NBA Draft 2017 Prospect Watch: Luke Kennard

Weaknesses

The biggest weakness in Kennard’s game is that he lacks elite athleticism. His size is solid for the guard position at 6’6″, but his wingspan measures at 6’5″ and he is not overly quick or a great leaper. With that being said, several limitations come with his lack of athleticism, most of which come on the defensive end of the floor.

Before getting too far into the downfalls of Kennard’s defensive game, it is important to note that Kennard is a solid defender in the frame of a team’s defense. He understands where to be in rotations and can read the opponent rather well. Yet, when placed in a one-on-one situation against a ball-handler, he can be beaten easily.

Kennard does not have the quickness or speed to keep up with shifty ball-handlers and can occasionally get lost in the pick-and-roll. In addition, his lack of length due to a short wingspan makes contesting shots a challenge. If he gets beaten off the dribble, he can’t easily make up for that with long arms contesting shots or blocking them at the rim.

In addition to how his athleticism hurts his defense, Kennard’s offense is also impacted. His shooting and playmaking should be able to translate well to the NBA, but he might not be able to create shots for himself as easily at the next level. He might struggle getting past his man in one-on-one situations and will often need a screen in order to get open.

Also, his short wingspan could make his shot a little more difficult to get off in traffic when guarded by a defender who can extend well on jump shots. Kennard’s creativity in how he creates space should help him get shots off cleanly, however.