The Los Angeles Clippers are continuing their workouts for the 2016 NBA Draft with more guards, and are set to workout Yogi Ferrell of Indiana on May 18th.
The Los Angeles Clippers have already worked out 6’3″ guard Isaiah Briscoe of Kentucky, and are set to workout the next point guard that has caught their attention in just over a week: Yogi Ferrell of the Indiana Hoosiers. He’ll be one of many prospects the Clippers will look at, as after only entering the 2015 NBA Draft with the 56th pick, Doc Rivers being armed with the 25th and 33rd overall selections this year is a far better place to be in.
ESPN’s Jeff Goodman has reported Ferrell’s hectic workout schedule, which sees the Clippers get a chance to look at him fairly soon on May 18th.
Yogi Ferrell workout sched:LAL (5-16), LAC (18), Suns (20), Utah (22), Chi (23), Atl (25), Mavs (26), Det (31), Wiz (6-2), Nets (8), NY (10)
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 9, 2016
In terms of physical stature, Ferrell looks similar to Chris Paul. Ferrell is also 6’0″ with a stocky build, using excellent speed and lateral quickness to help make up for a lack of size and wingspan. Such athleticism does partly help Ferrell overcome that short stature, but it’s still an obvious defensive weakness and the comparison with Paul obviously ends with the physical build. Unlike the NBA superstar, Ferrell doesn’t always maintain such hounding pressure on defense.
Nevertheless, while consistent defense and height is an issue for Ferrell (as it always is for any undersized rookie prospect), and those physical elements are why experts such as those as DraftExpress have him projected to go 57th overall, he still displayed an awful lot of talent in college.
In particular, it came to his poise running the offense and spreading the ball well among his teammates. And after playing in college for four years, the added experience only improves his value.
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In 2015-16, Ferrell averaged 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 42 percent from three (2.3 makes a night) and 45.8 percent overall. Those numbers alone are worth some attention, and after operating the Indiana offense so smoothly, leading them to score the 3rd most points per play (1.02, per DraftExpress) out of every college team is seriously impressive. He shoots accurately from range, he possesses great speed to drive past opponents and finish through contact for someone his size, and he can pull-up well off the dribble.
As I’ve already discussed when looking at which positions the Clippers need to prioritize in this draft, though, point guard is at the bottom of the list. A new small forward and combo big man should be the top targets, with guys such as 6’8″ wing Taurean Prince being the type of prospects that the Clippers should pursue with their 25th overall pick.
Next: 2016 Draft: Taurean Prince could be Clips' top target
While Ferrell is a nice point guard despite his physical limitations (which the likes of Paul and Isaiah Thomas have fought so hard to prove mean nothing), he simply isn’t someone the Clippers need when they only have two picks at their disposal.