NBA Draft Prospect Watch: Stock up, stock down

Stock Up: Kevin Porter Jr., USC

Porter was a bit underrated headed into this season — he was ranked 40th on ESPN’s Top 100 for the 2018 recruiting class. He wasn’t even USC’s top-rated recruit. But through three games, he has established himself as a very intriguing player for the 2019 NBA Draft. A strong, 6-foot-6 wing, Porter has looked like an NBA athlete so far and is second on the team in scoring behind Nikola Rackocevic.

What has really been impressive with Porter is his scoring ability. He has shown an array of finishing moves, and his handle, while not notably tight or fluid, is developing nicely from what we saw in high school.

He also has shown some intriguing off-the-dribble shooting and feels pretty comfortable coming off dribble handoffs and shooting against pressure. This could all indicate that Porter’s creation ceiling is much higher than we initially thought.

Where we will need to see Porter continue to improve is in the halfcourt offense. He looks much better in transition and semi-transition possessions currently, especially as a finisher, and his shot selection can be a little worrisome at times. He also doesn’t seem to be the best communicator on defense, even though his body type and athleticism would allow for him to become a pretty good defensive player. If he can build on those two areas as the season goes on, the guy who started the season at number 67 on our preseason top 100 could go in the lottery.