PJ Dozier: OKC Thunder NBA Draft prospect series

Mar 31, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks most noteworthy guard Duane Notice (10) and guard PJ Dozier (15) laugh during practice for the 2017 Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

South Carolina sophomore PJ Dozier is the next athlete Thunderous Intentions examines in TI’s NBA Draft Prospect Preview.

PJ Dozier is one of very few shooting guards in the point guard, center heavy draft. Given the rarity of his position arguably it’s surprising he’s predominantly ranked near the bottom of the second round. Tall for his position with solid stats the issues for Dozier center around his shooting efficiency particularly from deep and at the line.

With the 21st pick it’s unlikely Sam Presti will earmark the guard as his priority. That said, it’s not unusual for Presti to make moves to grab additional players, so let’s look at Dozier to see if he warrants OKC’s attention.

Specifics:

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 200 lbs

Wingspan: 6’11 ”

Position: Shooting Guard

Age: 20 years, 6 months

Statline: 13.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.3 blocks

College: South Carolina (Sophomore)

Home Town: Columbia, South Carolina

Current rankings:

Note, rankings are updated on day of writing, and are subject to change.

DraftExpress: 49th

NBA DraftNet: 36th

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor: 49th

CBS Sports: 46th

Basketball Insiders: 51st

Hoops Hype: 26th

Skills:

Dozier is a unique prospect because at 6’6″ his length coupled with his playmaking and defensive ability could be very useful in the modern NBA. Though he’s slated as a shooting guard it’s reasonable to assume with the proper development he could also play at the point. To that end, currently he’s far better suited to transition and up tempo systems.

Dozier’s body is also a strong point as his 6’11” wingspan and 39′ vertical exemplify. Possessing a solid frame with wide shoulders he has ample room to fill out. This is especially relevant as it lends itself toward his already decent defensive skills. Yet, I’m in agreement with Kevin O’Connor in terms of his upper ceiling equaling Shaun Livingston. That may be a stretch, but if Dozier could develop into a utility player of Livingston’s ilk it’s understandable why a team with room on their roster to develop him would take the chance.

The areas where his size and length already pay dividends are on defense. Consequently, his long strides and speed enable him to cover out to the perimeter and rotate quickly through screens. He’s also very active snagging 1.7 steals per game.

Weaknesses:

For PJ Dozier to find regular roster time he’ll need to improve his shooting efficiency, handle and lower his turnovers.

His current 28.5 percent from the perimeter and 59.5 percent from the line are well below acceptable efficiencies. Although he did demonstrate slight improvements over his sophomore season. But, Dozier’s shot requires fundamental tweaks as the stroke could be refined with the motion and mechanics made less onerous. Hence, his drafting team will need to work with him to develop a consistent shooting form as well as maximize his motion and release time

However, the area of his game requiring the greatest focus is his playmaking. Specifically, PJ Dozier turned the ball over 2.2 times per game versus 2.8 assists per game which aren’t ideal ratios.

Furthermore, Julian Applebome of Draft Express notes he has work to do learning how to run the pick and roll. Due to this Dozier should make this part of his summer focus.

"He shows solid court vision in transition and uses his size well to see over the top of the defense in the half court, but he is not yet advanced in terms of pick and roll playmaking, something he would likely be asked to do as a primary ball handler at the NBA level. He is not yet a sound decision maker and struggled with basic point guard responsibilities like making post entry passes, but he does show glimpses of being able to facilitate and hit tight windows with impressive bounce passes."

Honors and awards:

South Carolina Mr. Basketball, 2015

McDonald’s All-American Participant 2015

South Carolina Player of the Year, 2015

Pro Comparison:

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provided a ceiling comparison for each of his prospects. O’Connor’s list pegs Collins ceiling as Shaun Livingston, Dejounte Murray

The fit:

While the Thunder could certainly utilize a utility guard capable of playing the two and as a backup point guard, in essence they already have that with Victor Oladipo. Moreover, Dozier’s need to develop playmaking and shooting efficiency won’t make him an attractive prospect for OKC who already cite those two areas as issues needing improvement. Rather, OKC would be better served to develop the lengthy Alex Abrines playmaking skills given his perimeter scoring efficiency.

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