Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
In somewhat of a surprising move, the Oklahoma City Thunder packaged two of their second-round picks to move up and select Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. As he became the No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Thunder gained a proven winner.
Robinson-Earl is by no means flashy or a guy that jumps off the page statistically. However, teams can’t win at the highest level without players like him that are willing to do whatever is needed.
After playing two college seasons at Villanova, the 6-foot-9 forward made the jump to the NBA. At 20 years old, Robinson-Earl can already play multiple positions for Oklahoma City at the next level.
As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.
Last Season’s Numbers
As a sophomore last season at Villanova, Robinson-Earl was one of the team’s best players. He averaged 15.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest.
While he struggled as a shooter, his mechanics look just fine. With more practice and repetitions playing in the modern NBA, his 3-point shot should naturally improve.
A player that does it all, Robinson-Earl does a lot of the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. He often finds himself in the right place at the right time due to his discipline and doing what he’s coached to do.
Robinson-Earl had the opportunity to showcase his skills with the Thunder in NBA Summer League last month, proving to be the team’s most consistent player. He led the team in points (12.0) and rebounds (7.4) per game.
As he enters his rookie season, don’t be surprised if he exceeds expectations.
Fit On Current Roster
At 20 years old, Robinson-Earl is one of many young players on the Thunder roster. With that in mind, his versatility will help him stick out amongst his peers.
While he’s too undersized to play center full-time, he’s strong enough to play small ball center in certain situations. Outside of that, he’s also able to play both forward positions, creating mismatches for opposing defenses.
Without seeing many of the new faces on the roster in real NBA action, it’s tough to say exactly what Robinson-Earl’s role will be as a rookie. What is clear is that he’ll make winning plays and do whatever is asked of him.
When it comes to being a professional that’s open to being coached and developed, Robinson-Earl is exactly what you want.
Long-Term Fit
As a long-term member of the Thunder, Robinson-Earl projects to be a glue guy. He’ll never stuff the stat sheet or score 50 points in a game, but he’ll make the handful of winning plays throughout matchups that ultimately result in a close win.
While his ceiling isn’t all that high relative to some of his peers on the Thunder roster, his floor is one of the highest. At minimum, he’ll be a solid role player for several seasons. If he’s able to improve on his 3-point shot, the Villanova prospect will have a place in the NBA for a decade or more.
Robinson-Earl could become the role player that OKC needs when they’re ready to contend again. As he get faster and stronger, his ideal role would be as a 3-and-D wing for the Thunder in several years.
Prospect Grade
B-
It’s likely that Robinson-Earl is a role player throughout his entire NBA career, but in the modern day that is of extreme importance. In fact, many guys that never become legitimate superstars end up being key glue guys that do everything to impact winning. Draymond Green is a great example of that.
A very mature person and player, Robinson-Earl is a step ahead of most rookies just in the fact that he will always play within himself. Many young players attempt to do too much and it ends up being to their detriment. Robinson-Earl makes few mistakes and truly does what he’s asked by his coaching staff.
He will never be a flashy player or make an NBA All-Star team, but in terms of being a winner and a key piece to a championship team, Robinson-Earl checks all the boxes.
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