March is prime scouting season for fans and front offices of NBA teams like the New York Knicks. The NCAA tournament presents ample opportunity to watch and critique the best draft prospects each year. Players rise and fall on the proverbial draft board throughout the three-week tournament, and this year will be no different, even if the outside world and some of the logistical circumstances surrounding the event are.
With Kentucky missing the tournament, the Knicks front office will have to do the unthinkable and look at other colleges and universities when scouting draft prospects over the next month. The 2021 draft class is considered strong and there are several players worth watching during the NCAA tournament.
There will be much focus on Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, USC’s Evan Mobley, and Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs, and these players will likely be out of the Knicks draft range, barring a late-season collapse, a lottery miracle, or crazy trade. As noted above, though, that does not mean the Knicks are screwed.
There are oodles of high-quality players in this draft that could help New York immediately and propel the franchise closer toward consistent success. Let’s not forget that Immanuel Quickley was the 25th overall pick this year. Other under-the-radar 2020 picks, such as Tyrese Halliburton (12th overall), Tyrese Maxey (21st overall), and Saddiq Bey (19th overall) have already outperformed those picked at the very top of the draft, save for LaMelo Ball.
It is realistic to expect both of the Knicks’ first-round picks this year to fall within the late lottery-early 20s range. With that in mind, today we will go over three intriguing but slightly under-the-radar guard prospects playing in the upcoming NCAA tournament and project them onto the Knicks’ roster.
Knicks Draft: A Lights Out, Thibs friendly 3-and-D guy
Eric Musselman’s Arkansas squad is the 3 seed in this year’s “South” region, and freshman Moses Moody is their leading scorer at 17.4 ppg.
Moody is a Little Rock, Arkansas native and stands at 6’6’. He attended High School at Montverde Academy in Central Florida. Other alumni of Montverde include RJ Barrett, Joel Embiid, D’Angelo Russell, to name just a few.
Every Moody scouting report talks about his shooting ability. He can knock down shots just about anywhere on the floor, at any time; whether it’s by way of crafty, methodical dribble moves or active off-ball movement. He can drain shots in half-court sets and in transition and does so with poise and assuredness.
Though his 38% from 3 on 5.2 attempts per game is not eye-popping, there is a smoothness and fearlessness to Moody’s offensive game that suggests he can and will build on those numbers in the pros.
He’s not Allen Iverson or Kyrie Irving with the ball in his hands, but he has an assortment of simple moves to get himself open with the ball and score.
In fact, watching Moody can definitely bring to mind the likes of Immanuel Quickley; though Moody is 3 inches taller. On top of the shooting ability and simple dribble/scoring move proficiency, Moody mirrors Quickley in his ability to get to the foul line. Moody shoots 6 free throws a game on 82%, always a good indication of future NBA success.
The Knicks now exist within the world of Tom Thibodeau, and in that world, no amount of offensive ability can substitute or make up for defense. Luckily, Moody is a solid perimeter defender. Musselman has often tasked Moody with defending opposing teams’ best guards and wings. Some websites list Moody as having a 7’0’ wingspan, and he uses that length, mixed with solid footwork, to slow his opponents down.
Moody also uses his length well in rebounding situations, averaging just over two offensive rebounds a game and six total.
As for weaknesses, the most glaring is probably the fact that Moody plays much smaller than 6’6 on offense. He sorely lacks the athleticism of 6’6’ NBA stars like Jaylen Brown, Zach Lavine, and RJ Barrett (not to mention Zion Williamson!) and relies heavily on the aforementioned dribble and off-ball moves that can be time-consuming, especially when one thinks about the NBA shot clock and the brisk pace of the modern game. This probably limits his star potential.
All in all, Moody is a hard-working, gritty player that would fit in well with Thibs and his scheme. He would also immediately check off a need for 3 point shooting.
Knicks Draft: Scoring Guard who Brings to Mind Kobe Bryant
Cameron “Cam” Thomas is a high-volume scorer on Will Wade’s 8th seeded LSU squad. He is averaging 22.6 ppg on 41 percent shooting.
His purple and gold #24 jersey naturally brings to mind Kobe Bryant, though I’d say Thomas more fits the mold of other recent star college scorers like Buddy Hield, Jimmer Fredette, and Trae Young. In fact, Thomas’s 6’4’, 210-pound frame matches Hield’s virtually on the number.
Given that he shoots the ball 17 times a game, Thomas is clearly not afraid to let fly. He also takes seven 3-pointers a game. He is capable of making difficult, contested shots. His shooting motion is funky but effective; he rises high off the ground, often a head above his defender, and delivers the ball up high with awkward, flexing elbows. It is easy to imagine scouts and front offices picking this apart, but, to my eye, poor shot selection and decision-making have more to do with his lackluster shooting efficiency than does his pure jump shot.
One should expect Thomas to be a particularly polarizing prospect, especially if he performs well during the tournament and moves up some boards. There will be those who view his eclectic scoring skill and pure point totals (He leads the SEC in scoring, as well as all national freshman) and see a potential all-star. However, there will be those who are turned off by Thomas’s iso heavy gunslinging and total absence of playmaking.
A player like Thomas would really benefit from a lengthy tournament run, as it would silence potential criticism about his playing style’s potential impact on winning at the highest levels.
It is undeniable that Cam Thomas has some of the highest upside in the entire draft, but he would not be without risk. For the Knicks to take a player like Thomas they would be buying into the idea that Thibs could unlock his All-Star potential and fix the bad habits.
LSU will play 9th seeded St. Bonaventure in the “East Region” on Saturday.
Knicks Draft: A Late Bloomer with Pure Point Potential
Junior Ayo Dosunmu was perhaps the breakout star of College Basketball during the 2020-2021 season; just as his one-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini were the breakout team.
Standing at 6’5’, Dosunmu, an AP First Team All American, is an all-around point guard with an impressive 2020-2021 stat line; he’s averaging 21 points per game with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
Dosunmu can score in a variety of ways. He is a 39 percent three-point shooter with nifty dribbling moves and footwork.
As good as his scoring is, though, it is Dosunmu’s old school, pure point-guard skills that intrigue me most. He is always under control with the ball in his hands and can control the pace of a game. His instincts are strong: he has a sense of when to create for his teammates and when to score. These are increasingly rare skills in the NBA.
Dosunmu is a textbook example of a prospect being patient and not leaping into the NBA too soon. He could have entered the 2019 and 2020 drafts and likely would have been taken in the late first or early second rounds. Now, thanks to his steady improvement, he is a possible lottery pick.
Dosunmu would almost certainly be at least a top 5 if not for some athletic liabilities. He plays small at 6’5’, 200 pounds, and could be pushed around by physical guards in the NBA. He is also not quite the pure passer that top prospects Cade Cunningham and Jalen Suggs are.
All in all, though, Dosunmu is a Thibs friendly player with the potential to run a successful offense in the NBA. The Knicks will only be able to get him if the Bulls do not first, though, as Dosunmu is a Chicago area lifer and fills a need for that franchise.