Milwaukee Bucks 2020 NBA Draft: Malachi Flynn a viable option at pick 24

Milwaukee Bucks 2020 NBA Draft: Looking at Malachi Flynn’s weaknesses

Not everyone can be gifted with elite physical tools by the basketball gods and Flynn is unfortunately a prime example of that. At 6-foot-1, Flynn has always been the smallest guy on the floor and that will certainly not change at the next level.

Surprisingly enough, his lack of size did not hurt him too much on the defensive end of the floor. He is a smart defender who, as cliché as it sounds, gives his all and is actually adequate when stopping opposing guards at the point of attack.

The concerns with his size come on the offensive end, conversely. That is because Flynn does not possess the athleticism or quickness that other successful smaller guards sometimes have. While he smartly makes up for this by creating advantages in the pick-and-roll, Flynn struggles and is limited in creating scoring opportunities when he doesn’t have a screener present.

When matching up with some of the world’s best athletes in the NBA, one must worry about Flynn’s ability to create for himself on the perimeter in isolation opportunities. Will he be able to squeak by against NBA-level defenders? Will he be able to finish well inside against elite rim protection? Will his handle get him enough open looks?

He was able to get by in those regards at the college level, but everyone knows that the NBA is a different beast. He does have a crafty enough handle to create space for himself, but against some NBA defenders, that can only get you so far. One then has to ask where Flynn’s ceiling levels out in the NBA. If he struggles to create space for himself consistently, then his role may be limited to the second unit, rather than with the starters.