While super teams in NBA are becoming the norm and one of the few ways to success, they are rare in college basketball and have far less rarely been the path to success.
There are dozens of reasons but one of them is because teams can’t be created as organically as they can in the NBA and are often the result of multiple top recruits picking a school. Given the one and done nature of college basketball, the top recruits are lumped into the best individual situation with little regard to play style, teammates and fit.
The most famous college basketball super team, for example, had Devin Booker coming off the bench. Cam Reddish is the latest example of a talented player in the wrong role on talented and could become a steal for L.A.
From USA Mini Camp:
Date Measured: Oct. 7, 2017
Height w/shoes: 6’7″
Height w/o shoes: 6’6″
Weight: 211 pounds
Wingspan: 7’1″
Standing Reach: 8’9″
Physically, it’s a very similar make-up to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with an inch longer standing reach and an inch shorter wingspan. His game, though, could not be much different than RHJ’s.
Profile
Coming out of high school, Reddish was considered a ball-handling wing player capable of scoring at all three levels. Originally, he and RJ Barrett would have likely complemented one another. But Zion Williamson’s late arrival and quick emergence led to Reddish’s role drastically changing.
Reddish has taken a knock for his motor and passivity, which is partially why he was the one of the three who took the lesser role. Instead of coming into Duke as a point forward, he assumed a 3&D role that he struggled with.
It was the first part of that role – the three – that he struggled most with. The shot came and went as he was particularly streaky during the year. The good was good but the end result was a 33.3 percent three-point shooting.
That being said, the form is good and the range is evident, something he showcased at times throughout the year. Here, he shows both his range and ability to rise up and shoot over smaller defenders on a deep pull-up jumper off the dribble.
That play, though, is a microcosm of the frustrations with Reddish. He finished that game shooting 4-of-14 from three. In drafting him, the hope for teams would be that last year was the exception and the not the norm.
There are reasons to believe he could improve. The shot form looks fine and wouldn’t require an overhaul. There’s also the fact that Duke had next to zero spacing this season, particularly late in the year. None of Williamson, Barrett or Tre Jones were respected enough shooters for defenses to stay honest.
There’s also some of the flashes Reddish showed in big moments that would be cause for optimism. In that Louisville game, he stepped into a three-pointer from NBA range to cap off a huge Duke comeback.
Against UCF in the NCAA Tournament, Reddish showed another way he can score, coming off a ball screen and punishing the defense by stepping into a three-pointer.
His biggest shot of the season showed his spot-up ability as he came off a screen on a designed play and buried a game-winner on the road against Florida State in the regular season.
None of this touches on the defensive aspect, which was both evident and also a work in process. With a 7’1″ wingspan, he has the defensive tools. At times on the season, typically when Jones was off the court, Duke played a zone defense with Reddish on top, allowing him to maximize his wingspan.
How does he fit with the Lakers?
Reddish was underwhelming to say the least in college. It’s also not unfair to think that an NBA offense and system would more cater to his playstyle than Duke’s iso-heavy offense. As of publish date, the Lakers don’t have a coach but the principles will be largely the same.
The improved spacing will help. Having the ability create off the dribble will help. The biggest questions, though, will be around his jumper. If you believe it can come around – like myself – then he could be a steal at the latter end of the lottery. That dynamic playmaking that made him a top-five recruit still exists and a consistent jumper would make him a true offensive threat.
But if the jumper really is as consistent as it was at Duke and he can’t adapt to a 3&D role, he likely wouldn’t be worth the risk for the Lakers. The Lakers badly need shooting and are in a win-now mode. If Reddish isn’t ready to commit offensively right away, it could be costly for the Lakers.
It’ll come down to the Lakers scouting department, a group that has earned as much of the benefit of the doubt as anyone, to determine which version of Reddish will appear in the league.
