The NBA Draft is a little more than a month away, and Syracuse has two players that will definitely get drafted (Tyler Ennis, Jerami Grant) with a possibility for a third (CJ Fair). Today, we take a look at Ennis, a one-and-done player who wasn’t projected as an NBA player at the start of the season. Still, Ennis had a meteoric rise in the second half of the season, especially after his 30-foot heave against Pitt led the Orange to an improbable 58-56 win.
Here is The Juice Online’s scouting report on Ennis:
Strengths: High IQ basketball player who rarely commits turnovers… Competitive floor general who is always under control… Deceptively speedy and knows when to change gears… Crafty at finishing in the lane… Can finish with both hands in traffic… Excellent vision and always knows where his teammates are on the court… Capable of hitting the deep shot… Pass-first point guard who knows how to run the pick and roll… Was among leaders in the ACC in steals with a 6-7 ¼ wingspan… Nerves of steel and isn’t afraid to take a big shot… Never rattled.
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Weaknesses: Good, but not great athlete… Will need to add strength at the next level… Outside jumper isn’t consistent enough to keep defenders honest… On the ball defense is still an unknown quantity… Deferential to a fault and sometimes needs to look for his own offense more… Deliberate pace may not mesh well with teams who like to run.
NBA Comparison: Mike Conley. While Conley lacks the sheer athleticism that some of his contemporaries may have, he’s made up for it in other ways. Conley has excellent floor vision and is a pure point guard. That should sound familiar to Syracuse fans who watched Ennis in his only year on The Hill.
Vitals:
- Birthdate: August 24, 1994
- Hometown: Brampton, ON
- Position: Guard
- School: Syracuse ’17
- Height, 6’2″
- Weight, 180 lbs
Projections:
- NBADraft.net: 1st round, 14th pick (Phoenix Suns)
- Draftexpress.com: 1st round, 12th pick (Orlando Magic)
- CBS Sports: 1st round, 19th pick (Chicago Bulls)
College Highlights: In his only year at SU, Ennis started all 34 games, averaging 12.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.1 steals, while playing 35.7 minutes per game. Ennis was named a Second Team USA Today All-American, a Second Team All-ACC performer, and was also named to the conference’s Defensive Team and Freshman Team. He was also a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Wooden Award and the Naismith Trophy.
Overall: Ennis has the makings of player with a long career ahead of him as a starting point guard in the NBA. Two of Ennis’ biggest weaknesses are things that can be worked on: Strength and outside shooting. Meanwhile, his biggest strength is something that can’t be taught: A calm, level-headed approach to the game.
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