NBA Draft Scouting Report: Miami's Jalil Bethea

Scouting Report: Jalil Bethea

Apr 1, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East guard Jalil Bethea (1) in action during the dunk competition during the 2024 McDonalds High School All American Powerade Jam Fest at Delmar Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

1. Player Info
2. Prospect Profile
3. Highlights
4. Draft Projection
5. 2025 Big Board

Player Info

Jalil Bethea 

Guard | Miami 

Height: 6'5” | Weight: 175 lbs 

2025 Draft Age: 19.50

Apr 1, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East guard Jalil Bethea speaks during a press conference at JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Prospect Profile

When it comes to getting buckets, Bethea is one of the best freshmen in the country. He’s a natural scorer who is very advanced for his age as it relates to pro-level moves and making tough shots look easy. He boasts a good handle and a variety of dribble moves to get to his spots. 

The Miami guard has a knack for creating space and separation from his defender, leveraging his shiftiness and change of direction. Bethea can score at all three levels, but his deep range and perimeter jumper stick out most. He can shoot in rhythm off the catch or on the move with the ball in his hands. He’s one of the more gifted 3-point shooters in this class and has a super quick and effortless release to go along with his range. 

When he’s not showcasing his lights-out shooting, Bethea has the ability to leverage his quick first step and power as a ball handler to blow by defenders and get to the rim. He can finish with authority or finesse depending on what he needs to do in each given situation. He is also willing and capable of dishing the rock to the right teammate when he’s doubled or the defense adjusts to him. 

His decision-making does need to get more consistent, but he has the ability to punish defenses in a variety of ways. While he’s a good scorer and adequate passer today, Bethea emerging as a true playmaker would take him to the next level, especially if he can keep his turnovers down in the process. 

Bethea has the quickness to be a good defender and has shown real flashes of locking down on the perimeter. He doesn’t have the most size so he’s fairly limited from a positional versatility standpoint and who he can guard, but his athleticism gives him a good defensive baseline. The freshman plays a competitive game and has no problem stepping up to challenge. Bethea is still pretty wiry so he needs to get stronger and more physically imposing to reach his ceiling on this end. 

The former McDonald’s All-American was widely considered a top-10 player in his high school class. If Bethea lands in the right situation at the NBA level, he could be a year-one contributor as an off-ball shooting threat. As he gets stronger and rounds out his skillset in other areas, he will naturally find new ways to impact the game. 

Highlights

Draft Projection

Late Lottery Pick in 2025 NBA Draft.

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2025 Big Board

Want to know more about other potential 2025 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Big Board.

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