One-Size Fits All Draft Strategy

June 12, 2023
One-Size-Fits-All-Big-Board-Leonard-Miller

Michael Neff’s Strategy for the 2023 Draft

Lately, I have been dissatisfied with using a big board as a means of properly reflecting my thoughts on a given draft class. I would target certain players in each range of the draft. The rest are just red herrings who are decent to good prospects, but I am fine missing out on them. That’s why forming a big board is so challenging. There are guys like Jalen Slawson and Kobe Brown who I have strong conviction about as second round fliers. Conversely, there are some projected first round guys who I am lower on such as Nick Smith and Jalen Hood-Schifino. I have spent too many hours staring at my big board spreadsheet asking myself how to rank these guys. The objectively correct move is likely to rank the young high RSCI guy above Slawson, a 23-year old wing from Furman. But, that feels weird to me! I like Slawson a lot and I’m not a Nick Smith fan. Shouldn’t my board reflect that? 

The obvious phenomenon at hand is that I am anchoring my perception of these players to their projected draft ranges. We all do it, and that is completely fine. But, translating this into a big board proves difficult, muddying the waters of my actual thoughts on the draft class. I would rather articulate my overarching strategy, isolate the prospects I have conviction about, and leave the rest be. That’s exactly what the piece will cover: the best way of attacking the 2023 NBA Draft, as I see it. 

I will be providing a big board closer to draft day as well, if for no other reason than it is fun. But, I feel that this will be a great accompanying piece that better articulates my thoughts on the draft class. Here goes: 

The Spurs Have Already Won the Draft

Victor Wembanyama is the prize of this draft. He is the prize of the past ten drafts, and probably the next ten drafts. Nothing any other team does in this draft will have the impact that the Spurs winning the lottery will have on them. As the saying goes, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, and the Spurs lucked into this guy: https://youtu.be/L33JKYc1ZKA

Anything else the Spurs do on draft day in the second round or with some sort of trade is icing on the cake. Additionally, nothing they do in other areas of the draft will tarnish their night. As far as I am concerned, they can take it easy on draft prep and make sure they get their beauty sleep in the nights leading up to the draft. It’s Victor Wembanyama. Not much more to say there. 

Once Wemby is off the board, I am not drafting anyone else if Scoot Henderson is still on the board. 

I see the Brandon Miller chatter just like everyone else does. I can tell you right now that passing on Scoot Henderson with the number 2 pick would be a huge mistake. Trading away your pick when you have a chance to pick Scoot would also be a mistake (I’m looking at you, Portland). While he isn’t perfect, he is by far the next-best bet to become a star this year. 

A powerful 6’2 guard, Scoot is a walking paint touch who uses his speed/power combination to get to the rim better than anyone in the class – when he wants to. Many scouts observed that Scoot phoned in his rim attacks in favor of midrange jumpers as the season progressed. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic wrote an excellent article on this problem with Scoot where he suggested that Scoot was trying to be careful and avoid injury as soon as he locked up a high draft pick. Everything I’ve read about Scoot’s leadership, poise, maturity, and work ethic is outstanding, so I highly doubt this was a reflection of his character. Also, he can do this: https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1610446654796173324?s=20

I think he’s going to be more than fine generating paint touches and getting the most out of his athletic tools.  

Additionally, Scoot is already advanced at everything required of a primary offensive initiator with his athleticism. He is comfortable shooting off the dribble, and has a two year sample of advanced passing in the G-League. For my money, Scoot Henderson is as easy of a bet to be a primary offensive initiator that I have evaluated. He will be an amazing consolation prize for whoever ends up with him. If the team is not Charlotte, that will be the first major inefficiency at play in this draft. 

Successful teams are littered with 6’6+ wing players with two way impact. Draft strategy should be geared towards finding such players

Watch any high level NBA game, and you’ll find versatile and skilled wing sized players filling out every rotation. You can’t have enough of these guys. Luckily, the top of this draft has plenty to choose from. Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks, Leonard Miller, and Gradey Dick are perfect options in the 3-14 range for teams. All bring youth, smarts, versatility, and a wide-ranging skill set that will allow them to contribute in a multitude of ways. Some are more ready to contribute than others, but all have upside and are likely to play in many high-stakes games. 

There are also a collection of smart and versatile wing-sized players down the board that will likely be underdrafted. Colby Jones is a potential first rounder that teams should be targeting. If he shoots, Sidy Cissoko is quietly a very complete prospect who also has time on his side with an April 2004 birthday. Jett Howard has plenty of flaws, but he can dribble, pass, and shoot at 6’8. Using this criteria, there is a large collection of sleepers that can be had for an inconsequential draft pick or maybe none at all: Jaime Jaquez Jr, Kobe Brown, Jordan Miller, Jalen Slawson, Ben Sheppard, Toumani Camara, Anton Watson (please teach this man how to play offense), even someone like Justyn Mutts is very overlooked by NBA teams right now. There are plenty of fliers that can and should be taken by teams. Not all of these guys are going to hit, but if they do, that is a potential playoff contributor acquired for extraordinarily cheap. I’d rather do that than pick Drew Timme in the 40s. 

Notice I didn’t mention the Thompson twins. Let’s have that discussion now. 

I am fine letting other teams bet on the Thompson twins, given where they are projected to go. 

Amen and Ausar Thompson are perhaps the toughest evaluations I have had in my time scouting NBA Draft prospects. After all, before we even get into the Thompsons as players, there is the league that the Thompsons play in: Overtime Elite. Overtime Elite is an enigma to say the least, as we don’t really have an idea of how players translate to the NBA from that league. Last year, Dom Barlow and Jean Montero both went undrafted. Barlow played some garbage time minutes for the Spurs and was introduced into the rotation when the ultimately successful tank for Wemby was fully on. He does have some functional athleticism to his game and could maybe turn into something. But, that remains to be seen. He’s certainly not someone I want to project the Thompsons based on. 

The other guy, Jean Montero, is actually doing quite well in the Spanish ACB. He’s averaging 17/3/4 on 54% true shooting for Real Betis. It’s possible that he’s able to come over and contribute as a backup point guard for an NBA team someday. I had Montero 40th on my board last year, so I definitely think there is some talent there. But again, hardly a needle-moving development case, at least right now. Thus, I simply do not feel comfortable with the amount of data points that we have to properly project talent from Overtime Elite into the NBA.

Then, there is the actual evaluation of the Thompson twins. They were the best of the bunch in Overtime Elite, no doubt about it. But once again, we really have no idea how that dominance is going to project to the NBA. Another one of the best players in Overtime Elite, Jazian Gortman, was invited to the NBA combine, where he did not pop in any meaningful way. Scouts are projecting here, and most are erring on the side of optimism. However, I think using a top five pick on one of the Thompsons is an extremely dicey proposition. They are quite old, as both will comfortably be 20 on draft day. At roughly the same age, Brandon Miller was a first team All-American and arguably the best perimeter player in college basketball. Looking at things in those terms, I think you could argue the Thompsons should have been a bit more dominant to earn a high spot on draft boards. I THINK. Again, I don’t know. Nobody really knows. I fully see the vision for them being good NBA players. They flash a combination of elite athleticism and passing ability that we don’t see too often. They seem like wonderful people as well with strong work ethic and maturity. But, the level of competition factor is a bit too much of a hurdle for me. 

I have also mentioned some one and done prospects who fit exactly what I am looking for in the lottery. Wemby and Scoot are obvious. But, Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Brandon Miller, Taylor Hendricks, Leonard Miller, Cason Wallace, and Gradey Dick are all surefire NBA guys to me whose avenues to strong positive contribution are very attainable. Once all those guys are off the board, that’s probably when I would roll the dice on the Thompsons. The reality is that both twins will be taken before several of the guys I mentioned above, and because of that I’ll take the safer guys who also have plenty of avenues to upside. 

I recognize that this is a controversial take, so I want to say that this is only one man’s strategy, and that yours might look quite different, and that’s okay. For those who would prioritize a Thompson twin in the draft, I will say that Ausar seems like the one to target. Amen seems to be the preferred twin, but Ausar was better statistically pretty much across the board (assists, steals, blocks, impact metrics, usage, turnovers, etc.). Name a statistic; chances are Ausar came out on top. Plus, Ausar is further along as a ball handler and shooter, which bodes well for his development. Amen is projected to go top five, and rumor has it Ausar is projected to fall a bit. So the smarter move to me is to get Ausar further down the board. 

Always be on the lookout for players with a “compounding skills” profile

In the 2020 draft cycle, I wrote a detailed article about why I had Anthony Edwards as my number one prospect. It’s easy to forget, but a lot of people had Edwards at two or even lower throughout that cycle. I remained steadfast that he was the guy everyone should be after at the top. Why? He had what I called a “compounding skills” profile: essentially, the evolution of a raw, fluid athlete who scores in volume into a complete offensive player. I’ll link that article here. I’d urge you to at least read the introduction to get a better idea of my thought process here. 

I used the same logic to rank Jalen Green high on my board in 2021, as well as Jaden Ivey last year. This year, Cam Whitmore jumps out as the compounding skills candidate of choice. He heavily prefers jumping off two feet and winning with strength. That style of finishing generally has some trouble translating, but I am not sure it’s going to matter with Whitmore. I have also not seen a speed/power athlete moving towards the rim quite like Whitmore since Anthony Edwards. His flashes getting downhill, moving defenders off their spots, getting his shoulder past them, and finishing through contact are special. He also shows shooting touch and flashes versatility in terms of shot type and location which screams three-level scorer. He also has all the tools you could possibly want on defense, already boasting a high steal rate and some eye-popping weak side rim protection.  

There are also plenty of concerns. He had more than two turnovers for every assist, and his off the dribble game is much more theoretical at this stage – as was the case with many compounding skills prospects before Whitmore. When you look at guys with athleticism this special who flashed real perimeter skill, the fail rate is basically zero, and they often become All-Star caliber players. Whitmore also has plenty of time to develop, as he doesn’t turn 19 until July 8th. 

We often underestimate the upside of freshman-aged prospects who are billed as guaranteed role players. 

In the past, myself and others have referred to these types of guys as “false-ceiling” prospects. These prospects are rightfully considered good basketball players who are likely to contribute early, but their avenues to greater upside are ignored. My favorite recent example of a false ceiling prospect is Franz Wagner, who I had as my 12th ranked prospect in 2021. Franz is the prospect who forced me to internalize the lesson of false ceiling prospects in the first place. Many, including me, thought of him as someone who could become a quality role player in the NBA. But, I missed the point entirely. Franz was a freshman-aged prospect with some pro experience in Europe and was highly impactful at Michigan. Because he was already great at basketball, I moved him down in favor of guys with more upside (translation: they were worse at basketball and had more room to improve). I vowed not to make the same mistake. 

In my mind, there are two false ceiling prospects in the 2023 class: Jarace Walker and Taylor Hendricks. Both are advanced defenders, which raises the floor and ceiling of any prospect. Defense gets rookies on the floor quickly, and it means that they don’t have to reach the highest heights offensively to hit a high-upside outcome. Walker and Hendricks also project to undergo significant development offensively, which will make playoff starter impact very attainable, and possibly more than that. 

Jarace Walker is an advanced processor of the game on both ends of the floor, and he will immediately contribute as a connector. I also believe that he is going to shoot, as he has dramatically improved his mechanics from high school to college. This mechanical improvement, combined with his processing speed, indicates that Jarace has the neuroplasticity required for outlier skill development. Thus, self-creation is not out of the question for Jarace. 

Hendricks is a more typical offensive development bet. He is a good athlete who can already shoot it off the catch, and he looks more polished than Jarace at hitting tough looks in the midrange at this stage. The drawback with him is the handle and playmaking ability. What’s encouraging is that guys with Hendricks’ size, defensive ability, athleticism, and scoring ability often improve as playmakers as their careers progress. The degree of improvement in these areas will dictate how good Hendricks can become. 

Personally, I prefer Jarace as a development bet, as I think he is in a better position to contribute immediately, but both are great. Take your pick. 

The other G-League Ignite guys are extremely underrated

As I am writing, Leonard Miller is ranked 19th on Rookie Scale’s consensus big board, and Sidy Cissoko is ranked 31st. That is too low. As a 19 year old, Leonard Miller put up a per 100 statline of 28.0 points, 17.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.2 blocks. You could argue he’s had the best statistical season of any G-League Ignite prospect in the team’s history, including Scoot and Jalen Green! This was all as a raw prospect who was playing his first real stint of high level basketball coming off of an enigmatic high school career. But wait, it gets better. He was efficient (64 TS%) and he only averaged 2.3 turnovers per 100, putting his AST:TO ratio on the right side of one. 

What’s crazy is that when you watch Miller play, it seems like there is so much he can improve upon. This is what made me high on Tari Eason last year. He was able to have a highly productive season while still leaving a lot of meat on the bone for skill development. By the way, that should be another point of emphasis: always look for “raw” prospects who are highly productive against good competition. These guys are always good bets because they are often among the best functional athletes in their draft class, which gives them a nice baseline as the rest of their game develops. Miller is no different. I think he’s a no-brainer top ten guy in this class. 

Cissoko, as I mentioned earlier in this article, is a quietly complete wing prospect. In most of my public work, I make sure to mention the checklist for the ideal draft prospect, courtesy of the original Stepien group: a 6’6+ player who can dribble, pass, shoot, make decisions, and defend. As a 6’7 wing with an April 2004 birthday, Cissoko reliably demonstrated every single skill in that list except shooting, and I don’t think it’s crazy to project him as a shooter either. 30 percent from three and 64.5 percent from the line does not initially induce optimism. But, closer inspection leads me to believe that Cissoko is going to shoot. The mechanics themselves look a lot more fluid than you would guess, and he even had some cogent flashes of versatile shotmaking in the midrange and from three. When I watch him shoot off movement and hit stepbacks, I can’t help but believe those flashes are going to become more consistent. I have Cissoko in my late lottery, and as I type this out, I am wondering if even that might be too low. In any case, Cissoko is someone teams should be targeting with a mid-late first. If he slips into the second round, that would be a massive oversight. 

Non-primary initiator guard prospects who do not project to play NBA-level defense should be outside your lottery. 

Go back however far, and the ideal redraft of any given class usually looks like this: 

  • Primary offensive initiators OR 2nd/3rd offensive options who provide defensive value (often the players we consider stars)
  • Starters with two-way ability OR DPOY level defenders without much of an offensive game (guys who usually round out championship-quality lineups)
  • Everyone else

Of course, there are some cases where that structure doesn’t perfectly capture how a draft should have gone. But, the point still stands. Usually, the players who return lottery value contribute defensively in some way. At the very least, they don’t detract on that end. Thinking about player impact through a plus/minus framework, this makes sense. A -2 on defense has to do a lot on offense (basically be a primary offensive initiator) to be a high-impact player. If you project that a prospect will be a neutral defender, that is almost guaranteed to be a better proposition than an at best secondary creator guard who does not defend. Secondary creators usually top out as roughly +2-3 offensive players in impact metrics. This implies that bad defending virtually negates their impact. 

Using examples makes this idea clearer. There are notably few guards of this ilk who have been a part of deep playoff runs. Jordan Poole and Tyler Herro are the two that jump to mind who were in rotations that made it to the championship. But, both these players’ utility wanes in the playoffs. Poole went from 30 minutes per game in the 2021-22 regular season to 27.5 in the postseason. That’s not a huge dropoff, but it’s worth noting that Poole played only 20, 14, and 17 minutes respectively in the last three games of the Finals. The Warriors won all three of those games to close out the series. Additionally, Herro’s secondary creation has not proven necessary for the Heat’s success. He has missed all but one game of the Heat’s run to the finals this year. 

The problems with this archetype don’t stop on the court. Despite their negligible impact, these players command a lot of money. Jordan Poole is owed $128 million over the next four years, and Herro is owed $120 million over the same time interval. So, at best you’re getting a player of negligible impact who you have to turn around and pay a boatload of money for. The only way these players can provide value is through a trade, likely during their rookie contract. That can be quite useful, but I would not draft a player for the sole purpose of their hypothetical trade value. 

So, who is being mocked in the lottery that might fall into this category? Nick Smith is the main one for me. Defensively, he has a bit of a motor, but I really worry about his frame and technique on that end. His footwork often gets messed up, and his skinny frame likely prevents him from making a huge impact. There is a physical tools threshold for impactful defense which Smith does not project to hit. For instance, I liked Blake Wesley’s effort on defense a lot last year, but that effort hasn’t translated up a level. Bones Hyland graded out as one of the worst defenders in the league last season despite being a pest at VCU. To make matters worse, I liked Hyland and Wesley significantly more as defenders in college. 

Another guy that I’ve steadily soured on throughout the cycle is Keyonte George. I was really high on him at the start of the season, and I still see a high upside scorer if everything comes together. But, I don’t think I properly considered the low end or even median outcomes for Keyonte, which look worryingly like this archetype. Again, I see the upside vision a lot more with Keyonte than I do with Nick Smith, so I wouldn’t hate it if a team picked him in the late lottery or mid-first. 

3&D Guards Matter

I wrote earlier in this article about 6’6+ players populating successful NBA teams, but 3&D guards have been crucial in these playoffs as well. Last offseason, Denver acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown, and it completely transformed their defense. Gabe Vincent impresses me more and more every time I watch him. Marcus Smart has been perhaps the most prevalent 3&D guard in the last few years; he continues to be an integral part of the Celtics’ playoff runs. Smart’s teammate Derrick White, DeAnthony Melton, and Quentin Grimes are several others who’ve also contributed at a high level as 3&D guards. I’m sure important players are missing from that list, but the point is that these players can be difference makers down the stretch of the season. To loop in the last section, I’d rather have a great 3&D guard than a meh secondary creator/poor defending guard. 

Cason Wallace and Kobe Bufkin are two candidates for 3&D guards who also have some upside to exceed that archetype (especially Wallace). Both are in my lottery. Brandin Podziemski is a highly skilled guard who projects to contribute to playoff rotations. The concern here is Podz’s athleticism and what that means for his defensive projection. However, I am betting on his brain. I just think he is so damn smart he’s going to figure out how to meaningfully contribute one way or another. 

Marcus Sasser is another player who is going to provide shooting and dogged defense as an off-ball guard. I think he has enough ball handling and playmaking chops that he can provide some second unit ball handling as well. The aforementioned Gabe Vincent might not be a bad reference point for Sasser. 

If you wanted to swing for a potential 3&D guard in the late 2nd/UDFA. UCLA’s Jaylen Clark and Wichita St guard Craig Porter Jr would be good names to target. Clark is an elite perimeter defender who is a jump shot away from being a perfect 3&D guard. I wish I felt better about him developing that shot though. Clark is also in the middle of rehabbing a torn Achilles, which makes his projection even fuzzier. But, I still like him as a top 45 guy, as his “if he shoots” outcome will return top 30 value from this class. Porter Jr is a stock machine (career 4.7 BLK% as a 6’2 guard!) who could absolutely hold his own as a table setting point guard at the next level. The issue is his lack of touch might prevent him from seeing the floor in the NBA. 68.5% from the line this past season is very worrying for a point guard prospect. However, if you can get Craig Porter Jr in UDFA, you make that bet every time. If he shoots, he can be an impactful NBA player. 

Penn State’s Jalen Pickett seems underrated as well. He’s a great three-level unassisted shotmaker, 11.2 assist per 100 to only 3.9 turnovers, and he has the tools to at least passably guard smalls on the perimeter. He deserves to be drafted. Another guy I like in UDFA is D’Moi Hodge from Missouri. He turns 25 in December, so if he’s going to make an impact in the NBA, he needs to do so quickly. But, it’s hard to argue with 40 percent from three on high volume, 5.1 steals per 100, and only 1.5 turnovers per 100 as a starting point. 

Some Quick Hitters: 

Drafting GG Jackson would be using a 2023 pick on a guy who likely won’t contribute until at least 2025

I am generally wary of drafting raw and unproductive guys whose high-end outcomes likely won’t give you a star, especially in the first round. It’s why I was lower on Ziaire Williams in 2021, and he had considerably more tangible skill than GG Jackson does. I get the age + height + isolation scoring argument for Jackson. But, he isn’t close to being a positive contributor at this stage. That sort of bet is just not my cup of tea. He could very well end up being a decent player, but I would rather use a mid-late first on someone who is closer to contributing now (or trade that pick for future assets) than draft GG. 

Jalen Hood-Schifino scares me 

Johnny Davis PTSD is really affecting me here. Offensively, JHS reminds me of Davis in a lot of ways. He is a midrange specialist on offense, he’s very inefficient, and he can’t generate enough rim pressure for a NBA primary ball handler. On top of that, JHS isn’t in the same stratosphere as prospect Johnny Davis defensively. A 0.7 BPM does not ease concerns either. I get the idea of JHS as a prospect, but the reality is that he just is not that great right now. He has to become an otherworldly tough shot maker to turn into a valuable player. That is not a bet I’d be inclined to make. 

Trayce Jackson-Davis is my kind of big man bet in the second round

I tend to fade traditional centers on my board, as such players can usually be acquired for cheap in free agency, if desired. However, if a high-feel and/or coverage versatile big man is available in the second round, take them. Last year, Jaylin Williams was my high-feel and coverage versatile big of choice. I was also high on Xavier Tillman in 2021 for the same reasons. He’s still probably my favorite big of this type I have evaluated. Trayce Jackson-Davis is that big for me this year. Both Williams and Tillman were drafted in the 30s. If Jackson-Davis is available in that range, he’d be a great pick. 

You could do a lot worse than targeting proven wing shooters in the late 2nd/UDFA

There are plenty of prospects who will be available in the late 2nd/UDFA who profile as old, one-dimensional shooters. We often push these guys down the board, but look at the undrafted guys contributing for Miami right now. They can shoot the cover off the ball. Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin in particular fit this exact profile in college. Sam Hauser (Go Hoos!) is another recent successful UDFA in this mold. In this draft, it would not surprise me if Seth Lundy or Hunter Tyson stuck around in the NBA. Both are older prospects who are primarily shooters on offense. But, they take care of the ball well enough to suggest that they can hang in an NBA offense. Lundy and Tyson would be my picks for wing shooters in UDFA. He’s more of a guard/wing combo, but D’Moi Hodge could qualify here as well.

Putting It All Together

To close, I want to make a simple list of which players I would target in each range of the draft using the ideas I have put forth in this article. 

  • Pick 1: Wemby
  • Picks 2-4: Scoot if available; Cam Whitmore or Jarace Walker if not. Trading down if Scoot is unavailable could also be an enticing proposition. 
  • Picks 5-9: Whitmore or Jarace if available. Taylor Hendricks next preference. If those three are gone, Cason Wallace and Gradey Dick are next up. 
  • Picks 10-14: Jarace Walker, Taylor Hendricks, Cason Wallace, or Gradey Dick if available. If not, this is Leonard Miller territory. 
  • Picks 15-30: Leonard Miller if available. Sidy Cissoko, Kobe Bufkin, or Jett Howard next. If the G-League and Michigan guys are unavailable, Colby Jones, Brandin Podziemski, Marcus Sasser, and Jaime Jaquez Jr are my preferences, in that order. 
  • Picks 31-45: Sidy Cissoko if available. The above list of preferences for picks 15-30 carries over. Trayce Jackson-Davis is in play here too. I didn’t discuss them, but Maxwell Lewis, Noah Clowney, and Julian Phillips are worthy “raw prospect” gambles here too, should any of them be available. Jalen Slawson, Kobe Brown, or Ben Sheppard would be good gets in this range as well. 
  • Picks 46-60: Everything above carries over here. Slawson, Brown, or Sheppard would be my preference. Beyond them, Jaylen Clark, Seth Lundy, Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett, Craig Porter Jr, Toumani Camara, and Jordan Miller are all worthy of consideration. 
  • UDFA: Ditto picks 46-60. Plus, D’Moi Hodge, Anton Watson, and Justyn Mutts would be priority signings for my summer league team. They are excellent Exhibit-10 candidates. If you’re looking for a big, Chattanooga’s Jake Stephens put up an absurd 39.7 points, 17.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 4 blocks, and 5.1 turnovers per 100 on 67 percent true shooting. He also shot 40 percent from three on 9.4 attempts per 100, in addition to an 82 FT%. UConn’s Adama Sanogo is another coverage versatile guy with excellent touch around the rim. I wouldn’t necessarily target him over the wing bets I mentioned in the 2nd. But, if he goes undrafted, Sanogo is someone I’d look to bring in. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________

So, that is my 2023 draft strategy. I hope this paints a clear picture of my convictions in this class and the principles which informed them. Increasingly, NBA basketball is a game for functionally athletic, smart individuals who bring tangible skill on both ends of the floor. Such players can be found in every range of the draft, and every player I positively discussed in this piece is someone I believe can satisfy these requirements.

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Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory Editor-in-Chief Matt Powers (@DraftPow) to discuss the development of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Later, they touch on Creighton prospect Arthur Kaluma and how his blend of ball-handling, athleticism, and motor could lead to similar outlier development...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler welcome their first guest Yosef (@ThunderFilmRoom) to break down the development of the young Oklahoma City Thunder. They start off discussing the growth and long-term fit between Josh Giddy and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before digging into Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski, Jalen Williams and...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are back to discuss the opening week of games around the NBA and the performances that caught their eye. Later, they take a deeper look at the Dallas Mavericks, focusing on the development of Luka Doncic, Christian Wood, Maxi Kleber, Dorian Finney-Smith,...
October 17, 2022
David and Tyler launch the Finishing Touch podcast with a discussion on the best (and worst) teams when it comes to developing draft picks and take a closer look at Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Josh Primo of the San Antonio Spurs. 
October 15, 2022
Kris and Larro welcome @oscar_hoops from The Strickland and Swish Theory to break down what went wrong with the Knicks last year, how their new additions change the dynamic on both ends of the floor, discuss key rotation decisions, Tom Thibodeau's tenure, and the franchise's...
April 12, 2023
David and Tyler are back to dive into the game of Alabama freshman and widely projected Top 5 pick Brandon Miller. How has Miller improved throughout the year, and what does it mean for his overall projection? Miller was one of the most dominant players...
April 11, 2023
David and Tyler are back to discuss one of the most intriguing prospects of the 2023 NBA draft in G-League Ignite Forward Leonard Miller. Why is a 19-year-old dominating the G-League receiving so little buzz? What is his pathway to star upside, and what role...
April 6, 2023
David and Tyler are back to discuss the youngest player in this upcoming draft class, South Carolina forward GG Jackson. They cover his alluring upside as a shotmaker, craft as a driver and the kind of developmental structure needed to maximize his chances of success....
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler wrap up the week discussing the game of yet another highly touted Duke Freshman Dereck Lively II. Just how good of a defensive big man prospect is he and how much does his offense need to improve in order to stay on...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back to break down their second highly-rated Duke Freshman of the week in Kyle Filipowski. They begin by discussing his well-rounded game, lack of an elite skill offensively, and ease of fit at the next level. Flip's evaluation is rooted in...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are back in their first installment of the Prospect Tapes, a series of episodes focusing on a single prospect in the lead-up to the 2023 NBA Draft. In this episode, they discuss all things Dariq Whitehead from his #1 RSCI ranking, injury-plagued...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back to dig into one of the most valuable archetypes in the modern NBA: the versatile 4.  They discuss Taylor Hendrick's plug-and-play skill set and athletic upside, Noah Clowney's intriguing production and role versatility for an 18-year-old, and Kel'el Ware's confounding...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler dig into three of the most enjoyable (offensive) prospects in the 2023 class Jett Howard, Max Lewis, and Brice Sensabaugh.  Starting with Jett, they cover his diverse offensive profile, under-discussed defensive potential, and ultimate offensive upside. In Max, they touch on his...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back after a holiday hiatus with a 2023 Draft episode focusing on the combo guards of the lottery. First, they dive into Nick Smith's limited college sample and how his skill set translates to the NBA level before discussing Keyonte George's...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are joined by Oscar (@Oscar_Hoops) to talk the confounding potential of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley's impact on winning and the uncertain future of the New York Knicks. In the second half they hit on potential draft targets for the Knicks, namely of...
March 24, 2023
Tyler is joined by Charlie Cummings (@klaytheist11) to talk about the development and future of the young Warriors. They hit on  Jonathan Kuminga's encouraging start to the year, what Moses Moody needs to do to earn a consistent role, the vision for Jordan Poole's future,...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are joined by Swish Theory contributor Avinash Chauhan (@100guaranteed) to discuss the nature of early season scouting, what to look for when using barttorvik.com, and early season standouts Tucker DeVries, Jett Howard, and Brandon Miller.  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7MohI0Ln6dg3mP7fEGkBPT
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory contributor Neema Djavadzadeh (@findingneema23) to discuss how the prospects on the G-League Ignite have looked to start the season. They start off discussing the astounding development of Scoot Henderson before digging in on Sidy Cissoko, Leonard Miller, Mojave...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory contributor Neema Djavadzadeh (@findingneema23) to discuss the Houston Rockets. They begin by discussing Jalen Green and his path to stardom before taking a deeper look into the development of Kevin Porter Jr, Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, and Alperen...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory Editor-in-Chief Matt Powers (@DraftPow) to discuss the development of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Later, they touch on Creighton prospect Arthur Kaluma and how his blend of ball-handling, athleticism, and motor could lead to similar outlier development...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler welcome their first guest Yosef (@ThunderFilmRoom) to break down the development of the young Oklahoma City Thunder. They start off discussing the growth and long-term fit between Josh Giddy and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before digging into Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski, Jalen Williams and...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are back to discuss the opening week of games around the NBA and the performances that caught their eye. Later, they take a deeper look at the Dallas Mavericks, focusing on the development of Luka Doncic, Christian Wood, Maxi Kleber, Dorian Finney-Smith,...
October 17, 2022
David and Tyler launch the Finishing Touch podcast with a discussion on the best (and worst) teams when it comes to developing draft picks and take a closer look at Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Josh Primo of the San Antonio Spurs. 
October 15, 2022
Kris and Larro welcome @oscar_hoops from The Strickland and Swish Theory to break down what went wrong with the Knicks last year, how their new additions change the dynamic on both ends of the floor, discuss key rotation decisions, Tom Thibodeau's tenure, and the franchise's...
April 12, 2023
David and Tyler are back to dive into the game of Alabama freshman and widely projected Top 5 pick Brandon Miller. How has Miller improved throughout the year, and what does it mean for his overall projection? Miller was one of the most dominant players...
April 11, 2023
David and Tyler are back to discuss one of the most intriguing prospects of the 2023 NBA draft in G-League Ignite Forward Leonard Miller. Why is a 19-year-old dominating the G-League receiving so little buzz? What is his pathway to star upside, and what role...
April 6, 2023
David and Tyler are back to discuss the youngest player in this upcoming draft class, South Carolina forward GG Jackson. They cover his alluring upside as a shotmaker, craft as a driver and the kind of developmental structure needed to maximize his chances of success....
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler wrap up the week discussing the game of yet another highly touted Duke Freshman Dereck Lively II. Just how good of a defensive big man prospect is he and how much does his offense need to improve in order to stay on...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back to break down their second highly-rated Duke Freshman of the week in Kyle Filipowski. They begin by discussing his well-rounded game, lack of an elite skill offensively, and ease of fit at the next level. Flip's evaluation is rooted in...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are back in their first installment of the Prospect Tapes, a series of episodes focusing on a single prospect in the lead-up to the 2023 NBA Draft. In this episode, they discuss all things Dariq Whitehead from his #1 RSCI ranking, injury-plagued...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back to dig into one of the most valuable archetypes in the modern NBA: the versatile 4.  They discuss Taylor Hendrick's plug-and-play skill set and athletic upside, Noah Clowney's intriguing production and role versatility for an 18-year-old, and Kel'el Ware's confounding...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler dig into three of the most enjoyable (offensive) prospects in the 2023 class Jett Howard, Max Lewis, and Brice Sensabaugh.  Starting with Jett, they cover his diverse offensive profile, under-discussed defensive potential, and ultimate offensive upside. In Max, they touch on his...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are back after a holiday hiatus with a 2023 Draft episode focusing on the combo guards of the lottery. First, they dive into Nick Smith's limited college sample and how his skill set translates to the NBA level before discussing Keyonte George's...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are joined by Oscar (@Oscar_Hoops) to talk the confounding potential of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley's impact on winning and the uncertain future of the New York Knicks. In the second half they hit on potential draft targets for the Knicks, namely of...
March 24, 2023
Tyler is joined by Charlie Cummings (@klaytheist11) to talk about the development and future of the young Warriors. They hit on  Jonathan Kuminga's encouraging start to the year, what Moses Moody needs to do to earn a consistent role, the vision for Jordan Poole's future,...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler are joined by Swish Theory contributor Avinash Chauhan (@100guaranteed) to discuss the nature of early season scouting, what to look for when using barttorvik.com, and early season standouts Tucker DeVries, Jett Howard, and Brandon Miller.  https://open.spotify.com/episode/7MohI0Ln6dg3mP7fEGkBPT
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory contributor Neema Djavadzadeh (@findingneema23) to discuss how the prospects on the G-League Ignite have looked to start the season. They start off discussing the astounding development of Scoot Henderson before digging in on Sidy Cissoko, Leonard Miller, Mojave...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory contributor Neema Djavadzadeh (@findingneema23) to discuss the Houston Rockets. They begin by discussing Jalen Green and his path to stardom before taking a deeper look into the development of Kevin Porter Jr, Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, and Alperen...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are joined by Swish Theory Editor-in-Chief Matt Powers (@DraftPow) to discuss the development of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Later, they touch on Creighton prospect Arthur Kaluma and how his blend of ball-handling, athleticism, and motor could lead to similar outlier development...
March 24, 2023
David and Tyler welcome their first guest Yosef (@ThunderFilmRoom) to break down the development of the young Oklahoma City Thunder. They start off discussing the growth and long-term fit between Josh Giddy and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before digging into Tre Mann, Aleksej Pokusevski, Jalen Williams and...
March 24, 2023
Tyler and David are back to discuss the opening week of games around the NBA and the performances that caught their eye. Later, they take a deeper look at the Dallas Mavericks, focusing on the development of Luka Doncic, Christian Wood, Maxi Kleber, Dorian Finney-Smith,...
October 17, 2022
David and Tyler launch the Finishing Touch podcast with a discussion on the best (and worst) teams when it comes to developing draft picks and take a closer look at Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell and Josh Primo of the San Antonio Spurs. 
October 15, 2022
Kris and Larro welcome @oscar_hoops from The Strickland and Swish Theory to break down what went wrong with the Knicks last year, how their new additions change the dynamic on both ends of the floor, discuss key rotation decisions, Tom Thibodeau's tenure, and the franchise's...

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