NBA Draft Scouting Report: Duke's TJ Power

Scouting Report: TJ Power

Contents

1. Prospect Profile
2. Highlights
3. Draft Projection
4. 2024 Big Board

TJ Power

Forward | Duke

Height: 6'9” | Weight: 215 lbs

2024 Draft Age: 

Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette-USA TODAY NETWORK

Prospect Profile

A modern floor spacing forward, Power possesses many of the traits that NBA teams look for. He’s the type of player that boasts good positional size, can push the ball after securing a rebound and can also knock down triples. The incoming freshman also plays with toughness and isn’t afraid to get physical.

Power was also a fantastic pitching prospect in high school as a baseball player, throwing left handed at a very high level. Given he shoots a basketball with his right hand, this speaks to his ability to be ambidextrous and be effective with either hand on the court. He’s a bit older for his class, which comes with maturity and a frame that is more developed.

Again, Power is best known for his ability to knock down perimeter shots. He’s a combo forward that has the fluidity to play wing, but the height to play in the frontcourt next to a center. Along with the 3-point upside, he also can navigate the paint and even play some with his back to the basket. Power also has improved as a midrange shooter, so he truly has the ability to score at all three levels. More recently, Power has also flashed upside as a good connector with his passing ability and initiation success.

For the Duke freshman, the defensive side of the ball will be what swings his draft stock. His size and shooting ability will translate in the NBA, but you can’t play at that level without being an adequate defender. As of today, Power has some work to do on that end to prove he can match up against bigger, stronger and quicker athletes. He also will need to prove he has versatility on that end and can guard multiple positions. A big part of that will be how much he can improve his footwork while also increasing his quickness.

A five-star prospect, it will be interesting to see what role Power plays as a freshman. Given the talent in Duke’s frontcourt, there’s no guarantee he plays significant minutes. As such, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Power have a slow freshman season but then break out as a sophomore. Regardless, he has the skillset to be a one-and-done at the college level. 

Highlights

Draft Projection

Second-Round Pick in 2024 NBA Draft.

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2024 Big Board

Want to know more about other potential 2024 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Big Board.

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