Briante Weber

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VCU 69, Boston College 50

Saturday, December 28, 2013 | 7:30 p.m. EST | Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Briante Weber — G, 6-2, 165
Junior, 21 years old

Season (29 mpg): 8.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 3.9 SPG
7.7% steal percentage (1st nationally)

Game: 6 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals

Outlook:  Weber may be the fiercest in-your-face defender in all of college basketball. He draped the Boston College guards defensively, and never relented. He’s 6-2 but has long arms, similar to Rajon Rondo in his makeup.

As a prospect, Weber is very raw offensively, but has terrific defensive instincts. His 7.7% steal percentage is highest in the country, and even though VCU’s system is conducive to forcing turnovers, his talents are apparent on film. He has long arms to deflect passes and reach for steals, and his length helps him recover from behind when he gets beat.

Offensively, though, Weber has a long way to go. Frankly, he has very poor shooting mechanics right now. He also converts less than half his attempts at the basket. Opposing defenses often leave Weber open to shoot, and he still struggles to convert.

Also, how does he fit in traditional offensive sets? It’s tough for me to evaluate these VCU players when they’re playing in such an unconventional (albeit enjoyable) system.

Overall, Weber needs to focus on developing his offensive skills. But he’s young for his age, and his physical tools are rare for a point guard — length, explosiveness, motor, defensive instincts. If he can refine his jump shot—and that’s a huge “if”—I think Weber has a chance to play in the NBA.

Video: Transition makes

Video: Transition misses

Video: Steals

Video: Poor Shooting

Video: Assists (court vision)

Video: Fouls (gambling on defense)

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St. Joseph’s 65, VCU 61

2014 Atlantic 10 Championship

Sunday, March 16, 2014 | Barclays Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Briante Weber
G, 6-2, 165
Junior, 21 years old

Season (28.5 mpg): 9.5 PPG, 4 RPG, 4 APG, 3.4 SPG, 1.9 TO, 2.5 Fouls
45% FG, 25% three-point (1.2 attempts)
6.7% steal percentage (1st nationally)

Game: 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 steals
4-12 FG, 0-1 three-point

Outlook: For me, Weber is a difficult player to evaluate.

I can start by stating he’s a lanky and athletic 6-2 “point guard.” Equipped with blazing speed and a Rajon Rondo-esque wingspan, Weber is the frontman of VCU’s full-court press and an excellent defender. Great anticipatory instincts and length to accumulate steals and deflections, both in half court and transition.

He’s probably the fiercest in your face defender in the country. He’s relentless in his defensive focus and intensity, and has the length to stifle point guards of all varieties. High motor, and could play all 40 minutes with ease. Weber is all over the place on defense, mostly for the better.

Offensively, it gets tricky. 31% of Weber’s attempts are in transition, and expectedly so. He has excellent quickness and athleticism to get out in transition.

But he’s a complicated player in the half court. He doesn’t have much of a jump shot, if at all. Only 40 of his 246 attempts are 3′s. Most of his contributions come in the form of driving the basketball. He uses a tight handle and quickness to get into the lane, and then has a tear drop to finish. Per Synergy, 44% of his attempts are jump shots, while 56% are in the lane. But what Synergy may label a “jump shot” is, in reality, a long-distance floater. It’s more like Weber drives the lane, and if he doesn’t go all the way to the rim, he uses a one-handed tear drop out to 20 feet. The only “jump shots” are 3′s (28%), and the occasional mid-range. Additionally, all but three of Weber’s jump shot attempts are unguarded. He’s not a good shooter right now. Poor form, and not a consistent release. Weber is best penetrating, then using his length to either dish it off, or lay it in/loft it over the defense. His length will allow him to finish over NBA length, but I don’t think 16-foot floaters will work in the NBA. He’ll have to develop a jump shot.

Also, where does he fit within the framework of an offense? Can he run a team and direct four other players on offense? VCU is anything but traditional, and Weber’s unorthodox game makes it even more unclear. If he can tighten his jump shot and handle (he keeps the ball high), and show that he can play with calm and grace when needed—you can’t go 120 miles an hour all the time—he could be a viable spark plug guard in the NBA. Best-case scenario would be a Patrick Beverley type; a great athlete who plays pesky defense, radiates energy, and uses his athleticism to make things happen offensively.

Again, Weber needs to refine his ball handling and learn to play at a slower pace. No easy task, especially approaching his senior year and playing in VCU’s offense. And of course, he must develop a jump shot.

But he’s fast and explosive, and is an excellent on-ball defender. If there’s a way to make him fit in an offense—and I’m honestly not sure if there is—I think Weber has a chance to develop into a Patrick Beverley type.

Video

8 points vs. St. Joe’s

Misses (4-12)