NBA DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
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’s a competitor who gives great effort and plays the game the right way. Essentially he’s a 6-8 point guard who can guard 4 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
- 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.
Comparisons
- A point/forward version of Jabari Parker
- stronger Nicolas Batum
- dare I say a poor man’s Magic Johnson??
Draft Projection
lottery pick in the 2021 NBA Draft
Videos
2021 Small Forwards
- Jonathan Kuminga -6-7 – G League (Congo)
- Scottie Barnes – 6-8 – Florida State
- Ziaire Williams – 6-7 – Stanford
- Jalen Johnson – 6-8 – Duke
- Corey Kispert – 6-7 – Gonzaga
- Terrence Shannon Jr. – 6-7 – Texas Tech
- Jalen Wilson – 6-8 – Kansas
- Landers Nolley II – 6-7 – Memphis
- Keyontae Johnson – 6-5 – Florida
- Chris Smith – 6-9 – UCLA
- Trendon Watford – 6-8 – LSU
- Derrick Alston Jr. – 6-9 – Boise State
- Aaron Henry – 6-6 – Michigan State
- Samuell Williamson – 6-7 – Louisville
- Emmitt Mathews Jr. – 6-7 – West Virginia