Josh Giddey is an 18-year-old point guard from Melbourne, Australia. Giddey is currently a member of the Adelaide 36ers club of the NBL. Ever heard of him? Get ready, here it comes.
Josh Giddey 2021 NBA Draft Profile
NBL Career
Giddey decided to stay in Australia and make some money for a year in the NBL before entering his name in the NBA Draft. Was it worth it?
Well, his numbers in Australia are rather good. Giddey has been one of the more underrated prospects in the draft class, which isn’t a surprise. Whenever an international prospect comes to the NBA there are always questions.
Can they adapt to the NBA game? Can they adjust to the different styles of play? Are they a ‘project’ that might pan out in 3-4 years? Rest assured, Luka Doncic had those same questions when he came into the NBA and quickly put those to rest.
As for Giddey, buy the stock now because he’s talented. In his 2020-21 season in Australia, he is averaging 11 points per game with 6.7 assists and 6.9 rebounds.
He’s posted seven double-doubles so far this season and has flirted with a triple-double in just about every one of those. Giddey still has a handful of games left in the NBL season and if you feel like watching one, their matchup on April 26 will be aired on ESPN.
Strengths
Where to even begin is the question. He can do everything that NBA teams want from point guards. Pass, score, dribble drive, play defense, rebound, the whole thing.
Just off his stats alone, he’s a triple-double threat on any given night. His size alone (6’8″, 205 lbs) makes him nearly impossible to match up against for opposing point guards in the NBA.
He can block shots and is tenacious on the offensive end. In a recent interview, he even likened himself to Ben Simmons, per Mike Scotto of HoopsHype. For the sake of enjoyment, watch this highlight reel here.
NBA draft prospect Josh Giddey says he’d compare his game to Ben Simmons
"Right now, in a non-cocky or arrogant way, I’d probably say similar to Ben Simmons." via @hoopshype
(🎥 @swishcultures_ )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 8, 2021
That’s a player with a lot of talent that just needs to develop and get some NBA training and experience. He has the full package and should only get better as time goes on. Oh, and he doesn’t turn 19 until October 2021. Here’s another video because he’s just so fun to watch.
Josh Giddey returned from ankle injury to rack up 13 points, 11 boards, 8 assists + pair of 3s vs Illawarra. Averaging 14, 8 and 9.5 since March 1.
Heard he'll measure 6-8 in socks. Obvious passing IQ. Shifty handles to create. Starting to shoot it. Potential top-10 prospect. pic.twitter.com/ZAGF25S5Jp
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) April 3, 2021
Weaknesses
Well, every player has weaknesses and Giddey has quite a few. As good as he looks, there is a lot of red flags regarding his draft aspects. For one, he isn’t the best shooter at any level on the floor (hence the Simmons comp). He’s shooting 31% from three and 41% from the field in Australia this season, which isn’t the worst.
To make matters worse, he’s shooting 66% from the charity stripe, which is not good at all. He’s also averaging just under three turnovers a game which will only go up against NBA-type talent.
That’s not a huge deal because of his age and development. After all, Simmons doesn’t shoot well even to this very day. Guys like Ricky Rubio and Lonzo Ball also don’t shoot well on a nightly basis. However, their value goes far beyond shooting.
As for Giddey, he can pass, drive, score, defend, and rebound, which is huge for just about any team in the NBA.
He’s extremely raw, which is a concern, but his talent is undeniable.
NBA Player Comparison
It’s hard to argue with Giddey when he said he plays like Simmons. That’s pretty spot-on, although he also has a little Rubio to his game.
All in all, if Josh Giddey can be half as good as Simmons is this year, that’s a huge win for whichever team pegs him as their starting point guard going forward.
Draft Projection
First Round, 10-20 overall
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
