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Jalen Brunson – 6′2″ Point Guard, Villanova, 21
After a successful three-year journey at Villanova, Jalen Brunson has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft. Racking up the accolades in his junior year, the two-time national champion earned AP Player of the Year honors and the Wooden Award. Standing at 6’2″, Brunson is NBA-ready with great maturity and basketball IQ that he honed under his college coach, Jay Wright. Brunson is projected to be drafted somewhere between the late first round and early second round. In his final year at Villanova, Brunson averaged 18.9 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 52.1 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson’s leadership and his drive to do whatever it takes to win will be perfect for what NBA scouts are looking for.
Strengths
Brunson is a solid point guard who can score from anywhere on the court while being a great floor general. He is a knockdown shooter from deep and attacks the baskets with high rates of success. He is a very skilled player and what he lacks in size he makes up with his craftiness. As a lefty, Brunson has shown above average ball handling skills and the ability to get past opponents. He is comfortable finishing with either hand in traffic while utilizing Euro-steps and other advanced footwork.
While talented with the ball, Brunson moves well without the basketball, too. He finds his spots and seems to get open regularly. Pushing the ball with ease, Brunson is always on alert when it comes to starting the fast break. Knowing when to push the ball up the court and when to pass to the open man will translate well in up-tempo NBA offenses. On the defensive side of the court, Brunson has solid footwork and anticipation skills. He plays a tough physical style of defense and never gets caught “sleeping” on the floor.
Weaknesses
While crafty, lacking elite size and explosiveness are some things that plague Brunson. He will have to prove that he can stay in front of elite players in the NBA. Brunson will struggle in pick-and-roll action where his size can be exploited. In the NBA, teams are constantly looking to exploit mismatches; due to Brunson’s 6’2″ frame, that could happen to him regularly. Brunson also tends to over dribble at times while feeling out a defense. This leads to turnovers and fast breaks going the other way. Another weakness for Brunson is that he isn’t elite at one single thing. He is good all-around but won’t wow you in the process.
NBA Player Comparison
Brunson compares a lot to Fred VanVleet of the Toronto Raptors. Both are small point guards who can score in numerous ways but also run an offense and get others involved. Both players can shoot the three ball and have what it takes to run an offense. VanVleet, like Brunson, is undersized and has to rely on his craftiness to score. If Brunson models his game that way, he’ll be a success in the NBA.
