Josh Scott, Senior, Colorado, Forward, 6’10, 245
(2014-15, 30.8 mpg) 14.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.8 bpg, 0.9 tpg
54.4 FG%, 75.2 FT%, 60.3 TS%, 54.6 eFG%
21.6 USG%, 13.2 OREB%, 18.5 DREB%, 15.9 TRB%, 6.6 BLK%
DOB: 7/13/1993 (22) Hometown: Monument, Colorado
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
Though his junior year was set back a bit by injury, Scott, still put together a solid season, one of the few bright spots on the Colorado team. The 6’10 Scott has made some strides towards becoming a versatile scorer, including continuing to improve as a mid-range shooter. While a bit mechanical with his low-post moves, Scott shows decent footwork and a nice touch around the basket, with the ability to score with either hand. The Colorado offense was a bit of a mess last season, with a lot of bad shots being taken by guards, and it was often tough for Scott to get many touches in scoring position. Still, he isn’t very strong for his size, and he needs to do a better job using his body to establish position, and not get himself pushed away from the basket. Even on his moves, he often finds himself having to take shots further away from the basket because he doesn’t have the speed or strength to beat his man. With his mid-range shot, Scott could be an option in pick-and-pop sets, though there are times he seems of unsure of where he’s supposed to go after setting a screen; the same happens in pick-and-roll sets, though Scott will “roll” to the rim, he can be slow in opening up to the ball. While not very quick, Scott can draw defenders out with his shooting ability, and combined with a good shot-fake, and he uses long strides to try and beat his man to the basket off the dribble, though his ballhandling is just passable most of the time. Scott does a very good job using shot fakes and secondary moves to draw contact around the basket, with his 64% free throw rate being what’s expected from a predominantly low-post player. Scott is also a good free-throw shooter for a big man, knocking down near 80 percent for his college career. Scott can be very good on the offensive boards, working hard to maneuver his way into position, and using his length to get a chance at a quick basket on the put-back. Defensively, Scott is fundamentally sound, showing good footwork and positioning, though the lack of speed and strength can hamper him on that end as well. Scott does have some problems when defending the pick-and-roll, being stuck between not being agile enough to hedge well, and not reacting quick enough to recover if he does hedge successfully. A major issue for Scott is a lack of defensive awareness, not ideal for an expected rim-protector. He can lose track of the ball, and drives can happen behind him while he has his back turned. He has improved as a shot-blocker, and while not quick off the ground, he isn’t drawn off the floor easily by fakes, extends well, and can block shots with either hand. Scott can be a solid rebounder on the defensive end, tracking the ball well, boxing out, and going after the ball instead of waiting for it to fall to him, though stronger opposing players can move him easily out of position, so he needs to work on sealing off space with his body.
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What he needs to show this season: On offense, Scott still seems to have a good deal of untapped potential, and the Colorado point guard situation hasn’t helped his development much. With his size and soft touch, Scott should get a lot more touches on offense, though he needs to work on getting stronger and establishing position more effectively. Also, the speed of his post moves can improve, and he can stand to be a bit more aggressive when he gets the ball. Scott can be unsure of himself when the ball is delivered to him, and by the time he makes a move, the defense has already reacted. Also, as mentioned, he can do a better job opening up to the ball, both in pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop situations; often the openings are there fairly quickly, and he need to be aggressive in getting to his spots. It would be nice to see Scott have more confidence in his mid-range jumper, and though it can be slow to develop, he has good form and a nice touch. Scott has improved as a defender in each of his three college years, and he should take a bigger leap as a senior. He has the skill part of defending down; he just needs to work on his body, including getting stronger and faster. I mentioned earlier that his awareness needs a lot of work, and he does need to do a better job tracking the ball, especially when relied upon as a help defender around the rim.
Where he fits at the next level: Scott has the size and a lot of the skill necessary for the next level, but physically, he still needs a lot of work. As a low-post scorer, he has the tools to be efficient, but he just needs to do a better job being aggressive and getting to the basket. His ability to draw fouls helps, though more disciplined defenders at the next level will make it a lot tougher. His ability to shoot is a plus, but he needs to be more confident in the shot, especially when he has a good look. Scott won’t have the time he takes now to make decisions as a pro. Defensively, added strength and foot speed will help him, and there is still potential for him as a rim-protector, though it doesn’t mean much if he doesn’t see what’s happening and get in position. Hopefully, with Askia Booker gone, the offense will flow much better, as Booker was relied upon to do too much, and Scott didn’t get the touches he needed to develop.
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