NBA Draft

The Quick Scout: Scouting #18 UConn Versus St. John’s

Saturday's 12pm matchup between UConn and St. John's is one of the more exciting games to scout this weekend. Who are the top prospects to watch and monitor?
Jam Hines|
The Quick Scout: Scouting #18 UConn Versus St. John’s
The Quick Scout: Scouting #18 UConn Versus St. John’s

In this story:

UConn HuskiesSt. John's Red Storm

This game features several intriguing prospects to evaluate and track including: a potential 2023 lottery pick and the best shooter in the draft, one of the best athletes in college basketball, a shot-blocking force and multiple names to track for the 2024 draft. Let’s get you ready to scout UConn versus St. John’s.

UConn Top Prospects: Donovan Clingan (Big, Freshman), Jordan Hawkins (Guard, Sophomore), Alex Karaban (RS Freshman, Wing), 

Others of Note: Tristen Newton (Guard, Senior), Adama Sanogo (Big, Junior)

St. John’s Top Prospects: AJ Storr (Wing, Freshman), Joel Soriano (Big, Senior)

Others of Note: Posh Alexander (Guard, Junior), Andre Curbelo (Guard, Junior), David Jones (Wing, Junior)

Jordan Hawkins rightfully has his name in the mix as the best shooter in the draft alongside several worthy candidates. Hawkins is not only shooting just a tick under 40% from deep at 39%, he’s doing it with legitimate volume, launching 7.5 attempts per game alongside excelling as an off ball mover and movement shooter to complement his 90th percentile ranking on all catch-and-shoot jumpers.

His knockdown 3-point shooting and off ball scoring prowess easily translates to the NBA, especially in the playoffs where the game slows down and effective operation in the halfcourt is required more. Hawkins is a lottery talent that can contribute from day one and has more upside to tap into because of his functional athleticism and developing handle.

Jackson remains one of those quintessential prospects that would easily be drafted if the three-point shooting swing skill hits or just becomes respectable. His NBA role is as an energy wing, but he offers teams an enticing blend of freaky athleticism, ball skills, playmaking (4.1 assists) and defensive event creation (1.7 stocks) plus positional size within that role. Improving his career 28% mark from beyond the arc (144 attempts) and consistently being more aggressive when scoring chances present themselves will be key determining factors of his draft stock.

Despite only logging 13.3 minutes per game, Clingan quickly impacts the game as a rim projector (1.8 blocks per game) and finisher thanks to his mobility and massive 7-foot-2, 265 pound frame. With the likely increase in minutes next season, Clingan is well on his way to establishing himself as one of, if not the best, shot blocker and rim protector in the country.

The early success of Utah’s Walker Kessler and Mark Williams’ flashes since earning more minutes with Charlotte, bode well for Clingan’s stock and others who share the rim protecting-rim finishing big archetype.

The combination of size and shooting is always coveted. Alex Karaban’s 40% 3-point mark (4.5 attempts per game) on top of a 6-foot-8 frame, no doubt has put him on the NBA radar. He is a confident shooter that’s capable of attacking closeouts and being a competitive defender because of his size and length. He’s a potential top 60 name for next year’s draft class.

On the St. John’s side, AJ Storr is in the midst of closing his first collegiate season on a high note. He’s scored in double figures in seven of his last nine games including a career high 23 points on the road against Creighton and showcasing his NBA appeal.

At 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds with a plus length and a mature NBA ready frame already, Storr is a fluid shooter that’s connecting on 41% of his triples on 2.8 attempts per game and an exciting slasher that can finish at the rim with power and explosion. His physical tools and shooting point to at least an eventual 3-and-D NBA role with upside as an impactful two way player. He’s a leading candidate to break out as a sophomore.

Soriano has been nothing but productive in his second and final season at St. John’s after transferring from Fordham. The 6-foot-11, 260 pound big has a case as one of the best bigs in the conference with averages of 15.4 points per game (9th in Big East), 11.9 rebounds (4.3 offensive, 1st in both) and 1.3 blocks (7th). He’ll interest teams as a G League candidate with his blend of capable post scoring and rim protection in a play finishing-shot blocking role alongside flashes of mid range touch. 

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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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