Small guards can succeed in today’s NBA. Trae Young is putting up ridiculous numbers at 6’1”, 180 lbs. 3-time Sixth Man of the Year winner Louis Williams is only 175 lbs. And then there’s obviously 3-time NBA Champion Steph Curry.
To make it in the NBA as an undersized guard, one must be both extremely skilled and smart. Stanford’s Tyrell Terry is 6’1” and a meager 165 lbs., but he definitely possesses the two aforementioned traits.
Terry was a 4-star recruit in high school and decided to commit to Stanford. Nobody considered him a serious one-and-done prospect. However, Terry dazzled for the Cardinal, starting in every game and scoring 14.6 points per contest. He earned Pac-12 All-Freshman honors.
Terry was an elite shooter in college, and his shot is easily projectable to the NBA. He shot 40.8% from three and 89.1% from the free throw line. He has a quick release and smooth stroke. He’s confident enough to pull-up from way behind the line.
While many small guards struggle to score around the rim, Terry is one of the better finishers in this class. He weaves through defenses with his crafty ball-handling and utilizes his soft touch to finish.
Terry only averaged 3.2 assists per game, but he has good court vision and the ability to make a wide variety of passes. He excels playing both on and off ball.
It’s impossible for a 165 lbs. player to succeed defensively in the NBA, but Terry was able to get by just fine in college. He is extremely disruptive in the passing lanes and is an intelligent team defender. He posted a 2.8 Defensive Box Plus Minus, an uncanny number for a player of his archetype.
Tyrell Terry is a shrimp. He’s a lottery talent in this year’s class who desperately needs to put on some pounds. Luckily, bulking up is not impossible. If he even just reaches 175 or 180 lbs., Terry can become one of the best players from this class.
Photo: Sportsnet
