Possible NBA Draft target for Denver Nuggets — Desmond Bane
Wing | TCU | 6’6 | 215 lbs | 22 years old
Conversations revolving around who the draft’s best shooting prospect typically involves the likes of Vanderbilt wing Aaron Nesmith, who drilled 52.2 percent of his long-range bombs this year under a perimeter-minded coach in Jerry Stackhouse, or Villanova forward Saddiq Bey, who hit 45.1 percent of his looks beyond the arc in a pro-style offense under Jay Wright.
But these conversations often lack a player who may just have the strongest case as the draft’s top shooting prospect, with complementary playmaking, pick-and-roll creation, and intelligent team defense rounding out his stellar prospect profile.
That player is TCU senior Desmond Bane, the stocky 6’6 wing who has finally seen his name climb up draft boards as we approach the eleventh hour of the 2020 NBA Draft cycle. Bane’s jumper is as pure as one can be, if unconventional and more than a tad bit funky, manifesting in efficient conversion rates off the catch, off the bounce (92nd percentile), off the movement, and off screens (62nd percentile), with an extended track record and larger volume of attempts than the aforementioned two gunners.
Across four seasons at TCU, Bane nailed 43.3% of his 575 attempts from distance.
Desmond Bane has been shooting lights out but this specific play stood out quite a bit to me. As he decides to come out to get the ball, Chris Clarke tries denying so Bane reads that immediately and backdoors him to get a wide open free throw line jumper pic.twitter.com/JheUe4Xoc3
— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) January 23, 2020
More than that, he displays a keen understanding of how to weaponize his immense three-point gravity, both as on off-ball cutter/relocator and as a manipulative creator with the rock in his hands, drawing attention away from his teammates before throwing bullets and skips and other high-IQ passing reads that he has in his arsenal. Despite his billing as a shooter, Bane ranked in the 85th percentile in the pick-and-roll (scoring plus passing), indicating real upside as a secondary creator in the NBA.
His ability to use his shooting talents in more ways than just personally putting the ball in the basket is another feather in his cap, differentiating himself from the other heralded marksman of the class. The 22-year-old is much more than a shooter, seen in his senior year averages of 16.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals on .573 true shooting and an elite 9.8 Box Plus-Minus. His negative wingspan (6’4) does limit him on the defensive end, but he’s too strong and too smart, both on and off of the ball, for that to truly hurt him.
Few players possess the skill, intelligence, and know-how that Desmond Bane possesses, making him worthy of a top-20 selection in this year’s draft. He’s been steadily climbing up mocks into the first round and could very well be off the board by the time the Denver Nuggets are picking at No. 22, but he’d be a perfect complementary piece next to Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokić.
Players who know how to cut and relocate and use off-ball craft when playing off screens are vital for an offense centered on Jokić’s playmaking, and Bane is capable of all that and more.