OKC Thunder NBA draft profile: Corey Kispert, the 3-point assassin

Corey Kispert strengths and weaknesses

Strengths:

Scan the above basketball reference chart to note the steady progression of the Washington native’s game. While his 44 percent 3-point efficiency on 6.5 attempts per game is his calling card Kispert is much more than a one-trick pony.

Kispert developed solid ball-handling skills with the ability to score off the dribble in order to augment his perimeter shooting.

In addition, the forward added versatility to his offense by developing his paint game where he can finish with either hand. For his position, he’s a decent playmaker although this is an area where he can grow. He’s a solid rebounder who isn’t afraid to crash the boards.

At 22, he’s one of the more mature prospects and his maturity is evident on the court where he demonstrates intelligent decision making and shows poise under pressure. What he makes up for in athleticism he counters with grit and effort.

Kispert fell just short of the 50-40-90 club in his senior season: 52.9%/44%/87.8%.

Weaknesses:

In spite of being an older prospect, Kispert will take some time to adapt to the speed and size of the pro-competition. Offensively it’s his ballhandling, mid-range, and paint scoring that will be affected but should be fairly easy tweaks.

However, the defensive end of the floor will likely require a steeper learning curve. Like most rookies, his lateral slides need improvement as he’s already below average in this area.  His high I.Q. and energy will help the transition to learning a new team defensive scheme but will present his greatest challenge.

Gonzaga was stacked and played one of the easier NCAA schedules so his stats might be slightly padded in comparison to his peers.