2023 NBA Draft Scouting Report: Miami Hurricanes Guard Isaiah Wong
The Miami Hurricane's haven't had a player drafted since 2019, when former blue-chip prospect Dewan Hernandez was selected in the second round to the Raptors.
However, Miami has an opportunity to have two Canes selected in this draft, something that has only happened once in the common draft era (Bruce Brown and Lonnie Walker in 2018)
In terms of who those players could be for Miami, the first and most notable is Isaiah Wong, the reigning ACC Player of The Year who played four seasons for the Hurricanes.
Below you can find the breakdown of what Wong brings to the table and how he may translate to the next level:
Isaiah Wong - Miami - Guard
6 foot 2.5 inches / 178.4 lbs
Shades of: Johnny Juzang, Max Christie, Terence Davis
Offensive Player Type: Spark Plug Scorer
Defensive Player Type: Single Positional Defender
Draft Range: Mid-Late Second Rounder
Best Fits: Suns, 76ers, Trailblazers
Evaluation: After playing second fiddle to Kameron McGusty in the 2021-22 season, Wong reclaimed his spot as the go-to scorer for the Hurricanes this past season en route to a ACC POTY campaign. Wong's ball-handling was put on display this season, as he was at his best playing in the pick-and-roll.
He also served as the team's primary playmaker, putting up a career high in assists. While Wong did have his best season in terms of overall efficiency, he didn't put up a career high in scoring due to the talent around him.
In terms of scoring, Wong's go-to shot has been in the midrange, as well as getting crafty around the basket. Furthermore, he shot a career high from three using his signature step-back move to create space.
While Wong has shown ability to score from all three levels, he is far more crafty than he is explosive. He utilizes screens well in the offense to mask his lack of a quick first step. On the defensive end, Wong is an average to below average defender at best, and will struggle to guard quicker guards at the next level.
Strengths:
+ Excellent in the pick and roll, has the ability to drive or pull up well
+ Has shown enough playmaking potential to project as a secondary/tertiary ball handler
+ Crafty around the basket, has the touch to finish in traffic or step out for a pull up
+ Shoots well in contested shot situations
Isaiah Wong from the LOGO 🔥#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/6CVE9eOg5D
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2023
+ Has played in plenty of big games in his career, helped bring Miami to consecutive Elite 8 appearances
Weaknesses:
- Despite being a crafty scorer, his lack of a quick first step will make it tough for him to play in the isolation at the next level
- Relies too much on pick and rolls to create lanes on offensive
Isaiah Wong with authority at the Microsoft Surface #NBACombine! pic.twitter.com/N4dSLUtLfx
— NBA (@NBA) May 17, 2023
- Will struggle on defense if forced to guard a quicker guard/wing
- Four year player, turned 22 at the beginning of the year
- Assist to turnover ratio is poor (1.52 this past season)
- Has a slow jump shot, which will struggle to get off against longer defenders
- Doesn't have a lot of positional versatility, projects to be a two guard at the next level
Top Performances:
NCAA Tournament win vs. Indiana (featuring future draft selections Jalen Hood-Schifino and Trayce Jackson-Davis)
27 points | 8 rebounds | 9/17 shooting | 4/6 from three
vs. Cornell
36 points | 7 rebounds | 6 assists | 11/17 shooting
Rookie Year Predictions:
Assuming Wong lands in the middle of the second round like most mock drafts project, it would make sense that he sees a lort of time in the G-League this coming season.
While he did play against plenty of great competition during his time at Miami, Wong will need to adjust to the speed of the NBA while fixing some parts of his game as well. If circumstances are right, Wong could likely see sporadic play time in the NBA when players are injured/resting. However, expect Wong's rookie season consist of mainly G-League action.
5 Year Projection:
The absolute best case scenario for Wong is that he's able to become a 7th or 8th man for a playoff team. With the NBA seeing an influx in offensive production over the last couple of seasons, Wong should be able to make an NBA rotation if he can sort out his playmaking and handle.
If he's able to give his team a solid 8-10 points per game while serving as a secondary ball handler on the second unit, he can have a long career in the NBA. However, Wong could very well be bouncing around rosters at this point, as his average athleticism at the guard position and low ceiling could prevent him from breaking into the league.
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You can find Liam on Twitter @theleftyliam where he shares news on University of Miami basketball and football as well as opinions