2016 NBA Draft
Brice Johnson, PF, North Carolina
20 points, 5-11 FG, 10-12 FT, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
There is no denying that Johnson was the best prospect in this game. He was the most physically gifted athletically and despite his thin frame, he is deceptively strong. He had a few impressive blocks, one in particular on Yogi Ferrell where he came out of absolutely nowhere. It's easy to see why he dominates the boards and protects the rim well with his physical skills. He also finished well at the rim and through traffic. His length helps him get shots off from awkward angles.
As physically gifted as he is, I couldn't help but watch and think to myself that he is James Michael-McAdoo all over again. He can't pass, dribble, or shoot, which limits his ceiling as an NBA player. you can envision him being a pick and roll dive guy but I'm not sure his feel is good enough for that at the moment and given his age, you don't know if it really will. He needs to get drafted to a team that has a center who can shoot, otherwise you can count on him struggling to play to his strengths in the league.
Yogi Ferrell, PG, Indiana
25 points, 6-14 FG, 4-9 3FG, 9-10 FT, 4 assists
I thought Yogi played better this game than the last one. He had a much easier time navigating in the half court against North Carolina's guards than he did against Kentucky's. He was able to get in the lane and create more and got cleaner looks. He fought harder on defense but was still taken advantage of at times by Joel Berry and Marcus Paige. If he can't pass on defense, it will be hard for him to find a spot in the NBA. Ferrell knows how to run an offense and has grown a lot over the past four years in the way he shares the ball and finds his teammates. Still stand by my opinion that he is more likely to dominate the D-League or Europe than he is be an everyday NBA rotation player, but you never know. A guy like Pierre Jackson had a few chances with NBA teams, and that is who I would liken Yogi's game to.
Marcus Paige, PG, North Carolina
21 points, 7-12 FG, 6-9 3FG, 6 assists
This was probably Marcus Paige's best game of the season. After struggling to consistently hit shots all year, Paige came out on fire, hitting several difficult looks and heat check threes. His stroke is smooth and quick, which will help him get it off against longer players. His handle in the pick and roll isn't trustworthy, and he sometimes turns the corner on screens to fast. He almost never looks to set up his teammates and is definitely looking to shoot first, second, and third. When he has it going like he did tonight, then it is okay but against NBA level competition, that isn't going to fly.
Defensively, it can get rough for Paige but Coach Roy Williams does well hiding him on the other team's least stressful offensive player. Paige is smart on defense and can execute their scheme well. He just isn't very good on the ball or defending in space. He is in the same boat as Yogi for me but isn't near the playmaker and creator that Yogi is. His high assist count is more a product of North Carolina's fast tempo and Paige having the ball in his hands a lot in my opinion. Many people might overreact to how good this performance is, and Paige most certainly can be a second round pick, but I wouldn't take him ahead of Ferrell.
2017 NBA Draft
Thomas Bryant, C, Indiana
12 points, 4-8 FG, 8 rebounds
Bryant continues to impress me in different ways each game, and this time it was his defense. He has improved a lot on this end throughout the year, even if he still can work out plenty of kinks. The biggest thing for me that I like about his draft prospects is his effort level and willingness to learn and play within a scheme. He doesn't demand the ball and he doesn't pout ever, which are great signs for a big man. He is huge in his measurements and he moves well, even if he doesn't quite know where to be sometimes. He will stumble over himself and run into teammates, but other times he will wow you with a dunk or block that shows you how talented this kid can be. He is a very interesting early entry candidate this season. He is still really young, and coming back for another year at Indiana might help him more than most players in his class. I can see him being a lottery pick next year while being a best case late first rounder this season.
Justin Jackson, SF, North Carolina
14 points, 3-9 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-8 FT, 5 rebounds
Jackson might have the highest upside of any of the UNC prospects. He is long, has a smooth stroke, and can create his own shot. He gets great elevation and pushes through the ball well, getting great spin behind it. He doesn't have a quick first step, but his length helps him get to the spots he tries to go to. His handle is high and shaky, looking uncomfortable if he tries to dribble more than one or two times. As gifted as he might seem offensively at times, he still leaves you wanting more.
He can improve defensively in a few ways, but there is a lot of potential there as well. He does well trailing screens, fighting hard through the contact and using his length well. he is a step slow on the ball and kind of got caught on his heels a few times in this game. I know that this was supposed to be the breakout year for Jackson, but it seems more likely that next year is the year for it. He will probably test the waters, but will probably be their bonified number one option with Paige and Johnson gone. It wouldn't shock me if he was ACC Player of the Year next year.
Troy Williams, SF, Indiana
21 points, 6-14 FG, 5-8 3FG
Williams had a much better games against the Tar Heels. He got hot from three, which was a welcome surprise for an Indiana team that was down big most of the game. He still missed some easy ones at the rim and got out of control heading into the lane. He was more under control in this one compared to the Kentucky game, actually making plays in the pick and roll and hitting open players on the perimeter when he would attack. Defensively, he didn't do well guarding UNC's Justin Jackson, who got going when Williams was guarding him. Williams should come back for another year to see if he can improve his stock in a bigger role. His energy is great, but he needs refining in other areas.
Kennedy Meeks, PF, North Carolina
15 points, 5-9 FG, 5-7 FT, 9 rebounds,
Meeks had some nice box score numbers, but color me a skeptic. He might be one of the players hurt by the loaded talent that North Carolina has. He doesn't really fit their up tempo style either. He has done well over the course of his career to get faster up and down the floor, but he still isn't quite up to speed enough to be able to hang with the faster bigs like Bryant. He tried doing some things in the post and his lack of height and length made those go poorly. He isn't as strong as you'd think he is and you could tell by how much he struggled on the glass and to get position on the post. Bryant really gave him fits when Meeks tried to post him up. He had better success in the second half against Bielfeldt, but still wasn't the dominating force everyone expected him to be this year. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Meeks is going to be an NBA player and was on draft boards in the preseason mainly because of reputation.
Keep an eye on...
OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana
2 points, 1-4 FG, 3 rebounds
Anunoby didn't impress as much in these games as he did in their first two round matches. He struggled at times with when to be aggressive and when to just fit in. He still isn't the type of player who is going to be able to go get a bucket on his own, which is fine. He crashed the glass hard and had a few impressive offensive rebounds. He again dominated defensively, closing gaps on guys even if he was screened on or off the ball. He guarded every position at least once in this game and did well. It will be interesting to see where he improves next year. He can get better at just about everything, but at the same time, he has showed that he CAN get better at everything. In other words, his ceiling is high based on the flashes of potential he has shown in just about every area of his game.
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