A 2021 consensus All-American and the West Coast Conference player of the year, Corey Kispert is the best shooter in the 2021 draft. As a senior, Kispert averaged 18.6 PPG, 5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, and 1.3 TOPG on shooting splits of 53/44/88. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Corey Kispert
Height/Weight: 6’7 ¼ / 224
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’7/ 8’6
Hand size: 10
Position: Forward
College/ country: Gonzaga
Tools: Shooting
Pros:
- Elite 3 point shooter from anywhere at any motion
- Good size as a shooter
- Improved finisher as a senior
- Quick release on jumper
- Adequate open-floor athlete
- Strong runner/floater
- Adequate passer
Cons:
- Limited ball-handler
- Concern regarding finishing in traffic
- Short arms
- Unlikely to be much of an overall playmaker for others
- Poor recovery ability and overall low defensive ceiling
Overall:
Corey Kispert is the best shooter in the 2021 NBA Draft, and has the potential to have minimal value in surrounding areas, including tertiary passing, some finishing, and having a reliable floater. Kispert has shown at times that he can pass out of traps and find cutters, which can open up his game to becoming a bit more well-rounded. Kispert’s most positive impact will always directly come from scoring, whether it’s off-ball movement, out of hand-offs, using screens, or using his ultra-reliable 10 foot floater. His swing skill is his finishing ability, which exploded in 2020-21. I was low on Kispert last season because I didn’t trust the finishing, and this year I have moved him safely into my top 20 because of that improved ability. Kispert is often knocked for playing on a stacked Gonzaga team, which could have hidden his weaknesses and overstated his strengths, but I think the opposite; Kispert will be able to do a lot of what he did this year with NBA spacing and NBA talent all around him. If Kispert goes to a playoff team, he will contend for an All-Rookie spot.
Similar to: Cameron Johnson, Joe Harris, Doug McDermott
Projected draft range: 8-18
Expected role: Shooter that provides minimal value in other areas, with very few flaws
Unplayable if: Highly unlikely, but his impact is minimal on the floor when his jumper isn’t falling, like most pure shooters. If his finishing doesn’t translate, he may struggle scoring outside of 3 point shooting.
Exceeds expectations if: Finishing translates and his ability to minimally self-create, such as 2 dribble moves using screens, becomes a weapon in the NBA.
Best Fits:
- Denver Nuggets
- Golden State Warriors
- Charlotte Hornets
- San Antonio Spurs
- New Orleans Pelicans
