NBA Draft 2019 Prsopect Watch: Isaiah Roby

COLLEGE PARK, MD - JANUARY 02: (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - JANUARY 02: (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – MAY 17: (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – MAY 17: (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

What the experts say

ESPN [$] (Jonathan Givony): 38th

The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor): 37th

Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo): 46th

Sporting News (Chris Stone): N/A

The Athletic [$] (Sam Vecenie): 40th

The Stepien (Composite Rank): 43rd

The Step Back (Brandon Kleen): N/A

Quotes:

Placing him 39th on his most recent Big Board, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated noted the allure of Roby’s physical profile, athleticism and growing skill package as reasons why he’ll be an interesting flyer, despite the project he poses to be:

"“Roby is a player who needs to be watched closely to properly understand his impact, much of which goes beyond the box score. Nebraska went into a tailspin this season, but Roby spent most of the year playing out of position at the five. He has solid ball skills, has worked diligently on his outside shot and profiles nicely as an athletic, big who can play inside and out. He has the size, agility and shot-blocking chops to be a versatile defender. Some of his struggles appear confidence-based, and while he may need some G League time to iron things out, Roby has an NBA-type profile that he should be able to grow into. He’ll need to be more consistent with his contributions, but could really benefit from the predraft process given his tools.”"

Likewise, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie outlined why Roby’s decision to take the next step and enter the draft following his performance at the combine was far from a surprising one:

"“This is not a particularly surprising move, but Roby held out until the final day before making his call. NBA executives liked what they saw from Roby at the combine, where he tested well athletically and showcased some interesting skills out on the break due to his grab-and-go handle and leaping ability. He’s also an interesting potentially versatile defender due to his mobility. The big question here is size, strength and toughness, but he can work on those things in the NBA with targeted nutritional and strength programs.”"