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

West Virginia

Mile McBride –  6’2, 196 pounds – Sophomore

McBride has taken a statistical leap this year, bumping his scoring to 14.5 points per game on an improved 35% from deep. Compared to Gonzaga’s backcourt, McBride looked smaller than I anticipated.

McBride was a prolific pull-up shooter last season, and he drained two on Wednesday. At times though, McBride settled for a jumper when he had a path to the rim. His free throw rate has declined from 33 to 25 and he attempted zero against the Zags. He did hit an off-movement three which was positive to see.

Offensively, McBride still needs to expand as a playmaker. His passing is fairly average right now. He finished with five assists, but on a second watch, several of those were basic post feeds. Getting more rim attempts should open up shooters, which is the next step in his development as a playmaker.

McBride is still a plus defender on and off the ball. He’s got a plus wingspan and knows where to rotate on defense. It’s his most translatable skill at this point.

While I am intrigued by McBride, he’s still a second-round prospect in my eyes. His 10 point, 4-14 game against the Bulldogs was fine, but he always leaves me wanting a little more.

Oscar Tshiebwe – 6’9, 258 pounds- Sophomore

Tshiebwe is as big in person as he looks on film. He was limited to just 21 minutes with foul trouble yet still ended up with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Tshiebwe made his presence felt defensively, stifling Gonzaga big Drew Timme. Timme got going in the second half, but Tshiebwe won the majority of the battles against Timme on the block.

I also came away impressed with Tshiebwe’s movement skills. It’s an impressive feat for someone of his size to run and stop the way he does. He’s a solid yet unspectacular leaper which may hinder him as a rim protector.

Offensively, Tshiebwe impressed me with some hook shots and finishes. He’s not a guy who you feed in the post and use as an offensive hub, but he will get points from dump-offs and rebounds.

However, Tshiebwe has a long way to go to become an average offensive big. His feel for the game is pretty low and it shows in his passing (or lack thereof). He has a hard time recognizing when teammates and cutters are open off of double teams. He’s yet to have an assist in four games this season.

For Tshiebwe to be an impactful NBA player, he’ll have to fit the mold of an energy big. He’ll rebound and defend at that level but the offense has a long way to go. I haven’t quite ranked this draft class out to 60 yet, so there’s a chance I pop him in the late second round. That being said, I’m not overly enthused.