2022 NBA Draft Profile: Johnny Davis
Tasked with doing everything at Wisconsin on both ends, Johnny Davis was hampered by injuries down the stretch of this past season. In a better context, could he be a steal for the Knicks at 11?
Position: SG, Wisconsin
Age: 20
Height: 6 ft 5 in
Wingspan: 6 ft 9 in
Weight: 196 lbs
The Sales Pitch: Johnny Davis is a breakout young sophomore shooting guard who was in the early running for National Player of the Year before injuries sapped some of his efficiency, though he still ended the season averaging 20 points per game. He had the highest usage of any lotto pick, the least help of any lotto pick, the worst spacing to play in of any lotto pick, and he still managed to carry his team’s offense to respectability with a bevy of NBA-caliber moves ranging from ambidextrous drives and powerful dunks to middy Dirk shots and pull-up threes. He also was the sole source of rim pressure on the team, capable of getting unassisted Baja buckets aplenty. Despite all that, he also was the best rebounder of any lotto pick and also the most high energy, technically astute perimeter defender of any pick. He also ran the most pick-and-rolls of anyone projected to be in the lottery. We can nitpick about his efficiency and shot diet, or we can acknowledge that he’s a guy adaptable enough to play in the flow for Team USA’s U19 team and also play as The Man at Wisconsin, who was savage enough to give max energy and effort on both sides of the court at all times. Bet against him at your own risk.
Elite Traits/Skills: Motor, physicality and strength
The Devil’s Advocate Argument: Johnny may give max effort at all times, but you can’t guarantee he will be a legitimate floor spacer in the NBA — several mediocre shooting numbers don’t make it an easy assumption. He won’t be able to live off inefficient midrange shots like he did at Wisconsin. In fact, if he doesn’t change his shot diet, he might do more harm than good to the team on offense given his lack of showcased passing skills. I don’t know where he generates easy shots in the NBA with his lack of elite burst. The defense and rebounding are great, but you don’t spend a lotto pick on that.
The Misconceptions: That he isn’t athletic and has a mediocre burst. He doesn’t create space well via crossover, but he has quite a strong first step. He also is a very functional athlete with good deceleration and great ability to take contact on both ends, to contort his legs and flip his hips, and he has elite endurance.
Important Numbers:
43/30/80: His slash line
35: His points per 100 possessions
.39: His free throw rate
4.3: His combined stock percentage
237: Number of pick-and-roll possessions, a very high number
39%: What he shot on pick-and-roll possessions where he took a shot
7: His 3PA/100 possessions, a medium level number
47.6%: What he shot on unguarded half court catch-and-shoot attempts
30%: What he shot on all jump shots off the dribble
309th: Wisconsin’s national rank in 3P%
24.5%: His DRB%, a big man-like number
Knicks Fit: At first glance, awkward. He doesn’t fit into the category of “types of players” the Knicks are missing — elite athletic specimens, elite floor spacers, versatile wings. But what he is is a good two-way ball player with a high floor and a high ceiling. Picking Johnny is a bet that he had horrible context at Wisconsin and would thrive with more space and better teammates at the next level, where his rim pressure, rebounding, pick-and-roll play, defense, and shot creation would play up.
