Joel Berry is a senior point guard that has had an accomplished college career, and led North Carolina to the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina is a 2 seed, and their bracket is favorable for multiple games for Joel Berry, which means you’ll be getting a heavy dose of him this tournament, yet again. Here’s my full scouting report on the senior point guard:
Height/Weight: 6’0/185
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’3/ 7’8 (2014, per DraftExpress)
Position: PG
College/ country: North Carolina
Tools: Shooting, speed, IQ
Pros:
- Outstanding shooter
- Smart with the ball- doesn’t force plays/ makes the simple play
- Puts in a ton of effort on defense
- Quick first step- speedy guard
- Plays well in transition
- Great feel for the game
Cons:
- Not as athletic as a lot of NBA point guards
- Old for class- upside may be limited
- Short arms
- Injury issues in the past
- Not a good finisher at the rim
Overall:
Berry projects as a bench point guard that can run an offense and be a great shooter. His lack of size and being a year old for his class limit his perceived upside. Berry is an intelligent player with great speed and an excellent first step. He is likely not going to be an impact player on the defensive end, which is partially why he is profiled to be a bench point guard. While Berry is a very good college shooter and he has a high FT%, his low release point and somewhat awkward mechanics may give him trouble in the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Lester Hudson
Projected draft range: 50-60/ undrafted
How Joel Berry fits with the Mavericks:
Berry would be a nice fit on the Mavericks due to his excellent understanding of the game and shooting ability. While this wouldn’t help the Mavericks with their issue of undersized point guards, he would add depth to arguably the best crop of backup point guards in the league. Rick Carlisle is great at hiding subpar defenders, especially on the perimeter, which bodes well for Berry. One area where Berry’s fit with Dallas could be in question is his slashing ability. He is a poor finisher at the rim, and his size doesn’t help him in this department. Joel Berry would be mostly restricted to being a shooter, both spot-up and on the move, in the Mavericks offense. Look for Berry to be targeted with the Portland pick that the Mavericks acquired at the trade deadline. If Berry goes undrafted, he could be a candidate for a two-way contract.
