Orlando Magic prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament
3. Keyonte George, Baylor
vs. UC Santa Barbara, Friday, 1:30 p.m. (TNT)
Keyonte George is one of the more pure shooters projected to be selected in the NBA Lottery. He is undersized relative to moOrlando st Magic draftees as an off-ball player at 6-foot-4. But he makes up for it with his quick release.
George is a proficient scorer who can get his shot off fast with fluid rhythm and has excellent shooting form that passes the eye test.
The Magic need shooting badly, and George is a 34.9-percent shooter from 3-point range on seven attempts per game. That is a lot of shots from behind the arc in college.
He is terrific off-the-ball finding space through down and flare screens while relocating to the corners for open shots. One attribute worth noting is his ability to take and make corner threes, which is becoming more and more of a touted skill in the NBA.
George not only can spread the defense with his shot, but he has shown flashes of his ability to create, making him a threat from anywhere on the court. He has a quick pull-up midrange after attacking the top foot of the defender.
He takes a look at the basket while in a triple-threat, freezing the defender as if he is looking to shoot, then he rips through their top foot to force them to back pedal.
Once this occurs, he can stop on a dime for quick mid-range jump shots. His release is so quick that he can get them off over most guards in college basketball.
He possesses the ability to attack the paint and handle the ball, but he struggles finishing over contact. He has fantastic body control for a player his age and always looks in-rhythm using his quickness to beat defenders off the dribble.
One area that has been noticeable watching George play is his playmaking ability on the fast break.
He is athletic and can push the ball down the court with his eyes up, and is exceptional at finding open teammates down the court for easy buckets. This will only improve in time when the game starts to slow down with experience.
In half-court settings, he struggles protecting the basketball and can be careless with his ball control, losing the basketball when driving or working out of the pick-and-roll.
He currently averages more turnovers than assists, which is probably a concern for NBA scouts, but George would be an off-the-ball shooter or secondary creator at the next level.
Defensively, George is one of Baylor’s better defenders. He uses his length, athleticism and quickness to disrupt opposing players. He has quick hands and excellent instincts, which allow him to anticipate passes and create 1.1 steals per game.
George is not known for his rebounding, but he is willing to seal his defender and attack the ball at a high point. He has great lateral movement, which helps him stay in front of his man and contest shots.
George is a well-rounded basketball player who has the potential to be a star at the next level.