Larry Nance Jr.: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile

Strengths

Larry Nance Jr. is not an elite NBA Draft prospect, but on paper, he seems to have all the qualities the Suns will be seeking in the draft. With a 7’2″ wingspan, Nance is an extremely long and athletic big man with good size for his position. More importantly, his contributions on the defensive end could be a big boost to any NBA team with the right development.

As the Mountain West Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the MWC All-Defensive Team, Nance excelled as a defender because of his long arms and his versatility to be able to guard multiple positions. He averaged 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for the Cowboys, helping them become one of the stingiest defenses in the conference.

On the other end of the floor, Nance was an elite finisher around the basket who thrived in the low post despite not possessing a particularly vast array of post moves. According to DraftExpress, he finished 63.7 percent of his non-post-up attempts at the rim, utilizing smart cuts and transition baskets to get easy points at the rim.

Furthermore, Nance exhibited the ability to step out and knock down the occasional midrange (and even three-point) jumper. He converted 50.8 percent of his catch-and-shoot opportunities, per DraftExpress, which means there’s hope he could become a legitimate pick-and-pop option off the bench at the next level.

Finally, even after injuring his ACL in his junior season, Nance has pretty much proven he’s as explosive as ever with the kind of jaw-dropping dunking ability that put his father on the map back when he won the NBA’s inaugural Slam Dunk Contest in 1984.

As the leader of a Cowboys team that posted a 25-10 record and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 13 years, Nance Jr. has plenty of admirable qualities that make him worthy of a second round flier.

Next: Weaknesses