Scoot Henderson is arguably the best prospect the new G League Ignite has ever seen, and for good reason. In many other drafts, Henderson would be a safe #1 pick, but this year behind Victor Wembanyama, he makes for one of the best consolation prizes a team can ask for. In his second year with the G League Ignite, having turned 19 in February, Scoot averaged 15.5 PPG, 6 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG, and 3.1 TOPG on splits of 44/34/74. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Scoot Henderson
Height/Weight: 6’2/195
Wingspan/ standing reach: N/A
Hand size: N/A
Position: Lead Guard
Pre-Draft team: G League Ignite
Tools: Frame, athleticism, slashing
Pros:
- Confident, pure pull-up shooter
- Dynamic athlete with outstanding explosiveness
- Built like a tank; outstanding frame
- Elite upside slashing due to athletic abilities + good touch
- Good runner
- Quick release on jumper
- Strong pick & roll feel as a ball-handler
- Comfortable with both hands
- Impressive finisher at the rim
Cons:
- Needs to become more consistent as a shooter
- Base needs to be steady more on pull-up jumpers
- Not always in stance defensively
- Can be over-reliant on long runners against drop bigs
Swing Skills:
- Level of jump shooting consistency
- How high his motor can run, and for how long
Summary:
Scoot Henderson is a strong, 3 level scoring point guard that has tremendous upside as a lead guard that can fit next to another already established star guard right away.
Defensively, it’s hard to judge Henderson because he wasn’t in stance often, and gave inconsistent effort, which is normal given the lack of defense in the G League as a whole. While for most players this can be a question mark for his motor, this is more contextual of the landscape of the G League, where the approach can often be defense-optional. Physically, with strength and athleticism, Henderson has the tools to be a positive defender against guards, and possibly to hold his own against wings. With a good basketball IQ, he should be able to adapt to advanced NBA schemes defensively.
As a primary ball-handler, Scoot Henderson can be trusted as both a playmaker and a scorer at all 3 levels, and he can run half-court offense as well as he does quick offense. With a minimal learning curve to the NBA’s pace given the pace of play in the NBA G League, Henderson should have no problem seeing the game slow down for him early in his career. Scoot makes advanced reads consistently, and uses his own scoring & athletic threats to benefit his teammates, which is something every floor general needs to do. He is unselfish, and doesn’t make passes simply to get assists, but he can see the next pass in advance. Additionally, Scoot runs a clean pick & roll, which is the most common play in the NBA. Look for Scoot Henderson to easily average 5+ assists per game, depending on which team drafts him.
As a scorer, Scoot has all the weapons to be a premier scoring threat, but right now he needs to be evaluated as a process-over-results shooter. While his jump shot wasn’t efficient enough, he got to his spots with ease, and set up his shots to create space with great footwork and quickness that defenders can’t stay step-for-step with. Scoot has great screen navigation as a ball-handler, which allows him to snake through and around defenses, and with strong creativity he can manipulate defenses with ease. As his jump shot becomes more consistent, he should be a clear 3 level scorer.
As a shooter, Henderson is able to get his shot off quickly due to advanced and quick footwork, both spotting up and stepping back, or any shot off the dribble. While the percentages still are lacking, the touch is clearly there, and his free throw percentage offers legitimate shooting upside (75% this season and 76.5% last year). His shooting threat can also open up his slashing, as not only will defenses be forced to contest and respect his jumper, but he can use himself as an off-ball threat as a cutter. Shown below, Scoot thrives in give & go’s, and with a strong fake cut he can shake anyone off of his spot at any spot on the floor, with a quick recovery step to beat his defender.
Overall, Scoot Henderson would be the #1 pick in many of the last 10 drafts due to his quickness, athleticism & strength, intelligence and maturity beyond years, and upside as a shooter and defender make him a complete point guard prospect. What he lacks in height, he makes up for in athleticism, strength, and feel for the game, making him difficult to eliminate from plays on either end. Remember, Scoot will be 19 for the first almost 60 games of his rookie season.
Similar to: Eric Bledsoe, Derrick Rose, John Wall, Reggie Jackson
Projected draft range: 2-3
Expected role: Dominant floor general with 3 level scoring and defensive value
Unplayable if: Extremely unlikely to be unplayable, but a worst case scenario lies in Scoot’s defense being underwhelming
Exceeds expectations if: Defense and motor come together to be consistent to maximize his defensive potential, and shooting becomes safely above average. In this scenario, Scoot is an easy perennial All-NBA member.
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