NBA Draft Blog Scouting Report – Dexter Pittman
By Ed Isaacson
Dexter Pittman, Texas – Senior
Center- 6’10, 290
10.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 65% FG, 56% FT
DraftSite.com Mock Draft Position – #54 (2nd Round, 24th Pick)
Offense
Post Skills– At 6’10, almost 300 pounds, Pittman naturally seals off his defender, and he is particularly skilled at sealing the lane off for his teammates to penetrate. While he needs to be more aggressive once he has the ball, he is very effective when he gets the ball on the blocks. His footwork is impressive for hsi size, though he needs to work on adding more moves to his repertoire. He has very good touch around the rim and has shown the ability to shoot with both hands.
Rebounding/Passing– Pittman ha simproved his offensive rebounding, but he still is not very good. He can be slow to the ball and his reaction time needs to improve. His passing needs to improve as well. He is prone to not recognizing the double team quick enough and turning the ball over. When he does pass out of the post, he has shown good court vision to find the open man or cutters.
Free Throw Shooting – Pittman is not a great free throw shooter, but he doesn’t get there often for the amount of touches he gets. If he can be aggressive and get to the line, I am sure his shooting will improve.
Defense
Post Defense– Pittman has become a much improved defender over the last 4 years, but he still has signifcant work to do if he is to effectively guard NBA big men. He can be slow to react against quicker big men and he needs to use his weight to more of an advantage pushing players off the block. He is very good at not falling for ball and shot fakes and has learned to time his blocks very well. He will need to improve hsi foot speed though to become a better help defender and avoid picking up quick fouls.
Rebounding– Pittman needs to become more aggressive going after rebounds, especially using his body to block out. He can be slow to react and find a man to box out and he should be quicker to the ball once it misses. When he does get his hands on the ball, he does a good job securing it and has become an improved outlet passer.
Summary & Intangibles
Athleticism – Average
BB IQ – Average
Pittman has shown some great moments over the last 4 years, but for him to take the next step, he really needs to improve his conditioning. He has great footwork, so I wonder how good he can be if he gets down to 275-280. He is a very hard working player and the fact that he has made it this far is a testament to how much he wants to play. For now, he could be a solid back-up worth 10-15 minutes a game, with the possibility of becoming a spot starter.