2019 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Boston Celtics to select with 22nd pick

3. Shamorie Ponds, 6-1 guard – St. John’s

Considered an early-second rounder by many mainstream publications, Shamorie Ponds does possess equity as a draftable point guard late in the first round with his crafty ball-handling, pull-up shooting, impressive hand-eye coordination and competent playmaking abilities. He’s rather small at the position (6-1, 6-4, 180 pounds), but his skill level and shiftiness off the dribble make him an intriguing option as a potential backup point guard in the NBA, with some marginal potential for more, depending on just how well he shoots it.

As the offensive hub and high-usage star (career 27.7 USG%) for St. John’s, Ponds was regularly tasked with operating as the offense’s main facilitator and scorer, thus carrying a heavy workload that led to a high volume of shots and some questionable decision-making as a result. Ponds is a routine victim of shaky shot selection, often settling for pull-ups and step-backs if he doesn’t like how the offense is moving (which was seen during his two scrimmage appearances at the NBA Draft Combine). Some of this does have to do with his large workload and the talent surrounding him, but he certainly needs to improve his shot selection at the next level.

Whenever he wasn’t settling on offense, Ponds flashed some dynamic dribble moves that allowed him to create separation for pull-ups and drives to the basket, getting to his preferred shooting spots with his quickness and agility. He’s not the fastest point guard, but he utilizes what athleticism he has well. Through three years in college, Ponds sported averages of 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals on 43.6 percent shooting from the field, 32.8 percent shooting from downtown and 84 percent shooting from the line. Given his touch and great free throw shooting, his shot is one that can be trusted, and his role in the NBA shouldn’t ask him to serve as the only self-creator and scorer on offense, which will aid his efficiency.

He’s a competent facilitator as well, posting a solid 1.98 career assist-to-turnover ratio despite carrying a significant offensive load with average talent around him. His vision and talent as a passer isn’t special, but it’s enough so that he’s viable enough in a team setting so that he won’t be a black hole whenever he’s on the court.

Ponds is only going to a be a one-position defender due to his size and wingspan, but his quick hands and coordination (elite career 3.7 STL%), as well as his competitiveness and activity, should help him be a so-so defender at the next level, at least not an outright bad defender.

Ponds isn’t a perfect guard prospect, hence his second-round projection by mainstream media. Athletic and physical limitations do suppress his value and potential as a player, since it hurts his ability to defend against larger/faster players and hinders his ability to get to the rim and finish against length/strength on offense. His projection as a playmaker for himself and others is shaky as well, depending on how much weights the obvious skill level against his tendency to settle for errant shots from the perimeter. There’s a lot of nuance to his game, which is why media members and scouts have his range anywhere from the 20s to the 40s.

Finding a good team fit would aid his transition to the next level, and Boston — who brought him in for a workout last year and is slated to bring him in for another this time around — would be a solid fit given how Brad Stevens utilizes his scoring guards. Stevens likes to run his guards through screens both on- and 0ff-ball, and likes to use dribble handoffs quite often between Al Horford and the likes of Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas.

Ponds excelled scoring out of the pick-and-roll (89th percentile), isolation sets (93rd percentile), spot-ups (76th percentile), and hand-offs (97th percentile) this past season, showcasing his ability as a shooter off the dribble (81st percentile) and off the catch (91st percentile) thus making himself an attractive scoring guard for the Celtics. He fits what they want out of a scoring point guard, and if the Celtics believe that he’s the best available player when they’re on the clock at No. 22, then it wouldn’t be unreasonable to slightly reach for the talented guard who projects as a solid fit schematically with Boston.