Teams will still draw on Nassir Little‘s pre-college tape when evaluating his NBA future. North Carolina isn’t the best spot for five-star prospects — Little hasn’t cracked the starting lineup yet — but there are still enough flashes to warrant optimism.
At 6-foot-7 with a strong frame and long arms, Little projects as a versatile defender who competes hard. He can also handle either forward spot offensively, aggressively slashing to the rim and using his strength to finish inside.
Improving his touch and exploiting mismatches on a more consistent basis will be key for Little. He has also struggled to generate quality looks against quicker defenders, a worrisome trend at the collegiate level. Even so, there was considerable top-three hype coming into the season. Little will grab teams’ attention, and the Cavs are an ideal situation.