Keita Bates-Diop Scouting Report

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Keita Bates-Diop (Wing/forward, 22, 6'9", 235 lbs)

Statistical Profile

Strengths

Bates-Diop has terrific size for a modern NBA combo forward. Standing 6'9" with a solid frame and a 7'3" wingspan, he has the rare ability in this Draft to primarily guard fours but also be able to switch onto smaller wings and competently pick up fives defensively. Offensively, Bates-Diop is a very solid jump shooter for his size with a pretty advanced mid-range game, and also showed the potential to handle the ball on the wing and occasionally initiate offense, primarily in a self-creation role. His offensive profile is diverse, scoring above the 65th percentile in the following categories: spot-up, post-up, transition, cuts, roll-man in pick-and-roll, put-backs, and the ball handler in pick-and-roll. His numbers as the ball handler in P&R are tantalizing — he scored 1.105 ppp on 19 P&R possessions this season, a mark good for the 96th percentile.

Bates-Diop is most comfortable with his back to the basket in the mid-post. He can operate with both hands and go over both shoulders on either side of the floor, and is one of the better scorers in the mid-range for a player his size that have entered the league in a few years. He has the shooting ability from three to effectively space the floor and will be able to dominate switches due to his skillset in the post. He is a willing and above average three point shooter with great form exemplified by his 80% clip from the free throw line.

Defensively, Bates-Diop may be a diamond in the rough. He is tremendous at using his length to disrupt shot attempts and get into passing lanes. He has excellent discipline and IQ, paying strong attention to detail and rarely making mental mistakes or committing fouls. He has quick feet and the frame to defend on the perimeter. He is a good off ball defender and a great weak side rim protector which should add to his versatility on defense at the next level.

Weaknesses

Bates-Diop is one of the older players in the Draft which caps his upside. He is not an elite athlete and tends to shy away from physicality around the rim. He is not an aggressive driver and may lack confidence about his craft around the basket. On the athletic side, he is competent when it comes to agility, quickness, burst and explosiveness, but these skills won’t set him apart from others with his body type. Bates-Diop is an average passer for his size but likely below-average overall, never really creating shots for his teammates at volume and averaging a 1:1 assist:turnover ratio throughout college.

Summary

Bates-Diop is a high floor prospect with a few special skills. He has the ideal size for a modern combo forward and is great at using his length on both ends. He is also a very advanced scorer in the mid post and will be able to leverage that skill due to its rarity in today’s game. He is very versatile and will be able to play multiple positions at the next level due to his consistency on both ends and an ability to stretch the floor. Nonetheless, his age may cap his development and it gives him less upside than some of the Draft’s 19 and 20 year olds. He is not a particularly aggressive scorer and may struggle to create opportunities for his teammates, but the basic needs of shooting and defensive versatility are there to make him a rotation player in the NBA.