Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia
Age: 23 years old Size: 6’5, 225 pounds
Last Season’s Stats: 18.2 points; 4.1 rebounds; 3.1 assists per game
Percentages: 45.7% from the field; 39.1% from three-point; 89.7% from the free throw line
Malcolm Brogdon could be highly valuable once the more versatile players start to fall off of the board. Brogdon is one of the more polished and NBA-ready prospects in this draft. He is slated to go anywhere in the second round.
Brogdon brings an elite skill with him: defense. Using his 6-foot-11 wingspan, coupled with his strong 225-pound frame, he managed to guard four different positions for Virginia throughout the year. He is a vocal defensive leader on the court and never gets out of a stance. He is incredibly intelligent and tough as nails. Having that type of defensive versatility is the way the NBA has been moving the past few seasons.
His offensive game has been cleaned up and polished very nicely as well. Brogdon shot 39.1 percent from three-point, has learned to be one of the smarter off-ball cutters, developed a floater for his mid-range game, and cleaned up his ball handling so he could play more in the pick and roll. Add in the extra space of playing at the NBA level and Brogdon’s passing game could become more of a factor as well.
Overall Brogdon brings versatility, size and the ability to contribute from day one. He may not be able to jump out of the gym, and he is one of the oldest players in the draft, but there is a reason the NBA invited him to be on the USA select team with current Nuggets Gary Harris and Emmanuel Mudiay. He can make a team very happy right away.
