NBA Draft Insider

College: North Carolina

Birthday: 08/19/1991

NBA Position: PG

Ht: 6-4

Wt: 188

Hometown: Arlington, VA

High School: Bishop O’Connell

Ceiling: Andre Miller

Basement: Marcus Williams

NBA Comparison: 

Strengths:

• Strength
• Good Size For Position
• Leadership
• Elite Passer
• Rebounds Position
• Quick Hands (Defense)

Weaknesses:

• Athleticism
• Lateral Quickness
• Inconsistent Shooter

Analysis: View Kendall Marshall Full Report

05/08/2012

Kendall Marshall has declared for the 2012 NBA Draft and has hired Alex Saratsis of Octagon.

What a difference a point guard makes. Before Marshall was inserted in the line-up as the starter midway through his freshman year the talented Tar Heels were struggling to make shots. His ability to run a team and be a floor general was nearly the difference in a trip to the NIT verses winning a National Championship. It took a severe hand injury to derail Marshall from helping his team win a Championship banner.

The leadership and calm Marshall plays with is easily the most impressive thing about his game.

At all times Marshall is moving with his head up and surveying the floor. He keeps his head on a swivel keeping all his options present in front of him. Marshall is the best pure passer that college basketball has seen in nearly eight solid years. He has about every pass in his arsenal as well able to enter the ball to the post, swing the ball cross court, throw a long bounce pass, and start the break.

Marshall is not an elite athlete in terms of lateral quickness on defense, but he plays in firm control on offense getting the ball up court faster than any other guard in the country. In 73 games played Marshall had an uncanny 581 assists (8.0 APG) and only 193 turnovers (2.6 TPG) in an unmatched 3.01:1 assist to turnover ratio.

The lack of lateral quickness on defense is going to hurt Marshall at the next level especially against the elite class of point guards in the NBA today. His quick hands allow him to create turnovers and disrupt passes on the defensive end making up for his lack of quickness. On offense Marshall was a 48.3% two-point shooter and a 36.6% three-point shooter for his career. When Marshall gets into the paint he has a bigger, stronger body than other point guards allowing him to finish.

Marshall can handle and finish with either hand on offense as well as make most passes with either hand. He is a very skilled player. His fractured wrist in the NCAA Tournament in essence ended his playing career, but did not stop him from making the move to the NBA. He had surgery and nearly played for the Tar Heels a few days later in the tournament, but eventually decided not to. It is still unclear whether his injury will hold him back in workouts or in the Draft Process.

As of today Marshall is the No. 1 ranked point guard, is going No. 6 Overall in the Mock Draft, and is the No. 13 prospect on the Big Board.

02/12/2012

Marshall is one of the few pure point guards left in basketball. He always dribbles with head up looking to set his teammates up in either transition or in a half court set. He can make virtually every pass with the best vision in college basketball today, or for that matter in years. His size is above average and his strength allows him to make plays on the glass starting breaks on his own. As a leader there are not many on the level of Marshall as he finds a way to make everyone happy and brought Harrison Barnes to life.

In being a pure point guard Marshall is typical in the fact that he does not look to score very often. He is not a good shooter from the perimeter or from three which limits his offense abilities. As an athlete he lacks explosiveness to get around defenders and into the paint on his own. The shortcomings on offense with his lack of athleticism effects him on defense as well. Most point guards at the next level are elite athletes which needs to be considered when taking a non-athlete like Marshall, but his strengths and vision even the playing field.

Few point guards in the last decade are as gifted as Marshall with the ball in their hands and teammates ready yo score. He puts the ball exactly where they want it and consistently delivers passes that 9/10 play-makers couldn’t make on their best day. His strengths outweigh the weaknesses and the success of the “non-athlete” point guard in the NBA today should help with Jason Kidd, Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry, and others.

01/29/2012