5 most overrated prospects in NBA Draft 2019
College athletes get a ton of media attention, more so now than ever before. Some of these athletes are hyped up by media outlets before they even declare for the draft, leading to unrealistic expectations from fans.
What we tend to forget, though, is that we only see the highlights against college opponents. The NBA is an entirely different kettle of fish; the best players in the world compete here. This causes a lot of players that might not be ready to play in the NBA to be hyped up and leads to draft prospects being unrealistically overrated.
On that note, let us look at the five most overrated prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft.
#1 Cam Reddish (Projected 8th overall)
Cameron Reddish, a forward for Duke, averaged 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists a game last year. Reddish's low numbers and inconsistency can be accounted to his sudden change of role from the first option for the small forward position for his team in high school, to being overshadowed by Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in Duke.
However, his inability to adapt to his role is disappointing, since he obviously will not be the first option for his team in the NBA. Scoring at just 35.6% accuracy from the field, Reddish's outside game is also mediocre with him converting only one-third of his catch-and-shoot chances. Reddish also records 96 turnovers compared to 70 assists, which is a major issue for any player.
His competitiveness is questionable after last season, with him relying on his teammates far too often when unable to generate offense. While his skill somewhat makes up for his lack of athleticism, Reddish still doesn't get up as much as he should with his 7'1 wingspan.
Reddish seems to settle for bad shots after not being able to beat defenders off the dribble, choosing to take a fadeaway or lean-in jumper instead of regaining his balance and exploring other offensive avenues. Unsurprisingly, many have questioned his work ethic as a result.