Brandon “BJ” Boston Jr came out of high school as a highly regarded one-and-done player. Boston’s NBA draft stock dropped considerably after an inconsistent season at Kentucky. Boston stands at a slender and lengthy 6 feet 7 inches, making him a high ceiling wing prospect.
Brandon Boston 2021 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Boston won a bevy of awards through his high school career and was a consensus five-star college recruit by his senior year. He was given the freedom to show what he can and can’t do in his one collegiate season, but was plagued by inconsistency, which makes his stats less than flattering to look at. He averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 35.5% from the field and 30% from long distances.
Strengths
On offense, Boston was most effective in transition, scoring 1.15 points per possession. Though he is right dominant, he excels in space and has shown he can use his length to finish around set defenders.
If he isn’t striding all the way to the paint, he can catch and shoot from three or go into a one or two dribble pullup. NBA coaches may discourage that dribble pullup in favor of a sidestep, and tap into some potential as a movement shooter. Boston has good shooting mechanics, and with time, should be able to raise those ugly percentages.
Boston’s length is also his most valuable asset on defense. He is adept at reaching into passing lanes, and using his length to interrupt dribbles or contest shots.
Weaknesses
Boston’s most glaring issue this past season has been his inconsistency. When he’s on, Boston is a real scoring threat, but his consistency and confidence issues make it difficult to rely on him. His ups and downs are clearly visible on his game log. Part of this is due to his shot selection. If he hasn’t shot the ball in a while, he can be prone to taking bad shots.
Otherwise, Boston struggles with strength. This shows on both ends of the court. On offense, he can struggle to finish through contact. On defense, he can be overmatched by stronger players. With time and strength coaching, the combination of size, length, and strength could make him a valuable wing talent.
Brandon Boston NBA Comparison: Jeremy Lamb/Nick Young
Brandon Boston right now projects mainly as an inconsistent wing scorer. He has the skills to be dangerous in transition and create his own buckets in the halfcourt, depending on if he’s on or not. With added strength, he could be a good defender as well, using his length to guard on the perimeter and strength to hold his own in the paint.
NBA Draft Projection
Boston should be a late first or early second-round pick. He is someone that teams will take a flier on because of his size and raw ability. There is definitely room for improvement but he could eventually become what people thought he would be out of high school. Don’t count Boston out just yet.
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