Josh Primo Scouting Report

One of the youngest players in the draft and an All-SEC Freshman member, Josh Primo had an impressive freshman season for his standards. On the year, Primo played 22.5 minutes per game on averages of 8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, and 1.4 TOPG on shooting splits of 43/38/75. Below is his full scouting report:

Name: Josh Primo

Height/Weight: 6’5 / 189

Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’9 / 8’6 ½ 

Hand size: 10 

Position: Combo Guard

College/ country: Alabama / Canada

Tools: Shot creation, defensive upside, frame

Pros: 

• High motor
  Strong physical profile
• Good rebounder
• High shooting upside
• Projectable frame
• Good one-on-one defensive upside due to quick feet

Cons:

• Must add weight
• Needs to prove playmaking upside
• Needs to reduce live-ball turnovers

Overall:

Josh Primo is a high upside shot creator with outstanding intangibles, good shooting projections, and defensive potential. The name of the game for Primo is upside and potential, being one of the youngest players in the 2021 NBA Draft class with a unique combination of ball-handling, shooting, and defense. He needs to add weight to unlock some key areas, including finishing consistency, one-on-one defense, and just in general to fight through screens and other peripheral areas. For example, while Primo has excellent feet defensively, he can easily be bullied as a defender at this stage of his career. Primo is one of the best swings for upside outside of the lottery, and has a legitimate chance to hit his scoring upside.

Similar to: CJ McCollum, Brandon Knight, Cuttino Mobley

Projected draft range: 20-35

Expected role: Shot creating guard that can fit with any lineup

Unplayable if: Rawness never gets shaken, and his skinny frame limits his strengths.

Exceeds expectations if: He evolves from raw to skilled, and becomes more consistent by taking the expected jump he would have taken in college, but in either the G-League or the NBA itself. In this scenario, Primo becomes a near 20 PPG scorer with 4+ assists, and isn’t worse than below-average defensively. 

Best fits:

• Denver Nuggets
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• LA Lakers
• LA Clippers
• Philadelphia 76ers

Shot chart:

Videos:

Josh Primo with the crossover, pass around the defense, relocation, and quick setting of his feet and splashed the 3. The flashes he shows from anywhere beyond the free throw line always stand out pic.twitter.com/6d5Povbf6C

— Rich (@MavsDraft) May 18, 2021

Josh Primo would be a dream for the Mavs in 2022. Sizes up his man, hits him with the crossover, gets his feet set, and hits the 3 over the defender. Legit first round upside pic.twitter.com/sGHTh0d1J6

— Rich (@MavsDraft) February 3, 2021

Josh Primo said this was one of his games he felt the most like an NBA player, and called it one of his best games of the year. He went for 19 points on 6/9 shooting with a steal and 4 rebounds. Showed off shooting and “in-between” scoring pic.twitter.com/7Td86dXlZA

— Rich (@MavsDraft) June 24, 2021

Put Josh Primo on an already established defensive team and you’ll see strong results. Solid one on one defender that can force the ball handler into bad spots that help defense can suffocate pic.twitter.com/JYeO8f3MOY

— Rich (@MavsDraft) July 8, 2021

Often didn't result in assists, but Josh Primo flashed budding playmaking skills throughout the year and at the combine. Brings added potential value as a tall secondary playmaker. Given his age, size and ball skills, it's worth letting him grow as a primary in the G-League first pic.twitter.com/VlFrIrmIIW

— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) July 1, 2021