Tari Eason: LSU Tiger Terror

Tari Eason entered LSU as a transfer this year and immediately made his mark on the Tigers. As he prepares of the draft, will he make the same mark on the team that drafts him? 

If you would like to learn more about where Tari Eason ranks on MIP 99, read more here! 

Strengths: The 21 year old sophomore Tari Eason came in hot producing a breakout season for the LSU Tigers. Eason posted averages of 16.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 1.0 APG proving he is a dynamic offensive player. He’s great on the break, scoring in transition is probably one of his biggest strengths. He’s a big, strong athlete and he definitely flexes his ability when it comes to scoring around the rim. Eason attacks the basket with reckless abandon, always looking to put someone on a poster. While we have already mentioned his transition scoring, he also shot 35.9% from behind the perimeter helping provide additional spacing for his teammates. Even though Eason was only attempting 2.4 3FGA his willingness to make and take those shots helped prove the mechanics of a consistent jumper are there. He shot 80% from the FT line and we all know, if you can shoot from the line the form you carry at the stripe tends to transfer to the other aspects of your offensive game. Transferring that ability to the NBA level could position him as an extremely solid shooter in the future. 

On the defensive end, you can feel Eason’s impact on every possession, it is what helps separate him from the rest of this class. He boasts a ridiculous 7’2 wingspan and knows how to use it to his advantage. This past year Eason was a menace in the passing lane, averaging 1.9 steals per game. His defense leads to offense and it usually is the spark that helps create a fast break scoring opportunity. A young NBA team that likes to run on the break can certainly use a player like Eason. 

Areas to Improve: On offense Eason’s game could use some polish. He is a raw athlete, meaning when he dunks on the break it’s spectacular, however when he has to finish in traffic he leaves a lot to be desired. There isn’t a lot of finesse to his game when it comes to scoring inside or out, and this can be a barrier in his development as a player. He also puts up a lot of turnovers for someone at the 4 spot, averaging 2.2 per game. This may become be a big problem on the next level, considering the speed of the game, especially if what he produces on the offensive end isn’t enough to offset the damage of these turnovers. Considering his size he it is the hope that he can improve his court vision, which he currently lacks considerably. While he understands the intricacies of both offense and defense he seems to have a vision and turnover problem that will take him off the ball and limit the expansion of his role within the team. The best fit for Eason would be to play with a pass first point guard that can get their off ball teammates involved, either in the PNR or off a back cut. It will be worth monitoring if Eason ends up on a team that doesn’t have a distributor at the one. 

On the defensive end, size may prove to be an issue as Eason currently stands 6’8 and 215 pounds. You expect college players to naturally bulk but you have to wonder if the increase in weight will affect his overall mobility and the athletic gifts he appears to have on the college level. Battling with 4s and even seeing time as a small ball 5 (7’2 wingspan) may give him problems at the next level that he did not have while at LSU. 

Summary: Tari Eason has the potential to be a very high level 2 way player on the next level. Being drafted to a young team that likes to run on the break will really highlight his skillset. Miles Bridges is a comparison that has been thrown around for Eason and we can definitely see why, the explosiveness, the switchability on defense, the ability to score on all 3 levels at a good clip. Expect big things on the next level

MIP PROJECTION: Mid First Round 13-18