Melvin Frazier Scouting Report

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Melvin Frazier (Wing, 21, 6'6", 198 lbs)

Statistical Profile

Strengths

Frazier has ideal NBA size for a wing standing 6'6" with a remarkable 7'2" wingspan. He is a gifted athlete with impressive explosiveness, and he is above average in a variety of categories.

Frazier has a great motor and will give solid effort no matter the circumstance. All indications say he is a very hard worker. Offensively, he’s a good scorer off the dribble who has versatility offensively. He can shoot on the move and really blossomed as a jump shooter his junior season, finishing in the 74th percentile as a spot up threat. He finished above the 90th percentile off screens, handoffs, post-ups and cuts. His athleticism shined in the open floor, where he finished in the 89th percentile in transition scoring opportunities. He’s a solid passer with good vision and is a very good rebounder for his position. Defensively, he’s above average and uses his length to disrupt ball handlers and get into passing lanes with active hands where he can force steals and wreak havoc in transition.

He’s especially effective at the point of attack harrassing ball handlers on the perimeter with his incredible length. He has shown solid ability as a team defender, showcasing above average awareness, positioning, and understanding of rotations.

Weaknesses

Frazier is inconsistent with his scoring and only had one season’s sample size worth of above average shooting. He was a poor jump shooter his first two years in college and it is hard to say if this year’s statistics were a mirage or if they are reminiscent of a new Frazier. His length contributes to a slow release which he’ll have to speed up. He’s not a good decision maker with the ball in his hands. He can be ball dominant and take inefficient shots, and he can be turnover prone as a playmaker. He’s not a creative or advanced ball handler, and is confined mostly to straight line drives due to his lack of an adequate left hand. Defensively, he’s a gambler, causing issues in broken rotations especially when he lunges out of position for steals. He also is a late bloomer as an NBA prospect and didn’t play much high level competition, so it is hard to say how well his skills may translate.

Summary

Frazier boasts the skillset of the prototypical 3-and-D wing for the modern NBA. He has elite length and athleticism, and is a versatile defender guarding 1–3 consistently. He’ll be a good perimeter defender at the next level. He has improved his three pointer but his free throw percentage and prior performance points to the possibility that he is not as good of a shooter as his numbers from this season suggest. He can competently handle the ball and make plays for others but he is not an initiator or creator at this stage. When confined to a smaller role at the NBA level, his talents may shine as he won’t be tasked with self creation or as much of a scoring burden and he’ll be able to refine his three pointer and focus on his defensive versatility while letting his athleticism showcase itself.