PSO Scouting Report: C James Wiseman

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: C

Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Team: Memphis

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 3/31/01 (Age 19)

Height: 7’1″

Weight: 240 lbs.

Facts to Know

In 2019 he was the HS Gatorade National Player of the Year and ranked #1 by both ESPN and Rivals
Played on same HS team as Pistons guard Jordan Bone when he was a high school freshman
Former 4x NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway was his coach for AAU, High School, and College

Athleticism

Pros

Massive frame and wingspan, a true seven foot big man
Ridiculous 9’5″ standing reach
All the physical gifts to be an elite shot blocker
Good upper body strength and can either gain/lose weight depending on need
Great at running the floor with long strides, enjoys getting out in transition
Explosive vertical on dunks, blocks, rebounds, and put-backs
Nimble on his feet and possesses above average agility for someone his size

Cons

Hips are slow so turning on defense is an issue outside the paint
Heavy feet makes him a liability on the perimeter at the moment, will need to learn how to defend pick and roll
Not great at changing direction
Lower body and core strength is still a question mark, seems unbalanced at times

Grade: B+

NBA Skills

Pros

Excellent at catching lobs and finishing either on the run or off backdoor cuts
Knows how to use wingspan and massive frame to anticipate and create turnovers
Potential to be great at protecting the paint, already has good timing at blocking shots
Form looks promising on shots with good touch for a big man; A lot of work to do but progress can be made
When playing with energy, he is tenacious on the offensive glass and a rebounding machine
Knows when to time shots well for rim-rattling put-backs

Cons

Not a good passer or decision-maker with the ball
Settles for shots too often disrupting the offensive flow (could be from always being #1 player on the team)
Bites on pump fakes, will need to be a more disciplined interior defender
Handle is solid for a big man but could still use improvements

Grade: B+

Production

Pros

19.7 points per game in just 23 minutes per game; brief glimpse of dominant scoring potential
Great rebound production on both the offensive and defensive glass
76.9% from the floor; on 9 FGA per game
Solid free throw percentage and numbers per game, “hack-a-wiseman” will not work
High usage rate, very involved in all aspects of the offense
Good block numbers and defensive rating which shows his impact on that side of the ball
Low foul numbers and not too many turnovers; does not hurt the team in those ways

Cons

3 games against subpar competition does not give scouts a real read on what he can do
3-pointers not a part of his game (0 3PM on 1 3PA)

Grade: A

Risk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMj2vEISKgY&feature=youtu.be

Pros

Should be able to excel at his height even while the NBA continues to move toward “small-ball”
Has been in the spotlight for the past few years, always prepared with NBA in mind
Will not turn 20 until midway through the season; lots of time to develop
Defensive potential and effectiveness will always present a problem for opponents
2-3 years of jump shot work could create an all-star caliber player
Explosive athleticism and rim-running ability make him an instant impact player down low (High floor)
No major injury history

Cons

Will need to learn shot selection and how to not be the go-to guy on a team
Concerns about his ability to guard on the perimeter & stretch the floor on offense; not modern Big
Did not get a lot of playing time last year, how would he have fared throughout a full season?
Hot/Cold motor which sometimes caused him to take plays off
Decision-making has been a risky question mark on and off the court

Grade: B+

Overall

Wiseman burst on to the scene in 2017 and has been the face of his class ever since. The massive big man out of Memphis is not only unique in his size, but the way he dominates in the paint on both ends. Playing in Penny Hardaway’s system in AAU, high school, and college, Wiseman excelled by attacking the rim in transition and on the offensive glass. With the up-tempo styles many NBA teams are running, Wiseman will look to be the go-to big man running the floor.

There are many other parts to Wiseman’s game that have piqued scouts interest. He has all the pieces to build a solid jump shot. If he is able to do this, he can become an elite pick and roll/pop threat. His defense is already above average and footwork development could put him in the all-defensive team conversation. The major questions revolve around where his ceiling is athletically and how he will hold up throughout an entire NBA season. Wiseman only played three games this season before sitting out after an NCAA ban. The organization that drafts Wiseman is getting an incredible talent with the potential to match. If put in the right system, Wiseman can be a major piece for a future contender.

Pro Comp: Myles Turner

Projected Round/Pick: Top-3

Prime Destinations: GSW (#2), CHA (#3), DET (#7)

OVERALL Grade: B+