Scouting Report – Jerian Grant

Name:   Jerian Grant        DOB: 10/9/1992 (22)   School: Notre Dame

Height: 6’5          Weight: 204   Projected Position:  PG/SG

2014-15 Stats (As of 2/26/15):

16.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.8 spg, 2.0 tpg, 3.3:1 A/TO (36.4 minutes per game)

49.5 FG%, 76.5 FT%, 33.6 3FG%, 60.4 TS%, 56.0 eFG%

24.1 USG%, 33.8 AST%, 12.5 TOV%, 3.1 STL%

SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN

Offense

Ballhandling/Penetration/Passing

Grant is a very good ballhandler, with good size for the point guard position. He is able to use both hands well, and will look to attack the basket in either direction.  When going to the basket, Grant uses his body well to shield defenders from the ball, takes long strides, and has good body control. He has an average first step, but his ability to shoot forces defenders to come out on him, and he has does have a nice speed burst he’ll use once he gets past his defender. Grant does a good job keeping his head up when heading to the basket and seeing where the help defenders are, and shows good patience finding open teammates when the help comes to stop him, though he will try to force passes at times. Grant’s ability to finish with either hand around the basket allows him force shot blockers to try and go across his body, and while Grant doesn’t look to draw contact, he draws it often when he is in the lane. He uses angles well around the basket, which also helps him get good shots off against long defenders. Aside from passing off penetration, Grant’s size allows him to see over the top of the defense from the perimeter, and he is capable of finding teammates from almost any spot on the floor. Grant has become very proficient in the pick-and-roll offense, and he shows patience in making his reads, and making good passes to either the roll man, other open teammates on the rotation, or looking for his own shot. Though Grant can make some wild passes, for the most part, he makes strong, on-target passes in spots where his teammates can make a play. Grant also likes to use screens to attack the basket, whether coming off the screen, or away from it.

Perimeter Shooting

Even with his long-range shooting numbers down this season, Grant has shown that he can be a reliable long-range shooting threat. He does a good job getting square to the basket quickly, has a fluid motion, and good extension and follow-through. He has range close to the NBA three-point line, and he is able to shoot off the catch or the dribble. As mentioned above, Grant likes to use screens, and he uses them well to create space for his jumper.  He has also shown that he can hit the mid-range jumper off the dribble, which he will go to in the pick-and-roll if he sees the help defender give him space. One key area Grant needs to watch is a tendency to short-arm his shots when he senses someone closing on him. He uses jab steps and shot fakes well when he is looking to drive, and he could use them more to create space for his jumper. While has handles a lot of point guard duties for Notre Dame, Grant can play off the ball, and he does a good job using screens and cuts to create space for his man. He is very quick to get into his motion off the pass, and his size and extension allow him to get good shots off.

Free Throw Shooting

Grant is an average to above-average free throw shooter, though with some slight alterations to his motion and/or release, he could likely be much better. His motion into his release isn’t particularly smooth, and you can see that he is pushing his shot out, so when he is off, there is little chance of getting a friendly bounce. Still, he is a career 78 percent free-throw shooter, so it’s far from an awful situation. Grant gets to the free throw line nearly once for every 2 field goal attempts he takes, which is very good for a player who take a jumper as a majority of his shots. He is very good at drawing contact when he gets into the lane, and his long strides to the basket seem to throw some defenders off.

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Defense

Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)

Overall, Grant is a below average to average perimeter defender, though he is much better off the ball than he is on it. On the ball, he positions himself well between his man and the basket, though his reaction to movements, especially changes in direction, need to improve. He also needs to work on his lateral movement, as he can have a tendency to cross his feet up when moving with the ball. Grant needs to work on getting over screens quicker; he does a good job not getting caught in screens, but he can be slow getting over the top, or choosing to go under.  Off the ball, Grant positions himself well and does a good job using his length to deny passing lanes. His reaction time is much better off the ball, and he can be very quick to help on penetration. His defensive awareness is good, and though his technique may not be great, he is often in position to make plays. Grant can put more effort into closing on perimeter shooters, especially since his length can be disruptive.

Rebounding

Grant doesn’t contribute consistently as a rebounder, but he does track shots well and he will use his length to get after missed shots when he has the opportunity, though he isn’t the type to go out of his way to get involved. When he does grab a missed shot, he will look to push the ball up the floor quickly and get his team out in transition.

Transition

Grant is very good about pushing the ball quickly up court, with good vision and control. His ability to go left or right equally well helps him to keep any defenders getting back to stop him off-balance.  His long strides get him down the floor quickly, and while he will look to get to the rim himself, he sees the floor well and hits teammates in good spots. Grant is also capable of getting out on one of the wings on the break, where he can set up behind the arc, or take the ball off the dribble to the rim.

Intangibles/Summary

After missing much of last season due to academic issues, Grant has come back to put together one of college basketball’s best all-around seasons. He is a talented offensive player, capable of playing either guard spot, though showing much more talent at the point guard position than he did earlier in his career. Grant continues to improve his ability to make reads in the pick-and-roll, and his ability to knock down mid- and long-range jumpers consistently forces defenders to have to come out on him. He uses his long strides well both when attacking the basket or pushing the ball in transition, and he is a decent finisher around the basket. Defensively, Grant has a lot of work to do to defend either guard spot at the next level, though he has good instincts and even when he makes mistakes, he still finds ways to make plays. He has emerged as a strong leader this season, especially showing great maturity in how he handled his situation last season and came back to finish what he had started.             

Draft Value:  Late 1^st Round – #20-30

Grant is an interesting prospect for a senior, as he seems to be finding his stride at the point guard position, especially in a pick-and-roll offense. He is also a capable scorer from all three levels, and while not a very good defender, his length can cause some problems. In the right offense, he can be a valuable part of a guard rotation, though I’m not quite sure how much more he will grow as a player.

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