Thunder NBA Draft Prospect Series: Tony Bradley
Next up in the TI NBA Draft Prospect Series Tony Bradley
Tony Bradley offers an intriguing prospect especially considering he’s not a typical Tar Heel. To wit, North Carolina is not known for having “one-and-done” players in their program. Prior to this season, only Brandan Wright (2008) decided to leave Chapel Hill after his freshman season.
Add another player to the “one-and-done” list for North Carolina, as Tony Bradley made a shocking decision to enter the NBA Draft.
Tony Bradley did not start any games during his freshman campaign, and his role was limited due to North Carolina’s frontcourt depth. With the graduation of both Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks, Bradley was projected to be the main guy in Roy Williams’ frontcourt this season.
It was believed that Bradley would return to North Carolina for another season to work on his overall game. With his limited playing time, Bradley did not gain as much experience as other top freshman draft prospects did, and an extra season in college could give him a chance to improve on his fundamentals.
However, instead of returning to Chapel Hill to chase another National Title, Bradley decided to get an early start on his professional career. The decision is a big risk for Bradley, as his limited role last season could ultimately hurt his draft stock.
Specifics:
Height: 6’10
Weight: 248
Wingspan: 7’5
Position: Center
Age: 19 years, 4 months
Statline: 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.6 blocks
College: North Carolina (freshman)
Home Town: Bartow, Florida
Current rankings:
(Note – rankings are taken on day of article posting and therefore may be listed at a similar rank as previously posted prospect reviews)
DraftExpress: 40th overall prospect
Draft Net: 35th
CBS Sports: 44th
Basketball Insiders: 40th
The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor:
22nd
Skills:
Bradley’s biggest strength is his rebounding ability. He is very good at boxing out, and is able to make adjustments to get to the ball. His rebounding ability helped North Carolina develop as one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the country.
Although the majority of his shots this season came from inside the paint, Tony Bradley has shown that he has good touch and a solid shooting delivery. He is very good at setting screens and finishing around the rim, and could become a good pick-and-roll threat.
For teams looking to push the tempo, Bradley is a big man who definitely can move. He runs the floor hard in transition, and creates room for his teammates by spreading the floor.
In his limited action this season, Bradley did not show signs of being a true shot blocker, but his size and length can definitely help altar shots. As he gains more experience , it’s possible that Bradley can develop into a solid shot blocker and rim protector.
“Bradley’s elite length and rebounding ability make him an intriguing prospect at this point in the draft. He’d probably be higher on the board if his role at UNC hadn’t been so limited this past season.”
"“Bradley certainly looks the part of an NBA center with tremendous size and length, measuring 6’10.75 with a 7’5 wingspan and a 9’4.5 standing reach at the NBA combine in Chicago. While he didn’t feature heavily on the offensive end, Bradley showed flashes of being able to make good decisions as a passer out of pick and roll actions and as a post-up player. He appears to have a solid basketball IQ, and despite very average assist numbers, Bradley seems to be willing and capable of making quick reads that lead to good looks for teammates.” – Source: ©DraftExpress"
Weaknesses:
Bradley definitely has to improve on his defensive fundamentals. As mentioned earlier, Bradley is not known as a shot blocker, and needs to be more productive as a rim protector.
A lack of explosiveness is also something that hurts Bradley’s overall game. Most current NBA centers are rim protectors and lob threats, and Bradley struggles in both aspects.
Bradley must also work on his quickness, both around and away from the rim. On many occasions, Bradley is too slow to get his shot up, which results in his shot being blocked.
Honors and awards:
- McDonald’s All-American Game Participant (2016)
- Florida High School Player of the Year (2016)
- Florida “Mr. Basketball” (2016)
Pro Comparison:
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Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provides a ceiling comparison for each NBA Draft prospect. His list for Tony Bradley includes Taj Gibson and Jakob Poeltl.
Taj Gibson spent the second half of the 2017 season with the Thunder, and was a very productive player for them down the stretch. Gibson added quality depth in his time in OKC, as he was an active player on both sides of the ball.
As O’Connor noted, Bradley is a bigger player, but both are very good rebounders who can be physical presences down low. It would be no surprise to see Bradley fulfill a role for a perspective NBA team similar to the role that Gibson served in OKC.
The fit:
Bradley is an intriguing prospect, but might be a reach for the Thunder in the first round. He has a world of talent, but still has a lot of room to improve.
If somehow he falls into the second round, the Thunder should definitely consider taking him. He can develop by working with players such as Steven Adams, and his role early on would be similar as to the role he played at North Carolina. As he develops, the Thunder could look to expand that role, giving him more opportunities to succeed.
Regardless of who selects him, Bradley is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on. It’s definitely possible that he develops into a quality NBA center.