NBA Draft 2023: December scouting notes on Judah Mintz, Arthur Kaluma and others
Creighton @ Marquette: Friday, December 16th
Arthur Kaluma – Creighton – 6’7, 220 lbs – March 2002
The biggest name prospect in the game, I haven’t loved Kaluma on film this year so I was excited to get an up-close look.
Kaluma has a good frame, standing at 6 ‘7 with good muscle mass and a plus wingspan (+3 to 5 would be my guess). He didn’t shoot great in warm-ups and has a long load time on his jumpers, which allows defenses to get better closeouts. He has creative footwork as a driver and had some buckets off of jabs and step-throughs. He doesn’t have burst as a driver but when he plays in transition or out of the dunker spot, the game comes much easier to him. He missed all three of his three-point attempts.
There is a lot to like with Kaluma given the body and flashes he shows. I wish he was more active as a defender and on the glass, and the advanced analytics support that. He had two rebounds at one point late in the second half, recorded no steals or blocks, and has a low box +/- for the second straight season. Projecting him as a first-rounder required a ton of development in year two, which he just hasn’t hit yet. I think he’s a second-rounder worth giving a two-way to and do believe he can find his way to an NBA rotation eventually, it just might take more time than we realized.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper – Marquette – 6’8, 218 lbs – July 2002
O-Max was really good in the first game I saw from him this season and I thought he continued that upward trend on Friday. Unlike Kaluma, I don’t have to question his effort. He rebounded well and was comfortable guarding a few positions.
Offensively, Prosper is best getting downhill. When the defense is shifted, he’s really good at finding a gap off the catch and using his stride length to get to the rim. He showed he’s a capable shooter, hitting two threes (although his season totals would suggest there’s still room to improve on that end). He’s a good athlete with a frame that should add some muscle mass, but added core strength could help with his body control. He falls over a bit frequently and is off-balance on some of his finishes.
Maxence-Prosper wasn’t really on my radar entering the season as a 2023 prospect but he’s played really well both times I have gone to see him. He’s a better player than Kaluma right now (though I think Kaluma has more room to grow) and he’s someone I’d consider giving a two-way too, hovering around my top 60. I’m not exactly sure what his NBA role would be or what his bankable skill is to get on the court as a rookie, but there’s enough to work with to keep me interested.