NBA Draft Scouting Report: Marquette’s Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Wing | Marquette
Height: 6’8” | Weight: 230 lbs
2023 Draft Age: 20.97
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Prospect Profile
At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Prosper has ideal size for a modern perimeter player in the NBA. He is a 20-year-old from Montreal, Canada that has made his way to college basketball through the NBA Academy Latin America. The draw for a prospect like Prosper is that he is a multi-skilled offensive player, with a developing shot, that is willing to embrace his role while at the same time playing extremely hard on the defensive end and providing versatility.
On the offensive end, this value begins with Prosper’s ability to attack the basket. He will have to be able to make catch and shoot or pick-and-pop attempts to provide gravity and floor spacing to have success at the next level. More importantly, he is at his best when he can attack closeouts and attack the paint. The 6-foot-8 wing does not possess a ton of wiggle to his game and is more of a straight line driver and those opportunities will usually come from a closing out defender.
With each college season, Prosper improved as a 3-point shooter and has good mechanics. He simply has to continue to elevate the numbers of attempts and the efficiency he is knocking them down if he is going to reach his NBA ceiling. His ability to showcase a promising perimeter shot in the pre-draft process will really increase his stock.
Prosper does show some promise in some tertiary skills for his role. By no means is he a primary, or even secondary, creator but the flashing passes are good enough for his size and position. While his subtle movements along the 3-point line could improve, his overall off ball movement is impressive. He shows good patience in waiting for the right time to make his cut to the rim and then finding the open spot to cut to for the attempt.
When it comes down to it, NBA teams will really value Prosper for his defensive upside. At 6-foot-8, it was impressive to watch him play at the front of the Shaka Smart full court press and hound smaller guards. While this assuredly will not be something he is asked to do on an NBA court, it still displays his willingness and abilities to give multiple efforts, change direction and stay with smaller players in the open floor. It’s one thing to be able to defend these types of players on the ball but Prosper also showcases an ability to chase them through and around off ball screens.
If Prosper is going to really emerge as an elite defensive prospect, the last thing he needs to improve upon is rim protection. He’ll be switchable at the next level, with paint presence really being the primary thing he lacks on that end. He does a nice job with rotations but he simply does not have the knack for getting blocks or protecting the rim.
The jury is also still out on just how many positions Prosper will be able to guard in the NBA. With his frame, it is interesting to see him struggle at times to hold up in the paint and wall off offensive players. Prosper is far from a sure thing in the 2023 NBA Draft and very well may have to return to school and enter in 2024, but even then there is no doubt he is an intriguing prospect to keep an eye on.
One of the better prospects to come out of Canada recently, the former four-star recruit has what it takes on both ends to become a solid 3-and-D wing in the NBA. As a connecting piece in the right role, he has the positional size and athleticism to make a real impact. Basketball is in Prosper’s genes, as both of his parents played college ball up north and his mother even represented Team Canada in 1997.
Highlights
Draft Projection
Potential Second-Round Pick in 2023 NBA Draft.
2023 Big Board
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