Scottie Barnes is considered one of the safest prospects in the NBA Draft after his efficient year coming off the bench at Florida State. But, what really draws teams to Scottie Barnes?
1. Body and Athleticism – 6’9″, 227 lbs, 7’2″ Wingspan
Similar to Jonathan Kuminga, Scottie Barnes is built like an NBA veteran. He has a solid body and uses it to bully smaller defenders. This also comes in handy when driving as he does not get pushed easily. He is also long, giving him an advantage over many defenders. He also has big hands which are always helpful. Barnes is quick off the ground. Barnes is overall a good athlete.
2. Scoring – 10.3 PPG, 50.3% FG, 27.5% 3FG
Barnes is not a scorer and probably won’t be a primary one in his NBA career. His offensive game is overall inefficient. At Florida State, Barnes took an average number of three-pointers at 4 per 100 possessions. However, Barnes missed every single corner three at FSU which is concerning. Barnes’ free throw shooting was also very concerning as he wasn’t reliable from the line.
There is hope though as his form is pretty good and he seems to be confident when taking these shots. But, Barnes is most confident in the paint and loves to attack it. His athleticism allows him to easily get to the rim and score. In transition, he is great as he is aggressive. His isolation game needs work as he only scored on 30% of his isolations at the rim. He also needs to work on his post-game. Barnes’s game doesn’t rely on scoring so teams should look past his weaknesses in this area.
3. Playmaking – 4.1 APG to 2.5 TPG
Barnes’s ability to handle the ball and play-make gives him a huge advantage over other wings in this class. Barnes is the perfect point forward for today’s game as he has size and length. He is already an incredible passer with great IQ and has an eye for the open man.
It seems too easy for him to pass in the PNR as he is amazing at finding open shooters and rim runners. He is always looking for an open man. He is a good ball-handler as a wing. Scottie has to work on his turnovers a little more like a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio is average. Barnes can be an amazing playmaking wing who can run an offense.
4. Defense and Rebounding – 4.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Like most Florida State prospects, Barnes is an amazing defender. He can switch onto multiple positions and keep up with smaller and faster guards. Barnes is a smart and responsible transition defender.
His length comes in handy most of the time especially when the opposing player attacks the rim. Barnes always seems to be talking and communicating. Rebounding-wise, he is average. Barnes is one of the safer prospects defensively.
5. Comparison(s)
Andre Iguodala: Defensive oriented point forwards who aren’t great shooters.
Projection: Scottie has incredible potential. If he develops on the right team, he can turn into an All-NBA defender while being a threat on offense with an above-average three and a lethal inside game. At his worst, Scottie would be a defensive point forward off the bench (Iguodala-like).
Photo: Nell Redmond, USA TODAY Sports
