5. Nico Mannion – Arizona
Nico Mannion isn’t an explosive athlete, but the guy just knows how to play basketball.
Mannion doesn’t do anything that will blow you away, but he does a lot of things well, even against good competition. His most polished abilities are as a passer and his overall understanding of playing the position.
Mannion boasts a high basketball IQ and never appears to be rattled by the moment. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought he was a senior at Arizona based on his ability to command the offense and get everyone in the right spot. In that regard, he is truly beyond his years.
What he lacks in explosiveness as an athlete he makes up for with his change of pace and ability to anticipate well as a passer once he’s able to beat his man. His expertise in reading the defense is really showcased in the pick and roll game, where he is able to manipulate the defense and often gets a good shot for either himself or a teammate based on how the defense decides to play it.
That lack of explosiveness can be an issue for him in isolation situations, though, where he can struggle to create his own shot, especially when matched up against an athletic defender.
On defense, Mannion is a willing defender but limited in his versatility. At 6-foot-3 he’s not undersized, but he has a negative wingspan and his physical profile doesn’t lend itself to being able to guard multiple positions. In a modern NBA that switches heavily, Mannion can be targeted by opposing offenses.
Mannion will have to make his living in the NBA as a floor general. I see him as a reliable back up point guard who, if he can find more consistency in his jump shot (39% FG, 32.7% 3PT) could possibly develop into a back end starter down the road if he’s in a situation where he doesn’t have to shoulder the scoring burden.