NBA Draft

The Quick Scout: Scouting #13 Furman vs #5 San Diego State

Can 13th seeded Furman advance to the Sweet 16 by pulling off another upset? Or will San Diego State shatter the glass slipper on another trendy upset pick? Let’s take a look at the top prospects in Saturday’s upcoming tournament clash.
Jam Hines|
The Quick Scout: Scouting #13 Furman vs #5 San Diego State
The Quick Scout: Scouting #13 Furman vs #5 San Diego State

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Furman PaladinsSan Diego State Aztecs

While this game doesn't feature any sure fire NBA players, there are multiple top prospects to monitor that NBA teams will be interested in bringing in their system, paced by Furman’s Jalen Swanson and San Diego State’s Matt Braldely. Slated for a 12:10pm tip on Saturday, let’s get you ready to scout Furman-San Diego State.

This game features several intriguing prospects to scout and monitor including: a potential 2023 top 5 pick, an NBA ready wing shooter, a long term prospect that appears to be getting comfortable and more. Let’s get you ready to scout Furman-San Diego State.

Furman Top Prospects: Mike Bothwell (Guard, Fifth Year Senior), Jalen Slawson (Big/Wing, Fifth Year Senior)

San Diego Top Prospects: Matt Bradley (Guard, Senior), Keshad Johnson (Wing, Senior)

Others of Note: Lamont Butler (Guard, Junior, SDSU), JP Pegues (Guard, Sophomore, Furman), Carter Whitt (Guard, Sophomore, Furman)

Led by Slawson and Bothwell all season, Furman will need standout performances from both to keep dancing and officially enter the “Cinderella” territory. Slawson, 6-foot-7, do-it-all wing/undersized big, that does his damage inside-out, shined against UVA with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.

Slawson’s outing against a tough UVA defense on the tournament stage bodes well for his draft stock potentially rising. He’s the best NBA prospect in this game and right now, he’s more of an undrafted free agent target in line for G League interest and an Exhibition 10 or two-way deal.

His appeal lies in his versatility, defensive playmaking (3.1 stocks) and shooting flashes with NBA scouts keeping a keen eye on his 3-point shooting, a key swing skill for him. Slawson is a career 32% shooter from deep that has shown improvement this season. He’s at 38% on 2.9 attempts per game (103 total attempts).

Bothwell battled foul trouble and eventually fouled out in the UVA win. Furman’s leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, was limited to 21 minutes, scoring 11 points on an efficient 4-of-8 from the field, including draining 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Bothwell isn't quite the level of prospect Slawson is, but will garner G League and overseas interest because of his shot creation ability and multi level shotmaking.

While Slawson is the best prospect in the game, Matt Bradley is my second best prospect and the leader for SDSU. The Mountain West Confernce’s tournament MVP and 1st team All MWC selection is a stout and powerfully built 6-foot-4 guard (220 pounds) that’s a load to deal with thanks to his mix of ball skills, strength and shooting (37% from deep on 4.2 attempts). He’s another one that NBA teams will have G League interest in. Expect to see him receive a Summer League invite.

There might not be anyone in this game who has the physical tools that Keshad Johnson possesses. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, Johnson is an explosive athlete and play finisher with NBA positional size and length. There still needs to be development in his ball skills and shooting (23% career 3-point mark), but NBA teams may want to see if they help him progress in the G League. I’m expecting him to draw the assignment on Slawson, making this my in game matchup to watch. 

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Jam Hines
JAM HINES

Jam is a scout with nearly a decade of evaluation experience through his time with former NBA scouting and consulting services, EV Hoops and BPA Hoops. From the high school to NBA level, he brings a wealth of knowledge on prospects.

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