Video Breakdown: Kyle Anderson

* I have not seen Anderson compete in college, but I observed him numerous times throughout high school. I first observed Anderson as a rising senior in August 2011.

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Strengths

• Brilliant Passer at 6-foot-8. Excellent Court Sense and Basketball Intelligence. 

• Developing Shooter (not great, not bad)

• Versatility. Size and skills to play multiple roles/positions.

Weaknesses / Areas of Improvement

• Lacks Quickness and Explosiveness

• Defense

• Simple Turnovers (nothing egregious)

• No Defined Position or Role

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Strengths

• Anderson is difficult to label or categorize.

At 6-8 with a 7-2 wingspan, you can’t label Anderson by position (point guard, small forward, etc). He doesn’t fit into a traditional 1-through-5 lineup. He’s simply a basketball player, with extraordinary court sense, versatility, basketball IQ, and feel for the game.

I first saw Anderson in August 2011, as a rising senior at St. Anthony high school. He was competing on the New York City summer circuit, and played two completely different games in one summer evening. The first game was in Harlem at 4 p.m., the second in Brooklyn at 7:30.

In the first game, Anderson played a point forward role, planted at the foul line while the offense ran through him. Anderson used his size/vision/touch to score in and around the lane, and he must’ve dished out 15 assists. He hit cutters from the foul line, deftly passed out of double-teams in the post, and converted defensive rebounds into full-court outlet passes. I learned that if Anderson’s teammates continued to move, he would eventually find them.

In the second game, this time Anderson played on the perimeter—point guard and wing—the entire game. He was the team’s primary ball handler in a PG matchup vs. super-athlete Archie Goodwin. Anderson used his size and length to shield Goodwin offensively, penetrating into the lane and letting his basketball instincts take over. In one evening, Anderson excelled playing both inside and outside, adapting and taking advantage to what the defense allowed. All in a silky-smooth fashion.

Anderson could pass, dribble and shoot with exceptional grace and skill—almost like you’re supposed to—with the added benefit of seeing over the defense at 6-8. He was nicknamed “Zero Miles Per Hour,” and it was the ultimate complement because he dictated the game as his unorthodox pace.

The point is this: Anderson has experienced the game from literally every position, and thus, he has an extraordinary court sense and feel for the game. He’s a 6-8 facilitator. His unique approach was successful at St. Anthony, achieving a 65-0 record and two state championships; it was successful against older competition on the New York City summer circuit; and it was successful at UCLA. Now, at only 20 years old, Anderson will try his unique—if not promising—approach at the NBA level. In a league defined by speed and athleticism (two areas Anderson is severely lacking in), Anderson uses size, smarts and court sense to contribute. The best comparison I can conjure is Boris Diaw, though it’s a really lazy comparison because Anderson is his own player.

Anderson will probably struggle and ultimately may not develop if he’s tasked with being a primary scorer, or having to run the team as a point guard. But if he can be free flowing and interchangeable—handling the ball and initiating the offense, playing the wing, and playing point forward—I think his overall game will translate. I certainly have reservations—the team “fit” is vital, and Anderson can’t play “zero miles per hour” under an NBA shot clock—but Anderson could thrive on a team that prioritizes ball movement, passing and cutting.

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• Brilliant Passer at 6-foot-8. Excellent court sense, in transition and half court. Anderson’s timing, accuracy, IQ and ability to see over defenders distinguish him from other “great passers”.

Anderson’s best skill is passing. He led the Pac-12 in assists, and his 34% assist rate ranked 22nd nationally. He’s always scanning the floor, and he can pass either from a stationary position, or off the dribble.

While he averaged 3.1 turnovers per game, those turnovers were mostly due to loose ball handling, not decision making. Anderson seems to always make the right pass without any hesitation.

Transition Passing

In transition, Anderson produced 1.6 points per pass or shot attempt, ranking in the top 6 percentile nationally.

Court Vision / Timing and Accuracy Hitting Cutters

Advancing the Ball / Outlet Passing

Half Court Passing

In terms of penetrating, Anderson may struggle against feisty guards with hand speed, but he was fine at UCLA. He used long strides and clever angles to shield off smaller guards and get into the lane.

Drive and Dish (point guard role)

Drive and Kick (point guard role)

Making the “Simple Pass”

Hitting Cutters (point forward role)

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• Developing Shooter (not great, not bad). From a statistical standpoint, Anderson looks the part of a reliable shooter. He shot 46% on jump shots this past season, and his 1.09 points per attempt ranked in the 83rd percentile nationally.

In fact, Anderson showed considerable improvement as a shooter in year two.

Freshman: 22-77 jump shots, 29% FG, 0.62 PPP (17th percentile)
8-38  (21%) three-pointers

Sophomore: 69-151 jump shots, 46% FG, 1.09 PPP (83rd percentile)
28-58 (48%) three-pointers

At 6-8, Anderson can shoot over most perimeter defenders, though he’s not quick in his round-up or release. He was reliable with his feet set (52% FG, 1.4 PPP), or off the dribble (48%, 1.01 PPP). If he can somehow get into the second level of the defense—either via dribble penetration, slashing off the ball, or playing point forward—Anderson looks capable of shooting over smaller defenders. He’s not very reliable in terms of finishing over length at the basket/en route to the basket, but I think he should be OK from 3-point and mid-range. He has the height advantage to get a semi-clear look, though limited in his vertical jump.

Catch and Shoot

He converted 21-41 this season, and his 1.4 points per catch and shoot attempt ranked in the top 3 percentile nationally. Anderson can spot up behind the arc, or catch and turn from the foul line.

Shooting Over Defense

Pull-Up Shooting

Pick-and-Roll Shooting

Anderson converted 47% of his pick-and-roll jumpers this past season. However, these numbers are probably inflated, due to the fact that NBA defenders are longer and will close-out harder than switching big-men did in the Pac-12.

Off Screens

Made Free Throws (73%)

Missed Free Throws

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• Versatility. Size and skills to play multiple roles/positions. He can initiate the offense and be a play-starter, or slide off the ball, or operate from the foul line as a point forward.

Anderson averaged 14.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game last season, with a 24.7 PER. He was the first player in Pac-12 history to record 200 assists and 200 rebounds in a season. It’s no coincidence; he’s versatile.  

However, can his grace-and-skill approach translate against NBA defense? The NBA is filled with quick and athletic players, and Anderson could struggle to penetrate off the dribble and score. Smaller guards can dig into him and force him to pick up his dribble, potentially limiting his facilitating. And he won’t be leaping for rebounds.

But he found a way to circumvent this in college, using length and touch to even beat uber-athletes like Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson off the dribble.

Scoring

Size and Length to Penetrate

Transition

Driving Left (great court feel)

Cutting / Slashing to the Foul Line

Anderson can start at the wing, then flash to the free throw line for a turnaround jumper.

Rebounding / Defense

Last season, Anderson averaged 8.8 rebounds per game (1.25 ORPG, 7.5 DRPG), and his 25.5% defensive rebounding percentage ranked 28th nationally.

He’s not quick to track down the ball, isn’t a leaper, and he won’t get rebounds out of his area. But Anderson uses his length to corral balls in his area, and he can certainly grab a defensive rebound start the fast break.

Offensive Rebounding

Defensive Rebounding

Steals

Anderson is an overall minus defender right now (maybe even a liability), but he can still accumulate deflections and steals due to his length. He averaged a solid 1.8 SPG, and his 3.1% steal percentage ranked 172nd nationally. He has the length to envelop opposing players, though he needs a lot of work overall defensively (explained below).

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Weaknesses / Areas of Improvement

• Lacks Quickness and Explosiveness. Anderson is 6-8 with a 7-2 wingspan, but he’s a very limited athlete. Offensively, he may struggle to penetrate off the dribble, as longer/more athletic players could wall off his drives. He also may not be able to shoot over length.

Anderson converted a respectable 58% of his “around the basket” attempts last season, and 50% of his “runners.” But will he able to adjust to the next level? Personally, I think he will compensate by shoring up his ball handling, and becoming even more precise in his actions. I think he’ll figure it out, if placed in the right system where he can float around the floor and not be pigeonholed into one corner of the court. But the concerns appear to be legitimate.

Pick-and-Roll Struggles

Spot Up Struggles

Finishing Struggles

Anderson doesn’t have a first or second jump, and will often lunge into opposing big men at the rim. He has a propensity to get his shot blocked in the lane, especially when attacking down the middle, where he doesn’t have the luxury of angling the ball off the glass.

Struggles vs. Length / Gets Walled Off

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• Defense

Steve Alford isn’t known to employ zone defense, yet this season UCLA played zone defense on 35% of its possessions. Much of this was to protect Anderson, and ultimately the UCLA team.

Zone Defense (Steve Alford):

UCLA (13-14): 27% of defensive possessions

New Mexico (12-13): 3%
New Mexico (11-12): 4.8%
New Mexico (10-11): 5%

Anderson gets put on his back heel whenever an opponent makes a move. He appears to be slow laterally, stays upright in his defensive stance, and doesn’t dig in with the intensity you’d like. Cumulatively, he’s a minus defender right now, even with his 7-2 wingspan. This could be problematic in the NBA. He tried to hide it in high school and college, but hiding isn’t an option in the NBA.

He struggles to keep his man in front of him on the perimeter, and has poor recovery speed. Anderson could develop into a decent defender down the line due to his length, but he will need to commit to a lower stance and really show a willingness to defend. There’s no guarantee he can play defense.

Gets Beat off the Dribble (stays upright)

Poor Recovery Speed, Hesitates and Loses Balance on Close-Outs

Struggles to Get Over Screens

Lack of Strength

Good Length to Contest

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• Simple Turnovers (nothing egregious or very bad)

Anderson averaged 3.1 turnovers per game, but in my opinion, these weren’t decision-making turnovers. Instead, they were due to ball-handling errors. Anderson needs to improve his handle vs. pressure, as he tends to over-dribble, and sometimes will even turn his back against pressure. He can’t just turn his back when trying to operate an NBA offense.

I viewed every turnover he committed this season, and 99% weren’t egregious. Some poor ball-handling here and there, with a few travel calls mixed in.

Overthrowing Passes (forcing it)

Simple Travels

Over-dribbling

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• No Defined Position or Role.

Strength-wise, Anderson must continue to fill out his 6-8, 230-pound frame. Skill-wise, he must become a better shooter, develop a runner to finish in the lane, and—most importantly—improve defensively.

But his imperfect skill-set aside, Anderson’s real “downfall” in the eyes of some commentators is his unorthodox—and to some, unpleasant—overall game. Nothing stands out, or is easy to pinpoint, if you will. He doesn’t fit a positional profile—lacking a jumper here, or athleticism there, or quickness or awareness…and so on.

He won’t be the right fit for most teams, so these criticisms are valid. He has very limited speed and athleticism, and he can’t guard anybody. He’s slow, sluggish, and all over the place. He’s not a point guard, he’s not a wing, and he’s not a forward.

However, while all that could be true, this is how I see it: Anderson has experienced the game from literally every position, and thus, he has an extraordinary court sense and feel for the game. He’s a 6-8 facilitator. He’s mastered the fundamental components of basketball: passing and dribbling. He’s succeeded his entire life, using size, smarts and court sense to defeat speed and athleticism. For all his athletic shortcomings, Anderson compensates with impeccable passing, size to shoot over defenders, and basketball intelligence.

If he gets drafted into a team that uses his versatility wisely—a combination of initiating offense, playing the wing, and playing point forward—I think he could flourish in the NBA. Teammates will love to play alongside him. What if you surrounded Anderson with NBA athletes? He’d make everyone around him better. He’s 6-8, can pass/handle/shoot, and just approaches the game in a uniquely refreshing way.

I’ve seen Anderson compete for years, and he’s never capitulated to outside suggestions or opinions. He’s steadfast in his “zero miles per hour” approach, because he trusts the game will take care of itself, something most players his age can’t grasp.

At 6-8, his court sense is rivaled by few draft prospects. I think Anderson will find his way and ultimately contribute a great deal in the NBA. You just have to afford Kyle Anderson the freedom to be Kyle Anderson.