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2020 NBA Draft Profiles

Why Arizona’s Nico Mannion Reminds Me of Steve Nash

12/12/2019

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This article is a facsimile of an earlier version published on The Basketball Writers (TBW), which recently closed its doors.
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Folks, please don’t tell my girlfriend, but I’ve fallen in love. It’s that unabashed, head-over-heels kind of love, that once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.

I’m in love with the game of Arizona Wildcats freshman point guard Nico Mannion.
The Wildcats have a top-15 offense, according to KenPom. Synergy’s metrics rank them higher, at sixth overall. Their ascendancy is due not just to shot-making ability but how Mannion runs the show and orchestrates the attack. It’s striking how a non-elite athlete is controlling the offense in literally every facet, especially in today’s game.

He’s got a mastery of little tricks that allow him to mask that mundane athleticism and become an elite point guard. Such a skill is one that I haven’t seen since Steve Nash. While I’m not one to frequently throw around lofty player comparisons for draft prospects and create a narrative that raises their expectations, Mannion’s physical traits and penchant for running a team while only taking a limited number of shots at the rim is eerily reminiscent of Nash’s calling card.

Perhaps I should temper expectations, but I’d rather share these similarities with you. What can I say? I’m in love.

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    Adam Spinella is a Division III basketball coach using what he's learned about scouting and skill development and applying it to the NBA Draft

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  • Home
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