The June 20 NBA draft is quickly approaching, but Michigan's trio of prospects — freshman forward Ignas Brazdeikis, redshirt junior guard Charles Matthews and sophomore guard Jordan Poole — aren't exactly trending in the right direction.
The majority of mock drafts don't have them being selected at all, with each of their names absent from a few of the most respected publications' — such as ESPN and CBS Sports — recent projections.
Both Brazdeikis and Poole have appeared in a few mock drafts as of late, however, and we've taken a look at where each outlet that included them has them landing:
Ignas Brazdeikis
• Though they didn't put out a mock draft, TheStepien.com rated Brazdeikis as the No. 26 overall prospect in this year's draft class, noting his offensive role as being a 'floor spacer/slasher' and his defensive role as 'versatile.'
• No. 50 to the Pacers — TheAthletic's Sam Vecenie (June 7)
"This is higher than I’d take Brazdeikis, but his toughness would be something that the Pacers would likely value," Vecenie wrote. "His shooting ability has largely developed into a real positive over the last year, but there are serious questions on defense here that have thrown this up in the air as to whether or not Brazdeikis gets picked."
• No. 51 to the Celtics — TheRinger's Kevin O'Connor
"Hard-nosed scoring wing who plays hard on defense, though he's athletically limited," O'Connor noted. "SHADES OF: Harrison Barnes, Pat Connaughton, Matt Harpring, a Bond villain.
"PLUSES: Good spot-up shooter who’s capable of hitting one- or two-dribble pull-ups with his lefty stroke. He’s also comfortable attacking closeouts to his left or right with straight-line drives.Instinctual off-ball player who has good timing on cuts, migrates to space behind the arc, screens well, and willingly crashes the offensive boards.Good footwork on drives to the rim and he’s effective finishing with either hand from tough angles below the rim, which helps overcome his lack of quickness.
"Sprints up the floor in transition to get open for corner 3s. He can push the ball up the floor himself and loves using a right-to-left crossover to get to the rim.Played hard on defense, and rebounds despite being a primary option on offense. He battles against players of different sizes and has the potential to be a solid team defender.
"MINUSES: Below-the-rim finisher when leaping off one foot in a crowd. He finished well in college, but there will be a significant learning curve against NBA length.Doesn’t create enough separation off the dribble to become a dynamic scorer because of his slow first step, short strides, and average handle.Telegraphs passes when pressured. If he improves, he can be a solid passer within the flow of the offense.
"Lacks length and lateral quickness: Even when he’s locked in, he tends to get blown by; he’s not quick enough against guards or big enough against forwards.Critical that he masters his defensive fundamentals to stay on the floor. He gets caught off-balance in man-to-man situations and when closing out to contest shooters."
• No. 54 to the 76ers — SportsIllustrated's Jeremy Woo (May 20)
Charles Matthews
• Matthews' name doesn't appear in any mock drafts that come from a reputable site. Kailey Jackson of NBAdraft.net, however, recently gave her breakdown of what his strengths and weaknesses are, before giving a final outlook for the 6-6 guard.
"Strengths: A flat out athlete with a strong vertical leap … Excels at scoring on the move … Uses his athleticism to dominate on the defensive end and guard the 1-4 positions … One of the Big Ten’s best perimeter defenders … His first quick step ability allows him to get into the lane and finish at the rim with ease … Has a solid mid-range jumper that is useful when he is playing against teams that run zone defense … Good scorer off the dribble … Has developed into an all-around player for the Wolverines … Averaged 12.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game his senior season at Michigan … Very good size/length for a wing with a 8'6.5 standing reach.
"Weaknesses: Not a complete offensive player … One of his biggest weaknesses is his 3-point shooting, where he converted just 29.9% of his attempts from beyond the arc as a senior … Although his free throw shooting has improved in the past three years, he averages less than 65% from the foul line … A great on-ball defender, but his rebounding abilities need to improve to make an impact in the NBA … Not an elite ball handler and can be careless with the ball … Tends to struggle to score in traffic … Will turn 23 in November, making older than the average prospect available.
"Outlook: Matthews is an extremely athletic and skilled wing, but it is his defense that will likely land him a spot in the NBA … Must prove that he can consistently knock down spot-up 3-pointers … Could end up being a late second round pick in the 2019 draft, but may go undrafted … Will never be the focal point of an NBA team, but could be a solid role player on a second unit."
Jordan Poole
• No. 57 to the Pelicans — SportsIllustrated's Jeremy Woo (May 20)
• No. 58 to the Warriors — TheRinger's Kevin O'Connor
"Highlight-reel scoring wing who looks the part, but frustrates as much as he excites," the analyst wrote. "SHADES OF: J.R. Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mario Hezonja.
"PLUSES: Impressive ball handler who can break down defenders one-on-one using a bevy of moves, spins, and hesitations.Smooth spot-up shooting stroke: He hops into his shots, which gives him a quick release. He projects to have a dynamic ability to shoot off screens if he masters his footwork.
"Potent shooter off the dribble with deep range. Has analytical shot selection in that he uses side dribbles to take 3s instead of settling for long 2s. A pick-and-roll threat from anywhere.Dynamic at-rim finisher who can score athletically with touch layups off the glass.Solid passer when he wants to be; he willingly distributes in the pick-and-roll and delivers passes with acceptable accuracy.Flashes of defensive intensity leave room for optimism. He’s a good athlete who moves well laterally. His effort, focus, and fundamentals will all have to get better, though."
"MINUSES: At best, his offense is a dopamine rush; at worst, it’s a massive headache. There is no in-between. He takes wild, hero-mode shots off the dribble too often.Often picks up his dribble before passing, especially in pick-and-roll situations, when he should keep a live dribble.He doesn’t think the game on defense.
"His close-outs are sloppy; he’ll rotate off good shooters to help on bad ones; he struggles to navigate through screens and falls asleep off the ball.Could someday become a solid on-ball defender, but his laziness, lack of awareness, poor fundamentals, and lack of discipline (plus his average wingspan) mean he has a long way to go."
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