Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

Player Snapshot

• Position: PG/SG
• Age: 27
• 2026-27 Contract Status: UFA (Early Bird Rights)
• SunsRank (Preseason): 13
• SunsRank (Postseason): 7

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

Jordan Goodwin deserves a lot of credit for the culture shift that occurred in Phoenix this season.

By the Numbers

The Expectation

Some people wanted to roster Jared Butler over Jordan Goodwin during the preseason. Boy oh boy, are we glad that the Suns’ front office didn’t listen to them, all due respect to Butler, who did look great in the preseason. The Phoenix Suns knew what they had in “Goodie.” He was a major piece of the identity they wanted to create.

Jordan Goodwin was the unsung hero of the Phoenix Suns this season. While many were excited to see him return, I find it unlikely anyone knew just how good and important he would be for this team. The tenacity he brought on a nightly basis was infectious.

But we already knew that. What we didn’t expect was for him to shoot 37.1% from deep on a healthy amount of attempts per game. His 4.3 attempts from deep per game were a career-high. He shot 39.2 with the Lakers in 29 games the previous year, but that was only on 2.3 attempts per game. It was a precursor for what was to come. Thanks again, LA!

The Reality

Watching Jordan Goodwin this season felt like watching a guy who refused to let the Suns’ “fragile” identity take hold. Goodwin’s evolution from a bench “insurance policy” into the 2026 Dan Majerle Hustle Award winner was fun to watch.

We all saw it all year long. Goodwin didn’t just play basketball; he attacked opponents relentlessly. He finished the year averaging a career-high 1.5 steals per game, often acting as the lone point-of-attack defender capable of making life miserable for opposing guards.

His shooting, once a major red flag, stabilized at a respectable 37.1% from deep. This proved he could stay on the floor next to Devin Booker without killing the spacing, providing a much-needed physical presence in a backcourt that can sometimes lean too heavily on finesse. Despite being a guard, he was the Suns’ second-best offensive rebounder behind only Mark Williams, averaging 2.0 offensive boards per game. His 4.9 rebounds per game were third on the team behind only Williams and Ighodaro.

What It Means

This was an investment in grit. Goodwin leaped from 13th to 7th in our SunsRank for a simple reason: he brought it every single night. He looked mature. He knew his role. He didn’t ever force anything offensively and usually made the smart play. He’d take the open shot, he’d find a lane to cut in, he’d make the extra pass. All of the little things you need your role players to do, he embraced.

As an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Suns have no choice. They need to prioritize retaining Goodwin this summer. You can find guards who can score anywhere, but finding a “junkyard dog” who actually impacts the win column is a much harder task. I’ll say it again, he and Dillon Brooks are the identity of this team. It’s still Devin Booker’s team, but those two are the heart and the soul that we need to keep around to keep this thing moving in the right direction.

“That’s our culture – that’s the minimum,” Goodwin said. “We’re going to go in and play hard every single day.”

“When you walk into the building, you can’t escape it,” Ott said. “That’s what you want to build. You want to build a group so competitive that if you don’t play hard, you’re the outlier.”

And my goodness did the Suns miss him in the OKC series. He is the exact player they needed to play 40+ minutes against a team like the Thunder. His absence wasn’t talked about enough. Yes, they missed Mark’s size, but Goodwin being out was the true backbreaker.

Defining Moment

January 4, 2026 vs. Oklahoma City: In a mid-season preview of the eventual playoff matchup, Goodwin was unconscious from deep.

He exploded for a team-high 26 points and drained 8 three-pointers to carry Phoenix to a 108-105 win. He made some clutch defensive plays, but when the offense is rolling like that for him, too, it’s fun to watch. And yes, this was the night of the Devin Booker game winner. One of our favorite wins of the season, and make no mistake… that shot doesn’t happen without Goodwin’s game.

Grade: A+

Yes, that’s a plus. Goodwin exceeded every reasonable expectation. He provided elite perimeter defense, solved his shooting woes, and became the physical heartbeat of a team that desperately needed one. He was an elite rebounder for a team that desperately needed it, too.

If he doesn’t return next season, we riot.

The year is 2015 and Dwight Powell is a bench player on the Dallas Mavericks. They are a middling team that will lose in the first round of the playoffs. The year is 2021 and Powell is a bench player on the Mavericks. They are a young, exciting team that will lose in the first round of the playoffs. The year is 2024 and Powell is a bench player on the Mavericks. They are an electric collection of shooters and defenders that will reach the NBA Finals. The year is 2026 and Powell is a bench player on the Mavericks. They are a weird, bad team that will finish in the bottom ten of the league.

The last decade of basketball in Dallas has featured just about every type of team, except a championship team, and Powell has been around for all of them. He’s seen lots of different roles—young prospect, possible trade piece, important rotation player, starter in a pinch when the team is plagued by injuries, and now, veteran presence off the bench who contributes from time to time.

This Mavericks season was one of the weirdest in recent memory, and they’re lucky Powell was on the roster to guide a constantly changing lineup through a rough year. He didn’t have a resurgent year where he put up big numbers, but he was there to provide big man minutes when every other big man went down with injuries and kept the Mavericks’ culture from turning toxic. Powell is unofficial mayor of Dallas, after all.

Season in review

Powell put up some respectable numbers for a bench player on a bad team. Over 63 games and 12 starts, he averaged 6.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and one assist per game. Again, not eyepopping numbers, but the Mavericks didn’t need big numbers from Powell. He’s on the team to be a veteran presence for all the young players and step in when the younger big men are unable to play.

The NBA season is long, almost certainly too long. The players show up for training camp in early October and aren’t done until mid-April. They play three or four games per week, flying across the country, sometimes waking up in hotel rooms not sure what city they’re in. It’s a grind when the team is good and the season is going great. When you’re experiencing a season like the Mavericks just had, it can be a chore.

Having a player like Powell around can help. A player who’s seen everything, has a personality that’s uplifting, and is generally a good hang can keep a bad season from turning into a disaster. Things in Dallas could have turned toxic quickly this year, and for the most part, the team was drama-free. Powell was a part of that, and it’s something NBA teams value.

Best game

Powell’s best performance of the year came against the Utah Jazz on January 17. In the 138-120 win over the Jazz, Powell scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out three assists, and had three steals. He had some games where he scored a little more, but in this game, he filled up the entire stat sheet and came away with a win.

Contract status

Powell just completed the last year of a 3-year deal that paid him $12 million in total. He is an unrestricted free agent.

Looking ahead

As the Mavericks try to build the foundation of a contender around Cooper Flagg, Powell won’t be a priority for the new Dallas front office. But they’ll have his Bird rights, and he’ll likely be amenable to a team friendly deal. If the Mavericks need a veteran to hold down the end of the bench and provide more leadership than minutes, Powell will likely have a spot in Dallas.

BRING HIM BACK. Dwight Powell, Mavs Functionary For Life.

Grade: B-

Powell does everything you want off the court. His play on the court is sometimes frustrating to watch. He’s an emergency big, so it’s mostly fine, but over the course of a long season, even an emergency big gets thrown into a situation where you need good play. And sometimes Powell has it in him, and sometimes he doesn’t. Overall, though, the Mavericks get what they need from him—a veteran who can eat minutes in garbage time and fill in when needed. It’s where he’s at in his career now, and he performs well in the role.

The NBA released two schedules for the Western Conference Finals- one of the Spurs/Timberwolves series ends on Friday at the conclusion of Game 6, another if the series heads back to San Antonio for Game 7.

If the Spurs close out the series tonight in Minnesota, they’ll head to Oklahoma City to play Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday, May 18. From there, the series will take place every other day (the even dates) fro the remainder of May.

May 18 and May 20 in Oklahoma City, May 22 and 24 in San Antonio. If Games 5, 6 and 7 are necessary, they will take place on May 26 on OKC, May 28 in San Antonio, and May 30 to close out in Oklahoma’s state capital.

If the Spurs and Timberwolves require a Game 7, that will take place on Sunday, May 17th. The winner will then face the Thunder on May 20 and 22 in Oklahoma City before hosting games 3 and 4 on May 24 and 26 respectively. Games 5, 6, and 7 could take place as needed on May 28, 30, and June 1.

The Eastern Conference is facing the same conditions based on whether the Cavaliers or Pistons win Game 6 tomorrow.

The NBA Finals have already been determined and will start with Game 1 on June 3rd, Game 2 on June 5, Game 3 on June 8 and Game 4 on June 10. If Games 5, 6, an 7 are needed, they will take place on June 13, 16, and 19.

Quite a month of basketball still to go, with the stakes getting higher every moment.

Two elimination games tonight, but only one that will have Pounders chanting “Go, Spurs, Go!”

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Warriors reportedly prefer to keep, not trade No. 11 pick in potential deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors for years have attempted to build for the future while simultaneously going all-in on the present with superstar Steph Curry.

They could have another opportunity to do so again this summer, and find themselves at an interesting crossroads.

Golden State has the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23, and could use it to either select a prospect who could be a foundational piece for years to come, or include the pick in a potential blockbuster trade for a proven star player to pair alongside Curry next season.

While some believe the Warriors should leverage their 2026 first-round pick in a potential trade for a star, like Milwuakee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who the team aggressively pursued during the season and likely will be available again this summer, that does not appear to be Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy’s goal right now, as ESPN’s Marc Spears reported Thursday on “NBA Today.”

“The Warriors have that 11th pick and people are wondering ‘Hey, can they get in the Giannis mix?’ From what I’m being told today from several people, the Warriors would like to keep that pick,” Spears said.

The Warriors have attempted to fortify a young core for the future alongside Curry for years, in the form of former first-round picks Jordan Poole (2019), James Wiseman (2020), Jonathan Kuminga (2021), Moses Moody (2021), Patrick Baldwin (2022) and Brandin Podziemski (2023).

Podziemski and Moody are the only players still on the roster, and neither appear to be on a path toward stardom.

Which begs the question: Should the Warriors take another crack at developing a lottery pick, or use the No. 11 selection in a trade?

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Steph Curry admits what he hilariously Googled after Warriors drafted him originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

NBA Draft night mostly was a blur for Warriors superstar Steph Curry.

But he does remember the first thing he did when Golden State selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in 2009.

“Getting that call from Larry Riley, the GM at the time, Don Nelson, who was the coach at the time, getting that call and being like, ‘Hey, we’re looking forward to having you, we’re excited.’ And then me quickly looking at my phone trying to figure out exactly where Golden State was,” Curry recalled on WNBA star Azzi Fudd’s “Fudd Around And Find Out” podcast.

Hey, he was just a kid who grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina — nearly 3,000 miles east of the Bay Area.

And, as he admitted, his head was fixated on being drafted by the New York Knicks.

“All I was thinking about was New York,” Curry said. “But careful what you wish for. I’m glad it went my way for sure.”

Curry added that his favorite part of the night was being booed by New York fans inside The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He remembers initially questioning why they were booing him, but then he realized it was because they wanted him on the Knicks.

That was supposed to be his story.

But his real one is pretty sweet, too. Curry, a 12-time NBA All-Star and two-time league MVP, has won four NBA titles with the Warriors over his 17-year career — and most importantly, not only now knows where Golden State is, but he also has found his home here.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery is the latest example of big stuff happening with the Washington Wizards when I’m traveling or heavily scheduled and unable to write or talk about the news.

If I’m on an airplane, you can count on the Wizards making a trade or getting a piece of major news. It feels inevitable.

So, in the last year (at least for a while) where the NBA rewards tanking, the Wizards tanked hardest and best and won the number one overall pick in this year’s loaded draft. “Loaded” in this case is used in a reputational kind of way. I haven’t run Ye Olde Draft Analyzer (YODA for short) yet and don’t have firm opinions on any of the prospects. In other words, I’ve heard people talk about how great this draft is at the top, but I haven’t assessed those claims for myself. Yet.

Judging by the headlines, The Official Rumor Silly Season is underway. The Wizards front office wisely communicated an openness to trading the top pick. If the prospects are as good as they’re reputed to be, a trade could deliver a proverbial King’s Ransom.

My favorite so far is the one about the Utah Jazz wanting to trade up a spot to pick Brigham Young forward AJ Dybantsa. If Dybantsa isn’t Washington’s guy at #1, then taking other stuff to move down a spot and get the guy they wanted anyway is just good business.

Here’s my quick first take on the numbers of the prospects widely considered to be in play for Washington at the top spot in the draft: Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer.

AJ Dybantsa | F | BYU

What to like: It’d be hard to argue too much with Dybanta’s on-court production — per 100 team possessions, he averaged 41.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. He converted 56.8% of his twos, which suggests he’ll be able to compete inside, and he basically never fouled. He got to the free throw line regularly, which means he was stressing opponent defenses.

Yellow Flags: He shot 33.1% on threes, and his 77.4% free throw percentage is fine but not exceptional. Slightly bigger concern: not many steals or blocks for a 6-9 kid with superior athleticism. His overall offensive efficiency was strong despite the ho-hum three-point shooting and 5.0 turnovers per 100 possessions.

How he measured: Just fine — over 6-8 in socks with a 7-foot wingspan. His agility times were strong, and he practically jumped out of the gym (fourth best maximum vertical at the combine).

Darryn Peterson | G | Kansas

What to like: Veteran draftnik Jonathan Givony says Peterson is the best talent in this year’s draft. He views Peterson as on a different level than Dybantsa. That’s strong praise. A few numbers jump off the screen — per 100 possessions, 40.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.9 steals, and 1.3 blocks. He shot 38.2% on threes and 82.6% from free throw line on (a high) 11.1 attempts per 100. Those stocks (steals + blocks) are an impressive signal of his athleticism and defensive activity.

Yellow Flags: Sub-50% on twos, a dozen missed games, and just 697 total NCAA minutes. The cramping issue is a legitimate concern, though reportedly the cause (creatine supplements) has been identified and corrected. His offensive rating (points produced per 100 individual possessions) was decent but unexceptional. Reportedly, Peterson would have preferred to play more of an on-ball role.

How he measured: Another ”just fine” — 6-4.5 in socks with a 6-9.75 wingspan. His agility times and vertical measurements look more than good enough to suggest he won’t be overwhelmed physically in the NBA.

Cameron Boozer | F | Duke

What to like: Insane production — per 100 possessions, 40.3 points, 18.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks. He shot 39.1% on a pretty good volume of threes, 60.7% on twos, and 78.9% from the free throw line on 13.2 attempts per 100. His offensive rating was 136, which is…well…insane considering his 29.9% usage.

Yellow Flags: Turnovers were a bit elevated (4.5 per 100), and the blocks are on the low side for someone who played a decent amount in the paint. Other than that, see “How he measured.”

How he measured: Potential concerns here, depending on how much his NBA team needs him to play inside. He’s 6-8.25 in socks with a 7-1.5 wingspan and a standing reach of 9-feet. Those are basically wing dimensions. But, he also weighs 253 pounds, which means he’s a big dude.

The agility times look pretty ordinary for a forward. The vertical measurements landed below the middle of the pack. Perhaps part of the explanation behind the relatively low blocks.

The forgoing should not be confused with a full evaluation, which is still to come. My initial impressions suggest it would difficult to go too wrong with any one of these three. They were all wildly productive at the highest levels of college basketball. Each has many strengths and a few fairly small worry points to nitpick. On first look, all three appear to be very strong prospects with a high likelihood of becoming outstanding NBA players.

For once, the Wizards cup runneth over.

As the NBA Draft Combine is officially underway in Chicago, Illinois, the Kentucky Wildcats have a few guys in the draft testing their luck as they look to get drafted June 23-24 in Brooklyn, New York.

Two-year Wildcat Otega Oweh is making a name for himself as he’s had two great scrimmages under his belt. In his first scrimmage, Oweh gave some peers a ho-hum 20-point game (7/12 FG, 1/3 on 3s), with four rebounds in just 18 minutes. The New Jersey native showed great athleticism, a high motor, and the ability to finish at the rim.

In the final scrimmage at the combine, Oweh did his thing, once again. He finished the day with another 21-point outing (6-14), 9-10 from the charity stripe, five rebounds, and one assist. Oweh’s lack of consistency from three-point range showed, as he was 0-5 from deep.

Oweh sits at 105 on the NBA Draft’s best player in 2026, according to ESPN. However, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently projected Oweh to be drafted 59th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With a couple of strong outings, good numbers, and his ability to defend, Oweh should get some looks in the second round of the draft next month.

Following a disappointing first-round playoff exit, the Boston Celtics now shift their attention toward a pivotal offseason and the upcoming NBA Draft, where they currently hold the 27th and 40th overall selections. Selecting near the back end of the first round, and in the early portion of the second, is familiar territory for the Celtics front office. 

Since 2023, the Boston Celtics have selected Baylor Scheierman at No. 30 and Hugo Gonzalez at No. 28 in the first round, while also using second-round capital on Jordan Walsh at No. 35, Anton Watson at No. 54, and last year’s 32nd overall pick, which they ultimately traded in a deal that brought in Amari Williams and Max Shulga. 

According to Hoopshype’s annual draft workout tracker, Boston has already begun the initial phase of its pre-draft evaluations for this draft cycle. Here are the prospects the Celtics have brought in so far: 

Whether Brad Stevens, Celtics’ President of Basketball Operations, decides to package one or both selections in a trade for established talent or maneuver around the draft board, the group of prospects Boston has begun evaluating makes for an intriguing starting point in the team’s pre-draft process. So, let’s dive in.  

Zuby Ejiofor | 6’7.5” | F/C | St.John’s | 22 

16.3 pts | 7.3 rebs | 3.5 asts | 1.2 stls | 2.1 blks | 53.6/30.5/71.8 | 60.9 TS%  

Zuby Ejiofor is one of the more fascinating late first-round to early second-round prospects in this year’s draft class because of how translatable his role appears to be at the NBA level. The former Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball transfer blossomed into the centerpiece of St. John’s Red Storm men’s basketball under Rick Pitino, developing from a high-energy rotational big into one of the most impactful two-way forwards in college basketball. 

Ejiofor did measure in shorter than his previously listed 6’9” height at this year’s NBA Combine, but his leadership, motor, and non-negotiable attitude to the defensive side of the ball will still seemingly get him drafted pretty comfortably.  

Defensively, is where his money is made. Ejiofor will be a versatile switch-capable big who can defend multiple frontcourt positions, protect the rim in weak-side rotations, and survive on the perimeter better than most players his size and weight. His combination of elite strength and good length (7’2” wingspan) allows him to hold ground against bigger centers despite lacking towering height. Without elite athletic ability, he relies on verticality and positioning. Scouts consistently point to his defensive instincts, motor, and physicality as NBA-level traits.  

Ejiofor can create events on the defensive side as shown by his 7.2 block percentage (80^th percentile) and 2.2 steal percentage which ranked in the 83rd percentile positionally, but his intangibles along with all the traits I listed above make him so much more impactful looking outside the box score. This made him an advanced analytics darling last year as he ranked third in the nation in BPM (Box Plus Minus) and 11^th in DBPM (Defensive Box Plus Minus). These stats should not be taken as end all be all projections as they are not perfect.  

Offensively, his game is still evolving, but there are intriguing signs of modern utility. He plays with a relentless motor and thrives doing the kind of connective, winning plays NBA teams value from role-playing frontcourt pieces like being a good screener, a strong finisher around the rim, offensive rebounding and an increasingly effective passer in dribble-handoff actions and short-roll situations. One of the more notable developments in his game this past season was his improvement as a facilitator, showcasing better court vision and decision-making from the high post. His 3.7 assists per game and 23 assist percentage both ranked in the 97^th percentile.  

His bruiser/bully mentality on offense did lead to him getting to the line a ton in college. His 69.4% free throw rate (seven attempts per game) ranked in the 95^th percentile. He converted 71% of his attempts at the stripe which is solid for a guy his size but if he can get better from there, that would be great. This ties into the swing skill for him which is his perimeter shooting.  

I believe Zuby Ejiofor has the potential to develop into a Swiss Army knife, high-IQ frontcourt player who does not necessarily need to be a great shooter to impact winning, though added perimeter range would certainly elevate his value. He shot just 30% from three-point range last season on 59 attempts and has yet to demonstrate consistent enough touch from beyond the arc to command defensive attention at the collegiate level. That said, he has shown enough makes to suggest there is at least some developmental upside, and his shooting mechanics are not broken, leaving room for gradual improvement over time.  

If everything goes as planned for Zuby Ejiofor, I see a considerable amount of Isaiah Stewart likeness in his game (probably minus the fights).  

Andrej Stojakovic | 6’5.5” | Wing | Illinois | 21 

13.5 pts | 4.5 rebs | 1.0 asts | 50/24/80 | 57.8 TS% 

Just because players share a last name does not necessarily mean they are related, but when you see “Stojakovic” on the back of a basketball jersey, it naturally invites speculation about a possible family connection. In this case, however, the assumption is correct: Andrej Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star and champion Peja Stojakovic. 

Andrej transferred to Illinois last season after spending his first two years with Stanford and California. On offense, he is probably the opposite of what you would expect from someone with his last name. The 6’5” wing is an absolute slashing two-point scoring oriented player, and he does something Brad Stevens noted as a point of improvement for the Celtics.  

At his end-of-season press conference, Stevens emphasized the need for the Celtics to generate more consistent rim pressure moving forward. “One of the things that we’ve gotta figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim,” Stevens said, later expanding on the point by asking, “I think the biggest thing is can we generate looks at the rim?” 

One of the more notable remarks from the session came when he underscored the organization’s offensive priorities, stating, “Every one of us would prefer a dunk over that, over a three. Every single one of us. And we struggled to generate them.” 

Stojakovic ranked in the 98^th percentile in unassisted rim makes per 100 possessions last season at 5.4 shooting 66% from there. Furthermore, he averaged 11 rim attempts per 100 possessions, and over half of his overall attempts on the season come from there. Even though he averaged seven less minutes and four less shots than his previous season at California, when he got his opportunities to slash, Illinois did a good job of having the floor spaced whether it was from the wing or a planned iso at the elbow.  

38% of his possessions on offense saw him driving to the rim, and he achieved 1.00 PPP (points per possession) on that play type. He’s not the most athletic guy, but he shows real craft and determination when driving that works more often than not. He loves to use the spin move when defenders manage to cut him off, or he feels majority of their momentum going one way. This driving ability also translates to transition offense as he posted 1.38 PPP on the break. He also seems somewhat comfortable in the mid-range area as he shot 45% from there.  

As a shooter though, Andrej has struggled all three years of his collegiate career. He’s at 30.5% on average in his campaigns and just had his worst one from three shooting 24.4% on 2.5 attempts. His release isn’t the smoothest and is slower than you would like. Unless he can rework his mechanics (totally possible), this almost entirely limits his ability as someone who can create threes for himself and make them off the bounce. Also, I don’t believe his handle is the best, but it is effective for what he does.  

On defense I do see him being a solid team and individual defender. He routinely stays in front of the ball and has good instincts when peeling off to either another offensive player or to passing lanes. He didn’t post great defensive playmaking statistics last season (0.9 stl % + 1.9 blk %) but with his pursuit and contests after screens I do see some shot blocking ability. In his 2024-2025 season with Cal, he posted a 3.6 blk percentage (1.2 a game) which ranked in the 96^th percentile for his position.  

It remains to be seen whether Andrej Stojakovic will ultimately hear his name called on draft night, but he has shown enough to warrant a closer look during the evaluation process from Boston.  

Kashie Natt | 6’3” | Guard-Wing | Sam Houston St. | 23 

10.8 pts | 8.2 rebs | 2.4 asts | 2 stls | 43/39/78 | 56 TS% 

Kashie Natt is one of the most unique players in this NBA Draft cycle. He started his collegiate career at the JUCO level playing at Southern Shreveport before transferring and playing his next three seasons at LSU Alexandria. He turned some heads with his play there winning NABC Player of the Year and NAIA National Player of the Year ultimately leading to his step up in division play.  

The 6’3” Natt is a literal annoying gnat (in the most complimentary way possible) to every offense he plays. He is a defensive menace and plays with an edge that only a few can match. Natt’s 4.2 stl % ranked in the top 20 in the nation, tallying him as one of the most disruptive players in college basketball. Well, I guess him winning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year would do the trick also.  

His athleticism helps him be that disruptive defender as he is one of the best vertical athletes in the Draft. He’s able to rise up like a center for some incredible blocks either on ball or help side.  

On the ball, his quick feet and anticipation make him one of the best in the class. His hands and instincts are absurd, and he flies around making plays from distances most cannot. His traits have me thinking he could be really valuable as a gap defender at the next level with those hands, instincts, and range.  

Another reason why he’s so unique is that he averaged 8.2(!) rebounds a game at 6’3” with 2.3 of those coming on the offensive glass which we know the Celtics love. This past season he posted a 23.6 defensive rebound percentage which I’m not sure a player his height or shorter has done in a long time. He led all of Conference USA in defensive rebounds and double doubles. His play even translated versus higher levels of competition as he put up 16 points, 11 rebounds, and two steals on Texas Tech who was #10 at the time.  

Natt isn’t a ready-made offensive player which I’ll discuss later, but he did shoot 39% from three 2.5 attempts last season. His last four years have seen him hit 34.9% from behind the arc so there is some level of consistency with him as a shooter. This of course will be pivotal to his value at the next level as I believe he can contribute on defense right away.  

Although I love the traits he has, Natt is not a perfect player. Defensively, the only concern I see is foul trouble. His fiery temperament and blazing play style can occasionally lead to early fouls. That said, the issue may not be as pronounced at the NBA level, where he would play fewer minutes and have an additional foul to work with. On offense he is not a polished player. He can get crazy with the handle sometimes which can lead to turnovers. He only averaged 1.2 turnovers last season, so I don’t see this being a big issue.  

As a playmaker, I don’t see him doing anything extraordinary. When creating for himself he does have flashes of some on the ball pop especially as a straight-line driver using his athleticism to get to the lane. When he gets there though, he has to work on finishing through contact and making rim reads for teammates. Other than that, I can’t see him as of right now being someone you can say consistently, “here take the ball and create offense” and honestly that’s ok.  

While Kashie Natt is going through the draft process right now, he did sign to transfer to Oklahoma State next season, meaning it’s not set in stone if he comes out this year. Whether it’s this year or next, I love the outlier traits Natt presents and will keep an eye on him.