2018 NBA Draft: 5 under-the-radar shooting guard prospects
By Max Holm
4. Rawle Alkins – Arizona
From one Wildcat to another, Rawle Alkins almost jumped to the NBA this year. Alkins declared for the draft and attended the combine, but opted to come back to Arizona. Alkins’ return strengthens Arizona as one of the nation’s very best teams and gives him the chance to improve his NBA stock. In one year at Arizona, Alkins was extremely impressive.
His numbers don’t jump off the page, but he was both well-rounded in his contributions and productive. A stout defender, Alkins has good size at around 6-foot-4 with a near 6-foot-9 wingspan. This should see him be able to guard 1-3 depending on the matchups. He can’t guard Paul George, but lesser wings for sure.
Alkins once again finds himself on a deep Arizona team, so his numbers from last season may look fairly similar. As a freshman, he posted 10.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Not bad for a freshman on a good team in a very good conference. Like many of his fellow wings and NBA prospects, the key is shooting. Alkins shot 37 percent last year on 119 attempts. His well-rounded game may propel him to a first-round draftee should his shooting and playmaking standout this year.