Keita Bates-Diop
Position: Forward
School: Ohio State
Age: 23
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 224 pounds
Wingspan: 7-foot-3
2017-18 Stats: 19.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
Scouting Report: Bates-Diop has a freakishly large wingspan and is a more than capable shooter. He finds ways to score off the bounce or by shooting over smaller opponents. His 1.049 points per possession ranked in the 88th percentile, per NBA.com. He works to use his large frame to the detriment of opponents, arching his release over opponents and using his long limbs to gain a positional advantage. He rebounds well, showing good box out capabilities and tenacity when lunging for the ball.
Despite his wingspan, Bates-Diop lacks NBA athleticism. His first step is not overly quick, and he can get sped past by quicker opponents. Many criticise him for being the beneficiary of playing in a favorable system for his talents. Ohio State operates its offense by exploiting size mismatches, perfect for Bates-Diop’s style of launching mid-range jumpers over diminutive guards. When he joins an NBA offense which is not tailored around him, it will be interesting to see if Bates-Diop can generate the same efficiency.
Notes: Bates-Diop was voted as the 2018 Big Ten Player of the Year and was a second-team All-American. He was also a Naismith Player of the Year semi-finalist and Julius Erving Award finalist.
Bates-Diop has the potential to be a quality bench scorer and can play both forward positions. Down the stretch, the Celtics struggled to score at times. Bates-Diop has the ability to help drive a bench unit’s production and could be a useful selection at the latter stages of the first-round.