NBA prospect primer: SF Jayson Tatum

Unlike the NFL Draft process which unfolds over months and months, the NBA season turns around to the draft so quickly that it can sneak up on you. In advance of June 22, we're going to take a look at some of the top prospects and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously, a lot of redditors know about these prospects already and have formed their own opinions, but this series is intended for those NBA fans who haven't studied the draft yet and want a one-stop shop to get to know the next generation of NBA talent.

######SF Jayson Tatum, Duke

his career

An elite prospect in St. Louis, Jayson Tatum started to receive national Naismith recognition as soon as his junior year. By his senior year, he was a five-star prospect ranked in the top 5 overall.

Tatum committed to Duke, along with #1 prospect Harry Giles (and fellow five-star prospects Frank Jackson and Marques Bolden), with the expectation that the freshmen would pair together with Duke's returning stars Grayson Allen and Luke Kennard to form the NCAA's own version of a "super team."

Continued injuries to Harry Giles and continued nuttiness by Grayson Allen caused the Blue Devils to be one of the more underwhelming 28-9 teams you can find, losing as a #2 seed in the second round to South Carolina.

It's hard to blame Jayson Tatum for that though, as the freshman was the team's second leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game before turning pro.

why he'll succeed

As a 6'8" small forward with a 6'11" wingspan, Jayson Tatum has the body type and the skill set to translate really well to the NBA. More than anything else, he has a polished offensive game for his age, with the ability to work the midrange.

While Tatum's shooting at Duke wasn't stellar (45.2% from the field, 34.2% from three), he does project to be a "plus" shooter at the next level. The most encouraging sign is that Tatum shot 84.9% from the free throw line, getting there 4.8 times a game. Being able to get to the free throw line consistently is a key trait for the NBA's elite scorers, and Tatum has that potential.

The most common comp you'll hear for Jayson Tatum's offensive potential is Carmelo Anthony, which is high praise. Perhaps too high of praise, actually. Carmelo Anthony gets a lot of flak these days, but he was a superb scorer from an early age, lighting it up for 22.2 points (and 10.0 rebounds per game) at Syracuse. I don't know if Tatum can reach 25 points per game in the NBA, but 20+ certainly isn't out of the question.

Defensively, Tatum isn't a lockdown defender or quick-twitch athlete, but his length and savvy allows him to be an effective one. That length helped him net 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks in college, as well as a solid 7.3 rebounds per game. Like most 6'8" wings, Tatum played the 4 in college, but projects to be a SF in the NBA who can eventually bulk up and move to PF over time.

As another feather in his cap, Tatum's a smart and affable kid who earns strong reviews for his character. He still needs to put in more work in the weight room and continue to develop his long-range shooting, but you have to presume he has the work ethic to pull that off.

why he'll struggle

Like fellow SF prospect Jonathan Isaac, Tatum has one of the highest "floors" in the draft. Worst case, he should still be a serviceable starter at the next level.

If you're going to nitpick, you can say that Tatum's not an elite athlete, which may come back to hamper him on the defensive end. Statistically, Tatum put up very similar numbers to fellow Duke SF-PF Jabari Parker in college. Parker's struggled with injuries (and consequently conditioning issues), but his defense was never going to be his calling card. Other Dukies like Jahlil Okafor have also appeared lost on D as well. Tatum doesn't seem like he should be a bad defender, but the history isn't on his side in terms of whether he'll be able to adapt quickly on that end.

So while Tatum's across-the-board and all-around potential makes him a potential star, there's a thin margin for error for wings like that who don't have standout athleticism. If he dips below average as a three-point shooter and defender, then we may be looking at a Jeff Green here. I believe Tatum has more natural skill than that, but it may take a year or two before he's able to shoot consistently enough to be a net positive player.

best team fits

ORL (#6) -- Former GM Rob Hennigan stockpiled a bunch of young athletes, but apparently didn't care if they could shoot or score. That's left the young Magic team in need of a go-to guy like Tatum, who could slide into that SF position very quickly and give the team a signature star.

NYK (#8) -- In my mind, the problem with the Carmelo Anthony / Kristaps Porzingis combo isn't their skill sets, it's their age/timelines. In terms of the basketball fit, pairing Porzingis with a scoring hybrid makes sense. If Tatum can bulk up, having him at PF and Zinger at C could be a frightening offensive lineup.

overall grades

For this, we're using the scale that:

• = bust

** = rotational player

*** = starter

**** = good starter

***** = All-Star

immediate impact : ***

low-end career : ***

upside career : ****

total score : 10 stars. (#4 prospect on our big board)

previous prospect primers

#1 -- Josh Jackson, #2 -- Markelle Fultz, #3 -- Lonzo Ball, #4 -- Jayson Tatum, #5 -- Malik Monk, #6 -- Jonathan Isaac, #7 -- Dennis Smith, #8 -- De'Aaron Fox, # 9 -- Lauri Markkanen, #10 -- Jarrett Allen, other lottery talent