The Indiana Pacers worked out a local product in Kyle Guy prior to the NBA Draft. Is Guy a sensible option for the Pacers?
Kyle Guy grew up in Indianapolis and played high school ball at Lawrence Central. He played at the University of Virginia on his way to a National Championship in 2019. After three collegiate seasons, Kyle Guy is heading to the NBA Draft, but should the Indiana Pacers have him on their big board?
His shooting ability caught the eyes of nearly every college hoops fan. He has a long way to go, but he can be a valuable scorer in the NBA.
There are concerns with Guy’s size and defensive ability at the next level. While shooters tend to always find ways to score, poor athletes and defenders have a tough time developing those aspects of the game.
The lack of all-around ability will push Kyle Guy down in the draft. The Pacers hold the 50th overall pick and may look to snag Guy in that spot. Here is what to expect from Kyle Guy in the NBA.
The good: Guy is a walking bucket
Whoa, an Indiana-born prospect can shoot? No way. Kyle Guy was a deadly shooter in three seasons for the Virginia Cavaliers. He finished his freshman season with a remarkable 49.5 shooting percentage from deep.
That number is nearly impossible to replicate, but Guy did his best. He finished his career with a 42.5 percent clip from deep. When you factor in that over half of his shots were from beyond the arc, that number is even more outstanding. He launched 597 threes out of 1,075 total shots in three seasons.
His sweet stroke is fun to watch from a pure fan perspective.
Guy started 71 of 72 games at Virginia in his sophomore and junior seasons. He averaged 14.8 points per game in that span on .432/.411/.830 splits.
Other than his three-point shooting, Guy is a solid offensive player. He can pass pretty well for guard despite relatively low assist numbers. Guy is also an excellent scorer from mid-range with his ability to hit post fades. As long as he continues to develop more shots, he will have a chance as a bench scorer.
After a rough season at the free throw line as a freshman, Guy drastically improved on the freebies. He jumped from 71.4 percent as a freshman to 83.0 percent over the next two years. The only downside of him being a good long-ball shooter is that he doesn’t draw many fouls. For that, his free throw attempts are low.
If he can consistently get to the line and knock down the charity shots, then teams will risk letting him shoot. He simply needs to add pressure on offense. The rest of Guy’s game is where the real concern sets in.
The bad: He doesn’t offer much else
The first thing to worry about with Guy is his lack of size. He was the lightest player measured at the combine at just 167 pounds. Yes, you read that correctly. He stands just a hair over 6’2” with a scrawny frame.
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Guy will get bullied defensively by bigger guards. His size would seemingly make Guy a point guard but he is a limited player at that spot. Although Guy is a capable passer, he lacks creativity on offense. Using him as an off-ball shooter is the only way to maximize what he does best.
Defense is going to be a tough task for Guy. All signs point to him being a liability on that end of the floor. He only averaged 0.7 steals and 0.0 blocks during his career at Virginia. I find it hard to believe that those numbers will rise as he faces better talent. It will be hard to find a comfortable spot for Guy on the defensive end of the floor.
Mix in some subpar athleticism and you have a recipe for disappointment. Kyle Guy really has a long way to go before the next level but I can’t see his game developing in the areas he struggles with the most. He likely will not be able to blow by defenders or win in transition.
Final verdict
I love Kyle Guy’s ability to knock down shot after shot. However, there are so many questions about his overall game. His shooting ability will probably entice some team to draft him in the second round. Indiana should look for players with more upside, but Guy could be an option as an undrafted rookie if he isn’t selected. He would be a fun Summer League player for his hometown team.
The concerns that I have for Guy’s game are enough to pass on him in the draft. While the Pacers need scorers, they need complete players much more. Taking a flier on a developmental piece or small-school prospect in the second round is much more likely.