2017 Watch List: Kennedy Meeks

Kennedy Meeks, Senior, North Carolina, Forward/Center, 6’10, 260

(2015-16, 20.6 mpg) 9.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.8 spg, 1.0 bpg, 1.4 tpg

54.8 FG%, 68.9 FT%, 56.7 TS%, 54.8 eFG%

21.9 USG%, 13.5 OREB%, 18.1 DREB%, 15.9 REB%, 5.2 BLK%

DOB: 2/5/1995 (21) Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

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

Meeks has been a steady presence on the Tar Heels’ frontline for the past three seasons, and with the loss of Brice Johnson to the NBA, he has a chance to make a bigger mark as a senior, though the North Carolina offense hasn’t been very low-post oriented the past few years. Meeks, and 6’10 and 260 pounds, has very good size for the low post, and he has done a great job working on his body the past few years after entering school at 310 pounds. His offensive game is predicated around the low blocks, where he has made steady, if somewhat slow, improvement. Meeks can set up on either block, though is much better when setting up on the left block, and can make moves over either shoulder. While his footwork has improved over the last couple of years, his moves can be slow, at times, and he needs to watch shuffling his feet before putting the ball on the floor. With his size, Meeks should be able to force his way to the basket more often, but he often ends up taking his shots further away from the basket than where he started because he isn’t aggressive or decisive with many of his moves. Meeks’ touch has also improved to where a six to eight-foot hook is a good shot for him.

Meeks has not shown much as a perimeter shooter, though he has potential as a mid-range shooter. He has shown that he can knock down 8 to 10-footers either as a turnaround jumper out of the low post, or when flashing to the mid-lane/high post, though he hasn’t shown any real consistency yet. Other than the low post, most of Meek’s scoring opportunities come from basket cuts off of guard penetration, or making a flash cut into the lane as part of the Tar Heels’ two-post offense. While you aren’t going to see Meeks dunk the ball that often, it is off of penetration where he can get the time and space he needs to finish strong; other than that, Meeks is strictly a below-the-rim player.

Meeks has some potential in the pick-and-roll, as he is a solid screener on the perimeter, opens well to the ball, and is an improved finisher around the basket. His footwork needs to improve, and he can be slow to hit the open space, but he has a good idea of what he needs to do.

Meeks has great instincts on the offensive boards, using his size well to carve out space, and moving into position quickly. He has strong hands to corral the missed shot, but he can have some problems scoring on the second opportunities, especially in traffic. Meeks will tend to bring the ball down low after securing the rebound, which allows even smaller players to block his shot attempts.

Defensively, Meeks has improved, but he is still on the wrong side of average for his size. While his footwork has improved in the low post, he tends to stand straight up too often, making it tough to get the balance he needs to secure his ground. Meeks will recover a bit with his instincts and improved footwork, but he still has a tough time defending long, athletic big men. Also, because he doesn’t really get off the ground much, he is susceptible to being beat on passes over the top of him. Meeks has also improved as a pick-and-roll defender, hedging well on the ballhandler, but he can be slow to recover to the open man. He is a good help defender around the basket, seeing the floor well, and dong what he can to rotate into position to make a stop. Meeks isn’t a great shot blocker, but he has good timing, and will get his hands on a shot if in position. As on the offensive end, Meeks is a good defensive rebounder, though Brice Johnson took away a lot of his chances last season with his mobility.

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What he needs to show this season:

As it’s been since the start of his career, conditioning will be important for Meeks. Losing the weight was the first step, but someone his size should be much stronger, so that will be important for him in the coming years, and it will help him when he is looking to score in traffic around the basket. His improvement on offense has been slow, though it has been there, and it’s not like he gets an abundance of opportunities per game. The biggest improvement he needs to make to his low post offensive game is to be more aggressive. With his size, he shouldn’t be forced so far from the basket, though it has helped to improve his touch. Meeks has a few good moves in his arsenal, but without being decisive, a lot of his opportunities can vanish quickly. Also, he can be very unsteady when he puts the ball on the floor, which may be a cause of his indecisiveness, but he needs to limit his dribbles and not let the ball get away from him. The lack of aggressiveness also leads to a low free throw rate for a big man, around 25 percent, even though he hit near 69 percent of his free throw attempts last year, a career best.

Meeks can also continue to work on his mid-range jumper, as he has the potential to stretch his game a bit, and it would also help with his team’s spacing. His shooting form and motion can be smoother, but looks good for a big man. With his ability as a screener on the perimeter, it would also open some pick-and-pop sets for him in the mid-range area.

Meeks has potential as a low post defender, even if he isn’t the most athletic guy, or a great rim protector. He needs to work on using his body better to hold his position, and use his width to force offensive players away from the basket. Meeks will never have quick feet, but he can take advantage of what he has. As on offense, Meeks can afford to be a bit more aggressive on the defensive end, though he does have a penchant for foul trouble, at times. It has more to do with looking to make plays and going after missed shots. Meeks has trouble if forced to defend out on the perimeter, even though he works hard while out there. He is more than content to give up jumpers to avoid getting beat, though he needs to watch who he is guarding if forced into this.

Where he fits at the next level:

While the NBA big man is continuing to evolve, there is still a place for old-school big men like Meeks, especially if they can defend and hit the boards. Like I mentioned a few times in this, Meeks needs to be more aggressive. He has size, but his skills are still lagging a bit behind, so he needs to make his presence felt by being aggressive, especially on the boards and on the defensive end. As also mentioned, Meeks’ physical development needs to continue, especially getting stronger and working on his body. He will have another year to prove himself, and even though getting drafted may not happen, he’ll get chances to show NBA teams what he can do.

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