South Bound & Down
Fansided

NBA Draft: SEC Underdogs Ready to Address Critics

By Ben Richardson

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Wade Baldwin IV (Vanderbilt) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seventeen overall pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Wade Baldwin IV (Vanderbilt) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seventeen overall pick to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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March 24, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Danuel House (23) scores a basket against Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) during the first half of the semifinal game in the West regional of the NCAA Tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
March 24, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies guard Danuel House (23) scores a basket against Oklahoma Sooners guard Buddy Hield (24) during the first half of the semifinal game in the West regional of the NCAA Tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Danuel House- Undrafted, signed by Washington Wizards

I’m reaching here, but something about this kid makes me think he can make it in the NBA. I’m not sure that he will ever be a household name, but he could be a guy that everyone in his team’s hometown will know. Shooting the 3-point ball at 30 percent won’t exactly turn scouts’ heads, but don’t forget in the 2014-2015 season he shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc. So, why the drop off?

You know why, he fell in love with the 3-ball. He only played in 10 more games during the 2015-2016 season than he did in the year prior, but he shot 89 more times from beyond the arc in 2015-2016. Even worse, he only made 13 more 3-point shots. It had to be frustrating for Aggies fans as they watched House throw it up from deep when he had improved his 2-pt fg pct to almost 50 percent in the 2015-2016 season.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, he has the ideal size for a small forward in the NBA, but his athleticism has been questioned by NBA scouts. It is possible that scouts attribute his lowered shooting percentage with being unable to handle the increased attention paid to him by the defense. I would argue that if it was his athleticism that was the issue, he would not have shot anywhere near 50 percent inside the arc. He’s got the body, he’s got the build, but does he have the basketball IQ and ability to determine good shot selection to stay in the NBA? I think that he does have the ability to improve his decision making, and I see him making a team after summer ball this year. While it is hard for me to see House becoming an All-Star, going from undrafted to a guaranteed contract would indeed be a victorious underdog story.

Next: Big Things Come in Small Packages

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