Knicks Rumors: Five reasons to select Edmond Sumner in 2017 NBA Draft

2. Slashing Ability

The best way to describe Edmond Sumner’s offensive game is that he’s not afraid to take the ball into the teeth of the defense. Whether he’s throwing down an awe-inspiring dunk or using the backboard on the drive, Sumner has the potential to be a genuinely elite slashing scorer.

Sumner’s jump shot is a work in progress, at best, but the New York Knicks, like every other team, need a player who can consistently get to the rim.

The most impressive aspect of Sumner’s slashing ability is that he’s already using the glass. Most players go for a dunk or a finger roll, but Sumner has learned to embrace the value of the backboard when on the move.

That will not only enable Sumner to finish with efficiency, but diversify the looks that the Knicks are able to give him based on the angles he’s able to play.

In the video placed below, watch how Sumner gets to the rim from angles that reflect how he would be playing within the triangle offense:

Sumner’s ability to work the baseline, as well as his improving floater, should pay dividends as he works to improve his jump shot.

While many can finish, what makes Sumner so difficult to defend is the manner in which he gets to the basket. His strides are longer than the average NBA point guard’s, and he’s skilled enough with the ball to bust out a Euro Step and create a sense of misdirection.

That enabled Sumner to get to the charity stripe for averages of 7.7 and 7.9 free throw attempts per 40 minutes in 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively.

Much of this depends on how well Sumner recovers from the previously alluded to knee injury, but he ranks amongst the truly elite slashers in this draft class.