A.J. English, Senior, Iona, Guard, 6’4, 190
(2014-15, 37.4 mpg) 20.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 3.8 tpg
43.2 FG%, 78.7 FT%, 38.7 3FG%, 58.6 TS%, 54.0 eFG%
27.7 USG%, 26.5 AST%, 18.0 TOV%, 2.2 STL%
DOB: 7/10/1992 (23) Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware
2015 First Team All-MAAC (2nd consecutive year)
The Watch List is not meant to replace full scouting reports and is only meant as a guide for who and what to watch for this upcoming season
Among the leading scorers in the nation last year, English, the son of former NBA player AJ English II, should be expected to vie for the scoring crown as a senior. The 6’4 English is a versatile guard, able to handle point guard duties or play off the ball, with a shooting stroke that allows him to put up points in a hurry. He has range out to the NBA three-point line, with a quick, compact shooting motion and release, needing just a small window of space to get his shot off. English, who hit a three-pointer in all but one game last season, is a capable shooter off the catch or dribble, and threat to pull-up in the halfcourt or in transition. English didn’t show the same consistency in the mid-range area, though he didn’t often look to shoot from there, preferring to shoot from behind the arc (almost 56 percent of his total shots) or try to get to the rim. English is an average ballhandler, capable of attacking the basket in either direction, and though he doesn’t have a great first step, he is able to draw defenders out with his shooting ability, and often uses a nice hesitation dribble to shake defenders on the way to the basket. He shows good body control around the basket, but he has trouble finishing against bigger defenders, and control can be an issue. English sees the floor well, and he can be a good passer, especially when he draws double-teams out on the perimeter. Though he may have trouble getting to the basket, English does have the ability to draw a lot of fouls, especially for someone who shoots as many jumpers as he does. Defensively, English has his good moments, but he is lacking in many fundamental areas, from positioning to moving his feet to defending off the ball, though Iona’s frequent use of zone defenses help cover up these deficiencies, but even in the zone, he has some trouble moving his feet to stop penetration or not seeing what’s going on around him when away from the ball. He does rack up some good rebounding numbers in the zone defense, showing a willingness to chase down missed shots, especially off of long jumpers. English runs the floor well, able to push the ball in transition or run one of the wings, and the ability to knock down the open jumper off the dribble or spotting up, as well as being able to get to the rim.
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What he needs to show this season: English’s shooting ability is his greatest asset, though his shot selection can often leave a lot to be desired, often launching up long-range jumpers while defended well. As mentioned, his ballhandling skills need to improve, especially his tendency to get careless with the ball. Also, he needs to be able to finish better around the basket. While English is good with the ball in his hands, he doesn’t particularly move well off the ball to get open, though part of that may be the Iona offense. Still, he needs to be show the ability to come off of screens ready to shoots, as well as showing he can shake a tight defender. English may not have great speed, but he can tend to get ahead of himself when making a move to the basket, ending up driving right into help defenders because he isn’t seeing or anticipating well. Defensively, English has a lot to work on, though there is some skill to work with. He has quick hands, with the ability to poke a ball loose, though he can tend to take some bad risks. The biggest things he will need to show are the fundamentals – positioning, stance, and footwork. A lot of the other needs to improve should come from there, such as not being turned around while tracking his man off the ball.
Where he fits at the next level: As I’ve mentioned before, consistent long-range shooters will get looks to play at the next level, though at 6’4, English would be on the smaller size for an NBA 2-guard. With some work on his ballhandling and making reads, English may be looked at to run the point, though unless his defense improves significantly, he will have a tough time guarding opposing point guards. Even with the deficiencies, there’s no doubt about English’s scoring ability, but where he ends up playing after college will depend a lot on how much improvement he can make to the areas listed above.
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