NBA Draft 2022: Evaulating key prospects after first month of season

Throughout the course of the college basketball season, I’ll be on the road scouting games and putting out NBA Draft notes and reports from those games. Over the past month, I’ve been at Florida State-Purdue, Iowa-Purdue, Arizona-Illinois, and Alabama-Memphis. Let’s dive into what I saw.

*all measurements from basketball reference

Purdue

Jaden Ivey – Sophomore – Purdue – 6’4, 200 lbs – February 2002

I watched Ivey live in January of last year, in March at the Big Ten Tournament, and a few weeks ago in games against Florida State and Iowa, and each time he got noticeably better. One of the biggest concerns about Ivey entering the season was his shooting, but he’s quieted that a bit by starting the year at 39% from deep. Though, I don’t think the percentage is indicative of his shooting ability. His release point looks higher up in person and he was consistently hitting shots in warm-ups. He also takes some tough shots that he likely won’t be asked to take at the next level.

The athletic tools are evident. Ivey has clearly bulked up and has elite speed going north to south. His handle isn’t great, but he wins with his change of pace and direction. He’s a plus leaper, showing off some impressive finishes with elite body control. Ivey uses those tools on defense as well, nabbing five steals in the two games I saw.

I’d like to see Ivey do more in the half-court, but Purdue’s offense is also centered around their big men. He’s a terrific cutter, which bodes well for his off-ball projection. On the ball, Purdue rarely puts him in pick-and-roll scenarios. His passing has improved, but he tends to only see the reads in front of him. Even so, he generates enough rim pressure that making those easy reads gives him a viable pathway as a playmaker.

The lack of on-ball success when the game is slowed down is what currently has me hesitating on Ivey a bit. But the continued improvement, belief in the jumper, and athletic tools left me feeling positive about him. With Jaden Hardy and TyTy Washington struggling thus far, Ivey is clearly the best guard in the class.

Zach Edey – Sophomore – Purdue – 7’4, 285 lbs – May 2002

Edey has been undeniably productive thus far, averaging just under 15 points per game in 17 minutes. He had a strong outing against a taller Florida State team but struggled to find a groove against Iowa.

Edey projects as a situational backup center. A late-bloomer, his touch, and footwork around the rim have clearly improved. He defends the rim when actions come at him, but his lack of lateral movement makes it hard to be an elite rim protector. Edey isn’t quite as skilled as Boban Marjonavic, but he continues to develop and is further along than Tacko Fall. I don’t know if I’d draft a spot-minutes big man, but his size makes him somewhat interesting as a two-way contract player.

Trevion Williams – Senior – Purdue 6’10, 265 lbs – September 2000

Having tracked Williams since high school, his body transformation and skill development over his four years at Purdue have been incredibly impressive. He’s one of the best passing bigs in the country, possessing innate timing of where cutters should be to bend the defense, and delivering those passes with velocity.

Williams has good footwork and soft touch at the rim. He did hit a three in the Iowa game but is not someone I project to be a shooter at the next level. Williams’ lack of leaping ability diminishes his projection as a lob threat. He does have a good handle for a big, but outside of short roll situations, I’m not sure how functional it really is.

My biggest concerns stem from the defensive end. He’s a bit undersized for an NBA center (I don’t totally buy he’s 6’10) and is not a rim protector or multi-positional, switchy defender. An ideal fit next to Williams would be a front-court player who can protect the rim and shoot threes at a respectable level and there are not too many of those players floating around.

Williams is an incredibly fun and very good player, with impressive intel on his background and character. The passing ability certainly translates, but my other issues outweigh that. He could be a very good G-League or European league big. Given his continued development and positive nature, I think he’d be a good gamble as an undrafted free agent or late-second round pick, but I have a hard time seeing him stick in the NBA.