How pissed would I be if OKC or GS drafted Bouknight ahead of us VERSUS how pissed would I be if OKC or GS drafted Barnes or Kuminga ahead of us? It came down to me being more pissed at missing out on Bouknight.
Here's why:
1) Scoring. Bouknight is a crafty scorer with excellent change of pace and flow to his game. His handle is smooth and tight which enable him to get anywhere on the floor that he wants to go. I have a belief that players who have good coordination as dribblers have a better chance at being good shooters because they have developed fine hand-eye motor skills, control and coordination. Bouknight is a scorer's scorer. He's a 3 level scorer who is comfortable with the ball in his hand in big moments and able to make difficult shots. Watching playoff basketball, you NEED these types of players. Guys who can hit a difficult 3 or drive to their go-to-spot up shots or craftily carve their way inside and MAKE SHOTS are like GOLD. Right now, the Magic have no young healthy player that we can reliably trust to score a basket for us. We have to revert to Bacon, T-Ross, Ennis. That is unacceptable.
2) Fit. My dreams were dashed on lottery day when we lost our chance to get Jalen Green. I tried to have hope that we would have enough to move up to get him, but that looks doubtful. Still, I want a SG. I want a guy who can get buckets.
Is Bouknight and his oozing NBA potential THAT far off of Green? ... mmm... ok ok... yes, I'm probably lying to myself a bit, but the chance could still be there! Many agree that the Magic already have a crowded group of guards, but when you take a deeper dive into it, the cream has still not risen to the top. Fultz (hurt), Anthony (chucker), Hampton (raw), Harris (expiring), Ross (trade fodder), MCW (bench vet). Bouknight (skilled) is a mature 20 year old who will be 21 during the season. He's been in the role as a lead scorer so he has the mentality and experience. His age fits with our young core in a way that he doesn't arrive "too young", but rather, right in line with our group. This softens the feel of "he's too young to help us now" concerns. This also fortifies our future backcourt in case of injury or bust. I would have a lot of hope and excitement for this young group. I think there is a lot of interchangeability among them.
Markelle Fultz / Cole Anthony
James Bouknight / RJ Hampton
3) Compared to other SGs.
Cameron Thomas - Stocky guard with a quick trigger, tunnel vision and lacks finesse. Zero interest for me.
Moses Moody - Everyone gushes at his long arms and potential on defense, but he doesn't project as a primary scorer. Weak handle, lack of fluidity, struggled badly in the tournament vs tougher competition. Low interest for me.
Keon Johnson - Love his explosive hops, but here's a classic case of "athlete that needs to learn the game". We already have that with RJ Hampton. Medium interest for me.
James Bouknight - Explosive, quick, shifty, fearless, can create his own shot. His knocks are on his 3PT efficiency and passing, but that is misleading due to his demanding role on his team, the number of double teams he faced and lack of support from teammates who were unable to deliver. Plus his 80% FT rate is a good indicator that his 3pt shooting will improve. High interest for me.
Bouknight as a sophomore was tops in the Big East in offensive rating (106.2) and usage rate (30.4). He also led the conference in number of double-teams faced. When he lit up Creighton for 40 points on 13-of-24 shooting, his teammates were 11-of-43 in a 76-74 loss.
https://youtu.be/qMnaffGI-N0
4) Fantastic workouts. Most of us have all seen the phenomenal shooting displays from the NBA combine and other workouts, but just in case some hasen't seen them... Here's one to enjoy. Yeah, it's a workout, but even among workouts, this one stands out. If it were a 3 pt contest, he would be able to put pressure on Curry... and there are more of these out there from different workouts. So no fluke.
From the moment Bouknight entered the gym, his presence could be felt. He exuded confidence, swagger, and toughness. The kid just looked like a star. Once a ball was put in Bouknight’s hands, I thought to myself, “This guy is a walking bucket.”
Witnessing his burst, athleticism, and killer instinct up close really blew me away. I was already so high on him, but I couldn’t help getting even more excited about his talent. Throughout the workout, Derek and I looked at each other several times and nodded approvingly.
They proceeded to do various drills, and Bouknight displayed his scoring ability, ball handling, and, most importantly (to me), his outside shooting. Although I don’t expect him to become a sniper from long range, I do believe he will be able to make shots at a more-than-acceptable rate, allowing him to become a dynamic scorer at the NBA level.
I found the workout to be run at a terrific pace, and Bouknight showed his competitiveness and work ethic. Once the workout concluded, we had the chance to speak with him and, I must say, I was impressed. Despite being a killer on the court, I found him to be polite, respectful, and charming. All indications are that he will be a pro’s pro.
Needless to say, the future is bright for James Bouknight.
https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-behindthescenes-look-at-james-bouknights-predraft-training
Get Hyped!
BONUS - WHO WOULD I TAKE AT 8?
Spoiler:
