Name: Roy Devyn Marble Age: 21 School: Iowa
Height: 6’6 Weight: 200 Projected Position: SG
2013-14 Stats (Through 3/4/14):
17.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.8 tpg (29.7 minutes per game)
42.7 FG%, 69.6 FT%, 37.5 3FG%
53.6 TS%, 49.1 eFG%, 28.3 USG%, 22.5 AST%, 3.6 STL%
Photo:Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG
SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN
Offense
Perimeter Shooting
Marble can have very good form on his jumper, but he can be inconsistent with it. At his best, he has a high, quick release, good follow-through, and range near the NBA three-point line. However, when he rushes his shot or is defended well, he ends up with a motion that isn’t very fluid and a release that can be flat. He has shown to be a good shooter when he gets into a good rhythm off the catch, and at times he seems like a streak shooter. Marble needs to work on using screens better to set up his jumper, especially making a strong dribble to open space and getting into his motion quickly. Marble needs to work on using his dribble more to set up his jumper, especially when he has a defender in isolation. Marble needs to do a better job moving without the ball to set up his jumper, 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 seems to vary from game to game with Marble, and he will need to be aware of that as he moves forward.
Penetration
Marble can be a strong scorer and distributor when he looks to get into the lane and the basket area. He has a good first step to either side and he uses long strides and his body well to get into the defense. Marble has the ability to finish in a variety of ways around the basket, and can finish well with either hand and through contact. One major area he needs to improve is his ability to pull up and hit the short or mid-range jumper if the help defense is waiting for him. He does a good job keeping his head up and seeing the defense when he gets into the lane, and if the defense helps quickly, Marble finds open teammates well. Marble uses screens well to attack the basket, but he needs to work on using them better to create space for his jumper. Marble is also very strong at using screens off the ball to get into the lane. He comes tight off the screen with his head up and hands out ready to receive the pass so he can make a quick shot if he needs to.
Ballhandling/Passing
Marble is an above-average ballhandler, able to use both hands well and having shown advanced dribbles to help create space and separation. He has good control, keeps the ball low and close to his body, and almost always has his head up seeing the court. Marble is very comfortable going to his off (left) hand and at times he looks like he prefers to attack to the left. He has a very strong change-of-pace dribble which he uses to attack the basket and in the open court. Marble needs to work on using his dribble more effectively to create space for his jumper. Marble sees the floor very well and is a strong passer. He does a good job finding open teammates when he draws help defenders off of penetration and his passes are usually crisp and on target. Marble also does a very good job making post entry passes from the wing, a skill that even many college point guards don’t do well.
Free Throw Shooting
Marble is a below-average free throw shooter and many of the problems that plague him at the line are similar to the problems he has with his jumper. As with his jumper, these issues are very fixable, and he has shown in previous seasons that he can be a good free throw shooter. Marble has a consistent routine and good balance at the line, but once he gets into his motion, he has shown various hesitations leading to his release, leading to somewhat flat shots. Marble gets to the line at a decent rate – about once for every 2 field goal attempts – and it would be much higher if he didn’t settle for so many jumpers. Marble does a very good job drawing contact when he looks to get to the basket, as well as finding ways to get his shot off once he has been fouled.
Defense
Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)
Marble is an average on-ball defender, though he has shown at times that he can be much better. He positions himself well between his man and the basket, and moves well laterally. Marble does a good job getting low in his stance, though he doesn’t do it consistently, and while he can be active on the ball, it may not always be useful movement. Marble needs to work on reacting better to his man’s movements and not falling for ball and shot fakes. He also needs to watch a tendency to reach at the ball haphazardly. He gets some steals out of it, but he also gets fouls and caught off balance too. Marble does a good job getting through screens, but needs to watch those times when he goes under screens against shooters. Off the ball, Marble generally positions himself well, though he can find himself cheating too much towards help position. He is a good help defender though, and can move back and forth between his man and help position rather easily. Also, Marble has a tendency to get caught ball-watching and anticipating needing to help, and ends up losing his man. He has generally good defensive awareness, and with a little work should be able to iron out some of his rough edges.
Rebounding
Marble has the length to be a much better rebounder than he is on both ends of the floor. On the defensive side, he does a good job making sure to put a body on players on the perimeter to keep them from making a run to the basket, but he could be much more active himself looking to get involved with rebounding. He does a good job tracking and grabbing long rebounds when out on the perimeter, and he has the ballhandling ability to grab a rebound and immediately start the team in transition. On the offensive end, Marble can use his athleticism well to get up quickly to grab missed shots around the rim and quickly get up a 2nd shot, though because he is on the perimeter so often, these opportunities are rare.
Transition
Marble is very good in transition, capable of pushing the ball himself or running one of the lanes. If running on the wing in transition, Marble can spot up behind the 3-point line, but if the defense comes out, he has the ability to take the ball to the basket and finish. When running the point in transition, Marble does a very good job getting up court quickly and looking to draw the defense so he can find an open teammate. His decision making in transition is as good as many college point guards.
Intangibles/Summary
Since coming on strong at the end of last season, Marble has embraced the role of being a go-to scorer, though the results are still mixed. Marble is much more comfortable attacking the basket off the dribble than he is as a perimeter shooter, but he has shown the skills necessary to become a much better shooter as well. Marble sees the floor well and is a very good passer, and while you may not use him as your point guard, you can use him to facilitate the offense. Defensively, Marble has the ability to guard multiple positions and he has the strength and athletic ability to handle different assignments. He needs to watch a tendency to overplay or to try and force action on the defensive end too often. Also, working on little things like getting over screens and not cheating too much to help will benefit him in the long run. Marble is strong in the open floor and can handle the ball himself, distribute effectively, or run the wings. The son of an Iowa basketball legend and NBA draftee Roy Marble, Roy Devyn has a solid understanding of the game and still continues to grow as a player.
Draft Value: Mid-Late 2nd – #45-52
Marble will need to be a more consistent shooter if he wants to have a career in the league, but his ability to get to the basket and play tough defense should get him opportunities. With many shooting guards vying for 2nd round spots, it is just as plausible that Marble goes undrafted, but if he can show teams that he can knock down shots consistently, he should get a chance.
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