12/8/2023 0 Comments Jared butler nba draft stockHe isn’t particularly wired to put up big scoring numbers, and he already struggled to score efficiently in the post at the college level. Mobley still badly needs to add strength, and it feels like it could unlock his entire game if and when it happens. There’s a version of him that can be equally deadly diving to the rim to catch a lob, popping out behind the arc to fire a three, or using his passing vision to find a cutter or shooter at the opportune time. Mobley also feels like he could turn into a real floor spacer despite only making 12-of-40 attempts (30 percent) from three-point range this season. He should be an excellent release valve when his point guard gets trapped, both threatening the defense with his own scoring and being able to fire passes to all corners of the floor. He is a tantalizing passer for the position, always seeming to know where to find the open man as the defense adjusts to him. Mobley’s skill can be equally distinctive on the offensive end. Mobley’s penchant for erasing plays before they happen makes him the top defensive prospect in this draft. He can play drop coverage and still recover to contest shots with a 7’4 wingspan, or help trap ball handlers far away from the basket, or hold his own on switches. Mobley’s rare movement ability is the foundational gift that helps him execute any pick-and-roll coverage on the defensive end. It’s immediately evident that this is no ordinary 7-footer just by watching the way he glides around the floor. It’s easy to let the imagination run wild at first sight of Evan Mobley’s immense versatility for a modern big man. For all the talent available in this class, the first pick is an easy choice. If he isn’t exactly a Zion Williamson or Luka Doncic-level super prospect, he still feels like the sort of player who would be in contention to go No. Cunningham will have to pick up more scoring tricks around the basket to compensate for his lack of elite quickness, and continue to learn how to manipulate the opposing defense for easy passing angles, but his total package of skills feels like a tremendous fit for where the game is and where it’s going. He has the frame to provide resistance in the paint and the mobility to compete on the perimeter, all while showing sharp instincts as a help defender. Where Cunningham separates himself from the other primary creators to hit the draft in recent years is on the defensive end. He should be even better on a spaced NBA floor surrounded by high-caliber shooters. While he’s not Trae Young or Ja Morant as a passer, he impressed with his court awareness and ability to find open teammates. His outside shooting was a question mark coming into the season, but now feels like one of the strongest parts of his game: he made 40 percent of the 155 three-pointers he attempted, with 57 percent of them being self-created opportunities that came without an assist. While he doesn’t have the quickest first step, Cunningham is able to create his own scoring opportunities by using his strength to dislodge defenders in the paint or his footwork to get off a clean step-back three. Cunningham’s bonafides can speak for themselves - he was the rare true freshman to be named consensus First Team All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year - yet it’s how his skillset precisely scales to the highest levels of the game that makes him the obvious top choice even within a strong draft class.Ĭunningham thrives as a pick-and-roll maestro who can get to the rim, rip pull-up threes, and read an opposing defense well enough to make almost every pass. A long-and-strong 6’8 wing, Cunningham turned himself into a point guard during his high school days at prep powerhouse Montverde Academy, and put all of his special talents on display during a brilliant freshman season at Oklahoma State. Cade Cunningham profiles as the type of oversized lead creator that makes for an ideal franchise cornerstone in today’s NBA.
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