Eye of the Scout: Pick & Roll Playmaking

We're all about trying something new here at the Box and One!

So let's dive into the scouting process and understand what we look for to evaluate prospects. It's not as simple as "good" or "bad" in certain areas, it's about the carryover of traits from college that will lead to success in frequently-used NBA situations. I'm a big believer that pro scouts are effective not just if they can identify talent, but if they understand what impacts winning in the NBA and how the game is currently played.

That's what we dive into during this inaugural Eye of the Scout breakdown. Pick-and-roll offense in the NBA is dictated by two things: ability to shoot (which negates certain defensive coverages) and quickness of decision-making. The league is trending towards more Drop coverage to protect the rim and force mid-ranges. The best PNR prospects have skills that punish drop coverage; ability to play 2v2 in the middle, scoring on all three levels, athleticism or craftiness that makes them to dictate the possession and a willingness to involve the roller in the split-second he's open.

How does this impact the class of 2021? We look at two prospects from the draft class (Jalen Suggs and Tre Mann) as well as two from last year's draft (Malachi Flynn and Cole Anthony) to really understand what evaluation characteristics will carry over.