BYU Basketball: 2020 NBA Draft profile for forward Yoeli Childs

Strengths

Childs is built like an NBA player, coming in at a chiseled 6’8 and 225 pounds. He has the bulk and physicality to play not only as a small-ball four but as a center in certain lineups as well.

Childs proved a capable scorer in the paint at BYU, scoring at elite rates in the post-up game and out in transition, according to Synergy. While he may struggle to score in the paint against bigger, stronger NBA big men, he has the skills to be utilized like that if necessary.

However – Childs’ biggest asset to NBA scouts is his outside shooting. The big man knocked down an absurd 48.9% of his three-point attempts his senior season, on about 2.4 attempts per contest. He was heavily utilized in the pick and roll and proved capable of stepping out and knocking down a three or rolling to the basket and finishing around the rim.

In today’s pick and roll heavy NBA, his ability to set high screens and score on the roll or off a jumper is crucial, and will make him a rosterable NBA talent – especially when you factor in his overall athleticism, extremely high motor, and high basketball IQ.

Weaknesses

While Childs can jump out of a gym and is built like an NBA player, he does lack the lateral mobility necessary to play defense out on the perimeter – an absolute necessity if he is going to stay on the court as a small-ball four.

His perimeter defense will be a problem, and there’s reason to worry his lack of height will limit him as a post defender as well. He’s never been much of a shot-blocker and without a super long wingspan, he seems destined to be a liability on the defensive end of the floor no matter how he is utilized.

Additionally, while he was a great three-point shooter his final season at BYU, his overall mark from beyond the arc prior to that season was just 31.5% (on just 1.5 attempts per game). Certainly, it’s possible he worked hard to improve that area of his game, but with just a 53.8 free throw percentage his senior year, and 63.6% over four years, there’s reason to be skeptical about his overall offensive output away from the basket.

Considering his ball-handling skills are average at best, his ability to contribute to an NBA offense is heavily tied to his ability to knock down spot-up threes. If he can’t do that at a well above average rate, he won’t last in the league.

Lastly, Childs is old for an NBA draft prospect, and there’s reason to doubt his ability to improve much from what we have already seen from him. NBA teams often like to use second-round picks on young, projectable players – and Childs absolutely does not fit that bill.

That doesn’t mean he won’t find a job, but it does make him more likely to fall out of the draft entirely and get picked up as a free agent.