Skills and Tools that Translate: Landers Nolley II

As scouts and evaluators, the name of the game is projecting what skills and tools from a prospect will translate to the next level. Does Cincinnati's Landers Nolley II have translatable NBA skills and tools?

Landers Nolley II emerged on the draft scene during his redshirt freshman season at Virginia Tech where he led the Hokies in scoring at 15.5 points per game while averaging 5.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. After deciding to transfer from Virginia Tech, he became one of the hottest names on the transfer market and landed at Memphis for two years, pacing the Tigers in scoring at 13.1 points per game during his first year.

Nolley II would hit the transfer market again for his final collegiate stop and lone season at Cincinnati, saving his best season for last and reinvigorating his stock after an up and down tenure as a Tiger. He led his third team in scoring (16.8 points), finished first in the American Athletic Conference in 3-point percentage (41%, 12th in the nation) and second in the conference in made threes (96) alongside 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists en route to earning First Team All-AAC honors. 

Over the course of his collegiate career, especially in a rebound year this past season, he showcased clear NBA caliber skills and tools that can potentially impact an NBA rotation. Let’s explore the major skills and tools that translate for Landers Nolley II.

Off-Ball 3-Point Shooting

Without a doubt, 3-point shooting is Nolley II’s most valuable and translatable NBA skill. Equipped with a quick release and a shooter’s mentality, he’s a career 36% 3-point shooter (723 attempts) that shot a career-best 41% from distance on 6.4 attempts per game this past season at Cincinnati.

He'll need to scale down his on-ball usage, but his terrific shooting numbers are even better off the ball and bodes well for a seamless transition. Nolley II connected on 42.7% of his catch-and shoot threes (124 attempts), 45.8% of his unguarded catch-and-shoot-threes (59 attempts) and 43.8% of his spot up threes (80 attempts).

Within his off-ball shooting, is his understanding of screen navigation and utilization of screens to get open. According to Synergy, Nolley II finished in the 92nd percentile off screens (66 possessions) including shooting at a staggering 63% clip from three (30 attempts). His footwork, balance and overall shot prep are major keys to that success.

As a support player that plays off the scoring gravity of primaries, duplicating similar off-ball shooting numbers will have him contributing in the NBA for a long time.

Flashes of screen navigation and off ball 3pt shooting from Landers Nolley II are always encouraging when projecting his initial off ball NBA role. Shooter and shot maker with positional size.

41% 3P on 230 3PA
42.7% 3P on c/s
45.8% 3P on unguarded c/s
40% 3P on guarded c/s pic.twitter.com/Aygp2rtjDa

— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) May 8, 2023

Tough Shotmaking

Not only is Nolley II a legitimate shooter, he’s a multiple level tough shot maker that can heat up quickly. From pull ups, stepbacks and side steps to runners, post fadeaways and off balanced shots, there is a diet of tough shots that he regularly attempts and has had success with.

The numbers back his tough shot making ability. The scoring minded wing shot 40% from three on 65 guarded attempts and 37% from three on 108 attempts off the dribble.

Nolley II relies upon a combination of footwork, size, touch and confidence to create space and bury shots since his handle is still developing and he lacks the ideal first step. Those are significant factors for some of his questionable shot selection that I expect to improve a bit in a support role in the NBA as opposed to the primary role he thrived in at Cincinnati.

Closeout Attacks

Nearly half of Nolley II’s 13.2 shot attempts per game come from beyond the arc (6.4) and when you’re the caliber of shooter that he is, opposing teams will prioritize closing out hard and running you off the line. This allows Nolley II to pair his shooting gravity with an incredibly effective shot fake that would make any other prospect in the class jealous, except for maybe the King of Shot Fakes, Sir’Jabari Rice.

Landers Nolley’s shot fake deserves to be in the same conversation as Sir’Jabari Rice’s. It’s an incredible weapon for a knockdown 3pt shooter and closeout attacker that’s just as comfortable with self creation and hitting shots OTD, especially tough attempts pic.twitter.com/mU0TuBkeWf

— Jam Hines (@jamontheboards) May 14, 2023

Nolley II leverages that pair to attack closeouts for scoring and playmaking opportunities. He’s usually looking to get to his dangerous pull up middy (48.9% on 94 attempts) or the three instead of getting all the way to the rim and has proven to be a serviceable playmaker (2.6 assists) against a bent defense for drop offs and kick outs.

Competitive Defense

NBA teams will expect him to fill a 3-and-D role because of his knockdown 3-point shooting, positional size (6-foot-7, 208 pounds) and length (6-foot-11 wingspan). He won't be a stopper or this disruptive force, but he’s competitive and switchable with his physical tools.

Ideally, those tools would generate more than his career-high 1.5 stocks per game (1 block and 0.5 steals). It does however at least point to some defensive activity and functional tools as he tightens up his consistency on this side of the floor.

Final Thoughts

Nolley II is a shotmaking wing with positional size and length that brings a clear NBA skill to the floor in his 3-point shooting (41%). He might not be a true 3-and-D prospect because of the lack of ideal defensive prowess, but fits the role because of his shooting and physical tools.

He’s a late second round/undrafted target that teams will value on a two-way contract and give an opportunity to provide floor spacing and shotmaking at the end of the rotation. 

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