One of the intriguing SEC Basketball players in the second half of the NBA Draft is Iverson Molinar. He is a guard from Mississippi State with a handful of potential that could make him a productive player in the league.
As of right now, Molinar is on the bubble and projects to be either undrafted or a late second round pick. At the combine he measured in at 6’3” 183 pounds with a 8’5” standing reach and 6’8” wingspan.
That size allowed him to play a lot of minutes at the shooting guard position in college but he projects as a point guard in the NBA.
SEC Basketball 2022 NBA Draft Preview: Mississippi State PG Iverson Molinar
As the leading man for the Bulldogs, he led the team in points, assists, and field goal percentage.
In the 2021-2022 season, Molinar’s junior year, he averaged 17.5 points per game on 45% shooting, 3.6 rebounds per game, and 3.1 assists per game.
In games against ranked teams he averaged 20.4 points per game. That includes 30 points in an overtime loss against Kentucky.
But Molinar has questions coming into this years Draft. His three-point percentage dropped by 18 percentage points from his sophomore season and Mississippi State didn’t make the NCAA Tournament and was bounced in the first round of the NIT.
Scouts would’ve liked to see more efficiency and more winning from Molinar in college but as a talented scoring guard with a decent handle, he can find an opportunity in the NBA.
Strengths
Molinar is a shifty, and twitchy player who possesses elite level athleticism for somebody not projected very high.
He was a very consistent scorer for Mississippi State having finished with double digit points in every game.
He finishes at the rim at an efficient rate. In shots inside the arc he shot 51% on 10 attempts per game.
Despite struggling from three last year (only shooting 25%), Molinar actually has the potential to become a good long range shooter in the NBA.
In his freshman season he shot 37% from beyond the arc and in his sophomore year he shot 43%.
He has great shot mechanics that are visible in his free shooting proficiency. Last year he shot 87% from the charity stripe on 5 attempts per game and is a career 83% shooter from the line.
NBA Projection
Molinar projects as a point guard at the next level. In college he played more at the shooting guard position even at his smaller size. In the NBA he’ll be limited to guarding only point guards so shifting over to the 1 seems likely.
Molinar is currently 22 and turns 23 in December which causes concern for scouts over his potential in the league.
To stick with a team he needs to improve his outside shooting and show that his junior season was an aberration.
He’ll need to finish through contact better and avoid getting blocked so much when he is in the NBA. But his quick first step and downhill play style should give him opportunities to shoot close to the basket and get to the foul line where he excels.
If he is selected by a team without a ton of guard depth then he could see time in his first year.
Possible Team Fits
In order for Molinar to have the most success in the NBA he will have to go to a team that already has defensive oriented guards and if they want to play him at the shooting guard position then they will need to have a bigger sized point guard to handle the ball.
If he isn’t drafted then he will obviously have a say about which team gives him the best opportunity. But if he is drafted then it will likely be to one of the teams picking near the end of the draft.
The New Orleans Pelicans have pick number 51 and the Boston Celtics have pick number 52. Either team could be in play for Molinar. The Warriors also have a couple selections in the last 10 picks. And if Molinar falls to the very end of the draft, then the Pacers could take him.
Draft Position
Currently, Molinar is predicted to go undrafted in a lot of mock drafts but could possibly go anywhere in the second half of Round 2.
If Molinar can improve his shot, then his game will be on a whole other level and whoever takes him will be happy to have him as a part of their organization.