Why Buddy Boeheim is a Legitimate NBA Prospect

The Syracuse star has turned himself into a future pro.

In today’s NBA, you must be able to knock down threes, at least at a respectable rate in order to stay on the court for an extended period of time. This especially applies when a player struggles to create their own shot or if their role is to play off the ball and use off ball screens. No matter what else that player may do well, there’s always a place for a knockdown shooter in the modern NBA.

In Buddy Boeheim’s case, his ability to knock down threes, especially in big time moments during the 2021 NCAA Tournament propelled him from being perceived as just Jim Boeheim’s son to a serious NBA prospect. Boeheim averaged 22.3 points per game on 48 percent from the field and 43 percent from beyond the three point line during March Madness. His 30 point game against San Diego State put him on the NBA radar. He cooled off against West Virginia and Houston on his way to a Sweet 16 exit but he showed scouts that he’s capable of playing under the bright lights.

At the next level, Boeheim’s game compares favorably to Kevin Huerter of the Atlanta Hawks. However, it is more likely that he’ll play the role of Duncan Robinson in the NBA which is mainly to use off ball screens and shoot off the catch. Boeheim is mainly known for his perimeter shooting but is capable of much more. Like Huerter, Boeheim is a capable three level scorer who can post up smaller guards and has shown flashes of playmaking ability. That being said, he’s not an advanced playmaker, not known as a defender, and he’ll have to improve his ball handling and footwork to round out his offensive game.

Over the years, Boeheim has worked on his game and added different facets to it each year. His dribble drive game and his passing have improved significantly over the last two years.

However, he still has a long way to go in those facets of the game and is far from a finished product. Next season, Boeheim will have the ultimate green light to shoot. However, he should expect teams to game plan specifically against him. Opposing teams will likely press and trap Boeheim in order to get him to play toward his weaknesses and ultimately get the ball out of his hands. If Boeheim works on his weaknesses and continues to build on his performance from last season, there’s no doubt that he’ll hear his name called during next June’s draft.