NBA Draft Prospect Preview (N-Z)

By Owen Pannell | KZA Sports

Listed below is a plethora of NBA Draft prospects and their capabilities along with their faults. Included, are player comparisons. This post features players whose names start with the letters N-Z.

Nique Clifford - 6’6” 200 lbs - Guard - Colorado State - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Elite rebounder

• Great 3 level scorer in college

• Good playmaker

• Good athlete

• Good defender on multiple positions

• Triple double threat

Weaknesses:

• Was not good on a power 4 team

NBA comp: Josh Hart

Ceiling- Elite role playing starter Floor- Solid bench player Projection- Great role player

Right now: Solid rotational player

Noa Essengue - 6’8” 194 lbs - Wing - France - 18 y/o

Strengths:

• Really good athlete

• Shows flashes of being a good playmaker

• Good defender

• Good ball handler and shot creator for his size

• 3p shot is developing

• Great in transition

• Very efficient scorer

Weaknesses:

• Very thin

• Needs to get his 3p shot more consistent

NBA comp: Pascal Siakam

Ceiling- All NBA Floor- End of bench player Projection: All Star

Right now: Developmental starter

Noah Penda - 6’8” 225 lbs - Wing - France - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Great playmaker for a wing

• Good defender

• Good off ball

• 3p shot is developing

Weaknesses:

• Not a great scorer

• Not a great athlete

• Jumpshot isn’t there yet

NBA comp: Josh Green

Ceiling- Great role player Floor- Out of NBA Projection- Decent bench player

Right now: G-League

Nolan Traore - 6’4” 185 lbs - PG - France - 18 y/o

Strengths:

• Good athlete, very shifty

• Great ball handler

• Good 3 level scorer

• Good playmaker

Weaknesses:

• Not the best defender

• Inefficient on all levels

• Thin frame

NBA comp: Tyrese Maxey

Ceiling- All Star Floor- Solid backup PG Projection- Good starting PG

Right now: Developmental player

Payton Sandfort - 6’8” 215 lbs - Wing - Iowa - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Great shooter

• Great off ball player

• Good rebounder

• Great free throw shooter

• Solid passer

• High IQ

Weaknesses:

• Not a good shot creator

• Not an efficient scorer inside the 3p line

• Not a good defender

• Not a good athlete

NBA comp: Duncan Robinson

Ceiling- Great bench shooter Floor- Decent bench shooter Projection- Good bench shooter

Right now: Decent bench shooter

Draft grade: Late 2nd round

Rasheer Fleming - 6’9” 240 lbs - PF - Saint Joseph’s - 21 y/o

Strengths:

• Good rebounder

• Great athlete for his size

• Very strong

• Really good shooter

• Good defender

• 3 level scorer

• Very efficient

Weaknesses:

• Not a good playmaker

• Struggles a bit when guarding quicker guys

• Played lower comp

NBA comp: Paul Millsap

Ceiling- Great role playing starter Floor- Solid bench player Projection- Great role player

Right now: Solid bench player

Rocco Zikarsky - 7’2” 220 lbs - C - Australia - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Good rim protector

• Good finisher

• Good rebounder

• Good in pick&roll

Weaknesses:

• Not a good shooter

• Not a switchable defender

• Needs to be stronger

• Offensive game likely won’t translate well

NBA comp: Walker Kessler

Ceiling- Good starting C Floor- G-League Projection- Good backup C

Right now: Developmental player 

Ryan Kalkbrenner - 7’1” 270 lbs - C - Creighton - 23 y/o

Strengths:

• Great defender

• Elite efficiency

• Good rebounder

• Jumpshot developing

• High IQ

• Great scorer

Weaknesses:

• Not an amazing athlete

• Jumpshot isn’t there yet

• Not a great playmaker

• Defense will take a probably dip in the NBA

• Not a switchable defender

NBA comp: Mitchell Robinson

Ceiling- Good starting C Floor- Decent backup C Projection- Great backup C

Right now: Decent backup C

Saint Thomas - 6’7” 235 lbs - Wing - USC - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Great playmaker

• Good rebounder

• Was an elite scorer at Northern Colorado

• Showed potential as a good shooter

Weaknesses:

• Mid shooter right now

• Mid defender

• Not a great scorer at a higher level

NBA comp: Jae Crowder

Ceiling- Good bench player Floor- Out of league Projection- G-League

Right now: G-League

Samson Johnson - 6’10” 225 lbs - Big - UConn - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Good rim protector

• Good rebounder

• Efficient scorer

• Good finisher

Weaknesses:

• Very low production

• Terrible shooter

• Did not play much

• Bad playmaker

NBA comp: Bismack Biyombo

Ceiling- Decent backup C Floor- Out of league Projection- Summer League

Right now: G-League/Summer League

Sion James - 6’6” 220 lbs - Wing - Duke - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Good shooter

• Efficient scorer on 3 levels

• Solid playmaker

• Decent rebounder

Weaknesses:

• Not a great defender

• Doesn’t excel at anything

• Low college production

NBA comp: Terence Davis

Ceiling- Solid role player Floor- Out of league Projection- G-League

Right now: G-League

Tahaad Pettiford - 6’1” 175 lbs - PG - Auburn - 20 y/o

Strengths: 

• Good 3 level scorer

• Very quick and shifty

• Great perimeter defender

• Shows flashes of being a good playmaker

• Good looking jumpshot, good shooter

Weaknesses:

• Efficiency isn’t great

• Doesn’t get a lot of assists for a PG

• Not a good rebounder

• Really small

NBA comp: Jamal Murray

Ceiling- Great starting PG + Fringe All Star Floor- Decent backup Projection- Good starting PG

Right now: Developmental player

Thomas Sorber - 6’10” 255 lbs - Big - Georgetown - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Great interior scorer

• Good athlete

• Very strong

• Good rebounder

• Great interior defender

• Potential to be a decent switchable defender

• Solid passer

Weaknesses:

• Not a good shooter

• Struggles with turnovers for a big man

• Injury prone

NBA comp: Rudy Gobert

Ceiling- All Defensive Team + Great starting C Floor- Decent backup C Projection- Good starter + Fringe All Defense

Right now: Developmental player + Decent backup C

Tre Johnson - 6’6” 190 lbs - Guard - Texas - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Amazing athlete

• Elite 3 level scorer

• Amazing finisher

• Great 3p shooter

• Great free throw shooter

• Great size

• Potential to be a great defender

• Good ball handler

Weaknesses:

• Sometimes inconsistent

• Not a good playmaker

• Not a good rebounder for his size and athleticism

• Defense isn’t great right now

• Not a winner in college

NBA comp: Jalen Green

Ceiling- All NBA + Elite #1 scorer Floor- Good bench scorer Projection- Elite scorer, 30+ ppg

Right now: Developmental starter

Tyon Grant-Foster - 6’7” 220 lbs - Wing - Grand Canyon - 24 y/o

Strengths:

• Good 3 level scorer

• Great defender

• Great athlete

• Good rebounder

Weaknesses:

• 3p shot is inconsistent

• Pretty inefficient overall

• Averages more turnovers than assists

NBA comp: Mikal Bridges

Ceiling- Good role player Floor- G-League Projection- Decent role player

Right now: Decent low rotational role player

Tyrese Proctor - 6’6” 183 lbs - PG - Duke - 21 y/o

Strengths:

• Great playmaker

• High IQ

• Great shooter

• Very low turnovers for a PG

• Great game manager

• Solid scorer from all 3 levels

• Solid defender

Weaknesses:

• Not a great athlete

• Won’t be a great scorer in the NBA

• Might be a poor defender in the NBA

NBA comp: Lonzo Ball

Ceiling- Solid starting PG Floor- Solid 3rd string PG Projection- Good backup PG

Right now: G-League

VJ Edgecombe - 6’5” 180 lbs - Guard - Baylor - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Elite athlete

• Good 3 level scorer

• Really good playmaker

• Good rebounder

• Great defender

• Good shooter

Weaknesses:

• Could be a better shot creator

• Ball handling could be a little better

NBA comp: Jaden Ivey

Ceiling- All NBA + All Defensive Team Floor- Great bench player Projection- All Star + All Defensive Team

Right now: Developmental starter + Great defender

Walter Clayton Jr - 6’3” 195 lbs - Guard - Florida - 22 y/o

Strengths:

• Great 3 level scorer in college

• Great shooter

• Great playmaker for a primarily SG

• Winner

• Good leader

Weaknesses:

• Mid defender

• Not an amazing athlete

• Smaller for a 2

• Not as efficient as I would like

NBA comp: Kemba Walker

Ceiling- 6MOY Floor- G-League star Projection- Solid bench scorer

Right now: Solid bench scorer

Will Riley - 6’8” 180 lbs - Wing - Illinois - 19 y/o

Strengths:

• Good 3 level scorer

• Good athlete

• Good shooter

• Has the tools to be a good defender

• Great scoring instincts

Weaknesses:

• Shot creating could be better

• Defense needs to improve

• Thin build

• Inconsistent

NBA comp: Michael Porter Jr

Ceiling- All Star Floor- Low rotational player Projection- Good bench player

Right now: Developmental player/G-League

For NBA Draft Prospect Preview list A-H, click here.

For NBA Draft Prospect Preview list I-M, click here.

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