If you were to ask general managers around the NBA or at any level of basketball what their team needs, most of them would tell you shooting. Shooters are a quintessential part to any team because of the spacing they provide on the floor. We have seen guys like LeBron and Joel Embiid play their best basketball when they are surrounded by shooters. The best thing about having shooters on the floor is that it doesn’t even have to go in but the defense has to guard it. Keeping defenses in the NBA honest is a huge key to winning and with the league being so 3-point driven, the price for shooters is only going up.
This brings me to a consensus top 3 shooter in the draft and the player whose fit is the most pivotal of all the prospects. Corey Kispert. Kispert is coming off a decorated season at Gonzaga averaging at 18.6 ppg and shooting 44% beyond the arc. A consensus All-American before and after the 2020-2021 season, the senior won WCC player of the year among many other rewards.
You might be thinking, if any team could use a shooter, why does Kispert’s fit matter so much? Kispert is not just a lethal 3-pointer shooter but he is a professional bucket getter. Kispert has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor and make an immediate impact in the NBA game. He has experience on the biggest of stages having led his Gonzaga teammates to an undefeated season up until the NCAA championship game and also made it easier for fellow first round pick, Jalen Suggs.
The Perfect Fit:
The team that projects the most playing time and Kispert actually fills a need for is the New Orleans Pelicans. Combining Kispert with the running and gunning Pelicans feels like a match made in heaven. Thinking about the floor space Kispert can provide for Zion Williamson has the possibilities endless for this offense. Assuming Lonzo Ball returns and they find a head coach that makes sense, god bless Stan Van Gundy, the Pelicans have a young core that could finally make some noise in the crowded Western Conference.
A Good Fit:
Seeing how the draft order panned out, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Charlotte Hornets to select Kispert with the 11th overall pick. A dynamic point guard combo in Terry Rozeir and LaMelo Ball, the Hornets possess playmakers which allows for shooters to flourish. Kispert in the corner with LaMelo flying around throwing lobs to Miles Bridges sounds like an exciting team brewing for Michael Jordan in Charlotte.
Worst Fit:
This pick could drastically change the career for Kispert from potential All Rookie First Team to an afterthought for NBA fans. That would be Kispert landing in Sacramento at the 9th overall pick. Let’s face it, the Kings aren’t good at drafting. They have the longest playoff drought in the NBA and De’Arron Fox would’ve been an All-Star already had he played in a better market. Kispert landing in Sacramento could end up being a disaster for one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft.
Pro Comp:
Ben Gordon
