Kenny Chery

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Texas 74, Baylor 69

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 | Frank Erwin Center (Austin, TX)

Kenny Chery

Season (28 mpg): 11 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 5 APG, 1 SPG
44% FG, 33% three-point

— 36% assist rate (16th nationally, 1st in Big 12)

Game: 27 pts, 3 rbs, 2 ast
8-17 FG, 5-7 three-point

Outlook: Chery is a lightning-quick point guard who can both score and get his teammates involved at a high rate. He is a savvy distributor, capable of drawing multiple defenders just to kick it out or dish inside. He’s also a big-time shot-maker, particularly off the dribble. Chery has a terrific handle to swivel his way around the court, and he can pull-up for a jump shot from anywhere.

42% of Chery’s offense is derived in the pick and roll. He can both score and distribute. A quick first step allows him to get around the screen, and due to his proficient shooting ability, he can draw defenders over screens and thus free up his roll man.

He’s also a confident shooter. Chery, who is very fast, can change direction or stop on a dime. He freezes the defense with his jump shot, and can knock down shots even if defenders are draped on him. Against Texas, he scored 27 points, including 5 threes. Most were contested jump shots, and the ones that weren’t contested, were a result of Chery creating separation with his handle. Good mix of fakes, hesitation moves and crossovers, which is needed for a player his size.

All that said, Chery is a diminutive 5-11, and a very skinny 180 pounds. He’s crafty with the ball, but sometimes he needs to over-dribble and force the issue. Such an approach probably isn’t sustainable in the NBA, where the clock is shorter, and the players are bigger/faster/stronger. Additionally, while Chery is a capable shooter, he struggles to finish at the basket. Only 20% of his attempts this season come around the basket, and his .93 points per attempt ranks in the bottom 75th percentile nationally. To his credit, he has a good floater, but I’m not sure it’s enough to fully compensate. He lacks a burst and explosion that you’d like to see in an undersized guard—a la, say, Reggie Jackson. Too skinny to enter the lane right now.

A combination of quickness, court vision, and long-range shooting makes Chery one of the more proficient point guards in the Big 12. But I’m not sold on him earning minutes in the NBA. He needs to develop his driving game, add muscle, and show he can run a team in the half court.

Video

27 points vs. Texas

Misses vs. Texas (8-17 FG)