Raptors draft: 3 Big East prospects who can help Toronto
By Avishai Sol
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PF, Villanova
This sophomore power forward from Villanova doesn’t have a lot of wow factor going for him, but he is one of the most intelligent players in his draft class and is getting nowhere near the hype he deserves.
Every year there are a handful of draft prospects who “will not fail”. Guys who no-matter how they progress at the highest level will always have a baseline of ability to give themselves a place in the league. Prospects like Tyrese Haliburton, Malcolm Brogdon, and Brandon Clarke fit that description. So does Robinson-Earl.
As a big, he has moves in the lane, nice soft hands, and a beautiful shooting stroke. He’s around 79% from the free-throw line, he’s been able to hit threes in catch-and-shoot situations, and he does the majority of his scoring from the midrange. He is able to take dribble pullups, faceup in the high post, and shoot over defenders with his high release point.
His weaknesses are more to do with potential upside than his actual play. At 6’8 with a modest wingspan, Robinson-Earl’s shot blocking leaves a lot to be desired. He’s always in the right position defensively, but he lacks the size or vertical to intimidate around the rim.
He’s a decent athlete overall. Not great, not terrible. He’s strong with a low center of gravity, but he doesn’t have an overpowering physicality. He’s not that fast end-to-end, but he does have solid acceleration, able to blow by other bigs off the dribble or from the triple threat. He has a strange mix of athletic strengths and weaknesses to be sure.
His intelligence is why he’s such a lock for the NBA.
The jump shot provides spacing on the floor, but this Wildcat has more effective off-ball skills than just standing in the corner and waiting. He plays the dunker spot, clears out the paint when his teammates’ drive, runs the high pick-&-roll to perfection, and knows how to use his body to seal men out in the paint. He sees the game at a higher level than most of his peers.
He has that Al Horford-esque knack for always being in the right place at the right time, and that’s what sets him apart. That’s why he fits so well with the Toronto Raptors. Our team has always valued IQ over raw power. Who you are, not who you may or may not become.
Think about the team Masai Ujiri’s assembled over the years.
Pascal Siakam was a weird, stringy, forward who didn’t really have one major skill coming into the league besides his energy. Fred VanVleet, a tiny point guard who is’t even that fast, but was a leader, a dog, and a winner. OG Anunobywas a defensive specialist who spent most of his one college season injured. Why did Ujiri take him? Because he was willing to do all the little things.
The Raptors need a big, they should be thinking about the kind of player who’ll fit their roster yes, but also the kind of guy who’ll fit their culture. In the Raptors draft range, there is no better fit for them than Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.
Projected: 16-26
Player comp: David West, Al Horford