Hidden Gems: Keon Ellis Provides Off-Ball Spark

Though the Oklahoma City Thunder conclude their draft haul at Pick No. 34, there’s always value in assessing all areas of the draft board.

Alabama guard Keon Ellis carries some upside late in the 2022 draft class as a backcourt defender with offensive upside.

Following two seasons playing JUCO at Florida Southwestern State College, Ellis finished his upperclassman years at Alabama. With the Crimson Tide, the 6-foot-6 guard rose from a role-playing wing as a junior to a surefire starter as a senior.

This season, he marked averages of 12.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 steals across 33 games.

On the offensive front, Ellis adds an alluring palate from all areas of the court. Ellis shot at a 40-percent three-point clip in JUCO and shot 36.6% this season at Alabama. On these attempts (5.5 3PA), he became a marquee piece to lodge in the corner for catch-and-shoot attempts out of the halfcourt. Ellis’ three-point play expanded as well. He showed success coming off stagger screens to launch threes and did a solid job catching and setting his feet for shot attempts. Inside, he’s shown some prowess slashing off hard closeouts and absorbing contact in the lane.

Defensively, Ellis slips into the mold of a trusty backcourt defender. Ellis was one of the top performers in combine drills, clocking a 10.87 run in lane agility (83rd percentile), a 3.02-second effort in the shuttle run (72nd percentile), and a 3.18-second effort in the shuttle run (77th percentile.) That showing helped back Ellis’ claim as a good perimeter defender as he has good lateral quickness to keep guards from slashing and to navigate around high-ball screens. He uses his 6-foot-9 wingspan to help on closeouts and late-clock situations for contests while also having some quick reflexes to strip the ball loose. He’s a good one-on-one defender in the halfcourt.

Overall, Ellis has shown the upside to be a rotational glue guy at the two spot. He’s slight, weighing 168 pounds. However, he’s shown the ability to defend either backcourt position with relative consistency. As of now, he’s not someone you’d entrust to guard frontcourt pieces, but his pesky play is a bright spot. His role is not to play on-ball. He’s a great player off-the-catch and attacking in space, but his playmaking ability still carries some rough edges.

Ellis is a very intriguing prospect at his projected draft position. Though most sites and mock drafts peg the 22-year-old as a late-second-round flier, it’s evident his NBA interest has surpassed his draft position to this point. Based on public reports, Ellis has worked out for eight franchises in his pre-draft process, with the Oklahoma City Thunder working him out twice. In all likelihood, there could be a few workouts not in the public eye for Ellis – making him a hot name to monitor in the opening moments of the second round.