NBA Draft Scouting Report: Louisiana Tech's Isaiah Crawford
Isaiah Crawford
Forward | Louisiana Tech
Height: 6'6” | Weight: 220 lbs
2024 Draft Age: 22.65
Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
Since joining the Bulldogs in 2019, Crawford has been a premier player in Conference USA. He has an interesting skillset, but in the right system could make a real impact at the NBA level moving forward.
Crawford is a smooth athlete with good defensive skills, a forward that, while not elite with his handle, can put the ball on the deck and attack closeouts. He's demonstrated a burgeoning Euro-step throughout games this year as well, occasionally taking advantage of the opposing defense by either putting up a shot or dumping off to the post. He can put defenders in difficult positions due to his size and ability to move with the ball. While not elite at any one thing on offense, Crawford is still an efficient scorer.
His biggest strength, however, is not necessarily his offense, despite it being solid for college – he's a good defender, a lockdown guy at his best, possessing a massive 7-foot wingspan that help him to contest shots on the perimeter. When combined with the frame, Crawford just looks the part of a prototypical NBA small forward, and due to his build, he's not a player you can back down easily in the post.
There are however some legitimate concerns with Crawford on whether or not he has scalable traits – many of the things he is able to do in college may be neutralized by better athletes at the next level. As good of a defender as he is, containing quicker players in space could be difficult for him at the next level.
Essentially, Crawford has a bit of a "tweener" skillset – he has elements of being a wing and elements of being a forward. If he's to play in the Association, he could play an undersized four role in a small-ball lineup. Other than that particular situation, though, he may struggle to find a spot.
Crawford was not highly recruited coming out of high school, and according to recruiting sites, had just one Division I offer: Louisiana Tech. Now, he’s a legitimate NBA talent who will have the chance to showcase his tremendous improvement over the years. He is a fifth-year senior at Louisiana Tech, making him an older prospect in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Potential Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.
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