2016 NBA Draft: Most overrated prospects
1. Malachi Richardson, SG, Syracuse
Malachi Richardson put his name on the map during the 2016 NCAA Tournament by helping lead his tenth-seeded Syracuse Orange to the Final Four. He carried that momentum into the NBA Draft Combine and draft workouts, seeing his stock rise from a borderline second-round pick to some having him slotted as high as the late-lottery. He seems to have settled in the 20s in most mocks with a few still having him in the top-20 and a few having him slip into the early-second round.
Richardson is tough-shot maker who doesn’t really have one skill that you can point to that will make him stick in the league. His most likely role at the next level is a spot-up shooter, but he was very streaky as a freshman, shooting just 35.3 percent from three.
He makes too many questionable decisions as a passer, and his poor shot selection suggests he doesn’t have a very good feel for the game or high basketball IQ. Richardson struggled at times to turn the corner, and he was not good as a pick-and-roll ball handler.
Defensively, Richardson has the tools to at least be a competent defender, but he seemed disinterested and gambled too much at that end of the floor. He’s one of the fastest rising prospects in the draft, but Richardson probably belongs in the second round.
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