Draft Prospect Profile: Kyle Anderson of UCLA

Is Kyle Anderson a good fit in Memphis?

Kyle Anderson is arguably the most unique prospect in the draft.  He played point guard for most of his last season at UCLA because of his great ability to handle and move the ball.  The caveat is that he was 6’9”.  There currently aren’t any point guards in the NBA at that height, and this begs the question as to what position he will end up playing in the pros.  It honestly depends on the team and what situation he falls into.  On the Grizzlies, the most likely scenario would be for him to slide over to small forward.  Having a point forward would help get the ball into the paint for both Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol.  If nothing else, Kyle Anderson would be an interesting pick for Memphis.

Physical Tools

As stated before, Anderson stands 6’9” and weighs in at 230 pounds.  One of his greatest assets is his wingspan which reaches out at 7’2”.  That is long for his height and enormous for someone who played point guard.  Anderson does lack explosive athletic ability and relies much more on his high basketball IQ.  This may end up pushing him into the forward position since he might struggle defending quicker guards.  Given Anderson’s size and length he would be better suited guarding forwards who would be of similar size and weight.

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Offensive game

Because of Anderson’s unique size and skill set, it remains to see how he will be utilized at the NBA level.  His greatest strengths lie in his ball handling, passing, and shooting.  His improvement in shooting was especially notable, as he improved his three point percentage from 21% in his freshman season to 48% this year.  This will have to translate into his professional game to be a legitimate threat offensively.  What position Anderson plays in the NBA will also determine what type of offensive role he can play.  Regardless of position, we know that Anderson will help spread the ball around and keep the offense moving.

Defensive game

Anderson’s defense wasn’t fantastic in college so he will need to improve as he transitions into the NBA.  As with most everything relating to Anderson, how he fares on defense will depend on the position he plays.  He isn’t quick enough to stay in front of many NBA guards, but considering that he will more than likely be playing forward, that shouldn’t be an issue.  Although, even if he is defending forwards, he will need to tone up and add some muscle so he doesn’t get pushed around too much.  As of now, Anderson is a defensive project who’s effectiveness will depend on what position he plays.

Conclusion

Kyle Anderson is one of the most unique prospects in the draft because of his size and ability to handle the ball, but his position is to be determined.  If Anderson were selected by the Grizzlies then he would most likely be groomed to play small forward.  A point forward is always a good asset to have, especially if he ends up being able to shoot consistently.  It’s possible that Anderson will be gone before Memphis selects at the 22nd pick, but he is someone that the Grizzlies should definitely consider.

Statistics provided by Draft Express.