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So your team opted to bring in Ohio State's Shannon Scott. At this point, you're probably wondering what value Scott could add to an NBA roster. Though Scott does not boast 1st Round potential, he could be a quality addition for numerous NBA teams.
First, let's take a look at some basic facts about Scott.
Shannon Scott Draft Profile/NBA Breakdown:
- NBA Position: Point Guard (1)
- College: Ohio State
- Class: Senior
- Height: 6' 2"
- Weight: 185
- Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
- High School: Milton
There are two types of point guards in the NBA - scorers like Stephen Curry, John Wall, Chris Paul, and Russell Westbrook;, and facilitators like Rajon Rondo, Mario Chalmers, and Jeremy Lin. The All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Shannon Scott fits the latter category. His senior year stats were deceptive because he shared point guard duties with D'Angelo Russell. Nonetheless, he averaged 8.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.
Scott knows defense. He is a lock-down defender and recorded 211 steals (2nd all-time at OSU) in four seasons. He showed flashes of great play as evident against Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament, scoring 21 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out six assists. He shot well, converting 7-of-12 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line in the 79-73 victory.
In 35 games last season, Scott posted double-digit scoring in 13 games. He started the season with a bang, recording 41 assists in his first three games. Also, he finished his career ranked 6th all-time in games played with a 143 total. In all fairness, he really never developed into the point guard he was supposed to be because he played behind Aaron Craft for three years and then shared minutes with Russell his final season.
It has been a busy Spring for Shannon Scott. The "6' 2" point guard had NBA Workout Sessions with the Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, and Boston Celtics in May and the Phoenix Suns June 3.
Let's take a look at Shannon Scott and see how he translates to the NBA:
Strengths: Decent size for the NBA point guard position with plenty of athleticism, chiseled upper body strength, and explosive quickness. His A/TO ratio was 2.48 last season and 3.16 his sophomore year with a 4.99 PPR, showing that he is one of the best distributors in the draft class. Good floor awareness, especially running the pick-and-roll and locating cutters to the basket.
Not a great finisher, but does a nice job of penetrating the lane and kicking it back out to perimeter shooters. Showed progress from the foul line. He shot 68.3 percent his junior year and 74.2 percent his senior season.
Scott has outstanding lateral quickness on defense which allows him to stay in front of opposing guards. Also, has the strength and quickness to fight over the pick-and-roll. He is a relentless defender with 2.3 steals per 40 minutes pace adjusted, 5th among the Top 20 point guard draft prospects.
Weaknesses: Lacks consistent perimeter shooting range. For his career, Scott shot 40.5 percent from the field, including 28 percent from 3-point land. He still lacks creative ball handling skills and the ability to slash to the basket and finish strong. At times, he plays too fast, makes bad decisions in transition, and struggles to dictate the tempo of the game. Needs to develop a competent mid-range jump shot for pick-and-pop plays.
Overall Impact: Since Scott was never a prolific scorer at Ohio State, he will never be asked to play a high-volume scoring role in the NBA. What he will bring to the NBA is excellent defensive skills, athleticism, court vision, and toughness. Scott is a very unselfish player who would rather defer to the players around him. The NBA season is a long one and Scott could provide back-up minutes, much like a CJ Walton (Pacers) or Corey Joseph (Spurs). In this "Golden Age" of point guards, Shannon Scott is capable of a Kevin Ollie-type career as a team leader in the locker room and a part-time floor general on the court.