Jaden McDaniels, the freshman forward from the University of Washington, was one of the highest-ranked players in the 2019 high school recruiting class, and he was widely considered as a probable top-five pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. One year later, however, his draft stock has tanked, and expectations about his draft position have considerably lessened. Though he largely demonstrated inconsistency during his one season in Seattle, he’s flashed a versatile game with tantalizing upside, though it remains to be seen if McDaniels can take the next step in the NBA.
Jaden McDaniels 2020 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Coming out of high school, Jaden McDaniels was the highest-rated forward in the Class of 2019, and he averaged 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists in his senior year. He then committed to the University of Washington, where he teamed up with fellow five-star recruit Isaiah Stewart to form the tenth-best recruiting class in the nation. With his incredible physical tools and versatile skill set, many expected McDaniels to help the Huskies continue their newfound success of the 2018-19 season when they surprisingly finished first in the conference at 27-9.
Strengths
- 6’10 with 7’0 wingspan; truly a positionless player who could eventually guard multiple positions
- A good spot-up shooter with nice shot mechanics, as well as a quick and high release
- Solid mid-range jumper, with glimpses of accuracy from downtown
- A willing shooter, with deep range and relatively high frequency (7.5 threes per 100 possessions)
- An above-average Free Throw Shooter (76%), indicating potential for greater shooting acumen at NBA level
- He is an effective weak-side blocker: averaged an elite 4 blocks per 100 possessions (fifth among freshman with a 25+ usage rate)
- Possesses a smooth handle for someone of his height; can maneuver his way into clean looks off the pick-and-roll
Weaknesses
- Had awful offensive efficiency; produced a putrid 91.9 points per 100 possessions. For context, in last year’s draft, the player with the lowest offensive rating in both the first or second round was Milwaukee Bucks forward Justin James, who produced 95.5 points per 100 possessions
- Was extremely inconsistent on both offense and defense
- His thin frame may prevent him from developing into a good finisher or multi-positional defender. He can’t get past smaller defenders, and he is a very poor finisher
- Was very prone to fouls in college
- Not the best playmaker; high turnover rate and poor feel for the game
NBA Comparison
Jaden McDaniels has an eerily similar game to Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown. Both were inefficient offensive players with questionable shot selection, as Brown produced 95.4 points per game. On defense, both were rangy, explosive players with shooting confidence and excessive fouling tendencies. On defense, both were thin-framed with concerns over whether they would actually be able to grow into their body and guard multiple positions. The one difference is that Brown was much more aggressive driving to the basket than McDaniels, and he could therefore punish smaller defenders.
NBA Draft Projection
Post-Lottery to Late First Round
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