NBA Comparison: Latrell Sprewell

Strengths: A freakish athlete with great mental make up and competitive drive … Has the physical tools teams are looking for in wing players. At 6’5”, 186 lbs, with a 6’8 wingspan, and has good size for a 2-guard and should be able to bulk up as he matures … High level defender, with phenomenal instincts and reflexes to be disruptive at the next level … Buys into the defensive assignment and gives great intensity and effort on defense, showing very quick lateral ability … Super explosive and Is able to hang in the air, take contact, and still get the ball to the rim … Attacks the rim in a way that forces defenders to make a decision, often putting them in a position to get called for a foul. Understands driving angles and uses this knowledge to get to his spots on the court. Good elevation both at the rim and on his jumpshot … Uses his athleticism to create scoring opportunities … Very good body control on moves to the rim, is able to adjust to defender positions and create clean shooting angles … Has solid footwork that allows him to get around defenders … Has a flare for making the spectacular plays on a regular basis, but not at the expense of playing sound basketball …

Weaknesses: A work in progress offensively. Shot only 27% from 3 during his time at Tennessee, and must improve upon his 70% from the line. Averaged just 11 ppg … Needs to become a more disciplined decision maker in regards to when to look for and take shots … Not the most gifted scorer at this point … Had a very slow start, particularly from a scoring aspect … Relied on scoring from the post when he needed a basket … Has a tendency to over-dribble into the teeth of the defense and then force bad shots or turn the ball over  … Not versatile enough as a scorer yet, defenders will likely play him to drive and force him to show he can hit jumpers with enough regularity to keep the defense honest … Can be loose with the ball, turning it over 2.6 times per game … Had more turnovers than assists in college … Could rebound better for somebody with his athletic gifts … Not a plus defender at the moment, but should develop on that side of the ball … Has a tendency to get into foul trouble …

Outlook: Johnson has a chance to be an emotional leader type for a team .. He is the type of young wing that can come in and get buckets right away … His athleticism mixed with his body control and touch around the rim make him tough to stop once he starts driving to the rim … He will need to diversify his offense at the next level to truly hit his potential, but he will benefit from the added spacing of the NBA, and his shot isn’t broken, so there’s reason to believe that he can develop to at least be a serviceable shooter …

Notes: Measured: 6’3.5” barefoot, 6’4.75” in shoes, 8’1.0” standing reach, 184.8 lbs, 6’7.25” wingspan at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine …

Eric Yearian 5/12/21