NBA Draft Prospect: CJ Elleby (Washington State) (with Caleb Conant)
A solid second round draft pick includes sensational wing CJ Elleby. Elleby provided a very productive season averaging 18.4 points in his second season at Washington State. Looking to move forward to the NBA, Elleby will take everything he learned during his time in college and add on to it in the pro’s.
Nick Andre
To me, it seems as if CJ Elleby is the most overlooked player in this year’s draft. He is definitely an underrated scorer and can potentially become an effective offensive player in the NBA. When the second round becomes underway in this year’s NBA Draft, hopefully Elleby will be granted a roster spot on an NBA team to showcase his skillset.
There’s one thing for certain, CJ Elleby loves to score. He tends to release the ball at a quick rate so it can lower the rate of potentially getting his shot blocked by defenders. Elleby loves to step back behind the three point line and create opportunities there. He is great at adding up those transition baskets from beyond the arc before the defense gets an opportunity to get back and set up.
Although Elleby loves to score behind the line, he can be effective in the mid range area as well. He shows that he can be put in isolation coverage and go to work around the foul line. Like I said, his release is very quick. So on many occasions he would get off his shot before the help defense would come around. Elleby has shown that he can be effective on the perimeter in many ways. His sophomore season at Washington State was a year to show the world what he had in his package.
Elleby shows many similarities to a few solid NBA players. One, for instance, is Brandon Jennings with the way he can score off the dribble. Another is Joe Ingles with the way he can be a threat from behind the three point line. Obviously, all three of these players share something in common with being left handed. But it seems to be a major contribution to their success over time. Elleby can continue to be effective by using everyone’s “off hand” to his advantage going forward.
There’s a few things I would love to watch Elleby become more effective upon. One of those areas include attacking the basket more often. With Elleby’s speed and quickness, he can easily force the defense to shift when he is penetrating to the basket. More times than not, Elleby will either create a strong finish or draw a foul. If Elleby can add more skillset to his package, he’ll have the best opportunities to attack the basket more than none. Sooner or later, defense’s will force him out of his jumpshot, leaving him with other options to score the ball.
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Another area where I would love to see Elleby improve upon is efficiency. Elleby can be an effective scorer when he is in rhythm. But when the defense puts pressure on him, he has shown to force shots that could’ve ended up an extra pass to an open man. Elleby shot 39% from the field in his sophomore season along with 34% from behind the arc. Obviously, those numbers can be improved upon once he enters the NBA. If Elleby lands with the right organization with a good coach and development staff, there could be a system that forces him to be a more efficient shooter and his percentages could increase over time.
As Elleby continues his development as a player, who knows where he will be a few years from now. We have seen many second round draft picks evolve into NBA All-Stars and even NBA Champions. The best thing for Elleby going forward is to go into an organization and be the best version of himself for his team.
Caleb Conant
CJ Elleby is definitely a guy that you want to keep your eye on. In my eyes, he has a lot of potential to be a solid role player in the NBA. One thing that I’ve noticed off the bat is that he brings high energy to the game, which is similar to NBA vet Joakim Noah.
He also has a consistent jumper with shooting the three ball. With that alone, he already has a lot to offer to any team. Secondly, he is aggressive and can attack the rim. I think he can improve on making moves and get there more effectively. But I think a veteran player can help him with something of that aspect. For his height, Elleby is able to play from the elbow and get create a mid range shot. Offensively, he has a lot to offer in his package.
If Elleby can just fit in the right system, I think Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs could really use him and make him effective in his system. On defense, he is great at anticipating passes and while being able to finish in transition off a turnover. He is also able to guard 1–4, so that makes less of liability being that he is only 6’6 but can still hold his own. I think San Antonio or Toronto can be good landing spot for him. Those are systems who can consistently find ways to utilize players like CJ.
CJ Elleby has shown he is offensively gifted. Being a late second round draft pick, there could be a chance for Elleby to land on a playoff team and make a difference for years to come. The sky is bright for CJ Elleby and the world will soon understand what he brings to the floor.
Follow Caleb on Twitter @calebconant2
