NBA Draft Scouting Report: Kentucky's Chris Livingston
Chris Livingston
Wing | Kentucky
Height: 6'6” | Weight: 200 lbs
2023 Draft Age: 19.68
Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
Livingston is a strong, physical wing that leverages his explosives and size to play a downhill game. He’s a real threat in transition when he’s got a head of steam and is nearly impossible to slow down.
Whether it’s on the break or in a half court set, Livingston likes to play above the rim. Even when he’s not throwing down a powerful dunk, he’s able to hang in the air long enough and use body control to finish tough layups.
When he’s not attacking the rim, Livingston does have the range to knock down triples. He’s shown he can convert on deep 3-pointers, but teams will be monitoring his shooting efficiency as the 3-point line moves back at the college level. He was reliable from deep as a freshman, but certainly not elite.
If anyone has the body that’s ready for the NBA, Livingston is one of the top guys in this class. Later in his high school career he was able to bully smaller players, so it was interesting to see how he performed against more athletic players at the college level. To this point he’s been really effective drawing fouls, as defenders have to play him physical to combat the aggressive nature of Livingston’s game. He's even able to navigate in the post when needed.
Overall, the 6-foot-6 wing has the tools to be effective in any area on the court. He’s a good passer and willing facilitator. The Ohio native is also an advanced rebounder for his position and has a knack for finding the ball.
Defensively he has the combination of size, speed and strength to defend multiple positions. To be clear, Livingston still has work to do in order to become a better defender, but all of the intangibles are there. That will be promising for NBA teams.
Kentucky had high expectations this season, with Livingston having the pressure of being a high impact wing. He wasn't as productive as we had hoped, but he's a good enough prospect that declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft made sense.
Luckily for him, playing under the bright lights isn’t a problem for Livingston. His senior season at Oak Hill, he played against some of the top players in the country and often outshined everyone in big moments. From there, he now has the experience playing in a tough conference with the Wildcats.
Livingston has a twin brother, Cordell, who played as his teammate growing up played at Kentucky State last season.
He’s not currently being talked about as a lottery talent, but there's a chance he ends up being one of the better players in this class when it's all said and done.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Mid to Late First-Round Pick in 2023 NBA Draft.
2023 Big Board
Want to know more about other potential 2023 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Pro Big Board.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
For a free account and access to Cerebro Sports, the largest Basketball Player Database in the world, sign up here.