NBA Draft 2021: Player breakdowns from Jimmy V. Classic doubleheader

Four teams with plenty of NBA Draft prospects took part in the Jimmy V Classic. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance and have plenty of thoughts.

Scouting in person during a pandemic is certainly a luxury. Watching games on film is useful, but in person, you get a better sense of how big a player really is, how well they move, and how they interact with teammates and coaches.

Wednesday night’s games, featuring No. 1 Gonzaga, No. 2 Baylor, No. 5 Illinois, and No. 11 West Virginia, were hard-nosed and competitive. Some players had stock-boosting performances, while others struggled. Let’s dive into all the NBA prospects involves, starting with Mark Few’s bunch.

Gonzaga

Jalen Suggs – 6’4, 205 lbs – Freshman

After a blazing start in Florida last week, Suggs was the clear top prospect in the event. It was his worst collegiate game (albeit of three) thus far, but Suggs still flashed the tools that make him a surefire lottery pick. Early in the first half, he came off a dribble-handoff and powered through Miles McBride for a finish, showing his strength, body contortion, and touch.

Suggs later rolled his ankle and was in obvious pain on the sideline. But he shrugged it off and ended up returning, showcasing how tough and competitive he is. Even hobbled, Suggs made some brilliant passes. The former star high school quarterback uses some of those football skills to read defenses. On the pick-and-roll he knows exactly how to manipulate a help defender.

Suggs was super impactful on defense. He pressures the ball-handler and knows where to be in the help. When he was guarding Mountaineer guard Jordan McCabe, I frankly felt bad for McCabe. Suggs rebounds well for a guard with his leaping ability and timing.

Suggs finished with just four points and was 0-1 from three in 26 minutes, but even on an off night he was quite impressive and showed the potential of a top ten prospect.

Corey Kispert – 6’7, 220 lbs – Senior

Kispert continued his senior campaign with a quality outing on Wednesday. He’s always been a knockdown shooter, making two of his four attempts from deep against West Virginia. Kispert is 9/20 from three on the season.

Kispert has shown improvement as finisher and playmaker this season. Gonzaga’s fast pace offense allows him to get in transition and convert. He makes up for a lack of elite athleticism with good craftiness and touch around the rim.

Kispert has always been a quality defender. He closes out to shooters exceptionally well, and rarely gets beat off the dribble. He was vocal on defense as a help defender. He finished with 19 points and five rebounds Wednesday.

The NBA clearly values shooting. Jordan Poole went 28 to the Warriors two drafts ago, and the Knicks took Immanuel Quickly at 25 last month. Kispert is bigger than both of those guys and has better ancillary skills, making him a safe bet to be a first-round player. Kispert’s decision to return to school should not only help his draft stock, but it gives the Zags a consistent scorer and veteran presence.

Joel Ayayi – 6’5, 180 lbs – Junior

Admittedly, I’m not totally sure what to make of Ayayi as a prospect. One thing I am confident in is that the France native is a flat-out good basketball player. He did a little bit of everything Wednesday, tallying 21 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

Ayayi’s length is noticeable in person, but he still lacks strength. It’s early, but Ayayi is just 2-9 from three. His release is a tad slow and mechanical. Ayayi is a decent finisher. He made a few floaters in Indy. Defensively, Ayayi was active in the passing lanes for steals. Gonzaga is able to succeed in transition in large part due to the defense of Ayayi and Suggs.

At the NBA level, I’m still unsure what his exact role may be. He demonstrated some ability to create, but can’t be the engine for an offense. He’s a smart player off the ball, but the lack of a jumper inhibits his upside there. If he adds strength, Ayayi could be a multi-positional defender. I enjoy Ayayi as a player and think he’s certainly draftable, but at this stage, he’s not somebody I would use a round one selection on.