Bennedict Mathurin
| Age | 19 |
| Height | 6-7 |
| Weight | 195lb |
| Position | Guard |
| College | Arizona |
| Draft Projection | Late Lottery |
| Role | Rotation |
| MPG | 31.4 |
| PPG | 18.9 |
| RPG | 6.5 |
| APG | 2.1 |
| STL | 1.1 |
| TO | 2.1 |
| FG% (3PT%) | 50.6 (38.6) |
Strengths: Mathurin has taken his second year in stride building on his impressive freshman year. Standing at 6-7 with an estimated 6-9 wingspan, the Canadian guard has the size and build to be an impact player at the next level. Defensively, his size allows him to be a solid multi-position defender with the ability to switch in the pick and roll. With quick feet and solid athleticism he won’t be the type of defender you can put on an island and go to work on. Expect him to make the opposing team work on both ends all night. Based on his year over year improvement he may never be considered an “All-NBA” defender but should adjust to the speed of the game well. Offensivley, Mathurin is going to not only going to challenge NBA defenders in isolation but also team defenses as a whole. The most important aspect of his game is his finishing ability above and around the rim. Mathurin, in our opinion, is one of the best finishers -if not the best – in this years draft class. Not only can he finish with both hands, has the bounce to play above the rim and has a nose for finding even the smallest amount of open space to drive, he isn’t afraid of contact. A true acrobat with an incredible understanding of the angles around the rim he has the potential to play as a slasher, creating high percentage looks above or around the rim. In addition to his ability to play inside, he also has shown to be a proven three point shooter. Currently shooting 39.5% from behind the arc, 90.6% of those attempts are assisted emphasizing his catch and shoot ability. A solid overall player he continues to raise his floor with each passing game. This potential and the player Mathurin is becoming is one of the main reasons he is being considered as a lottery pick.
Areas of Improvement: As Mathurin continues to raise his floor, driving his draft stock into the lottery conversation he does still have areas of improvement. All of his main improvements come on the offensive end. While it is encouraging to see the Arizona guard become such a main contributor to the offense, his increase volume has come with minor concerns. As to be expected his increased volume from behind the three point line has led to a regression in his three point percentage year over year. One of the main issues with this is that he isn’t finding a way to create his on the perimeter. While he is a magician with the ball going toward the basket he should use his size, speed and athleticism to work on developing a more consistent outside jumper. Moving toward the basket, the mid-range area is currently his “no mans land” as he is currently shooting 28.6% from mid-range. While it is a dying art in the current NBA if he can even improve marginally prior to the draft, he will raise his floor to a much higher level. As a finisher he can continue to work on finishing through contact and in crowded lanes. Even though he doesn’t shy away from contact and will make you pay if you send him to the line, he could improve his “And 1” conversions. Based on his position he isn’t a primary ball handler and hasn’t shown great potential as a playmaker. Going forward if he can find a way to integrate passing into his game he will be able to help teammates get open looks on the outside when defenses collapse. If he can continue to improve his court vision as he develops it will be hard for defenders to crowd the lane on the drive.
External Factors: As a second year player Mathurin has shown that experience matters. He has played for the Canadian U-19 team in the off-season after being left off the Olympic qualifier team, however the experience should help him adjust to the NBA.
Medical History: There is no current medical history that should impact Mathurin’s draft stock.
Summary: Mathurin, in all likelihood, will not be an all-world player during his time in the NBA. However, his year over year improvement has shown that he belongs in the NBA and should have a long career. Being able to space the floor from behind the arc, play as a slasher and finish around the rim, all while being at worst a net neutral on defense will put him at the top of many NBA rotations. If he can work on his areas of improvement and continue to raise his floor, he may just end up raising his ceiling with it. As a lottery team, I would bet on Mathurin.
MIP Projection: Late Lottery (10-15)