Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor spoke with James Barlowe about the Wildcats forward’s skillset and what adjustments he needs to make on the floor to be a potential early pick in next June’s draft. Check out the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Video Transcript
You look at Coa Pete, he’s built like, you know, a brick wall and he can move, but like he showed explosiveness in the short roll.
He had a couple of lobs that he caught, finished above the rim plays.
Those things that are, are things that I want to see from him.
Very impressed with his playmaking and like I knew that he was going to be a really good defender.
He showed that in the under nineteens this past summer, but like he did a very good job defensively.
And short range, or excuse me, mid-range jumpers, touch, like he, he did a lot for himself.
I had him at number 11 in the pre in my preseason big board, and I think that he is somebody that could crack the top 10.
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We’ll see how high he goes.
I do wanna see him shoot more 3s.
I do want to see him rebound and push because he does have the ability to handle the ball.
He handled the ball a lot for the Compton Magic, so, but very impressed with his game overall.
I think he has the potential to be a top 10 pick for sure.
Yeah, it definitely has potential to be top 10.
He looks like a top 5 pick, at least in that opening night game against Florida.
But to your point, I mean, if you’re an NBA fan watching KAP, you’re like, OK, first of all, this guy’s awesome.
Like you said, he’s like a brick house.
He’s strong, versatile offensively, lob guy, but then you’re like, oh, wait a minute.
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He’s only 6’8, hasn’t hit a 3-pointer yet this season.
You mentioned his time with your, at the Compton Magic last year.
He shot, uh, 70.5% from the free throw line, only 29% from 3.
So if you’re an NBA fan looking at Coa Pete, you’re like, is this guy gonna shoot 3s at some point?
Do you expect to see that this season, James, or is that more of a long-term down the line developmental thing for Koa?
I think it’s long term, but I also think, and I, I wish that these guys, you know, when they, they look at these schedules and say, OK, I don’t know where this school is at, so I’m pretty sure I’m gonna be able to, you know, do, kind of do what I want early on.
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That’s to me, the, the time where you should kind of try to mix things up, but ultimately, Long-term K Pete.
I feel like he just has to stretch the floor.
I think he, while he is a good athlete, he’s not a great athlete, and, but at the same time, him being able to stretch the floor is gonna keep the defense honest.
And as a pick and roll for a guy, I think, which he will be at the next level, uh, you’re gonna have to make those jump shots on the pop.
Like he has very much so a, a 2002 power forward game right now, and he’s just gonna have to make some adjustments.