NBA Comparison: Jared Butler

Strengths: Wong is a 6’4 180 PG/SG with adequate athleticism, showing decent levels of quickness, leaping skills and agility … Productive guard who is at his best putting the ball in the basket (averaged at least 15.3 PPG in each of his last 3 seasons) … Can create for himself and was a tough player to defend at the college level because of his skill level and ability to score in different ways … Utilizes ball-screens well and generally makes good reads when calling his own number; will make defenders pay when they dive and can turn the corner on favorable switches … Good crossover and can freeze defenders to get space for step-backs and pull-up jumpers from mid-range and 3 … Also is not a bad shooter with his feet set; steps into shots with confidence and can operate off-ball as a dribble penetration or transition floor spacer (38 3FG% as a Sr., around 35 3FG% average for his career) … Body control and footwork allow him to step-through and maneuver around bodies and he shows enough touch to convert tricky shots … Smooth turnaround jumper to use defenders momentum against them … Good enough 1st step to threaten the paint and get into the teeth of the defense with some success, particularly with the help of a ball screen…Some ability to play above the rim in space and has some moments of success slashing and finishing in transition … Can make simple reads with the ball in transition & pick and roll offense, and handles hedges and tilted defenses reasonably well to get the ball to the open man (career-best 3.2 APG as a Sr.)…Takes care of the ball (1.7 TOPG for his career) … Seemed more and more willing to compete on the defensive end as his career went along, and he usually tries to get back in plays when beat (50 career blocks, career-best 1.4 SPG as a Sr.) … Chipped in on the glass from the perimeter a bit at the college level, and had some moments turning missed shots into transition opportunities (4.1 RPG career) … Experience playing both on and off the ball is a plus … Good FT shooter (career 80% on 4 FTA/G)…Accomplished player with winning pedigree and a reputation as a hard worker; was an All-Conference performer for 3 straight years and led Miami to some pretty deep, unexpected NCAA Tournament runs as an upperclassman …

Weaknesses: Wong has an average physical profile by NBA standards for a combo guard and that might present a cap on the types of things he can do at the pro level compared to college … Is more of an undersized SG than a point; usually looks to handle the ball and use screens for his own scoring opportunities & shows average floor vision and instincts as a facilitator … Has his moments when he pounds the ball and tries to do too much when he should swing and let plays develop … Sometimes can be too reliant on ball screen action to create driving lanes for himself, and will settle at times … Takes some tougher, highly contested shots that may not work as well against bigger, more athletic professional players and his ability to finish efficiently was already mediocre at the college level as is (48 FG% inside the arc as a Sr.) … 3-point shot can be a bit streaky at times … Though not broken, he will need to be more consistent spotting up considering that he would probably see much more time off the ball than as a primary ball-handler in the NBA … Doesn’t project to be much of a disruptive defender at the next level, and he will likely have to either guard the smallest player on the court or the least viable scoring options every time…Tough to point out a true standout skill that he has by NBA standards …

Overall: Isaiah Wong was a consensus 4-star recruit playing HS ball in both PA and NJ, and signed to Miami were he saw immediate key minutes and eventually won a starting job halfway into his Fr. season … From then he would become one of the most productive players in the ACC over the next 3 seasons and also one of the very best players in school history for the Hurricanes, wrapping up his career as the programs 4th all-time leading scorer with over 1800 points while helping led Miami to the Elite 8 & the school’s first ever Final 4 appearance … He often showed his shot-making prowess in those tournament runs, with 4 20-point games in his 9 career tournament appearances … As a prospect Wong brings some 3-level scoring ability and a nice skill level to the table, being able to operate on or off the ball to get buckets … He is a decent athlete, can make some tough shots and generally takes care of the ball as well … There are concerns about his average physical tools, lack of standout traits, and middling PG skills as a combo guard, as well as him being an older, lower upside type with some defensive matchup questions … But still his productive college career and ability to score in different ways make him a lower risk prospect to gamble on in the 2nd round of the 2023 Draft …

Notes: Measured 6′ 2.50” barefoot, 8′ 1.50” standing reach, 178.4 lbs, and 6′ 6.75” wingspan with a 37 inch max vertical at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine …

Jorrye Nixon 6/1/23