He was a sub-60% free throw shooter at San Jose State to boot, although he improved to just under 70% this season at Gonzaga.I’m more confident that Clarke can get by defending at the next-level without NBA length (due to his instincts and athleticism) than I am in his ability to develop an outside shot. To the surprise of very few paying attention, Clarke currently looks like the steal of the draft. Enter Grayson Allen or Kyle Anderson, two players who can help the Timberwolves immediately as they try to compete for a playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference. In some ways he is the opposite of McDaniels - he doesn’t have his handle or defensive potential, but what he lacks in physical potential he makes up for with his ability to fit seamlessly within most team schemes as a shooter and defender. Tyler Herro looks to be a perfect fit with the Miami Heat. Clarke played at San Jose State for two years before transferring to Gonzaga, and there he led the Mountain West Conference in block percentage as well (‘16-’17). The junior … They care most about games that were already played, not access to one on one workouts. New York adds additional draft capital to any possible major moves they want to make for a … While he did not overly impress from three (32% for Florida State) is near 84% free throw percentage is evidence that while his jumper and ability to shoot from range could use improvement, it’s certainly possible he develops on that front. According to Josh Robbins of the Athletic, Clarke has worked out for the Hawks (8th/10th), Hornets (12th), and Heat (13th), and has workouts scheduled in the future with the Suns (6th), Bulls (7th), Timberwolves (11th), Celtics (14th), and Pistons (15th). And the Grizzlies have the ability to do it. Hear from @ZagMBB's, Brandon Clarke, after his draft workout pic.twitter.com/ibo0owQQo5. Stats courtesy of Synergy Sports, Sports Reference. The case for trading up in the 2020 NBA Draft, The Grizzlies current roster can help identify 2020 Draft Targets. Finding a hidden gem at #16 won’t be easy, but it’s not impossible.NBA Hall-of-Fame point guard John Stockton was drafted 16th in 1984. Not as long as Martin)“Possibly could happen” comparisons: Jordan Bell, Khem Birch (plays similar to him, but doesn’t possess Birch’s length), Larry Nance Jr. (but higher defensive upside) His 207-pound frame meant many opponents in the paint would outweigh him by 50 pounds. But Brandon Clarke, literally the second-best player in college basketball not just that season, but in college basketball history according to PER (behind Zion), tumbled all the way down to #21, two picks before the Grizzlies were slotted to select after the Mike Conley trade had netted them #23 overall from the Jazz. Beyond that, Clarke’s athleticism is functional in the way he’s able to quickly load up to sky in the air for blocks, rebounds, and put-backs. Brandon Clarke. Aaron previously profiled Kevin Porter Jr., Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Romeo Langford, and Grant Williams. Arguably a better ball handler than Williams with greater height and length, McDaniels entered his freshman year at Washington highly touted. His blend of ball-handling and spot-up shooting could make for moments of true offensive bliss, and his defensive potential oozes through his lateral quickness and ability to help off his man to protect the rim. The Grizzlies rookie is thriving in the NBA in the same way he thrived in college basketball. In his NBA debut against the Heat on Oct. 23, Clarke accumulated eight points (3-6 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and one block in … I’m pulling for the young man, and I think he can be a high-impact player for a team desperately in need of shot-blocking and athleticism. Shot mechanics can be worked on, but the handle of Williams means he could make others better while Bey is more dependent on his shooting to come from others. 10-year Orlandoversary: Magic open Amway Center with blowout of Wizards, Winners and Losers, Part III: Lost seasons for Mo Bamba, Al-Farouq Aminu. Where could the Grizzlies benefit from an unlikely tumble down draft boards at #17? The Grizzlies have the ability to take advantage. We  all believed in his talent. Condition is "Like New". 1 Duke, wins Maui in Hachimura’s coming-out party – NBC Sports/Travis Hines: 11/22/2018 We’re looking for writers and editors to join Mid-Major Madness. Clarke came out of high school under the radar, his high school coach Tony Darden said. Memphis acquired the selection Thursday from Oklahoma City in exchange for this year's 23rd pick and a 2024 second-round selection. Yet when Clarke entered the NBA draft, scouts saw a forward who lacked positional size, didn’t have a reliable jump shot, and would turn 23 years old as a rookie. Why the hell did MLB allow Justin Turner to celebrate with the Dodgers after being Covid positive? But a bigger wing/forward that can float between the three and four while also shooting from beyond the arc and being an offensive threat would be a welcome addition. At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Clarke tested as the top big in this class in lane-agility testing (10.6 seconds) and three-quarter court sprint testing (3.15), scoring-out ahead of the majority of guards that went through testing as well. https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3906665/brandon-clarke 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament. He was always going to find a way to make it work. Bey can make Memphis better now. Come work with us! Clarke is the second Bulldog off the board. 21 pick to Memphis, league source tells ESPN. Jae C. Hong/Associated Press The Memphis Grizzlies have selected Brandon Clarke with the 21st pick in the 2019 NBA draft. De’Anthony Melton has also given the Grizz some good minutes recently when he’s had the opportunity. His impact was crystallized in every all-in-one stat you could find: he had the second highest box score plus-minus since 2009-2010 (behind Zion Williamson), and the second best PER (behind ... Zion Williamson). Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The best-case projection for Clarke shows him developing into one of the game's most valued energizers. He’s in the 92nd percentile on non-post-up finishes around the rim. Clarke also moves well enough to switch and guard small forwards. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. Patrick Williams, Florida State. But it was well-deserved, considering his transformation into one of college basketball's most disruptive defenders and efficient producers, having finished second in the nation in player efficiency rating behind Zion Williamson. New York adds additional draft capital to any possible major moves they want to make for a star, while Memphis gets to the end of the first round and again looks to snag a larger wing who can make things happen offensively. Morant is already proving to be a star in his rookie season, scoring efficiently while carrying a huge usage burden and providing dazzling highlights every night. The White Sox hired Tony La Russa for all the wrong reasons. The Magic brought him in to Orlando for a group workout last week; it appears Clarke’s group accepted a workout invitation in an attempt to set his draft floor (16th pick). The Oklahoma City Thunder chose Gonzaga Bulldogs junior forward Brandon Clarke with the No. Who (or what) stood out and shone? He's willing to do whatever the team needs him to do.". The junior forward was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 21st pick in the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday night. He also grabbed ten or more rebounds in a game 13 different times this year (including 12 against Florida State and 12 against Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament). He’s a forward that can screen, cut, and hustle with the best of them in this class...especially considering his age. 21 overall. July 6, 2019: Traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Memphis Grizzlies for Darius Bazley … Follow him at twitter.com/azc_obert. He’s the most efficient scorer in the entire league, posting a number is almost identical (slightly better, even) than what he did in college. #GrzNxtGen pic.twitter.com/OiowbEHjdn. He has grown as a shooter, is an awesome team defender and rebounder as a combo forward, and while he isn’t great at dribble penetration he is a solid passer. His numbers said he should have been a top-five pick. The organization drafted Victor Oladipo (‘13, 2nd), Aaron Gordon (‘14, 4th), Dario Saric (‘14, 12th - traded for the rights to Elfrid Payton), Mario Hezonja (‘15, 5th), Domantas Sabonis (‘16, 11th - traded along with Oladipo and Ersan Ilyasova for the rights to Serge Ibaka), Jonathan Isaac (‘17, 6th), and Mohamed Bamba (‘18, 6th) with their seven lottery picks in the last six years. He has been effective in the league in all the ways he dominated college, while continuing to add new parts to his game. For more Grizzlies talk, subscribe to the Grizzly Bear Blues podcast network on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and IHeart. He's an active playmaker, both at the rim and in passing lanes (1.7 steals per 40). Brandon Clarke is the NBA draft steal we all should’ve seen coming The Grizzlies rookie is thriving in the NBA in the same way he thrived in college basketball. Harden My Take EMERGENCY PODCAST: Rockets hire Stephen Silas, Dorktown: No NBA player could steal without fouling quite like Mookie Blaylock. The physical attributes he brings to the game are what the investment is in...and if he hits? According to his shot chart from The Stepien, only 11 of his 374 attempts this year came from NBA three-point range (he went 3 for 11). But here we are, profiling Clarke as the Magic are set to pick 16th overall. NBA Draft 2019: Brandon Clarke drafted by the Thunder with the 21st pick, will go to Memphis. Clarke’s impact is no mirage. The 6-foot-8, 215-pound Clarke started his college career at San Jose State, before transferring to Gonzaga. If the Grizzlies want to fill this roster need in this draft (which they may not - they have the luxury of being patient) they’ll have to do what they did for Brandon Clarke and pay to slide up the NBA Draft. Clarke will bring his outstanding athletic abilities to the Grizzlies in hopes of providing frontcourt depth that can have an impact on both ends of the floor. Clarke's nose for the ball, explosion and fearlessness translated to 4.5 blocks per 40 minutes. This is what’s made him such a rookie success. Lacking size, muscle and length, Clarke also lacks shooting ability, having shot 4-of-15 from three and 69.4 percent from the free-throw line as a 22-year-old. He might lack the volume to be a go-to scorer, but he’s perfect in his role. Not impossible, but certainly not ideal. - not a big deal, but he’s already 22). No current roster members move out in this trade. Follow Grizzly Bear Blues on Twitter and Instagram. Two-Way Targets for Memphis: Part II - The Wings, The Memphis Grizzlies need to play on Christmas. At 208.7 pounds and 6'8" with a matching wingspan, Clarke measures more like a wing than the power forward or center he projects as. All four of these options - and others like Issac Okoro (although that’d be quite a tumble) - could very well be available later in the draft than expected. I’ll admit, the thought of pairing Clarke with Mohamed Bamba is a fun one (albeit, not for opposing players who are trying to get a shot-attempt off without it getting swatted into oblivion). Darden believes Clarke's game is suited for the NBA. 3 Gonzaga beats No. All Brandon Clarke did at Gonzaga was turn in one of the strongest single-season performances in college basketball’s modern history. He made just 6-of-24 shots from three-point range in 98 career college games. He is too weak to take advantage of smaller wings defending him or to finish at the rim with consistency. "He guard one through five," he said. Who should the Magic target in the draft? 21 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft and traded him to … 21 pick in Thursday's NBA draft. Height: 6' 8" Weight: 215 lbs Age: 23 College: Gonzaga Drafted: #21 (1st Rd.) He's an easy-basket weapon in transition (90th percentile), off cuts (82nd percentile), on putbacks (98th percentile) and as the roll man (78th percentile).