NBA Comparison: Hassan Whiteside/DeAndre Jordan

Strengths: Wiseman has physical tools that really stand out on the court, standing 7 feet with a long (7-foot-6 wingspan) and rangy frame … Considering his elite size, it is very intriguing that he brings nimble feet, agility, solid leaping ability and long strides making him an extremely promising big man on both ends of the floor … Has potential as a paint “patroller” on defense, and you have to be mindful of his location when heading to the basket or risk a weakside rejection … Has the size, range, and length to be mentioned along the lines of the top young shot-blockers in the NBA … A southpaw, he is at his best, the closer he is to the rim at the moment, and will be able to get his fair share of easy scores by running like a deer in transition for easy baskets, given the speed and athleticism advantage he will enjoy in most matchups … Looks to play above the rim, and seems like a potentially dynamic finisher as a pick/screen and roll player with his soft hands … While his time at Memphis was limited to 69 total minutes of action, teams shot only 33% when Wiseman was on the court, and he made a good amount of eye opening plays altering and blocking shots … Given his length and athletic ability, it seems likely that his defensive ability will translate to the NBA’s “defensive 3 seconds” rule, as he should be able to switch and defend more than adequately outside the paint and on switches as he gets more experience … Pretty good on the glass, especially as an offensive rebounder, and shows a quick 2nd jump … Shows a soft touch around the rim, as well as a developing turnaround jumper and decent jump hook over his right shoulder as the base of his post moves arsenal … The foundation is there for him to make some hay as a mid range shooter, he just needs more repetition, muscle memory and fundamental consistency … Has the frame to carry at least 15 more lbs of muscle without the loss of mobility …

Weaknesses: The obvious elephant in the room is that he goes into this draft having played so few minutes of college hoops compared to other 2020 prospects, which makes him a relative unknown in just where he is in his development … While he looked incredibly strong in his first few games, the suspension followed by the decision to shut it down leaves scouts and NBA decision makers with a lot less to work with and the question of just how much his game may have tapered off had he played the entire season … He had a reputation in high school of having a motor that ran hot and cold and there were some questions that many wanted to see answered with a full season of intense play … Wiseman showed glimpses in limited action, but he also showed that he is pretty raw in his skill set and overall basketball IQ at the moment … While he is a potentially game-changing defender, he also seems to be a bit jumpy looking to send shots into the stands, and prone to fakes that lead to fouls or compromises the team’s defensive balance on the court … Whether he can be a true weapon as a scorer at the next level remains in question … He did show decent touch at times with fadaways and mid-range jumpshots … But he remains a real question mark whether he’s a guy that can create legitimate offense for himself  … He’s not very strong or physical right now, will need to put on more weight and get his lower body strength up to bang in the post with the big boys in the NBA … Shot selection can stand to improve, he seems to settle for fade-away shots and jumpers more than you expect for a guy with his physical and athletic traits … His feel for the game seems decent considering his age and development stage, but at times he does appear rushed and mechanical in the low post getting into his moves, and he needs to work on developing his back to the basket game … His ability to defend out on the perimeter is potentially very good for a big guy, but he has some things to learn fundamentally to realize it (ie playing less upright and not relying solely on his length to make up for being out of position) … Doesn’t seem to project to be an elite level shot creator in the post, which means the situation he lands in will matter that much more to his individual success because others will have to create for him, and teach him the nuances of the offensive game …

Overall: Wiseman has been a highly discussed prospect dating back to 2017 when he emerged on the high school scene … He is a prospect with some clearly defined strengths that hold value in the current NBA (rim running, defense, rebounding) and some truly special physical attributes … He also has some things he needs to work on (strength, offensive polish, overall basketball IQ) … There is also the fact that he has such limited college hoops film that it makes evaluating his progression as a prospect during the conference slate and NCAA tournament impossible, and those are critical samples when scouting … If he’s in a situation where a team allows him to play off of his teammates spacing on offense, and allows him to patrol the paint and block shots then he will be set up for success … Some teams may want more, particularly if he’s selected in the top 3, but he definitely has the tools to find success and even make an immediate impact …

Notes: Measured 6’11.5 barefoot, 7’0.5 in shoes, 231 lbs, with a 7’6 wingspan, and a 9’3.5 standing reach in his senior year …

Jorrye Nixon 1/23/20

Strengths: 7’0.5 big man … Great size and length with a 7’6 wingspan and 9’3.5 standing reach … Good athleticism, mobility, and fluidity. Runs the floor very well with good agility for his size … Gets off the ground well and finishes plays above the rim with ease. Good transition finisher. Dunks quickly and doesn’t need a gather when catching dump offs, oops, or put backs. Converts offensive rebounds into points … Good footwork in the paint. Good touch within close with either hand in traffic. Scores at different angles around the rim and uses glass when appropriate. Averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 60.4% FG% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 15 points per game while shooting 48.7% FG% in 2018 … Can play with his back to the basket as well as facing up. Uses a jump hook and turnaround fade away in the post. Has the foundation as a stretch big and steps out to hit threes on occasions … Doesn’t settle for jump shots or roam the perimeter too often, he consistently goes into the post … Good hands, awareness, and activity level … Good defender. Takes up a lot of space and shrinks the floor with his length. Blocks shots at a good rate without fouling and protects the paint. Quick to close out on the perimeter and block jump shooters. Can hedge when switched onto the perimeter. Averaged 1.6 blocks per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 1.8 blocks per game in 2018 … Unselfish. Doesn’t force up shots if he goes through stretches without getting a touch. Passes well, hits cutters and open shooters when passing out of the post … Good confidence and competitor …

Weaknesses: Has potential and still developing as a stretch big man but scoring range is currently limited in this stage of his development, not consistently hitting jump shots or scoring outside the paint. Could use more arc on shot as most of his misses hit the front rim. Only shot 10% (2-20) 3P% over the Nike EYBL. Can improve as a free throw shooter. Shot 62.5% FT% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 58.8% FT% in 2018 … Good rebounder but can still be more active on the boards and has room to improve. Averaged 6.9 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 6.8 rebounds per game in 2018. The numbers aren’t always on par with his physical ability yet … Can try to block too man shots as help defender, getting out of position and leaving his man open under the basket for an easy put back … Can improve physicality and has room to get stronger in both the upper and lower body. His inability to handle contact against stronger players hinders his finishing in the paint as his body form tends to break with contact …

Outlook: Incoming Memphis freshman … 2019 Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year … 2019 Gatorade National Player of the Year … 2019 Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball … Scored 13 points in the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game … Scored 21 points (9-12 FG) and grabbed six rebounds to earn MVP of the 2019 Jordan Brand Classic … Recorded 12 points (6-8 FG), eight rebounds, and six blocks in the 2019 Nike Hoop Summit … All-Peach Jam: Honorable Mention averaging 16 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in 2018 … All-EYBL Honorable Mention in 2018 … MVP of the 2017 Underclassman All-American Game with 21 points and ten rebounds …

Evan Tomes 5/5/19

Strengths: 7’1 big man … Great size and length with a 7’4.5 wingspan … Good athleticism, mobility, and fluidity. Runs the floor very well … Gets off the ground well and finishes plays above the rim with ease. Dunks quickly and doesn’t need a gather when catching dump offs, oops, or put backs … Good footwork in the paint. Good touch within close with either hand in traffic. Scores at different angles around the rim and uses glass when appropriate. Averaged 10.6 points per game while shooting 60.4% FG% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 15 points per game while shooting 48.7% FG% in 2018 … Can play with his back to the basket as well as facing up. Uses a jump hook and turnaround fade away in the post. Has the foundation as a stretch big and steps out to hit threes on occasions … Doesn’t settle for jump shots or roam the perimeter too often, he consistently goes into the post … Good hands, awareness, and activity level … Good defender. Takes up a lot of space and shrinks the floor with his length. Blocks shots at a good rate without fouling and protects the paint. Quick to close out on the perimeter and block jump shooters. Averaged 1.6 blocks per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 1.8 blocks per game in 2018 … Unselfish. Doesn’t force up shots if he goes through stretches without getting a touch. Passes well, hits cutters and open shooters when passing out of the post … Good confidence and competitor …

Weaknesses: Has potential and still developing as a stretch big man but scoring range is currently limited in this stage of his development. Only shot 10% (2-20) 3P% over the Nike EYBL. Can improve as a free throw shooter. Shot 62.5% FT% over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 58.8% FT% in 2018 … Good rebounder but can still be more active on the boards and has room to improve. Averaged 6.9 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2017 and 6.8 rebounds per game in 2018. The numbers aren’t always on par with his physical ability yet … Can limit the turnovers. Averaged 2.1 turnovers per game over the Nike EYBL … Has room to get stronger and can improve physicality but has a frame that should add strength and doesn’t turn 18 until the end of March …

Outlook: All-Peach Jam: Honorable Mention averaging 16 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in 2018 … All-EYBL Honorable Mention in 2018 … MVP of the 2017 Underclassmen All-American Game with 21 points and ten rebounds …

Evan Tomes 9/21/18