Immanuel Quickley Scouting Report 2020
Main Scouting Report
Immanuel Quickley is one of the three guards out of Kentucky that will most likely be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft, alongside Tyrese Maxey and Ashton Hagans. Quickley entered the draft after having one of the best seasons in college basketball as a Sophomore. Quickley won SEC Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American after dominating in the SEC all year for Kentucky.
The shortened season has hurt some players’ draft stock because they did not get the extra chances to improve their draft stock, but Quickley will benefit from it because he has a strong tape from last year in college. Quickley was a volume scorer in his two years in Lexington, able to score at will no matter who is guarding him. After being the 6th man in his freshman year, Quickley took a large step forward after being placed in the starting lineup his sophomore year. Quickley shot 48% overall and 43% from 3 point range on over 5 attempts a game. He is the type of scorer that will be an asset wherever he ends up as a scorer.
Strengths
Quickley’s biggest draw as an NBA prospect is as a high-level off-ball shooter, which perfectly suits his skills offensively. He is an elite shooter and has enough playmaking ability to be a secondary ball-handler in a lineup. Also, Quickley is an elite isolation player as well and can use his handles to break down defenders off the dribble to create room for his quick jumper or get to the rim.
Quickley’s main appeal on offense is his shooting ability, but he is a well-rounded offensive player and can be effective in a slashing role as well. Quickley is not particularly large at 6’3 and 180 pounds, but he maintains his center of gravity very well in the air through contact, making him a great finisher around the rim. Also, Quickley shot 92% from the Free Throw line, and that was the main way he could help Kentucky’s offense last year. His aggressiveness will be a benefit for him.
Weaknesses
Immanuel Quickley is an offensive star, but could struggle to create for himself due to his diminutive size at 6’3, and may struggle with NBA defenses at first. Also, his size will most likely make him a negative on defense. He is not a bad on-ball defender but may struggle to guard bigger players on a consistent basis.
With that being said, Quickley’s defense is the biggest weakness of his game. He was not a detriment to Kentucky’s defense, but he ranked last among their guards in steals and block rate. Also, he had a few lapses that could keep him off the court at the next level, even if he’s lighting it up offensively.
NBA Player Comparison
The player that Quickley reminds me of the most is Jamal Crawford. Crawford is an undersized 2 guard that is capable of playing the point if necessary and is a gifted offensive player but struggles defensively. Quickley will have a long career in the NBA if he can be a consistent bench shooter and hold his own defensively.
Draft Range
Quickley will most likely go towards the end of the first round, in the last ten picks of the round. I think a team like the Lakers or Celtics should be interested in adding guard depth going forward since that is a weakness of both teams.
Ratings Breakdown
Basketball IQ: 8
Quickley is a smart offensive player that knows how to attack defenses in any situation.
Leadership: 8
Quickley was one of the many vocal leaders on last year’s Kentucky team.
Athleticism: 8
Quickley is one of the fastest guards in the draft and can play through contact well.
Upside: 7
Quickley has the potential to be a 6th man of the year type of player.
Shooting: 9
Quickley is one of the best shooters in this draft and will be a valuable asset because of his shooting.
Passing: 7
Quickley was a solid passer but cannot be a lead playmaker.
Dribbling: 8
Quickley is a good dribbler and can attack defenders off the bounce.
Rebounding: 6
Quickley is an average rebounder from the guard position.
Hustle: 8
Quickley is a very hard worker according to his coaches.
Defense: 6
Quickley is a solid on-ball defender, but will struggle because of his height.
