NBA Draft: Ranking the top 5 seniors from the 2020 class
By John Nassif
Payton Pritchard, PG, Oregon
Season: 20.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.5 APG, 46.8 FG%, 41.5 3P%, 82.1 FT%
Career: 13.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 43.7 FG%, 37.9 3P%, 80.0 FT%
“Gym Rat,” “Coach’s Player,” “High-IQ Guy,” “Hustle Player,” insert more white-basketball player catchphrases; they all apply to Payton Pritchard (look no further than my comparison for him). Pritchard led the Ducks in high-pressured games for four years in Eugene.
As his experiences grew, so did his overall skill-set. He can be a knockdown shooter both off the dribble and off the catch to go with his improved passing ability. In addition to those attributes, his defensive intelligence and tenacity may be his best chance to get on an NBA roster.
He certainly won’t be a unit of change for a franchise, but any coach that has him on their roster will be appreciative.
Current NBA Comparison: TJ McConnell