Memphis Grizzlies Draft Preview

With the 4th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select…

The Memphis Grizzlies have the 4th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, June 21. With this pick, I have the Grizzlies selecting forward Marvin Bagley III. out of Duke University.

Pros:

A 6′ 11″ tall lefty, Bagley is abnormally agile, quick, and fluid for his height. His athleticism is capped off by having a great vertical, helping him play above the rim and get put-back dunks. Bagley is a polished scorer in the post with an array of hooks and fade away jumpers. With his skills and leaping ability, Bagley can be dominant in the pick-and-roll game. He is also a pretty good ball handler for his size and can help push the tempo on offense.

Bagley has shown glimpses of a solid three point shot (39.7% in his one year in college) to go along with his good mid-range game. Bagley’s motor is possibly the best in the draft and he plays hard 100% of the time. Coach K has repeatedly praised Bagley’s attitude during his one year stint at Duke.

Bagley led a very strong Duke team in scoring last year with 21 points per-game on 61.4% shooting. He also led the team in rebounding with 11.1 per-game. Offensively, he’s probably the best big man in the draft.

Cons:

While Bagley’s left hand is lethal,  he sometimes forces post shots with his left hand and looks unconfident with his right. Bagley’s speed for his height is great, but he lacks the strength of other NBA big men and will have to grow into his frame. For this reason, he struggles to control the paint defensively and is often out-muscled.

Last season, Duke usually played a zone on defense to hide their weaknesses guarding oppositions man to man. Bagley will have to adjust to playing more man to man defense and improve his defensive fundamentals. He is also a sub-par shot blocker for his height.

Conclusion:

Bagley offers an array of weapons to bolster any team’s offensive attack and is in my opinion the most offensively polished big man in the draft. While he does have some struggles defensively, he will grow stronger in the next few years which will help him in that area. Bagley has great athleticism and speed and runs the floor really well. He is also one of the youngest players in his class and has lots of potential. My player comparison for Bagley is Amar’e Stoudemire.