Iowa’s Payton Sandfort was always an intriguing player throughout his four-year career with the Hawkeyes. Sandfort can make big shots, and tough shots for that matter. He was always a sharpshooter, especially from deep. He also proved to be a very clutch player throughout his collegiate career. Now, he hopes to hear his name called during the 2025 NBA Draft. Let’s take a closer look at Sandfort’s NBA Draft potential.
Sandort was a highly skilled high school player in the state of Iowa, and it just made sense for him to stick at home. Hence, he enrolled at Iowa during the 2021-22 season. He saw time in 34 games as a freshman and averaged five points per contest. That team won the Big Ten Tournament, and he was a key bench piece behind the Murray twins, Keegan and Kris, along with Jordan Bohannon.
From there, Sandfort became a major contributor for the Hawkeyes throughout the rest of his career. He showcased a real talent for making deep shots from three, whether open or contested. He defined what it meant to have ice water in his veins. When Iowa needed a tough bucket, Payton was the go-to guy. After bumping his scoring average to 10.3 during the 2022-23 season, which saw him win Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year, he tested the NBA Draft waters for the first time. Despite some feedback, he returned to Iowa and took his game to the next level.
His final two seasons as a Hawkeye saw him become a high-level scorer, averaging over 16 points in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. He garnered All-Big Ten honors in his junior season. Despite increasing his scoring average a bit this past season, he failed to replicate his 2023-24 season. His accolades didn’t quite carry over to team success in his final season in the Black and Gold.
NBA teams are always looking for big-time shooters, and Payton Sandfort is that. You’re talking about a player who isn’t afraid to make big shots in clutch moments. Not to mention, he isn’t afraid to fire up shots from Stephen Curry range. Add in his outstanding free-throw shooting as he shot 89.6 percent at Iowa. He’s 6-foot-7, so he is at a nice size for a guard/wing. A strong rebounder for his size, Sandfort averaged at least six rebounds in each of his final two collegiate seasons.
He defines the term clutch player. This was best showcased during a game against Michigan State in 2023, when he helped lead the Hawkeyes back from a 12-point deficit in the final minute to force overtime, and then led the Hawkeyes to a 112-106 victory. He made six threes in that game. That effort, along with his willingness to shoot nearly six threes per contest throughout his career. He has the body and shooting to make something of himself at the next level.
Injuries plagued his final season at Iowa, and it also dropped his numbers. Sandfort being limited during stretches of the season hurt the team as a whole. One of the biggest concerns for Payton is his lack of quickness with his first step. Despite having limitless range, he can be quite passive on offense. If the way he closes games could always be present throughout a game, then it would make him an even better all-around player.
He’s an average athlete at best and will struggle defensively against the quicker players at his position. Is he a guard at the pro level or a wing? He has to answer that question. Having great range as a shooter is always sought after, but Sandfort’s NBA Draft hopes are thin as it is.
There are plenty of guys who have made it into the NBA as three-point specialists. That might be the role destined for Sandfort at this point. Having an endless range makes him very comparable to players like Luke Kennard and Sam Hauser. Kennard was a first-round pick, while Hauser was undrafted. Sandfort has the shooting ability to make a team, but can he land in the right system? He’s not a starter at the pro level, but I certainly could see him as a bench guy in the NBA. He is a player who can come in and make shots when needed.
Second Round or undrafted.
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