NBA Draft: Takeaways and Scouting Thoughts from UNC vs. Kentucky

We got a treat on Saturday night with a true blue-blood matchup as North Carolina matched up with Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic. North Carolina was ranked No. 9 in the A.P. Poll coming into the game and Kentucky was No. 14. In a matchup like this there was a lot of talent on the floor, so what better time to look at players with an eye on the NBA Draft?

Throughout this cycle, leading up to the June NBA Draft, each game played is information accumulated. High-impact games like this one help provide a page of each player’s story that started in high school and will go until draft night. No one game can make, or break, a player’s draft stock but each game can help tell the story.

This game went back and forth throughout. The best players made plays and we were given a treat for a show. Let’s go through some of the players and see how their games look when pointing toward the NBA Draft.

Kentucky

Fr. C Aaron Bradshaw

Aaron Bradshaw missed a lot of the preseason as well as the first few games of the season with a foot injury. The 7-foot-1 former McDonald’s All-American carried a lot of buzz leading into the season. Bradshaw has an interesting skill set with his ability to block shots and stretch the floor. Those are two coveted features as you look toward the NBA Draft with big men. 

While it has only been a three – maybe two-and-a-half – game sample size, where Bradshaw has impressed the most is with his motor and his ability to run the floor. With the minutes that he is in the game, he runs from the front of the rim to the front of the rim. Bradshaw needs to add strength. He has a very thin waist with skinny legs. The 7-footer has touch with comfort going over his left shoulder, but he gets bumped off his spot far too easily at this point. He can be pushed around defensively as well. 

Bradshaw showed throughout high school and during McDonald’s All-American week and the NBPA camps that he can knock down shots and is comfortable shooting off the catch or off movement. He will need to continue working on the footwork and the balance points, but this shooting is something that should translate. He has good hands and tracks rebounds well. Defensively, Bradshaw has a good motor and excellent instincts and anticipation. The hips can be a little stiff when switching and sliding, but listed at 7-foot-1 with a plus wing span, there is a lot to work with. Added strength will be necessary. He stepped up in this one and knocked down crucial free throws to seal the game.

Bradshaw finished with 12 points, three rebounds (all offensive), and two steals. He was 4-6 from the field and 3-5 from the line.

Fr. SG Reed Sheppard

Reed Sheppard has had a hot start to the season. In high school, Sheppard put up a lot of points, 3,727 for his career to be exact. Playing on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit and during national camps like the NBPA Top 100 Camp and the McDonald’s All-American Week, Sheppard showed to be much more comfortable as a connecting piece. To this point in the season, Sheppard has continued that, and then some. 

Sheppard is a smooth shooter, with deep range shooting off movement or from a standstill. He shoots off a solid base and his shot load is consistent getting the ball into the shot pocket with a high, soft release point. He has proven to be at his best off the ball at Kentucky. When he is asked to play as a primary ball handler, he can struggle at times to beat his man off the bounce and when he gets into the paint, can get caught in traffic not being able to turn the corner. He is a quick processor with good passing acumen, he makes good reads and delivers passes with a nice touch. 

His height measurement will be big for Sheppard. Looking at the 2023 NBA Draft, only two players, Scoot Henderson and Marcus Sasser, were drafted at 6-foot-2 or below. Sheppard is listed at 6-foot-3. Defensively Sheppard has quick hands and excellent anticipation in the passing lanes. He does not do things he cannot do and the ball never sticks with him. It can be tricky with guards who do not put pressure on the rim. Connecting combo guards who can knock down shots, guard, and move the ball are valuable in the NBA today. 

Sheppard finished with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three turnovers. He was 4-9 from the field and 1-3 from three.

Fr. F Justin Edwards

Justin Edwards came into his freshman season with a lot of NBA Draft hype. Listed as a 6-foot-8 forward, Edwards is a high IQ player, a connecting piece on both ends of the floor. He has a great frame, great length, and positional size. 

Offensively, Edwards is at his best off the ball. He is a very smart off-ball cutter, putting pressure on the defense with purposeful movement. Dating back to his high school and travel ball days, Edwards is an average to below-average shooter. The lefty shot can get flat and his balance is off-centered regularly. He is capable of getting to the elbows and knocking down shots off one and two dribbles. Edwards is also not a self-creator, he has not been able to touch the paint or get past his man off the bounce, relying mostly on others to create opportunities. He does have a nose for 50-50 balls.

Defensively, Edwards is a very good team defender. He understands angles and rotations and is not afraid to stick his nose in the mix. Quicker, more athletic wings can give him trouble when guarding on an island. Listed at 6-foot-8, Edwards has good length and anticipation in the passing lanes. 

Edwards finished with eight points and six rebounds. He was 3-9 from the field and 2-2 from the line in 13 minutes.

Fr. CG Rob Dillingham

Rob Dillingham plays fast, and when his foot is on the throttle, he makes it tough for most teams to keep up. His ability to change direction, at full speed is unique amongst the current college ranks. 

Dillingham is at his best this season in transition. When he is able to get his opponents on their heels and push the pace, he creates tough opportunities. In the half-court, he has a quick first step and a very crafty, shifty dribble, but he has a tendency to play too fast at times. Dillingham has smoothed his jump shot form, taking out a hitch that brought the ball beside his head. The form is now more centered with less quick-sudden movement involved. He will need to continue working on the reads, delivering properly weighted passes, and changing his pace. 

Dillingham has unique speed and the ability to create scoring opportunities. He puts consistent pressure on the rim. There is certainly a Lou Williams-type pathway as he continues to progress. Listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, Dillingham’s physical measurements will be big. He is not afraid of the bright lights.

Dillingham had 17 points, three rebounds, and one assist going 6-16 from the field and 1-6 from three in 25 minutes.

Fr. PG DJ Wagner

DJ Wagner is the son of former NBA Draft Lottery pick Dajuan Wagner. He is an aggressive point-of-attack guard. On both ends of the floor, Wagner puts pressure on the opposition.

He is a good defender, using quick hands and a ‘want-to’ to guard on the ball. He is aggressive and he is not afraid to pick up for the length of the floor. Wagner moves his feet and can turn the ball handler multiple times bringing it up the floor. He is also a physical defender. Offensively, Kentucky has seemed to work better when the ball is in Wagner’s hands. 

He is a paint-touch lead guard. The reads are improving since high school and the game is slowing down for him. He will need to continue working on the reads and the weight of the passes. The shot is also streaky. He has shown the ability to make a standstill three, but the alignment gets off when moving. While he puts consistent pressure on the rim, he can struggle to finish at the basket. Wagner is listed at 6-foot-4 and 192 pounds, his measurements will be big for him, and playing more efficiently.

Wagner finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He was 6-14 from the field and 2-4 from three.

Players to Keep Tabs On

So. F Adou Thiero 

Adou Thiero makes a lot of winning plays on both ends of the court. He moves the ball well and he defends multiple positions. Thiero will need to work on the jump shot, and that will open up a lot of aspects of his game. He can push the break he has quick hands and anticipation off the ball and is a tough rebounder. A lot of good things tend to happen when Thiero is on the floor. He had seven points, two assists, and four blocks tonight.

Sr. PF Tre Mitchell

Tre Mitchell can stretch the floor and move the ball. He has natural basketball instincts, is a solid rebounder, and shows toughness. Where he defends will be a question, as he can be inconsistent in moving his feet with perimeter-based forwards and he is not a rim protector. His ability to stretch the floor is intriguing and he is not afraid of the moment. He had eight points, five rebounds, and two assists going 1-3 from three tonight.

Sr. SG Antonio Reeves 

Antonio Reeves has scored 1.845 career points. While he does not have one single defining factor to his game, you know what you are getting. Reeves has good positional size, listed at 6-foot-6 and he has shot 40.5 percent from three in his two seasons at Kentucky. Offensively, you want to see him see the floor better and be more creative off the bounce, and there are some defensive questions. However, Reeves has consistently shown he can make shots. He had nine points and four rebounds, going 1-3 from three tonight.

Players Worth Noting

Fr. F Jordan Burks moves very fluidly and is listed at 6-foot-9. He has touch and can knock down a jump shot. It will be interesting to see what kind of steps he takes this off-season.

So. C Ugonna Onyenso has been strapped with injuries since showing up on campus. With that said, he is one of college basketball’s elite rim protectors. He will need to continue to develop his offensive game, working on his hands. But he has good touch, and defensively he can be unique. In his first game of the season, Onyenso had three blocks in nine minutes played.

UNC

Jr. F Harrison Ingram

Harrison Ingram started his career with high expectations at Stanford. Unfortunately, he was thrust into a featured role with the Cardinal, which simply is not what his game is. At North Carolina, he is able to play a connecting role where he can pick his spots and shine.

Ingram is listed at 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds. He is best set as a four-man but is very comfortable – even dangerous – creating with the ball in his hands. Ingram is a quick processor, able to deliver timely passes from multiple levels on the floor. Ingram has also shown this year that he can knock down the three-ball. Coming into tonight’s game, he is shooting 46.3 percent from beyond the arc. His ability to process, deliver, and stretch the floor at his size is very enticing. 

Ingram is also a good rebounder, standing his ground on the block. He has good length and can play physical defense. He is not the best athlete, either laterally or vertically. That can get him caught moving on defense or attacking on offense, finishing at the rim. His feel and IQ allow him to be a versatile defender. Ingram is a high floor, know what you are getting prospect looking toward the NBA Draft.

Ingram had ten points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He went 4-10 from the field.

Fr. PG Elliot Cadeau

Elliot Cadeau classified back into his original cycle, entering North Carolina as a part of the 2023 high school class. He came to Chapel Hill with a reputation as a passer. And he earned that reputation by winning the Geico National Championship with Branson (MO) Link Academy and then leading Nike’s EYBL Circuit in assists. 

Cadeau is an excellent passer. His processing ability stands out with his ability to manipulate an angle and pass his teammates open. He is equally effective in transition as he is in the half-court. Cadeau is also jet-quick, able to change direction at full pace and touch the paint. He plays with good balance. Cadeau is a smaller guard and that puts him a step behind in NBA Draft standards. Cadeau also has to show he can be a threat to score the ball. Not only does he struggle to finish at the rim, but on many occasions, he does not look to score. 

Defensively, Cadeau has quick hands and feet and is at his best guarding in space. He has had trouble at times defending in the half-court. The game is slowing down for him, and he will need to become a more comfortable scorer. 

Cadeau started and played 18 minutes with three points, three assists, and two turnovers. He was 1-2 from the field.

Players to Keep Tabs On

Sr. C Armando Bacot

Armando Bacot is North Carolina’s all-time leading rebounder. There is something said for a player who can consistently see the ball and get the ball, and that is something that translates from level to level. He has shown offensive limitations against lengthy, more athletic players and his in-game range extends to about 15-18 feet. He is physical. Bacot had nine points and six rebounds, going 3-4 from the field.

Players Worth Noting

Sr. PG RJ Davis is playing with a lot of confidence. He has proven to be at his best as a score-first lead guard. He is aggressive in the paint and has shooting range that extends beyond the three-point arc. Davis’s size and defense are questions. He finished with 27 points (8-18 FG) seven rebounds, and four assists.

Fr. F Zayden High has a good frame and is a fluid athlete. He is playing spot minutes this year but has shown his motor and ability to affect the game. He will need to grow, but there are some intriguing pieces to his game to watch how he develops. Could be a possible breakout guy next season.

So. G Seth Trimble is a good athlete and has the reputation as the best perimeter defender on the team. He has quick hands and toughness. He has not shown what his identity is on the offensive end yet. It will be interesting to watch how he settles into his identity next season, but there are athletic and physical gifts. Trimble played 16 minutes and had six points and three rebounds.