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This Tyler Lydon NBA Draft profile features Syracuse’s best 2017 draft prospect.
Tyler Lydon – 6’9″ Forward, Syracuse University, 22 Years Old
Tyler Lydon is likely headed to the NBA after two seasons playing for Syracuse Orange. Lydon enters the NBA Draft as a potential late first round or early second round pick. Lydon averaged 11.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 40% from the three point range and scored 93 3-pointers. If Lydon were to bulk up, he could become a lethal stretch four in the NBA. Lydon is not likely to be a day one starter and may take a couple years to develop. He was a versatile player in college and will likely find a place on an NBA roster.
Lydon is likely to be a late first round to early second round pick. Lydon provides potential for a team that has the luxury of developing him.
Strengths
Lydon a 3-point shooting threat. He has a quick, high release that is hard to defend. Lyon also has great basketball instincts to make a timely pass. Lyon dribbles with his head up and often spots the open player.
Lydon also had tremendous versatility playing for the Orange. Head coach Jim Boeheim played Lydon at three different positions. Lydon played both forward positions and center. Lydon showed that he could get to the rim from both the high and low posts albeit with difficulty against bigger defenders.
Lydon also exhibits defensive talent. Lydon has demonstrated weak side help defense and shot blocking skills with his seven foot wingspan.
Weaknesses
The main downside to Lydon is that he needs to get stronger and bigger. He may need to spend his first couple seasons in the NBA bulking up to handle the strength and size of his NBA opponents. Lydon has shown that he is working on his size. In just two seasons, Lydon gained 13 pounds and now weighs 223 pounds. According to DraftExpress, Lydon said he is currently working on adding muscle.
Lydon struggled with consistency during his second season. As noted by the Daily Orange, during a 12 game stretch last season, Lydon went from averaging 18.3 points per game in the first six games to 10.5 points per game in the last six games. In addition, Lydon may not have the quickness to create space and his shot. At the NBA level, Lydon may well struggle in that area.
NBA Potential
The new pace-and-space offense in the NBA fits Lydon’s skill set very well as a natural stretch four. Lydon was versatile and played three positions. If he gets bigger, he may well be a valuable player for an NBA team. Lydon has all the tools to develop into a very good backup or even a starting power forward in a year or two. Lydon has a high basketball IQ, decent ball handling, floor general instincts and versatility. Lydon could very well become a very dependable, efficient backup or starting power forward in the NBA.
NBA Player Comparison
Lydon somewhat resembles Milwaukee Bucks forward Mirza Teletovic. Teletovic is a three-point specialist like Lydon, but is currently physically bigger than Lydon. Lydon also matches up the Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic is 238 lbs and has struggled defensively in his first two seasons in the NBA. Also, Mirotic has been inconsistent at times which is similar to Lydon’s inconsistent play last season at Syracuse.
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