redslastlaugh wrote:Couple things on Kam Jones
1. Measurements will be key, listed at 6-5, some say he’s not close to 6-5… so we’ll see on that
2. The shooting, he’s shooting 32% on threes this year and 68% from the line. He was better from 3 previous years but his career at Marquette is 68% from the line (154/226). How good a shooter is he if he’s under 70% from the line? I guess JB has had some elite shooting-from-midrange seasons and still shot under 70% from the stripe but that’s pretty rare. You’d like a 2guard to be >80% from the line.
I like Kam Jones, love the assists … but if he’s a <35% from 3 and <70% from FT and not elite defensively… how is he a plus NBA player?
1) I'm pretty sure Kam is about 6'4". I know Marquette lists him at 6'5" but a lot of times, colleges give some of their guys an extra inch or 2 to try and make them look better for pro scouts. We'll find out for sure at the combine, though
2) The FT% for Kam is kind of a concern but it's not a major one. Horford wasn't a good FT shooter in college, neither was JB. Meanwhile Jaden Springer shot over 80% FT in college and look how he's shot in the NBA from 3.
Wrote an article here that dives deeper into this:
https://the-center-hub.com/2025/02/08/shooting-projection-101/3) Keep in mind, with Kolek and Ighodaro now in the NBA, Kam is having to really run the Marquette offense now. A large chunk of his 3PA are off the dribble, self created looks. Opposing teams gameplan around stopping him, they put their best defender on him..all stuff that has to be factored in. The previous 3 seasons when he had a higher 3 FG%, he was playing off ball more, playing more of a supporting role..so he had more open looks, more of his looks were catch and shoot which are easier to make than off the dribble jumpers.
If he was on the celtics, of course he would have more of an off ball role..it would be more like his role during the previous 3 seasons at Marquette.
4) What really makes Kam special imo is his ball handling, driving ability..ability to carve out space, get o to the rim and finish their. He doesn't have the most burst, but he's extremely skilled and crafty. He'll keep the dribble alive with those Steve Nash type dribble moves. He'll manipulate the defense. Make scoop shots under the basket, etc. One stat that I keep track of for a lot of prospects (i calculate it for prospects in this current draft class but also calculate it to prospects from draft classes going all the way back to 2010 to see how they compare to those previous prospects) is Unassisted FG at Rim / 40 mins. So unassisted of course means they created that shot themself..it wasn't just some easy shot where they caught the ball and laid it in. And being able to make lots of unassisted shots at the rim indicates the player can pressure the rim, finish at the rim, and create shots for themself that are high % looks right at the basket..rather than being a Hauser type who is just limited to shooting 3's.
Out of all players I've calculated this stat for, no guard has ever put up a higher Unassisted FG at Rim / 40 MIns than Kam JOnes has this season. Including forwards, the only one who's had a higher mark is Zion Williamson. Now to be fair, most of the prospects I've looked this up for have been freshman. Typically, guards/wings who are really good, they're in the NBA after 1 or 2 seasons. I'm sure that some of these guys like Ja Morant for example would probably be at or above Kam's mark if they stayed in college till they were 23. But still, Kam is elite at handling the ball, driving, getting paint touches and scoring at the rim. His playmaking for others is very good. And the shooting is good too.
His defense is ok..not great but not bad either, imo.
He's certainly a guy to keep an eye on for us in the late 1st, early 2nd round range.
