Film Room: Koby Brea

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Whatever concerns there may have been about this Kentucky roster’s shooting ability can now be squashed. Coach Mark Pope and company just landed the best shooter in all of college basketball. Koby Brea became the fifth commitment in six days for the ‘Cats after a bit of a rollercoaster recruitment. The Dayton transfer originally announced a blue blood final five of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and UConn. Then, it was reported that Duke and UConn would be the only schools to get visits from the sharpshooter. However, after visiting Storrs, Brea cancelled his trip to Durham and instead went to Lexington. That is where Kentucky’s staff ultimately locked up the 6’6″ guard with 113 games of experience.

Brea broke out between his freshman and sophomore seasons at Dayton with his development as an elite three-point shooter being the primary reason. He made 63 three-point shots at a 42.3% clip as a sophomore earning A-10 Sixth Man of the Year honors. Injuries plagued him in the preseason going into his junior year, which bled into missing six of the first seven games, but he still managed to shoot 37% on 50 makes. Finally, last season, Brea blossomed into the best shooter in the country. The 6’6″ New York native made an incredible 100 three-pointers while shooting 49.8%. Once again, Brea was named A-10 Sixth Man of the Year last season. It is very clear what his role will be at Kentucky.

While it would be easy to pigeon hole Koby Brea as “just a shooter,” he has proven to have more to his game. The overwhelming vast majority of his shots come from three-point range, but he can get them in a variety of ways. His Synergy numbers really jump out at you in terms of the variety of efficiency. In his fourth season at Dayton, Brea ranked in the 90th percentile shooting off of screens, in the 98th percentile as a pick-and-roll ball handler, 99th percentile in transition, and 99th percentile in spot up opportunities. That all added him to Brea finishing 21st in the country scoring 1.331 points per possession. Per KenPom, he finished second in both effective and true shooting percentage and ninth in offensive rating. Brea isn’t just the best shooter in the country, he is one of the most efficient scorers in the game.

As always, we’ve been hard at work in the KSR Film Room breaking down Kentucky’s latest commitment. It is no secret what the Dayton transfer brings to the table. He is the best shooter in college basketball and will fit seamlessly into Coach Pope’s offense. Whether it is running off of Zoom Action, stretching the defense as a catch-and-shoot threat well beyond the arc, or creating his own shot off of the dribble you can expect Brea’s shooting ability to be utilized a lot within the offense. He has a true gravity that makes everything else easier when he is on the court. Let’s dive into the tape and take a closer look at what Kentucky is getting in Koby Brea.

Shooting Off the Catch

It doesn’t get any higher than the 100th percentile. That is where Koby Brea ranked in catch-and-shoot opportunities last season at Dayton. He finished 18th nationally scoring 1.61 points per possession off the catch while shooting 53.8% from three. His ability to put pressure on the defense from well beyond the arc is the perfect compliment to Coach Pope’s offense. Whether it is running off of screening action, running the sideline in transition, or simply spotting up high and wide on the wing you can expect a lot of catch-and-shoot three-point shots for Brea next season at Kentucky.

Shooters like Koby Brea put pressure on the defense to be perfect at all times. You can’t afford to fall asleep or else you will give up a three. In this clip, the George Washington defender got caught going up through the staggered double and it resulted in an easy three for Brea.

Defenses have to make very difficult choices when guarding a shooter of this caliber. One strategy would be to go completely no help. You can tell Brea’s defender to blanket him at all times and simply not worry about what else is happening on the court. Obviously this would really open things up for the other offensive players on the floor. Another strategy is to roll the dice and still help off of Brea. However, when you do that, you are going to let give up threes. It is far too easy for him to make open catch-and-shoot attempts when the defense helps.

Attempts like this are how you end up squeezing of 201 three-point shots in a season. Koby Brea is the definition of a “SHOOT ‘EM ALL” guy. He plays with good pace getting into his cut to create just a fraction of separation and is able to get the attempt off despite his defender chasing right on his hip. This is where being 6’6″ on the perimeter comes into play as well. There simply isn’t much the defense can do better here.

Shooting Off the Dribble

This is where people will be surprised by how much game Koby Brea has. The Dayton transfer finished in the 98th percentile nationally last season as the pick-and-roll ball handler. He made 66.7% of his two-point shots and 50% of his three-point shots when playing off of a ballscreen. Brea’s ability to create his own shot from three-point range puts a ton of pressure on the defense. Being able to shoot such a high percentage both off of dribble and from the catch is a unique skill that allows you to fit seamlessly into any offense. Coach Pope will be able to utilize Brea in so many creative ways offensively. It is going to be fun to watch.

We all know that Coach Mark Pope loves Zoom Action. BYU ran it a ton last season on their way to shooting the fourth most three-point shots in the county. Now, the best shooter in college basketball gets to play within that system. Here is a look at Koby Brea coming off of Zoom Action. Anytime the defender gets caught going underneath it is a nearly automatic three points.

You can’t get up 201 three-point attempts in a season solely by being a catch-and-shoot guy. Brea was able to create many of his own looks off of the dribble as you see here. He is a fluid enough ball handler to create space and his size at 6’6″ helps him get clean looks. A great way to increase your team’s three-point volume is having players who can create their own shots from beyond the arc off of the dribble.

Koby Brea was one of the country’s leaders in three-point shots made from beyond 25 feet. His shooting ability will force defenses to be very willing to switch, but then he can attack the positive mismatch like he does in this clip. This is a deep attempt, but he still makes them at a high percentage. Brea will be a valuable shot-creator in late clock situations for Coach Pope and Kentucky.

Playing Off a Ballscreen

There is no denying that Koby Brea is the best shooter in college basketball at this point in his career. However, he has also developed into one of the most efficient all-around scorers. He finished second in both effective and true shooting percentage, per KenPom, and was ninth in overall offensive rating. As mentioned earlier, he finished in the 98th percentile scoring as a pick-and-roll ball handler last season at Dayton. He possesses a lot more skill with the ball in his hands than he gets credit for. Brea will be a shot-creator at Kentucky this coming season.

Having the ability to shoot off of the dribble puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses when guarding ballscreens. You obviously have to go over the top, but because Brea is 6’6″ that isn’t even enough. If there is no hard hedge he can still pull-up and elevate like he does in this clip. Brea essentially forces the defense to occupy two defenders with guarding him off of a ballscreen.

It isn’t full Jack Gohlke, but Koby Brea does not take many two-point shots. Last season, he attempted 201 threes and just 45 twos. However, when he does venture inside the arc, he remains incredibly efficient. He shot 57.8% from two-point range last season and improved even further to 66.7% when playing off of a ballscreen. This is an example of what he can do off of the dribble. He is a very good ball handler, set up his defender well to come off of the screen, and plays with excellent pace.

There is so much attention being paid to guarding Brea off of the ballscreen that it allows him to be effective rejecting them as well. Here you see his defender get caught cheating over top of the screen as Brea rejects it and drives downhill to the rim. Then, he is able to use his size at 6’6″ to finish through contact for an And-1. Also, that isn’t just defender. Northwestern’s Boo Buie was named the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year.

You never have to worry about Koby Brea passing up open shots. When he has the space to get one off he is going to take it. The defense played more of a flat hedge coverage in this clip which gave Brea space to separate from the defender chasing over top and shoot the step-back jumper. Once again, the size at 6’6″ came in useful on this shot.

Evaluation

The numbers speak for themselves. Koby Brea is the best shooter in college basketball. However, his ability goes beyond just that. The gravity that his presence carries on the court positively impacts the other four players at all times. There will be less help, driving lanes will be bigger, and rotations will be late. Brea’s catch-and-shoot numbers are off the charts, but he also has proven to be able to create his own three-point attempts off of the dribble. That is huge for creating a high volume of attempts. This will be a seamless addition for Coach Pope. Whether it is in transition, running off of Zoom Action, or simply spacing the floor high and wide as a shooter Brea will fit perfectly into Kentucky’s offense.