The 2021 NBA Draft has been described by many draft experts as a “five-player draft”. The class contains five clear players to be selected with the first five picks and from then on, it’s a free-for-all.
Someone who is in that free-for-all is the 6’9” Australian point guard Josh Giddey, who played for the Australian National Basketball League’s (NBL) Adelaide 36ers.
Giddey is an anomaly in this draft class. He is a 6’9” point guard who is among the best playmakers in the draft, he’s also one of the youngest turning 19 years old in October, and he will miss the entire NBA draft combine and pre-draft process (besides interviewing) because he’ll be traveling with Australia’s ‘Boomers’ national team for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
Giddey has been somewhat under the radar for most of the season due to being an international prospect, that also couldn’t be scouted in person because of global travel restrictions in a COVID world – making it a painful process to travel, stay and justify a trip to Australia for NBA decision-makers.
With the 2020 NBA draft less than one month away, it’s time to take a closer look at projected first-round pick Josh Giddey out of Australia.
Giddey played phenomenally for an 18-year-old in the NBL, widely considered as a top 3-6 pro league in the world.
Giddey averaged 10.9 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, 7.5 assists per game in 32.1 minutes per game (FIBA 40-minute games). He led the NBL in assists per game while also taking Rookie of the Year honors in his 28 games with the 36ers.
https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1387187786369757186?s=20
Giddey is projected anywhere between 7-16 in the first round, so this draft profile will break down his strengths and weaknesses, as well as where his best fit in the draft might be.
2021 NBA Draft Profile:
Name: Josh Giddey
Height: 6’9″ (N/A Wingspan)
Weight: 210 pounds
Position: Point Guard/Wing
School/Club: Adelaide 36ers.
NBA Comparison: Joe Ingles/Ricky Rubio
2020-2021 statistics:
10.9 PPG
7.4 RPG
7.5 APG
42 FG%
29 3P%
69 FT%