Bruno Fernando is projected to go in between the mid-first or early second round of the 2019 NBA Draft. He’s a 6’10” big man from Maryland who uses his athleticism to wreak havoc on both ends of the floor. He’s considered one of the best big men in the draft thanks to his motor, athletic prowess, rebounding, and quickness. Fernando could develop into a serious two-way threat if he lands in the right situation and cultivates his offensive repertoire.
NBA Draft Profile for Bruno Fernando
College Career
Bruno Fernando declared for the 2018 NBA Draft but returned to school to hone his game. The decision proved fruitful as he bolstered his draft stock with increased averages in every category other than three-point shooting (33 percent his freshman year versus 30 percent as a sophomore). Last year, Fernando put up averages of 13.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, two assists, and 1.9 blocks while converting 60.7 percent of his shots. He led his team to a 22-10 record with a number six seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Maryland Terrapins ultimately fell to LSU Tigers in the second round.
Bruno Fernando NBA Draft Outlook
Strengths
Fernando’s strengths revolve around his physicality and measurements. He sports a 7’3” wingspan and 9’2” standing reach at 237 pounds with only 5.4 percent body fat. Fernando has the framework of a modern big from top to bottom. He shows promise as a rim protector, fights hard for rebounds, and has all the lob-slamming athleticism you could ask for. His age (20) also makes him more ready to contribute now as opposed to a raw 18-year-old prospect.
If he develops his shot, he could be as much of a threat on the pick and pop as he is on the roll. The greatest case for his shooting lies in his free throw percentage. Fernando converted his freebies at a 77.9 percent clip while exhibiting fluid shooting mechanics.
Draft analysts agree that free throw percentage is more indicative of a player’s shooting ability compared to three-point percentage. For example, Lonzo Ball shot well from three-point land (41.2 percent) but shot mildly from the line (67.3 percent) at UCLA. Lonzo put up even worse percentages this season (32.9 percent from three, 41.7 percent on free throws). Ball has a long way to go before he has a reliable shot, but Fernando’s path will be less winding.
In terms of intangibles, Fernando is the kind of guy that’s going to come in and fire up his home crowd and team with emphatic dunks and gritty hustle plays. There isn’t a single coach, player, teammate, executive, or fan who doesn’t value a fiery tone-setter in the mold of Bruno Fernando.
Weaknesses
The main knock on him is his ceiling. It’s very likely that he pans out to be a solid big man, but he doesn’t seem to have superstar potential. He could turn into an effective backup big almost immediately upon entering, but is that worth spending a mid-first round pick on?
Fernando put up great block numbers (1.9 per game), but that doesn’t equate to him being a defensive stalwart. His athleticism has saved him after losing focus on defense and missing key rotations. He was an All-Big-Ten defender last year, but he will surely experience a learning curve coming into the pros.
He shot threes at a so-so percentage (30 percent) but didn’t take enough of them to conclude whether he’s an effective volume shooter (.3 per game, 13 total shots in two years). More opportunities may reveal how much work he has to do on his three-point stroke.
Bruno Fernando NBA Draft Potential Landing Spots
The Charlotte Hornets are a reasonable landing spot for him. The Hornets are in need of a rim-protecting presence as evidenced by their team leader in blocks, Marvin Williams (.8 per game). Frank Kaminsky can stretch the floor, but a guy like Fernando is quick enough to dart around the post challenging cutting ball handlers. Charlotte can nab him with the twelfth pick if they want to prioritize shot-blocking.
If the Atlanta Hawks are high on the big man they could take him even earlier at ten. If the Hawks want to gamble on Fernando’s late availability, they could take him at 35, 41, or 44. Fernando could be another exciting piece on a Hawks team that features the youthful energy of Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, John Collins, and whoever they take at number eight.
The Phoenix Suns may be shopping their number six pick, but they still have the thirty-second slot in the draft. Phoenix will need some warm bodies at Power Forward since their two from last year Dragan Bender and Richaun Holmes won’t be returning. The big man tandem he’d make with Deandre Ayton could be as swift as it is strong. If the Suns nab a free agent Power Forward like Julius Randle, then Fernando could easily back him or Ayton up.
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