Scouting Report – Carrick Felix
By Ed Isaacson
Photo: ASU News
Name: Carrick Felix Age: 22 School: Arizona State
Height: 6’6 Weight: 196 Projected Position: SG/SF
2012-13 Stats (As of 3/4/13):
14.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.6 spg, 1.8 tpg (35.0 minutes per game)
50.0 FG%, 63.4 FT%, 35.3 3FG%, 57.8 TS%, 56.6 eFG%
20.7 USG%, 13.4 TRB%, 7.1 ORB%, 19.2 DRB%
SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN
Offense
Perimeter Shooting
Felix is an average perimeter shooter. He does a good job getting square to the basket, with a quick, high release point and having good arc and follow-through. He can hit from long-range when he has space and gets set. He needs to become more confident as a mid-range shooter, and he needs to work on his ability to hit off the dribble or coming off of screens. He tends to force the ball to the basket, even in traffic, instead of looking to pull up and hit a short jumper. He moves well without the ball, but he needs to work on coming off of screen, especially getting square quickly and being ready to shoot. He uses a jab step and ball-fakes well to create space, but should work on using his dribble to get the defender off-balance and create openings for his shot. He understands spacing well and can be used as part of a two-man game with a good post passer. Shot selection has improved from the perimeter, but the play of Jahii Carson has also created a lot more space for the perimeter players.
Ballhandling/Penetration
Felix is an average ballhandler, doing a good job keeping the ball low and close to his body. He is able to use both hands, but is much stronger with his right than with his left. Felix has a good first step when going to his right, but is hesitant with his left. Once he gets by his man, he uses long strides and few dribbles to get to the basket. He has good body control and is capable of finishing strong at the rim. He is a quick leaper and will look to finish above the rim when he has the space. Felix does a decent job using screens to get free, but he needs to do a better job coming off screens tighter and accelerating. Felix does an excellent job spotting holes in the defense and making quick cuts, especially to the basket.
Post Skills/Offensive Rebounding
Felix is capable of moving into the post when he has the right match-up and has shown that he can score with his back to the basket or facing up out of the post. He will look to go to his right hand when making a move, so he needs to become more confident going to his left to avoid overplays. Felix does a great job crashing the offensive boards, and he is capable of getting the rebound whether he is in position around the basket, or if he makes a play from the perimeter. He has excellent ball instincts and he is so quick off the ground that he is capable of getting to the ball and going back up with it before other rebounders have reacted.
Free Throw Shooting
Felix is an average free throw shooter, though his percentage is slightly down this season with a greater amount of attempts. As smooth as his jumper can be, his free throw form doesn’t go as well. He has a repetitive motion, but when he goes to release the ball, there is a slight hesitation which can make the shot come out flat without much arc, leaving little room for error. Though his attempts are up this year, he still doesn’t get to the line much – averaging around 3 attempts per game, or 1 attempt for every 3 field goal attempts. When he looks to attack the basket, he does a good job drawing contact, but as discussed above, he needs to look to do that more often.
Defense
Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)
Felix is an excellent on-ball defender, positioning himself well between his man and the basket, staying low and moving well laterally. He is capable of pressuring the ball and looks for chances to use his force the ballhandler into an error. He does a very good job getting over screens, especially against good perimeter shooters, and he recovers well if he gets caught in a screen. Off the ball, Felix positions himself well, and does a very good job denying passing lanes. He does a good job navigating through screens off the ball, not letting his man get a lot of room and finding ways to get through screens in the lane area. He is a strong help defender and is capable of altering or blocking shots in the lane area if he is in position. Felix closes well on perimeter shooters, though he needs to be more careful about falling for shot fakes. Felix has excellent defensive awareness and is versatile and athletic enough to cover multiple positions.
Rebounding
Felix is an excellent rebounder for his size, doing a strong job anticipating missed shots, getting in position, and putting a body on someone. He is a quick leaper and goes strong after the ball, and his leaping ability allows him to get after rebounds where he is out of position. He secures the ball well and clears the area before looking to push the ball. He does need to watch that he looks to put a body on players who want to rush into the lane from the perimeter to make a play on a missed shot.
Transition
Felix is very good in transition, both pushing the ball up court himself and running the wings. As the ballhandler on the break, Felix gets the ball up court quickly, and will just look to beat the defense to the basket. He is much better running one of the lanes and either spotting up on the perimeter or streaking to the basket where he is capable of catching and finishing above the defense.
Felix is also a very good transition defender. He does an excellent job forcing the ball to a side and positioning himself between the ball and the basket, giving his teammates time to recover on defense.
Intangibles/Summary
Felix is culminating his college career with a great all-around season. He is a versatile scorer and can make an impact from many areas on the court. His real value comes on the defensive end. He is a tough rebounder and will battle with much bigger players for the ball. He is also capable of not only guarding multiple positions, but guarding each of them well and appropriately depending on the player. He is a strong athlete, and he goes out and plays at a high level every game. Becoming a consistent perimeter shooter should be a priority, and expanding his game to being able to shoot off the dribble well will help him immensely. His overall game will just need to be fine-tuned for the NBA game, but he is close to being able to step right in and contribute.
Draft Value: Early 2nd – #34-41
Felix should be a commodity for his defensive ability alone, but he isn’t a bad offensive player either. He is versatile on both ends of the floor, and though the upside won’t be tremendous, he is capable of getting minutes early in his career and he should be able to find a fit in almost any system.
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