Rookie Archives | Swish Theory https://theswishtheory.com/tag/rookie/ Basketball Analysis & NBA Draft Guides Sat, 05 Nov 2022 23:15:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9 https://i0.wp.com/theswishtheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Favicon-1.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Rookie Archives | Swish Theory https://theswishtheory.com/tag/rookie/ 32 32 214889137 Jabari Smith Jr https://theswishtheory.com/scouting-reports/jabari-smith-jr/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 19:41:09 +0000 https://theswishtheory.com/?post_type=scouting-reports&p=3367 Meet Jabari Smith Jr Drafted 3rd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jabari Smith Jr out of Auburn University may be the most “safe” player out of his class. The 6’11” forward made his mark on the SEC as a disruptive defender and a knockdown shooter. On an Auburn team with fellow draftee Walker Kessler, ... Read more

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]]> Meet Jabari Smith Jr

Drafted 3rd overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jabari Smith Jr out of Auburn University may be the most “safe” player out of his class. The 6’11” forward made his mark on the SEC as a disruptive defender and a knockdown shooter. On an Auburn team with fellow draftee Walker Kessler, Jabari led Auburn to one of their better seasons of recent. Now, on a young energetic Rockets team with guards Kevin Porter Jr and Jalen Green, Jabari will have plenty of on-ball reps to improve offensively and reach the star potential that made him the 3rd overall pick. At the very least, he has a route to become one of the elite shooters in the NBA.

Offense

While Jabari does convert at the rim at a decent rate, he lacks the on-ball skills and strength to really excel at the rim. More of a straight-line driver, Jabari CAN attack closeouts, but is often better suited simply shooting over the defender. Jabari shot 42.2% from 3 last season, a number many believe he will be able to match at the NBA level given his quick, high release. A below average passer and ball-handler, Jabari will see the majority of his touches coming in cuts, catch and shoot opportunities, and offensive rebounds. Smith shows flashes of being able to become an elite post player as well. His high release and long strides allow him to create space, and with a soft touch, drop in many post fadeaways. With some additional skill development, Jabari can become a great second option for the newly built Rockets next to budding superstar Jalen Green.

Defense

What makes Jabari stand out compared to other big sharpshooters is his defensive versatility. Jabari’s long frame and defensive instincts make him an incredible shot blocker, but his quick feet and smooth lateral movement help him keep up with smaller players. Jabari’s low and wide stance on defense allows him to switch onto guards, and his quick load time and high vertical allow him to contest almost any look. In Houston, his role on defense will, much of the time, likely be similar to that of a small ball 5. On a small Houston team, Jabari will be tested early against bigger centers, something he did not need to do much at Auburn. However, Jabari is still very skinny for his size, and with NBA strength training could bulk up to be able to guard stronger players well.

Conclusion

Jabari Smith will find plenty of opportunity early in his career to improve on his weak points offensively, and next to two electric scoring guards, Smith should have many open looks to showcase his marksmanship. While he has some obvious spots for improvement to reach his ceiling, at his worst Jabari will still be an impactful player on both ends of the court, with consistent effort on defense and spreading the floor offensively.

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]]> 3367 MarJon Beauchamp https://theswishtheory.com/scouting-reports/marjon-beauchamp/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 19:38:52 +0000 https://theswishtheory.com/?post_type=scouting-reports&p=3365 Meet MarJon Beauchamp. MarJon Beauchamp was drafted with the 24th overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6’7″ wing out of Yakima, Washington took an unconventional path to the NBA. Despite being a highly touted 4-star recruit, Beauchamp opted out of the college route, instead training at San Francisco-based training ... Read more

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]]> Meet MarJon Beauchamp.

MarJon Beauchamp was drafted with the 24th overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 6’7″ wing out of Yakima, Washington took an unconventional path to the NBA. Despite being a highly touted 4-star recruit, Beauchamp opted out of the college route, instead training at San Francisco-based training facility Chameleon BX until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Beauchamp then played for his local Community College, Yakima Valley CC, where he averaged 31 point a game and over 10 rebounds. Beauchamp’s success in Yakima found him a spot on the 2021 G League Ignite roster. It was here that Beauchamp excelled, finding his role immediately. His ability to find open space in the half court and hustle on both ends saw him becoming Team Ignite’s energizer throughout the season. Playing in an off-ball role, Beauchamp still managed to have many big games. He finished the season averaging 15.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Alongside his elite defense, Beauchamp’s rise was enough to see the young kid from Yakima become a first round pick.

Offense

Despite struggling from deep, MarJon has one of the more aesthetically pleasing dribble pull-ups, and the rate at which he converts these bodes well for future shooting development. Shooting just 29.6% from 3, Beauchamp shot 42.9% on all off the dribble jump shot attempts. However, this pull-up game will likely not be where MarJon finds his touches to start his career. Even with GLI, MarJon came in as arguably the 5th highest-touted prospect, seeing him play more off-ball next to ball-heavy teammates Jaden Hardy and Dyson Daniels. MarJon’s role as a play finisher is due to his ability to cut to the rim, find gaps in the defense and attack in space. Sometimes, MarJon seems to even walk into open space. Shiftier than anticipated, MarJon is great at attacking closeouts, even without a consistent jumper. MarJon also excels around the rim, shooting an incredible 68.4% on rim attempts throughout the season. On a Bucks team with many shot creators and play makers, MarJon will find plenty of space to get open looks.

Defense

Despite being one of the better defenders on G League Ignite last season, MarJon still has some struggles on the point of attack. His lack of hip mobility gives him struggles against shiftier guards. However, against players who liken straight-line drives, Beauchamp is able to use his strong frame to wall off offensive players and keep them out the paint. This, combined with his keen defensive instincts off-ball, show similarities to fellow “Roamer” Robert Covington. While both have their flaws as POA defenders, both make their impact as help defenders. Beauchamp averaged 2.95 deflections per game last season in the G League and forced 2.3 turnovers a game. His disruptive nature in the passing lanes and digging into ball handlers keep offenses on their toes. In the paint, his seven-foot wingspan allows him to keep up with bigger forwards and still cause problems at the rim. MarJon’s defense, albeit not perfect, makes him an impactful player, often making winning plays on this end.

Conclusion

One of the older prospects, MarJon still has plenty of room to develop. His unorthodox track to the NBA still had a great record. From being a 4-star prospect, to a JuCo star, to being the battery that sparked Team Ignite, Beauchamp has always found his role and excelled in it. Now, with his locker directly next to that of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Beauchamp is in the perfect environment to come along slowly on a winning team. An absolute work-horse, it is hard to see a world that Beauchamp does not stick in the NBA. The Bucks likely won’t let it happen either. Just look at how happy they were to land him!

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