STRENGTHS

Great positional size and length
Plus wingspan
Offensive versatility; Can play both guard spots
Good 3 point shooter when feet are set
Has the ability to make 3's on the move
Excellent efficiency in transition
Good court vision and passing instincts
Finishes with both hands
Plays at a good pace
Has a long stride, covers a lot of ground when driving
Right handed player but plays lefty

WEAKNESSES

Slim frame, must bulk up
Struggles finishing through contact
Lacks offensive creativity; straight line driver
Average athlete by NBA standards
Shooting off the dribble
Turnover prone
Has a tendency to drive to rim without a plan

STRENGTHS

Size- Great physical profile for a point guard, 6’5”. Has continued to add muscle to his chiseled frame.

Length- Excellent 6’9” wingspan for his position. Extends his arms to avoid defenders on his finishes around the rim.

Transition scorer- Leads the break mostly looking for his shot in the paint. Uses change of pace and a smooth open court handle to get there. A spot up and slashing threat when on the wings. Shows flashes of vision in the open floor

Finishing at the rim- Uses a variety of finishes and angles with either hand effectively. Utilizes two-foot finishes to remain under control when in the paint. Nice touch, should develop a good floater

Spot up shooting- Solid mechanics with a little bit of a slow release but he’s lethal from the corners. Shows some ability to sprint out behind the arc, catch, square and fire.

Offensive potential- Has experience using ball screens and isolation to set up shots for himself and others in previous years but hasn’t been asked to do so early in his freshman year. He’s worked on his shooting but has more ball skills hidden in his arsenal

Ambidexterity- Can finish and pass with both hands. Shoots with his right and prefers to drive to his left

On ball defense/defensive potential- Gets low and moves his feet well when defending in space. Very good contesting dribble jumpers

WEAKNESSES

Athleticism- Decent athlete but not explosive. Has difficulty gaining separation in the half court.

Consistency- Boom or bust offensively at this point. Has big games then games where he completely disappears. Doesn’t have much impact when his shot isn’t falling

Point guard skills- Looks more like a combo guard right now than a point guard. Isn’t being asked to create by Virginia Tech. Doesn’t break his man down, rarely operates in PNR thus far and has even had trouble attacking close outs.

Shooting off the dribble- Hasn’t shown he can shoot off the dribble at all in college. Was inconsistent in high school, partially due to his difficulty gaining separation and also his slightly slower release.

Defending vs screens- Dies on ball screens. Often takes a poor angle which contributes to the need to switch. Tries to shoot the gap on off ball screens but doesn’t have the burst to recover at times

Off ball defense- Can be caught ball watching as his man moves. Overhelps and gives too much space to shooters. Effort is inconsistent when not directly engaged in the action

KHAIRI AKILI - NOVEMBER 29, 2017