Name: Kyle Anderson Age: 20 School: UCLA
Height: 6’8½ Weight: 230 Projected Position: SF/PF
2013-14 Stats:
14.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 6.5 apg, 1.8 spg, 3.1 tpg, 2.1:1 A/TO (33.2 minutes per game)
48.0 FG%, 73.7 FT%, 56.6 TS%, 51.7 eFG%
24.1 USG%, 25.5 DREB%, 15.4 TRB%, 34.3 AST%, 19.1 TOV%, 3.1 STL%
SKILLS & ATHLETIC BREAKDOWN
Offense
Ballhandling/Penetration/Passing
Anderson is an excellent ballhandler, especially for his size. He is able to use both hands well, and able to get to the basket in either direction. When going to the basket, Anderson uses his body well to shield defenders from the ball, and he has very good body control. He uses longs strides to get past the defender and into the lane area, and though his general speed seems very slow, his hesitation dribble is one of the best I saw in college last year. Anderson does a good job keeping his head up when heading to the basket and seeing where the help defenders are, and he does a good job finding open teammates when the help comes to stop him, though he will try to force passes at times. Anderson is capable of finishing with either hand around the basket, though he doesn’t have the speed to usually beat the help defenders and ends up taking a lot of his shots falling away from the defense. However, he has learned to use angles well around the basket and this should serve him well against NBA length. Aside from passing off penetration, Anderson’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.
Perimeter Shooting
Anderson showed significant improvement as a perimeter shooter during his sophomore year. He does a good job getting square to the basket, a semi-fluid motion, and good follow-through, He can be slow getting into his shooting motion, and while his size gave him an advantage in college over most who defended him, he won’t have the same in the NBA and will need to work on getting his shot off quicker. Anderson can be a good screener, though he wasn’t used that way much in college, so he should be able to get consistently good looks in pick-and-pop situations. All of this applies as a spot-up shooter; he is not as good shooting mid and long-range shots off the dribble, other than a quick side dribble to free up space and the occasional step-back jumper off a drive to either side. Anderson showed range beyond the college three-point line, and with some added strength, he should be able to knock down NBA-range threes.
Post Offense
Anderson is a capable of posting up on the low blocks when he has a size advantage, and his combination of ballhandling and footwork allow him to get some good looks at the basket. He is capable of making a move over either shoulder and with either hand, as well as facing up out of the post when he has the opportunity. His post moves can be often slow to develop and he needs plenty of space to pull them off, but his passing ability forces teams to hesitate doubling him or helping too soon. If he can add a go-to move or two, it would give his teams extra options to use him on offense.
Free Throw Shooting
Anderson is an average free throw shooter, but his improving shooting mechanics should help him to improve over time. His shooting motion can be fluid at times, but he also has a hesitation which can cause the shot to not have enough arc. He has a consistent routine and good balance at the line, along with good follow-through. Anderson does a very good job drawing contact not just around the basket, but all over the court. His style of play does a very good job keeping defenders off-balance which leads to them reaching in on him. He goes to the free throw line around over 1 time for every 2 field goal attempts, but he finds way to consistently draw fouls when he looks to get into the lane.
Defense
Perimeter Defense (On/Off Ball)
Anderson is an average perimeter defender, and he uses his length well to compensate for a lack of foot speed. He positions himself well between his man and the basket, though his reaction to movements, especially changes in direction, need to improve. Also, he needs to watch a tendency to cross his feet as he is moving laterally while guarding the ball. Anderson closes well on perimeter shooters, and his length can do a good job disrupting shots. Off the ball, Anderson positions himself well and he always seems to be in position to help. Again, his reaction time needs some improvement, but his long arms allow him to reach and disrupt penetration if he is close to the ball. Also, his length allows him to deny passing lanes well, though he needs to watch overplaying because he doesn’t react quickly enough to recover. His defensive awareness is good on the perimeter and he should continue to improve once he has time to adjust to the speed of the NBA.
Post Defense/Help Defense
Anderson is an average post defender, even showing he can get physical when needed. He sets a strong base with his legs and positions himself well between his man and the basket, but his footwork and reaction time can be slow. He needs to work on holding his ground well against post moves, including using his lower body more instead of using his arms to defend. Anderson’s defensive awareness is good, but he can be slow to get into help position quickly. Anderson is not much of a shot-blocker but he does challenge shots around the basket, and he has a knack for being able to knock out the ball if the offensive player brings it low. In pick-and-roll situations, Anderson needs to do a better job hedging on the ballhandler, especially not hedging hard and leaving a gap for the ballhandler to make a play.
Rebounding
Anderson tracks shots well and goes after the ball strong, though he needs to make sure he puts a body on someone. He is also very good at using his length to keep balls he can’t get to alive for himself or a teammate. Once he secures a rebound he can start moving the ball up court on his own, and he also has the vision and awareness to make very good outlet passes. Since he played the point guard position this past year, Anderson often wasn’t involved in much offensive rebounding, but when he is around the basket for a missed shot, he is very good at getting to the ball quickly and either getting a quick shot or finding an open teammate.
Transition
Anderson doesn’t get down the floor quickly, but he uses his vision and passing ability well to get the ball up the floor quickly and in good spots. Opponents need to respect his passing ability and will play the lanes, so Anderson is capable of taking the ball to the basket on his own, or pulling up for the mid-range jumper.
Intangibles/Summary
Anderson is a highly-skilled offensive player whose unique style of play can make it difficult for defenders to adjust. He can play multiple positions on offense, though he is at his best with the ball in his hands creating for teammates. Anderson has fantastic vision and passing ability, and he handles the ball extremely well for his size. He is very good about getting by his defender into the lane and basket area, but he isn’t quick enough to get all the way to the basket, so he relies on short jumpers and creative lay-ups to combat lengthy help defenders. Anderson has worked hard at improving his jumper, and he has become a good spot-shooter in the mid and NCAA three-point ranges. What holds Anderson back is ability to defend, though it’s not like he is a bad defender. He is slow to move his feet and often tries to use his length well to make up for his inability to contain quicker players. He rebounds very well, especially on the defensive end, but he will need to work on using his body more to rebound at the NBA level. Anderson has a great understanding of the game, and he makes his teammates better.
Draft Value: Mid-Late 1st Round – #14-26
Anderson is the toughest player to value in this draft because his unique skill set for his size necessitates the right team fit. To get the most out of having Anderson on the team, a coach needs to be willing to be flexible with his positioning and finding ways to use his playmaking ability, even if he isn’t running the point. Finding match-ups for him defensively will be tough at first, and coaches may need to be flexible on that end as well. Still, I have little doubt that whatever team ends up with Anderson, he will make better in the long run.
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