The Best 21 and Under Prospects in the NBA D-League
The average age of NBA call ups this season is approximately 24 years old. All four players had past NBA experience which made them easier targets for NBA clubs because you know what you are getting from them.
The majority of NBA call ups have been players with past NBA experience who just needed some additional seasoning or the right fit with an NBA club. As the D-League molds and grows into a true minor league with 30 teams this could start to change.
NBA front offices should be looking to the D-League as a supplemental draft option or sorts. Teams can find a player whom they like, sign him to a non-guaranteed minimum deal, and either bring him up to their club or assign him to their D-League affiliate to continue to grow and develop.
Why pay a player when you can let him develop with another team for free? Well, that’s just it, they are with another team. If you sign said player and assign him to your affiliate, then they are truly developing in your system and if needed they can be called upon to assist the parent club with rotational minutes.
It doesn’t make sense to have this outlook with a 25 or 26 year old player. They could still improve but not as much as a 20 or 21 year old player can.
With that in mind here are some of the top 21 and under prospects to be had in the NBA D-League.
Chris Walker – 21 – Rio Grande Valley Vipers
NBA Skills: Size, athleticism, shot-blocking, rebounding
NBA Needs: Shooting, ball handling, on-ball defending
Walker is one of the better prospects in the league regardless of age, but the mere fact that he is only 21 years old gives him that shimmer that some of the others just don’t have. He has been stellar for the Vipers this season averaging 13.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in only 25 minutes a night as the team’s sixth man. He also boasts the team’s best +/- at 2.7.
At 6-10, he has the length to guard both the power forward and center positions and his quick foot speed allows him to hold his own if he’s switched onto a small forward or shooting guard in the pick-and-roll. He’s shown an innate ability to block shots from the weak side and while he’s got a smaller frame at a listed 220 pounds he’s done well in post defense also.
Walker isn’t going to be a pick and pop type of player at this point, so the right team signing him would be essential to his growth. Having said that, any team that does sign him could keep him in the D-League to work on that jumper and get it ready for next season in the NBA. He lives in the paint right now as 62 of his 69 field goal attempts have come within five feet of the basket, but he’s shooting a blistering 65 percent on those shots.
Walker draws comparisons to a current Rockets’ young big with potential by the name of Clint Capela. Clint had the same trajectory last season averaging 16.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 blocks a night in only 25 minutes for the Vipers — Walker is younger and has more versatility than Capela. Sign this man!
Vincent Hunter – 21 – Reno Bighorns
NBA Skills: Rebounding, Bball IQ, Finishing at rim, Foot speed
NBA Needs: Jump Shot, Add some bulk
Hunter is a 6-8 small forward playing power forward for the Reno Bighorns. He’s averaging 20.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per night and has been one of the early surprises for me this year. He’s gobbling up one out of every five rebounds (19.8%) while he’s on the court and he has the versatility to get a rebound and turn around and lead the break as well.
At 6-8 people will say he’s “undersized” but look at Paul Millsap. He’s 6-8 at best and he’s one of the best power forwards in the NBA. Look, he’s not Millsap now clearly, but can he develop into that type of player – yes! Millsap has the ability to stretch the floor but he didn’t start hitting 3-pointers until his eighth season (31 made 3-pointers his first seven combined).
Hunter has done most of his work in the restricted area this season but he has hit the occasional mid-range shot and even drained one three so far this year. His shooting stroke can use some tinkering but it’s a small fix that could improve his game by leaps and bounds. He will need to be able to at least his the mid-range jumper consistently if he wants to play in the NBA, but his upside and motor (HA!) are his two greatest assets at this point.
Robert Upshaw – 21 – Los Angeles D-Fenders
NBA Skills: Size, shot-blocking
NBA Needs: Basketball IQ, body control, post moves
Upshaw was a lottery bound talent who was undone by his own off-court issues. After being dismissed from the University of Washington men’s basketball team his draft stock plummeted. Ultimately he went undrafted and signed a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and then allocated him to the D-Fenders as one of their affiliate players.
I’ll admit, I thought Upshaw would come in and just dominate — it has not gone that way, yet.
His averages have been pedestrian so far at 5.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocks but take note he’s doing that in only 15.2 minutes a night. There have been three healthy DNPs and he’s only cracked 20+ minutes three times in 12 appearances. His issue has been staying out of foul trouble. In the NCAA ranks he could time players’ shots, leap and reject ’em with ease, but this is the pro ranks so everyone knows what he aims to do and they can use it to their advantage.
Players are catching him off his feet and getting him into foul trouble more often than not. He’s only fouled out of one game so far (he did that in just 14 minutes) but he’s averaging three fouls per game — in just 15 minutes! The fact remains that he’s very, very raw and despite the off court issues that dropped him into “undraftable” status, he would have been a project no matter what and would likely be in the NBADL on assignment regardless.
Right now he’s a legit seven footer who can run the floor and block shots – that’s it. The key is that he is still only 21 years old and given the right development he can be a rotational guy in the NBA. As the season progresses and players on the D-Fenders bolt for international deals or get snatched up by The Association, Upshaw’s minutes will rise and I’m looking forward to the second half for him.
Brandon Ashley – 21 – Texas Legends
NBA Skills: Size, shooting ability, defensive versatilityNBA Needs: Shooting range, bulk, ball handling
Ashley went pro after his junior season at the University of Arizona and many had him tabbed as a second round pick, but after going undrafted the Mavericks signed him and used one of their affiliate spots for him.
He has started all 12 games for the Legends and while his statistics don’t jump off the page, he’s playing within himself while adding the 3-pointer to his every game arsenal. Last year with the Wildcats he took less than one three per game and now he’s attempting 3.8 per night and shooting 36 percent from outside. Not bad for a 6-8 small forward.
Add the defensive abilities he brings to the table and Ashley is one of the more intriguing prospects in the entire league. He’s averaging 12.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in 34 minutes a night for coach Van Exel. Ashley is one of only three players — Vince Hunter & Jordan Mickey are the others — with those numbers in the D-League right now.
Right now he’s working on improving his long distance shot, but I would like to see him be more aggressive in terms of driving to the basket as well. Last year at Arizona he averaged 4.5 free throws per game and that number has dipped to only 2.1 so far as a pro. Keep in mind the Legends have spread the court early to allow Tu Holloway and Toure Murry the driving lanes they need to make plays, but regardless Ashley needs to get to the line twice as much as he is currently.
Keifer Sykes – 21 – Austin Spurs
NBA Skills: Speed, quickness, ball handling, finishing at the rim
NBA Needs: Jump shot, change of pace, working the pick-and-roll
Sykes is a firecracker. The diminutive (5-11) guard makes an impact as soon as he steps on the floor. He joined the Austin Spurs and got to learn the ropes a bit from Bryce Cotton and now Orlando Johnson so hopefully he’s taking advantage of that knowledge and putting it to good use. Cotton has signed with the Phoenix Suns, so the opportunity is there for Sykes to lead this team during his rookie campaign.
Through 14 games he’s averaging 10.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists a night and now that he’s starting those numbers stand to rise. I’m more interested in seeing him develop a more consistent jumper to balance out his attacking style. Defenses are starting to give him a little gap, almost daring him to shoot the jumper instead of blow by them and finish at the rim. Despite his lack of size he’s shooting 65 percent on shots in the restricted area so his finishing ability is already there.
The issue with Sykes is the aforementioned lack of shooting. He’s shooting just 30 percent on mid-range shots and 22 percent from 3-point land this year. The mechanics of his shot are not poor, so a mere tinker here or there could help tremendously.
Sykes has to decide what type of guard he wants to be. He can go the route of an Ish Smith or Phil Pressey and look to set the table for his teammates or he can go a more rogue route like Nate Robinson and be a firestarter off the bench. Regardless, I think this first year in the D-League will improve his understanding of the pro game, so that next offseason he should get a realistic shot at making an NBA roster.