Jalen Brunson, Villanova
Big Board Rank: 38
Strengths: Jalen Brunson has been lighting the college basketball world on fire. Averaging 19 points and five assists on the year, he has been nothing short of excellent. Whether it’s a National Championship or a FIBA championship, Brunson has won everywhere since he’s been on the NBA radar.
His five assists really don’t do enough justice to just how smart Brunson is, how well he takes care of the basketball, and how he can run an offense so efficiently. However, the one turnover a game does.
What’s really helping Brunson this year offensively is almost shooting 50 percent from 3-point range. For a guy that was never considered to be an above average 3-point shooter this leap has been remarkable.
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Teams having to respect Brunson’s 3-ball is a game-changer. Since he isn’t a great athlete and doesn’t have any crazy speed, Brunson without a jumpshot would be a huge offensive liability.
Now, Brunson should be able to use his shiftiness and change of speed to attack closeouts, and get in the lane. His wide frame helps him finish contested layups at the rim, and his mid range pull up game is exceptional.
Weaknesses: One of the the biggest knocks on Jalen Brunson will be his age. It limits his already very low ceiling. Once he adjusts to the speed of the NBA game his play will probably stay at that level for 8-10 years.
His lack of speed is a question still even with the improved jumpshot. Mostly just on offense, will his change of pace and shiftiness be enough to create open looks for himself. It should be interesting to see how Brunson adjusts to playing with bigger point guards in the NBA. Right now he bullies a lot of his matchups and that won’t translate to the next level.
The combination of Brunson relying on his strength and his lack of speed also brings up the question of whether he can finish at the next level. He won’t be able to get in the lane nearly as much as he did in college. When he does get in the lane he won’t be able to overpower as many guys when he’s finishing at the rim.
Overall Outlook: Brunson’s athletic and physical limitations might hold him out of the first round. However, he’s one of those guys that you just feel safe about playing a long time in the league. Particularly in the backup point guard role where there’s a shortage of quality backups. Bank on Jalen Brunson’s proven track record as a winner, leader, and person while overlooking his athletic limitations.