NBA Draft 2018 Prospect Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
By Adam McGee
Strengths
As an often under-discussed but critically important element in assessing draft prospects, it’s probably worth starting our discussion of Gilgeous-Alexander by pointing out that by all accounts he seems to be exactly the kind of person and personality teams are looking to add to their roster.
Gilgeous-Alexander developed a reputation for being an exceptional communicator during his time with Kentucky, and as someone who was already being referred to as hard-working and highly coachable, that makes him very close to checking all the right boxes on a personal level.
Coach Calipari has even spoken about the youngster’s emergence as a voice of leadership over the course of his single year at Kentucky.
"“He [became] that guy because of how he works, how he performs, how he finishes games, Players are now looking to him. The best way to have captains is kind of [let them] evolve versus ‘I’m naming you a captain.’ I’d rather it be that way.”"
In more of a basketball sense, Gilgeous-Alexander’s physical gifts set up advantages that he mostly understands how to take advantage of.
Gilgeous-Alexander has really impressive court vision which, when combined with a 6’6″ frame and long arms, gives him ample opportunity to make incisive passes over defenders.
When it comes to scoring, Gilgeous-Alexander is equally adept at using his body to create separation and then relying on his length to extend away from defenders for a variety of highlight-worthy, acrobatic finishes at the basket.
Likewise, on the defensive end, the freshman showed the ability to quickly strip the ball away from opponents or pick their pocket on the move as his long arms allowed him to work from an extended distance defensively.
All in all, Gilgeous-Alexander’s basketball intelligence stands out as he looks to make the right plays throughout his time on the floor. He’s unlikely to press or force things, and even in situations where smaller guards may be forced into that mode, his physical attributes afford him a way out.