The 2022-23 NBA season is in the books, and June 22, draft night, is fast approaching.
The Celtics haven't selected in the first round in the last two years and won't do so next Thursday without making a trade. They could package Payton Pritchard and the No. 35 pick to make that happen. But even if they don't move up, there will still be plenty of intriguing options available, including Ben Sheppard, Brandin Podziemski, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Jordan Walsh.
Another prospect who will be in the conversation is former Gonzaga Bulldog Julian Strawther.
The Nevada native is an elite spot-up shooter, torching the nets on over 45 percent of such opportunities and 40.8 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes.
He has deep range, a quick release, and simple, easily repeatable mechanics. He's also a terrific movement shooter, who buried 47.1 percent of his attempts coming off screens.
Along with being a highly effective marksman through multiple methods, the six-foot-seven wing can curl off a screen and get to the rim. But his best and most reliable alternative to letting it fly from behind the arc is his runner, demonstrating a deft touch and a lightning-quick release to get his shot off before defenders anticipate or when he doesn't have much space.
Where Strawther needs to improve the most is on defense. He competes but lacks quickness and strength. Regarding the latter, fortunately, he's 21, and with his frame, it's really just a matter of spending more time in the weight room.
That will also help with the fact he needs to play with a lower defensive stance. And it could make Strawther more comfortable navigating screens, which currently dislodge him too easily.
He also has a tendency to get flat-footed. And when defending near the rim, he often falls for pump fakes, resulting in fouls.
Strawther also struggles as an off-ball defender. He gets in trouble watching whoever has the rock, and he plays upright when mirroring his assignment, leading to getting beat backdoor, and he doesn't have the quickness to recover. He also tends to overhelp and loses track of who he's guarding.
While Strawther's not much of a facilitator and needs to attack closeouts quicker, he's a dynamic sharpshooter with a runner that serves as a reliable counter.
In a rotation role off the bench, he'll space the floor and knock down shots, giving him a respectable floor entering the NBA. It's enough for him to be a net positive in the minutes he gets early in his career while making life easier for teammates doing the heavier lifting.
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