2018 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The Bad

Although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a crafty scorer, with a flurry of crossover moves, floaters and acrobatic layups, he did not show enough shooting in college.

Gilgeous-Alexander shot the ball well in his few attempts but simply did not show a ton of confidence in that shot consistently. He took just 10.2 field goal attempts per game and was not incredibly efficient at 48.2 percent.

He has a slow release on his spot-up attempts and needs to gain more confidence in his shot. When he does that he will become more consistent with his shooting mechanics.

Another concern about Gilgeous-Alexander’s game is that he is a below-the-rim player. Explosive plays were lacking in his lone season at Kentucky. It is a concern whether he will be able to drive past more experienced defenders in the NBA.

Not to mention finish at the rim against them. He could find it difficult when he gets to the basket and into the paint.

And this is where the other problem might sneak in. Gilgeous-Alexander as a big point guard will have to keep a low center of gravity and avoid turnovers.

That is the biggest concern. Gilgeous-Alexander had a high turnover rate at 2.7 per game and a 17.9 percent turnover rate. He will have to do a better job staying in control and avoiding wild passes. A lot of this will likely come from maturity, but it may take some time to get there.

With his poor finishing ability above the rim, he might get caught driving too deep into the lane and having few outlets to kick out.