Scouting Report – Jamaal Franklin

Name:  Jamaal Franklin     Age:   21    School: San Diego State

Height: 6’5   Weight: 191   Projected Position: SG            

2012-13 Stats:

16.9 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.6 spg, 3.4 tpg (33.1 minutes per game)

41.1 FG%, 78.1 FT%, 27.2 3FG%

 53.6 TS%, 46.1 eFG%, 29.9 USG%, 16.5 TREB%, 26.3 DREB%

 

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Perimeter Shooting

Franklin can have good form on his jumper, though his form can be inconsistent at times.  When he has it right, he has good balance, gets square to the basket quickly and has a quick release. One issue he has often is that his release point is low, leading to his shot not having much arc.  He has the ability to hit his jumper off the pass or dribble, and if he has time to get set, he can be a good spot-shooter.  While he gets square to the basket quickly off the catch, he needs to work on not rushing the shot and making sure he has a clean look. He uses his dribble well to create space for his jumper, and at 6’5, he has the ability to get good looks at the basket.  Franklin needs to do a better job moving without the ball, using screens and cuts well to create space.  I would like to see him come off the screens tighter, giving him more separation to shoot.  Shot selection can be a major issue.    

Penetration

Franklin can be effective when he looks to get into the lane and to the basket.  He uses long strides and his body to shield the ball from defenders. He looks to draw contact and is aggressive when he looks to get to the basket.  He has the ability to finish above the rim, and can finish with either hand.  He needs to look to go to his left more often instead of trying to force the action to his stronger right hand.  He also needs to do a better job keeping his head up and seeing where the help defense is coming from.  He will try to force plays through traffic, leading to turnovers or bad shot attempts.  He has a decent mid-range jumper if he chooses to only take a few steps past his defender, though he needs to work on not drifting on his shot.  While he uses screens well to create space for his jumper, he should look to attack the basket more off of them, and if he draws the defense, find the open man.  Franklin needs to work on getting to the basket easier in isolation situations.  

Ballhandling/Passing

Franklin is an above-average ballhandler, able to use both hands and a still developing a variety of dribbles to keep the defense off balance.   Control can be an issue at times, and he needs to work on keeping his head up as he attacks the basket. .  He has a decent cross-over move which he uses to create space for his jumper, though I would like to see him use it more to attack the lane.  While he can use his left hand for short distances, he prefers to force the ball to the right side, and defenders can overplay him and force him left to make him uncomfortable.  Franklin has average court vision and his size allows him to see over the top of most defenses. He is a decent passer from the perimeter, though he can look to improve his ability to make passes off the dribble, especially if he draws help defense in the lane.

Free Throw Shooting

Franklin is an average free throw shooter, with a consistent routine, good shooting motion and follow-through.  Like his jumper, Franklin’s release point is low and it leads to some shots with very little arc.  Franklin does a good job getting to the free throw line a good amount by looking to draw contact when he gets into the lane, and he has a knack for drawing contact on his jumper as well.   

 

Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Franklin is a good on-ball defender. He positions himself well between his man and the basket, though he needs to watch pressuring his man when he doesn’t need to, and moves well laterally over short distances.  He needs to work on getting low and not getting caught standing straight. Also, he needs to react quicker to his man’s movements and not get caught backpedaling.  He is capable of guarding multiple positions. Franklin uses his length well to disrupt passing lanes and close on shooters.  Franklin needs to work harder getting over the top of screens against shooters, though he has improved.    Off the ball, Franklin generally positions himself well, though he can find himself wandering and watching the ball too much, leading to him losing his man.  Again, he can use his length to disrupt passing lanes if he looks to pressure off the ball.  He needs to do a better job anticipating his man’s movements, especially on cuts to the basket.  He needs to work on navigating through screens off the ball, and trying to learn better angles to cut off his man.  He has above average defensive awareness, though he needs to work on staying focused on this end. 

Rebounding

Franklin rebounds very well for his size, using his length and athleticism to get up quickly after missed shots.  He needs to work on boxing out and anticipating where misses will go and getting to the spot.  He is quick after long rebounds and looks to either push the ball or outlet it quickly to get the team moving up court. Franklin likely won’t contribute as much on the boards at his natural position, but he will help when in position.

Transition

Franklin can be very good in transition, but his decision making when he has the ball can be very suspect. He is capable of pushing the ball himself in transition, but if you pressure him, you can force him into a bad decision. He is also capable of running the wings and taking the ball to the basket or spotting up for the jumper, though he needs to become a more consistent shooter.

Intangibles/Summary

Franklin spent most of his college career playing out of position, and though he was effective in some ways, he still needs to make a lot of adjustments to play shooting guard at the NBA level. First, he needs to become a more consistent shooter, starting with working on making his release higher and choosing better shots. He is capable of being a strong defender, but he needs to be more consistent and stay focused with the speed of NBA players. He is aggressive and athletic, and if he can rein his abilities, he can positively impact the games in many aspects. 

Draft Value:  Late 1st – #23-30

Franklin is going to need some time to adjust to the NBA, and especially understanding more complex systems, but he has the raw talent to eventually be a valuable role player off the bench, both as a scorer and defender.

 

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