Once the second overall prospect on my big board, Tatum has regressed some since his hot start. That, however, shouldn’t be perceived as a slight against the Duke product , as the incredible depth of talent this season has made it more difficult than normal to hang onto top tier slots, even when boasting minor deficiencies. That’s the same proverbial boat that Ball finds himself in.
On the offensive end, Tatum is the most polished isolation scorer in this year’s draft. In eerily Paul Piece-esque fashion at times, he possesses a handful of nifty moves he can fall back on when breaking down his defender, while boasting incredibly precise footwork for a player of his age. The freshman has been heralded largely as a throwback-style wing, which like Ball, hurts his stock in a transforming league. But, there’s no denying the usefulness of somebody who can score with constant proficiency — and Tatum has that gene.
One area where Tatum excels most is in the post, especially against smaller defenders. At 6-8, he wields a quick turnaround and creates space with impressive ease with his back to the basket.
He also has some flashes of crafty finishing around the rim. He’s not an overly explosive athlete, but fluid in his motion, changing speeds nicely and getting to the rim for the finish.
There are some areas of improvement for Tatum, though, namely in regards to his consistency from deep. He’s hitting on just 35.2 percent of threes this year, and dealt with some more serious struggles earlier in the season The steady improvement he has shown is a nice sign, however, and his shot doesn’t have any overt hitches that need addressing.
Previous Ranking: 6
There’s also the issues stemming from Tatum’s athleticism. He’s not a bad athlete by any means — 6-8 frame with a 6-11 wingspan and solid mobility — but he’s not nearly explosive as some of the names he’s competing with for draft position. He doesn’t have the ability to simply take over possessions — or matchups — with his athletic tools alone, and that limits his upside some in comparison to the likes of Josh Jackson or Dennis Smith.
With that said, Tatum has also emerged as a far more well-rounded offensive piece than some expected at the beginning of the season. He’s a more capable passer than given credit for in his high school days, and has shown some real potential as a wing defender. He makes good reads off of drives, often making solid kick-outs to the perimeter. He can also act as the ball handler in the pick-and-roll, showing nice touch in finding the cutter, as such.
There’s a lot to like with Tatum’s skill set on the offensive end, even if he doesn’t have the same overwhelming athletic presence as some of his counterparts. He’s a well-paced scorer, and has shown utility in other facets of the game that he wasn’t lauded for coming in. He’s well in the midst of the upper lottery conversation as a result.