ESPN - Who stood out during Tuesday's scrimmages?
Baylor Scheierman, SG/SF, Creighton: Scheierman, ranked No. 39 in our top 100, continued to make his case as a possible first-round pick with a strong scrimmage performance Tuesday -- 17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals in a win. It didn't surprise anyone to see Scheierman make deep 3s from all over the court after what he did in college, but he showed more competitiveness defensively than we had previously seen. He generated quite a few turnovers fighting over screens, denying off ball and sliding his feet with purpose. He communicated nonstop and took a step ahead thanks to his sharp basketball instincts. Big wings who can pass and shoot are coveted in today's NBA, and if Scheierman can convince teams he can hold his own defensively, there's no reason he wouldn't project as a solid rotation player. -- Givony
Trentyn Flowers, SG/SF, Adelaide 36ers (Australian NBL): Scouts are looking to learn more about Flowers after he played just 229 minutes this season in the Australian NBL. Flowers, ranked No. 72 in our top 100, has put work into improving his frame and had several explosive dunks off baseline cuts -- perhaps not a surprise after leading the combine testing in the 42-inch vertical leap. He also ran the floor energetically in transition, stepped into a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer smoothly and looked more competitive defensively than his reputation indicates, fighting over screens and holding his own. It was a good reminder of why he was a top 25 high school recruit and should give him some positive momentum, especially if he can have another strong showing in the final day of scrimmaging. -- Givony
KJ Simpson, PG, Colorado: Simpson was his usual self on Tuesday, showcasing his aggressiveness as a scorer racking up 16 points and 3 steals. Despite his size, measuring at just over 6-feet barefooted, Simpson gets into the paint effectively with a fearless approach going downhill and a good understanding of how to work his way to the rim. On the heels of an efficient junior year at Colorado, there has been curiosity from teams if Simpson can find a niche as a microwave-type scorer off the bench, or if he's best suited for a strong career overseas.
Some of Simpson's weaknesses were evident -- he doesn't have great vision as a playmaker, nor is he a high-level passer. But the No. 47th-ranked player in our Top 100 is an excellent athlete (reinforced by positive combine testing), changes speeds well off the dribble and proves tough for defenders to stay in front of. He did well on Tuesday to remind scouts he was one of the top guards in college basketball last season, and his mix of speed, strength and scoring instincts at his size should give teams something to think about. -- Woo
Jamal Shead, PG, Houston: While still working his way back conditioning-wise from the ankle injury that ended his season in the Elite Eight, Shead opted to play at the combine and fared well, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting and four assists. One of college basketball's top players, Shead earned a following after leading the Houston team, with a chance to follow in the footsteps of stylistically similar guards such as T.J. McConnell and Jose Alvarado into an NBA role.
While known primarily for his defensive play and active hands, Shead, who is ranked No. 55 in our Top 100, also has positive qualities as a game manager, making excellent reads and passes and taking care of the ball. While he made 1 of 4 3-point attempts, he looked comfortable taking open catch-and-shoot looks, an area of growth for him to earn minutes. His playmaking skills and toughness are easy to appreciate if you can get past his size (6-1, 190). -- Woo
Enrique Freeman, PF, Akron: Freeman has been on a good run this spring, working his way from Portsmouth into the G League Elite Camp and earning enough votes to make the combine, where he looked like he belonged. Freeman scored a game-high 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting and knocked down a pair of 3s, showing off inside-out versatility. While not a historically good shooter from range, Freeman seems to be developing that part of his game. He has enough skill to create mismatches in the post and was productive the past two years at Akron.
After originally making the team at Akron as a walk-on with an academic scholarship, Freeman hit a late growth spurt and finished his career as the MAC Player of the Year. His mix of length, productivity and flashes of two-way ability at power forward, coupled with that late-blooming trajectory, should make him a solid two-way contract candidate as he proves he can hold his own. He's the type of underexposed player who can benefit from this part of the pre-draft process. -- Woo
13 май 2024
