Based on the type of prospects the Los Angeles Lakers have been taking looks at, it appears the team is pursuing some help at guard. They’ve already been linked to guys like Standford’s Tyrell Terry but could be zeroing in on another guy. According to Jake Weingarten, the Lakers have worked out John A. Logan College guard Jay Scrubbs.
Typically JUCO prospects don’t have a ton of luck in the NBA but his status as JUCO Player of the Year helps his profile. He’s an under-the-radar prospect but he has shown good scoring ability.
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Scrubb Has a Ton of Athletic Talent
The most intriguing thing about Scrubb is his athletic talent. Weingarten had very high praise for the guard:
One of the most athletic players in the draft, Scrubb brings a very lethal skillset to any NBA offense and defense. His scoring ability is very flexible as he can score on all three levels but also has a very good IQ. Defensively he can guard multiple positions and is also a very underrated shot-blocker. I think he will be either a late first-rounder or early second round selection.
NBA history is replete with uber-athletic players who never developed enough skill. It’s impossible to know how Scrubb might play in the NBA due to the fact that he has yet to play against strong competition. His athletic ability will certainly intrigue a number of teams and he will get a shot in the league.
Will Scrubb get drafted?
Weingarten believes that Scrubb could get draft in the late first-round or early second-round. However, that’s not a foregone conclusion. NBA Draft Room believes he’ll go in the mid-second round:
Scrubb is a big guard with exceptional athleticism. He loves to attack the basket and he’s a poster-maker, using his quick first step to get into the lane and then exploding into the air for the dunk. He’s got handles and court vision and plays an all around game.
He’s got a nice looking jumper (lefty) and good range, although needs to get more consistent.
It’s also possible he goes undrafted because of the fact that he never played in the NCAA.
The Lakers don’t have a second-round pick and probably aren’t going to use a first-round pick on Scrubb. He’d be an interesting pickup for them but he’s not exactly what they need. He was a 33.3% 3-point shoot in college which isn’t great compared to some of the other shooters in the draft. Plus, the Lakers should be more inclined to look at a point guard than a shooting guard. Los Angeles has done really well with under-the-radar prospects but the lack of a second-round pick will make it difficult to take a risk on a guy like Scrubb. He has a chance to be the steal of the draft but the Lakers would be wiser to play it safe this year.
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