‘I Don’t Think He Has a Clue How to Play Basketball’: NBA Scouts Give Their Candid Opinions on Top Draft Prospects

What follows, then, is part two of my conversation with Finch about 25 of the draft’s top prospects. Be sure to check out part one for the other 25 players, which we published last week.

Here is what Finch had to say about …

“He Doesn’t Pop for Me”: NBA Scouts Give Their Candid Opinions on Top Draft Prospects

“Finch” is back with his unvarnished opinions on the top players that are hoping to be selected in next week’s NBA Draft

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Baba Miller, 6-foot-11 senior wing, Cincinnati

Very talented young man. He has really improved. He rebounds the ball, he passes the ball, he can handle the ball. He’s got to get to where he can make a stationary shot. Pretty good team defender. You question the physical toughness and right now the shooting based on what he did in college. His three-point shooting numbers fell off the Grand Canyon (from 34.2 percent to 19.2). Free throw shooting in the sixties (65.8). That’s a bad combo. Bounced around to different schools but he sure as hell looks the part. He was more consistent with his approach this year. He’ll be a second-round pick.

Dillon Mitchell, 6-foot-7 senior wing, St. John’s

He can do a whole lot of stuff except shoot the basketball. He can’t throw it in the ocean. It’s pretty tough to play in our league if you can’t make a shot. St. John’s played him at the point some this year. He can defend anybody on the floor. His athleticism is tremendous. He’s got to get to where he’s comfortable enough to make an open catch-and-shoot three. He’s got a long wingspan, can really move his feet defensively, very active. Could be like a Jarred Vanderbilt. Can guard multiple positions, high level athlete, finish in transition, high motor. Where does he play? How do you use him?

Mark Mitchell, 6-foot-9 senior forward, Missouri

I’ve got him undrafted. Probably an undersized five. Can he a backup guy, an energy guy? Great body, he’s not a bad player, but I’ve never been a big fan because his shot is so ugly. He hasn’t really hit.

Ebuka Okorie, 6-foot-2 freshman guard, Stanford

He’s a score-first guy. He needs to become more of a point. He’s not a natural playmaker. Maybe he develops into that, I don’t know. He’s not going to come into the league and be the type of scorer he was in college. He has trouble when you blitz him or trap him because he’s small. Reminds me a little bit of Rod Strickland. He’s got that ball on a string. He’s got a six-seven wingspan. He’s undersized, but there’s no doubt about this kid’s ability to put the ball in the basket. He has length, really good speed, led the ACC in scoring as a freshman. He’s got a real chance.

Felix Okpara, 6-foot-10 senior center, Tennessee

Didn’t like him at all in Chicago. Just didn’t do enough. I don’t see what that is right now. He’s got the physical body. He thinks he’s better than he is, which scares me. Guys like that don’t understand their limitations. But he’s got NBA size and athleticism. He’ll get a chance. You’re not going to throw him the ball on the block. Can he be a dominant shot blocker? He has to have a skill that says, why am I putting this guy on the floor? I don’t see him being as much of a force defensively as he was in college. He has all the physical dimensions if the shooting piece can come around. He’s shown to be a bit of a switch defender more than people thought. Pretty good athlete.

“He thinks he’s better than he is, which scares me. Guys like that don’t understand their limitations. But he’s got NBA size and athleticism. He’ll get a chance.”

Finch on Felix Okpara

Ugonna Onyenso, 7-foot-1 senior center, Virginia

He’s another guy that has improved immensely. He has an elite skill with his shot blocking. He stays on the floor as well as any guy in the country. I’m not sold on his feel and instincts. Lower body strength is a question. I don’t want to say he has no offensive ability, but it’s very, very limited. He’s never come close to averaging double figures. He still feels new to the game. The offensive end and consistency are going to be the keys for him.

Otega Oweh, 6-foot-6 senior guard, Kentucky

Another guy who can’t shoot to save his life. He needs to buy into being a Lu Dort type. If he’s coming in thinking he’s going to be a scorer, it’s going to be hard. His shot needs to be broken down and started over from scratch. He’ll get a chance because the floor is spread and he can get to the rim. He can score off the dribble. He’s an NBA athlete, but not having a shot does llimit where you get drafted. But he has the motor and the physical tools.

Koa Peat, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Arizona

Should have gone back to school. He’s a good kid, but he could be a total bust. He scares me. It’s not like he’s overly athletic or an unbelievable defender. He’s a good passer, I’ll give him that. Tough one for me. Everyone says he’s a four because he’s six-eight but does he have a four skill set? Who does he defend? I have no faith at all in him ever being able to shoot the ball, so then he becomes a 15 feet and in guy who clogs up the area. He’s got to get better moving his feet defensively. He shot it at the combine and I was like, “Holy hell, what happened here?” But I wouldn’t write him off because he does things that will translate. We have small fives but it’s hard to make a living off of that. He does some things that other people can’t do with his force to the basket. Someone will take him late first round. 

“Should have gone back to school. He’s a good kid, but he could be a total bust. He scares me. “

Finch on Koa Peat

Darryn Peterson, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Kansas

He’s a big time talent, but he is not a point guard. He’s a Devin Booker or Jamal Murray. You have to be concerned about the cramping stuff, but whatever was going on, I don’t think it was the kid’s fault. He’s not an alpha dog, that’s a little bit of concern, but that’s not his personality. He can shoot the heck out of it. He’s the most talented basketball player in the draft. Can finish with either hand, excellent mid-range shot, can make threes, gets it off quick. Does he really care about winning? Seems like a pretty good kid. If there weren’t questions about his health, I think most people would have him at number one. 

Labaron Philon, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, Alabama

Love that kid. Competitive as hell. He needs to get stronger. I don’t think he gets enough credit for his passing ability. I see him as a second unit guy. Probably has to become a better on-ball defender because he’s probably gonna have to guard a point guard. He’s got the potential to be a good defender. He’s really good offensively but I worry about his size. Very unorthodox game. Big question is his body. Three-level scorer. He’s incredilby shifty. He’s got a scrappiness to him that is appealing. Can he make other players better? Can he set people up for success? Two years ago, his defense was pretty good, but he needed some more help this year. 

Jayden Quaintance, 6-foot-10 sophomore center, Kentucky

He has all the tools like athleticism and quickness, but I don’t think he has a clue how to play basketball. Three different high schools, two colleges, the injury. He’s never been coached. He has a ton to learn. So how patient are you willing to be? Maybe he’s a Mitchell Robinson. If he was healthy, we’d be looking at top ten. When he was healthy at Arizona State he had some of the best defensive tape you’ll see. Not a great skill player right now, although he did come into college very young. 

“He has all the tools like athleticism and quickness, but I don’t think he has a clue how to play basketball.”

Finch on Jayden Quaintance

Tarris Reed, 6–foot-10 senior center, UConn

Undersized five man. Smart passer. I love how he changed his body. You’re concerned about his size but I’m not concerned about his smarts. He’ll go late first, early second round. He’s not super athletic but he’s big and tough, and he can score on the block. It would be great if he could learn how to stretch it but I don’t know if that’ll ever happen. He’s an old school big, but I think there’s a place for him. Connecticut did an unbelievable job getting everything they could out of that kid. He’s going to need that same type of push from his coaching staff. He only took seven threes in four years of college and made one. The biggest surprise has been his shooting predraft. He has shot the ball really well. It looks trustworthy now. 

Richie Saunders, 6-foot-5 senior guard, BYU

The knee is a question obviously, but he’s not your typical catch-and-shoot guy. He can put the ball on the floor and finish at the rim. I think he sticks. He’s a man on defense. He’ll be in the NBA for sure. He’s 25 years old, but he can shoot the ball and he knows how to move. He plays with an edge. Just a very mature winning player. Once he gets healthy, coaches will really respond to him. He’s more of a solid shooter than a great shooter. He’s competitive and super strong. Guys like that tend to have a really good shot.

“I think he sticks. He’s a man on defense. He’ll be in the NBA for sure. He’s 25 years old, but he can shoot the ball and he knows how to move. He plays with an edge. Just a very mature winning player.”

Finch on Richie Saunders

Emanuel Sharp, 6-foot-3 senior guard, Houston

Tough defender. More of a streaky shooter than a pure shooter. I wish he was bigger. He’s supposed to be a great kid. Can he play some point guard? He’s going to have to do it, but he didn’t really do that in college. Not a guy you think of as a great physical specimen, not a sensational athlete, but he defends better than his physical profile. He’s been at the heart of a culture that you believe in. He brings a level of toughness and grit that everyone’s looking for. It’s going to be a matter of where does he fit on a team, who does he guard.

Braden Smith, 6-foot-1 senior guard, Purdue

You love the playmaking, you love the leadership, you love how productive he was. But the tape measure doesn’t help him at all. He’s not a sensational athlete at that size. He’ll be hunted on defense. Everything else he has. he’s got the heart, he’s got the brains, he’s got the competitiveness. Can run your second unit. He’ll be a solid backup point guard. He can guard people better than people think. He’s got long arms and he’s tough as heck. If you watch him play, big guards don’t take advantage of him. He’s more of a G League guy who’s gonna have a tough battle to stick. You can talk about Jalen Brunson, but little guards have problems with bigger perimeter players and I don’t see this league going back on that. 

Hannes Steinbach, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, Washington

Really like him. Great hands, great feet, very good rebounder. He’s got more to his game than what you saw at Washington. I trust his shot will get there. Quickness is a big of a question. He didn’t play with a good point guard, which hurt him. People have questions about his athleticism and his outside shooting. Can he move his feet on the perimeter? I think you’re going to see him in the lottery. The question is do you see him being a capable four, or is he just a five? Because he has some size limitations at the five, but if he plays the four he has to improve his range as a shooter, plus being able to guard out there. He measured quite a bit bigger than I think people thought he was going to. If he switches out into space, how well does he do? Can he protect the rim?

Bennett Stirtz, 6-foot-4 senior guard, Iowa

I’m not as high on him as some people. The lack of quickness scares me, but he knows how to play. He had a great career but he always played in the same system. So the question is can he play well outside that system? He can shoot it, he’s smart, he can handle it, he can pass. He gets drafted because he wins, but the question mark is going to be on the defensive side. Who’s he going to be able to guard? Is he going to be able to get away from people? He played in about the slowest system that any coach uses at the big-time level. How much adjustment is he going to have? He has a chance to be Colin Gillespie. Can he get into the paint and finish. 

Dailyn Swain, 6–foot-8 junior wing, Texas

He’s going to be a defender from day one. He’s got to become a better shooter. He’s never going to be a big-time playmaker, but he’s a really good cutter so he can play off people. He’s very athletic and he’s skilled. I don’t think he’s the toughest cat. He stayed in the draft, so somebody told him something. The thing that can hold him back is the lack of three-point shooting. He probably shoots better off the bounce. 

But he has a chance if he’s with the right group. Did not have a great showing in Chicago. At times turnovers are an issue. Not an explosive athlete, but really polished footwork. 

Meleek Thomas, 6-foot-5 freshman guard, Arkansas

He’s got good upside. If I were him, I would have gone back to school. He’s a little bit wild, but he’s got talent. He gets his own shot, he can really finish. Big-time scorer. He grew as a player, and I think he’ll continue to grow. I like that he made the effort to get better defensively. He was criticized coming in for taking a lot of crazy shots when he was at OTE, but from what I heard at Arkansas he is all about winning. He measured a little small at the combine, but I think he’s got enough ball skills and toughness. A Jamal Crawford type. Don’t know if he can be a playmaker at this level. He has an irrational confidence that can work both ways. You can’t deny his ability to create and make shots.

“He’s a little bit wild, but he’s got talent. He gets his own shot, he can really finish. Big-time scorer.”

Finch on Meleek Thomas

Bruce Thornton, 6–foot-2 senior guard, Ohio State

He’s tough, he competes, you can count on him, but his size is a concern. He’s not super athletic, but he competes, he makes shots. An undersized two guard, basically. The hope is he’s Javon Carter. Someone will take him in the second round. People question his ability to pressure the basketball. I just don’t know how dynamic he is athletically. You can’t underestimate his mental and physical toughness.

Milos Uzan, 6–foot-4 senior guard, Houston

I don’t think he played that well this year. The problem is he’s not a point guard, so he’s more of an undersized two. His confidence waivers sometimes. Good college player. G League guy. It’s hard for me to see him making it. He doesn’t have anything to hang his hat on. He’s not an elite defender, he’s not a big-time shooter, he’s not going to pick you apart. You wonder if he can play some point in the NBA, but I don’t see it. Not a sensational athlete. My question would be consistency of the shooting. There’s not one thing that he does at an extremely high level. He’s going to defend, he’s going to be tough. Really, really good kid, an everyday guy.

Henri Veesaar, 7-foot-1 junior center, North Carolina

I’m pretty high on him. He’s got good size, good hands, can really shoot it. He could be like a Robin Lopez. You want him to be a better rebounder and play with a little more toughness. His body has gotten better but it still needs a lot of work. He’s going to make it because he’s got size and he can shoot it. You worry about how does he handle good ball pressure out on the perimeter. Can he defend in space? I don’t consider him a real rim protector. Guarding on the perimeter is tough when you’re that big. You like him offensively, but I don’t see him being a high level starter. He’s an incredibly skilled seven-footer, and those are guys you take chances on. 

Keaton Wagler, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Illinois

Smart player, reads the defense as well as anyone. Shoots it off the bounce. His lack of athleticism could be an issue. He doesn’t have that vertical pop. It takes him five or six dribbles to get by a guy. He’s not going to have that time in the NBA. He’s got great size for a combo guard. Not overly athletic but he’s got the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hesitation stuff. I’m not sure there’s a more steady player in this draft. The question is, can he get by somebody? When people get into him fullcourt, he struggles a little bit. Physical contact doesn’t bother him. He had zero dunks this year. He’s not a fast twitch guy. 

“I’m not sure there’s a more steady player in this draft. The question is, can he get by somebody?”

Finch on Koa Peat

Tre White, 6-foot-7 senior guard, Kansas

He’s just Tre White. Good college basketball player. I don’t see how he makes it. He defends his balls off and makes open catch-and-shoot shots, but you ain’t ever putting the ball in his hands and saying go make a play. He was at a different school every year. I wouldn’t draft him but somebody might. Smart player, but what position is he? Where does he fit? With a little more ball skills, he has a chance.

Caleb Wilson, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, North Carolina

As high of an upside as any of the top four guys. His athleticism is off the charts. His passing is really good. The question is, can he get to be where he’s more than just a midrange shooter? I saw him on the ESPN pregame show and holy cow, he’s so well spoken. He can really run, jump, plays hard, can make a 15, 17-footer. Will he develop a three-point shot? I wonder about his lateral quickness, especially on defense. The only thing you wonder about is his outside shooting, but his free throw shooting was in the seventies (71.3) so his form is not terrible. He’s still pretty raw, but the things he does naturally are things that you just can’t teach. His shooting looks like it’s coming around a good bit in the predraft process, which is a great sign.