As a member of the G League Ignite, coming over from France, Sidy Cissoko had a good season being seen as the third best prospect for the Ignite heading into the season, while ending up climbing to the second best Ignite prospect on my board. On the season, Cissoko averaged 10.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG, and 1.8 TOPG on splits of 43/31/64.6. Below is his full scouting report:
Name: Sidy Cissoko
Height/Weight: 6’6/224
Wingspan/ standing reach: 6’10/8’8
Hand size: 10
Position: Forward
Pre-Draft team: G League Ignite
Tools: Defense, athleticism, playmaking
Pros:
- Outstanding frame and already NBA ready body
- Good athlete that can explode in traffic
- High defensive upside given his frame, footspeed, and athleticism
- Good vision and capable passer; has good passing fundamentals (extra pass, etc)
- Good feel for the game given his age
- Strong motor
- Comfortable with both hands
Cons:
- Slow windup on jumpers, especially on stepbacks
- Legs are a bit awkward as a jump shot base; left leg bends right leg stays upright
- Needs to be more consistent as a shooter; especially on non-standstill jumpers
- Still raw and needs to be more disciplined and efficient; can play out of control at times
- Needs to get more confident in being unpredictable with his left hand; reverts back to his right too often when stuck
- Must improve as a below-the-rim finisher
Summary:
Sidy Cissoko is one of the most fun players in the entire draft as a walking highlight reel in transition, an elite ability to navigate and finish through traffic at the rim for his size & age, underrated playmaking, and lockdown defensive ability with shooting upside. This makes him a true small forward in the best ways, being incredibly versatile to play both up & down in the lineup on both ends of the floor.
Offensively, while his shot is still a work in progress, he finds ways to get the ball in the rim, both for himself and others. He is a dynamic finisher, and one of the top above-the-rim finishers among non-bigs in the draft. With a quick first step and an explosive takeoff, Cissoko is incredibly difficult to contain with even the slightest of momentum towards the rim. However, he shot just 36.8% on layups in the half-court, so finishing away from dunks will need to be proven more consistent to have his finishing translate to the NBA.
As a shooter, Sidy Cissoko has shown enough flashes to believe in, given that he played the entire G League season at 18 years old. Prior to a massive 9 game slump when he shot 3-26, the first 34 games of the season he shot 35.4% from 3. His form is a bit clunky, but given the statistical indicators and flashes, he should be able to at least be respected and he should be able to develop his shot if his work ethic is strong enough.
Overall, Sidy Cissoko needs to be evaluated within the context of being 18 playing in the G League, and knowing that there were enough flashes of his shooting and with his shooting touch off of runners to be at least floating near average.
Similar to: Herb Jones, Shane Battier, Bo Outlaw, Josh Green
Projected draft range: 13-25
Expected role: Do-it-all combo forward that creates contagious energy.
Unplayable if: Jump shot never develops, and his turnover issues/out-of-control moments don’t disappear as he matures.
Exceeds expectations if: Jump shooting fully develops, making him a lethal spot-up shooting threat while being a great defender, sharp playmaker, and a plus finisher.
Videos:
Shot chart:
