A Scout's Take: Assessing and Projecting Drew Peterson's Performance Against California
Drew Peterson is one of my favorite underrated sleeper prospects in the class. Coming off a career-high 30 points against California, where he showed many of the facets of his game that make him an intriguing prospect, I highlight what stood out about his performance and how it projects to the NBA level.
Stats: 30 points I 7 rebounds I 6 assists I 2 steals I 1 block I 9-of-14 from the field, 4-of-7 from three
Playmaking
At 6-foot-8, much of Peterson’s appeal has always been in his mix of size, ball skills and passing ability that he leverages to make plays for others. While Peterson did not show the whole arsenal against Cal, particularly his pick-and-roll passing, he offered enough glimpses to showcase how valuable that mix can be.
This was one of my favorite plays of the game. Here, he pushes off the rebound then reads the floor to fire a live dribble skip pass to Johnson who is able to attack a long closeout for a pull-up score. Peterson deserves credit for processing correctly and quickly as he’s able to see over the defense then deliver both a timely and accurate pass that puts Johnson in an advantageous situation against the long closeout.
He might not be a primary handler, but Peterson offers NBA teams legitimate value as a reliable secondary playmaker, transition decision maker and connective passer.
Shotmaking Versatility
Peterson’s shotmaking versatility from three and in the mid-range were the types of shots I want to see as he adds to his on and off ball value. He shot 4-of-7 from deep including a deep catch-and-shoot, movement catch-and-shoot and a pull-up corner triple, bringing him to a 36% clip on four attempts per game.
Since Peterson lacks the ideal burst and handle to consistently create separation, the mid range game become even more important for him where he can utilize his size, touch and skill. He buried a tough fadeaway off the bounce and a smooth 'tween pullback jumper.
Competitive Defense
Teams won't be looking for Peterson to be a shutdown defender, they’ll just need him to just not be a liability as long his offensive versatility is keeping him on the floor. He can do that by continuing to utilize his size, length, activity and feel to compete defensively.Peterson consistently fought around screens, actively looked to be in the right place and just gave effort whether it was on or off the ball. This led to a block, effective contests and several stops, some of which ended up in a USC score or quality scoring opportunities.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.