Philadelphia 76ers: What does Isaiah Joe bring to the table?

While the first round brought Philadelphia Tyrese Maxey from Kentucky, the second round brought another player who most Sixer fans didn’t see much of last year at Arkansas. Who is Isaiah Joe, and where does he fit on the team?

The Philadelphia 76ers used the 49th pick in the NBA Draft to select Isaiah Joe. At age 21, he’s now one of the youngest players on the team. What does he add to the Sixers’ roster? He brings a highly coveted skill: 3-point shooting. However, what is his overall projection based on his experience playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks?

Let’s take a look at Isaiah Joe’s strengths, weaknesses, and background to understand what his future could look like in the NBA.

Background

Isaiah Joe is a native of Arkansas. As a high school player, he earned several awards. In 2018, Isaiah Joe was the USA Today Arkansas Player of the Year. That year he was also the Gatorade Player of the Year in his state. He was a highly ranked shooting guard in the nation and averaged 22.8 points a game as a senior.

Even in high school, where he was able to help his team win consecutive state championships, Joe shot over 50 percent from the 3-point line his senior year. After he graduated, he decided to play for the Razorbacks, majoring in finance and investment management.

Joe spent two years at the University of Arkansas, earning respect for his sharp shooting skills across the NCAA. He earned multiple honors between his freshman and sophomore year. During his first year, he made the SEC All-Freshman Team, setting multiple records for his shooting.

Most recently, Joe made the watch list for the 2020 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award. During his final season in college, he set single-season school records for 3-pointers and free-throw shooting. He was also earned SEC Player of the Week multiple times at Arkansas.

Strengths

It is no secret that Isaiah Joe was primarily a scorer in college. His strengths include the ability to catch and shoot, along with his footwork and strong shooting form. He is a floor spacer for the Sixers now, should his perimeter scoring translate to the NBA. Joe can also shoot off the bounce and decide very quickly when and if to shoot. In college, his numbers back up his strengths.

Last season with the Razorbacks, Joe made 3.62 shots per game beyond the 3-point line. That ranked first in the SEC. Nationally, that made him the fourth best shooter in terms of 3-pointers made per game. His scoring average was 16.9 points per game, and he shot an astounding 89 percent from the free-throw line, which was fourth in the SEC and 14th nationally. He made three or more 3-pointers 18 times in his sophomore year and made at least one 3-pointer in 25 of the 26 games he started.

Finally, he broke his own record for 3-pointers attempted in a season last year taking 275. He set another SEC record shooting 95.6 percent from the free throw line in conference games, making 43 of 45 foul shots his last season.

Weaknesses

While his shooting is impressive, Isaiah Joe still has to round out his overall game as his NBA career starts. His first improvement needs to be with his strength. He is 6-feet-5 and weighs 180 pounds. As a shooting guard, that is a typical height. But if he does not want to get pushed around in the paint or struggle to come off screens against NBA sized players, he will have to bulk up.

His durability is not too questionable, because he did not miss many games his freshman and sophomore year. One thing to note is that he did have right knee arthroscopic surgery his senior year.

Another area Joe needs to improve is his defense. He is not a major defensive playmaker like Matisse Thybulle, but Joe has quick hands. He is not likely to gamble in passing lanes, and is not switchable due to his undersized stature.

On offense, he needs to improve his passing and dribbling. He does not attack the basket much but can pull up for a floater in the lane occasionally. Because he is more of a catch and shoot player, he did not demonstrate much ability to create for himself or show proficiency in pick and roll situations.

Outlook for the Sixers

Should Isaiah Joe not get dealt in any trades before the start of the season, the Sixers should be happy that he fell to No. 49 in the second round. He adds a dimension to the team that has been sorely lacking for some time. His ability to space the floor is something that should make Sixer fans feel relieved.

The likelihood of Joe contributing significant minutes his first year is slim. Without playing in the Las Vegas summer league, Sixers staff won’t have an ideal grasp on how he will compete against higher-level players. Without that additional preseason evaluation, it will be a challenge for Joe to earn playing time, especially with the new addition of veteran players at the same position through trade and free agency.

Realistically, he would get playing time for the Delaware Blue Coats and use strength training to add pounds of muscle to his thin frame. Should he contribute at some point in the middle of the season or by the end, Joe would bring an element of his game that could benefit their entire offensive set.

Unlike Tobias Harris, the new Sixers rookie is comfortable and willing to shoot immediately after receiving a pass on the perimeter. This provides numerous advantages for Doc Rivers and his new style offense with Joel Embiid maintaining his position as a number one option, post player.

Overall, Isaiah Joe will be welcome to a city that has been desperate for a shooter since the departure of J.J. Redick. In the end, the youngster checks a very big box on the Sixers need list, and all eyes will be on his 3-point game if he earns minutes this season.