POP Scouting Report: Yogi Ferrell
The Detroit Pistons have the 18th pick and 49th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Indiana point guard Yogi Ferrell could be available at both the 18th and 49th pick. Ferrell is the first player up in the Palace Of Pistons NBA Draft scouting report series.
The Prospect
Yogi Ferrell is a 6'0 point guard out of the University of Indiana. He was a four-year Hoosier. Before going to Indiana, he was a McDonald's All-American. He is ranked as the 63rd best prospect in the NBA Draft on DraftExpress.com. At Indiana he was named to the First Team All-Big Ten for two consecutive seasons in his Junior and Senior year. Ferrell was also named to the Big-Ten All Defensive Team.
Strengths
Yogi Ferrell does many things at a high level. As a four-year point guard at Indiana, he played in a system that was heavy on pick and roll offense. Ferrell being very familiar with the pick and roll will help him immensely in the NBA, as most teams are using pick and roll more and more. He has elite speed, which helps him score with his lack of size. Wether he is pulling up from three, or attacking the basket, Ferrell is very dangerous on the offensive end. He shot 42% from the three-point line in his senior season, his best shooting season in his four years at Indiana. Wether he was spotting up or pulling up, Ferrell was extremely efficient from deep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFfSmwPSIZk
Standing at barely 6'0, many would think Ferrell is mainly a shooter when trying to score. He is actually best when he attacks the basket. Because of Ferrell's quickness, he is able to blow by many defenders on the perimeter. He can score while facing contact, but is also fantastic at taking the ball inside and finding the open man. Time after time, Ferrell would attack inside, go up for a lay-up, and in mid-air dish the ball out to another Hoosier, whether they were cutting to the basket or spotting up from three. Ferrell possess great passing abilities, which made him one of the best facilitator's in the NCAA last season. He also never missed a game in his four-year career at Indiana. The biggest weapon Ferrell possess, is his basketball IQ.
He averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game in his senior season at Indiana.
Weaknesses
While Ferrell has many strengths, he only has one glaring weakness. Ferrell's biggest issue is defense. As a shorter and smaller guard, Ferrell is usually undersized compared to the opposing teams point guard. "I need to get stronger." Ferrell told Palace of Pistons. At times he loses focus as a defender, and can lose his man throughout the offense. The biggest thing Ferrell is knocked for, is when he slows down on defense. As one of the quickest guards, Ferrell had tendencies to give up on his man when his man got past him. Ferrell does not have the best physical tools to become a good defender, but if he is able to focus in more on defense at the next level he should be much better than he was in the NCAA.
NBA Potential
Yogi Ferrell has the potential to be a good point guard in the NBA. He has the right tools to succeed on offense, and with his biggest weakness being focus on defense, that is an aspect of his game that is easy to fix. I am very high on Ferrell as a player. He was a great player at the collegiate level, and ran one of the most efficient offenses in the NCAA in his senior year. As more and more teams begin to run faster paced offenses with a lot of pick and roll mixed in with it, Ferrell will fit on nearly any NBA team. His efficiency speaks for itself as a shooter, and by looking at any tape, you can determine how good and crafty of a passer he is. There is no doubt that Ferrell could become a starting point guard at one point throughout his career, but he can come into the NBA as a rookie and be a backup point guard right away.
Quick Q's from the Interview
Myself- Who do you model your game after?
Ferrell- "I model my game after Kyle Lowry, a little bit of Jameer Nelson, and Chris Paul. They don't let their height affect their ability on the court."
Myself- How good of a career can you have?
Ferrell- "If I stick to what I've done, I'll have a long and successful career."
Myself- If you were an NBA GM where would you draft yourself in the NBA Draft?
Ferrell- "I'd say late first round."
Featured image via: AP