Shabazz Napier
PG, 6-1, 180
Senior, 22 years old

Hometown: Roxbury, MA

Season (35.1 mpg): 18 PPG, 6 RPG, 5 APG, 2 SPG, 3 TO
43% FG, 40% three-point (5.5 attempts)

87% free-throw (6 attempts)

30.8% assist rate (63rd nationally)

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Connecticut 78, Maryland 77

Friday, November 8, 2013 | Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Shabazz Napier

Senior | PG, 6-1, 170

Napier is UConn’s best playmaker and most dependable player. He can make something out of nothing, and is the unquestioned leader of the Huskies. I’m not sure what his NBA projections are, but his strengths are transparent and consistent.

Small but lightning-quick. Rare ball-handling ability. Penetrated Maryland’s 2-3 zone from the top of the key with ease on several possessions. Can pull-up in transition. High basketball IQ, setting up teammates and thinking one step ahead. 18 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

Used handle to get into paint and create. Drew contact in transition (6-6 free-throws). Also showcased developing Euro-step.

Video: Playmaking

Video: Scoring
— Nice balance and form to shoot over taller defenders. Converts jump shot against Evan Smotrycz (6-8) and Nick Faust (6-6). Blazing end-to-end speed to draw contact on layup.

Connecticut 80, Yale 62

Monday, November 11, 2013 | XL Center (Hartford, CT)

Shabazz Napier

Senior | PG, 6-1, 170

Napier posted a 14 point, 11 rebound, 10 assist stat line, recording the second triple-double of his UConn career and the 10th in school history. Whenever UConn would go into a lull, Napier was right there to make something happen. He looked to pass first and shoot second, and it proved to be a successful formula. Napier assisted Niels Giffey on four of his five first-half three-pointers.

Napier easily handled the length of Yale’s guards, and once again controlled the game. Another solid showing to start his senior campaign.

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Connecticut 82, Eastern Washington 65

Saturday, December 28, 2013 | Webster Bank Arena (Bridgeport, CT)

Shabazz Napier — PG, 6-1, 170
Senior, 22 years old

Season (34 mpg): 15.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 SPG

Game: 15 points, 9 assists

Outlook: Napier is one of the most consistent players—and leaders—in the country. He contributes in nearly every statistical category, has a National Championship under his belt, and has a tremendous basketball IQ across the board. Skill-wise, Napier has some attributes that I think could translate to the NBA. Tight handle, excellent first step and the ability to quickly change direction. He has a developing jumper, and defensively he’s held his own vs. bigger guards this season.

The question marks with Napier stem from a 6-1 frame, below-average explosiveness, and a penchant to jack up questionable shots.

STRENGTHS

Court Vision

He averages 6 assists per game, and his 33.6% assist percentage (the number of teammate field goals Napier assisted while he’s on the floor) ranks 44th in the country.

Yes, Napier is a good passer, but he also doesn’t excel in any specific facet of passing — it seems he has better “open court” vision than, say, pick-and-roll passing, or drive-and-kick passing. Thus, I think his assist numbers are a somewhat misleading. His court vision is certainly a strength, but it should be taken with a grain of salt because Napier is a scorer by nature.

Video: Court Vision

Pick-and-Roll Scoring

Napier is shifty with the ball. He can change direction on a dime and attack the paint with ease. He also has a smooth pull-up jump shot, using his handle to break down the defense and then pull-up at the opportune moment.

Video: Scoring

Video: Pick-and-Roll

Napier is scoring a solid .95 points per pick-and-roll possession. Balanced pick and roll attack — takes jumper on 51% of P-n-Rs, and drives on 30% of them.

He reads the defense, creates an opening and capitalizes. Some say he’s too prone to shooting on the P-n-R, but I think it’s a positive because at 6-1 he’ll have to shoot from outside should he make the NBA.

Isolation Scoring

19% of Napier’s offense is in isolation, where he’s posting a solid 1.03 points per attempt. He shoots a jumper on 60% of his isolation attempts, and drives to the basket 40% of the time.

He’s effective either way, which is why I think Napier will be able to score in the NBA. My concern is, if you’re a 6-1 scoring guard, you need to be a terrific athlete, something Napier is not.

Video: Isolation (jump shot)

Napier rocks defenders to sleep and then pulls up for a jumper. He can do this against bigger defenders as well, as evidenced by his work on 6-5 swingman CJ Wilcox below. In both shooting and driving situations, Napier never loses his handle or footing – he has great control.

It’s quite impressive, at least on the college level.

Video: Isolation (drives)

Napier keeps his dribble low, and has the full arsenal in terms of ball handling — crossover, stutter-step, head fakes…everything. He’s reminiscent of his former teammate Kemba Walker in this facet of the game.

However, he doesn’t have the athleticism that Kemba had. Can his craftiness compensate at the next level?

Off Screens

Video: Off Screens

Although only 6% of Napier’s shot attempts come off screens, he’s shown the ability run off screens and free himself for a shot/drive. I think this is something Kevin Ollie will use more as the season progresses, maybe allowing Ryan Boatright to handle the ball and then let Napier run off perimeter.

Napier is effective off screens mostly because he can finish when he has momentum. He catches the ball, pivots forward and zips through the defense with ease.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Shot Selection? / Athleticism and Explosiveness

Napier is prone to taking off-balance, ill-advised shots early in possessions. He falls in love with jumpers, and although it works from time to time, this “tunnel vision” is not efficient. While it’s true Napier has to take these shots for UConn to be successful, more prudent shot selection is necessary if he wants to play in the League.

He lacks the athleticism and explosiveness you’d ideally want to see in a 6-1 guard. The reason that, say, Nate Robinson or Ty Lawson are successful is because they have extraordinary athletic gifts (jumping/speed). Napier is not an exceptional athlete.

Containing Penetration

Napier isn’t a great man-to-man defender. Quicker guards get him off balance and can penetrate against him. This may be the biggest concern—can he guard NBA point guards?

Connecticut 69, Rutgers 63

Wednesday, March 5, 2014 | Gampel Pavilion (Storrs, CT)

#13 Shabazz Napier — PG, 6-1, 170
Senior, 22 years old

Season (34.7 mpg): 17.8 PPG, 6 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 2.7 TO
43% FG, 41% three-point (4.7 attempts)

Game (39 min): 26 PTS, 4 AST, 2 REB, 3 STL
8-13 FG, 7-11 three-point

Outlook:

— Terrific “playmaker” on the college level. Quick, shifty guard, able to penetrate and convert difficult shots.

— Crafty handle to create space. Uses a variety of pull-ups, hesitations and ball fakes to get his shot off. Good shooter; made a career-high seven 3′s vs. Rutgers. 42% on jump shots, 41% from 3.

— Candidate for National Player of the Year. Leads UConn in points, assists, rebounds, steals and minutes. Poised vs. pressure, directs offense. Natural leader. High basketball IQ.

— Quick hands to get deflections and steals on defense. Aware defender.

— Terrific pick and roll player (43%, .94 PPP). Reads the defense and gets into creases. Not a great athlete to finish, but can penetrate the lane.

— Elite quickness, but not a great vertical athlete. Concerning for NBA projection.

— Sometimes gets beat off the dribble. Small and skinny frame.

— Can he be a change-of-pace (reserve) guard at the next level? Is he too small? Certainly has the handle, jump shot and basketball IQ. Good accuracy on passes, too.

Video:

4 assists vs. Rutgers

26 points vs. Rutgers

04/10/14

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Overview: You could make a case that Shabazz Napier was the most valuable player in college basketball. The 6-1, 180-pound senior led the UConn Huskies in minutes played, scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.

Additionally (and more importantly), Napier willed UConn through the NCAA Tournament, winning his second National Championship in four years. Simply put, he was the most indispensable player in college basketball. Napier certainly has weaknesses as an NBA prospect, but regardless of your opinion, it’s hard to ignore how Napier dominates and wins with such poise and consistency.

Standing at 6-1, Napier’s basketball profile begins on the perimeter, where he’s an elite shot-maker, and floor general. A wizard-like ball handler, Napier is able to create shots—pull-ups, fade-aways, hesitations, stop-and-go’s—from anywhere. And he’s a very accurate shooter.

73% of Napier’s attempts are jump shots, and he makes a decent 41%. That’s a lot of jump shots, though—Napier was one of only 12 players in the country with at least 280 jump shot attempts. Among those 12 players, Napier’s 1.1 points per jumper ranks 5th in the country.

Napier is a pure shot-maker (shooter?) from 3-point range, ranking 2nd in the American Conference in 3-pointers made, and easily passing the “eye test.” Napier is also effective from the mid-range area, where he can stop-on-a-dime and rise for a shot. He uses a combination of shot-fakes, fade-aways and angles to get his shot off, and he’s effective from mid-range (39%, .79 PPP, 60th percentile).

Napier maneuvered his way through defenses all season long. He’s a prolific shooter, but he’s also capable of finishing once he gets into the teeth of the defense. Certainly not a great finisher by any means (we’ll get to that), but he’s crafty enough to angle his body and draw fouls. Napier attempted a conference-high 6 free throws per game, and was automatic from the line (87% on the season, 31-33 during the NCAA Tournament).

In addition to terrific shooting and semi-capable finishing ability, Napier is a special playmaker for others. Part of this is attributable to age and experience (22 years old), but it’s partly natural skill. Napier controls the tempo (literally controlling every offensive possession), and he can set teammates up with precision and accuracy. Napier has really matured, as a passer and a leader.

On film, it’s obvious Napier sees openings before they emerge in real-time. In other words, he has a two-second advantage on the college level, recognizing a potential passing lane before it exists. Then he executes with timing and accuracy. Napier’s 31% assist rate ranks 63rd nationally, and lends credence to his ability to direct an offense.

In summary, to recap offensively, Napier is a terrific shot-maker from 3-point and mid-range, using an amazing handle to break down the defense. He creates shots from the perimeter, and has excellent court vision setting up his teammates. He sees the floor extremely well, and uses penetration to rack up assists. Not a reliable finisher, but for what it’s worth, Napier is automatic from the free throw line.

Defensively, Napier is a very good defensive rebounder for his position. He tied for a team-high 6 rebounds per game. Scrappy, quick hands, and can locate then corral a loose ball. Napier will often grab a defensive rebound and start the break himself.

On top of all that, Napier has intangibles scouts presumably love. He can control a game, is a fearless leader, and has made big shot after big shot. Coach Ollie says Napier can “score out of necessity.” His 7.9 win shares led the American Conference, and Napier had a fairly large lead in this category (Sean Kilpatrick’s 7.2 ranked 2nd). He’s a winner.

Those are all good qualities, but Napier certainly has his fair share of weaknesses/areas of improvement, too. Those weaknesses are: 1) age, 2) finishing struggles, 3) decision making, 4) turnovers, and 5) perimeter defense/containing penetration.

Firstly, Napier turns 23 years old in July, which limits his room for growth in the NBA. In other words, what you see is probably what you’re getting.

Secondly, although Napier has shifty body control, he is a poor “vertical athlete.” Simply put, he lacks explosiveness, which really hinders his ability to finish in and around the lane. Only 20% of Napier’s attempts are driving to the basket, but when he does drive, he more-than-often misses at the rim. He tries for fancy reverses and up-and-unders, which won’t work as much in the NBA. The NBA is longer and more athletic at every position, and Napier could struggle to finish.

Napier must develop a “floater/runner,” which he doesn’t have right now. I watched every possession of his this season, and I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that I couldn’t find one legitimate floater attempt. He can shoot the mid-range jumper, but a floater isn’t currently there.

Thirdly, although Napier was a terrific leader, his on-court decision making wasn’t infallible. There are several possessions every game where Napier would jack up ill-advised shots early in the clock, which was not only wasted possessions, but also froze out his teammates. Napier doesn’t play with regard for the time or situation of the game—he has a “green light” mentality, for better or worse. Maybe it was necessary within the context of UConn’s offense. I wouldn’t label Napier a “selfish” player, but he occasionally crossed the line with his autonomy.

Along the lines of “trying to do too much,” Napier posted an unimpressive 1.66 assist/turnover ratio, averaging 3 turnovers per game. He often over-dribbles, as well as forcing passes that aren’t there. I guess this comes with the territory of doing it all, but still, Napier gets careless with the basketball.

Lastly, due to a diminutive 6-1 frame, Napier struggles to defend on the perimeter, specifically containing penetration/late getting around screens. Napier stays upright in his stance way too often—almost habitually—which leads to getting beat on the perimeter. He also doesn’t fight hard enough to get around screens. On film, some of these defensive letdowns are unacceptable.

Overall, Napier’s exceptional shot-making, facilitating ability, and leadership should immediately translate to the NBA. But he also has areas he must improve in. Let’s take a deeper look.

Video Breakdown: Shabazz Napier

Strengths

Shooting / Playmaking

Shot-Creating
— 73% of attempts are jump shots. Can shoot from all three levels, particularly 3-point.
— Variety of NBA moves
— Amongst the 70 players who attempted at least 180 3-pointers, Napier ranks 10th in PPP. Statistically, ranks next to Brady Heslip, Michael Frazier, CJ Wilcox, Nik Stauskas… that caliber of 3-point shooter.

“Wow” Plays / Playground Moves
— Wizard with the ball. Incredible difficulty on some of these shots.
— Can he sustain this tedious approach over an 82-game season? Can he get his shot off in a 24-second shot clock?

Catch-and-shoot
— 34%, but certainly capable.

Pick-and-Roll Switches
— Often takes the 3-pointer when he has a switch. Keeps bigger defenders on their toes. Napier is reliant on his jumper, but at 6-1, it might be necessary.

“Clutch Gene” / End of Clock Situations
— Scores out of necessity. Brought UConn over the hump. Winner.

Court Vision / Running a Team

— Dictates offense and team. Excellent vision, timing and accuracy from anywhere. Leader.
— 30.8% assist rate (63rd nationally)

Transition
– Accurate long-distance passes

Drive-and-Kick

Drive-and-Dish

Pick-and-Pop

No-Look / Hitting Cutters
— Can stop on a dime and deliver an accurate pass. Sets up teammates.

Backdoor Cutting
— Noticeably instructs teammates to “go backdoor”

Transition Lobs

Half-Court Lobs

Backdoor Lobs

Driving

Capable Finisher (driving makes)
— Can shield defender if he has the angle … but is he trying too hard?
— Can this translate to the next level?

Blow-by (quick first step)

Drawing Fouls
— 6 attempts per game, automatic (87%)

Rebounding

1. Defensive Rebounding
— 6 RPG. Impressive for a guard.
— Scrappy. Alert. Locates the ball and gets it.
— Starts the fast break with a defensive rebound.

2. Offensive Rebounding

Click “playlist” on the video to open the library.