NBA Draft 2021: Evaluating how different team context’s affected NBA prospects

Gonzaga Bulldogs

Not all college team contexts are bad for prospects. In fact, Gonzaga’s magical season was in large part due to all three of their NBA prospects (Jalen Suggs, Corey Kispert, and Joel Ayayi) were put in positions to optimize their skills. Suggs excels attacking downhill and in transition, and Gonzaga put him in position to do so, playing at the 20th fastest pace in the country.

In the half-court, Suggs lacks elite burst and handle to blow by guys, so Mark Few simplified things for him. Their ball-screen heavy offense allowed Suggs to attack angles, and make reads to open players. Suggs finished 127 as the ballhandler in pick-and-roll and just 17 in isolation, a low number compared to other point guard prospects.

Their spacing was so good because of the players around Suggs. Kispert, one of the best shooters in this class, spent time on the wing, either drawing defenders to him, knocking down open shots, or attacking closeouts. Kispert shot a nutty 44% on six attempts per game from deep. But Kispert also showed off his intermediate game, shooting 75% at the rim. The spacing allowed him to attack the advantages created in the pick-and-rolls.

Then, there’s Joel Ayayi who was able to showcase his multifaceted game by doing a bit of everything. He’s one of the best cutters in this class, and he used all the space in the halfcourt to his advantage. He also showed his ability to navigate ball screens and shot a career-high 38% from deep.

As a result, all three players saw their respective draft stocks take a leap. Suggs is a definite top-five pick, Kispert has a shot at the lottery, and Ayayi looks like a first-round caliber player. This year’s Gonzaga team was the perfect mix of talented players, who were put in the right position to succeed on the court and it ended positively with the Bulldogs reaching the national championship.

It’s fair to wonder if the lack of isolation attempts and being asked to do a bit less hurt Suggs’ development, as those reps will only become harder at the next level, but in the short term, it boosted his status.