Nassir Little, F, North Carolina
Similarly to Reddish, Nassir Little came into his freshman year with high expectations that he struggled to meet. Instead of leading the Tar Heels, he came off the bench and took a back seat to fellow freshman Coby White, who may well be taken ahead of him on draft night.
Despite this, Little still holds plenty of intrigue for NBA scouts and executives. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that he may be better suited to the NBA’s pace and style of play.
He should have an immediate impact as an individual on-ball defender, with a combination of length (7-foot-1 wingspan), strength and lateral quickness. Offensively, he is an effective cutter and finisher at the rim, and his athletic ability should make him a natural threat in the pick-and-roll and in transition.
Unfortunately, those strengths he displayed in the NCAA were partnered by some sizeable weaknesses. He frustrated UNC fans to no end, showing glimpses of his star potential only to find himself back on the bench after regular lapses. While he seemed to learn as the year progressed, he often looked lost on both ends of the floor and struggled to fully utilize his physical gifts.
The other big concern is Little’s perimeter shooting. He hit just 26.9 percent of his shots from the shorter 3-point line, a worryingly low number for a player that will likely be a wing in the NBA. While his free throw shooting (77.0 percent) is a promising sign of future improvement, his shot will be a key to his success.
Where could he land?
Minnesota would be a mutually beneficial spot for Little – they could use some more defensive grit on the wing, and Robert Covington is the ideal mentor for a defensive prospect struggling with his shot. At the tail end of the lottery, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics will have playoff aspirations and could use some added wing depth, with less pressure on Little to lead immediately.