NBA Comparison: Sam Merrill / Coby Karl

Strengths: Sweet shooting wing with very good ball skills … Has a tough mindset and NBA readiness … Excels in spot up situations where he has a very good shooting stroke and connects at a good rate … Textbook jumpshot … Gets his feet set very quickly and has a fast and concise release, a player that cannot be left open … Showed development as a pick and roll facilitator … Very good feel for the game. Seems to always know where to be on both ends of the floor … Has surprising leaping ability to finish off plays in transition … A career 81% FT shooter and 39.7% three point shooter, numbers that definitely back up the possibility that he can be used as a floor spacing shooting specialist at the next level … Tough minded competitor … Unselfish player and very willing passer … A very good passer for a wing with 3.7 apg as a senior, and 2.8 apg over his college career … Shot 43% from three as a senior … Very team oriented, coachable player … Shows a decent ability to create off the dribble with a surprising first step and crossover to get by slower defenders … Also shows the ability to create a shot on dribble step back … Good pull up juspshot ability off the drive … Tough player who doesn’t mind playing physical …

Weaknesses: Below average for his position in terms of length and height. Considering his skill set, he would benefit if he were a few inches taller …  … Where his lack of foot speed hurts him most is on the defensive end where he struggles to defend on ball … At 23 years of age, he’s another super senior who will need to produce immediately as there is not as much room for growth at his age … Despite being a high level shooter and having a nose for scoring, he averaged below 10 ppg over his career, and was only above double digits (12 ppg) in the season in which he was 22.  Which likely signals that he will struggle going against better athletes, as the talent level of his competition takes a major jump … Tends to play a little upright defensively … Free throw percentage fell to 75% as a senior, surprisingly low considering his overall shooting numbers in college …

Notes: Measured: 6′ 5.25” barefoot, 212.4 lbs, 6′ 7.50” wingspan, 8′ 6.00” standing reach, 30.5 inch standing vertical, 38 inch max vertical at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine … Native of Nacka, Sweden … Played freshman season at Utah before transferring to Arizona … Turned down professional options in Sweden to come to the USA in 2019 … Father Christian, played for the Swedish men’s national basketball team …

Aran Smith 6/4/24