Josh Giddey strengths and weaknesses
Strengths:
A late growth spurt added three inches to the frame of Giddey (6’8″) who was already tall for his position. That’s equated to the young men having to adapt to those changes although his best skill of playmaking and dime dishing wasn’t impacted and if anything enhanced his court vision.
In fact, his age belies his acumen as he plays with the mindset of a grizzled vet when it comes to quarterbacking the offense. This past season facing grown men in the NBL he led the league in assists with 7.4 per game. Already, he’s perfected the ability to effectively execute pick-and-roll offense (something many of his NCAA counterparts are still working on).
His passing skills are well above par with a veritable smorgasbord of perfected options in his passing toolkit. Whether cross-court, off the dribble or in the paint he is adept at hitting perimeter snipers, cutters or bigs in the paint making him arguably the best passer in the class.
Augmenting his skilled passing game is his ability to utilize different speeds on drives or change pace to throw off defenses. Giddey rebounds well for size though he should improve as he gains muscle.
Giddey doesn’t allow defenses to dictate the pace or rush him and for an 18-year-old the fact he can’t be forced out of his own rhythm speaks to his extremely high I.Q.
His size, instincts, and intelligence allow him to defend his position but there is work to be done in this area.
Weaknesses:
He’s limited offensively electing to primarily score on drives or via a floater he’s added and is ambidextrous.
Where the inevitable Simmons comparisons will spout is his triple-double ability but lack of shooting. He averaged 10.9 points in the NBL last season on 9.5 field goal attempts per game for 51 percent efficiency.
From the charity stripe, he’s below average for a point guard shooting 69.1 percent on only 2.4 attempts per game. Nor is his perimeter efficiency near the professional desired level (29.3 percent). Where he differs from Simmons is his willingness to shoot from deep (3.5 attempts per game).
Giddey has fundamental mechanical issues with his shot. Given his age and commitment to developing it’s a good bet, he’ll eagerly get in the lab with his new team to make the necessary tweaks.
He relies on his I.Q. defensively since his thin frame and lack of lateral movement make him an easy mark. It’s worth noting his wingspan is shorter than his height. He grew three inches in the past three years which might mean he’s still growing so that could balance out. Adjusting to the growth takes time and presumably, as he fills out, gains muscle and gets comfortable in his body that should bode well for improving his defensive ability.