The 2023 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Kobe Bufkin 2023 NBA Draft Profile.
Kobe Bufkin Background
Position: Guard
Size: 6-foot-4, 187 pounds
Class: Sophomore
School: Michigan
2022-2023 stats: 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks, 48.2%FG, 32.5%3FG, 84.9%FT
Bufkin showed great improvement from year one to year two at Michigan. Now he is in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Out of high school, Bufkin was a four-star recruit who stayed in his home state of Michigan to play for the Wolverines. He averaged just 3.0 points per game as a freshman, but helped the team reach the Sweet Sixteen. Bufkin showed off his improvements as a sophomore, as he averaged 14 points and 2.9 assists per game. Unfortunately, the team didn’t see the same growth and did not make the NCAA Tournament.
Following a short time in the NIT, Bufkin declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. He is currently projected to be a mid-first-round pick.
Kobe Bufkin Strengths
Bufkin has the ability to create his own shot pretty well. The lefty can get to the basket with a quick first step and a strong drive. He has the ability to create space with a nice stepback jumper, but also can have defenders on their back heels naturally when he pulls up from the mid-range.
His ability to create his own shot helps to make Bufkin a versatile player. He can handle the ball to create for himself, but he also showed vast improvement in creating for others as a sophomore. Bufkin read the floor better and had a better assist to turnover ratio. He may not ever be the lead point guard on a team, but could run the offense if asked to, whether that is off the bench or in the starting lineup.
Especially given his size, Bufkin can finish at the rim well. He can get a step on defenders and get to the basket, but can finish over help defenders when they crash down. Bufkin is a lefty, but can finish with both hands. He can convert through contact or if there is no one near the basket, he can throw down dunks.
Kobe Bufkin Weaknesses
Bufkin is extremely light for an NBA player. He is 187 pounds, which will cause problems for him at both ends of the floor. When defenders get physical, this could make it tougher for him to finish through contact or free himself for an open shot. On the defensive end of the floor, it might be hard for Bufkin to guard players that are much bigger than him.
As mentioned, it is hard to see Bufkin being a lead point guard on a team. He has shown flashes of playmaking for others, but also has too many turnovers. Bufkin can cut down on these, but needs to get reps at the next level in order to protect the ball better and improve his ability to make plays for his teammates even further.
He’ll need to continue to show improvement as a 3-point shooter. Bufkin shot 22 percent as a freshman and 35.5 percent as a sophomore. The percentage he had as a sophomore is solid, but he needs to show he can knock down shots on a more consistent basis from the outside to really stretch defenses and become more of an offensive threat.
Projected Draft Range: Mid-First-Round Pick
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