Collin Sexton was a top 10 recruit in the 2017 recruiting class. Sexton averaged 19.2 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.8 RPG, 0.8 SPG, and 2.8 TOPG on 44.7/33.6/77.8 splits. I’ve written about Sexton twice, both about his duel with Trae Young and about his duel with Tremont Waters, a game that I attended in January. He guided Alabama to a second round appearance, where they lost to the NCAA champions Villanova. Here’s the full scouting report on the guard:
Name: Collin Sexton
Height/Weight: 6’3/190
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’7
Position: G
College: Alabama
Tools: Scoring potential, defense
Pros:
- Excellent at getting to the line and attacking the basket;
- Can post up smaller defenders
- Elite ball handling ability
- Excellent P&R defender- great at recovering from high screens
- Great shiftiness and quick change of direction
- Very explosive towards the basket; just as quick of a first step going left and right
- High motor
- Elite in transition both as a passer and as a scorer
- Great defensive instincts versus bigger defenders. Vs UT, he was able to strip two UT big men, and used his relative lack of size to his advantage
- Killer instinct
Cons:
- Can look for his own shot before finding others; forces shots. Plays out of control at times- maybe allows attitude to get in the way
- Somewhat awkward form; needs to improve footwork off the dribble. Doesn’t get his legs under him all the time off the dribble. Shot misses short often off the dribble/ on the move
- Needs to simplify his game at times- goes for flashy plays instead of simple plays
Overall: Sexton is an incredible athlete that is best in transition and attacking the basket. He needs to improve his jump shooting mechanics and be a more willing passer. I believe his assist numbers would have been better if he had better shooters around him, but in the NBA he will benefit by playing with better shooters and better athletes. Sexton is a downhill player that will thrive in a fast-paced NBA offense. While his production was subpar given the amount of talent he has, with better teammates and less pressure, along with better shot selection in the NBA, he should be a very good NBA player with the right coaching staff.
Fit with Mavericks: Sexton is probably the worst fit with the Mavericks among lottery talents. He’s very similar to Dennis Smith, and would not thrive with Smith as an off-guard that Sexton is capable of playing. His game wouldn’t compliment Smith, and would probably halt in-game development of Smith. While his high motor and high character are desirable traits for Carlisle, there is no logical reason to take Sexton with the current roster construction.
NBA Comparison: Isaiah Rider
Projected draft range: 6-13
Best fit: Given the teams drafting in the projected draft range, the two clear best fits are the Knicks (9) and the Hornets (11). He would fit well with the Knicks due to the fact that he can compliment Ntilikina on both ends. Sexton fits on the Hornets due to the fact that the backup PG spot for the Hornets has been a black hole for the entirety of the Hornets name in Charlotte. Sexton could develop in a low pressure role off the bench while also making a potential Kemba Walker trade easier to cope with for Hornets fans. A potential backcourt core of Sexton and Monk could be a mirror of Washington’s backcourt if both develop into their maximum ceiling.
