3. Nassir Little
Though he hasn’t seen the same minutes as the other top recruits in his class, NassirLittle has shown a lot of promise in the time that he has earned out on the court. With a big body and long wingspan (listed at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds and a 7-foot-2 wingspan), along with impressive athleticism, Little slots in to be one of the better two-way players in this year’s draft.
More than that, the freshman has shown the passion to be a good defensive player, which is often the most important factor for determining who will be a good defender in the NBA.
Combined with his incredible athleticism, Little could be a real addition to a Knicks team that is sorely lacking in defense and overall athleticism.
However, don’t expect Little to help our perimeter shooting woes straight away. While Little does not have a terrible motion, he is clearly not as comfortable shooting as he is slashing, and his percentages show why: 25 percent from three-point range on less than 2.0 a game, most of his 10.6 points per game coming from in and around the hoop.
With every team looking to increase their three-point percentages (New York Knicks currently sit at 20th in the league in terms of team percentage at 34.5 percent), Little will have to grow more confident in his shot to become the two-way star he has the potential to be.
Grade: B+