Bobby Portis

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Arkansas 77, Vanderbilt 75

February 8, 2014 | Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, TN)

Bobby Portis — PF, 6-10, 240
Freshman, 19 years old

Season (27 mpg): 13 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 APG
1 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 54% FG

Game: 8 pts, 5 rbs, 0 blks
3-8 FG, 1-1 three-point

Outlook: Portis did not stand out on this particular day. He clearly has NBA size and wingspan, and has a rare inside-outside feel for a power forward, but I think he needs another year to bring it all together. Offensively, he flows between the post and the perimeter, always on the move and creating mismatches with his size. He can score facing up in the high post, or step out and make the jumper. His low post game is still a work in progress, the foundation of which is a right handed hook shot that’s slowly coming along. Portis is an aggressive rebounder, a terrific athlete with a “wide trunk” to compete for boards.

Right now, though, Portis is merely a shell of his potential. To maximize his potential, he needs to become a more conscientious contributor inside. Solid face up game, but at 6-10, will need to develop at least one go-to move with his back facing the basket. To his credit, a few moves are in the works—right handed hook shot down low, jab-step jumper from the perimeter, strong rip-through from the triple threat position—but his consistency was fleeting. Portis is a guy you want to score, and then score again and again. He needs to develop a mean streak to become a force throughout the game.

Defensively, Portis uses his length and quick feet to defend inside-out.

Three nights after recording 35 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks vs. Alabama, Portis had a mediocre showing in Nashville. He needs to develop in the paint, and adopt a permanent mean streak. If he does, Portis has tremendous upside as an NBA prospect.

Strengths (to be continued)
— NBA size (6-10; 7-foot wingspan)
— Versatile inside-outside game (33% of attempts are jump shots; 67% are from interior)
— High basketball IQ
— Quick first step
— Can pass out of post
— Can defend multiple positions

Defects/Areas of Improvement (to be continued)
— Skinny
— Awkward shooting form
— Not always aggressive/disappears for long stretches
— Struggles to maintain handle
— Unpolished back to the basket game

Video (#10)

5 points vs. Vandy

35 points vs. Alabama

3-8 vs. Vandy (misses)

Defending (small snippet)