2016 NBA Draft: Will Marquese Chriss be a ‘stud’ or ‘dud’?
By John Sill
Marquese Chriss is being labeled as the ultimate ‘boom-or-bust’ 2016 NBA Draft pick.
With loads of potential and athleticism, Washington’s Marquese Chriss could be a lottery selection on draft day in New York. But with a lot of unknowns expected to be on the board following the top 5-to-10 selections, Chriss could fall as far as late first round and ultimately start his professional career in the D-League.
Related Story: Is Dejounte Murray ready for the next level?
Chriss averaged 13.7 points per game, 5.4 rebounds per game and shot 53 percent from the field in his lone season at Washington.
Chriss, like his teammate Dejounte Murray, was not projected to be a one year prospect. He only had two offers (Vanderbilt and Washington) coming out of Pleasant Grove High School and was labeled as the 60th best prospect in the class of 2015.
School: Washington Position: PF
Age at NBA Draft: 18
Height: 6’9” Weight: 235 lbs
Projected Range: Middle of Lottery
High End Projection: 8th
Low End Projection: 20th
Player Comparison: Jeff Green/Rudy Gay
Draft Status: Declared, signed with agent Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports Agency – the same sports agency that represents Kobe Bryant and James Harden.
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Player Profile: Marquese Chriss is a little undersized for the power forward position, but could still grow a little bit given his age. His wingspan is over seven feet long and he averaged 1.6 blocks per game, while averaging about 25 minutes per outing during his freshman season.
Chriss showed athleticism and efficiency on the offensive end.
Along with his teammate Murray, Chriss will leave for the NBA after his lone season playing for Washington.
Chriss was able to produce effectively in limited minutes, but foul troubles were commonplace as he consistently gambled for game-changing blocks.
However, he is still a young and raw prospect and has room to grow both physically and mentally. Several articles have labeled Chriss as a ‘boom-or-bust’ prospect ahead of the NBA Draft lottery.
In addition, there have been several suggestions that Chriss may move down to the small forward position.
Team Fit: Chriss is not likely to be a reliable impact player right off the bat. Given his raw talent, but young age, a team will likely draft him in hopes of hitting the jackpot a few years down the road. He is an interesting talent that can block shots and is capable of stretching the floor.
As a player with a long wingspan that plays great defense, Chriss would fit perfectly with the young squad in Milwaukee. With head coach Jason Kidd talking about moving Giannis Antetokounmpo to point guard, Jabari Parker could move down to small forward and there would be room for a long-armed defender like Chriss at power forward.
In addition, this team could use some extra 3-point shooting. While he may not serve as a prolific stretch four, Chriss has the ability to hit some outside shots and defenses would at least have to respect that.
Next: 2016 NBA Draft: Potential second round steals
The Bucks are a growing franchise full of potential and Marquese Chriss seems like he would fit right in.