XAVIER JOHNSON
BIRTHDATE: 10/14/99
POSITION: Combo Guard
HEIGHT: 6'3"
WEIGHT: 200 lbs
SCHOOL/ TEAM: Pittsburgh
CLASS: Sophomore
STRENGTHS
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Good size and frame for an NBA guard
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Very good athlete
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Excellent speed with good burst
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Quick first step; blows by defenders
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Shifty, dancy advanced ball handler
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Loves to attack down hill
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Plays tough and through contact
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Foul generator
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Decent finisher around the rim; Uses inside hand finishes
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Active hands on defense
AREAS TO IMPROVE
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Ugly looking jump shot
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More talented than skilled
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Still raw
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Plays out of control
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Basketball IQ
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Bad balance
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Passing instincts
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Passes aren't on target
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Turnover prone
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Can't play off the ball
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Dribbles in traffic; Picks up his dribble
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Does not read 2nd line of defenses
SUMMARY
Xavier Johnson is one of the most interesting prospects I've scouted for the 2020 draft. There are a lot of things to like about his talent level and natural gifts such as his blazing speed and lightning quick first step that will translate with NBA spacing.
JBut for all his positives, Johnson has a lot of question marks he'll need to answer in his sophomore season. He has one of the nastiest looking shooting strokes I've ever seen and to my surprise he made a respectable 35% from 3 and shot 75% from foul line.
If Johnson can improve his overall feel and basketball IQ, he has a chance to be drafted in June.
Rafael Barlowe - November 18, 2019
