Scottie Barnes

Draft Notes

Barnes is one of those players who can do it all on the basketball court. He’s listed as a small forward but he’s got the size to defend in the paint and the skills to initiate the offense. He spends most of his minutes running the point for FSU, showing off his elite passing vision and feel for the game.

Barnes is generally mocked in the top 10 of most mocks but we see him having even higher upside and a chance to break into the top 5.

Scottie is a competitor who gives great effort and plays the game the right way. Essentially he’s a 6-9 point guard who can guard 4 or 5 positions. Sign me up for that!

• Physical profile: length, strength, positional size and powerful build
• Competes on every possession and makes a lot of hustle plays
• Has a great feel for the game and flashes point guard skills
• Has an advanced understanding of the nuances of the game – impressive for such a young player
• Gets out in transition well – can fill in the wing or lead the fast break
• Has tons of defensive versatility and amazing footwork on the perimeter.
• Has enough strength to bang in the paint and uses his length to compete for rebounds
• Very agile and quick for a big forward. Has shown more athleticism and vertical pop than we saw in high school.
• Has quick hands and feet and can really defend in space – can lock down smaller players on the perimeter and can pick up full court
• Still working on his outside shot and needs to get more consistent from the FT line
• Even without the 3pt shot he’s a great player but if he adds this skill to his game he’ll be a complete nightmare to defend.

Why Scottie should go no.1

Comparisons

• stronger Nicolas Batum
• dare I say a poor man’s Magic Johnson??
• taller Draymond Green

Draft Projection

top 6 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft

2021 Small Forwards

1. Scottie Barnes – 6-9 – Florida State
2. Jonathan Kuminga – 6-7 – G League (Congo)
3. Jalen Johnson – 6-9 – Duke
4. Franz Wagner – 6-9 – Michigan (Germany)
5. Corey Kispert – 6-7 – Gonzaga
6. Trey Murphy III – 6-9 – Virginia
7. Vrenz Bleijenbergh – 6-10 – Belgium
8. Ziaire Williams – 6-9 – Stanford
9. Aaron Henry – 6-6 – Michigan State
10. Herb Jones – 6-8 – Alabama
11. Isaiah Livers – 6-7 – Michigan
12. Kessler Edwards – 6-8 – Pepperdine
13. Chris Smith – 6-9 – UCLA
14. Eugene Omoruyi – 6-6 – Oregon
15. Sam Hauser – 6-8 – Virginia
16. Trendon Watford – 6-8 – LSU
17. Derrick Alston Jr. – 6-9 – Boise State
18. Alex Antetokounmpo – 6-7 – USA  
19. Emmitt Mathews Jr. – 6-7 – West Virginia