NBA Draft Board: Florida State’s Scottie Barnes
In the 2021 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder own one lottery pick at No. 6 overall. One of the prospects who could fall in that range is Scottie Barnes who most recently played at Florida State.
Profile:
While his offensive game needs quite a bit of work, Barnes could legitimately guard all five positions at the next level with his 6-foot-9 frame. The recent combine was certainly a positive for where he projects to be drafted, as he’s only improved his stock.
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Strengths:
A do it all player, Barnes averaged four rebounds and four assists per game in college as a forward. With an athletic frame, he has an NBA-ready body and will contribute immediately as a rookie.
Barnes has the highest ceiling defensively of any prospect in this class, boasting the ability to defend any position. His 7-foot-3 wingspan allows him to contest shots and deny passing lanes.
Weaknesses:
Barnes is going to be a really good NBA player, but to become an All-Star his offense needs a lot of work. His shooting mechanics look fine, but he struggled quite a bit from deep in his lone college season.
To become an effective modern forward, Barnes will also need to get more comfortable with the ball in his hands. While he can bring the ball up the floor, he got flustered under pressure in many situations at the college level.
