NBA Draft Prospect: Theo Maledon, PG, France.

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Strengths: Smart point guard with great size for his position … Has very good size (6-4, 6-5) and length (6-8 wingspan) … High basketball I.Q … Very good feel for the game … Quick, not explosive … A better athlete than most people think… Has a quick first step… Always playing under control, he could set the pace for his team … Really mature for his age … Can play on and off the ball … Has a good hesitation dribble … Very good at changing pace and rhythm while dribbling … Plays more athletic due to his great size … Incorporates floaters in the paint well … Has good shooting mechanics which suggest that he can become a reliable shooter in the future … Has shown potential when shooting off the dribble and is a threat in pull up situations from mid-range … Good shooter in Spot Up situations when feet are set … He can be creative when he goes to the basket, having some crafty finishes and a semi-reliable floater … Great court vision, he can find the open teammate anywhere on the floor … Excellent passer … Very good in Pick and Roll situations, he can find the rolling big or to pass the perimeter for a spot up shot … Good in drive and kick situations … He has improved at reading the game … Takes what the defense gives him … Has the ability to draw fouls … Good rebounder for his position … Likes to press his opponents at full court and disturb them … Very good chasing his opponents around screens … Has really active hands on defense, which helps him make a lot of steals and deflections … Good defender in Pick and Roll situations, knows how to set his feet … Good as a help defender, always willing to cover his teammates … Has a good understanding of defensive rotations …

Weaknesses: Not an overwhelming athlete but solid and uses his size well. Just average explosiveness by NBA standards … He needs to be more physical on both ends of the floor …. At times he disappears and is just too passive for a player with his talent … His assist/turnover ratio should improve … His dribble needs some polishing, he still dribbles too high … Right hand dominant, needs to work on his left hand if he wants to become a lead guard … Has problems when his opponent pressures him at full court … His lack of elite burst limits him when he tries to create his own shot … Not always capable of taking advantage a miss-match when a big switches on him … Inconsistent shooter from the 3-point line … Has a slow shooting release, which leads to more contested shots … He settles for mid-range shots too often … Has problems finishing through contact … Hesitant at times, avoids going all the way to the basket … Not always capable of passing to the rolling big in Pick and Rol situations, prefers to pass to the perimeter, which makes him more predictable … Foul prone, he uses his hands more than he should at times and gets in foul trouble … Slightly above average lateral quickness, has problems against elite athletes … Can lose focus when defending a player off the ball, allowing backdoor cuts … Has problems defending closeouts, he runs at full speed and sets his feet incorrectly …

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Maledon is a nice open court player and rangy athlete. He’s kind of long-strider but also has burst and short area quickness. His first step and ability to get downhill and find angles to the basket is impressive. He’s got touch around the rim and a nice array of one-foot floaters and runners. At 6-5 he’s got ideal combo guard size. His jumper is compact and smooth and shows promise. He needs to get stronger but his half court defense is solid and he’s a pesky on the ball defender who projects as a high level defender at the NBA level. Has a lot of untapped potential and upside.

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