2021 NBA Draft Scouting Report: SF Corey Kispert

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

BIO

Pos: SF

Hometown: Edmunds, WA

School: Gonzaga

Class: Senior

DOB (Age): 3/3/99 (Age 22)

Height: 6’7″ | Weight: 224 lbs.

Wingspan: 6’7″ | Vertical: 37.5 in

INTERESTING FACTS

Tied the Gonzaga single game record with 9 3PM made against Virginia in December of 2020
His grandfather, Dainard Paulson, played 5 seasons for the New York Jets, and wanted Corey to play QB until college
Was awarded the Julius Erving Award for the nation’s top small forward and was a consensus 1st team All-American

ATHLETICISM

Pros

Strong player for his size; displays toughness in and around the rim
Solid speed getting up and down the court; can get to his spot on the break to knock down shots
Sneaky leaper; not jumping out of the gym, but not just an outside shooter either
Good balance; allows him to get in a defensive stance with a low center of gravity

Cons

Significantly slower with the ball in his hands; does not have the athletic ability to bring the ball up
First step needs work; will not be able to get around most defenders
Lateral speed is below average; needs to improve in order to keep up with back court players
Small wingspan; not great for his defensive potential when combined with his average speed
Unclear of how his in-game strength will translate to the NBA; WCC competition might have hid some flaws

Grade: B-

NBA SKILLS

Pros

Best pure shooter in the draft, can score at all 3 levels and ideal for modern NBA offenses
Great court awareness; moves well off the ball to get to his spots on both ends of the court
Solid defender; does not back down from opponents, and works hard enough to overcome athletic short comings
Knows his role and plays it well; very good at generating offense especially in a fast paced system
Not just a shooter, will drive if necessary and makes good cuts to the basket
Good rebounder and aggressive on the glass; uses body well to box out
Uses size to his advantage when guards are switched on to him, can work from the post in these instances

Cons

Not a great ball handler; rarely begins the break and has trouble getting shots off the dribble
Trouble defending quicker guards, will need to improve defensive skill to overcome lack of lateral quickness

Grade: A-

PRODUCTION

Pros

39.8 Projected NBA 3P%; demonstrates his range and pure shooting ability from all over the court
82.4% career FT shooter shows consistent ability to knock down free throws
18.6 PPG; still able to put up solid scoring numbers on a team with plenty of NBA talent
133.1 O-Rating; highest among all lottery prospects, a true scoring threat
5.0 RPG; solid for a wing, shows he is willing to get active on the glass not just a shooter
67.4 True Shooting Percentage; efficient from all areas of the floor, almost part of the 50/40/90 club
Improved on his 3P% and scoring averages every year at Gonzaga, proves he is coachable and hard-working
Low foul numbers throughout his career, will not have a problem staying in games

Cons

1.8 APG; should be slightly higher even for a shoot first player, will need to improve on his reads
.248 FTA Rate; very good free throw shooter, but does not get to the line frequently enough

Grade: A-

RISK

Pros

Gym rat; went from bench player to All-American, making improvements on his game every year
Perfect for today’s NBA offenses; can shoot from behind the arc at all angles and has professional range
Accustomed to playing with other stars, does not need plenty of touches to be effective
Seems to make all of the right moves on offense; should pick up new scheme quickly

Cons

Lack of athleticism will make the professional adjustment difficult, will need to outwork competition
Already 22 years old; 3 less years of development opportunities than his fellow draft peers
Probably will never be able to take the ball up and facilitate, ball handling skills are mediocre
WCC conference schedule is much less demanding than a full NBA season

Grade: B

OVERALL

Every year, fans of the NBA see more and more records get broken from 3-point range, and that trend is likely to continue. Corey Kispert is a prospect who benefits immensely from this. After a tremendous four-year career at Gonzaga, which saw him elevate his game to an All-American level, Kispert enters the draft as the best shooter in his class. At Gonzaga, he displayed the range necessary to succeed as a shooter in the NBA, and he has all the intangibles of a player that teams want to have.

Despite losing in the National Championship, Kispert had a solid showing in the NCAA tournament and averaged 18.6 points per game this season. In addition, he showcased the ability to score in bunches with nine three-pointers in a game against UVA. Kispert is a player who can immediately contribute to any NBA offense. His shooting prowess from behind the arc is something that many contending teams want in their rotation.

Kispert will rarely have the athletic advantage on the defensive side of the ball, but his work ethic and physical style of play will make a formidable presence. The fit for Kispert matters more than most prospects because he succeeds best in an up tempo, high-shooting volume offenses. Whatever organization drafts him will fill an ever growing need for premium shooting.

Pro Comp: Joe Harris (BKN)

Projected Rd/Pick: Late Lottery

Prime Destinations: HOU, TOR, ORL, OKC

OVERALL Grade: B+