The Big East player of the year, Sandro Mamukelashvili is one of the most unique prospects in the entire 2021 NBA Draft. As a senior, Mamukelashvili averaged 17.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG, and 3.3 TOPG on shooting splits of 43/34/71. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Sandro Mamukelashvili
Height/Weight: 6’10 / 240
Wingspan/ standing reach: 7’1 ¼ / 8’10 ½
Hand size: 9 ½
Position: PF/C
College/ country: Seton Hall / Republic of Georgia
Tools: Point forward/center, spacing
Pros:
- Projectable, quick jump shot with deep range
- Capable ball-handler that can break guys down 1-on-1
- Good vision and can pass out of P&R and drives
- Best passing big in the class- can jump pass, outlet pass, etc
- Adequate on-ball defender
- Good athlete for his size
- Comfortable handling the ball with both hands
Cons:
- Poor finisher at the rim due to being a below-the-rim finisher
- Lacks rim protection skills
- Needs to reduce turnovers
- Minimal impact as a perimeter defender
- Might struggle playing drop defense
- Needs to develop right hand near the rim against contests
- Settles for bad shots on the drive
Overall:
Sandro Mamukelashvili is a well-rounded offensive player, essentially being a point forward. Mamukelashvili (Mamu for short) is unique in being able to run pick & roll at 6’10 with good quickness, a smooth shooting stroke with deep range, and passable switchability on some ball-handlers. To put it short, Mamu is a guard in a big man’s body, which can also have some downfalls, especially on the defensive end. Mamu struggles to protect the rim, and while he can be passable at times on-ball defensively, he needs to be guarding a very specific type of player that won’t blow by him or bully his way to his spots. It’s hard to see Mamu failing in the NBA due to how many guard skills big men need in the modern NBA, which Mamu possesses, but he does have areas of improvement. He must get better as a finisher, and that may go hand-in-hand with him getting more comfortable using his right hand. While Mamu has a lot of skills offensively and near the rim, his efficiency dropped because he took too many ill-advised shots, mostly at the rim, but also beyond 15 feet. Regardless, it’s easy to look past the shortcomings and see how easily a good coach can and will maximize his skillset to be a productive role player, which is why I give Sandro Mamukelashvili a top 30 grade on my big board.
Similar to: Spencer Hawes, Andrea Bargnani, Domantas Sabonis
Projected draft range: 30-60
Expected role: All-around offensive forward/center that creates mismatches for defenses.
Unplayable if: Defensive liabilities make him easily exploitable
Exceeds expectations if: Right hand develops and finishing at the rim
Best fits:
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Chicago Bulls
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
Shot chart:
