A former French League Rookie of the Year finalist, Matthieu Gauzin broke out as an NBA prospect in 2020 in France. However, since then he plateaued in a way overseas. In his auto-eligible draft year this season with BCM Gravelines, he averaged 5.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, and 1.1 TOPG on splits of 39/29/81. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Matthieu Gauzin
Height/Weight: 6’4/160
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: SG
Country: France
Tools: Athleticism, playmaking
Pros:
- Quick recovery ability on defense
- Clean shooting stroke with quick release and fluid mechanics
- Good athleticism with high-end speed
- High playmaking ceiling- comfortable with both hands
- Tight handle with quick change of direction
- Moves well off-ball
Cons:
- Needs to add strength and weight
- Low release on jump shot with a line drive
- Weak in P&R defensively
- Needs to learn to play under control more
- Needs to improve pull-up shooting footwork
- Can settle for tough shots unnecessarily/makes shot harder than they need to be
- Poor finisher at the rim currently; upside is there, but far away now
Summary:
Matthieu Gauzin is a fast guard who can play both back-court positions as both a spot-up shooter and a lead ball-handler, while providing defensive upside. While Gauzin needs to get more consistent arc, when Gauzin isn’t shooting line-drive 3s, his 3 ball is very reliable and overall forces defenses to collapse. He does settle for tough shots, which combined with an inconsistent release, can be troublesome for his future. As a playmaker, Gauzin has a tight handle, an excellent ability to change direction very quickly, and he has passing flair that allows him to make advanced reads. Sometimes, he can go for the home run play over the simple play, which should improve with maturity.
Defensively, Gauzin has excellent recovery ability, which should help him as an on-ball defender. As a team defender, he struggles to guard the pick & roll, which is a common issue for young guards. How he handles his physical maturity with his defensive growth will be key for this side of the court.
2023 edit: Unfortunately Gauzin has not taken the jump he was expected to take since this scouting report was written two years ago. While some players are late bloomers, there is a real possibility Gauzin never will be able to take the jump necessary to make the NBA. The free throw percentage has been consistently strong year-over-year, which is often the best shooting indicator for shooting upside.
Similar to: RJ Hampton, Jordan Poole
Projected draft range: 45-undrafted
Expected role: Fast combo guard that can be a complete offensive on-ball player
Unplayable if: Iffy jump shooting never develops, and he never learns to play under control better, both as a playmaker and a shooter.
Exceeds expectations if: Jump shooting comes along entirely, along with his pull-up shot. If he can become a league-average shooter and continues to improve as a finisher, he becomes a complete offensive player.
Videos:
Shot Chart:
