2019 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Golden State to select with 28th pick

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 14: Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers dribbles the ball against the Missouri Tigers during the second round of the SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 14, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – APRIL 08: Ty Jerome #11 of the Virginia Cavaliers celebrates the play against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half during the 2019 NCAA men’s Final Four National Championship game at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

2. Ty Jerome, 6-5 guard, Virginia

Virginia’s Ty Jerome is unquestionably not a name that would generate a ton of buzz on draft night or on social media whenever he’s selected. He’s far from a sexy pick for any team, as he lacks plus-athleticism or average length as a 6-5 combo-guard in the NBA, and fans certainly aren’t going to fawn over a player coming from Tony Bennett’s strict, slow-it-down style of collegiate basketball.

No matter. What Jerome loses in flash he makes up for in substance, as he projects to be a legit backup guard and secondary/tertiary bench playmaker because of his offensive IQ, great floor vision, disciplined offensive attack and great off-movement shooting.

Although he almost exclusively played point at Virginia, he’d be competent enough to play both the ‘1’ and the ‘2’ off the bench with Golden State — he improved drastically as a passer through his three years with the Hoos, finishing his junior campaign with an elite 3.31 assist-to-turnover ratio, and he boasted an efficient 39.2 three-point percentage as a junior as well. To give a better picture of his strength as a shooter from deep: As a junior, Jerome canned 40.58 percent of his NBA-length 3’s (56/138) according to The Stepien’s shot charts, and finished in the 99th percentile on spot-ups, 76th percentile off screens, and 97th percentile on catch-and-shoot jumpers (48.2 percent, 1.445 PPP) according to Synergy. That is quite good, and makes him a great fit in Kerr’s system.

The lack of length (6-4 wingspan), strength, and athleticism as a guard isn’t ideal, as he’ll be limited as both a defender (ability to keep up with quicker guards or stronger wings) and offensive player (particularly finishing around the basket — he often settled for awkward floaters in order to avoid contact), but his polished skill set as a smart role player should still hold value at the next level, albeit with a greater emphasis on team fit. Golden State stands as a great landing spot for him, and if they wish to add a guard who can move the ball, shoot it from deep, and defend at a competent level, then Ty Jerome is a solid option at No. 28.

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