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2021 NBA draft profile: International prospect Josh Giddey

By Lachlan Everett

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 23: Josh Giddey of the 36ers runs with the ball during the NBL Cup match between the Adelaide 36ers and the South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on February 23, 2021, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 23: Josh Giddey of the 36ers runs with the ball during the NBL Cup match between the Adelaide 36ers and the South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on February 23, 2021, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) /
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NBA draft, Josh Giddey Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
NBA draft, Josh Giddey Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images /

NBA draft prospect Josh Giddey’s strengths: Playmaking

There is a strong argument that Josh Giddey is the best overall playmaker in this draft.

Draft gurus may argue Cade Cunningham is the best, but ESPN’s Jonathan Givony told Hoops Habit that he believes Giddey is one of the top few in this draft class.

"“Giddey is absolutely one of the elite playmakers in this class. His size, handle, creativity, vision and awareness is special and should allow him to carve out an important niche in the NBA as his frame, shooting and defense evolve.”"

Giddey led the NBL in assists this past season with 7.5 per game while having only the fifth-highest usage on the 36ers. For comparison, LaMelo Ball last season in the NBL averaged 6.8 assists (second in the league) with the highest usage rate on the team.

Giddey can throw the ball with lightning speed and precision off both hands. The advanced reads Giddey makes in both the half-court and full-court is what makes Giddey a clear top-15 prospect in this draft.

One of Giddey’s strongest areas is in the pick and roll. Giddey had multiple players who could roll and pop – making Giddey’s job easier, but allowed him to show his elite vision.

The NBA is dominated by the pick and roll play, and Giddey coming into the draft shows he can facilitate that action to near perfection — the lack of a steady jump shot prevents him from being perfect.

That is not Giddey’s only passing skill, Giddey can pass off the live dribble, skip the ball to either end of the half-court set, push the ball from the fast break and can find the smallest gaps to thread the needle. His height helps him survey the court, combining that with his wingspan and upper body strength allows him to send absolute bullets to his targets.

I’ve separated the skip passes as they show his dexterity with both hands off the live dribble. The advanced reads are why teams are intrigued, teams know that 6’9” playmakers who can throw skip passes like that don’t grow on trees.

The only knock on Giddey’s playmaking is that Giddey’s limited scoring ability reduces his passing effectiveness because he is unable to leverage the defense like a Luka Dončić or a Trae Young can.

There will be more on this, but Giddey’s limited bag can restrict some passing scenarios, and that will especially show when he gets into the NBA.

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