Age

21.6

Height

6'3"

Weight

190

Workload

MIN%

87.5

USG%

16.8

TS%

51.6

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

10.9

REB

5.2

AST

6.9

STL

2.8

BLK

1.0

TOV

1.9

Efficiency

RIM FG%

57.7

MID FG%

25.9

3PT FG%

33.8

FT%

76.1

Jump to full report

Report by: Will Morris

Reece Beekman

Guard University of Virginia

A stout, active guard defender with impressive connective passing abilities.

Age

21.6

Height

6'3"

Weight

190

Per 70 Possession Stats

PTS

10.9

REB

5.2

AST

6.9

STL

2.8

BLK

1.0

Positions Defended

Offensive Role

 

Defensive Role

   

Meet Reece Beekman

Reece Beekman is 6’3” a guard headed into his Junior year at the University of Virginia. Though his box score numbers are relatively modest, Beekman has played a meaningful role for the Cavaliers over the past two seasons, starting in 55 of his 60 appearances and playing 35.1 minutes per game last season. Look out for him to not only establish himself as one of the best players in the ACC but also cement his status as a serious NBA prospect.

Defense

Screen navigation is an underrated art. NBA teams love to hunt out opposing guards, forcing switches and creating mismatches. Thus, it’s vital for organizations to roster guards capable of evading screens, both on and off the ball. Beekman’s technique in navigating off-ball picks is nearly perfect. Notice how tightly he stays attached to his man. He does a great job forcing his opponent through the screen and getting skinny over. On rare the occasion an opponent manages to gain separation, watch how Beekman dips his shoulder to maneuver around the screener and get back into the play.

Beekman’s attention to detail off the ball extends beyond his ability to chase around screens. He’s a menace in the passing lanes, using his strong hands and lightning-quick reflexes to force boatloads of turnovers (4.0% steal rate). He feasts upon ill-advised passes, creating plenty of easy fastbreak buckets.

Beekman is a pest on-ball too, with all the tools to be a true guard-stopper. His fluid hips allow him to change directions effortlessly and mirror opposing ball-handlers. He’s light on his feet and explosive enough laterally to slide with just about any guard. His active hands allow him to swat pull-up jumpers and pick opponents’ pockets.

Those same reflexes that help him away from the ball translate to point-of-attack. This is a pretty timely dish from Alondes Williams to Jake LaRavia, but Beekman’s reaction time is so incredible that he somehow manages to deflect the ball out of bounds.

Size limitations make Beekman’s switchability a question mark, but it’s worth noting that Beekman isn’t that small at 6’3″ and 190 lbs. He plays significantly larger than his size too. Check out these clips of him stonewalling big-bodied ACC ball-handlers (and current NBA/G-League players) Alondes Williams and Trevor Keels. 

While Beekman isn’t the most burly player on the floor, his functional strength is special. Not only is he able to physically match those with more brawn, but he has the focus and hand strength to jab at the ball.

Offense

Beekman has never been forced to carry a large offensive load at UVA, with usage rates of just 13.6% and 16.8% in his first two seasons. Given Beekman’s playstyle, and the fact that Jayden Gardner (26.9% usage in 2021-22) is back, it’s difficult to envision a massive usage spike. Still, I would like to see Beekman utilized on-ball a bit more this season. 

Beekman’s most pro-ready trait is undoubtedly his passing ability. Even in a limited offensive role, his playmaking shines. His 30.2% assist rate was the second highest mark amongst ACC qualifiers (minimum 400 minutes) a year ago. He makes timely reads as a pick-and-roll handler, especially proficient at finding his big on pocket-passes. His processing speed when making decisions off-ball is impressive as well. 

The main questions regarding Beekman’s NBA hopes surround his scoring. Beekman has some juice as a slasher, using his tight handle, quick first step, and change-of-pace ability to get by his man, whether attacking off the catch or out of pick-and-roll. When given a runway, he is able to get some lift on his rim attempts.

However, Beekman struggles to finish in crowded areas, lacking the necessary craft to compensate for his size. His physicality on the defensive end doesn’t necessarily translate to the other side of the floor. He tends to gather his dribble early, creating difficult finishing angles for himself. Of the 37 ACC players to attempt over 100 shots at the rim last year, Beekman ranked 36th in Free Throw Rate (.180). And without an efficient floater game or consistent close-range jumper (14/54 on non-rim 2-pointers), Beekman’s inside-the-arc scoring leaves a lot to be desired.

Beekman also must show improvement with his 3-point shooting this season. He upped his long-range efficiency to 33.8% from 24.3% last year, and his solid 75.9 career FT% gives hope, but Beekman needs to show a greater willingness to get up his shot. It’s tough to keep a guard that defenses can ignore on the perimeter on the floor, no matter how impactful his defense may be. 

All the issues in one clip: passes up an open three to drive into a crowd, stops short of the rim, and misses a flailing left-handed lay-up.

Conclusion

Beekman’s warts as a scorer give me pause, but his defense is pro-ready, and his ability to impact the game as a passer without demanding the ball is appealing. His path to a long NBA career is clear if he can knock down open threes at a higher clip without hesitation.

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