The NBA Draft is inherently an optimistic endeavor. It’s about waiting for a better tomorrow. So after many months of flying, driving, sleeping (but not enough), grinding and most of all watching, Finch is ready once again to open a window into the future. After all these years, he still believes in a place called a hoop.
Who is Finch, you ask? It is not a person, but an amalgam of people, seven, to be exact. That’s how many scouts I interviewed to get their opinions on 50 of the top prospects who will be among those selected in the 2022 NBA Draft Thursday night. In exchange for brutal sincerity, I granted my explorers anonymity. Then I took their ratings and merged them into a single paragraph uttered by a character named Finch. This nickname was suggested by the best basketball writer of all time, Alex Wolff, who coined the term in honor of Scout Finch, the narrator of the best novel ever written, “To Kill A Mockingbird.” (Don’t make me @ this.)
I have been doing this popular exercise for a few years now. Some thoughts before continuing:
• Because college basketball is my rhythm, I limited my prospect group to players who were in college last season. (Note that I didn’t say playing college, Shaedon Sharpe.) So I didn’t include international or NBA G League players.
• If these ratings seem too harsh, it’s up to me, not the scouts. All the players on this list are good. My job was to check the listens on the shortcomings and weaknesses of the players.
• Despite all the speculation about who will be selected with selection number 1, there was no debate among my explorers. They all said they would take Jabari Smith, and all but one said they would take Chet Holmgren in second place. Until the draft night suspense.
• The best noun that can be applied to a potential customer is “versatile.” This happens at both ends of the floor. The NBA is a very positionless game.
• That said, unless you’re a superstar, it’s still better to do something very, very well (especially if it’s rolling) than a lot of pretty good things. Finch loves to use the word “translate.” Aside from a few superstars, every NBA player has a specific role to play. If a player does not have at least one skill that “translates” to the next level, it will harm his project.
• I tried to make these writings representative of what the group believed. A single explorer might say something really interesting, but if it didn’t reflect consensus, I didn’t use it.
• Finally, my favorite part of these exploration reports is how Finch compares prospects to other NBA players, present and past. Yes, everyone wants to find the next LeBron or KD, but in this space you will find references to Desmond Bane, Bam Adebayo, Jae Crowder, Grant Williams, Jordan McLaughlin, Shane Battier, Marc Gasol, Javale McGee, TJ Ford, Tobias Harris, TJ Warren, Jalen Brunson, Rudy Gay, Reggie Jackson, Kevon Looney, Robert Williams, Mitchell Robinson, Clint Capela and Rudy Gobert. (These last four were applied to a single potential customer).
On Friday morning, Finch can take a breather, but for now he’s ready to sprint to the finish line. Don’t stop him now! He’s having a great time, he’s getting a (basketball) ball.
Then the Finch 50.
Ochai Agbaji, 6-5 Senior Guard, Kansas. “Stone winner. It improved every year. It could be a Desmond Bane. My question about him is his functional athletics. He can run and jump, but I don’t think he’s one of those guys who escapes and gets places. Your problem will be handling the ball and creating the game. I don’t think it has much advantage. He is a finished player. He will be a solid NBA player, but never an All-Star. “
Patrick Baldwin Jr., freshman 6-9, Milwaukee forward. “It has been very inefficient this season. I was very disappointed when I went to see him play. He didn’t compete, he didn’t play hard. The bounce is a big question. The combined looked horrible. It was heavy and had no hooks. He seemed to have lost all confidence. It will have to be a small five-ball, so the question is whether it’s good enough defensively to play in multiple covers. He can really throw the ball. I think that will translate. I don’t know if it’s that important to him. His jump looks great, but he has never reached a great clip. You question its toughness, its durability. “
Paolo Banchero, 6-10 freshman, Duke. “There is a lot to like there, but the rebound is a big concern, and so is his activity as a shot blocker. You don’t see that ability to find the ball, but you didn’t see it with Bam Adebayo when he came out. He will try to play all three, but it is more than one four. He’s not a weird athlete, but he’s big and strong. I worry about him being seduced by proving that he can handle and pass. With a body like that, it should be more around the edge. I’m not sure his lead is as high as the other guys at the top of the draft. He’s a good player, but I don’t think he’s a franchise guy. His shooting range is a bit uncertain. “
Jamaree Bouyea, 6-2 Senior Guard, San Francisco. “He’s grown a lot with me. The shooting piece is the biggest concern. He’s a good game creator, he manages the pick-and-roll well. He’s definitely a base at our level. I don’t see him playing with the ball. “He’s a tough, smart, intoxicating guard. When you’re a little guard, you have to do something special, and he does a lot of good things. He’s not an elite at all. He interviewed great.” Just a polished kid. I see him in the G League and maybe he makes a team like Jordan McLaughlin. “
Malaki Branham, freshman 6-6 year old guard, Ohio State. “A big fan. Paio upside down. He just turned 19. With him the question will be to defend, because he is not a great athlete. Chasing screens and protecting his position at the next level will be a challenge. His shooting percentage was good. “But he has a flat shot, so expanding his range might take a while. He doesn’t do a great job with people. He’s not a pure shooter, but he seems to shoot when they matter. Mid-range killer.”
Christian Braun, junior guard 6-7, Kansas. “He had a great year. He was a solid player. I like all his intangibles. In that championship game he defended everyone on the ground except (Armando) Bacot. Better athlete than you think. He will be able to protect from the “One to three. When you talk to him, he understands what his role is. Shooting will be the thing with him. He’s having a hard time getting his shot on guys who are older. “A lot of his shots were caught and fired, so he’ll have to prove he can do it on the move. He can really bounce because of his size and position. Someone will take him to the second round.”
Kendall Brown, 6-8 freshman, Baylor. “It makes me nervous. He’s probably slipped more than anyone right now. I went to some of his games, and I said, he got off the bus? A weird athlete, but he hasn’t shown the ability to shoot, and right now “He’s not good enough to be a little striker. He’ll have to be a four at first. People say he’s a good passer, but I didn’t see him. “Open court, but when the game reaches the middle court, does it have the IQ of basketball, passing, shooting, basketball? I don’t know if he likes the game. He sees the role more than he does.” ‘an enigma to me’.
John Butler, 7-1 freshman, Florida State. “I should have gone back to school. Honestly, I don’t know what that translates to. It’s 7-2, 174 pounds. What NBA player looks like that? People say he can shoot, but he didn’t do much. 3. He shot well in the combined, but it’s been two days. He’s only 19, he’s going to get stronger. He’s going to have a hard time defending himself. “It’s not a type of knockdown. This is not a HORSE game. I don’t see the toughness and the rebound. Someone will take him to the second round. If he can’t put weight on that body, it will be very difficult for him.”
Kennedy Chandler, freshman guard 6-0, Tennessee. “If you’re ever going to catch a little guard, that would be the guy. He has speed and speed, and the ability to turn the corner. He had to share time with (Zakai) Zeigler on point, so he played a lot without a ball, “It’s not a combo. He’s a much better shooter than TJ Ford at this stage. He tested incredibly well in combination with his athletics. “It’s very uncomfortable to throw the ball away. I’m worried it’s going to end up in our league’s lane. In person, he has a bigger body than I thought. He’s pretty fit. “
Max Christie, 6-6 freshman guard, Michigan State. “I was looking forward to the whole year, and I never got it. He’s a nice kid who struggles with confidence. I like his size, I like his stroke, but he didn’t shoot. With his numbers and production, “I’m not sure if he came out. He doesn’t believe in the ball in his hands. The shot will be very important for him, because with his body type and the speed of the game, first-year match and he hasn’t produced yet. He hasn’t shown any toughness. He’s not a baseman. I wish he had gone back to school. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone made him a pamphlet. You have to be patient with him. “
Kofi Cockburn, 7-0 …