the dribble and getting to the rim before the opposing defense gets set … Great size (7-1) and long arms (7-6 wingspan) allow him to alter and/or block just about every shot taken in his vicinity … Elite interior defender in college who makes up for his lack of strength with length and tremendous timing in the post, though he’ll need strength to not get pushed around… Fluid shot motion and quick trigger allow him to dominate in the pick-and-pop game whenever his shot is on … Shot 39% on the season from beyond the arc, including 45% from early December until the NCAA Tournament … Can play both on and off the ball on the offensive end by attacking less mobile centers and generating space in the half-court offense with the threat of his outside jumper … Can attack opponents off the dribble and make bigger defenders pay who close out aggressively. His quick trigger and ability to put the ball on the floor make it nearly impossible to defend him fading away off screens. Long strides allow him to get from the perimeter to the rim with only one dribble and a spin … Generational talent who is bound to fill up a highlight reel every time he plays … Tremendous lateral footwork that allows him to defend 1-5 and alter almost any shot on the floor … Can pass with his back to the basket in the post and sitting at the top of the key reading off-ball movement … Decent rebounder who can get out and run any time he brings down a defensive board … Has the ball-handling and speed to lead the break in transition immediately after pulling down a rebound … Sky high  potential due to his measurements and skill set at only 20-years-old. Could become an Anthony Davis type of two way dominant player if he can fill out his frame and stretch his range while remaining consistent from beyond the arc … Impressive basketball feel and IQ for a young bigman. He can become a special NBA  player if his body develops and he can stay injury free …

Weaknesses: Lack of physical strength (195 lbs) remains his biggest hurdle. Whether or not he can add significant weight and maintain his agility and mobility is a big question mark … While his combination of length and agility is extremely rare, it’s hard to imagine him being able to play on the perimeter as a facilitator as his size will eventually slow him down with time and age … Without better body strength, durability is a factor … More physical players can bully him under the rim and take away his length by getting him out of position and also attack him as long as they keep their dribble and put him into these difficult positions … Doesn’t get fully engaged on screens and shies away from contact, which limits the amount of separation his ball-handlers can get in this action … Struggles to stay out of foul trouble with nearly 4 fouls per 40 minutes in only season at Gonzaga … Didn’t put up great numbers against elite competition and disappeared for large periods at a time in these big games … 71% from the Ft line gives some pause to the idea that he’s an elite shooter … Appears that he can be an 80% FT shooter in the NBA due to his form and touch, but his college numbers did not prove that … Impressive shooting numbers from three giving him obvious intrigue as a perimeter scorer, but he did hit just 41 threes on the year and 1.3 per game (a low volume) and against a lower caliber of opponents playing in the WCC …

Outlook: One of the rarest of players to come along in years … His combination of shooting, passing, shot blocking and speed and agility along with feel for the game is truly special. His upside is sky high, but questions linger about how his body will develop and how he will be able to handle the rigors of an NBA season as a post player with such an obvious weakness to his game … For a team that feels they can bulk him up sufficiently, he presents the ultimate swing for the fences pick in this year’s draft …

Notes: Four-time state champion in high school winning Gatorade NPOY, Naismith Prep POY, Sports Illustrated All-American POY, MaxPreps NPOY and McDonald’s All-American … WCC Newcomer and Defensive Player of the Year … AP All-American Third Team

Derek Bast 5/15/22

Strengths: 7’1 3&D big man … Good size and length with a 7’3.5 wingspan … Well-coordinated and skilled. Good mobility, runs the floor well with long strides and covers a lot of ground on drives. Gets off the ground well and translates it on both ends … Spaces the floor well and very good shooter, especially at his height. Shoots well midrange and 3PT, as well as off the catch or dribble. Has had proper form, quick release, and no wasted motion in his shot before he even enrolled in high school. Good potential in pick & pop situations and face-up offensive game. Shot a tournament best 53.8% 3PT% on 1.9 attempts per game at the U19 World Cup in 2021 … Good free throw shooter. Shot 77.8% FT% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019 … Can score inside out. Good footwork and skill set in the low post. Good ambidexterity around the basket, doesn’t hesitate to use his left hand when contested … Averaged 10.6 points per game at 49.1% FG% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019. Averaged 11.9 points per game at a 2^nd best 62% FG% at the U19 World Cup in 2021 … Good ball handler at his size, can crossover and shift with the ball. Can take a rebound to start the offense. Plays on and off the ball … Very good shot blocker with great timing that projects to translate at higher levels. Challenges everything around him and isn’t afraid to get dunked on. Led the NBPA Top 100 in blocks with 2.3 per game in 2019. Averaged a 3^rd best 2.7 blocks per game at the U19 World Cup in 2021 … Good rebounder on both ends and reliable converting offensive rebounds into baskets. Finished 3^rd in rebounding at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019 with 7.6 per game … Good awareness. Doesn’t hunt scoring opportunities, plays within himself and within the flow of the game. Good passing ability and consistently hits cutters. Knows his options when he catches the ball in the half court and doesn’t force up bad shots, even after offensive rebounds which is rare for young players. Distributes well out of the high and low post. Good touch on lob passes and plays a good high/low game if paired with another big man. Averaged 3.3 assists to 1.4 turnovers per game at the U19 World Cup in 2021 … Good intensity and competitiveness, yet still under control … Impact player on both ends …

Weaknesses: While he isn’t afraid to play physical, he possesses a slight frame and lacks strength in both upper and lower body. Playing and finishing through contact may be an obstacle at the next levels. Gets knocked off balance after contact when driving and in the post at times due to lack of base strength. Turns it over at times putting the ball down in traffic as well as handling double teams … Good around the rim but still has room to expand his post-game … Very mobile and although length can cover, he doesn’t have the quickest feet when defending the perimeter … Older for his class, turned 19 his senior year of high school …

Outlook: Gonzaga freshman … 2021 McDonald’s All-American … Named to the 2021 Jordan Brand Classic … Named to the 2021 Nike Hoop Summit … MVP of the 2021 Iverson Classic … 2021 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year … 2021 Naismith Prep Player of the Year … 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year … 2021 Minnesota Mr. Basketball … Led USA to win Gold at the U19 World Cup in 2021, earning MVP and named to the All-Tournament Team … Scored 16 points in the 2019 Underclassman All-American Game …

Evan Tomes 8/6/21

Strengths: 7’0 3&D big man … Good size and length with a 7’3.5 wingspan … Good mobility. Well-coordinated and skilled. Long strides and covers a lot of ground on drives … Very good shooter, especially at his height. Shoots well midrange and 3PT, as well as off the catch or dribble. Has had proper form, quick release, and no wasted motion in his shot before he even enrolled in high school. Good potential in pick and pop situations … Good free throw shooter. Shot 77.8% FT% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019 … Good footwork and skill set in the low post. Good ambidexterity around the basket … Averaged 10.6 points at 49.1% FG% at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019 … Good ball handler at his size, can crossover and shift with the ball. Can take a rebound to start the offense … Very good shot blocker with great timing that projects to translate at higher levels. Challenges everything around him and isn’t afraid to get dunked on. Led the NBPA Top 100 in blocks with 2.3 per game in 2019 … Good rebounder. Finished 3^rd in rebounding at the NBPA Top 100 in 2019 with 7.6 per game … Plays within himself and within the flow of the game. Good passer, doesn’t force up bad shots and distributes well out of the post … Good intensity and competitiveness, yet still under control … Impact player on both ends …

Weaknesses: Slight frame and doesn’t possess a lot of strength, lacking in both upper and lower body. Gets knocked off balance when driving and in the post at times due to lack of base strength … Still has room to expand his post-game… Very mobile and although length can cover, he doesn’t have the quickest feet when defending the perimeter … Older for his class, will turn 19 before high school graduation …

Outlook: Scored 16 points in the 2019 Underclassman All-American Game …

Evan Tomes 12/6/20