NBA Comparison: Mardy Collins

Strengths: Possesses a filled-out, physical frame and a powerful lower body … Background as a point growing up explains his great versatility and advanced guard skills … Strong defender who reads passing lanes well and creates turnovers … Plays with great pace,  body control, especially when he’s attacking toward the basket. One of the best playmaking wings in the 2023 NBA Draft class …. Comfortable bringing the ball up the floor and creating shots from the wing ,,. Utilizes long strides and extreme strength to get where he wants attacking the basket … Has some flair dishing the ball in traffic to his bigs under the basket … Long, physical defenders don’t deter him at any level … Smooth euro-step and aforementioned body control allow him to score and pass on the move in the middle of the floor … Elite poise in the air. Will hang up in the air, wait for passing lanes to open and execute accurate passes in tight windows … Averaged a steal and a block per game in 28 games with the G-League Ignite this season … Produced against high-level competition on both ends of the floor … Can spread the floor as an off-ball shooter. Showed some development in his perimeter jumper, even if it’s still inconsistent … Only turned 19 in April … Lockdown defender who can take on the best athletes on opposing teams … Solid lateral quickness keeps opponents in front of him … Closes out on the perimeter with speed and control, contesting outside shooters as well as any wing in the draft … Proved NBA readiness as a 13-point per game scorer with over three assists per game against professional competition … High potential with outstanding defensive impact, impressive playmaking and developing 3-point jumper at a young age … Good size for a wing with a 6’10 wingpsan and 8’8 standing reach …

Weaknesses: While his 3-point jumper steadily improved throughout the season, it’s still nowhere near a strength to his game … Failed to make a 3-pointer in 19 of his 43 total games with the G-League Ignite … Lacks ideal speed for a wing … Despite being an tenacious defender, foot speed could cap his potential as an on ball defender … Shot just 64% from the free-throw line this season, which doesn’t bode well in conjunction with his 3-point struggles for much of the season … Struggled to stay on the floor at times with over three fouls per game. Rotational rookies like Cissoko need to stay out of foul trouble to earn minutes early in their career … A player with his size and strength shouldn’t post the low rebounding numbers that he put up (2.8 per game) … Not a high-level athlete, posting just a 30.5 standing vertical and 35.5 max vertical leap, which ranked just inside the top-30 at the combine … Relies more on strength than speed/quickness … Could struggle to beat NBA defenders off the dribble without an elite first step or a deep bag of ball-handling moves … Failure to win off the bounce will result in Cissoko’s only immediate offensive strengths being limited at the next level … Will need to improve his 3-point range quickly in order to take advantage of closeouts and keep defenders honest to help him get downhill …

Notes: Measured 6’5.5 barefoot, 8’8” standing reach, 223.8 lbs and a 6’9.75” wingspan at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine. Posted a 30.5 inch standing vertical and a 35.5 inch max vertical at the 2020 NBA Draft Combine … First European-born prospect to join the G-League Ignite … Born in Saint-Maurice, France … Played for France at 2021 FIBA U18 European Challengers and 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship … Played for World Select Team in the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit …

Derek Bast 6/19/23