David Levine
Posts: 77901
Joined: 7/14/2007
From: Las Vegas
Status: online
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O-Connor: Electric bucket-getter who is starting to develop as a playmaker. PLUSES Dynamic shot creator who uses shifty change-of-direction moves to slither wherever he wants on the floor. He can get into the paint for runners and crafty layups, or pull up from behind the arc. Drained nearly half of his catch-and-shoot 3s this season, hitting them both off movement and in standard spot-ups. Add in his willingness to cut, or even set an occasional screen, and he could be extremely dangerous off of screens and handoffs if paired with a playmaking big. Skilled playmaker who can smoothly make passes off the dribble, including cross-court kickouts and lefty wraparounds to cutters. Within the flow of the offense, he makes quick decisions and keeps the ball moving. Becoming more of a willing passer. He’s passed out of the pick-and-roll in 57 percent of possessions at Kentucky, up from 43 percent of the time with the Overtime Elite. This is a critical step in his development, after he looked like a wild, unreliable creator at Donda Academy. By changing his game, he shows a willingness to adapt and fit into a team concept. Plays with effort—bordering on recklessness—on defense, chasing shooters through screens and handoffs, or helping swipe at the ball. MINUSES Active but erratic defender who too often falls out of position by getting handsy, lost, or simply lacking the understanding of what an opponent is doing. His fundamentals need to dramatically improve because there's no way to solve his lack of size. Measured at only 6-foot-1 with Overtime Elite. Not only is he short, but he has a slight frame and is unlikely to be able to add a ton of muscle. Even if he’s focused on defense, his lack of size will always be an issue. Needs to improve his passing accuracy if he’s going to run an NBA offense. He regularly swings the ball to teammates, but they need to reach for it, which can throw them off their rhythm getting into a shot. He’s flat-out missed on some lobs, too. It’s as if he passes the ball to the area he assumes his teammate is going to be, rather than actually reading the floor. Will he be able to finish as well at the NBA level? He’s been solid in college, but pro length will be a new challenge. Learning how to draw fouls would also go a long way toward improving his interior scoring. nbadraft.theringer.com/
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