Butler Basketball: NBA Draft profile of scoring machine Kelan Martin

What others are saying

Here is a look at what some other writers or former players have said to me regarding Kelan Martin’s game and his draft prospects:

Avery Woodson, a former teammate of Martin at Butler: “Well, I feel like Kelan’s game can definitely translate to the NBA. He’s big and can really shoot the ball. He can score on all levels: inside, mid-range, or from three. He’s got an innate ability to score the ball and he’s a better defender than what he gets credit for. At his size, he’s able to disrupt and contest a lot of shots. He can also score off the ball screen, which is key at the next level. He’s a workaholic and loves to be in the gym. He’s working with Joey Burton, who is a basketball scientist, for his pre-draft so that definitely will help him going into the summer.”

Jimmy Lafakis, photographer/writer for the Butler Collegian: “I think Kelan has worked tirelessly to improve his game. He has added a new bag of tricks. This season, all of the work came to fruition. He is quite dedicated, never stops, and is always in the gym.”

Justin Hodges, NBA Draft writer at Def Pen: “Kelan Martin has the mind and the heart of a winner. Guys like him, though not the most talented, typically wind up becoming feel-good stories because they always find an NBA home. He has quick and effective ball handling and can be considered a sharpshooter at this stage. If he can slim down a bit and really show out in his NBA workouts, he should be selected somewhere in the 40s.”

Kerry Miller, college basketball writer at Bleacher Report: “Statistically speaking, Martin always kind of reminded me of Sean Kilpatrick. His shooting percentages weren’t that impressive, but he was a bucket getter on rosters that didn’t have many gifted scorers (aside from Dunham early in his career). As a result, he eclipsed 2,000 career points in college, in spite of efficiency metrics that left something to be desired. It is hard to imagine he’ll ever be a main piece on a title contender in the NBA, but he does seem like the type of guy who could have value over the course of an 82-game season as a 15 minutes per game reserve who carries the offense from time to time.