Draft Profile: Desmond Bane
Position: SG (Texas Christian University)
Age: 22
Height: 6 ft 5 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 4 in
Weight: 215 lbs
The Sales Pitch: The best shooter in the draft, by a not-insignificant margin. Built like a tank, Bane did as a senior combo guard what he has done for years: play high IQ defense, keep the ball moving, and rain absolute hellfire on opponents in every manner imaginable, despite being the only scoring threat around. The man finished his four-year career at roughly 43% from three. He shoots it off the dribble, side-steps, step-backs, off the catch, off crossovers, fading, leaning… ALL OF THE SHOTS. Did I mention he also plays smart team defense, looks like he can bench 400 lbs, and has been known to hit a weak side shooter from the middle of the court on a pick-and-roll? He is a dream role player. He might not run an offense, but he can make an offense run, and he takes nothing off the table on defense either.
Check out The Strickland’s 2020 NBA Draft Big Board here!
Elite Skills: Shooting, shooting, and shooting.
The Devil’s Advocate Argument: He’s a tremendous shooter, no hating on that, but despite his passing, his handle kind of sucks, especially for a 23-year-old guard. Many of his turnovers are of the “your dribble rating’s not high enough for that move in 2K” variety. His wingspan is also shorter than his height, giving him no margin for error on defense. That works in college, but he’s just not going to bother most shot releases in the NBA, and he’s not going to be a bother in the lanes either. He’s not short at 6-foot-5, but his defense plays shorter than his height because of his wingspan. His stockiness also shows up in 1-on-1 defense where quicker guys win vs. him, which is a problem if you’re mostly defending 1s and 2s. In the league, wingspan and explosiveness are what give great defenders room to improvise and recover: he has neither of those. So, sure, he’s a great shooter, but are you gonna bet on someone being JJ Redick-level great at shooting with a top 15 pick? Because if he’s not a JJ-level shooter, he’s at best a shorter, worse-at-defense PJ Tucker.
Important Numbers:
45%: His 3P% average over the last five years (four years at TCU, plus senior year of high school, where he shot 57%)
85%: His FT%
54%: FG% on runners
6-foot-4: His wingspan — shorter than his height
The Misconceptions: No major ones.
Knicks Fit: Probably a reach in the top 10 due to his good-not-great defense and lack of shot creation, but boy oh boy is he the best possible solution to New York’s lack-of-shooting problem. The skillset on both ends fits like a glove.
Educate yourself on some other potential Knicks: Killian Hayes, LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Onyeka Okongwu, Devin Vassell, Isaac Okoro, Patrick Williams, Grant Riller, Obi Toppin, Aleksej Pokusevski, Deni Avdija, Kira Lewis Jr., Tyrese Maxey, Tyrese Haliburton, Cole Anthony
