The Kendall Marshall Report

Photo via The Bleacher Report

Very few players in the game of basketball can impact the outcome without shooting the basketball. It is an art form that was perfected by Jason Kidd and has been displayed by the likes of Mark Jackson, Andre Miller, Rajon Rondo, Ricky Rubio, and few others.

The next great NBA floor general may be North Carolina sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall. He has great size for his position standing 6”4 and nearly 200 lbs. He is not an elite athlete like the new wave of point guards, but has outstanding body control and footwork that allows him to maneuver like a better athlete. Marshall sets everything up by having firm control of his body and playing in control, he rarely tries to make plays outside his ability. He uses deceptive speed to get an initial burst past the defenders and has the strength and height to keep them off of him to make a play.

His limited athleticism does not hurt his production because Marshall may be the game’s best college passer in over 20 years.

Marshall is always in a position to make plays for others with the way he dribbles with his head up at all times when the ball is in his hands. He has the ability to handle the ball well in traffic or on the break with his head up and alert.

On the break this allows Marshall to be alert to all angles on the court and the trailers. Marshall is an excellent decision maker which bodes well for a Tar Heel team that is often running the fast-break or a secondary break throughout the game. With the ball in his hands Marshall always sets his teammates up with a great look in a comfortable, familiar shooting position.

In the half-court Marshall is a wizard with the ball keeping his dribble and creating plays for his teammates. The great thing about his game is that he is disciplined enough to run any set given to him to perfection and crafty enough to break down the defense when the shot clock is winding down. Marshall rarely looks for his own offense, on the season he has attempted only 182 field goals (53 from deep) and has 230 assists. Not once this season has Marshall taken double digit shot attempts. He is always keeping his teammates involved and scores in key spots when the defense breaks down.

With his size Marshall has no trouble scoring in the paint or finishing with either hand when down there. Most players that are not primary scorers need to have a go-to-move and that move for point guards is a floater (or tear drop). Marshall has shown the ability to knock that down and it will be key to his offense becoming more well rounded.

His lack of shooting and scoring will be a focus for teams going forward. At the next level those types of statistical anomalies are not missed and he will be forced to shoot the ball in the future.

As a shooter Marshall has potential. He has a nice form that is fluid and the same on each attempt. Most “bad” shooters change their release or have inconsistencies, not with Marshall. The release of the shot is at a high enough point and in space he can shoot it over most defenders. His size at (6”4) will allow him to shoot over smaller point guards. The release is not particularly quick though, which will allow defenders to get back to him and disrupt the shooting motion. For his career Marshall is 26-73 from long distance, but has improved this season becoming nearly a 40% shooter.

Marshall will not be drafted for his scoring prowess or lack thereof, his calling is that of a pass-first point guard with great size, instincts and basketball IQ. Some players are good passers and get numbers. Not many have the ability to see the game and can react naturally on the court in the way Marshall can. He has great instincts with the ball and precise timing allowing him to do things no other point guard can do. The game comes to him and unfolds in front of him, nothing is forced, everything is effortless.

Passing is what Marshall does, and does very well. He has the unique ability to make nearly all passes with both hands. This goes back to his ability to finish at the rim with either hand, Marshall is a throw-back player who checks every box on the intangible list. His quick outlets have been talked about the most and really drive the offense. At the next level Marshall will be playing with even better athletes that are often looking to get out and run, his ability to see up the floor and deliver a 65 foot pass on a rope is a plus. Marshall keeps the defense off balance with an array of bounce passes, one armed passes and lobs when in the half-court. The ball is always delivered on the hands or at his teammates most current comfortable position. That is hard to put into context with watching for yourself, but Marshall has the tendency to get the ball to where he knows his guys are comfortable with it. Not every pass is on the numbers per say, but every pass goes where it needs to go.

From a rebounding and defending standpoint Marshall is just average. He has good footwork on offense and that translates to his positioning for rebounding. He is not a volume rebounder, but has a nose for the ball and will be an above average rebounder for his position at the next level. On defense Marshall is instinctive and smart, but not on the athletic level other point guards are on. In one-on-one settings average scorers do not have too much trouble scoring on or around Marshall. In the team concept he has been able to mask his deficiencies with John Henson and Tyler Zeller behind him.

Playing on a pro-style team helps to translate Marshall’s game better than most to the next level. He is playing with NBA level talent and has played against the same types of talent. Most point guards need their sophomore year to learn how to run an offense for the next level. Marshall is ready to take the next step now with his diverse blend of talents.