Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O’Connor explains why the Santa Clara forward is one of the more interesting players in this year’s class. 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
Alan Graves out of Santa Clara, to me, is a fascinating prospect.
Graves is a lottery darling.
The– I’m sorry, Graves is a analytics darling.
A- anytime you look at a, an analytics-driven board on the, from the draft community, Graves is, like, top five.
And the Grizzlies historically have been a analytics-driven front office with some of the choices they’ve made.
And so Graves is a knockdown shooter.
He’s a tough, gritty defensive player.
He grew up playing point guard before he had a late growth spurt, so he still retains that passing skill.
I think for with what the Grizzlies are building, they have Zach Edey.
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You hope he can continue to stay healthy in this mock.
They have Cameron Boozer.
Then you add Alan Graves and GG Jackson and Cedric Coward.
You’re building a long-arm skilled team with size and versatility, with all a bunch of guys who can pass, dribble, and shoot.
And that, to me, is one of the formulas we’re seeing f- that the Spurs have, that the Thunder have.
It’s what the Pacers had last year.
It’s what the Celtics had when they won the finals.
It’s a, it’s five guys on the floor that can do everything.
And that, like, both of these picks for the Grizzlies, I think, kinda fit, fit that aspect that we’re talking about here with Memphis.