Raptors Draft Options at Pick 9 – Noa Essengue, Rasheer Fleming, Cedric Coward
Samson Folk & Trevon Heath get together to discuss a few potential draft picks for the Raptors.
Here’s some notes on the players, but please watch/listen to the pod.
Noa Essengue/ Ratiopharm Ulm / 18
6’9 / 9’3 standing reach / 6’11 wingspan / 35.5 max vert / 200 lbs
12.4pts / 5.3rbs / 1ast / 1.4stl .6blks / 56/29/73 splits
26% C&S 3 / 69% at rim (53% on layups, he dunks a lot)
Virtually no mid range volume. Didn’t drive much, but was a great transition option/finisher (93rd percentile). Shot 80% in transition on huge volume. Not great attacking close outs. Fine cutter. Pretty good target as a roller, opens his body up, but bad screener, just 18 years old idk. Orbs are usually off a seal against a smaller defender or off a corner crash where he beats people to a long rebound, not a lot of beating other bigs down low.
Has a few nice plays where he steps out on guys and absorbs drives before providing a huge contest with his wingspan, but largely looks very uncoordinated and overmatched defending on ball, but again 18 yrs old professional league. Synergy doesn’t have him tracked as an above average defender in any playtype re: points per possession. Like his defense at the nail a lot, pretty strong sense for playmaking opportunities.
Rasheer Fleming / St Joseph’s / JR (21 at start of season)
6’8 barefoot / 232 lbs / 7’5 wingspan / 9’1 standing reach
14.7ppg / 8.5rbs / 1.3asts / 1.4stls / 1.5blks / 53/39/74 splits / 64% TS
43% unguarded 3’s / 37% guarded / no pull up volume, no mid range volume / hit a handful of hook shots 69% at rim (59% on layups, dunked a fair bit).
Synergy has him as elite finishing out of basically every playtype. Shot 37% on drives, 43% on 2’s out of spot ups (driving close outs mostly). Was inefficient as a driver largely because of early pickups and tough finishes. But, he draws closeouts a lot, and he rebounds a high percentage of his own misses at the rim, he’s physically dominating his matchup. Wonder if that could carry over to the NBA and improve on the bigger floor. Kinda like Scottie in that way.
Good screener, can slip, plant, screen and re screen, he rolls properly, can run flat screens with him choosing a side – very good. Awesome offensive rebounder, skies for everything keeps balls in play, gets into plays he has no shot of being in.
Can do a lot on defense, just a bit inconsistent. Climbs screens going up court, struggles more so going horizontally at the top, ducks under pretty well. His arms save him a lot when he’s positioned poorly, but that’s what long arms are for. Doesn’t use his body very well down low, but arms once again.
Cedric Coward / Washington ST / SR (22 at start of season)
Transfered to Duke, probably won’t play a game for them
6’5 and a bit barefoot / 213 lbs / 7’2 and a bit wingspan and 8’10 standing reach
17.7ppg / 3.7asts / 7rbs / .8 stls / 1.7blks / 56/40/84 splits / 70% TS
6 games played
40% C&S 3 / 46% UG / 33% G / 2/5 PU 3 / 4/6 PU 2
Can definitely shoot it. 51/87 on non rim 2’s throughout college. 68% at rim, all layups, basically all out of post work on smalls, even when he initiates from the top, he goes to the post often. Unique looks from a guard. Shot 76% at the rim at East Washington. Pretty underwhelming playmaker as far as I can tell. Don’t think he’s dynamite as a defender, but his arms get into a lot of places + he contests with both. Pretty good verticality at the bottom of the defense, reckon he’ll bust up a lot of stuff off ball, but think he’ll struggle on guards at the nba level.
Have a blessed day.
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