Thunder NBA Draft prospect series: Tyler Lydon

Feb 4, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Lydon (20) shoots the ball against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at the Carrier Dome. The Orange won 66-62. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2017; Syracuse, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange forward Tyler Lydon (20) shoots the ball against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at the Carrier Dome. The Orange won 66-62. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The OKC Thunder should take a long look at drafting Tyler Lydon. Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The OKC Thunder should take a long look at drafting Tyler Lydon. Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Although the OKC Thunder are stacked with big men, Tyler Lydon’s shooting prowess could be enough to make Sam Presti select the forward.

There’s a case to be made that Tyler Lydon is one of the five best shooting prospects in the Draft. For a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, that could be enough to make him the pick on June 22nd. Lydon will never be a star, but his skills translate perfectly to today’s game – especially for an offense built around Russell Westbrook.

Specifics

Height: 6’10

Weight: 225 Ibs

Wingspan: 7’0

Position: Power Forward

Age:21

College: Syracuse

Statline: 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1 steal, 1.4 blocks

Current rankings:

Please note, the rankings below come from the most up to date versions as the time of writing. That said not all the mock drafts provide second round ranks or updates, often only extend to the end of the first round.

Therefore, if you check a ranking and note the number has changed it’s likely due to updates and a shift in the rankings.

DraftExpress: 24th overall prospect

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor: 52nd overall prospect

CBS Sports: 34th overall prospect

Basketball Insiders: 24th overall prospect

Skills

Tyler Lydon comes into the draft with the most important skill needed in today’s NBA: shooting. The 21-year old hit nearly 40% from three in his sophomore season while attempting over three a game. He couples that with a nice touch around the rim, a good trait to have for a perimeter-oriented big.

Lydon is a fairly good athlete and does a good job of running in transition. He’s gained 34 pounds, mainly muscle mass, in four years but it hasn’t slowed him down on the court. Lydon is always active when he’s on the floor; he’s a good cutter and has a knack for finding loose rebounds. He had a stretch of 11 games in which he didn’t sub out once, showing his insane endurance.

It’s hard to judge how Lydon is defensively because he played in Jim Boeheim’s famous zone at Syracuse. His basketball IQ is very high, and it helps him read other players very well.

Weaknesses

Lydon never really stepped up in his time at Syracuse. Although he was one of their two most talented offensive players he didn’t consistently assert himself in that manner. Lydon averaged less than 10 shots a game in college, so projecting him as anything more than a role player in the NBA would be too much.

One of the reasons why Lydon didn’t assert himself is because he isn’t much of a playmaker. A lot of his opportunities come from moving off-the-ball and getting open, or simply having one of his teammates create a shot for him.

Honors and awards

Honorable Mention All-ACC (2017)

Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 (2016)

More from Thunderous Intentions

The fit

Lydon’s shooting makes him an interesting target for the Thunder, but ultimately I think they pass on him at 21. The Syracuse forward will be a solid role player in the league, and that’s exactly what the Thunder aren’t looking to draft this year. Especially a big man.

Oklahoma City already has a similar player in Domantas Sabonis, and Sabonis’ upside far exceeds Lydon’s even though they are the same age. If the Thunder do decide to pick Lydon it means they believe he could play small forward, a position he played to create heavy mismatches in college.

The 21-year old’s wide variety of rankings shows just how hard he is to project. Scouts realize Lydon probably will stick in the league, but his low ceiling makes him a tough player to pick in the first round.