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22 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

6-6, 180 Point Guard
Kentucky Freshman
Birthday
07/12/98 (26.4 yrs)
Hometown
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
High School
Hamilton Heights
Team Site Profile
Statistics
Athleticism
8
Size
9
Defense
8
Strength
6
Quickness
9
Leadership
8
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
7
Ball Handling
8
Potential
9
Passing
7
Intangibles
8

NBA Comparison: Ron Harper/Dejounte Murray

Strengths: Has excellent height and length for a lead guard at 6’6” and even more impressive length, possessing a 7-foot wingspan … Measured a 6.23% body fat percentage at Kentucky’s preseason pro day … Has a 36” vertical … Works extremely hard on defense and has a nose for the ball … Uses his length to smother opposing ball handlers and take away passing lanes … Averaged 1.6 steals per game, many of which were on-ball steals … Doesn’t often get out of position defensively despite his high steal total … Is an underrated shooter … Made 40% of his threes and over 81% of his free throws at Kentucky … Is extremely good at setting defenders up for a drive … Is able to use positioning, footwork, and his ability to look defenders off to get himself into the paint nearly at will … Possesses excellent body control that allows him to score in traffic or find teammates on the perimeter with a kick out pass … Does a good job of getting to the free throw line … Is not afraid of the big moment and will put the team on his shoulders when the offense stagnates … Works extremely hard both in games and in developing his abilities …

Weaknesses: Slight of frame, weighing only 180 pounds … Will need to add strength to absorb contact on both ends of the floor and over the course of an 82 game season … Needs further development to be a lead guard at the next level … The team can occasionally stagnate offensively if he holds the ball too long looking for driving lanes … Can sometimes force offensive drives into the paint and can get tunnel vision … Sometimes makes silly turnovers trying to force offense, especially late in close games … Will sometimes pass up open shots that he’s capable of making even when defenses are playing him for the drive … Despite good athletic testing numbers, doesn’t utilize his athleticism during the games as much as one would expect … Tends to play a slower, more methodical, deliberate pace, especially in the half court … Will occasionally force passes into small windows resulting in turnovers or putting teammates in awkward and disadvantageous positions …

Outlook: Gilgeous-Alexander transformed from a 4 star recruit that was the least heralded member of Kentucky’s recruiting class to its best player (and prospect) last season … The coaching staff credited his rapid development to his early morning skill development sessions … His willingness to put in additional work bodes well for his development at the next level and will make coaches at the next level appreciate him that much more … Drew rave reviews from Coach Calipari as his hardest worker and most coachable player this season … Fit will be important for him early in his career, as will having a veteran point guard (mentor) to help him develop into a true point guard … In college he was surrounded by non shooters, so in the NBA he should have an even easier time setting up his drives not only for baskets, but for kick out passes that weren’t especially viable for him last season … He should represent excellent value on draft night for a team in the second half of the lottery …

Eric Yearian 5/15/18

Strengths: 6’6 combo guard … Good length with a 6’10.5 wingspan and 8’6 standing reach as a guard … Good shooting and scoring ability. No wasted motion in his shot. Can get hot and score in bunches. Can get it going early, doesn’t need to ease his way into rhythm … Can shoot off the catch or dribble. Very reliable from outside with his feet set … Can score from anywhere in the half court. Shoots well from both midrange and three. Good touch on floater and can get to the rim … Solid playmaker … Plays well on and off the ball. Creates offense for himself. Scores well off pull ups and step backs. Effective off the dribble, drives going both left and right. Can finish with his left hand … Quick first step. Changes speed with the ball … Willing defender with very good length on the perimeter … Solid rebounder for a guard … Draws fouls and is a reliable free throw shooter … Vocal leader … Patient offensively …

Weaknesses: Naturally a scorer, still developing as a point guard … Can tighten up his ball handling especially in transition, his handle gets loose when going quick … Not an incredibly explosive athlete … Although he usually lets the offense come to him, sometimes he attacks when there isn’t a gap and forces a drive. Doesn’t have the best body control when attacking, doesn’t adjust his body and make acrobatic finishes like some of the more athletic guards … Needs to improve decision making when he gets ran off the three-point line … Plays with patience but tends to hold the ball at times …

Outlook: Kentucky freshman. His shooting is much needed for Kentucky’s roster … Played in the Nike Hoop Summit … MVP of the Derby Classic with 29 points on 12-15 shooting …

Evan Tomes 9/4/17

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