Marvin Bagley III
Pro Comparison
Similar to (blend of) Josh Jackson, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Anthony Davis
NBA Projection
Starter/All-Star
Similar to (blend of) Josh Jackson, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Anthony Davis
NBA Projection
Starter/All-Star
Measurements
6'11" 234 lbs 7'0 1/2" wingspan 18 years old
6'11" 234 lbs 7'0 1/2" wingspan 18 years old
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Write Up
Bagley is an extremely gifted/talented player who put up impressive numbers his freshman season. During the NCAA tournament he became Duke’s all team leading freshman scorer as he averaged 21 pts per game throughout the year. He’s an extreme athlete in terms of fluidity/verticality, which makes him great in transition and around the basket. He will likely be one of the more athletic PF’s in the NBA as soon as he’s drafted. He’s slowly expanded his game offensively throughout the season and shows flashes of being a set 3pt shooter, creating off the bounce, and a diverse post threat. He has a high motor on offense and is able to maintain his stamina/athleticism throughout the game like few players can. He crashes the glass hard (averaged 11.5 rebs per game) and draws fouls due to his activity level. While he’ll likely produce his rookie season, it’s his upside that has him as a potential top 5 pick, as he has all the tools to develop into an all-star/franchise corner piece.
However, upside and potential can be dangerous words and have been used to seduce decision makers into drafting poor players in the past. For all of his potential, Bagley is currently pretty raw offensively. He’s limited to around the basket dunks or lobs and tends to only finish with his left hand. He’ll need to show consistency in his shooting ability if he’s to expand his game and create any sort of gravity on the court. Defensively he must improve his instincts/IQ, while it’s a positive that he shows more effort than not on defense, it’s likely going to take some time until he’s a reliable defender. His lack of length and strength limit his versatility defensively as he’s not a rim protector (at this stage) and will likely have trouble muscling up larger PF’s/C’s. He will definitely add muscle with NBA training, but will be enough to consistently challenge post players is the question. While Bagley has his limitations, it’s tough to bet against a player with his unique combination of motor, upside, and production.
Bagley is an extremely gifted/talented player who put up impressive numbers his freshman season. During the NCAA tournament he became Duke’s all team leading freshman scorer as he averaged 21 pts per game throughout the year. He’s an extreme athlete in terms of fluidity/verticality, which makes him great in transition and around the basket. He will likely be one of the more athletic PF’s in the NBA as soon as he’s drafted. He’s slowly expanded his game offensively throughout the season and shows flashes of being a set 3pt shooter, creating off the bounce, and a diverse post threat. He has a high motor on offense and is able to maintain his stamina/athleticism throughout the game like few players can. He crashes the glass hard (averaged 11.5 rebs per game) and draws fouls due to his activity level. While he’ll likely produce his rookie season, it’s his upside that has him as a potential top 5 pick, as he has all the tools to develop into an all-star/franchise corner piece.
However, upside and potential can be dangerous words and have been used to seduce decision makers into drafting poor players in the past. For all of his potential, Bagley is currently pretty raw offensively. He’s limited to around the basket dunks or lobs and tends to only finish with his left hand. He’ll need to show consistency in his shooting ability if he’s to expand his game and create any sort of gravity on the court. Defensively he must improve his instincts/IQ, while it’s a positive that he shows more effort than not on defense, it’s likely going to take some time until he’s a reliable defender. His lack of length and strength limit his versatility defensively as he’s not a rim protector (at this stage) and will likely have trouble muscling up larger PF’s/C’s. He will definitely add muscle with NBA training, but will be enough to consistently challenge post players is the question. While Bagley has his limitations, it’s tough to bet against a player with his unique combination of motor, upside, and production.