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NBA Draft 2017: 5 potential second round steals

By Chris Reichert

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 19, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) reacts during the second half against the USC Trojans in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Baylor Bears forward Johnathan Motley (5) reacts during the second half against the USC Trojans in the second round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Johnathan Motley

In the age of small ball in the NBA, versatility with big men is king. Johnathan Motley is one of the many big men trying to find a foothold with the right team in this draft. At 6-foot-9 Motley has the height of a traditional 4, but his immense 7-foot-4 wingspan adds that note of versatility for teams to play him as a small ball 5. Motley tore his meniscus during Baylor’s Sweet 16 loss to South Carolina, so he hasn’t done any 5-on-5 draft workouts to date, but he is starting to have individual workouts.

Motley just turned 22-years old last month and finished his junior season at Baylor averaging 17.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 34 games. Motley does really well for himself around the basket showcasing a soft touch on floaters, hook shots and finishes with either hand. Per Hoop-Math he made an astounding 70.3 percent of his attempts at the rim last year and that’s after factoring in some struggles he had attacking defenders with NBA length. He moves fluidly off the ball, has shown a propensity to set solid screens for teammates and has a really high motor. That motor helps him tremendously on the glass — especially on the offensive glass — as his offensive rebound rate of 15.44 bested his total rebounding rate of 14.78 from his sophomore season.

Motley has shown the ability to hit the open 3 in spurts as well. He made 9-of-32 attempts from deep and had his shot selection been better that number might be even higher. As such, he’s not a real threat as a pick-and-pop guy from 3 quite yet, but the foundation is there for him to build on definitely. He stands to be a solid defensive prospect as well as he possesses good lateral quickness, supreme length and average athleticism for his size. He tends to go all out for blocks a little too often which leaves the glass unattended, so decision making on both ends will need to be tidied up.

Motley looks to be an early second round pick, and maybe even a dark horse first round pick, and is a player who can step in on a team’s second or third unit to provide immediate rebounding help.

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