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JERIAN GRANT – 6’4” POINT GUARD, NOTRE DAME, 22 YEARS OLD
Jerian Grant has all the tools to be a successful guard in the NBA. He is quick, athletic, smart, and unselfish. At 6-4, Grant can play both guard positions effectively, though his excellent passing and leadership skills may make him more of a natural point guard than shooting guard. Grant is the type of prospect who will likely have an immediate impact as a rotation player wherever he lands. He is projected to land in the middle of the first round, but Grant may wind up as a sleeper pick if he is able to improve his shot selection and become a consistent threat beyond the arc.
Offensive Game – Grant has just about all the tools a coach looks for in a point guard. First off, Grant has a fantastic basketball IQ, which is an attribute that makes him one of the most NBA-ready point guards in the draft. He is an extremely unselfish player, which instantly makes him a point guard that other players will want to play with; Grant’s passing ability is one of his greatest assets on the offensive end. He sees the court extremely well, and had a fairly low turnover rate at Notre Dame. Grant was also able to finish very well around the rim off of drives because of his athleticism and strength. Speaking of drives to the basket, Grant is very effective at breaking down a defender, penetrating to the hoop, and drawing the foul. If placed as the off guard, Grant has proven to be a great slasher to the rim, something that is becoming increasingly important in the NBA. As for his shooting, Grant is a good, but not great, shooter, just as his 34% clip from beyond the arc at Notre Dame suggests. That being said, he has all of the tools to improve his jumpshot, just as many guards have done once they reached the NBA. Jason Kidd and John Wall are two great examples of point guards who weren’t pure shooters coming into the NBA, yet they ended up developing an elite midrange or three point shot. What partly contributed to Grant’s lower shooting numbers was the fact that he had a fairly poor shot selection. As smart of a player as he is, Grant still needs to work on determining the right situations to shoot the rock. If and when he becomes a more consistent shooter, Grant will be equipped with all of the tools to be a very good point guard in the NBA.
Defensive Game – Grant isn’t a lockdown defender, but his length, quickness, and overall intelligence on the basketball court make him a very good defender. He finished sixth in the ACC in steals last season, revealing his ability to jump in the passing lanes and cause turnovers. Grant is regarded as a fundamentally sound defender who doesn’t gamble often, but is usually successful when he does indeed take gambles. He has the ability to defend both guard positions, which is always a beneficial asset for a coach to have when he wants to make lineup adjustments. Grant’s size should allow him to guard bigger guards like Russell Westbrook and Tyreke Evans, while his quickness will also allow him to defend smaller guards like Isaiah Thomas and Jeff Teague.
NBA Potential – Grant figures to be a solid backup point guard immediately, if not a starting point guard if he lands in the right situation and starts off the year hot. Spending four years at college certainly has its pros and cons, but for a team looking for backcourt depth for next season, Grant’s experience will factor in tremendously. At Notre Dame he proved to be a great clutch performer, so he certainly isn’t afraid of taking the big shot in a big game. If Grant improves the mechanics of his jumpshot and more importantly, his shot selection, he has the ability to be a top 10 point guard down the road. Jerian Grant should be a welcome addition to a team is looking to draft a player who will help their backcourt depth in the short term, as well as provide the potential to take over as the franchise point guard of the future.
