Kobe Bufkin Scouting Report | 2023 NBA Draft Breakdowns 

Because he's not an elite athlete and he's on the small side for a wing. He's probably right around 10 but the guys ahead of him are almost all freak athletes with NBA bodies.

@@michaelahurt agreed. He’s lacks that explosiveness to get by his man. In the NBA will will struggle more with that

@@michaelahurt He's not a wing player though hes a guard. But yeah I mean he plays both ends very well, only reason not being higher is because hes a sophomore? A little older? I've been around the scouting game for a while but he looks real nice. Add muscle and work on handles and shooting and skies the limit

@@LakersCP3 Functionality is there really a difference between SG and SF anymore? They are all wings. Teams will play 4 guys under 6’6” now. He’s not older though. He’s so young he’s actually the same age as a lot of the freshmen coming out. But he’s not really a name and I do think people kind of assume if you are a sophomore it’s cause you aren’t as good or you would’ve left a year earlier.

@@michaelahurt Maybe he can play the 3 in some super smallball situations which is less than ideal nowadays. I see him 90% of the time as either a 1/2 guard. But I am a fan of his game. Weird thing about this draft is there's so many guys who can go from 12th pick all the way to 20th

I know you a raptor fan.

@@OG-Sempcoulibaly going to utah

@@OG-Semp cry

@@PennyHardaway24y’all want him in utah?

@@Doonesh not a utah fan

Riq isn't ball dominant?

that isn't insane should be common view tbh

You are perfectly sane. At least from a basketball perspective.

He's not

I realize Anthony Black & Cason Wallace have higher upsides but its hard to see either of them becoming the scorer Kobe is. Bufkin could become another CJ McCollum or a 2020 version SGA easier than C.Wallace becomes a Jrue Holiday type or Anthony Black becomes a young Ben Simmons or Josh Giddey.

Nah he can’t self create he’s gonna be a solid guard in a contending team tho

@@minghaoliu5399 Neither could Booker. We all thought he was Corey Kispert coming out. Hell neither could Steph 10 years ago. To be clear I'm not saying he will be Devin Booker. Rather that, like Booker, he could very well be the guy we look back on like 'how did he fall' Bufkin needs a ton of skills and body work because as you said, he can't self create right now. But you can see the outline of a guy who could one day.

@@michaelahurt well Booker was too young coming out and was the 6th man on a loaded Kentucky team. Bufkin in my opinion is more like an athlete than a ball dominant guard. Don’t get me wrong I actually like him I’m a Pels fan and he’s probably 3rd on my board. I’m just saying I see him more likely to be the 3rd/4th option on a team than the 1st/2nd. JHS in my opinion has more semblance of Booker’s game

@@minghaoliu5399I wouldn’t call KB an athlete - watching him then the Thompsons or Cam and these things are not the same - but compared to JHS yes. He’s definitely a better athlete and isn’t as polished. Booker wasn’t a ball dominant guard either coming out. That’s exactly my point. He had to grow into that. Even three years ago they brought in Chris in large part *because* they wanted to take Booker off ball The comparison is more about having the building blocks to wildly outpace his draft position than play style. (Although I do think he will need to be a guy who can score in the mid-range like Booker or Jamal Murray and he’s similarly sized) I agree JHS’s game does resemble Booker *now* but I’m not sure that translates. The shooting touch isn’t there and the finishing isn’t there. Bufkin and Booker were low-mid 80s FT shooters and finished 70% at the rim. JHS is 78/54 (He might be that good of a shooter though; it’s not uncommon for guys to go from high 70s as freshman to mid 80s +) Also worth noting Bufkin and Booker were the same age as freshman (Book 1 month younger). JHS is actually older than KB even though KB is a sophomore JHS to me projects closer to someone like Tyus Jones or Gabe Vincent. Maybe Jalen Brunson or Tyler Herro on the high side. A dependable creator who can operate PnR but is best served as a supporting playmaker. He can kill drop but he isn’t an efficient tent pole because he lacks the size/athleticism to be a high level finisher and isn’t a volume off-the-dribble threat from deep. And while he’s a good passer, he mostly makes the reads he should. I know he’s 6’6” but he plays small. If you are already relying on your middie this much in college AND were already 19 as a freshman AND already filled out physically - it’s not a great sign. Even the guys I listed, who we consider mid-range guys in the NBA, were better, more explosive and more prolific finishers in college than JHS

@@michaelahurt very detailed analysis, I kno what you mean by the Book’s comparison now. But what I mean by an athlete is that he’s gonna be the one attacking the lanes and close outs rather than being a primary guy. I kno JHS is still a project on his jumpshot and has mediocre athleticism when Booker has long strides. But I just really like his pace, skillsets, and iq. These are the things you can’t teach. He looks buffed and improves his ballhandling in recent footage too. I just think he’s more likely to be a star than Bufkin but Bufkin is still gonna be a beast.

His videos so well done, dude is pro!

Raptors fan, just found this dude, if we can snag him, I see him being part of our long term plans for sure

lets go

Good prediction

Dlo vibes 🔥

@@rahilarora3792hell nah, DLo plays no D

@@mchy11 you casual dlo solid you just saying cause of the Denver series

@@tyranntv6593 you are the casual if you think DLo plays solid D

@@mchy11 just say you don’t watch basketball bruh, Dlo had a great season if you don’t include the Denver series you really the casual

The finishing instincts for sure. Play style is very different though. Shai’s FT rate was almost double and he was (and still is) a reluctant three point shooter. I’m not sure Bufkin has quite that level of penetration ability.

sga got insane length close to 7 foot wingspan

@@michaelahurt penetration ability is wild

Dude I'm so glad to see this comment lol. I had the same thought but I assumed I was tripping

@@supersonics1239 Cool. It's not Shai. Shai finished 48% of his shots at the rim. Bufkin was 35%. Shai had a FT rate of 46%. Bufkin was 24%. He's a good enough penetrator but Shai was elite because his handle was so tight. He could (and can) get anywhere he wants against a moving defender. Frankly if Bufkin had SGA's handle, playmaking and pick and roll ability then we'd consider him a PG. There are similar elements (finishing, defense, build -- even though Shai is *much* longer) but the way they play basketball is very different. SGA was and is a primary creator who can get into the paint at will and scores primarily at the rim and gets to the line a ton but is a low volume three point shooter. Bufkin is a true three level scorer (35% of shots at rim, 31% from mid-range, 34% from three) with a much deeper shot making package and way more shot creation but isn't a good enough ball handler or playmaker to project as a primary creator.

Y’all getting Coulibaly

@@destinduckworth5484Bufkin was seen working out with SGA buddy

@@adamtesfayethat doesn’t mean anything lol.

I really like kobe or cason as well. Overall, they just need to draft a guard

​@@craftmotamarcu9079_ _ they do need a connective piece to improve their ball-movement. Sidy Sissoko is that guy.

Kobe def a mav if they lose kyrie

@@decorianjones5599 Mavs won’t know until after the draft if they’re gonna lose Kyrie. FA is after the draft

@@decorianjones5599 no he ain’t goofy foh

I agree

Lol

I thought the same. Jordan Poole if Jordan Poole had good shot selection We definitely have a type. Bufkin, Poole, Caris LeVert. Even going back to Jamal Crawford. It's all these fluid 6'5" slashing shot maker types.

bufkin

bufkin easy

Glad I’m not braindesd

Murray is a good one actually. Jamal was bigger and stronger and was a little more advanced as a scorer but it's the same style of player.

Kobe bufkin plays way different then mike

if they got they make a trade with the Mavs (10th pick) maybe we can swoop him in

Pelican

Bufkin isn't really a lead guard but could be and show that in spots when Jett got injured and his load on offense went up. He averaged 17-6-4 on 50-40-85 last 10-15 games. Bufkin is taller then DLO, lighter with room to grow, a better defender, better at getting to the rim (71% which is elite), a great shot blocker from the guard position. DLO a better shooter & playmaker. DLO was a great prospect, that's why he went 2nd overall. The issues with DLO is his impact off-ball, at times his defense and his playoff struggles. DLO was looking great on the Nets up until the playoffs when he stunk it up, same with Timberwolves and now with the Lakers. Bufkin can play on & off-ball very well, can impact the game many ways. He doesn't play like DLO. But even a DLO level prospect is a steal at 12-20 range.

Hell nah ngga