The 2020 NBA Draft will be an important event for teams to build for their future. Here is the Tyrese Maxey 2020 NBA Draft Profile.
Background
Position: Guard
Size: 6-foot-3, 198 pounds
School: Kentucky
Class: Freshman
Maxey was a five-star recruit, who like many other talented recruits, chose to go to Kentucky for his college career. In his one season with the Wildcats, Maxey proved to have the skills necessary for the NBA.
Over the course of the season, Maxey averaged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He burst onto the scene with a 26 point performance in the first game of the season against Michigan State. He also had big-time performances against Louisville, Auburn and Tennessee. Maxey had a knack for showing up in big games, which led some to believe he could help Kentucky get to a Final Four.
After the rest of the season was canceled due to coronavirus, Maxey decided to take his talents to the professional level. He is currently projected to be selected in the middle of the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Strengths
Maxey can score on all three levels of the defense. He can drive to the basket and finish through contact. Even with bigger players in the paint, Maxey goes up strong and adjusts in the air to finish. He can hit floaters and mid-range shots if defenders are sticking closer to the basket, which helps if the team has a good shot blocker in the game. Maxey can also get hot from deep on occasion.
His quickness is among the best in the class, as he has a first step that is tough to keep up with. On offense, this helps him get to the basket and create open shots for himself. On defense, Maxey is able to stay in front of his man and compete at a decently high level. He should be able to use his quickness to improve as a scorer and defender.
He is an active defender who does everything he can to prevent his man from scoring. Maxey pressures the ball and shows a willingness to want to be a great defender. He is capable of shutting his man down, jumping into passing lanes and stealing the ball right from a ball handler. His desire and foot speed on the defensive side of the ball could help him turn into a shutdown player.
Weaknesses
Maxey is a streaky player, but in particular, he is an inconsistent shooter. At just 29 percent shooting from 3-point range, he needs to improve that number and is fully capable of doing so. While he had some good performances in college, he also disappeared in other games. He scored in single figures nine times, which is entirely too much given his caliber and the toughness of the competition.
While he has the size of a point guard, he is really better as an off-ball guard. At Kentucky, Ashton Hagans ran the point guard spot with Immanuel Quickley getting some reps as well. Maxey was not trusted to handle the offense and may struggle being a point guard at the next level. He’ll have to get reps before being trusted as a point guard in the NBA.
His speed is fine, but his strength needs to improve for the next level. Because he is just 6-foot-3 and will be asked to play shooting guard rather than point guard, he will get matched up with some bigger and stronger opponents. If he still weighs below 200 pounds by the time the NBA season starts, he will get pushed around.
Projected Draft Range: Mid-First Round Pick
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