The NBA Draft Blog Scouting Report takes a look at one of the players who has impressed the most since the end of the season – winning the NCAA 3-point shooting contest at the Final Four, consistently being a top performer at workouts and making a name for himself at the Draft Combine – Charleston’s Andrew Goudelock. Everyone knew he could shoot, but he has done a lot to dispel the notion that that is all he can do. Is there a chance he can sneak into the 1st Round? Let’s take a look at Andrew Goudelock:
Andrew Goudelock,
Guard – 6’2, 200
23.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.2 apg, 45.5% FG, 82.1% FT, 40.7% 3FG
Offense
Perimeter Shooting– Goudelock is hands down the best pure shooter in this draft class. Not only does he have range well beyond the NBA 3-point line, his form is near textbook. He has a quick release, a high release point, gets great lift and rotation on the shot. He moves well without the ball and is adept at finding small spaces to get his shot off, and his shot selection has improved through his college career. He could do a better job coming tighter off of screens, which will be very important at the NBA level where he will most likely be guarded by longer defenders. He shoots well of the dribble, and is very good at creating space with his dribble to knock down the mid and long-range shot.
Ballhandling/Hands/Penetration– Goudelock is a much better ballhandler than he is given credit for. He has the ability to use both hands equally well, and varies his dribble enough to keep defenders off-balance. He does a decent job handling pressure defense, and can be an asset helping to bring the ball up against full-court pressure. He has excellent hands and does a great job giving his teammates a good target. While his strength is perimeter shooting, he has the ability to get by his man and either go to the basket or pull up for a mid-range jumper. While he doesn’t have an explosive first step, he uses patience to pick and choose his spots to get into the lane.
Rebounding/Passing– Goudelock is usually not around the rim enough to make a difference on the offensive boards, but he does a good job tracking down long rebounds and following his own misses. At the NBA level, he will most likely need to be prepared to rotate back against transition, so I wouldn’t expect much from him on the offensive boards. Goudelock’s passing ability, especially his court-vision, is another part of his game that is very undervalued. He recognizes the attention he draws when he has the ball and does a good job looking for open teammates. As his penetration skills become more important at the NBA level, he will need to do a better job of drawing the help defense into the lane and kicking it out to an open shooter. Also, learning to run the pick-and-roll, which he didn’t do much of in college, will become a major factor in determining his role at the next level.
Free Throw Shooting – Goudelock is a very good free throw shooter, and should be able to hit consistently around the 85-90% range. He needs to do a better job drawing contact once he gets into the lane and get to the line a lot more.
Defense
Perimeter Defense– Goudelock is a good perimeter defender – he positions himself well, has good lateral movement and keeps his hands active. He will need to make some adjustments at the next level as he will probably be matched up against much quicker and stronger players than he is used to. Learning to defend the pick-and-roll (fighting through screens better, and knowing when to go over, under, or switch) will be very important in his development, as will doing a better job recognizing when he needs to play tighter on good perimeter shooters. Also, I would like to see him do a better job off-the-ball, denying the ball to scorers and playing the passing lanes better. He anticipates well, so if he positioned himself better off-the-ball, he can become disruptive to the offense.
Rebounding– Goudelock is a good rebounder for his size, using his solid frame to shield offensive players from the ball and anticipating where missed shots will go. At the next level, he will need to be more aware of perimeter players looking to get in for rebounds and make sure to put a body on them.
Transition
Goudelock is very good at filling the lanes in transition and spotting up for the long jumper on the wings. He will need to improve his ability to take the ball on the wing on the break and either draw defenders out or take the ball to the basket. While he has the ability to lead the break himself, he will need to learn to become more of a facilitator in transition at the NBA level
Summary & Intangibles
Athleticism – High
BB IQ – High
Goudelock has come a long way in dispelling the notion that he is just a shooter. While that is still his greatest strength, he does have the ability to penetrate, pass and defend. In order for him to secure minutes other than as a shooter off the bench, he will need to take these skills up a notch, but the base is there for him to do that. The good thing is he should be able to get minutes right away for his shooting ability and this should give him the chance to show what else he can contribute. I think he is securely in the Top 10 picks of the 2nd round, I wouldn’t entirely rule out him being one of the first 2 or 3 picks in that round. He has the ability to, and it may be his best scenario, to contribute right away to an established veteran playoff team which needs scoring off the bench. So I am confident in his range right now being from Numbers 31-40.
Next I will look at another mid-major guard who has impressed many NBA execs – Cleveland State’s Norris Cole. Remember, leave any comments below, follow me on Twitter – @NBADraftBlog, or feel free to email me at [email protected]
