Wendell Carter JR
Perimeter offense - simple rating 4/10, advanced rating 4/10
Decent mechanics and efficiency on a small volume of attempts from 3. Reasonably likely to develop an NBA-range set shot, but probably will a 1-dimensional scorer at best from behind the arc.
Interior offense - simple rating 10/10, advanced rating 9/10
Very skilled for his age with NBA size and athleticism. Has quick feet in small spaces and likes to throw his weight around, allowing him to outmaneuver defenders and work his way into advantageous positions. Has some ballhandling ability, but much more comfortable operating in the low post than out on the perimeter.
Team offense - simple rating 4/10, advanced rating 5/10
Really good basketball IQ for a young big. Surrounded by offensive talent at Duke, he showed a good team-first attitude, keeping his head up when he had the ball and making smart passes to keep the offense humming. Does the little things to help create driving lanes for guards. In the long run, seems like a guy who could thrive in a second-banana role alongside a ball-dominant perimeter star.
Total offense - 18/30
Perimeter defense - simple rating 9/10, advanced rating 5/10
Largely untested on the perimeter thanks to Duke's zone defense. Reasonably nimble for a big, and good steal rate is a positive sign, but not a catlike athlete in space like Jackson.
Interior defense - simple rating 10/10, advanced rating 10/10
Rock solid 1-on-1 defender inside thanks to his strong, chiseled frame, high IQ, and good reflexes. Makes it hard for opposing bigs to get to their spots, positions himself well to deny strong moves to the basket. Good hands make him a threat to poke the ball away on entry passes and in the post.
Team defense - simple rating 6/10, advanced rating 7/10
Somewhat hard to evaluate due to Duke's zone defense, but positive signs. Not overly long or athletic, but covers ground well to get a hand up and bother shots around the rim. Doesn't bite on fakes; knows it's better to give up a hand-in-the-face 10 footer than to let the guard drive past him and finish with a layup. Confident enough to show some leadership.
Total defense - 22/30
-----------------------------------
Zhaire Smith
Perimeter offense - simple rating 4/10, advanced rating 5/10
Limited to catch-and-shoot 3's, though he's made significant strides in that department over the last year. Good mechanics suggest there's at least an outside chance of him developing a more diverse perimeter game in the future.
Interior offense - simple rating 7/10, advanced rating 8/10
Not a great ballhandler at the moment, but very dangerous when he gets a step on his man going to the basket, as his combination of strength, speed, and explosiveness makes it almost impossible for defenders to recover and contest. Puts stress on rotating bigs with his ability to elevate quickly in traffic for alley-oops.
Team offense - simple rating 7/10, advanced rating 7/10
Upside as a creator somewhat limited due to below-average ballhandling ability, but a very smart passer given the opportunity. Willing, strong screen setter; shows good intuition for how to disrupt defensive rotations, then pick the right moment to dive to the rim. Hustle plays on defense and on 50/50 balls lead to transition opportunities and easy looks for his teammates. Selfless, team-first attitude.
Total offense - 20/30
Perimeter defense - simple rating 6/10, advanced rating 9/10
Ideal physical tools to defend all three perimeter positions, with the speed to stay with quick guards and the length/strength to battle big wings. Just-ok steal rate possibly due to his spending significant time playing PF defensively, but does reflect the fact that he doesn't have particularly quick hands on the perimeter.
Interior defense - simple rating 7/10, advanced rating 7/10
Not at all easy to shoot over or overpower, but ultimately limited by his size if tasked with guarding bigs at the NBA level. Can be a little too over-eager and bite on fakes.
Team defense - simple rating 8/10, advanced rating 7/10
A serious shot blocking threat; flies around on defense to bother shots and break up plays. Can legitimately switch 1-5; good enough length and athleticism to deny the entry pass to bigs. Tendency to try to do too much at times leaves shooters open, which more polished NBA offenses will try to take advantage of.
Total defense - 23/30
Luka Doncic
Perimeter offense - simple rating 9/10, advanced rating 9/10
Very high shooting volume reflects his go-to scorer role. Capable of elevating and getting a shot up with good form from anywhere in the halfcourt. Continued improvement in accuracy off the dribble and a quicker release should come with time.
Interior offense - simple rating 10/10, advanced rating 9/10
Led Euroleague in free throw rate. Can struggle to get past quicker defenders, but combination of rapidly improving handle and size give him significant upside in this area. Shooting nearly 60% on 2-pointers and had his shot blocked only 6 times in 31 Euroleague games, using a dizzying array of fakes as well as the threat of his passing ability to outwit shot blockers again and again. Flashes of above-the-rim finishing ability in traffic, but not naturally a strong finisher. Uses his size and length to follow his misses.
Team offense - simple rating 10+/10, advanced rating 10+/10
Simply a prodigy. Natural intuition for how to get the most out of the talent around him and get everyone involved. Good velocity, timing on routine passes, great passing out of traps and to break the press. Unteachable ability to trick defenders with his eyes, frequently opening angles by looking away from his target even when under duress.
Total offense - 29/30
Perimeter defense - simple rating 5/10, advanced rating 7/10
Above-average combination of length, strength, and lateral quickness for a wing. Competitive in one-on-one situations; wants to body up, good anticipation contesting shots. Lack of elite quicks limits his potential as lockdown defender.
Interior defense - simple rating 5/10, advanced rating 5/10
Strong enough to hold his own in the post, but fairly ineffective contesting shots around the rim. Plus defensive rebounder for a wing, but struggles vertically when matched up against bigs.
Team defense - simple rating 10/10, advanced rating 7/10
Good feel for the game overall; knows how to jump passing lanes, how to help and recover. Good at limiting careless, live-ball turnovers on offense. Lapses stand out some due to the greater age/experience of his teammates, but they seem mostly correctable. Coach trusts him enough to leave him in on late game offense-for-defense subs. Can be lackadaisical chasing shooters off the ball, which could be a problem in the NBA. Nonexistent shot blocker in help defense, which will be a weakness if he plays PF defensively.
Total defense - 19/30
------------------------------------------
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Perimeter offense - simple rating 8/10, advanced rating 8/10
Rapidly developing jumpshot could make him a unique offensive threat for his position. Potential to be a big-time scorer from the perimeter, not just a floor spacer. Questionable mechanics suggest he may never have dead-eye accuracy, but high 3-point and free throw percentages are good reasons for optimism.
Interior offense - simple rating 10+/10, advanced rating 8/10
Plays more like a giant wing than a big. Flashes of ability to face up and drive with a good first step and long strides. Unorthodox skillset could make him a uniquely difficult player to defend. Out of control at times, but has natural quickness with and without the ball that's rare in players his size.
Team offense - simple rating 3/10, advanced rating 4/10
Just an adequate passer for a young big man, an area of his game he'll be forced to develop if and when defenses start to hone in on him. Pretty good instincts finding soft spots in the defense to put himself in position for open shots and easy finishes. Good at setting screens? Could use some help in this section.
Total offense - 20/30
Perimeter defense - simple rating 10+/10, advanced rating 10/10
Huge wingspan and quick feet make him an excellent perimeter defender. No problem switching onto guards.
Interior defense - simple rating 10/10, advanced rating 9/10
Great size and length with the shot-blocking instincts to put them to use. May be too weak to handle big NBA centers right away, but has a frame that should naturally fill out over the next couple years.
Team defense - simple rating 4/10, advanced rating 9/10
Ridiculously good instincts/understanding of the game for such a young player. Rotates flawlessly, and sniffs out plays to come up with blocks that most bigs would be out of position for. Just-ok defensive rebounding numbers, but that seems to be more a result of team strategy (have him focus on contesting shots, other bigs rotate to box out) than a lack of ability. Leadership? Could use some help here too.
Total defense - 28/30
