Getty St. John's Red Storm guard Shamorie Ponds
St. John’s guard Shamorie Ponds has proven to be an explosive player with a knack for finding the bottom of the basket. Beyond that, he’s expanded his game and improved across the board throughout his collegiate career, leading to him being an interesting 2019 NBA Draft prospect. Ponds has spent three seasons with the Red Storm through 2018-19 and has had back-to-back incredibly impressive years from a statistical standpoint.
During the 2017-18 season, Ponds averaged 21.6 points per game on 42.0 percent shooting with 4.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. He also showcased his ability as a defender with 2.3 steals per game. But the steps he took forward during the current year as a player stand out.
Ponds has averaged 19.8 points, 5.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds through the first 29 games. But arguably the most impressive areas of his game that have improved are his shooting percentages. While the 6-foot-1 guard averages more than three fewer shot attempts per game, he’s knocked down 45.9 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from beyond the arc (up from 25.3 percent). He’s also increased his steals per game up to 2.6 and looks like a legitimate NBA prospect.
Shamorie Ponds Outlook in Latest Mock Drafts & Big Boards
Although the bulk of mock drafts have Ponds landing somewhere in the second round, he’s ranged anywhere from the very early part of the round to the end. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie pegged the St. John’s guard coming off the board at No. 31 overall to the Orlando Magic, a team who looks like one of the best fits for him.
Vecenie also has Ponds at No. 36 overall on his latest big board, which places him just ahead of Marquette’s Markus Howard and LSU’s Naz Reid, but just behind Kentucky’s Tyler Herro.
ESPN’s NBA Draft “best available” board pegs the Red Storm star slightly lower, putting him at No. 46 overall and ranking him as the No. 7 point guard in the 2019 draft. Just to look at the other side of the spectrum even further, NBADraft.net’s most recent mock draft projects Ponds to land with the Indiana Pacers with the No. 56 pick in round two.
Shamorie Ponds’ Best NBA Draft Fits
It’s hard to argue with the evaluation of the Orlando Magic. While DJ Augustin currently holds the starting point guard role, he’s not the longterm answer at the position. Beyond that, the Magic could use a ball-handler with an attacking mentality who can also find fellow young teammates such as Jonathan Isaac and Mo Bamba down low.
If looking at a team who could add Ponds and use him in a backup role specifically for a season or two, the Memphis Grizzlies could be a great option. Ponds could play behind Mike Conley and still likely see decent minutes. Beyond that, the Grizzlies will likely target guards in the draft due to the young pieces they currently have inside.
One other team worth monitoring is the Detroit Pistons, and the thought of Ponds playing alongside Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin is fun to think about. Current starting point guard Reggie Jackson has one year left on his deal, per Spotrac, so the St. John’s star could see a decent workload in year one and be prepped as a starter for his sophomore season.
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