By: Andrew Robinson
The NBA season has officially come to an end, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks being crowned champions of the 2021 season. However, lucky for us, the draft is upon us, and your All Facts Media crew is going to be breaking down the top mid-major draft prospects to look out for in Thursday's NBA Draft, and beyond in the free-agent signing period, and into summer league.
Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland - VCU
Scouting Report - We got a chance to see Bones Hyland in person when his VCU Rams traveled to Fairfax, Virginia to face George Mason in a regular-season contest during A10 play. Hyland averaged 19.5 points on 44.7% shooting from the field and 37.1% from three-point range to go along with 4.7 rebounds per game and 2.1 assists per game. Hyland was a volume scorer for VCU and played almost exclusively with the ball in his hands. He owned the second-highest usage rate in the A10 during the 2021 season at 28.7 and was responsible for generating offense not only for himself but for others as well.
At the next level, Hyland won’t have the ball in his hands as much as he did in college, but he has shown that he can be instant offense, and could thrive in a system that allows him to anchor a second unit, and provide scoring off the bench right away. He needs to put on some weight to be able to sustain the grind of an 82 game season without the worry of injury and wear and tear, but the talent is certainly there, and Hyland is one of the best pure scorers in this year's draft class. His ability to create shots off the dribble, and get to the basket and finish, despite his slender build will allow him to make the transition to the next level rather easily, and contribute to a team in need of scoring right away.
NBA Comparison - Lou Williams - Think microwave scorer, crafty finisher, slim build, and can have a long career in the NBA if he can embrace his role. Slender build, not great on defense, but has the length and instincts to be a better defender in the league than Williams has shown throughout his career.
Projection - Late First Round (20-30 range)
Charles Bassey - Western Kentucky
Scouting Report - Bassey is a 6’11 235 lb center who is an elite rim protector and great lob finisher around the rim. However, Bassey has also shown the capability to knock down the three-ball, shooting it at almost a 32% clip for his career. Granted that number needs improvement and didn’t come with much volume, however, Bassey’s mechanics aren’t broken and could improve given time and repetition at the next level. However, Bassey’s calling card at the next level will be his ability to protect the rim, as he averaged over three blocks per game this season at Western Kentucky. He’s also elite as a lob guy when put in pick and roll situations as a finisher at the rim.
Bassey needs to be more consistent from the three-point line to take the next step in his development, but the mechanics are there, so there’s hope that he could improve his shooting stroke sooner rather than later. Bassey also must improve his decision-making ability when put in a play-making position in short rolls, and at the top of the key. If he can improve in these areas, Bassey could be a starting Center in the NBA down the line.
NBA Comparison - Thomas Bryant - Bassey is already a better rim protector than Bryant, however, Bryant was a better three-point shooter coming out of Indiana, and has continued to develop his stroke at the next level. Bassey could follow in Bryant’s footsteps as a big who improved each year in the league and is now a solid starting center for the Washington Wizards.
Projection - Late First Round/Early Second
Kessler Edwards - Pepperdine
Scouting Report - Edwards is a 6’8 200lb forward who averaged 17.2 points per game, to go along with 5.6 rebounds per game this past season for Lorenzo Romar and Pepperdine. Edwards' value translates best to the next level as a pick and pop four-man, or even as a 3 and D wing. Edwards is a career 39.5% three-point shooter and has the length to be able to switch and defend multiple positions. Edwards has a 7’0 wingspan, which will make him even more valuable contesting shots, and even as a rim protector in small lineups.
Edwards isn’t great at creating shots off the bounce and needs to improve playing off of his shot when people run him off the three-point line. Also, his mechanics on his release are a little unorthodox, which hinders his ability to shoot off the dribble unless he has a ton of space. At the next level, it will be key for him to speed up his mechanics just a bit to adjust to less time to catch and shoot, and defenders closing on his shot much quicker than in college. However, the defensive tools and floor spacing make him an intriguing prospect in the backend of the second round.
NBA Comparison - Kevin Knox - Knox and Edwards have similar physical measurements, and Knox’s calling card coming out of Kentucky was his ability to shoot the ball and stretch the floor from deep. Knox was more polished off the dribble than Edwards was, and had better shooting mechanics, but their similarities in being able to play either forward position, and stretch the floor from deep are there. Edwards has a chance to be a better defender than Knox was coming out of college, which could allow him to get on the floor right away. The question will be, can Edwards polish up some of his perimeter skills enough to have the offensive season that Knox did as a rookie when he averaged 12.8 points per game for the Knicks.
Projection - Mid - Late second round
Neemias Queta - Utah State
Scouting Report - Queta averaged 14.9 points per game to go along with 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals en route to his second Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year award. Queta is also a 3x all-defensive team selection in the MWC, and deservingly so. Queta is a game-changer on that end of the floor, and that type of ability will translate well to the next level. Quetta is a 7 footer with a 7’4 wingspan, which allows him to be an ELITE shot-blocker both on the ball and from the weak side as a help defender. Queta had the longest wingspan measured at the 2021 NBA combine, the tallest standing reach, and also measured the tallest without shoes on. Thus, the physical tools are all there for Queta to be a gamechanger at the next level. Queta also has great instincts and can get into passing lanes for steals and deflections, which only adds to his defensive value.
In order for Queta to maximize his value at the next level, he’ll need to improve his defense in the pick and roll and be able to switch onto smaller players and keep them in front. He also is not a threat to stretch the floor to three-point range right now, but he hasn't shown the willingness or ability to even attempt three’s throughout his college career, so I wouldn’t expect that to be something to look for from Queta at the next level. Instead, if he can refine his lateral quickness and pick and roll defense, and continue to be efficient around the basket as a lob guy, and dump down finisher, Queta could wind up being a solid shot-blocking big that can anchor your defense.
NBA Comparison - Clint Capela - Like Capella, Queta is a center who embraces his value on the court. He’s not stretching the floor to the three-point line or doing any fancy Joel Embiid-Esque dribble moves. He’s a rim protector who excels offensively playing out of the dunker, or as a lob guy in pick and rolls. They’re both also tenacious on the glass, offensively and defensively, and can provide a team with extra possessions to make up for their lack of three-point shooting.
Projection - Late Second Round
Jason Preston - Ohio
Scouting Report - When describing Jason Preston’s game, two words first come to mind. Big guard. Standing at 6-4 and weighing 180 lbs, Preston can see over smaller guards and get into the lane to either score or facilitate. In a non-conference game earlier this season against first-team All-American Ayo Dosunmu, Preston poured in 31 points to go along with 8 assists and 6 rebounds against the projected first-round pick. Preston thrives in the pick and roll and has exhibited great pace and ability to not be sped up by smaller guards. He also shoots the three-ball well, shooting 39% this past season and 40.7% the season before that. With Preston's size, shooting ability, and pick and roll skills, he should be able to fit in at either guard position at the next level.
The biggest question for Preston will be if he can get past NBA defenders off the bounce given his lack of speed and quickness. In the NCAA Tournament, Preston struggled to score when guarded by quicker, more athletic guards, averaging only 7.5 points and 3.5 turnovers over two games against Creighton and Virginia. Luckily, Preston has shown the ability to affect the game in more ways than scoring, tallying 22 rebounds and 15 assists over those same two games. Early on in Preston’s NBA career, it will be important for him to showcase his ability to make others around him better while taking care of the ball. If he can do that, then he has a chance to stick in the league down the line.
NBA Comparison - Tyrese Haliburton - Now before you call me crazy, we recognize that Haliburton is much quicker off the bounce than Preston, and better defensively, however from a physical standpoint they both are about the same height and weight. They’re lead guards who both are elite passers, and can shoot it from three-point range despite the unorthodox release, and they both are great in pick and roll. Preston won’t be a lottery pick like Haliburton, and won’t be a starter from day 1 either, but if he can improve on the defensive end, and find a way to hide some of his athletic inefficiencies, Preston could surprise a lot of people at the next level.
Projection - Late Second Round/Undrafted
EJ Onu - Shawnee State (NAIA)
Scouting Report - The first thing that jumps off the charts for Onu is his measurables. Standing at almost 6’11 with shoes on, Onu has a 7’8 wingspan, and 9’6 standing reach, both of which would've been the highest recorded at the 2021 NBA combine had he been invited. Onu averaged an astounding 4.5 blocks per game last season at NAIA Shawnee State while leading them to a National Championship. Onu showcased great timing and instincts as a shot-blocker, which given his physical attributes should be a transferable skill to the next level. Onu also showcased the ability to stretch the floor, shooting 40% from three-point range on 130 attempts. The sample size is large enough to suggest that Onu has the mechanics and the confidence to be a capable shooter from three-point range at the next level.
The biggest question for Onu will be if he can translate his game to the NBA considering the drastic increase in size, strength, and talent of his opponents. The one positive sign is that all the physical tools are there, and if there’s a team that wants to take a chance on a low-risk, high reward type of player, they just might end up with one of the biggest surprises of the draft down the line.
NBA Comparison - Chris Boucher - Boucher was an elite shot-blocker at Oregon, and has continued to be a good shot-blocker in the NBA thus far for the Toronto Raptors. Boucher also has shown the ability to stretch the floor from 3 point range at the NBA level. Onu has longer arms than Boucher and is taller, so the shot-blocking should translate, and if Onu can develop into a consistent three-point shooter as Boucher has, he could follow a similar path, as Boucher went undrafted and worked his way up through the G-League and into a significant role with the Raptors this season
Projection - Late second round/undrafted
Anthony Tarke - Coppin State
Scouting Report - Tarke was a swiss army knife for the Eagles this season. Winning MEAC POY and Defensive POY, which is only the third such occurrence in the last 50 years, and the first since Kyle O’Quinn did it for Norfolk State in 2012. Tarke’s value at the next level will be his defensive versatility, being able to guard positions 1-4 and even a small ball 5 in some lineups. Tarke also showed the ability to play in pick and roll both as the screener, and the ball handler, which will help his chances to stick in the NBA because of his plug-and-play ability. We saw the Brooklyn Nets use Bruce Brown as a screen and roller often this season from the guard position, and Tarke has even better physical tools and could fit a similar mold at the next level.
Tarke is also a great off-ball cutter, and his ability to slash in the lane and finish at the rim will help him contribute offensively even if he isn’t the primary ball-handler. Tarke showed he was capable of knocking down the three-ball during his lone season at Coppin State, shooting 32.1%, but needs to improve that at the next level to be a prototypical “3 and D” wing. If Tarke can become a consistent threat from long range, he could be one of the biggest steals of this year's draft class.
NBA Comparison - Luguentz Dort - Dort was a PAC 12 all defensive selection during his only year at Arizona State, and possesses a similar build to Tarke in terms of size and strength. Dort also only shot 30.1% from three-point range during his lone season in Tempe and came into the league with question marks around his jump shot. Tarke is 2 inches taller, and shot slightly better from three, and possesses the same defensive ability that dort did when he came out of Arizona State. The one thing that allowed Dort to make a huge jump from year 1 with OKC to year 2, was his marked improvement from three-point range, going from 29.7% in year one to 34.3% in year two. Dort also was an undrafted prospect who landed in a great situation and thrived, Tarke could follow the same path if brought into the right situation.
Projection - Late Second Round/Undrafted
Santiago “Santi” Aldama - Loyola (MD)
Scouting Report - Aldama is one of the more polished players out of our Mid-Major crop due to his experience playing international basketball. The Spanish forward was named MVP of the U18 European Championships in 2019 and put up stellar numbers during his two seasons at Loyola (MD) in only 27 games over two years. In the 20-21 season, he averaged 21.2 points per game, good for second in the Patriot League, and 10.2 rebounds, most in the Patriot League. He became the first player in Patriot League history to average 20 and 10 in a season, a league that has produced NBA players such as Mike Muscala and CJ McCollum in recent years. Aldama shot 36.8% from three this season, to go along with 2.3 assists per game, which is a plus given his 6-11 frame. He can handle in pick and roll, and also push in transition, making him a perfect fit for the positionless basketball that is now being played in the NBA.
Aldama must add some weight to his frame to prepare for a much more physical game in the NBA compared to what he saw in the patriot league. He also must cut down on some of the turnovers if he wants to be a reliable playmaker from the center position when teams run their delay action and pitch game through him at the top of the key. Aldama also averaged 1.7 blocks per game during his career at Loyola, showing flashes of rim protection that could be valuable if he has to play a small-ball center in certain lineups.
NBA Comparison - Alexsej Pokusevski - This comparison might be a stretch, but there aren’t too many 7 footers who can play in pick and roll and handle the ball as Aldama can. Pokusevski is more polished as a ball-handler than Aldama is, but they both play much more like guards than as big men and can create for others unlike many others their size. If Aldama can make better decisions with the ball in his hands, he could be the next international unknown to make a splash at the next level.
Projection - Late second round/Undrafted