Strengths
Horton-Tucker’s game comes in one of the most unique physical packages the NBA Draft has seen in quite some time, if ever.
At the Draft Combine, the Chicago native’s status as a major physical outlier was confirmed as he measured in at 6’4″ in height, a remarkable 235lbs in weight, and with an incredible 7’1″ wingspan.
As ESPN’s Jonathan Givony noted at the time, those measurements made Horton-Tucker stand out on his own as one of the most unusual prospects in the entire DraftExpress database.
One of the most interesting things to study with the measurements is comparing players height without shoes w/their wingspan. You often hear NBA scouts saying "he's a plus X". Talen Horton-Tucker is a huge outlier in the context of our database, which has thousands of entries. pic.twitter.com/dyvQCExTw2
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 16, 2019
That wingspan may be the most appealing element of all in Horton-Tucker’s game, though, as it suggests the possibility of him playing a wide variety of positions, and potentially growing into a defensive terror.
As it stands, Horton-Tucker’s defense still requires some work, but he demonstrated his ability to channel that length into rebounding and passing over defenders during his time with the Cyclones.
Horton-Tucker possesses good vision, and certainly has a strong feel for the game, which can be put to good use with his above average comfort in distributing and taking the ball up the floor.
There have been occasional glimpses of hope for Horton-Tucker’s shooting too, which fits the wider picture of Horton-Tucker being a prospect with tremendous upside. If everything was to click in to place for him once he arrives in the NBA, Horton-Tucker does have the potential to be a special player.