NBA Draft: BYU's Kanon Catchings Displays High Upside Despite Glaring Concerns

While he has not looked like a perfect prospect, the flashes of long-term potential shown by Kanon Catchings should keep him as an interesting name to know.

Jayden Pierre, Providence men's basketball vs. BYU / Eric Rueb/Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As one of the top recruits for the new-look BYU Cougars, freshman forward Kanon Catchings has gotten off to a very impressive start to the season. While star prospect Egor Demin has been sidelined with a knee injury, Catchings has been asked to increase his usage. Although he is still a bit raw, the consistent flashes of two-way upside he has shown look extremely valuable at the NBA level. Catchings' game as a whole has been impressive, but three aspects of his play stand out most when evaluating him: his positional size, defensive upside and intriguing flashes of three-point shooting.

Let’s dive into his play through his first 11 games at BYU this season and discuss how these three key areas could help elevate him on draft boards ahead of the 2025 NBA draft.

While helping the Cougars to a 9-2 record, Catchings has averaged 11.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks, with shooting splits of 40.2%/32.4%/47.8%. While there are glaring signs in his game that indicate high upside, there are also areas of concern. His efficiency may be the biggest question mark regarding his translatability, as he has had five games so far where he shot 20% or lower from beyond the arc. He has also struggled at times to score efficiently in the paint, but this should improve as he adds more strength, which will help him finish through contact.

As mentioned, Catchings is still developing his strength. However, his base measurements of 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds offer a lot of hope for him to become a more physically imposing, versatile forward down the road. Beyond his size, he has solid mobility and athleticism for a player of his frame. This allows him to attack mismatches while pulling interior defenders further from the rim. He has also done a great job getting out in transition, using his long strides to quickly attack and find space in the open court.

These physical tools also seem promising for his defensive upside. He has shown the ability to use his size and length to cover multiple positions, though he appears most translatable when defending wings. This is another aspect of his game that still has room to grow, but he has flashed enough potential to be extremely promising. With the offensive side of his game still a work in progress, his defensive tenacity could be one of his biggest swing skills in determining whether he becomes a one-and-done prospect.

Speaking of swing skills, his jump shooting may be the single most impactful aspect of his game in terms of draft value. For better or worse, his jumper hasn’t been super effective yet, but the mechanics have looked very promising. As noted with his solid positional size, his impressive physical measurements also make his jump shooting more intriguing. He has a quick, consistent release that allows him to elevate on late closeouts and get shots off with good arc and a soft touch. We've already mentioned his poor efficiency, but when he gets hot from deep, it's nearly impossible to ignore. In his most recent performance against Florida A&M, Catchings scored a career-high 21 points, thanks in no small part to his long-range shooting. He connected on 4-of-7 attempts from three and looked smooth on catch-and-shoot opportunities. If he can continue to make this a more consistent weapon, he will become even more intriguing as a long-term prospect, though it may take some time to get there.

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