Getty Cassius Winston
Cassius Winston has been the leader of the Michigan State offense causing many to wonder if the Spartans guard could declare for the NBA draft after the season. Winston is averaging 18.8 points and 7.6 assists this season for Michigan State. Winston is also shooting an impressive 42.2 percent from the three-point line.
The NBA is looking for more than just numbers and there are a few reasons why Winston’s draft stock is not as high as some may expect. Winston is a junior and is a few years older than the other prospects he is being compared against. Why is age such a factor? The thought among most NBA teams is younger players are preferable because they have more room to grow before they reach their peak.
The Lansing State Journal’s Graham Couch reported he expects there is not enough NBA interest to warrant Winston entering the draft.
The answer, in short, I think, is no — unless Winston grows tired of college or feels he’s done all he can at the college level. Because his measurables aren’t the NBA prototype for a point guard, even if the league has wised up from its obsession with length in recent years. My sense all along has been that he’s a four-year college player who might be a second-round draft pick and probable will be eventually. I reached out to ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony this week to see if I was projecting Winston as an NBA prospect correctly and he responded by saying that he sees Winston the same way I do.
Winston could opt to follow in the footsteps of upperclassmen like Luke Maye who declared for the 2018 draft but did not sign an agent. This allowed him to get NBA feedback but return to school for his senior season. Winston’s 6’0″ height is less than ideal for an NBA point guard. People may knock Winston’s pro potential, but he has put plenty on tape for NBA teams to be intrigued.
Here’s a look at our NBA draft profile for Winston.
Cassius Winston NBA Draft Profile
STRENGTHS: The word that comes to mind when describing Winston is solid. Winston knows how to run an offense and is lethal from outside. Winston shot more than 49 percent from the three-point line his sophomore season. He followed it up by shooting 42.2 percent from behind the arc this season.
Winston is averaging 7.6 assists and thrives at getting his teammates involved. Winston knows how to utilize the pick and roll to find big men who are cutting to the basket. Winston is good at utilizing his stepback jumper.
WEAKNESSES: The biggest knocks on Winston are his size and athleticism. Winston’s lack of athleticism leaves questions as to whether he can defend more athletic players in the NBA. He is also undersized when compared to the bigger guards the NBA is preferring to lead their offenses.
ESPN currently has Winston ranked as their No. 82 prospect which puts him well below the threshold to get drafted.
SUMMARY: As it stands now, Winston is unlikely to get drafted if he declared. The good news is that evaluations are fluid and there is still time for Winston to change people’s minds. The challenge is the things that he is likely to be docked for in the NBA (height and athleticism) are not exactly something he can easily change.
The best thing that could happen to Winston would be to follow what Jalen Brunson did last season. Like Winston, Brunson lacked the size and athleticism to wow NBA teams. Brunson’s play during March Madness was enough to push him up draft boards, and Winston has to hope to do the same.